South coast mitsubishi is very proud to support Gabriel “Chico Guapo” Campillo #boxing#fnf@ESPNBoxingpic.twitter.com/UuqZ0d1q8P
— SouthCoastMitsubishi (@SCMMitsubishi) August 2, 2014
Gabriel Campillo (24-6-1, 11 KOs) won a fifth-round technical knockout victory over Thomas Williams Jr. (17-1, 12 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round Light heavyweight fight at the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Washington.
The fight, which was presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions and ESPN, was stopped due to a cut above Williams’ left eye.
Williams, 26, who hails from Fort Washington, Maryland, was expected to defeat Campillo,who had previously lost all four bouts that he had ever fought in the United States.
Campillo’s age–the Madrid, Spain native is 35 years old–also shed light on his ability to defeat the much younger Williams. That was the case until the fifth round.
Williams quickly gained control of the fight in the early rounds, landing quick combinations to Campillo’s gloves before landing strong punches to the body.
Campillo’s jab would land several times throughout the fight, even after Williams countered one with a powerful right hook.
Indeed, it was one of Campillo’s jabs that cut Williams above his left eye in the fourth round round.
Campillo’s confidence quickly vanished: the man who, just a few minutes earlier, was able to confidently let go of combinations was now moving about the ring, throwing occasional power punches to keep Campillo off of him.
When the fifth round ended, Williams was seen by the doctor, who advised referee Ray Corona to stop the fight.
Campillo is now the number two contender in the IBF Light Heavyweight rankings.
In the co-main event, Andre Direll knocked out Vladine Biosse in the fifth round of scheduled 10-round Super Middleweight bout.
Direll, a 30-year-old Flint, Michigan native, had only previously loss to IBF Super Middlweight champion Carl Froch.
He was also coming off an 18-month layoff after three consecutive wins, one of which was against Arthur Abraham.
Direll easily controlled the first three rounds, overpowering and outworking Biosse.
In the fourth round, Direll backed Biosse onto the ropes, where he landed several uppercuts and hooks while Biosse provided no answers.
In the fifth round, a reinvigorated Biosse came forward to work the body, only to have his head lifted up with powerful uppercuts, which were followed by a flurry of well-placed punches that forced referee Jeff Macaluso to stop the fight.
In his post-fight interview with ESPN’s Bernardo Osuna, Dirrell stressed that he would like a rematch against Froch in the future and that he would beat whoever he needed to earn that shot.
In a televised swing bout that occurred before the main event, Middleweight prospect Immanuel Aleem (10-0, 6 KOs) knocked out Juan Carlos Rojas (6-7-1, 4 KOs) in the final round of a six-round bout.
The 20-year-old East Meadow, New York native was dragged into a slugfest after nearly knocking Rojas out with an overhand right in the first round.
Aleem’s well-timed right hand landed above Rojas’ left jab, knocking him down and seriously hurting him.
Rojas, however, was determined to win, pushing Aleem into the later rounds before finally being stopped by another right hand.
Rojas managed to not hit the canvas, but his wobbly legs and hurt demeanor forced referee Paul Field to stop the fight.
