“Bud” Crawford, the former lightweight and undisputed junior welterweight world champion, stopped Jeff Horn in the ninth round to win the WBO welterweight title in front of 8,112 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. With the win, Crawford becomes only the sixth fighter to win world titles in the lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight divisions.
Crawford (33-0,24 KOs) fought out of the southpaw stance for the majority of the fight, peppering the charging Horn with counter shots. Crawford landed a heavy overhand left as the bell sounded to end round eight, and Crawford came out in the ninth looking for the stoppage.
Horn (18-1-1, 12 KOs) took all Crawford had to offer, but in the ninth, a left hand forced Horn to the canvas and a follow-up barrage forced Robert Byrd to stop the bout at 2:43.
Jose “Sniper” Pedraza is closing in on world title shot. The native of Cidra, Puerto Rico, defeated Antonio Moran via unanimous decision to win the WBO Latino lightweight title. All three judges scored the bout 96-94 for Pedraza (24-1, 12 KOs), a former IBF junior lightweight champion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6fVtXW7o3A
In a WBA welterweight world title eliminator, Jose Benavidez Jr. needed only 1:24 to knock out the previously undefeated Frank Rojas. A left hook to the liver put down Rojas for the count, as Benavidez (27-0, 18 KOs) won his second consecutive bout since returning from an 18-month layoff.
Gabe Flores improved to 8-0 with a four-round unanimous decision over Jorge Rojas Zacazontetl in a lightweight bout. Flores, an 18-year-old who graduated high school just last week, won by scores of 40-36 on all three judges’ scorecards.
Shakur Stevenson (7-0, 4 KOs), the 2016 U.S. Olympic silver medalist, made quick work of Aelio Mesquita, scoring four knockouts en route to the second-round stoppage in the scheduled eight-round featherweight bout. It was the second consecutive second-round knockout for Stevenson, one of the sport’s bright young prospects.
Maxim “Mad Max” Dadshev (11-0, 10 KOs) scored the most significant win of his young pro career, knocking out former WBA lightweight champion Darleys Perez in the 10th and final rund to win the vacant NABF super lightweight title. Time of the stoppage was 1:49, as a flurry of right hands sent Perez to the deck.
Steve “So Cold” Nelson (11-0, 9 KOs) broke down and eventually stopped Dashon Webster in the sixth and final round of their light heavyweight bout. Nelson, a stablemate of Terence Crawford from Omaha, Nebraska, had Webster pinned against ropes, and referee Russell Mora called a halt to the bout.
David Kaminsky scored the first knockout of his pro career in devastating fashion, stopping Trevor Lavin in the second round with an accumulation of body shots. Kaminsky (2-0, 1 KO), a 17-year-old middleweight, dominated the action from the opening bell.
