Top Rank has another rising heavyweight star on its roster following another knockout victory for US Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez.
The 24-year-old moved to 10-0, 10 KOs, as he scored a fifth-round TKO win against the previously unbeaten Brandon Moore.
After an early feeling-out process, Torrez began to connect with jabs to the body before unloading his straight left. Moore tried to prevent his forward attack with footwork and a stiff jab, but Torrez often countered with a right hook and found his way in.
After dropping him early in the fifth, Torrez began to pummel Moore, forcing referee Thomas Taylor to halt the contest at 1:39.
After his latest win, Torrez said, “I give Moore a lot of respect. Anyone who goes toe-to-toe like that deserves my respect.
“I expected a lot from him but followed the game plan and got the job done. He took some really good shots, but you can only take so much at the end of the day.”
Torrez joins a band of Top Rank heavyweight prospects, including Jared Anderson, Arslanbek Makhmudov, Bakhodir Jalolov, Zhan Kossobutskiy, and Efe Ajagba. All six are expected to be in the mix for titles in the next two or three years.
The southpaw is the only one with a one hundred percent knockout ratio and proved again that he has the beating of the also-ran contenders. At six-feet-two inches, Torrez is on the smaller side compared to some of today’s heavyweight contenders, but as Oleksandr Usyk showed against Tyson Fury, size doesn’t matter if you are much more skillful than your opponent.
Also on the bill, Emiliano Fernando Vargas moved to 10-0, with Jonny Mansour, Alan “Kid Kansas” Garcia, Jonathan Lopez, and Art Barrera Jr. also victorious.
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
