Both Regis Prograis (24-0, 20 KOs) and Nonito Donaire (40-5, 26 KOs) looked impressive as they advanced to the finals in their respective World Boxing Super Series Tournament (WBSS) finals.
Donaire looked sensational in knocking out last minute replacement fighter Stephen Young (18-2-3, 7 KOs) in the sixth round.
The “Filipino Flash” was originally slated to take on Zolani Tete, but he was forced to withdraw with a reported shoulder injury. Young bravely stepped in on extremely short notice, but ultimately he stood no chance against the current WBA Bantamweight champion.
Things started off poorly for Young as Donaire kept a long jab in his face all night long. Young was game, but was clearly overmatched. It seemed as though Donaire was on his way to an easy win on the scorecards. That was the case until the sixth round when Donaire landed a monster left hook that put his opponent down and out.
With that victory, Donaire has safely landed in the finals. His road to get here has been a bit of a funky one as both of his original opponents suffered injuries, which allowed Donaire to travel a less-than-treacherous road. Nevertheless he has put on great performances and has earned his position.
Although Donaire looked great, his performance was expected. Regis Prograis however, stole the show. He absolutely pummeled and brutally stopped Kiryl Relikh (23-3, 19 KOs) in the main event.
Prograis wasted no time jumping all over his man. With just a few seconds left in the opening round, Prograis landed a shot to the midsection which saw his opponent hit the deck. Relikh managed to get back to his feet but it was clear that the match would not last long.
The second round saw a bit of controversy. Relikh landed a punch after the bell which seemed to stun Prograis. That brief moment did nothing to harm Prograis as he came out firing in the following round.
As the rounds went by, the beating only increased for Relikh. With just over a minute to go in Round 6, Prograis landed a ton of shots which forced the corner of Relikh to stop the match and protect their fighter.
With the win, Prograis secured his spot in the WBSS Jr. Welterweight finals. He also managed to grab the WBA belt as well.
The night featured two spectacular stoppage wins by two terrific fighters. Both men made a statement. Not only did they win impressively, but they also showed that they are ready to win their tournament finals as well.
