By David Martinez / dmboxing.com
It was a huge night of boxing on Saturday, January 28, 2017 with outstanding bouts featured on both Showtime and HBO.
On Showtime – from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas – Leo Santa Cruz (33-1-1 / 18 by KO) avenged his only career loss to previously unbeaten Carl Frampton (23-1 / 14 by KO) by a twelve round majority decision to recapture the WBA featherweight championship.
Santa Cruz adjusted very well in the rematch by landing well at a distance with his excellent jab.
It was a great fight as expected with both fighters giving it their all in every round.
The judges had it 115-113, 115-113, and 114-114 with Santa Cruz being the winner … my scorecard was a bit wider 116-112, 8 rounds to 4 for Santa Cruz.
In the semi-main event of the evening, Mickey Garcia (36-0 / 30 by KO) knocked out Dejan Zlaticannin (22-1 / 15 by KO) in round three to win the WBC lightweight championship.
Garcia from the opening bell was the dominant fighter and in charge. A tremendous uppercut followed by a right hand knocked out Zlaticannin cold as referee Tony Weeks waved the end of the bout at 2:21 of the third round.
On HBO – from the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California – Miguel Berchelt (31-1 / 28 by KO) won the WBC super featherweight championship in a 11th round stoppage over Francisco Vargas (23-1-2 / 17 by KO).
The fight was a brutal one as Berchelt was in complete command, pressing and landing the heavier punches throughout every round.
Vargas was game, but simply over powered as he bled from the sixth round on before referee Raul Caiz Jr. stopped the one-sided fight at 2:19 of the eleventh round.
In the semi-main event on HBO, Takashi Miura (31-3-2 / 24 by KO) scored three knockdowns in round twelve to win by knockout over Mickey Roman (56-12 / 43 by KO) in their super featherweight bout.
Roman was ahead on all scorecards after eight rounds, but the fight would swing in Miura’s favor as he came on and dropped Roman in round ten and again in round eleven.
This would be an amazing comeback by Miura, and after two knockdowns in the final round, a straight left hand at 0:53 ended the bout by knockout.