LAS VEGAS – Floyd Schofield hoped to deliver a knockout performance in his 2024 debut.

The unbeaten lightweight prospect was denied that opportunity by an opponent who didn’t show any regard for the rules.

Referee Raul Caiz Jr. was forced to disqualify Dominican Repbulic’s Esteuri Suero for an assortment of fouls. Suero was deducted two points before a pair of low blows produced the end. The fight was halted at 2:07 into the fifth round of their DAZN co-feature Saturday from The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Schofield vowed to make Suero pay for the disrespect shown during their post weigh-in staredown. Suero repeatedly attempted to grab the regional title draped over Schofield’s shoulder, though the two were separated without incident.

The actual fight saw Suero make things as uncomfortable as possible for the developing lightweight.

A reputation as a dirty fighter held true through the first six minutes of the fight. The Vegas-based Dominican was warned for a headbutt that reddened the right eye of Schofield in the opening round.

Schofield attempted a clinch at center ring late in round two. Suero responded with a shoulder drive to his midsection to draw his first point deduction.

The referee’s patience was put to the test again early in round four. A brief clinch saw Suero lift Schofield off his feet and then drop the Austin, Texas to the canvas. A second point was deducted along with a final warning to keep it clean. It didn’t take as Suero once again lifted up Schofield seconds later.

A rare sequence of clean action saw Suero land a left hook later in the fourth. Schofield took the shot well but missed with a counter shot. He regained his composure and landed a left hook to drive Suero to the ropes.

Suero was again warned for using his shoulder to push Schofield in round five. Another clinch saw Suero respond with consecutive blows to abruptly bring an end to the awkward affair.

The loss is the second inside of a year for Suero, who fell to 13-2 (10 KOs).

Schofield advanced to 17-0 (12 KOs). The win was his seventh on a Golden Boy-promoted show, and sixth since he signed with the company in 2022.

PRELIMINARY UNDERCARD

Tristan Kalkreuth made the most of his first fight under the sport’s reigning Trainer of the Year.

The streaking cruiserweight prospect picked up his sixth consecutive win after a second-round knockout of Marquice Weston. A left hook by Kalkreuth (13-1, 9 knockouts) forced Weston (15-3-1, 8 KOs) to a knee. Referee Raul Caiz called a halt the contest at 1:33 of round two.

Kalkreuth recently aligned with the training team headed by Brian ‘Bomac’ McIntyre, The Ring 2023 Trainer of the Year.

Eric Priest went all ten rounds for the first time in his career.

The extended distance did not at all affect his stamina, given the one-sided nature of his win over Jose Sanchez (21-5-1, 12 KOs). Judges Patricia Morse Jarman (100-90), Tim Cheatham (99-91) and David Hudson (99-91) all scored for Priest (13-0, 9 KOs).

Priest (13-0, 8 KOs) appeared to have Sanchez hurt during a second-round sequence that saw the Mexican fall to the canvas. The instance was ruled a slip, the closest either fighter came to a knockdown on the night.

Sanchez was briefly in trouble in the later rounds but Priest was never able to follow up on his attack. He was content to control the distance and box his way to a decision win for the third time in his past four starts.

Joel Iriarte capped a big week in best possible way. The 20-year-old welterweight earned his first pro win just days after signing with Golden Boy Promotions. Iriarte stopped Bryan Carguacundo (3-6-2, 0 knockouts) in the second round of their DAZN opener.

A flurry of punches by Iriarte (1-0, 1 KO) left Carguacundo out on his feet. The sequence prompted the end at 1:26 of round two.

Headlining the show, William Zepeda and Maxi Hughes meet in a WBA/IBF lightweight title eliminator. Mexico’s Zepeda (29-0, 25 KOs) is the Ring’s No. 5-rated 135-pound contender. Hughes (26-6-2, 5 KOs) is No. 9 at lightweight.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for The Ring and vice president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.
Follow @JakeNDaBox

READ THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE RING FOR FREE VIA THE NEW APP NOW. SUBSCRIBE NOW TO ACCESS MORE THAN 10 YEARS OF BACK ISSUES.