Ramon Cardenas might be the newest contender to emerge at super-bantamweight.
Cardenas (24-1, 13 KOs) earned a technical knockout against Israel Rodriguez Picazo (30-6, 20 KOs) in the sixth round, when Picazo could not continue.
The first round in the Plant City, Florida, Friday night main event saw a fast pace.
Both started quickly and Picazo threw almost exclusively power shots. Cardenas was more patient, but also pressed forward against the hard-hitting Picazo.
The power-puncher Picazo was outboxing the boxer, Cardenas, who stalked forward. Picazo had a lot of success with left hands to the body as Cardenas continued to press forward, following Picazo around the ring.
A straight right to the body from Cardenas got Picazo’s attention at the end of the second round and both continued to throw flurries. Picazo occasionally launched wider shots, but Cardenas struggled to find the distance to land effectively in retaliation.
The fourth saw Cardenas target the body more. Cardenas had the better technique but failed to cut off the ring, although Picazo’s legs started to show the effects of fatigue in the fifth.
Cardenas caught Picazo low halfway through that frame. Picazo did the rare thing – and he took time to collect himself. Merely seconds later, the fight resumed but there was a clash of heads. Both fighters were cut, but Picazo’s wound was worse and near the eye.
The cut made Picazo mad. He came out throwing bundles of power shots, which seemed ineffective and as Picazo’s volume lowered, Cardenas continued to follow Picazo, but the forward aggression seemed to take a toll on Cardenas.
Then, in the sixth, Picazo’s jaw was damaged in the sixth round and an ugly swelling started to form.
The doctor looked at Picazo in between rounds and said three words, “Oh, dear, yes,” in response to whether the fight should be stopped.
The time of the stoppage is 3:00 of the sixth round.
Cardenas has won back-to-back fights as a betting underdog.
The 28-year-old Texan, who now trains with Joel Diaz, appears to be a new face in the super-bantamweight division.
