Earlier today at the Yokohama International Swimming Pool in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan, flyweight champion Roman Gonzalez (41-0, 35 KO’s) and super featherweight champion Takashi Miura (28-2-2, 21 KO’s) both retained their world titles with sixth round stoppages of their opponents in the nights two main features of the night.
It was the first title defense of the WBC world title for Gonzalez, who faced off against former OPBF flyweight titlist Rocky Fuentes (35-8-2, 20 KO’s). Fuentes was coming in off a failed IBF title challenge in January when he dropped a 12 round decision to Amnat Ruenroeng. “Chocolatito” outworked the challenger, and had a comfortable lead heading into the sixth frame. At the 1:48 mark of the round, a left uppercut dropped Fuentes, who beat the count, but was saved from further punishment less than half a minute later when Gonzalez landed a series of clean head shots, prompting referee Len Koivisto to stop the action officially at the 2:11 mark.
Gonzalez has now won his last seven bouts by stoppage, and has come out on top in 12 world title contests; dating back to 2008, he’s held the WBA minimum-weight and light flyweight titles, most recently moving to the flyweight division, winning the WBC world title in September with a ninth round knockout of Akira Yaegashi. This was Fuentes’ second consecutive loss after being unbeaten in 15 contests.
Takashi Miura was making the third defense of his WBC super featherweight title. Edgar Peurta (23-5-1, 19 KO’s) came into the challenge on a 12 fight winning streak with nine coming by stoppage. Miura took control early, dropping Puerta in the opening frame and like Gonzalez, had a comfortably ahead moving into what would be the final round if the contest. After stunning Puerta, a series of unanswered punches caused the bout to be stopped at 2:15 of the sixth round. Miura even landed a parting head shot around the referee for good measure.
Miura stopped Gamaliel Diaz in nine rounds in April of 2013 to win the WBC strap, and has now made three successful defenses. This was Puerta’s first world title contest, though he is a former WBC silver super featherweight title holder.
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