HIALEAH, Fla. — Cuba's Erislandy Lara successfully defended his World Boxing Association super-welterweight title Wednesday night, stopping former welterweight champion Jan Zaveck in the third round.
Utilizing quicker punching skills, Lara (22-2-2, 13 knockouts) outclassed Zaveck, from Slovenia, at Hialeah Park and Casino.
Lara lives in Houston and had not fought in South Florida, home of the largest Cuban population in the United States, since 2009. With the crowd repeatedly chanting his name and native country, Lara gave them what they came to see.
Early in the third, Lara stunned Zaveck with a right-left combination to the head. A dazed Zaveck (35-4) retreated toward the ropes and Lara followed with additional combinations. Referee Telis Assimenios stopped the bout at 41 seconds of the round. Before the stoppage, Zaveck complained to Assimenios of pain on his right shoulder and ear.
"I'm very happy to be back fighting in Miami," Lara said. "I think I put on a great show for the fans. I handled the pressure well, stayed in the pocket and fought my fight. I hit him with a right to the chin and it froze his body. He was complaining about his ear and his leg. The bottom line: we won the fight."
For Zaveck, an International Boxing Federation welterweight titleholder between 2009 and 2011, the loss was his first by knockout.
"I have a sharp pain going to my neck, to my shoulder on my right side," Zaveck said. "I knew I could try to fight on and land a lucky punch. But that was a small possibility and it was probably better to stop and fight another day."
Lara established the pace from the opening round, connecting repeatedly with lead right jabs and left follow-up shot to the head. Later in the first, Lara landed one of his strongest punches of the round, tagging Zaveck with a counter left uppercut.
Lara and Zaveck both weighed in at 153 pounds.
