VILLANUEVA STOPS JIMENEZ WITH A DEVASTATING KO IN 2ND ROUND

CARSON, CA -- In a rematch of their controversial bout last May 28 in Bacolod City where 'King' Arthur Villanueva was awarded a knockout victory dropping Jimenez with a headbutt, Villanueva removed all doubts by knocking out Jimenez with a picture-perfect right cross to the jaw that sent Jimenez to the canvas face first and out for the count and successfully defended his WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight title in the undercard of the Nietes-Sosa fight at the StubHub Center here Saturday night.

Villanueva started busy in the opening round proving Jimenez with left jabs and rights downstairs as Jimenez looks to counter. Hot exchanges ensued towards the close of the round.

Villanueva continued to take an aggressive stance trying to score on the body but Jimenez defended well. Jimenez cornered Villanueva in the blue corner and let go a left-right-left combination but Villanueva countered with a short right and left backing out Jimenez. Villaneva then followed up with a vicious right cross the squarely hit the jaw of Jimenez who drops to the canvas face first. Referee Jerry Cantu didn't bother to finish the count seeing Jimenez sprawled on the canvas. Time: 2:20 seconds in the second round.

Villanueva, who promised before the fight that there will be no questions this time around, thus convincingly defeated Jimenez with a spectacular 2nd round stoppage. Villanueva has now improved his record to 30-1-0 with 16 knockouts while Jimenez dropped to 22-11-0, 15KOs.