Former MMA star Cris Cyborg scored a one-punch first spherical knockout victory over Kelsey Wickstrum Friday night time on the Pechanga Resort On line casino in Temecula, California. Cyborg improved to 2-0, 1 knockout as a professional boxer.
From the opening bell, there have been little exchanges between the 2 junior middleweights, as every sized up one other. About halfway by the primary spherical, Cyborg threw and landed an overhand proper cross to the top, dropping Wickstrum to the canvas.
Referee Ray Corona waved the battle off at 1:21 as Wickstrum struggled to stand up.
Cris Cyborg (@criscyborg) with the primary spherical KO!!! 🥊 #Boxing ( 🎥 by way of @NeoValeTudo) pic.twitter.com/i24ktzvOze
— bjpenndotcom (@bjpenndotcom) January 20, 2024
The 38-year-old Cyborg, who’s initially from Curitiba, Brazil and now resides in Huntington Seaside, California, had left a legacy in UFC, Strikeforce, Bellator, and Invicta. Her final look in fight sports activities came about on October 7, in a combined martial arts battle, stopping Cat Zingano within the first spherical on a Bellator 300 card in close by San Diego.
Cyborg took day without work after the win over Zingano, initiating a coaching camp the next month with Jose Benavidez, Sr., the daddy and coach of unbeaten tremendous middleweight contender David Benavidez.
Friday was Cyborg’s second skilled boxing match. In her different battle in a boxing ring, which came about in December 2022 on the undercard of the Terence Crawford-David Avanesyan battle. Cyborg dropped Gabrielle Holloway as soon as en path to a one-sided determination victory.
Cyborg, who was born Cristiane Venancio Justino, informed The Ring she was dedicated to the game of boxing and is eyeing a doable showdown with Ring Journal middleweight champion Claressa Shields.
“I need to make the most important fights for the followers, and one battle that may promote the place we are going to all receives a commission is in opposition to Claressa,” Cyborg informed The Ring Wednesday night time. “I’ve discovered the nuances of grappling, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling. It’s more durable to do what Claressa is doing, having to be taught what I already know, now that she is doing MMA. I feel as a result of I did all that, placing and boxing has come simpler for me.
“I like challenges and it will be a dream to battle her. Whether or not in boxing or in a cage, I’ll battle Claressa.”
Wickstrum, who resides in Redding, California, falls to 2-1, 1 KO. The 36-year-old stopped Sudana Moore within the third spherical of her earlier battle on April 29.
Additionally going down on the cardboard promoted by Matt McGovern, featherweight Ulysses Navarro of Los Angeles improved to 2-0, 2 KOs, knocking out Michael Hansen at 1:21. A straight proper cut up the guard of Hansen, dropping him to the canvas and prompting an instantaneous stoppage.
Junior middleweight Angel Munoz, a 21-year-old from Fayetteville, North Carolina, scored a fourth spherical stoppage win over Keith Carson (1-7-1) within the fourth spherical, as Carson’s nook threw within the towel, saving Carson from being additional punished.
Munoz, who grew up in close by Oceanside, California, goes to 6-0, 5 KOs.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has lined boxing in Southern California and overseas since 2000. Francisco additionally covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He might be reached at [email protected]
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