Emerald Queen Casino hosted another night or professional boxing as Toro Promotions put on an eight fight card on Thursday January 4th. Pacific Northwest fight fans once more turned up in numbers for the event with a near sellout crowd. The first five bouts of the event were streamed on BXNGTV. Read on for a recap of all the fights.

Gurgen “Big Gug” Hovhannisyan scored fifth round KO in main event

Gurgen Hovhannisyan won the main event in dominant fashion as the massive 6’5, 278 pound Armenian heavyweight prospect improved his professional record to 5-0 with a fifth round knockout.

“Big Gug” is a fighter to keep an eye on as he is trained by famed boxing trainer Joe Goossen who has trained Michael Nunn, Riddick Bowe and Ryan Garcia among others. The main event got off to a slow start as the first two rounds were an extended feeling out process.

Oe minute into the third round, Hovhannisyan decided to step on the gas a bit as he started to throw with increased frequency. As Big Gug started pressuring more he looked to land his jab more and found success. However, the 40 year old gatekeeper Colby Madison showed a bit of gameness and had his best moments of the fight in the last thirty seconds of the round as he landed three solid right hands. Big Gug ate the shots well though.

Early in round 4 Hovhannisyan put Msdison in the corner and went to work hammering at Madison’s body. A good portion of the round was fought in close chest to chest and Big Gug found a big right hand with Madison in the corner once more.

The last thirty seconds of the round saw the fighters trading heavy shots. After Madison landed a big left hand, Big Gug responded with two big hooks upstairs that staggered Madison. A huge right hand from Hovhannisyan knocked his foe backwards and into the ropes.

With Madison badly hurt at the end of round four it seemed this fight was likely short on time and Big Gug seemed to have made up his mind to finish the fight as he went on the attack to start the fifth. Just moments into the round Big Gug’s attack was too much as Madison was put down on the canvas and was clearly done as the referee stopped the bout forty seconds into the round.

Goossen has expressed a desire to have Hovhannisyan be busy in 2024 after the Armenian didn’t fight in 2023 and only twice in 2022. Goossen has stated he hopes to have Hovhannisyan fight in February, with an eye toward also having the massive prospect also fight on upcoming PBC cards on Amazon Prime in March or April.

Nilo Guerrero improves to 6-0 in mismatch with Chancellor Battenburg

Nilo Guerrero, the 2016 Nicaraguan Youth National Flyweight Champion came out throwing heavy punches as his bout with Chancellor Battenburg got off to a fast start with lots of action. However, it became clear early on that this was a big mismatch as the Nicaraguan hurt Battenburg early and often with multiple punches snapping Battenburg’s head back.

Late in the round, after throwing and landing a high volume of power shots, Guerrero went on the attack and dropped Battenburg after a big left hand connected.

Battenburg, to his credit, appeared to have recovered well to open round two. Guerrero clearly was winded from the onslaught in round one as he started slowly for the first forty-five seconds of the round. Guerrero then stepped on the gas and was once more snapping Battenburg’s head back with clean, hard shots multiple times. Guerrero, showing excellent technique, landed a beautiful hook upstairs. The TKO came at 2:51 of round two after Guerrero dished out a significant amount of punishment.

The young Nicaraguan fighter may be a prospect to keep an eye on as the 6’2” featherweight is very tall for the weight class and brings good speed and power to the fight.

Tsotne Rogava defeats Dante Williams in battle of unbeaten heavyweights

Another Joe Goossen trained fighter had a big night as Tsotne Rogava improved to 4-0 with a first round knockout against previously unbeaten Dante Williams. Rogava, a 2020 Ukrainian Olympic boxer, was landing heavy blows in the first minute of the bout. Rogava landed some big uppercuts that snapped William’s head back. Another snapping head shot, this time a big left hand, had Williams badly hurt.

The big shot brought the standing eight count from the ref, who could have easily stopped the fight at that point. On the reset, Rogava landed a big left hook and continued to find his uppercut as he backed Williams up to the corner. A few more power shots brought an end to the bout at 1:53 of the opening frame.

Elijah Seawright improves to 10-0 with unanimous decision

Elijah Seawright remained undefeated and improved to 10-0 by unanimous decision against pressure fighter Henry Rivera. Rivera fell to 2-3 with the loss.

Seawright had to deal with Rivera’s constant pressure as Rivera never stopped moving forward with his intent to fight in tight space and repeatedly engage in clinch fighting. Seawright, however, clearly was the better fighter and displayed much faster hands.

The second and third rounds were the only close rounds of the fight as Rivera landed a couple big left hands and several times seemed to bother Seawright with his heavy pressure. Seawright adapted well, though, as he regularly caught Rivera with body shots as Rivera was advancing.

Near the end of round four it appeared Seawright hurt Rivera with a body shot, but to Rivera’s credit he continued to press forward.

The fifth round was probably Seawright’s best round of the fight as he landed some pretty big shots in the round. Thirty seconds into the round there was a flurry of action that provided the most entertaining moments of the bout with both fighters throwing heavy shots along the ropes.  

