Jan Paul Rivera has yet to see the second round of a pro bout. The 21-year-old boxer from Ponce, Puerto Rico made quick work of Los Angeles’ Cesar Martinez, scoring a first-round knockout in their featherweight bout Friday evening on ProBox TV from Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida.
Martinez (4-7-2, 1KOs) was trapped along the ropes, clipped by a right hand that left him open for an ensuing volley. A final straight right by Rivera produced the bout’s lone knockdown, with referee Samuel Burgos stopping the fight without a count at 2:13 of round one.
Rivera turned pro just three months ago, scoring first-round knockouts in each of his three pro bouts to date. The blue-chip featherweight is managed by Tim VanNewhouse, who relocated the Boricua to Central Florida where he trains out of the ProBox training facility in Plant City.
Trinidad Vargas was brief and effective in his pro debut. The 19-year-old former amateur standout from Grand Prairie, Texas made quick work of Josh Aarons, scoring a first-round knockout. Vargas floored Aarons late in the round, the sequence ultimately producing a stoppage at 2:31 of round one in their junior bantamweight bout.
Vargas boxed in the opening moments of his first pro fight before sensing that he could hurt Aarons (0-3, 0KOs), a winless fighter from Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Aarons failed to protect himself after getting clipped with a right hand to the temple, complaining to referee Emil Lombardo that he was hit behind the head. Vargas (1-0, 1KOs) closed the show, landing a pair of left hooks to produce the bout’s lone knockdown.
Aarons attempted to rise, falling face first to the canvas before staggering to his feet. He was unable to convince the referee that he could continue, prompting an immediate stoppage.
Vargas signed with David McWater’s Split-T Management last September after going 198-12 in the amateurs. The boxer’s first name comes as a tribute to Hall-of-Fame former three-division champion Felix ‘Tito’ Trinidad.
Headlining the show, Jonathan ‘Bomba’ Gonzalez (25-3-1, 14KOs) attempts the first defense of his WBO junior flyweight title against Mark Anthony Barriga (11-1, 2KOs), a former title challenger from the Philippines.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox