VERONA, NEW YORK
(December 19, 2015) - The 2015 boxing year culminated with a tremendous show at Turning Stone Resort Casino as WBA Interim Heavyweight Champion Luis "The Real King Kong" Ortiz (24-0, 21 KOs) closed the show by maintaining his title with a knockout-of-the-year candidate over Bryant "By - By" Jennings (19-2, 10 KOs) in the seventh round of their scheduled bout live on HBO Boxing After Dark.
"Today, there is a new era in the heavyweight division," Ortiz, who landed a vicious uppercut to end the fight, said. "Jennings is fighter who deserves much respect, but he can tell you that I am a force in the heavyweight division. I am going to go out and obtain my objective.
"I have been training for a big fight of this magnitude for three years. My strategy was to keep him at a distance and I was able to do that effectively with my reach and my jab. I will fight whoever next, whoever Golden Boy Promotions gives me I will take. Wilder, Fury, Klitschko anyone of them, I am ready to prove that I am the heavyweight world champion. A lot of people say a lot of things about me, but the testing showed that I am a clean fighter."
"I wasn't on my game, and he got the best of me," Jennings said. "I didn't adjust well and he was the better man."
The co-main event saw two Super Featherweights - former WBA Featherweight and Super Featherweight World Champion Nicolas "Axe Man" Walters (26-0-1, 21 KOs) and Jason Sosa (18-1-4, 14 KOs) -- wage a superb battle with both fighters landing tremendous sharp, accurate shots throughout the fight. While Sosa won the fight on one of the judge's cards, the fight was ruled a draw as the two other judges had the fight even.
"I am in total shock. I was never in any danger, never hurt," Walters said. "[Sosa] is a good fighter -- the kind of fight I wanted -- but I thought I won all the rounds. So surprised this happened to me."
"I thought I won and am disappointed it was a draw," Sosa said. "I worked hard, I really thought I won the fight."
In the HBO Latino Boxing main event light heavyweight Vyacheslav "Lion Heart - Chigonsky" Shabranskyy (15-0, 12 KOs) kept his undefeated record intact slugging out a majority decision over Yuneski Gonzalez (16-2, 12 KOs) in an action-packed brawl that saw both fighters land huge shots throughout the fight.
"This fight was the most important and most exciting fight of my career," said Shabranskyy. I did feel a lot of Gonzalez' punches but I also feel like I hurt him -- especially in the last round, he was beginning to sway. If I had a little more time I feel I would have knocked him out."
"I knew that this was going to be a war and that is what we delivered tonight," Gonzalez said. "We both gave it our all and didn't let up. I knew that I needed to knock him out to win this fight but he was more resilient than I thought and didn't open up enough for the knockout to happened. I did know the fight was very close and should have been a draw in my opinion. I would like the opportunity to fight him again and prove that I am the better fighter."
In the co-main of the HBO Latino broadcast, rising middleweight "King" Gabriel Rosado (22-9, 13 KOs) shook off some tough early rounds to earn a hard-fought unanimous victory against former IBF Welterweight World Champion Joshua "Grand Master" Clottey (39-6, 22 KOs).
"It has been more than a year since I have been in the ring so I did feel a little I the rust but I feel like this fight really helped me shake it off," Rosado said. Clottey is a tough opponent, former world champion, definitely a challenge for me in my first fight back. I delivered an entertaining fight tonight and I was happy with my performance. I am ready for my next big challenge, I would like a shot at Canelo [Alvarez] next."
"Gabriel gave everyone a great performance today," said Fernando Vargas, Rosado's trainer. This was our first training camp together and I think we are going to keep growing and make great fights together."
"This was an off night for me," Clottey said. "I do think that the fans enjoyed the fight --we are both fighters that do not like to back down. However, I don't feel comfortable at this weight class, I want to go back down to 154 and continue to fight at junior middleweight."
Opening the HBO Latino broadcast, former WBA and IBF Featherweight World Champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (25-1, 17 KOs) had all he could handle after a 13-month layoff, squaring off in a lightweight showdown against Hylon Williams Jr. (16-2-1, 3 KOs) of Houston. After 10 rounds of back-and-forth action, the judges awarded Gamboa a hard-fought unanimous decision.
"It feels good to be back in the ring," Gamboa said. "I trained in Cuba, and I feel that all the hard paid off. I was faster and stronger in the ring. I know I dominated the action tonight, I made sure he knew I was in control from the first round."
"I felt good about the pace of the fight, I know I hurt him a few times," Williams said. "This fight should have gone my way."
In a light heavyweight battle, rising prospect D'Mitrius "Big Meech" Ballard (11-0, 7 KOs) won a shutout unanimous decision against a game Fabiano "Pit Bull" Pena (11-4-1, 8 KOs).
"I am glad I secured the victory today," Ballard said. "[Pena] was able to go all six rounds with me, but I felt in complete control the entire fight. I think I am ready to step up to more rounds and bigger opponents. I am ready for the next big step of my career and this fight showed that. I want to thank Oscar and Golden Boy Promotions for the opportunity and I can't wait for the next fight."
In the opening bout of the evening, middleweight Steven "The Hitman" Martinez (16-2, 13 KOs) emerged with a second round TKO victory over Jorge "Destroyer" Melendez (28-6-1, 26 KOs). Martinez got off numerous combinations in round one and followed it up in round two with a sizzling left hook that floored Menendez. While Mendendez beat the count, Martinez quickly moved in, forcing the referee to wave off the fight at 1:33 of the second round.
