Kevin Hayler Brown made things much easier for himself this time around.
The unbeaten junior welterweight maintained an early lead in a ten-round, unanimous decision over John Bauza. Scores were 98-91, 97-92 and 96-93 for Brown in their DAZN main event Friday evening at Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.
Brown had to sweat out a split decision in his previous appearance on Most Valuable Promotions’ CELSIUS®-sponsored MVProspects series in May. He made sure to pad an early lead in this fight.
The unbeaten Cuban floored Bauza with a wicked right hand to the midsection in the final minute in the opening round. Bauza immediately jumped to his feet and made it to the bell.
Momentum remained in one direction through rounds two and three. Bauza was tense and often failed to let his hands go even when at close quarters. Brown flicked his left jab and was effective with right hands both on in the inside and from long range.
Bauza tried to turn things around in the fourth. The Puerto Rican southpaw threw combinations and landed a straight left. Brown laughed off the shot and immediate reclaimed the lead. A flurry of power shots by Brown had Bauza hurt towards the end of the round.
Bauza made adjustments in the second half of the fight. Brown’s corner—headed by Ismael Salas—was more concerned about what wasn’t happening with their fighter, however. The unbeaten 30-year-old was not as active in his punch output, moments which Bauza sought to exploit.
Brown was urged to not let Bauza back into the fight, even if his Boricua opponent was only winning moments and not rounds. Bauza constantly bounced on his feet and looked to land his straight left hand. Brown’s slick head movement rallied provided those opportunities, though he was verbally disciplined for low blows.
Desperation set in for Bauza in the final round. He was warned for a rabbit punch but continued to take the approach to make things rough for Brown. Both fighters traded low blows midway through the round. Brown’s shot was countered with a right hand to the chin by Bauza, who then went very low. Two-way warnings were issued to keep it clean down the stretch.
Brown improved to 6-0 (3 knockouts) with his second consecutive distance win. He avoided the canvas or any drama this time around.
Bauza fell to 18-2 (8 KOs) with the second defeat in his past three fights. He was shut out by Richardson Hitchins (18-0. 7 KOs) last February in New York City.
UNDERCARD RESULTS
Hendri Cedeno (14-0, 11 KOs) won his second straight at Caribe Royale after a fifth-round stoppage of Enriko Gogokhia (13-2-2, 8 KOs).
Their junior welterweight battle was entertaining through five rounds before its anticlimactic ending. Gogokhia—a Georgian southpaw based in California—was unable to continue due to an injured left shoulder.
Yoelvis Gomez (8-1, 7 KOs) picked up his second consecutive victory when Brazil’s Diego Ferreira quit on his stool after four rounds.
Action was all one way in favor of Gomez. a 26-year-old Cuban middleweight now based in Las Vegas. Ferreira (11-2, 7 KOs) was too game for his own good and bloodied near the end of the fourth. A three-punch combination just before the bell hurt the Brazilian southpaw. Gomez was ready to inflict more punishment before Ferreira’s corner declared their guy was done prior to the start of the fifth.
Opening the telecast, Carlos Lebron and Luis Quiles fought to a four-round majority draw in their bantamweight battle. Lebron (3-1-1, 3 KOs) won 39-37 on one card, overruled by scores of 38-38 and 38-38 to produce the stalemate. Quiles (2-0-1, 1 KO) rallied hard after losing the opening two rounds to take the third and fourth.
Off-TV, Brooklyn’s Harley Mederos (7-0, 6 KOs) stopped Nikolai Buzolin (9-10-1, 5 KOs) in the third round. Mederos—who is managed by Keith Connelly—battered Buzolin and closed with a left hook to force the stoppage.
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