LEDYARD, Conn. -- Antonio Tarver stopped Danny Santiago in
the fourth round Saturday night to retain his IBO light heavyweight
title.
Vernon Forrest also successfully defended his WBC super
welterweight title, stopping Italy's Michele Piccirillo at 2:21 of
the 11th round after landing two crushing right hands.
Tarver used a series of combinations to score a technical
knockout victory over Danny Santiago of Ocala, Fla., at 2:53 of
Round 4 at Foxwoods Arena. It was the first successful title
defense for the fighter from Tampa, Fla., who captured the IBO
crown in June.
Tarver (26-4) moved methodically in the first two rounds, rarely
throwing more than one punch at a time and barely fazing Santiago
(29-4-1).
Tarver finally came to life in Round 3, showing more snap with
his punches. He landed a straight left to Santiago's nose midway
through the round, but Tarver was unable to put combinations
together to do further damage.
In Round 4, Tarver used a combination to put Santiago down.
Santiago got up, but Tarver finished him off with another flurry of
combinations that dropped Santiago to one knee. Referee Steve
Smoger immediately called a halt to the bout.
It was the first title defense for Forrest (40-2). The Atlanta
fighter won the WBC crown with a unanimous decision over Carlos
Baldomir in July.
Forrest landed a looping right hand midway through the fourth
round -- the best punch of the fight up until that point -- that
stunned Piccirillo (48-4), but the challenger quickly regrouped and
kept the champion at bay for the rest of the round.
Forrest landed a similar punch near the end of the fifth round,
but with less authority.
In the sixth round, Forrest delivered a blow that was close to
being in the back of the head that dropped Piccirillo to one knee,
but referee Arthur Mercante Jr. ruled it was a clean punch that led
to the knockdown.
Piccirillo was wobbled by a right hand in the seventh, but
stayed on his feet. In the ninth, Forest dropped Piccirillo with a
stinging right hand for the second knockdown of the bout. Forrest
continued to dominate the bout until putting Piccirillo away in the
11th. Piccirillo twisted an ankle during the decisive knockdown.
Also, Nonito Donaire (19-1) of San Leandro, Calif., successfully
defended his IBF and IBO flyweight titles, stopping Mexico's Luis
Maldonado (37-2-1) at 1:16 of the eight round. Maldonado's face was
bloodied for nearly the entire fight because of cuts that appeared
to be above both eyes.