Mbilli Overcomes Gongora as Kean And Claggett Score Stoppage Wins
Top-rated super middleweight Christian “Solide” Mbilli (24-0, 20KO) overcame adversity to earn a victory over Carlos Gongora (21-2, 16KO). This fight was worth the price of admission as these two men gave just as good as they were getting. Mbilli came out applying the pressure but got caught by a left uppercut that had him wobbled. He recovered and began investing heavily in the body of his opponent. Moreover, Mbilli found a home for the right hand that Gongora ate as if they were M&M’s.
The eighth round is an early candidate for round of the year, as Gongora landed a series of left uppercuts that had Mbilli in danger of getting stopped. Solide turned things around with a right hand that halted Gongora’s forward progress and unloaded a barrage of punches until the bell sounded. In the last two rounds, Mbilli fought like a man possessed – landing vicious punch combinations on the visiting opponent. The crowd gave both fighters a standing ovation when the final bell sounded. The judges’ scorecards were 99-91, 98-92, and 97-93 in favor of Mbilli in a very entertaining battle.
SIMON KEAN SCORES A BRUTAL STOPPAGE OVER ERIC MOLINA
Heavyweight Simon Kean (23-1, 22KO) scored a good stoppage against veteran Eric Molina (29-9, 21KO) in the seventh round. The fight started at a slow pace as both fighters tried to establish distance with the jab. As the fight entered the middle rounds, Kean began to find a rhythm with counter-right hands. He used feints to freeze Molina before landing a left hook, overhand right combination.
Molina found success with the right hand, taking advantage of the flat-footed Canadian. However, Kean came alive in round seven by landing a counter-right hand that had Molina out on his feet before falling to the canvas from a follow-up left hook. The referee waved off the fight after Molina got up and was staggering against the ropes. Kean is on an eight-fight stoppage streak and could rank inside the top 15 following this victory.
STEVE CLAGGETT BREAKS DOWN THE BODY OF RAFAEL GUZMAN
Junior welterweight Steve Claggett (34-7-2, 24KO) applied relentless pressure on Rafael Guzman (26-3-2, 16KO), forcing him to retire on the stool after seven rounds. This was a phonebooth bout that was fought at a furious pace. Claggett attacked the body from the start of the opening bell with punishing hooks and uppercuts to the pit of the Guzman’s midsection. His inside fight game and counterpunching were on point.
As the fight continued, Claggett was winning the war of attrition as Guzman’s body language showed a fighter taking heavy damage. Realizing his opponent was weakening, Claggett turned up the pace with blistering combinations, attacking both the body and head. At the end of round seven, a visibly-done Guzman slumped down on the stool as the corner decided to stop the fight. The Candian picked up a good win fighting in front of the home crowd and is riding a five-fight stoppage streak.
