Juan Carrillo decided to keep his undefeated streak as casual as a stroll through the park, putting Quinton Rankin to bed with a loving two-punch lullaby in the main event. Yep, Carrillo (12-0, 9 KOs) must’ve thought he was in a Rocky movie, shaking off a slight stumble in the first, only to rise like a phoenix—or, more accurately, like a guy who really doesn’t like losing.
Rankin, bless his heart, came in hot, all fire and brimstone at the weigh-in, only to find out that storms can be weathered, especially when you’re facing a human tempest named Carrillo. The drama peaked in round three when Carrillo, perhaps mistaking Rankin’s chin for a “Press Here to End Fight” button, sent him packing at the 27-second mark with a pair of uppercuts that were anything but polite.
Meanwhile, in the co-main spectacle, Shohjahon Ergashev (24-1, with a whopping 21 KOs that scream “I’m really good at this”) turned Juan Huertas into a not-so-happy pinata, ending the party at exactly 2 minutes into round one. Because why drag it out, right? Ergashev, clearly not a fan of overtime, reasserted his place in the super lightweight hierarchy with a KO that screamed “back in business.”
Husam Al Mashhadi (9-1, 8 KOs) apparently had a dinner reservation to catch, wrapping up his bout with Daulis Prescott faster than you can say “check, please!” A right hand, a flurry, and a referee later, Prescott was left protesting the end at 1:47 of the opening round, probably because he wanted to see what round two looked like.
In a turn of events that had everyone shrugging, William Townsel (now 7-1, 5 KOs) decided that being smoother than a buttered slide was the way to outclass Nadim Salloum. Townsel piled up points while Salloum seemed to be aiming for shots that were maybe in another zip code.
And let’s not forget the appetizer for the evening, where Vladimir Shishkin (16-0, 10 KOs) played a game of “How many punches can Mike Guy take before we call it a day?” Spoiler: the game ended at 2:14 of round seven, with Shishkin probably keeping his valuable spot in the rankings but leaving everyone wanting a bit more spark.
Kicking off the night, Josiah Shackleford decided that Antwion McCollough needed a rapid introduction to the canvas, not once but twice, finishing the educational session at 1:28 of the first round.
Dmitriy Salita, playing the role of Captain Obvious, declared it a grand night for boxing in Detroit. With Shishkin eyeing a title shot, Ergashev elbowing his way back into the spotlight, and Carrillo proving he’s not just there for the participation trophy, it was indeed a showcase of boxing’s finest—or at least the most entertaining.
