Former world title challenger Brandon ‘Cannon’ Adams 23-3 (15) scored a spectacular eighth-round stoppage over previously undefeated Serhii ‘El Flaco’ Bohachuk 18-1 (18) to capture the WBC Continental Americas and WBO NABO junior middleweight titles in the main event of a Ring City USA card at the Felix Pagan Pintor Gym in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.
The card was televised on NBC Sports Network.
Adams came out strong in the early rounds as he took control by working on the inside. In round three, he was deducted a point for low blows.
Both boxers battled with a slippery ring surface but it was Bohachuk who took control by the middle rounds, walking Adams down. But the 31-year-old Watts, California native showed his championship experience as he hung tough and waited for his moment to strike.
That moment came in round eight when Adams landed a big left hook that hurt Bohachuk along the ropes. Adams jumped on his prey and landed another booming left hook on the chin that sent Bohachuk to the canvas. Ukrainian Bohachuk, 25, who fights out of Los Angeles, California made it to his feet but stumbled and the fight was stopped at 2:47.
“It was real tough in there with the ring being wet, and the referee taking that point. I had to dig in deep and regardless of what was happening during that fight it was me against them and I had to embody that and use all of the strength that I had to connect on one of those punches from ‘The Cannon’,” said Adams, who won the last season of the television show The Contender.
“He brought another side out of me that I knew was in me, but the people got to see it tonight. I am a professional. I have to figure out how to get The W. I am going to keep on doing what I have to do to keep winning.”
On the undercard junior welterweight Danielito ‘El Zorro’ Zorrilla 15-0 (11) won an eight-round technical decision over Ruslan Madiyev 13-2 (5) in what was a scheduled 10-round bout.
Madiyev was deducted a point for hitting behind the head in round five. Zorilla went down after another shot behind the head in round eight and could not continue, forcing the fight to the card where he won 77-75, 77-74 and 75-76.
Madiyev’s trainer Joel Diaz was not happy with the result.
“Personally, Zorrilla wanted out of the fight,” Diaz said. “Because of the experience I have, I can tell he was tired. He couldn’t handle the pressure and chose the right moment to say Ruslan hurt him. He wasn’t hurt. He’s a good actor. He should go do movies.
“We were winning the fight. Golden Boy called me and said they watched the fight and we won. This isn’t fair for my fighter because he put in the work, got ready, but what can we do? We (have) to keep moving forward.”
