It only took four rounds and the main event of ShoBox's first telecast of the year
ended in a resounding knockout. It was a bantamweight battle pitting the undefeated
hard hitting prospect Chris Avalos against Jose Nieves.
Nieves came into this bout with seventeen wins of his own and only one defeat, with three draws. But he was no match for the bantamweight bruiser Avalos. Avalos weighed in at 118, Nieves at 119 at Thursday's weigh in Alburqurque, New Mexico. It was the 119 pounds that ended up on the ground in a heap.
Chris achieved his 15th consecutive win, and 12th knockout, at 2:20 of the fourth round. He actually knocked Jose down in the second round, but Nieves made it out of that one alive. But barely into the 4th he was on the canvas again... and it was soon after that Avalos put the nail in the coffin with a third knockdown - complete submission on the part of Nieves - prompting Referee Rocky Burke to wave it off. It was a fair stoppage and a worthy test for the young prospect.
Avalos stated “I’m not worried about climbing into the top 10. I know that will come. I’m just focusing on my fights. I stay focused and give it 100 percent. I’m always focused and never off my game. I do nothing but train and box.”
"He’s a fighter that shows a lot of skill, and yet still a young fighter. He makes for exciting fights and that’s why we want to get him back," said Gordon Hall, executive producer of the ShoBox: The Next Generation series.
Avalos' team has stated their desire to move the 20 year old from Lancaster, California slowly. But he's a big hitter and he put on a good show on Showtime, so don't be surprised to see this kid matched even tougher very soon. It was his first main event display though he's been on Showtime undercards twice before, and it also marked the return of announcer Nick Charles, who has been away fighting stage 4 bladder cancer.
Avalos fought 6 times in 2009... could a fight with the likes of Anselmo Moreno, Yonnhy Perez or Fernando Montiel, both bantam champs, be far away from this heavy handed prospect?
By UPPERCUTTER
