Gabriel Rosado’s experience prevailed against the strength of Bektemir Melikuziev with a spectacular knockout in the third round, which allowed him to win the World Boxing Association (WBA) Continental Americas title in El Paso, Texas.

The veteran American had to withstand the Uzbek’s onslaught from the first round. In fact, Rosado visited the canvas at the end of the first round as a result of a combination by Melikuziev but recovered to hear the sound of the bell and go to the break.

Since then, Rosado came out with the same cautious attitude, but with a strategy that was clear: to keep the guard closed and look for the counterattack against an opponent who kept pressuring him and trying to impose his strength.

In the third round, he got what he was looking for and while Melikuziev tried to connect a left hook, Rosado threw a right hand to the chin in a perfect counterattack that collapsed the Uzbek. Although inertia allowed him to make the attempt to get up, the effects of the impact did not allow him to do so and the referee completed the count to 10 to give the victory to the 35-year-old fighter.

For many of the specialized press, Rosado came in as a tester but the experience accumulated through his fights with great opponents of an era allowed him to decipher his opponent.

The new WBA regional champion now has a record of 26 wins, 13 losses, 1 draw, and 15 KOs, while Melikuziev, who lost his undefeated record, now has 7 wins, 1 loss, and 6 KOs.