A fighter once compared to Floyd Mayweather got defeated for the second time in the final ever Showtime event on Saturday night.
Chris Colbert, who many say should have lost to Jose Valenzuela the first time, went down badly in their rematch.
Valenzuela scored a vicious sixth-round knockout over “Primetime,” who dropped to 17-2, 6 KOs in the process. The victor added a KO to their WBA lightweight title eliminator to a contentious decision for Colbert in March.
Like in their first showdown, Valenzuela came out hot and again dropped Colbert early in round one.
This time, it was with a flurry that pushed Colbert up against the ropes before he was eventually forced to take a knee, part of a staggering 33 punches landed for Valenzuela in the round.
In another repeat of their first fight, Colbert showed his grit. He used his ring IQ to survive the round and even had some intense moments over the first few rounds.
No Floyd Mayweather vibes
Colbert got the unanimous decision in their first fight, mainly behind a strong and steady jab. This time, the boxer once touted as the next Floyd Mayweather succumbed.
Valenzuela showed improved foot work and patience to set up the eventual victory.
After a big fifth round, Valenzuela came out in round six, stalking Colbert around the ring, looking for another spot to hurt his opponent.
Midway through the round, Valenzuela found his moment with a leaping right hook that badly hurt Colbert and forced referee Joel Scobie to stop the bout 1:46 into the round.
“As soon as I went home, I went straight to work,” said Valenzuela. “I want to thank Chris. He’s a hell of a fighter.
“If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be here. It takes two to tango, so I’m grateful for him. I’ve got to tip my hat off to him because he brought out the best in me.
“He made me adjust. I knew I was conditioned to go 12 rounds, so I just was being patient. But I didn’t want to rush it and punch myself out.
“I was just teeing off on him. I was throwing combinations to the body and the head, mixing it up.”
“The second time he turned left, he saw I was gonna throw a jab so he could catch it up front, but I dipped a little bit and shot the right hook.”
