Paez Displays One-Punch Power in Stopping Madrid

Jorge Paez got to clown and cavort, and as a little added bonus in his lightweight bout against Erick Madrid before 4,398 at the Forum Monday night, Paez got to show rare one-punch power.

With Madrid (15-3-1) charging hard but unable to land any solid punches, Paez (45-6-4, 30 knockouts) could do his matador act, his shuffle and other assorted pieces of his show. Then, in the third round, Paez caught Madrid with a straight right hand that broke Madrid’s nose.

“It was going to be a tough fight,” Paez said through an interpreter, “but one shot, that was it. He couldn’t fight after that.”

Madrid continued, bleeding profusely while Paez buzzed playfully around him, and Madrid’s corner stopped the fight in the fourth with Paez zeroing in repeatedly on Madrid’s nose.

Paez, who entered the ring rather demurely considering his flashy repertoire of dramatic flourishes, said he was in much better shape for this fight than he had been for several of his recent bouts.

In his last fight, Paez, who last held a world title three years ago--the International Boxing Federation featherweight championship--lost a 12-round decision to IBF lightweight champion Freddie Pendleton on July 17.

Monday night, Paez was behind on every judge’s card when the fight was stopped, but that was only because he spent most of the first two rounds clowning.

“I wanted to do more (clowning),” said Paez, who landed the harder blows despite his antics.

Madrid, originally from Sylmar, was fighting for the first time in California since 1988.

In an earlier fight, flyweight Ysaias Zamudio (34-4-1) dominated from the outset, winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Antonio Ruiz Villasana (12-4-3). Also, Art Porras (2-0) took a unanimous four-round decision over Jesse Sebedra (0-1).