Junior welterweight Delante “Tiger” Johnson defeated Tarik Zaina via unanimous decision Saturday at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Johnson (13-0, 6 KOs), a 2020 U.S. Olympian, utilized his defense as a key component of his offense, with Zaina – typically an elusive fighter – pressing forward. This allowed Johnson to capitalize and land significant shots. At times, Johnson appeared eager to land a big punch, which gave Zaina (13-2-1, 8 KOs) some opportunities due to the similar speed of his shots, and Johnson looked to land a big shot.
In the third round, Johnson pushed Zaina back after a close second round. Coach Prenice Brewer instructed Johnson to be more active and impose his will, despite assuring him he was winning easily. Brewer sought a standout performance from Johnson in a competitive division.
Johnson, 25, of Cleveland, responded with a strong overhand right that buzzed Zaina, 28, of Tangier, Morocco. However, the fight saw several lulls, partly due to Zaina’s style. From the sixth round onward, Johnson boxed effectively while Zaina swung awkwardly, disrupting Johnson’s timing. Johnson’s power failed to significantly impact Zaina.
Although Johnson dominated, he never seemed to move out of first gear or second gear, maintaining a consistent pace until the final round. In the last round, his performance improved as he began throwing combinations instead of single punches.
Scores were announced 79-73, 78-74 and 77-75 for Johnson.
This bout marked Johnson’s seventh eight-round fight, and it was noted on the broadcast that he is aiming for a 10-round fight next.
For Zaina, this marks his second consecutive loss, following a defeat to Rohan Polanco in March. Polanco, also promoted by Top Rank, could be a potential future opponent for Johnson.
Andy Dominguez Bests Cristopher Rios in Tight Decision
Flyweight Andy Dominguez secured the most notable win of his career with a majority decision over Cristopher Rios.
The scores were 76-76, 78-74 and 77-75 for Dominguez.
ESPN’s Bernardo Osuna noted that the 25-year-old Dominguez (11-1, 6 KOs), of New York, prepared for the fight by sparring with WBA junior bantamweight champion Kazuto Ioka, while the 21-year-old Rios (10-2, 7 KOs), of Compton, California, sparred with Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.
Dominguez started strong, boxing off the back foot, but by the third round Rios’ relentless forward attack began to shift the momentum. Dominguez adjusted, and punch volume became the key factor in the bout. Both fighters threw a lot of punches, with rounds often determined by who had the higher output. Dominguez delivered eye-catching shots, while Rios excelled in close, landing good uppercuts.
The contest became hard-fought on the inside in the second half. However, as the fight progressed, Dominguez appeared tired and, in the late rounds, fought with his mouth open. Rios seemed to land the more effective shots, particularly with his relentless uppercuts from short range, while Dominguez countered well, especially with a right hand that snapped Rios’ head back in the final round.
Dominguez is currently ranked No. 13 in the WBA rankings.
Jahi Tucker Shines in Debut at 160 Pounds
Jahi Tucker made his middleweight debut with an eight-round unanimous decision victory over Quincy LaVallais.
The 21-year-old Tucker (11-1-1, 5 KOs), of Deer Park, New York, rebounded from a recent tough stretch, which included a majority decision loss to Nicklaus Flaz and a draw with Francisco Daniel Veron. The scores were 80-72 on all three scorecards.
Tucker rocked the 30-year-old LaVallais (17-5-1, 12 KOs), of Panama City, Florida, at the end of the first round with an overhand right and left uppercut sequence that left LaVallais dazed as the bell sounded. LaVallais’ punch volume dropped in the second round while Tucker continued to land big right hands. Before the start of the third round, the ringside doctor checked LaVallais but allowed the action to continue.
Tucker landed a big left hook in the fourth, showcasing a systematic breakdown of LaVallais. Though the offensive-minded Tucker did not score a knockdown, he made an impressive mark in his new division.
LaVallais is a former opponent of Xander Zayas, whom Tucker has called out numerous times. Tucker, who turned pro at welterweight, fought at junior middleweight in his last three bouts, going 1-1-1.
Ofacio Falcon Soars in Wide Decision Win
Junior lightweight Ofacio Falcon (12-0, 6 KOs), 24, of the Bronx, New York, won a six-round unanimous decision over Antonio Dunton El Jr. (5-3-2, 2 KOs), 27, of Baltimore, Maryland, on scores of 60-53 (twice) and 59-54.
Falcon, who was previously trained by his father, fought his first bout with Kay Koroma – coach of Bruce Carrington, the co-main eventer – as the lead voice in his corner. Falcon dropped Dunton El in the second round with a left hook that landed on the shoulder. The knockdown was ruled to have been caused by improper footwork from Dunton El and not by a damaging blow.
Ali Feliz Lands Another Knockout
Heavyweight Ali Feliz (2-0, 2 KOs) of Danbury, Connecticut, notched a second straight knockout to begin his career when he stopped Lemir Isom-Riley (4-3, 2 KOs) of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in the first round.
After being buzzed by a right hand from Isom-Riley, 28, Feliz, 20, responded by flooring his opponent with a right hand of his own, following a jab-cross combination that shook up Isom-Riley. Another powerful right hand left Isom-Riley defenseless in the corner, prompting referee Eddie Claudio to stop the bout at 1:25 of the first round.
Nisa Rodriguez Pitches a Shutout in Second Bout
The opening bout saw women’s super middleweight and New York City police officer Nisa Rodriguez (2-0), 33, defeat Jordanne Garcia (4-4-3), 26, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, via a unanimous decision.
Rodriguez, 33, won with the scores of 40-36 on all three judges’ scorecards. She leveraged her five-inch reach advantage, which matched the height difference between the two fighters.
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