In the final round, Rivera had his best moments of the fight as he landed some clean punches late in the round. But it was still Seawright’s round as he landed quite a few more punches, including some snapping power shots to the head.

The judges scored the bout 59-55, 59-55, and 60-54 for Seawright.

Dante Stone improves to 15-1 over game Alexander Flores

Dante Stone and Alexander Flores put on one of the best fights of the night in the opening bout of the night. Although Stone was the clear winner, Flores was competitive and had some nice moments throughout.

The first two rounds were close and somewhat uneventful as the pace was set fairly slow with each heavyweight feeling the other out. The pace picked up in round three as the bout became much more entertaining. Flores had repeated success working the body of Stone. Stone, however, showed some decent boxing skills at times in the round with solid footwork and a decent jab. Late in the round Stone had success with a couple big left hands. As the frame came to a close, Stone landed a couple jabs and then lunged forward landing a clean right hand to the face.

Round four got off to a fast start with both fighters landing heavy punches. Flores landed a big right hand, but Stone countered with a big left that staggered Flores and had him backing up to the ropes. Flores recovered well and landed a few big shots of his own during the round. But Stone had a big round as he scored with power shots, one snapped Flores’s head back late in the round. Flores was wearing the damage late in the round as Stone fairly well beat him up during the round.

Flores showed some solid resiliency in round five after being hurt the previous round. Stone began to increase his output in this round though as he started to press forward more.

Stone continued with his increased output in round six as he got busy with his jab.

Round seven was Flores’s biggest round of the fight. The frame opened with Stone contining to work behind the jab, at one point snapping Flores’s head back.

Midway through the round though Flores showed he wasn’t done as he hurt Stone with a one-two. Flores went on the attack as Stone backed up to the ropes. Stone threw some wild shots that backed off Flores momentarily. But a right hand to the body for Flores had Stone hurt again late in the round. Two more shots to the head, a right and a left, also hurt Stone as the round closed and Stone appearing tired backed up.

Flores’s momentum continued at the start of the eight and final round as he repeatedly scored with body shots. But a big counter left hand for Stone late in the round put Flores on the canvas. After the eight count, Flores went on the attack but a stiff jab from Stone stopped Flores in his tracks. A big one-two from Stone closed the fight.

The judges scored the bout 78-73, 78-73, and 79-72 for Stone. Stone improved to 15-1 as Flores dropped to 18-4-1.

Nelson Guerrero improves to 2-0 with 4th round TKO

Nelson Guerrero blitzed Gilberto Duran one minute into the first round and landed several big shots. Guerrero showed a clear power advantage early in the bout. He landed several hard right hands throughout the opening round. Guerrero continued to land big shots mostly via the right hand in the next two rounds.

The beginning of the end started fifty seconds into the fourth round when Guerrero landed a big right hand that knocked Duran down to one knee. After the standing eight count, Guerrero went on the attack, landing a big left hand and three or four hooks that caused the referee to wave off the fight handing Guerrero the TKO victory at 1:37 of round four.

Agustin Tovar defeats Ezra Rabin by unanimous decision

Agustin Tovar won his professional debut against Ezra Rabin by unanimous judges’ scores of 40-36. Tovar had a clear power advantage in this fight and consistently landed big shots. Tovar had opened up a cut over Rabin’s left eye late in the third round.

At the start of round four the cut looked pretty deep and the referee had the ringside doctor take a look. Once the round started, credit Rabin for good fighting spirit as he pressed forward despite the injury and eating some big shots. With the loss Rabin dropped to 1-5.

Local MMA veteran Nathan Stolen impresses in boxing debut with second round TKO

Aberdeen native Nathan “Superman” Stolen made an impressive professional boxing debut in an all action fast paced bout that ended with the relentless Stolen overwhelming Dazjhante Frazier.

Round one was very close as both fighters landed big punches. Stolen pressured throughout the round and landed consistently to the body against the much taller Frazier. Frazier landed several solid right hands during the round. But it was a big left hand by Frazier that staggered Stolen with about one minute left in the opening round.

Despite being wobbled, Stolen bit down on his mouthpiece and went on the attack drawing big support from the crowd. Stolen landed several damaging blows via the left hand. Stolen rocked Frazier late in the round with a left hand upstairs. Frazier responded well though as he landed a couple nice uppercuts on the advancing Stolen to close the round.

Stolen once more brought heavy pressure and attacked with big punches to start the second round. He landed a big left hand early as he was on the advance. Midway through the round Stolen picked up the pace as he started landing power with regularity.

After putting Frazier on the ropes Stolen let loose with a flurry of punches that appeared to hurt Frazier. It was a big right uppercut from Stolen that then had Frazier badly hurt. Stolen, sensing the finish, went on the attack and after hammering away and landing several more big punches the referee saved Frazier and called the TKO at 2:46 of round two.