#jose ramirez

Photo via Top Rank

by Seamus McNally

Blue-chip junior welterweight prospect Mike “Yes Indeed” Reed (19-0, 11 KOs) of Waldorf, Maryland remained undefeated as he scored a sixth-round technical knockout over Abraham Cordero (13-3-1, 7 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico in a match-up of two southpaws on the undercard of an HBO doubleheader at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

Cordero used his five-and-a-half-inch reach advantage well in the opening round as he hit Reed with combinations while Reed tried to close the distance. But Reed found his way inside with about 30 seconds left in the round and connected with a short left hand that landed right on the button. 

Cordero wobbled backwards and Reed followed up with two thunderous straight lefts that sent Cordero crashing into the ropes. Referee Johnny Callas ruled it a knockdown, since the ropes were the only thing keeping Cordero up.

Reed was the quicker and heavier-handed fighter throughout the bout and continued to find a home for the left hand all night long. He did a textbook job of peppering Cordero with blinding jabs and throwing thudding left hands behind it that landed flush on Cordero’s face. 

In the second round, Reed landed a flush right hook that stunned Cordero, who was not fully recovered from the knockdown. Cordero was very game and had pockets of success in the middle rounds, but it was not enough to win rounds or keep Reed from continuing the onslaught of left hands.  

In the sixth round Reed landed a left to the body that visibly hurt Cordero, who took a few steps back and then inhaled deeply. Reed sensed the end was near, pounced on Cordero and landed vicious combinations until the ringside doctor sprang to the ring apron and waved the fight off two minutes and 29 seconds into the round.

Reed,the 2013 Stiff Jab Prospect of the Year, has developed nicely under the Top Rank banner and seems poised to take the next step in his career. He could be featured in his first televised bout in the near future, which would presumably also be his first scheduled ten-rounder. 

Reed wants that bout to be against fellow Top Rank fighter Jose Ramirez (17-0, 12 KOs) and called Ramirez out after his fight. 

“I want to fight Jose Ramirez. That’s the fight I want,” Reed said. “I can beat Ramirez!”