Rodriguez wins, Russell continues streak, & Maestre shocks Marshall

On Saturday, Emmanuel Rodriguez (22-2, 13 KOs) overcame a headbutt, which caused a swollen eye, to defeat Melvin Lopez (29-2, 19 KOs) by unanimous decision to capture the IBF bantamweight title and become a two-time champion at The Theater at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

Rodriguez sustained the headbutt in the second round, but based on his performance, it didn’t seem like the eye did not bother him.

“I remained calm despite the headbutt that caused my eye to swell up in the second round,” Rodriguez said. “It kept getting more swollen, but my team did an outstanding job keeping it at bay. I never had a problem with my eyesight throughout the fight.”

Photos: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME

Despite the headbutt, Rodriguez dominated the scorecards as all three judges had it 120-105 in his favor.

The 31-year-old Rodriguez punctuated the night when he knocked down Lopez three times in the 12th and final round, and after the win, he thanked his team.

“This is the result of six months of hard work in Mexico,” the Puerto Rican native said. “This wouldn’t have been possible without my entire team. I was able to become a champion once again five years later, thanks to them. Let’s go Latin America, let’s go Puerto Rico, and let’s go Mexico!

After the win, Rodriguez called out WBC 118-pound champion Alexandro Santiago.

“I want Santiago next,” Rodriguez said. “He says that he doesn’t think anybody can beat him at 118 pounds, but I’m here to prove him wrong.”

Antuanne Russell gets another knockout!

In the co-main event, Capitol Heights, Maryland native Gary Antuanne Russell (17-0, 17 KOs) put on a great show for his hometown fans.

Russell dropped Kent Cruz (16-1-3, 10 KOs) two times in the first round and secured his eighth career first-round knockout by sending Cruz to the canvas two minutes and 39 seconds into the super lightweight bout.

The 27-year-old first knocked down Cruz with a left uppercut to the chin, then ended the fight with a body shot.

Russell has now stopped all 17 of his opponents, and before the fight, he said his goal was not to continue the streak, which he discussed after the win.

“I wasn’t shooting for the knockout streak, but that’s just what happened during a minute and a half worth of work tonight,” he said. “If the opportunity is there, why not take it?”

Maestre shocks Marshall

Gabriel Maestre (6-0-1, 5 KOs) pulled off the upset of the night when stopped previously undefeated Capitol Heights, Maryland native Travon Marshall (8-1, 7 KOs) twice en route to securing a second-round TKO.

A two-time Olympian, “El Capitan” used a vicious combination to send Marshall through the ropes at the 2:06 mark of the second round in the one-sided welterweight bout.

“I did not expect this knockout,” Maestre said. “I want to thank my team for helping me prepare for this fight. This victory is for Venezuela. We practiced that right hand that hit Travon. I hope that he recovers quickly.

“I was honestly surprised I knocked Marshall out so quickly. He’s a tough, young fighter

“I saw that Marshall looked a little inhibited and didn’t want to exchange punches with me from the opening bell. Then my right hand ended it.”

Benavidez Jr., Angeletti, and Vazquez get wins!

Bantamweight Michael Angeletti (9-0) remaining undefeated with a unanimous decision over Jonathan Lopez (8-1-2), 79-73, 79-73 and 80-72.

The streaming presentation also saw Jose Benavidez, Jr. dominate all five rounds of his scheduled 10-round middleweight bout with Bosnian bruiser Sladan Janjanin (36-16). Benavidez, Jr. (28-2-1, 19 KOs) knocked down his opponent in the first, third and fourth rounds before a series of brutal body blows in the fifth convinced Janjanin’s corner to throw in the towel after the round.

Opening up the live stream, Las Vegas native Damien Vazquez (17-3-1, 10 KOs) stopped Jeronil Borres (12-9-2) of the Philippines with a sixth-round TKO. Vazquez’s sweeping overhand left late in the round resulted in his third knockdown of the period, which prompted referee Sharon Sands to quickly step in and stop the fight.