20-1 betting underdog Jeison “Banana” Rosario walked in to Philly on Saturday night as a relatively unknown opponent to most boxing fans.
Julian Williams, making the first defense of his IBF and WBA 154 pound belts, was fighting in his hometown and looking to kickoff 2020 with a bang.
Things didn’t go as planned for Williams who was met with a similar fate as Jarrett Hurd was in 2019–losing a surprise fight that most folks pegged him to win.
But unlike Hurd, Williams was not able to last until the final bell as referee Benji Esteves stopped things in Round 5 after seeing Williams dazed on the ropes.
The victory undoubtedly shakes up the landscape at 154 pounds which sees another title shift.
JEISON ROSARIO
“As soon as I stepped into the ring, I knew he could not hurt me. I knew that my power was affecting him right away. This is a big victory for me and for the whole Dominican Republic.
“I have to give a lot of credit to my team. I had a 16-week training camp and that prepared me for this. My life is changed forever and I can support my family in a whole new way.
“I realized that I was going to win, once I was offered the fight. I knew that If I made the sacrifice, that I would do what I did tonight. I knew it 16 weeks ago.”
