The Divine One: Featherweight Champion Rafael Espinoza Stops Sergio Chirino
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 22 Jun 2024
Cortes Edges Nova in 130-pound Co-Feature
LAS VEGAS (June 21, 2024) — Rafael "El Divino" Espinoza, the 6'1" featherweight destroyer, lived up to his nickname. Espinoza defended his WBO title for the first time with a fourth-round TKO over Mexican countryman Sergio Chirino in the main event Friday evening in front of a sold-out crowd inside BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas.
Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) wasted no time in asserting his dominance, dropping Chirino with a counter left hand in the opening round. He put Chirino on the canvas in the third with a right hand that nearly sent him through the ropes. The end was near, and Espinoza pounced, knocking down Chirino (22-2, 13 KOs) with an accumulation of shots.
Six months after his Fight of The Year title-winning effort over Robeisy Ramirez, Espinoza's encore did not disappoint.
Espinoza said, "From the beginning, the hunger that I have to triumph, to be better and to move forward was apparent. I gave my heart, and it shows.
"We had a plan to control our distance in the fight. But I like throwing punches and showing people what they want to see, which is action. That’s why I went forward as soon as the first round began. I don’t like going backward.
"I’m here. It’s my time. The time of 'El Divino.' I want to unify, and I want the big challenges."
Cortes Edges Nova
Andres “Savage” Cortes (22-0, 12 KOs) dug deep in tonight's junior lightweight co-feature to earn a unanimous decision over former world title challenger Abraham Nova (23-3, 16 KOs).
The two engaged in trash talk for months ahead of their showdown, and the rivalry unfolded in the ring with tense action.
Cortes took an early lead in the opening rounds, pushing forward from a high guard to connect hooks and right hands to the body and head. He also had success with the right uppercut on the inside.
As Nova started to find his rhythm, Cortes began to tire in the eighth round. Nova stunned Cortes with an overhand right in the ninth.
The late surge was not enough for Nova, as Cortes won with scores of 97-93 2x and 96-94.
Cortes said, “It was a tough fight. I knew he was a tough competitor. He just went 12 rounds with a world champion. So, I knew it would be a tough one.
“He was very dirty in there. He called me a dirty fighter, but he was really dirty in there. All these headbutts and stuff. But it was a good fight. No excuses. I dug deep and got the victory.”
Nova said, “This is boxing. This is what happens. I started a bit slow. But then I got my rhythm. I went in there, and I did what I had to do. He hit me a lot behind the head.
“This is boxing. All I’ve got to go is back to drawing board, fix a couple things and come back.”
Isley Wins Battle of Unbeatens
Former amateur rivals Troy Isley (13-0, 5 KOs) and Javier Martinez (10-1-1, 3 KOs) put their unbeaten records on the line, and it was Isley who left the ring victorious.
Isley secured the unanimous decision and the NABO title by scores of 97-91 2x and 96-92. Isley and Martinez split four fights as amateurs, but in the paid ranks, Isley’s consistent aggression and intelligent use of angles proved too much for the Milwaukee native.
Martinez was deducted a point for low blows in the seventh round, while Isley suffered the same fate in round nine. Martinez tried to pick up the pace in the final two rounds on an elusive Isley, but it was not enough.
Isley said, "His two wins over me as an amateur meant nothing. The talent gap showed. We’re on to bigger things now. I want the champions soon.
"We knew to box him. We didn’t want to make it a firefight. I had to stay composed and box him.”
In other results:
Bantamweight: Floyd Diaz (12-0, 3 KOs) earned his second victory of the year with an eight-round points triumph over Mexican veteran Francisco Pedroza (18-12-2, 10 KOs). Diaz successfully controlled the fight with quick counters from the outside but also managed to outland at close quarters, especially as they went toe-to-toe in the final seconds. Scores: 78-73 3x.
Junior Lightweight: DJ Zamora III (13-0, 9 KOs), a Las Vegan southpaw of Filipino heritage, authored a workmanlike unanimous decision win over a tough-as-nails Jose Antonio Meza (9-10, 2 KOs) following eight rounds of sustained action. Zamora, who made his Top Rank debut tonight, prevailed with scores of 80-72 2x and 79-73.
Junior Bantamweight: Steven Navarro (2-0, 1 KOs) dazzled in his Top Rank debut and coasted to a unanimous decision victory over Juan Pablo Meza (7-4, 2 KOs). Navarro’s punch volume and elusiveness were simply too much for Meza. Scores: 60-54 3x.
Middleweight: In a battle of unbeaten prospects, Bryan Polaco (7-0, 5 KOs) shined, stopping Richard Acevedo (6-1-1, 5 KOs) in the third round of a scheduled six-rounder. Polaco scored a pair of knockdowns in the third, and a follow-up flurry forced referee Mike Ortega to stop the one-way traffic.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Lieutenant Delfin Boholst: Soldier, Boxing Coach, Mentor
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Sat, 30 May 2026O’Shaquie Foster vs Raymond Ford: Bad Blood Equals Good Fight
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 30 May 2026WBC Issues Rules Clarification for Designating David Benavidez Mandatory Challenger to Noel Mikaelian External Inbox Andre Courtemanche -- Big Media Buzz
Sat, 30 May 2026FOSTER VS. FORD – WEIGHTS AND THE FINAL WORD AHEAD OF TOMORROW NIGHT’S ACTION
Sat, 30 May 2026AWE to Air Live the WBC World Title Rematch of Kevin Lerena v. Ryad Merhy this Saturday
Sat, 30 May 2026Juego Todo exists in two powerful dimensions
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 30 May 2026‘The Homecoming’ Postponed in Vancouver
Sat, 30 May 2026Pound-for-Pound Puerto Rican Champion Oscar “El Pupilo” Collazo to Defend Unified WBA, WBO and Ring Magazine Minimumweight World Titles Against the Philippines’ Joey Canoy
Sat, 30 May 2026Canoy now trains at MP Davao for Collazo's fight
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 30 May 2026Johann Chua claims Duya Airplay Sport 5800 Charity Cup Crown, pockets US$50,000 tops prize
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 30 May 2026“While others debate governance, the IBA continues to deliver.” IBA CEO & Secretary General Chris Roberts OBE on the organisation’s resilience and global ambition
Sat, 30 May 2026MP Pro Announces Signed Undefeated Prospects J'Hon Ingram, Amir Anderson, David Lopez, and Kayla Gomez to Compete on "Pugilist Revolution" June 19 in Long Beach, California
Sat, 30 May 2026Canoy to challenge Collazo on June 20
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 29 May 2026UNDEFEATED SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT RONNIE ALVAREZ RETURNS TO THE RING ON JUNE 13 IN GLENDALE, ARIZONA
Fri, 29 May 202620 Matchups Set for 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, To Determine 2026 USA Wrestling World Championship Teams
Fri, 29 May 2026