Santa Cruz turns tables on Frampton for WBA belt

LOS ANGELES — Leo Santa Cruz reclaimed the World Boxing Association featherweight world title Saturday, handing Carl Frampton the first defeat of his career and avenging his 2016 loss to the Northern Ireland star. In an explosive rematch that lived up to their bruising encounter last July, it was Santa Cruz who this time emerged with a majority decision, with two judges scoring it 115-113 for the US-based Mexican while the third scored it a draw at 114-114. "I wanted revenge," said Santa Cruz, whose loss to Frampton last year was his first defeat. "I did what I had to do. I knew it was going to be another tough fight and like I said, let's make it a third fight." Santa Cruz improved to 33-1 with one drawn while Frampton fell to 23-1. Although Frampton landed plenty of telling blows in a fight filled with frenetic exchanges, he was repeatedly pushed out of position by Santa Cruz's effective jab. After a strong 11th round, Santa Cruz withstood a desperate attack from Frampton in the final round. "He was very clever. He used his reach," Frampton said. "I think he deserved it. I'm being honest. I think he deserved it, but it was a very good fight. No excuses." On the same card, American Mikey Garcia won his third world title with a ruthless third-round knockout of World Boxing Council lightweight champion Dejan Zlaticanin of Montenegro. A right upper-cut followed by a monstrous overhand right from Garcia knocked Zlaticanin out cold at 2:21 of the third round. Garcia's in-ring celebrations gradually turned to expressions of concern as medical personnel worked for several minutes to revive Zlaticanin, who endured his first defeat in 23 fights. "I'm glad my opponent is OK. We never wish that anything bad happens in the sport," said Garcia, a former featherweight and super featherweight titlist who improved to 36-0 with 30 knockouts. Garcia had used an effective jab to control the bout from the first round. "I think it was a great performance," he said. "I fought smart. I kept the distance, I controlled the range. The left hand was key to keep him at that distance that best suited me and follow through with that right hand. We were able to connect, hurt him and put the end to the night." A third scheduled world title fight on the card between International Boxing Federation featherweight world champion Lee Selby of Wales and former world champion Jonathan Victor Barros was canceled apparently because of Barros health issues/ The Nevada State Athletic Commission said it declined to issue Barros a license and ESPN reported he had tested positive for hepatitis. Selby, who had said in the build-up to the bout that his dream was to fight in Las Vegas, was gutted at the weigh-in on Friday. "I'm almost in tears," he said. "But I'm too dehydrated to cry." Berchelt dethrones Vargas, Japan's Miura wins by KO Miguel Berchelt dethroned previously unbeaten Francisco Vargas on Saturday, stopping him in the 11th round to seize the World Boxing Council super featherweight title in a showdown of Mexican rivals. Referee Raul Caiz halted the bout 2:19 into the 11th round after a bloody cut over the left eye of Vargas left the champion unable to see or stop the triumphant challenger. "Francisco Vargas is a great champion. When he's hurt he throws a lot more punches. He's got a lot of heart," Berchelt said. "But I came here to win. I came here to show I have heart. I came here to be the champion." Berchelt, 25, improved to 31-1 with his 28th early stoppage and 10th consecutive victory while Vargas, 32, fell to 23-1 with two drawn. Japan's Takashi Miura, who lost the title to Vargas 14 months ago, knocked out Mexico's Miguel Roman 53 seconds into the 12th round on the undercard at Indio, California, to become Berchelt's mandatory title challenger. Berchelt, fighting outside Mexico for only the second time, repeatedly connected with punishing left hooks in the second and third rounds. His hard rights to the head in the fourth again slowed Vargas, opening cuts over both eyes in the exchanges. Going past the sixth round for the first time in his career, Berchelt kept up the intensity. Caiz and ringside doctor Paul Wallace checked Vargas in the ninth and 10th rounds and allowed him to continue. Blood began flowing freely from the gash over Vargas's swollen left eye in the ninth and by the 11th was more than the champion could overcome. Miura improved to 31-3 with two drawn by taking his 24th career knockout, his first knockout beyond the ninth round, while Roman fell to 56-12 with his 18-fight win streak snapped. Miura, 32, and Roman, 31, had fast-paced, hard-punching early rounds. Miura's left eye began swelling in the fourth round and both fighters landed punishing body blows. Miura knocked down Roman late in the 10th with a sledgehammer left hand to the body and dropped Roman again in the 11th with a flurry of body punches. Early in the 12th round, Miura landed a left to the head that left Roman lying on the canvas and referee Tom Taylor counted him out. — AFP