Rosado on right lands on Collins
Ringside Coverage and Photos by Gary Purfield
“King” Gabriel Rosado thoroughly dominated Keenan Collins over ten rounds to pick up the PA state Jr. Middleweight title to go along with his NABA strap. Rosado pitched a complete shutout, winning by scores of 100-90 on all three cards in the Telefutura Soleo Boxeo card Friday night from the Arena in Philadelphia.
Rosado 18-5 (10 KO) used speed, movement, and combination punching to take control early, and never let go of his building momentum. Collins 13-7-2 (9 KO) big weapon is a heavy straight right but Rosado was well prepared, as he easily would slip the big shot and counter with three and four punch combinations that forced Collins to cover up.
As the fight went on, Rosado continued excellent head and upper body movement while firing his combinations. Meanwhile Collins threw less and less retreating into a defensive shell. The more Rosado punched the more Collins went into hiding making the fight a more and more one sided affair with each passing round.
By round three Gabe began some showboating with dancing feet. As the fight progressed Rosado’s confidence kept increasing and his showboating became more pronounced. Afterwards Rosado was chided by reporters and his promoter for the excessive showboating but Rosado felt comfortable with his actions.
“If I can’t do a little something like this, I can’t do a little Roy Jones, I ain’t having fun.”
Rosado trained for the bout under a cloud due to pending charges from an incident following his last bout in Atlantic City, when he knocked out Ayi Bruce. Rosado admitted that this was on his mind, but as a professional he had to deal with the matter and stay focused.
“I’m not gonna lie, my last fight I was kind of more into the groove. I’m a professional so I had to fight through all the trials and tribulations I have been going through outside of the ring. I’m not going to lie and say it was easy. It wasn’t. There were times where it was tough going to the gym, to spar, and putting roadwork in but I pulled through.”
If the pending case was on his mind he did not let it show in the ring. Rosado put on possibly his best performance so far as a pro. While his offense failed to produce a stoppage which seemed in reach several times, it was more than enough to stifle and dominate his opponent. His work with and study of fellow Philly fighter Bernard Hopkins was evident in his much improved defense, especially in taking away his opponents best weapon, the right hand.
“Every now and then it would land but it wouldn’t land flush. It would graze. Bernard’s the master at that. Throw the right hand, you just lean off, it will hit you, but it will just graze off. It never landed flush and I never got hurt.”
Rosado feels he is ready for the bigger stage. After the fight he discussed where he wants to go from here.
“I want the big fights because I felt like I’ve been through a lot of good fights, a lot of tough fights in my career that have gotten me ready for a big fight. I think I could match up against Alvarez. I think it would be a different outcome if I fought Angulo in a rematch. I think I would box him.”
In the televised co-feature, undefeated welterweight prospect Ronald Cruz ran his knockout streak to seven consecutive fights by stopping veteran trial horse Christopher Fernandez. Cruz, who hails from Bethlehem PA, was making his first appearance on network TV and came through with a convincing performance.
In round one Cruz went to work with what is quickly becoming his trademark body attack. Cruz stalks his opponents, lands to the head, and immediately follows up with thudding body shots that break an opponent down. Late in the first round Cruz caught his man with a left hook to the head that sent a stunned Fernandez reeling to the ropes.
“I didn’t know much about him. I just wanted to study him the first couple of rounds and my game plan is always to work the body.”
The assault continued with a methodical precision from the orthodox and southpaw stance. Cruz and his team had been working on the southpaw stance for several camps now and chose tonight to unveil it in the ring.
“I throw pretty strong punches when I turn southpaw. I’m ready to go, watch me turn southpaw.”
In round five the consistent bodywork began paying dividends as Fernandez was clearly breaking down. Cruz landed two thudding left hooks to the body that dropped his opponent to a knee. Fernandez was a game opponent and he showed his toughness by rising and surviving the round despite Cruz’s assault to finish it right there.
Cruz, right, works the body |
In round six both fighters slowed a bit but the damage had been done. Between rounds six and seven enough was enough. Fernandez 19-14-1 (12 KO) did not answer the bell for the next round giving Cruz the six round TKO victory.
Overall it was an impressive performance. Cruz 14-0 (11 KO) had won every round on this writer’s scorecard leading up to the stoppage. As for what’s next Cruz lets his actions in the ring do his talking. The fast moving prospect has no interest in getting into saying who he fights next.
“I let my trainer, my manager, and my promoter take care of that.”
Whoever comes next will need to be well prepared for a sustained body assault and a fighter that is looking to make his presence known in the welterweight scene.
Undercard Wrap-up
Heavyweight Bryant Jennings remained undefeated with a unanimous decision win over Alex Meijas 11-8 (5 KO) in a six round bout. Jennings 10-0 (4 KO) won by scores of 59-54, 59-54, and 58-55. After a rough first round Jennings began landing heavy shots taking over the bout.
Decarlo Perez scored an impressive first round knockout over Tolan Tascoe cutting short the four round welterweight bout. Perez 5-0-1 (2 KO) landed a left hook and right hand dropping Tascoe 1-6-1 (0 KO) who could not beat the count. The end came at 1:35 of round one.
Fred Jenkins 4-0 (2 KO) scored a second round KO over Pete Yates 1-3 (1 KO) in a four round middleweight bout. Jenkins landed a left hook to the body dropping his opponent who failed to beat the count. The official end was at 3:01 of round two.
William Miranda of Allentown, PA squared off with Lonnie Kornegay of Baltimore, MD in heavyweight action. Kornegay scored his first win as a professional with a split decision win by scores of 39-36, 37-38, and 38-37. Kornegay 1-4-2 (0 KO) scored a knockdown in round two off a left hook that proved to be the difference. Miranda drops to 3-4-1 (0 KO).
In the opening bout of the evening featherweight Tevin Farmer took a unanimous decision over Joshua Arocho with all three judges scoring the four round bout 39-37. Farmer goes to 2-1 (0 KO) while Arocho of Vineland, NJ falls 1-5-1 (1 KO).
For a full photo wrap of the televised fights visit
https://picasaweb.google.com/111668600900883893517/RosadoCruzArena9911?authkey=Gv1sRgCNLproOTiIGaJQ#
Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com
Leave a Reply