Richard Torrez Jr. gets the toughest challenge of his career tonight. He will take on Guido Vianello in the main event of a Top Rank Boxing card from the Palms Resort Casino in Las Vegas.
Torrez Jr. comes into the fight with a perfect 12-0 record. I’ve spoken with some in the industry who have said they do not see him as a serious heavyweight title contender. Torrez Jr. can do a lot to prove his critics wrong if he can get past Vianello.
On Saturday night, Vianello has a chance to prove he still has some upside. He scored an eighth-round TKO win over Arslanbek Makhmudov in his last fight to get off a two-fight losing streak.
Because of the situation both fighters are in, this is a high-stakes main event for two heavyweights with tons on the line.
The co-main event has two 140-pound fighters clashing who have aspirations of obtaining a big-money fight in their next outing. The winner of this fight could find themselves in a position to chase a fight with Teofimo Lopez, Devin Haney, and others over the next two years.
Rarely will we see two fighters on the upswing clash at this point in their careers. While neither man is a household name, the dynamics are in place for an important boxing match—and that’s not as common as it should be in the sport.
Also on the card, the 21-year-old Abdullah Mason takes on Carlos Ornellas in the next test for the exciting American lightweight. In the co-main event, Lindolfo Delgado will take on Elvis Rodriguez.
Here is a look at the results as they happen.
Torrez Jr. Vs. Vianello Results
Lindolfo Delgado Vs. Elvis Rodriguez Results
Abdullah Mason Vs. Carlos Ornellas Results
On his 21st birthday, Mason gave himself a gift.
He put together a solid performance en route to a sixth-round TKO victory. Ornellas was clearly out of his depth, though Mason still showed he has some holes in his defense.
While Mason won with a TKO, he took some shots from a fighter far beneath the level he’ll see once he rises the lightweight ranks.
The all-action fighter scored a knockdown in the second round with a well-positioned left hook that caused a delayed-reaction knockdown.
Ornellas took a knee, got to his feet, but that only prolonged the one-sided action. Here is a look at the knockdown.
Another massive left hand sent Ornellas down for a delayed-reaction knockdown to end the fourth round. The latter took the shot and finished the round, but he was clearly getting plastered.
This is the second knockdown.
In the sixth round, Mason brought more pressure and forced Ornellas to take another knee. It was clear Ornellas’ game plan was to take a knee any time he took some serious damage. Unfortunately, it was more of a strategy for survival and not one for victory.
In between the sixth and seventh rounds, the ringside doctor made the proper decision to stop the fight.