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Undefeated Prospect Felix Parrilla Delivers Statement TKO
Over Jose Velasquez In 2
Salita Promotions returned to Puerto Rico in emphatic
fashion Thursday night, as BIG TIME BOXING delivered a fight
night worthy of the island’s storied legacy, a card defined
by knockdowns, upsets, and breakout performances that kept
fans on their feet from the opening bell to the final
stoppage.
Promoted by Salita Promotions and co-promoted by Universal
Promotions, the event marked Salita's fourth return to
Puerto Rico and continued support to revive the island's
boxing legacy, broadcasted live on DAZN.
“Puerto Rico has always been special when it comes to
boxing, and we believe this series will help develop the
next generation. We're proud of what we saw tonight,” said
President of Salita Promotions, Dmitriy Salita. “We saw an
incredible night of boxing, prospects, contenders, and
fighters becoming champions in real time. This is what BIG
TIME BOXING is built on: real fights, real stakes, and
moments that define careers, all in front of a crowd that
brought unmatched energy from start to finish.”
"We’re extremely pleased with this outstanding night of
boxing we were able to deliver alongside Salita Promotions
and DAZN. It was an electrifying evening in front of a
packed house at the Pedrín Zorrilla Coliseum in San Juan”,
said President of Universal Promotions, Javier Bustillo.
Felix Parrilla once again proved he’s ready for the big
stage, now as the WBO Latino Champion. Kiria Tapia delivered
a flawless performance in front of her home crowd, while
Darlyn Hernandez showcased his power, capturing the WBO
Global title. We have big plans ahead for the future.
Without a doubt, we have The Best Boxing in Puerto Rico."
Undefeated featherweight Felix Parrilla (13-0, 11 KOs)
delivered a statement performance, stopping battle-tested
veteran Jose Velasquez (34-12-3, 24 KOs) via second-round
TKO (2:02) to capture the WBO Latino Featherweight
Championship. Facing a durable opponent who had never been
down in his career, Parrilla imposed his will early,
breaking him down with a clinical, punishing attack that
showcased both precision and power.
From the opening bell, Parrilla dictated the tempo, sharp,
composed, and relentless. He backed Velasquez into the
corners, delivering clean combinations, and controlled
distance like a seasoned contender. Then came the turning
point: a flush sweeping right hand, sending Velasquez
crashing to the canvas for the first time in his career — a
moment that ultimately forced the stoppage and crowned
Parrilla a champion.
With the victory, Parrilla not only remained undefeated, but
firmly positioned himself on the doorstep of world title
contention.
“I want to thank God and everyone who came out and tuned
in,” said Parrilla. “If I feel like you aren’t on my level
or meant to be in the ring with me, I will hunt you down and
get you out of there. I saw early on that he wasn’t meant to
be in there with me, so I had to get him out of there.
There’s a lot of big names, and I’ll be ready for whoever my
team has planned for me.”
In one of the night’s most dramatic moments, Derlyn
Hernandez (14-5-1, 12 KOs) silenced the hometown crowd with
a sixth-round knockout victory over previously unbeaten
Abisael Cotto (10-1, 8 KOs).
Coming in as the underdog against Puerto Rico’s Abisael
Cotto (10-1, 8 KOs), Hernandez walked into hostile territory
and turned it into his stage. In round three, he stunned
Cotto with a sharp combination that sent the unbeaten
prospect to the canvas. But Hernandez stayed disciplined,
stayed dangerous, and in round six, he closed the show with
a vicious left hook and overhand right that closed the show.
“I knew I was coming in as the underdog into his backyard,”
said Hernandez. “I knew what I had to do and I delivered. I
didn’t come in looking for the knockout, but my team told me
it would come, so I stayed focused on the game plan and
that’s exactly what happened.”
Salita added, “Abisael Cotto was a true test… even in
defeat, he showed a lot of heart. Hernandez resurrected his
career with a defining performance and showed he’s a
legitimate world contender.”
San Juan’s Kiria Tapia (9-0, 1KO) brought precision bringing
her hometown crowd to her feet. The San Juan native
delivered a masterclass over Ayana Vasquez, cruising to a
unanimous decision victory (82-72 across the board) in a
performance built on speed, control, and composure. Despite
Vasquez’s toughness and determination, she struggled to
adjust to Tapia’s relentless attack.
“This victory is the result of tremendous sacrifice,
discipline, and faith. I feel deeply grateful to God, to my
team, and to everyone who believes in me”, said Tapia. “But
I also feel proud and hungry for more because this is not
the end; it’s confirmation that we’re on the right path”
“Kiria Tapia was outstanding, and the sold-out crowd brought
incredible energy, it really showed how much this island
loves boxing,” said Salita.
Flint, Michigan’s Garrett “Baby Gee” Rice Jr. (3-0, 1 KOs)
continues to show he’s ahead of schedule.
In his six-round debut, Rice controlled the tempo against
Johniel Ramos Cotto, earning a unanimous decision (58-55
x3). Displaying patience and poise, he worked behind a sharp
jab, invested to the body, and closed strong with clean,
authoritative shots that separated him on the scorecards.
The undercard featured a series of decisive performances,
with Angel Carranza securing a knockout victory advancing to
(12-1, 9 KO), Manuel Febus (3-0, 3 KO’s) earning a TKO
stoppage, and Bryan Garcia (2-0, 1 KO) cruising to a
unanimous decision win.
Thursday’s event reinforced Puerto Rico’s legacy as a global
boxing powerhouse, while signaling a new wave of talent
emerging through the BIG TIME BOXING series.
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