By Keith Idec
ATLANTIC CITY – Jesse Hart made quick work of Mike Gavronski on Saturday night.
The super middleweight contender from Philadelphia floored Gavronski twice in the third round. The second knockdown left Gavronski in no condition to continue and the first fight ESPN televised from Ocean Resort Casino was stopped 52 seconds into the third round.
Beating Gavronski enabled Hart (25-1, 21 KOs) to maintain his position as the WBO’s mandatory challenger for super middleweight champion Gilberto Ramirez. Hart lost a unanimous decision to Ramirez in what was a very competitive 12-round, 168-pound title fight September 22 in Tucson, Arizona.
Hart told BoxingScene.com before he won Saturday night that he doesn’t think Ramirez will fight him again because Ramirez realizes how tough their rematch would be. Hart expects Ramirez (38-0, 25 KOs) either to move up to light heavyweight or to pursue title unification fights.
After buzzing Gavronski (24-3-1, 15 KOs, 1 NC) in each of the first two rounds, Hart drilled a squatting Gavronski with a perfect right hand to the side of his head that dropped Gavronski. The veteran from Tacoma, Washington, got up, but Hart floored him again after landing a left hook and another straight right hand.
Gavronski got to his feet again, but he was in no condition to continue. Their scheduled 10-rounder was stopped 52 seconds into the third round.
A left hook by Hart stung Gavronski with about two minutes remaining in the second round. Hart rocked Gavronski with a right uppercut and an overhand right later in the second.
A cut also opened around Gavronski’s hairline during the second round.
Hart was aggressive very early in the first round and affected Gavronski with two right hands within the first minute of the fight. The second of those right hands caused Gavronski to hold.
Another Hart right hand buckled Gavronski’s legs and moved him backward with about 45 seconds to go in the first round.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
