Stoppages, Controversy Highlight PBC on FS1 Card Tuesday Night

Mike SloanJul 18, 2017


Featherweight contender Chris Avalos was getting beaten pillar to post against once-unbeaten Miguel Flores, though he was making it an entertaining back-and-forth brawl in the main event of the latest edition of PBC on FS1’s “Toe-To-Toe Tuesdays.” But even with losing virtually every round, the Californian wound up walking away with the win at Rapides Coliseum in Alexandria, La.

Flores (21-2, 9 KOs) landed the cleaner, heavier blows throughout and scored a knockdown in the third. But Avalos is as tough as the they come and never backed down, forcing his counterpart to live up the to the show’s name. However, an inadvertent clash of heads during an exchange appeared to have opened an old cut on Flore’s left eyelid, though referee Bruce McDaniel didn’t see the clash – replays were largely inconclusive. Between rounds five and six, Flores complained that he couldn’t see, which prompted McDaniel to end the fight and since he deemed that the laceration was caused by a punch, Avalos (27-5, 20 KOs) was declared the winner via TKO.

Former IBF heavyweight titleholder Charles Martin torched grossly overmatched Mike Marrone in the opening round. “Prince” Charles overwhelmed Marrone (21-8, 15 KOs) quickly and knocked him flat out, his second straight knockout win since losing his belt to reigning heavyweight king Anthony Joshua. Martin improved to 25-1-1 with his 23rd professional knockout.

Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez took out Melvin Russell quickly in a light heavyweight attraction, which was his first fight since being knocked out by Thomas Williams Jr. last April. Rodriguez (29-2, 20 KOs) seized control early and tore into Russell (10-2-2, 6 KOs) with shots to the head and body before taking him out in the second.

Rising light heavyweight contender Ahmed Elbiali improved to 16-0 with his 13th knockout when he flattened Christopher Brooker in the second. Elbiali hurt Brooker with a volley of punches and then unloaded a barrage in a corner, eventually knocking Brooker (12-4, 5 KOs) face-first and out cold.