Alfredo Angulo vs. Cosme Rivera: Round By Round

HBO's Boxing After Dark tripleheader comes our way from the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida. Alfredo Angulo will lead off by taking on veteran Cosme Rivera, who took the fight on four days notice after original opponent Ricardo Mayorga dropped out over money issues.

The tale of the tape shows Rivera with a slight height advantage but Angulo with an edge in reach. More significantly, Angulo outweighs Rivera by 15 pounds as they step in the ring tonight.

Fast-rising Angulo is 14-0 with 11 KOs. Rivera has a career record of 31-11-2, but he has been stopped just once.

Michael Buffer handles the introductions and we're ready to go.

Round One

Rivera gets in a quick left to test Angulo. Perro knocks his foe back a step or two when he connects. Angulo digs to the body with both hands. Both men look to jab. Rivera stands and trades and draws blood from Angulo's face. Angulo backs Rivera into the ropes but eats a left coming back. Angulo throws two multi-punch combos but misses a bunch of punches. There's some wrestling in close, and they will have to check the cut by Angulo's eye.

Franchise: 10-9 Rivera
Uatu: 10-9 Rivera

Round Two

The referee has signaled that the cut near Angulo's right eye was caused by a punch, though replays suggest otherwise. Rivera stays cautious but he is moving well. Angulo stalks and looks for an opening. He lands lefts to the body and head. Rivera throws a combo but Angulo covers up well. Rivera uses the jab to set up a right, then does it again. Angulo responds with a left-right to the head. A good exchange ends with a mean right by Angulo. He goes to the body and flurries to the body and head.

Franchise: 10-9 Angulo
Uatu: 10-9 Angulo

Round Three

Both men land early jabs. They both want to go to the body too. Rivera lands some lefts but Angulo shakes them off and scores with several rights. A right-left combo dazes Rivera a bit. Angulo presses forward and staggers Rivera with a barrage of head shots. Rivera has to hold on to avoid further harm. Angulo works his way free and lands three straight shots. Rivera does some more grabbing and makes it out of the round.

Franchise: 10-9 Angulo
Uatu: 10-9 Angulo

Round Four

Rivera is still game but Angulo chases him back with a right hand. Now another one crashes home. Angulo covers up to pick off incoming punches. Angulo is really loading up with both hands. A left hook from Rivera has blood coming from Angulo's cut again. Two right hands knock Rivera back to the ropes, followed by lefts to the body. Rivera digs in but gets hit with hooks from both hands. A right hand from Angulo has Rivera staggered again as the bell rings.

Franchise: 10-9 Angulo
Uatu: 10-9 Angulo

Round Five

Angulo throws multiple jabs and a straight right. He's staying very patient as he waits to explode. There's a left to the body and a right upstairs. Max Kellerman wonders if Rivera's corner should look out for him. Angulo crushes Rivera with a series of head shots in the corner. Rivera continues to take a beating, and an official from the commission steps in and stops it. Rivera was doubled over and looked like he could barely stand.

The HBO crew has a debate about whether or not the ref should have stopped it as Rivera was on the receiving end of a ridiculous stream of power shots.

The winner by TKO at 2:38 of Round Five... Alfredo "Perro" Angulo.