
Extra Points: Figuera, Rodriguez earn quick wins in Atlantic City, NJ
Atlantic City boxers Justin Figueroa and Francisco Rodriguez both registered convincing victories Saturday night at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall's Adrian Phillips Ballroom.
Figueroa (4-0, 4 KOs), a Holy Spirit High School graduate and Atlantic City lifeguard, scored two knockdowns en route to a second-round knockout over Mauel Moreira (0-4), of Sheridan, Wyoming in a super-welterweight bout. Figueroa dropped Moreira for the second time behind a flurry capped by a right hook to the body, prompting referee David Fields to stop the scheduled four-rounder without a count.
Rodriguez (1-0, 1 KO), a Pleasantville High School grad, was even more impressive. He needed just 1 minute, 48 seconds to earn a first-round TKO over Marco Dorame (0-1), of Sierra Vista, Arizona, in a four-round, super-featherweight fight.
Rodriguez dropped Dorame about a minute into the opening round with a body shot, then continued to work the body until the referee stepped in with 1:12 left in the round.
In Saturday's main event, heavyweight slugger Kristian Prenga (13-1, 13 KOs), a native of Albania now living in Canada, posted a second-round knockout over Samuel Crossed (11-4-1, 7 KOs), of Greenbelt, Maryland.
Among the other fights, Chattanooga, Tennessee welterweight Avious Griffin (11-0, 10 KOs) won via second-round knockout over Jose Alberto Gazo (31-14-1, 25 KOs), from Nicaragua; Newark flyweight Anthony Johns (6-0, 5 KOs) had a second-round stoppage over Ramon Valasquez (7-7, 0 KOs), Chile; and Philadelphia heavyweight Derek Starling (6-1, 4 KOs) gained a four-round, unanimous decision over Dennis Vance, Jr. (4-9-2, 2 KOs), of South Branch, Michigan.