Oscar Collazo crowned himself the king of boxing’s smallest weight class on Saturday night.
The 105lbs (7st 7lbs) minimumweight division rarely gets any attention in the sport, but has now been thrust into the spotlight by the 27-year-old Puerto Rican star.
On the undercard of the latest Riyadh Season show in Saudi Arabia, a spot was given to a minimumweight unification fight.
WBO champion Collazo clashed with Thailand’s WBA champion Knockout CP Freshmart (Thammanoon Niyomtrong).
Freshmart was the longest reigning world champion in boxing.
He first won his belt in June 2016 and retained it with 12 successful defences over a span of eight years and five months.
However, he was dismantled in just seven rounds by Collazo.
It was a dominant performance from the younger man, who won every single round.
In the sixth, he scored his first knockdown but Freshmart recovered to his feet and heard the bell.
Unfortunately for him though, the writing was on the wall.
Collazo pounced in the seventh and added two further knockdowns to secure the KO.
The finish came with a vicious body shot which gave the referee no choice but to end the bout.
“Everybody doubted me,” Collazo said post fight.
“They were saying, ‘He’s only had ten fights and he can’t make it,’ but look where we’re at.
“We’re the king now at 105lbs from a little island called Puerto Rico.
“I waited patiently for the [knockout] shot. He’s a veteran, he knows what to do.
“I was waiting patiently and we got it.
“We started working on the body and my team said to stay on the body and wear him out.”
Melvin Jerusalem and Pedro Taduran are the current WBC and IBF minimumweight world champions.
Collazo made it clear he’s now targeting both of them as he added: “I know I’ve put 105lbs on notice and next I want all the belts.
“I want to become the first undisputed world champion from Puerto Rico.
“I’ll take either of them next.”
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