Tulare's Richard Torrez Jr. wins second pro fight in just 58 seconds with a TKO
It took Tulare's Richard Torrez Jr. just under one minute to win his second pro fight.
The 2021 Olympic silver medalist TKO'd Roberto Zavala Jr. in the first round of their scheduled six-round heavyweight fight Friday at Pechanga Resort Casino.
At one point in the brief fight, an ESPN color commentator said, "It's just a matter of time before he sends him [his opponent] to sleep," of Torrez Jr., fighting in black trunks with the words "Tulare" emblazoned on his waistband.
Seconds later, the referee called the fight after a brutal straight left hand landed on Zavala.
"And they are stopping the fight right then and there," ESPN's play-play announcer bellowed.
"Thank god," the ESPN commentator said about the overmatched Zavala.
The ref steps in less than a minute into the fight and ends it! Richard Torrez Jr TKOs Roberto Zavala Jr! pic.twitter.com/n4zQqpYKOe
— Follow @FTBeard7 (@FTBeard7) July 16, 2022
Torrez Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs) is wasting little time getting back in the ring. Just after his victory, the boxer announced a six-rounder against Marco Antonio Canedo (4-2, 2 KOs) on Aug. 27, at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. To
Torrez Jr., a Mission Oak High School graduate, knocked Allen Melson out in the second round of Torrez’s pro debut on March 4 at Fresno State's Save Mart Center.
AUGUST 27: OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALIST RICHARD TORREZ JR. GOES FOR 3-0 AGAINST MARCO ANTONIO CANEDO @ HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO TULSA LIVE ON ESPN https://t.co/VCFiQ5zfN0#Boxing #RBRBoxing
— Round By Round Boxing (@RBRBoxing) July 16, 2022
The 6-2, 230-pound Torrez trained for three weeks at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado to prepare for his second pro match, working alongside Team USA Boxing coach Billy Walsh and his staff and current members of Team USA.
"My goal is to win," Torrez told the Times-Delta/Advance-Register before the fight. "Whoever they put in front of me, however fast they move me, whatever they do, my goal is to get out there and show everybody how hard I train, how bad I want it. I do want this. I have a competitive drive. I want to win."
Torrez culminated his amateur career in 2021 with an overall record for 154-10 and the silver medal.
Last November, the Mission Oak High School grad turned pro, signing a multi-year contract with Top Rank Boxing.
Torrez is considered by many boxing experts as a top up-and-coming boxer in the heavyweight division.
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Tulare's Richard Torrez Jr. wins second pro fight in just 58 seconds
