Undercard Report: Robeisy Ramirez KOs Abraham Nova at MSG Theater

In the chief undercard attraction prior to the Artur Beterbiev-Joe Smith Jr light heavy clash in NYC, Abraham Nova met Robeisy Ramirez in a featherweight clash. The more seasoned Nova (21-0 entering) starting out strong, with a volume edge. But Ramirez didn’t get flustered, he knew Nova couldn’t hurt him. In the fifth, a wide right hook froze Nova (from Puerto Rico) and a straight right felled him. At 2:20 of the fifth at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, the 10-1 Ramirez showed that he’s elevated himself to another level.

In the first, the Cuban Ramirez (9-1 entering) stood with a wide lefty stance and proved he could stand tall against Nova pressure. In round two, Nova (from Albany, NY) looked to be more effective with is aggression. In the third, some trading had the crowd amped. Nova’s output looked to be something the judges would dig, as Ramirez waited too much. But his launches stung some late, if he was busier, maybe that would improve his chances of winning. Or maybe he was waiting Nova out…

In the fourth, we saw Ramirez stay in that chill mode, with the crowd doing a “Nova, Nova” chant midway through. The crowd was inadvertently maybe helping Ramirez by exclaiming ewws and ahhs when he landed. Yes, Ramirez didn’t seem to respect Nova’s pop.

The mascot didn’t impress Ramirez.

In the fifth, Ramirez grinned at Nova, and started advancing more, getting into his face. Punching his face, not too, too often. But his counters did look crisp. And then, down went Nova. And down he stayed…

“It was all about the strategy,” said Ramirez after having his hand raised.  I’m blessed to work with Ismael Salas, who is a genius in my corner. It really was about setting up that shot. If you watch the fight, it was about working, tapping the body until that opening was created. I knew he was dangerous, so I had to be careful, but when I saw my opening, I took it and I finished the fight.”

Bruce, or Shu Shu to everyone, Carrington went to 4-0, with a stoppage of Adrian Leyva (3-3-1), from Cuba. A chant of “Let’s Go Shu” broke out in round two, it was clear Shu Shu moved some tickets.

Welterweight Jahi Tucker impressed the assembled when he handled Georgia’s D’Andre Smith, Tuckers’ lengthy flurry in round 3 had everyone in the joint praising his cardio. Jahi put the hurt on Smith in the fourth and the ref pulled the plug. Too early? Better too early than late. Tucker the TKO victor, rose 8-0, Smith fell to 11-2.

Floyd Diaz, age 19, from Las Vegas, had quite a few fans in the stands. He took on Daniil Platonovshi from Moldova, now living in Brooklyn, in a junior featherweight tango. The lefty fro Moldova showed solid reflexes, and looked to counter Diaz, with sweeping right hooks. Diaz got the nod, 60-54, 60-54, 59-55, but it was tighter than that, Daniil didn’t at all look out his depth.

Troy Isley sent Donte Stubbs (6-6) of Cali to the mat twice, and won via TKO, in round six. Isley from Virginia went to 6-0.

In the second scrap of the night, Wendy Toussaint of Huntington, Long Island, stomping grounds of Gerry Cooney and Chris Algieri, upped his record to 14-1, with a UD8 win over Engalnd’s Asinia Byfield (now 15-5-1).

Jahyae Brown of Schenectady, NY went to 11-0, the junior middleweight kicked off the night with a UD6 win over Irishman Keane McMahon, who slipped to 7-3.