GLENDALE, Ariz. – Ja’Rico O’Quinn felt disrespected all week.

Despite being down on all the scorecards, O’Quinn still felt compelled to make a statement at the expense of Peter McGrail.

O’Quinn scored an emphatic one-punch knockout win Saturday night over McGrail before a shocked crowd at the Desert Diamond Arena. O’Quinn, who resides in Detroit, Michigan, improved to 17-1-1, 9 knockouts.

The southpaw McGrail was the more-effective fighter from the opening bell, initiating exchanges and outboxing O’Quinn.

Almost midway through the second round, O’Quinn was dropped to the canvas. Replays showed McGrail extend his arms out, making it look like a push, but referee Mark Calo-Oy still ruled it a knockdown.

Less than a minute into the fourth round, McGrail scored a second knockdown. This knockdown was more legit, as McGrail connected with a short left hand to the head of O’Quinn.

As if O’Quinn already down on all three scorecards was bad enough, but he had also suffered a cut along his left eye going into the fifth round.

McGrail continued to dictate and control the action during the fifth round. The momentum of the fight took a dramatic turn with less than a minute left in the round, as O’Quinn, who was backed into a corner, unleashed a sweeping right cross. The punch landed on the chin of McGrail, dropping him to the canvas, near the ropes. Referee Mark Calo-Oy counted McGrail out at 2:19.

WHAT. JUST. HAPPENED? 😱

After being dominated the entire fight, @GreatLakes_King landed one shot that knocked out @peter_mcgrail

One of the best comebacks of the year.

Watch now at https://t.co/FoiaUucafv#RodriguezEdwards pic.twitter.com/juQx0t4Xab

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) December 17, 2023

“I was treated as the B-side leading up to the fight,” said O’Quiin after the fight. “He don’t hit hard. He got sloppy with his defense. He was going to the body and I countered with the right hand on top. And that’s all she wrote.”

O’Quinn last fought on July 15, defeating Carlos Mujica by unanimous decision. The 28-year-old has won his last three fights since losing by knockout to Saul Sanchez in September 2021.

McGrail, who resides in Liverpool, England, falls to 8-1, 5 KOs. The 27-year-old last fought on October 21, defeating Fran Mendoza, who also entered the fight unbeaten, by unanimous decision.

Preliminary action

Junior featherweight Arturo Cardenas (12-0-1, 8 KOs) battered Carlos Mujica, winning by technical knockout in the fourth round.

After a slow start in the opening round, Cardenas, who is trained by Robert Garcia, began letting his hands go with more authority in the second round. Cardenas mixed his attack, throwing and landing combinations to the head and body of Mujica.

After hurting Mujica at the end of the third round, Cardenas threw and landed at will. Mujica had blood coming out of his nose early in round four, likely the reason his corner walked up onto the canvas, throwing in the towel, prompting referee Chris Flores to stop the fight at 1:24.

Mujica, who is originally from Caracas, Venezuela and now resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, falls to 8-4, 2 KOs.

In a clash of unbeaten junior middleweight prospects, Junaid Bostan of Rotherham, England defeated Detroit’s Gordie Russ II by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the bout 79-73 in favor of Bostan, who improved to 8-0, 6 KOs.

Bostan was the more-effective fighter from distance, outboxing and beating Russ to the punch. Both fighters stood in the pocket in round three, exchanging vicious combinations. Bostan was hurt during an exchange, but managed to get through the round.

Russ (6-1, 6 KOs) had his moments, but Bostan was able to box from distance, outlanding and connecting with one and two-punch combinations to Russ’ head.

Featherweight Albert Gonzalez of Moreno Valley, California improved to 7-0, 3 KOs, knocking out Guadalajara’s Alexis Molina (9-3-1, 5 KOs) in the second round. A left hook to the body dropped Molina to the canvas, where he was counted out by referee Joey Chavez at 2:24.

The 21-year-old Gonzalez is trained by Robert Garcia.

In the opening bout of the Matchroom Boxing card, featherweight Joe McGrail dropped Edgar Ortiz, Jr. (8-5-2, 4 KOs) of Phoenix four times en route to a second round knockout victory.

After McGrail dropped Ortiz with a left hook to the body, referee Mark Calo-Oy stopped the bout at 2:40. McGrail, who resides in Liverpool, improved to 8-0, 4 KOs.

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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