INDIO, Calif. — In a terrific super featherweight title bout between two Mexican warriors, underdog Miguel Berchelt upset Francisco Vargas in the 11th round to win the belt at Fantasy Spring Resort Casino in Indio, California.
Vargas landed more punches, but Berchelt’s blows were harder and effectively used his left hook. Vargas suffered a nasty cut over his left eye in the third round that worsened as the fight continued. Blood streamed down Vargas’s face and the doctor inspected the cut several times throughout the fight.
In the 11th round, a weary Vargas was battered around the ring until referee Raul Ciaz Jr. stopped the fight.
Berchelt’s record is now 31-1 with 28 KOs, while Vargas suffered his first defeat and slipped to 23-1-2 with 17 KOs.
Japanese fighter Takashi Miura knocked out Mexico’s Mickey Roman in the 12th round of a bruising super featherweight bout in which both boxers absorbed a lot of punishment.
Miura took control of the fight in the 10th round when he knocked down Roman with a left to the body. Miura put Roman down again in the 11th round with a flurry of punches to the head.
Roman went down a third time the final round, and referee Thomas Taylor counted him out at the 0:53 mark.
Miura improved his record to 24-3-2 (24 KOs), while Roman fell to 56-12 with 43 KOs.
The card was televised by HBO.
