This past Saturday, John Vera and Joey Ruelas went toe-to-toe at the Downtown Las Vegas Event Center for the vacant WBA-NABA USA super welterweight title, Vera scoring the win by sixth-round TKO.

A four-year pro fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas, 27-year-old Vera is undefeated (14-0, 9 KOs), while 34-year-old Ruelas first entered the ring in 2000, though inactive from 2002 to 2012. He fights out of Phoenix, Arizona (10-2-1, 4 KOs).

Scheduled for eight, both fighters scored punches throughout the first four rounds of an action-packed fight, with Ruelas landing the more effective blows. The fifth was difficult to score, with Vera successfully going for the body while Ruelas finished off the round with a fusillade of punches. In the sixth, the Texan (a southpaw who goes by “The Phenom”) broke through the Arizonan’s defenses, stunning him with a series of shots. Neither down nor out, Ruelas punched and counterpunched, but referee Jay Nady had apparently seen enough, stopping the fight at 1:17 of the round. Premature stoppage or not, Vera was awarded both the win and the title.

Fight fans should look forward to seeing both men in the ring again.

This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.