Jermell Charlo-Jeison Rosario results and analysis live

Ongoing fight: Daniel Roman vs. Juan Carlos Payano, 12 rounds, junior featherweight

Figueroa outpowers Vazquez

Brandon Figueroa successfully defended his “regular” WBA junior featherweight title by stopping Damien Vazquez in the 10th round of a fight scheduled for the 12th in the first half of a Showtime PPV card Saturday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Although Vázquez was successful early on in throwing quick combinations from his left-handed stance, Figueroa’s strength and power allowed him to take over the fight as the rounds progressed.

Vázquez (15-2-1, 8 KOs) was able to beat Figueroa with the punch in the first round. Although he doesn’t possess the power of Figueroa, he was able to land some good shots. After having some issues with Vazquez in the first, Figueroa (21-0-1, 16 KOs) decided to play left-hander in Round 2. When the two started swapping, Figueroa was doing more damage.

“I felt good tonight. It was a lot tougher than I expected,” Figueroa said. “I was punishing him in the body and in the head. I had to switch to southpaw because of how he was going in with his head. I didn’t want to risk a head butt so I boxed him differently. He was taking a lot of punishment and just trying to hitting and surviving the last few rounds. I have to give him credit for being tough. He came to fight and showed that he deserves to be in the ring with me. I knew that with the pressure I put in, he wasn’t going to last 12 rounds. “

As the fight progressed, Figueroa beat Vazquez at will. Vazquez had his moments, but he hurt himself more often as the swelling around his right eye increased. Before the eighth and tenth rounds, the ring doctor checked Vázquez.

Finally, a constant barrage of blows from Figueroa forced the stoppage at 1:18 on the 10th, when referee Gary Rosato rejected him.

“My dad told me to put more pressure in the middle of the fight and that’s what I did,” Figueroa said. “He was holding and taking my punches. But he knew just a little more damage and he could finish it.”

At the time of the strike, the cards said 89-82, 89-81 and 88-83 all in favor of Figueroa.

“This shows that I can fight under pressure, I am strong and I give exciting fights,” said Figueroa. “That’s what the fans want to see. I always leave everything in the ring and that’s what I did tonight.

“I’m ready for anyone, I know I belong to the best fighters in the division. I just want to give the fans great fights.”

Casimero knocks down Micah, retains world title

WBO Bantamweight Champion John Riel Casimero outpointed Duke Micah on his way to a dominant third-round TKO victory. Although Micah did his best to avoid Casimero’s blows, he simply couldn’t handle the defending champion’s offensive arsenal.

From the start of the fight, Casimero (30-4, 21 KOs) came out throwing a wide variety of punches, including wild right hands and left hooks, and it was all thrown at full force. Micah (24-1, 19 KOs) was more than willing to meet him in the center of the ring and trade with Casimero, often to his own detriment.

But in the second round, Casimero hit Micah with a left hook to the temple that jolted Micah and sent him stumbling to the mat. Micah was able to continue, but was still dazed and on the verge of being stopped when he was punished for a full two minutes for Casimero’s approaching punches.

Micah somehow survived the round, but before the third he was checked by the ring doctor as a precaution. Although Micah was cleared to continue, it was all for naught as a left uppercut severely stunned him early in the third and the fight was interrupted by referee Steve Willis just 54 seconds into the third round.

“I worked hard and got the win tonight,” Casimero said afterward. “In the first round, I saw that the body shot hurt him and I thought I could get him out right away, but he’s a good fighter who was undefeated for a reason. In the second round, the uppercut hurt him, but Duke Micah works hard, strong and has a good chin. I knew I was up against a good fighter so I didn’t expect to knock him out so fast. He’s strong so I was ready for 12 rounds.

“I am the real monster. Naoya Inoue is afraid of me. You are next. Today I would have knocked out anyone. If Inoue didn’t fight me, I will fight Guillermo Rigondeaux, Luis Nery or any of the best fighters.”

Still to come:

• Title fight: Jermell Charlo vs. Jeison Rosario, 12 rounds, WBC, WBA and IBF junior middleweight unification bout

• Title fight: Luis Nery vs. Aaron Alameda, 12 rounds, for vacant WBC junior featherweight title