Commey vs. Pedraza Undercard Results: Jared Anderson, Richard Torrez Win

In the ESPN the Main Channel opener, Tokyo 2020 U.S. Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr., (entering 2-0, 2 KOs) faced off with 30-year-old Mexican-born Marco Antonio Canedo (4-2, 2 KOs), making his US debut. Torrez got the job done in the heavyweight tussle, and then some, taking out Canedo in round one at the Hard Rock in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

In the first, the lefty Torrez started fast, sending Canedo down 20 seconds in. He rose, and after a sick flurry, down went Canedo, face first. He was out of it, scarily glassy eyed. After a few minutes, his brain function returned. The end came at 44 seconds elapsed. 

The scraps didn’t start on time because of a ring issue. Tiger Johnson whupped Harry Gigliotti in the last support bout before the three-bout main card and jumped on the corner post to holler to the crowd. That bent a foundation post so the crew did some tweaks and the show re started. 

An eight-round co-feature followed, with heavyweight Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson (11-0, 11 KOs) against Serbian Miljan Rovcanin (24-2, 16 KOs), also making his United States debut.

How long before Jared advances to a title shot? Five fights?

In the first, Anderson, who last fought Dec. 2021, came out lefty. He’s usually fighting righty. Rovcanin landed a decent left, and we heard from blow by blow man Joe Tessitore that the Serb was in Vegas for a week, acclimating. Maybe this would be a test?  Anderson went righty, and he looked so very calm. His jab, not calm, it was sharp. The right eye of Rovcanin looked scraped. Maybe it wouldn't be much of a test.

In the second, Anderson, who had been a scratch earlier in the year with a right hand injury, landed the right hand without apparent ill effect. He smacked Rov's mouth on a break, and knocked out his mouthpiece, and the ref wagged his finger. Anderson closed the distance, and got busier, still stabbing with the jab. Then, a right hand felled Rov. He didn't beat the count. Replay showed a right cross after two decent lefts landed did hard damage. The end came at 3 minutes elapsed.

The main event pitted two 11 year ex-titlist vets meeting up, at 140 pounds. Ghana's Richard Commey (30-4), age 35, would toe the line on Puerto Rico's Jose Pedraza, age 33 (29-4 entering).

Both are coming in off UD losses, Commey to Loma in December 2021, and Pedraza to Jose Ramirez on March 4. Pedraza has also lost to Loma, that was back in 2018, he's 4-2 since.