COMMERCE, Calif. – Callum Walsh is quickly becoming someone to be reckoned with at 154 pounds.

Walsh stopped veteran Juan Jose Velasco after the fourth round Saturday night at the Commerce Casino.

Walsh, an amateur standout from Cork, Ireland who now lives and trains in Hollywood, California, improved to 8-0, 7 knockouts.

The taller southpaw Walsh initiated exchanges between the two. Walsh worked behind a consistent jab, following up one and two jabs with straight left hands to the head.

Velasco did find success on the inside but was stunned by a Walsh right hook to the head less than a minute left in the second round. To his credit, Velasco did not hold on to Walsh, choosing to stand and trade.

Walsh began to focus his attack on the body of Velasco in the third round. Walsh continued to work behind a jab, while Velasco tried his best to counter with straight right hands to the head.

Velasco slowed down considerably in the fourth round. He was still game, but fought more in spurts and fought more defensively as Walsh continued to rain down combinations on Velasco.

After the end of the fourth round, Velasco and his corner told referee Eddie Hernandez that he was not able to continue.

The 22-year-old Walsh previously fought on June 9, stopping former fringe contender Carson Jones in the fourth round.

Velasco, who resides in Buenos Aires, Argentina, falls to 24-5, 15 KOs. The 36-year-old has lost three of his last four bouts. Velasco also has knockout losses to Regis Prograis and Mario Barrios.

In the co-main event of the 360 Boxing Promotions card, amateur standout and light heavyweight prospect Umar Dzambekov dropped David Zegarra twice en route to a first-round knockout victory.

The taller and physically stronger Dzambekov battered Zegarra from the opening bell. Dzambekov dropped Zegarra twice with combinations, forcing him to take a knee. After the second knockdown, referee Jack Reiss counted Zegarra out at 1:59.

Saturday marked Dzambekov’s fifth fight of 2023. In his previous fight on July 22, Dzambekov, who grew up in Austria and now resides in Los Angeles, defeated Kwame Ritter by unanimous decision in a clash of unbeaten light heavyweights.

Zegarra, who resides in Lima, Peru, falls to 35-11-1, 22 KOs. The 38-year-old has now lost eight of his last 10 bouts.

Unbeaten welterweight prospect Gor Yeritsyan knocked out Rogelio Jun Doliguez of the Philippines in the second round. Yeritsyan, who is originally from Yerevan, Armenia and now resides in Los Angeles, improved to 16-0, 14 KOs.

After an opening round that Yeritsyan dictated, Yeritsyan opened the second round by throwing and landing a right-left combination to the body. Doliguez dropped to the canvas, where he was counted out at 24 seconds.

Yeritsyan returned from a 30-month layoff on June 9, dropping Argentina’s Gustavo Vittori multiple times before ending matters in round two. The 28-year-old is trained by Freddie Roach.

Doliguez, who resides in Agoncillo in the Philippines, falls to 25-4-2, 19 KOs.

Junior lightweight Arnold Alejandro defeated Adan Ochoa by split decision. One judge scored the bout 77-75 for Ochoa, while the other two judges scored the bout 80-72 for Alejandro, who improved to 12-1, 10 KOs.

Ochoa would initiate the action, but Alejandro would effectively counter to the head with right crosses and left hooks to the head. Alejandro, who is trained by Danny Garcia in Oxnard, California, fought well from distance, making Ochoa pay anytime he missed with his combinations.

Alejandro snapped a two-bout winless streak. Prior to facing Ochoa, he had not fought since a majority decision draw against Jeremy Abram in February 2021.

Ochoa, who resides in nearby Compton, falls to 12-4, 5 KOs. The 25-year-old lost to featherweight prospect Omar Cande Trinidad in his previous fight on April 14.

In junior bantamweight action, Daniel Barrera of Riverside, California improved to 4-0-1, 3 KOs, defeating gatekeeper Gilberto Mendoza (19-16-4, 10 KOs) of Mexico by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the bout 60-54 in favor of Barrera.

In the opening bout, flyweight Gloria Munguilla of Los Angeles defeated Florida’s Shawna Ormsby (0-2-1) by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the bout 50-45 in favor of Munguilla, who improved to 5-0.

Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached at [email protected]

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