Felix Parrilla becomes first to stop Jose Velasquez with TKO2

Felix Parrilla became the first fighter to stop Jose Velasquez on Thursday at Coliseo Pedrin Zorrilla in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Parrilla, a featherweight, earned a second-round technical knockout over Velasquez, of Quellon, Chile. The time of stoppage was 2 minutes, 2 seconds of Round 2.

Parrilla – a 26-year-old from New Haven, Connecticut, whose parents are from San Juan – started the fight by attacking Velasquez’s body. Parrilla sent Velasquez to the canvas as his knee touched just as the bell rang to end the first round. Parrilla then landed a left hook to the body that sent Velasquez to the canvas in the second round. After Velasquez got to his feet, Parrilla relentlessly pursued him until Velasquez’s corner threw in the towel.

Parrilla improved to 13-0 (11 KOs), while Velasquez dropped to 34-13-3 (24 KOs).

Earlier on the card, junior lightweight Derlyn Hernandez, of Monte Plata, Dominican Republic, recorded a sixth-round knockout over previously unbeaten Abisael Cotto, of San Juan, stunning the local fans. The time of stoppage was 2 minutes, 31 seconds.

After losing the first two rounds, Hernandez landed a left hook, followed by a right hand, to drop Cotto in the third round. In the sixth round, Cotto landed a low blow on Hernandez, who needed time to recover. Later in the round, Hernandez landed a left hook that rendered Cotto unresponsive but still standing. Hernandez, 32, landed a right hand for good measure, sending Cotto to the canvas, and counted out. 

Hernandez snapped a two-fight losing streak to improve to 14-5-1 (12 KOs). Hernandez’s previous fight was an October fourth-round knockout loss to Andres Cortes.

Cotto, 25, suffered his first loss, falling to 10-1 (8 KOs).

Women’s junior lightweight Kiria Tapia, of San Juan, won an eight-round unanimous decision over Ayanna Vasquez, of Las Cruces, New Mexico. All three of the judges’ scores were 80-72.

Tapia, 36, a local favorite, had heard a lot of cheers during the fight as her record improved to 9-0 (1 KO).

The 31-year-old Vasquez, returning from a six-year hiatus, saw her record fall to 7-2-1 (1 KO).

In the DAZN opener, Garrett Rice, of Dearborn, Michigan, won a six-round unanimous decision over Johniel Ramos Cotto. The most memorable moment came when Cotto threw a flurry in the fourth round and Rice hit the canvas. It was unclear if a punch landed, but the referee ruled it a knockdown. The three scores were 58-55 for Rice.

Rice, 24, improved to 3-0 (1 KO) and recorded his second win this year, while the 19-year-old Cotto slipped to 4-4 (1 KO).

Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.