The heavyweight spoiler, Jonnie Rice, did it again on Saturday night in the co-feature of Efe Ajagba vs Stephan Shaw.
Rice (16-6-1, 11 KOs) stunned Guido Vianello (10-1-1, 9 KOs), stopping the 2016 Italian Olympian in the seventh round. Vianello was cut over the left eye by a right hand in the sixth round, although the referee initially ruled it was caused by an accidental headbutt.
After a conference with the local commission, the ruling was reversed. Rice entered the fight coming off back-to-back victories over highly regarded prospect Michael Coffie.
At the time of the stoppage, all three judges had Vianello ahead: 59-55 2x and 58-56.
“I did it again… another undefeated fighter,” Rice said. “I’m not here to call anyone out right now. I’m going to enjoy this victory and then see what’s next.”
In earlier action, Brian Norman Jr. (23-0, 19 KOs) made his Top Rank debut and shook off the ring rust with an eight-round unanimous decision over Argentina’s Rodrigo Coria (10-5, 2 KOs).
Norman nearly stopped Coria in the opening round, but the southpaw veteran survived and even stunned Norman with a lead left hand in the seventh. Norman scored a knockdown with a left hook in the eighth round to secure the win. Scores: 79-72 and 77-74 2x.
Featherweights: Undefeated Brooklyn-born prospect Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (6-0, 3 KOs) rolled past Juan Antonio Lopez (17-13-1, 7 KOs) but received some much-needed experience en route to a six-round unanimous decision victory. Scores: 60-54 3x.
Light Heavyweights: Cleveland-born prospect Dante Benjamin Jr. (5-0, 3 KOs) prevailed in the battle of unbeatens with a first-round round TKO over Emmanueal Austin (6-1, 6 KOs). Benjamin knocked down Austin with a left-right combination. Time of stoppage: 2:50.
