Vazquez, Freitas Shine on Night of Knockouts

Junior featherweight Israel Vazquez of Mexico City was sharp and methodical, lightweight Acelino Freitas of Brazil was wild and crazy. Both boxers were impressive in winning their Arrowhead Pond debuts Monday night in front of an announced crowd of 3,386.

Vazquez (17-1, 15 knockouts) used Oscar Garcia’s face for target practice for three rounds before referee Marty Denkin mercifully stopped the bout after the third. Vazquez used short, chopping combinations and quick uppercuts to take command. At the end of the second round, Vazquez knocked down Garcia (12-3-1) with a straight right hand that landed flush on Garcia’s jaw.

The third round was all Vazquez. Right before the bell, he staggered Garcia with a three-punch combination that was punctuated by a fierce right hand to Garcia’s bloody face. Denkin asked Garcia if he wanted to continue, but he didn’t get much of an answer and waved his hands.

“I was well-prepared,” Vazquez said. “I wanted to put on a good show for the people of California. They are knowledgeable boxing fans.”

Freitas (15-0, 15 knockouts) came out wearing the colors of Brazil’s national soccer team and winging punches from every possible angle. Most of them connected. Olvera (13-5) did a lot of holding but it only delayed the inevitable. Freitas put Olvera down early in the first with a short overhand right, and again later in the round with a looping overhand right that broke through Olvera’s rope-a-dope defense.

“I didn’t know anything about [Olvera],” Freitas said. “I’m a boxer and a technician. I was both of them tonight.”

Finally, with a minute left in third round, referee Lou Filippo called it a night for Olvera after three-punch combination sent him into the ropes. Freitas celebrated by donning a soccer jersey and kicking a soccer ball around the ring.

“I’m going to be the next champion in Brazil, after Brazil wins the World Cup,” Freitas said.

The main event didn’t match the intensity of the Freitas or Vazquez fight. Junior middleweight Santos Cardona (36-7) of Puerto Rico earned a fifth chance at a world title by stopping Juan Soberanes (44-19-2) of Culiacan, Mexico, in the fifth round. Soberanes, behind on two of three cards, had a cut on his left eye-lid and decided not to continue.

In the four-round undercard bout, Studio City middleweight Antwon Leach and Errol Banner of Inglewood fought to a majority draw.