Bracero thrills hometown fans, scores second straight knockout win in Broadway Boxing main event
It wasn’t until junior welterweight Gabriel “Tito” Bracero’s eleventh pro fight that he finally stopped an opponent inside the distance. Now, he looks like he’s making up for lost time. Bracero (17-0, 3 KOs) assaulted Floridian Danie van Staden (8-7, 4 KOs) for much of three rounds until a vicious right cross finished the night for good at 1:08 of round three in front of Bracero’s hometown fans at the Aviator Sports & Events Complex in Brooklyn, New York.
From the opening bell it was classic Bracero, with the local hero coming forward and pressing the action. van Staden fought back valiantly, but Bracero appeared to land at will as cheers of “Tito…Tito” rained upon the ring from his throngs of adoring fans. The onslaught of punches finally overcame van Staden in round two when a barrage of punches sent him to the deck. The brave van Staden rose as the round came to a close.
The third round was more of the same, and this time Bracero didn’t let van Staden hear the bell. Just moments into the round another barrage of punches, similar to the ones that put van Staden down for the first time, scored Bracero his second knockdown of the fight. Once again van Staden rose, but bravery would not be enough. Bracero continued pressing and moments later a picture perfect right cross sent van Staden down and out; a count was deemed unnecessary the bout was stopped immediately.
The punch, and its impact, was reminiscent of something off the fists of former world champion Randall “The Knockout King” Bailey, who was in attendance working van Staden’s corner.
“It was so hard, I didn’t really feel it in my hands,” Bracero said of the winning shot. “I knew I had him.”
For Bracero, it was the second straight time he has ended a fight in dominating fashion. In June, he finished Guillermo Valdes in one round in a similarly devastating style.
“The only knock anybody had on ‘Tito’ was that he couldn’t punch,” said Lou DiBella, promoter of Bracero and Broadway Boxing. “Well guess what? Now he has added power to his fan friendly style of fighting. What is the knock now? He is becoming a complete fighter.”
Full Results from Brooklyn, NY:
Junior Welterweight: Gabriel Bracero (17-0, 3 KOs) TKO3 (1:08) Dannie van Staden (8-7, 2 KOs)
Flyweight: Melissa McMorrow (6-2-3) SD8 (78-74, 78-75, 75-77) Keisher McLeod-Wells (4-2, 1 KO) —- McMorrow retains NY State Flyweight title
Light Heavyweight: Seanie Monaghan (8-0, 4 KOs) KO1 (1:29) Brian Bernard (10-9-2, 6 KOs)
Middleweight: Jonathan Cepeda (11-0, 10 KOs) TKO5 (:31) Rahman Yusubov (10-3, 8 KOs)
Light Heavyweight: Joe Smith, Jr. (7-1, 7 KOs) TKO2 (2:40) Santos Martinez (2-2, 2 KOs)
Light Heavyweight: Travis Peterkin (3-0, 3 KOs) TKO1 (1:50) Damion Reed (2-7-1, 1 KO)
