HAWAIIAN GARDENS, Calif. – Lawrence King is one to watch at 175 pounds.
King knocked out gatekeeper Crispulo Javier Andino in the opening round Saturday night at the C. Robert Lee Activity Center in Hawaiian Gardens, California. King improved to 15-1, 13 knockouts.
Andino stood and traded in the pocket with the southpaw King. That proved to be his downfall as King clipped him twice with short right hooks to the head. Moments later, King landed a left cross to the head that dropped Andino to the canvas. Referee Jerry Cantu counted Andino out at 1:36.
The 27-year-old King, who resides in San Bernardino, California, was coming off a fourth round knockout victory over Alex Theran on December 16. King scored the biggest victory of his career on June 2, stopping former contender Marcos Reyes after the sixth round.
King has not lost since his fifth pro fight, which took place in September 2018. King lost a close unanimous decision to Jaba Khositashvili in a clash of unbeaten fighters.
Andino, who resides in Posadas, Argentina, falls to 25-16-1, 12 KOs. The 35-year-old has now lost four of his last seven bouts, all by knockout.
In junior lightweight action, Mathias Radcliffe of nearby Reseda stopped Christian Lorenzo at 45 seconds of the second round.
Radcliffe improved to 7-0-1, 5 KOs.
The shorter Lorenzo was game, but Radcliffe was the more-effective fighter, attacking the body with hooks and right hands. A left hook towards the end of round one seemed to momentarily stun Lorenzo.
Radcliffe went after Lorenzo after the start of the second round. A combination hurt Lorenzo, who backed up against the ropes. Radcliffe went on the attack, landing a barrage of punches that prompted referee Gerard White to step in and stop the fight.
Lorenzo, who resides in Los Angeles, falls to 3-6, 1 KO.
In the opening bout of the MarvNations Promotions card, lightweight Jaime Cuesta of San Diego defeated Pedro Pinillo by majority decision.
One judge scored the bout 57-57, while the other two judges scored the bout 59-55 and 58-56 for Cuesta, who improved to 7-0, 3 KOs.
Cuesta was the more active or effective fighter. Pinillo did catch Cuesta flush at times, but tired as the fight progressed into the latter stages.
Pinillo, who resides in Cali, Colombia, falls to 5-5, 5 KOs.
The main event was originally scheduled to be an eight-round bout between unbeaten junior welterweight Ernesto ‘Tito’ Mercado of nearby Pomona and Argentina’s Victor Santillan. Conflicting reports were told to BoxingScene over the last 24 hours, including Santillan reportedly weighing in at 157 pounds at Friday’s weigh-in.
Another report was both fighters never showing up to the weigh-in. BoxingScene did receive confirmation Saturday night from a member of the California State Athletic Commission neither Mercado or Santillan showed up to the weigh-in.
Unbeaten junior lightweight prospect Jonathan Lopez was elevated to main event status, but a discrepancy in the medical reports of opponent Jose Saant forced the commission to cancel the fight Saturday morning.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for BoxingScene since September 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing