Scorecard: Hurd, Rodriguez score stoppage wins

ByDAN RAFAEL
November 16, 2015, 4:05 PM

— -- A roundup of the past week's notable boxing results from around the world:

Saturday in Las Vegas

Jarrett Hurd TKO6 Frank Galarza
Junior middleweights
Records: Hurd (17-0, 11 KOs); Galarza (17-1-2, 11 KOs)

Rafael's remarks: Hurd, 25, of Accokeek, Maryland, turned pro in September 2009 and got his first national television exposure against by far his most notable opponent to date by facing Galarza, 30, of Brooklyn, New York, in the main event of Showtime's "ShoBox: The New Generation." The fight was initially scheduled to be the co-feature on the "Showtime Championship Boxing" card headlined by featherweight titlist Gary Russell Jr.'s defense against Oscar Escandon, but when Russell suffered a cut and his fight was called off, Hurd-Galarza was turned into the main event of the re-worked card.

Hurd, who has gained experience by sparring with fighters such as Lamont Peterson, Austin Trout, Antoine Douglas and Dominic Wade, showed a lot against Galarza in a good performance to stamp himself as a solid prospect to watch. It was the first time either man had been scheduled for a 10-round bout, but Hurd made that academic with the way he finished off Galarza -- supported at ringside by good friend and actress Susan Sarandon.

Hurd was sharp with his punches and quicker than Galarza throughout the fight. He dropped Galarza to a knee with a big right uppercut with about 30 seconds left in the fourth round. It was the first time Galarza had been knocked down in his career and although he survived, he was never the same after the knockdown. Galarza made it through the fifth round but in the sixth, Hurd connected with another powerful uppercut. It badly rocked a bleeding Galarza, who turned his back on the fight, forcing referee Russell Mora to call a halt to the action at 59 seconds.

"I knew he was an experienced, tough fighter, but I stuck to my game plan, listened to my corner and came out victorious," Hurd said. "Once I was able to set up my counter shots, I knew I could hurt him. This was my first time on national TV and I knew how important it was to be successful. I'd like to fight again soon, hopefully early in 2016. I'm ready to take my next step."

Galarza said he'd go back to the drawing board.

"I tip my hat off to Hurd. He was the better man tonight," Galarza said. "I didn't fight my fight and he did. This type of stuff happens in our sport. I'm disappointed in my performance, but mark my words: I'll be back, better and stronger than ever."

Sergiy Derevyanchenko TKO3 Jessie Nicklow
Super middleweights
Records: Derevyanchenko (7-0, 5 KOs); Nicklow (25-8-3, 8 KOs)

Rafael's remarks: In a fight made on a week's notice -- Showtime wanted to keep the card alive when the Russell-Escandon main event was called off due to Russell getting cut in training -- Derevyanchenko, 30, a 2008 Ukrainian Olympian, blew through Nicklow with ease. It was not unexpected.

Even though Derevyanchenko, who fought at 164 pounds but generally campaigns at 160, has only seven pro fights he is extraordinarily seasoned and talented. He was 390-20 as an amateur and then went 23-1 in World Series of Boxing competition. Nicklow, 28, of Baltimore, Maryland, who has lost to prospects such as Ryota Murata and Ronald Gavril and former middleweight champion Jermain Taylor, had little chance as he dropped to 1-4 in his past five fights.

Derevyanchenko went on the attack from the opening bell and ate Nicklow up with a powerful body attack and a steady diet of uppercuts. Derevyanchenko won the first two rounds and then brutalized Nicklow in the third round. He was teeing off on him almost at will and when he forced him to the ropes and continued to pound a near-defenseless Nicklow, referee Jay Nady stepped in to wave off the fight at 2 minutes, 18 seconds. Derevyanchenko is moving quickly and there's no reason to slow him down.

According to CompuBox punch statistics, Derevyanchenko landed 125 of 224 punches (56 percent) -- including 89 of 124 power shots -- while Nicklow connected on just 15 of 99 punches (15 percent).

"This was a great performance by me," said Derevyanchenko, adding he would like to eventually challenge unified titleholder Gennady Golovkin. "Jessie was a very tough opponent. I feel like I showed another element to my game. No one has done to Jessie what I did to him. I'm improving every time and I feel like I'll be ready for a title shot by the end of 2016."

David Benavidez TKO1 Felipe Romero
Light heavyweights 
Records:
Benavidez (11-0, 10 KOs); Romero (19-10-1, 13 KOs)

Rafael's remarks: Benavidez, just 18, of Phoenix, is the younger brother of interim junior welterweight titlist Jose Benavidez Jr. and turned pro in Mexico in 2013 at age 16 because he was too young to fight as a professional in the United States. Romero, 31, is not much of an opponent but he was the best and most experienced one Benavidez has faced and he took him out with ease, scoring three knockdowns for the quick victory.

In scoring the ninth first-round knockout of his career, Benavidez staggered Romero, of Mexico, with a left hand a minute into the fight and then dropped him with another left hand moments later. A few seconds after the fight resumed Benavidez scored the knockdown with a digging left hook to the body that sent Romero to his knees. He grudgingly continued and Benavidez was all over him, strafing him with body shots and left hands until he sunk to the mat again and referee Robert Byrd waved it off at 2 minutes. Benavidez will be interesting to watch but it is impossible to tell how far he might go, given his lack of amateur experience and limited pro opposition. But he is young and strong. Romero lost his second fight in a row by knockout.

"I know how strong my body shots are and I knew they would be effective," said Benavidez, who has sparred with the likes of Kelly Pavlik, Gennady Golovkin, Peter Quillin and Julius Jackson. "I wanted to make a great impression in my first nationally televised fight. I'm ready to get back in the ring gain as soon as possible."

Bermane Stiverne W10 Derric Rossy
Heavyweights
Records: Stiverne (25-2-1); Rossy (30-11, 14 KOs)

Rafael's remarks: In May 2014, Stiverne, 37, of Las Vegas, knocked out Chris Arreola in the sixth round of their rematch to win a vacant world title and become the first Haitian-born heavyweight to win a world title. But in January, Stiverne met mandatory challenger Deontay Wilder in his first defense and was manhandled in a near-shutout decision loss. He returned 11 months later to face Rossy, 35, of Medford, New York, an experienced but dangerous journeyman. It was a close fight with Rossy having the biggest moment when, after getting tagged with a couple of left hands in the first round, he dropped Stiverne in the final 10 seconds of the round. Stiverne survived and went on to win the competitive decision against Rossy, who lost his second in a row and third in his past four bouts (all decisions).

"It was great to be back in the ring again," Stiverne said. "I wasn't rusty, but maybe I sparred too much in the gym. He was a tough guy. The knockdown was more of a flash knockdown. It was a good punch, but I was a little off balance, too. I'm ready to get back in the ring soon and work my way back to become a world champion again."