Oscar Collazo defeats Gerardo Zapata, who retains the WBO 105-pound title

Oscar Collazo survived a tough second round against Gerardo Zapata on his way to work and outlast the Nicaraguan heavyweight in a 12-round defense of his WBO 105-pound title on Saturday at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. Collazo won with scores of 119-109 (double) and 117-111.

The Golden Boy Promotions/DAZN special was part of the International Boxing Hall of Fame induction weekend and was witnessed by past and present inductees, including Marco Antonio Barrera (class of 2017) and Ricky Hatton (class of 2024).

Collazo (10-0, 7 KOs), The Ring's 2024 strawweight, made his third defense of the WBO belt held by fellow Puerto Rican Ivan Calderon, one of the 2024 beneficiaries who was also in attendance.

Calderon, who made 12 defenses of the WBO 105-pound belt (before a long title reign at 108 pounds), was a smart, mobile southpaw in the ring. Collazo is also a southpaw, but the 27-year-old New Jersey native (who fights out of Villalba, Puerto Rico) is aggressive, aggressive and flat-footed, giving Zapata (14-2-1, 5 KOs) a chance to put him over. with a big right hook 2 minutes into Round 2.

Collazo was charged with a “stinky leg” while trying to get away from the next attack from the 29-year-old challenger from Managua (currently training in Maywood, California).

Zapata had his moments with punches like this. Photo by Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

Collazo had a clear advantage in speed and technique, but Zapata, a poor and long-armed southpaw, proved dangerous with his well-bound punches.

“He caught me with a good shot,” said Collazo. “I lay there defending myself. I smiled at him because he found me, but I was able to pass there.”

Collazo's bread and butter is smart pressure and body attacks, but he showed he can punch when necessary, and the second round was his time to move as Zapata continued to hunt.

Collazo kept his composure and continued to stick and move in Round 3. Zapata remained aggressive and looked unable to connect with the heat, but Collazo's deceptive body shots took the steam out of his striking in Rounds 4 and 5.

As Zapata slowed down, Collazo became more aggressive, taking more risks by staying in the pocket to land combos to the head and body.

“I wasn't really happy with the way I played tonight because of the second round, but I knew I had the fight in the sixth,” he said.

Collazo kept pushing Zapata to the ropes from Round 7 onward, outmaneuvering the challenger as he slowly wore him down.

Collazo punished Zapata for their strawweight belt. Photo by Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

In the championship rounds, Collazo was able to take his foot off the gas and show his defensive prowess.

“I heard the Puerto Rican fans yelling 'Ole!' when I slipped under his punches in the 12th round,” he said. “Show me a little Calderon there.”

Welterweight prospect Eric Tutor made quick work of Roddricus Livsey, stopping the 41-year-old Atlanta native with a vicious hand to the ribs in the opening round of their scheduled 10-round event.

Pastor (11-1, 6 KOs), a tall and rangy 22-year-old since The Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native used his reach and speed to control the action from a distance before landing a body shot that left Livsey (12-3-1, 9 KOs) on all fours during referee Charlie Fitch's 10-count.

The attack on Eric Tudor's body was straightforward. Photo by Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

Undefeated junior welterweight Mykquan Williams stopped Willmark Brito in the third round of their scheduled eight-round fight.

Williams (21-0-2, 10 KOs) patiently prepared his electric knockout by pounding his southpaw opponent in the boxing ring with sharp jabs and straight rights to the body in Rounds 1 and 2. In Round 3, Williams came in close to Brito. and timed short right hands to the jaw that rocked the 36-year-old Venezuelan journeyman who was just two months removed from a first-round loss.

In the final seconds of the round, Williams capped a consecutive KO loss to Brito (12-6-2, 10 KOs) by blasting the side to the canvas with another short right.

Williams, from East Hartford, Connecticut is owned by Jakie Kallen, one of the 2024 IBHOF bearers.

In an exciting undercard fight on Golden Boy Promotions/DAZN, David Stevens and Sergio Lopez entertained the crowd with a 2-minute shootout, with Stevens having to survive several wobbly moments in the first minute of the match. Williams, wobbly from the first punch that Lopez landed, looked to have at least two takedowns but held his ground against his swinging opponent.

David Stevens stayed on his feet (barely) with a few tackles. Photo by Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

Stevens (14-1, 10 KOs), a Ronnie Shields-trained super middleweight from Reading, Pennsylvania, dropped his aggressive Argentine opponent with a cross-hook combination just before 2 minutes . Lopez (14-6, 10 KOs) fell flat on his face but somehow beat referee Charlie Fitch's count of 10. However, the ensuing onslaught quickly wore Lopez down, allowing Fitch to wave the belt away at 2:13 of the opening round.

Stevens took the best shots of Brito but Brito couldn't land his own. Photo by Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy