{"id":157400,"date":"2025-09-20T21:30:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-20T21:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/157400\/"},"modified":"2025-09-20T21:30:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-20T21:30:10","slug":"kaipo-gallegos-continues-ascent-as-one-of-boxings-most-promising-prospects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/157400\/","title":{"rendered":"Kaipo Gallegos Continues Ascent As One Of Boxing’s Most Promising Prospects"},"content":{"rendered":"

ORLANDO \u2013 You wouldn\u2019t be able to tell Kaipo Gallegos<\/a> is 19 years old by how he performed Friday night.
The 130-pound prospect continued his rapid ascent with a dominating second-round stoppage of Alberto Mercado<\/a> at Caribe Royale. Gallegos (10-0-1, 8 KOs) dropped Mercado twice before his corner opted to stop the fight between the second and third rounds.
Mercado (17-9-1, 4 KOs) is 37, but he went the distance with junior lightweight champions Lamont Roach<\/a> (25-1-2, 10 KOs) and O\u2019Shaquie Foster<\/a> (23-3, 12 KOs), as well as the WBA\u2019s No. 1-ranked lightweight, Floyd Schofield<\/a> (19-0, 13 KOs).<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought he was a tough opponent and an experienced fighter,\u201d Gallegos told The Ring. \u201cHe’s been in there with a lot of tough fighters. I feel like he hasn’t been in the ring with someone like me. It was a different look for him, and we got the job done early.\u201d<\/p>\n

A first round in which both fighters felt each other out quickly changed when Gallegos landed a hard straight left to the liver that sent Mercado to the canvas near the end of the round. From there, the dynamic southpaw from Las Vegas picked Mercado apart, making him miss and making him pay with blistering counter punches.<\/p>\n

Near the end of the second round, Gallegos hurt Mercado again with a left hand to the body before following up with a barrage of punches that led to the second and final knockdown of the fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt like it was gonna go towards the middle rounds,\u201d Gallegos said. \u201cEarly in the round, I caught him with a clean body shot. He felt that first body shot, [and] I think the second or third time he went down. In the beginning of the fight, I had a good rhythm going, so I felt comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among those who were impressed with what they saw from the rapidly ascending prospect was former \u201cTrainer of the Year\u201d Bob Santos, who was commentator for the card.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis composure, he just seems to have a real good feel inside the ring,\u201d Santos told The Ring. \u201cHis placement of punches, as you can see tonight, when he hit that kid with a liver shot, and then he had the presence of mind to go back downstairs there again. For a kid that\u2019s 19 years old, he impressed me more tonight than probably anybody.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gallegos is ranked No. 15 by the WBA at junior lightweight. With the quick victory, he hopes to return to the ring again sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just working every day in the gym,\u201d Gallegos said, \u201cstaying ready for every time my promoters have a fight for me. They give me that call, I’m always ready. I’m always in shape. I feel like my promoter has done a good job with me, just moving me at a good pace.\u201d<\/p>\n

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