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By Cliff Rold

27-year old Featherweight Gamalier Rodriguez (23-2-3, 16 KO) of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, inched closer to a title shot on Saturday night at the Coliseo Roger L. Mendoza in Caguas, Puerto Rico, scoring a bloody eighth round stoppage of game 32-year old Aldimar Dos Santos (19-6, 10 KO) of Sao Paulo, Brazil.  Dos Santos was stopped for blood from the ear and drops his fourth fight in six starts.  Rodriguez extends a 16-fight unbeaten streak dating to 2009.

Both men weighed in at 125 ¼, just a shade below the division limit of 126 lbs.  The referee was Roberto Ramirez.

It was a solid, competitive fight from the start with both men working smart off the jab.  Rodriguez was generally the aggressor, keeping Dos Santos on the back foot.  The bleeding started for Dos Santos in round six.  A clash of heads near the end of the round opened a nasty cut over his left eye and the ringside doctor gave it a long look.

The fight continued with Rodriguez maintaining control.  In the eighth, a right hand may have burst the eardrum of Dos Santos, a crimson blot immediately visible.  The doctor took a look and the fight was halted at 1:29 of round eight.

Rodriguez came into the bout rated #6 by the WBO.  The current WBO Featherweight titlist is Orlando Salido.

In the televised opener, 26-year old Dominican Flyweight Erickson Martell (12-4-1, 8 KO), 112 ¼, won his third straight after a second round loss to Jonathan Gonzalez in 2012, widely outboxing the awkward and inefficient 24-year old Juan Herrera (9-7, 4 KO), 112 ½, of Naguabo, Puerto Rico to end a modest two-fight win streak for Herrera.  There were no knockdowns in the six-round affair but Martell did more than enough to earn scores of 58-56 and 59-55 twice.  The referee was Luis Pabon.

The card was broadcast on UniMas as part of its “Solo Boxeo” series, promoted by Top Rank.

Super bantamweight prospect Jose Lopez (12-0, 10KOs) scored a third round knockout over Luis Ortiz (3-16).

Puerto Rican Olympian Francisco Vargas (1-0, 1KO) made his debut with a first round stoppage of junior middleweight Luis Gonzalez (0-1).

Super bantamweights Josue Declet (2-0-1) and Jaxel Marrero (1-1-1) went to a four round split draw. The scores were 39-37, 39-37 and 38-38.

Junior welterweight contender Anton Novikov (28-0, 10 KOs) of Russia won a ten round unanimous decision over Manuel Perez (20-9-1, 4 KOs). The scores were 96-94, 98-92 and 99-91.

Article Link –  http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=72761#ixzz2ndfOmVyt

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Photos: Cotto Promotions

In addition to the main event starring Gamalier Rodriguez who will defend his NABO featherweight championship for the World Boxing Organization against Aldimar Dos Santos (19-5, 10 KOs) in a 10 round fight; theres a 6 round battle in the flyweight division between Juan ‘Cowi’ Herrera (9-6, 4 KOs) and Erickson Martell (11-4-1 8 KOs) in another great show presented by Top Rank in association with Cotto Promotions and H2 Entertainment this Saturday, December 14th from the Roger L. Mendoza Coliseum in Caguas which could be seen live on Unimas as part of the successful series “Solo Boxeo Tecate.”

“I am ready for Martell I know him very well, everybody knows the way I fight and I am willing to have a great win,” Juan Herrera said. Erickson Martell confessed that he is in excellent condition and ready for a great fight. “I trained really hard for this fight, I know Juan Herrera very well. But he hasn’t felt my power.”

Also in action undefeated rising star in the super bantamweight division, Jose ‘Wonder Boy’ Lopez (10-0, 8 KOs) will clash against Luis Ortiz and also undefeated Anton Novikov (27-0, 10 KOs) will meet with Manuel Perez (20-9-1, 4 KOs) in a 10 round fight. Former member of the Puerto Rican National Olympic team who participated in the Olympic games in London 2012 together with friend and rising star Felix Verdejo; Francisco Vargas is ready to make his profesional debut when he takes on Luis Gonzalez in the welterweight division. “I feel ready for this step, I have trained really hard. I know what it takes and I am willing to becomer a world champion in the near future” Vargas said. Also undefeated prospect Christopher Diaz (1-0,1KO) will exchange punches with Jonathan Feliciano, Antonio Ortíz (2-0, 2 KOs) faces Samuel Ocasio in a 4 round fight in the junior welter division.

Promoter and four time world champion in three divisions Miguel Cotto reaffirmed its commitment to the Puerto Rican boxing “Here we are to continue developing the sport of boxing in Puerto Rico and will continue to work hard for our young fighters”. Promoter and businessman Héctor Soto said “Our company made about 16 events in 2013 all our fighters were active in different TV platforms. Theres is a new generation of boxers growing up which we will work together with their trainers to continue developing the best talents in Puerto Rico”.

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