Michel Rivera keeps his perfect record intact with another solid showing
In his most recent in-ring effort, rising lightweight contender Michel “La Zarza Ali” Rivera (21-0, 14 KO’s) maintained his flawless professional record. He did so by stopping Jon “Jonfer” Fernandez (21-2, 18 KO’s) in the eighth round. While Fernandez already had one loss to his ledger, Rivera stands as the first man to finish him within the distance. This was the sixth fight that the Dominican import has fought in the US. La Zarza Ali is currently ranked #11 (IBF) and #15 (WBO). Perhaps this most recent win will crack the top ten of the WBO rankings for him.
In his corner, the rising talent has Herman Caicedo as his chief second who also trains heavyweight Luis “King Kong” Ortiz. Provided that he keeps winning, his influential promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, should be able to place him a meaningful match soon. Unfortunately for Fernandez, this defeat snaps a three-year, five-fight win streak that he’s enjoyed since his first loss in 2018.
WELL EARNED WIN
For the most part, the first two rounds were filled with evenly paced tit-for-tat action. Rivera quickly went to work behind a steady jab to the head and body, while Fernandez found a cozy home for his uppercuts. In the final thirty seconds of the second, both men began sitting down on their punches and both found success. Between the two however, Rivera was the more active fighter even if not by an extreme measure.
At the start of the fourth, Rivera shifted into another gear and began pulling away with the use of a clubbing straight right hand. Two of them in the first thirty seconds would wobble Jonfer and put him on the defensive for the remainder of the round. While Jonfer was never too seriously hurt, Rivera would land the money punch numerous times throughout the period. Just as it seemed like Rivera was entering into cruise control, in the sixth, Fernandez dropped him with a short, thumping right hand. To his credit, the Dominican got up without issue and scored with a few good shots before the bell.
After the shift in the sixth, the bout resumed the neck-and-neck feel established in the first two periods. Then in the eighth round Rivera landed a lead jab followed by the same straight right that continued to plague Fernandez. Only this time the right hand first froze him, then left him splashing face-first on the canvas. Jonfer attempted to rise but swayed on his knees like a vertigo victim then toppled back over. When referee Jack Reiss saw him go down again, he quickly waved the bout off.
By: Bakari Simpson
