No Butts About It,
Holt Electrifies Torres In 1:01

By Dennis Bernstein, MBA
www.scoremedia.org
Photos: Chris Farina - Top Rank
 


Las Vegas, NV – In the rematch for the WBO 140 pound title Saturday night staged at the Planet Hollywood Center for Performing Arts, Kendall Holt made sure that there would be no controversy as there was in the first match in September 2007. After getting floored twice in the first 45 seconds, Holt came off the canvas and knocked out the defending champion with the powerhouse right hand. The devastating KO shocked those in attendance including the man who delivered the blow; so perfect a punch that was thrown by Holt that referee Jay Nady stopped his count at 3 while concern grew at ringside for Torres. The champ was out cold on the ropes as officials and doctors from the Nevada State Athletic Commission rushed to the prone champion’s aid. But as the smoke cleared it became less apparent that the final blow thrown by the challenger from Paterson, NJ was the deciding factor.

 

Torres, as expected, came out fast and furious and floored Holt with his first serious punch of the fight, a right hook to Holt’s temple. More stunned than hurt by the blow, Holt quickly got to his feet and rushed his Colombian opponent as both threw blows and in the ensuing scrap fell to the canvas again. From our advantage point, the fall appeared to be caused by a slip more so than a blow from Torres but in the heat of the battle, Nady started a second eight count despite Holt’s protest.
 

 

Then came the ten seconds that made this fight a memorable one. The two fighters exchanged punches in a neutral corner and as they clinched. Holt’s head came up and struck Torres in the jaw and Torres fell into the ropes. With his opponent in a compromising position, Kendall did as he should; he pursued the champ and caught him with a spectacular right. The effects of the punch will certainly make Sports Center, Torres was out as soon as it landed, Torres’ foot was buckled grotesquely underneath him while his other leg was twitching. Nady’s stop came just 61 seconds into the match and you won’t see a minute of action like that for the rest of 2008. To end the night just as appropriately, there was no post fight press conference, our guess that Torres was unable to speak on the way to the hospital while Holt was just as stunned with the victory to summon any words.
 

 

The electrifying nature of the knockout presents a number of options for the new champion. He could complete the trilogy with Torres, as the former champion is sure to claim foul from the head butt and two controversial matches always produce high drama for the third and final act. Holt could dispense of Torres by claiming he beat him the first time and look for a payday against a Ricky Hatton or a Paul Malignaggi. Torres will probably think twice about traveling outside of Colombia or Puerto Rico to fight again as he’s 32-0 in those locales and 1-2 in the States, the other loss a seventh round KO at the hands of Miguel Cotto.

 
 

LAMONT THROWS OUT THE GARBAGE
 


Showtime Television has showcased the Peterson brothers on their ShoBox program for the past couple of years and tonight it was Lamont Peterson’s turn. The Washington, DC native easily pushed his record to 25-0 with a ninth round stoppage of game but overmatched Rogelio Castaneda (24-14-3). Peterson, the 5th ranked (WBA/WBO) contender was ahead on our card 79-73 at the time of the stoppage, 2:50 of the ninth. Peterson floored Castaneda in the ninth but generally showed lack of punching power against an inferior opponent. The winner scored effectively in all rounds with his major weapons being a left hook and uppercut. But Peterson’s inability to take out Castaneda until the late rounds shows that he needs more polish and has to find a heavier punch to contend with the likes of a Kendall Holt or Ricky Hatton