The anticipated super middleweight clash between Peter Quillin and Caleb Truax ends in a no decision after an accidental clash of heads opened a bad cut near Truax's right eye.
Neither Peter Quillin nor Caleb Truax are any closer to another world title shot than when their crossroads bout was announced five months ago.
A clash of heads in the second left Truax with a deep cut along his right eyelid. The ringside physician inspected the cut at round’s end and deemed it too severe to allow the fight to continue, abruptly ending Saturday night’s PBC on FS1 main event at The Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Because it ended on an accidental foul inside four rounds, the contest was ruled a No Decision in accordance with the unified rules. The outcome doesn’t leave a blemish on either boxer’s record, but their concern extends well beyond their ring ledger.
“I’m very disappointed,” a dejected Truax (30-4-2, 19 KOs) told FS1’s Jordan Hardy afterward. “People paid for tickets and came out in full force tonight. The Armory is fantastic and I wanted to put on a good fight.”
A rabid, partisan crowd of 4,117—a record for boxing at The Armory—braved freezing temperatures to support fellow Minnesota native Truax. Their disappointment was palpable.
“It’s not even about me not getting the win, it’s not about Caleb…it’s that the fans got robbed,” Quillin (34-1-1, 23 KOs) said. “I know they wanted to see their guy. They was rooting for their guy to get an opportunity.”
Former world super middleweight champion Truax, 35, never had a chance to get going. Conversely, Quillin, also 35, made the most of his short time in the ring. The former middleweight champ, was effective in the opening round, fighting behind a purposeful jab and countering Truax.
Action threatened to heat up in round two, until efforts to exchange on the inside resulted in the combatants clashing heads, leaving Truax with a slice across his right eye. It appeared the bout might end right then, but the ringside physician allowed it to continue to give the boxer’s corner a chance to stop the bleeding in between rounds.
However, following his examination at the end of the second, the doctor discovered “a very deep cut that extended down to the bone and tissue. The blood was interfering with the fighter’s vision.”
This was acknowledged by the wounded boxer, who did not want the fight stopped.
“I couldn’t see out of my right eye,” admitted Truax. “My left eye was fine but it was up to the doc, I guess.”
Most will agree that the right call was made in that situation. Even Truax’s opponent, who stood the most to gain from the bout continuing, was on board with the final call.
“I think it’s the doctor’s job to stop the fight,” noted Quillin, who was looking to extend his current two-fight win streak since moving up to super middleweight. “For me, I’d rather see a fighter live to fight another day.”
The fight was put together with the intention of providing a mandatory challenger for unbeaten IBF World Super Middleweight Champion Caleb Plant, who sat ringside. He’ll have to wait for a rematch in order to find out who that opponent might be.
“I’d like to do it again, whether we come back here to Minnesota or we run it back in Brooklyn,” noted Quillin. “Let him get stitched up. We’ll be back in the gym Monday. We didn’t even sweat up. We’re back in the gym on Monday and just wait for the phone to ring.”
Sergiy Derevyanchenko outlasts Jack Culcay, wins decision
Sergiy Derevyanchenko survived a stiff challenge from Jack Culcay (25-4, 13 KOs), using his boxing skills and volume punching to win a 12-round unanimous decision in the IBF World Middleweight title eliminator.
Scores were 116-112 (twice) and 115-113. Derevyanchenko (13-1, 10KOs), got off to a slow start before the action began heating up in the fourth. The Brooklyn-based Ukrainian found his rhythm, during the middle stanzas, using angles and a consistent output—particularly to the body—to overwhelm the game Culcay.
Culcay stormed back in the tenth, wobbling Derevyanchenko with a right cross toward the end of the frame. Derevyanchenko survived the onslaught. By the twelfth, he was back to overwhelming Culcay with punches.
Joey Spencer Decisions Osias Vasquez
Undefeated super welterweight Joey Spencer (7-0, 6 KOs) went the distance for the first time in his young career. The 19-year-old boxer-puncher from Linden, Michigan, who was named the PBC 2018 Prospect of the Year, easily outpointed Osias Vasquez (4-3) to win a six-round unanimous decision.
Money Powell IV registers sixth-round TKO over Christian Aguirre
Rising prospect Money Powell IV rolled to 11-0 (6 KOs) after a left hook put Christian Aguirre (8-5, 4 KOs) down and out in the sixth and final round of their middleweight contest.
“WHAT A SHOT!” Don’t blink, Chris Colbert made quick work of Briones with a refs stoppages in the 1st. pic.twitter.com/BXV4DOxgt1
— FOX Sports: PBC (@PBConFOX) April 14, 2019
Brooklyn phenom Chris Colbert stops Mario Briones in two
Brooklyn’s Chris Colbert (11-0, 4 KOs) picked up his second knockout win in Minneapolis—the two coming exactly one year apart—by stopping Mario Briones (29-9-2, 21 KOs) in two rounds. A lightning-quick overland left hand shot floored Mexico’s Briones midway through the second. Briones beat the count only for Colbert to finish the job with an ensuing flurry. Official time was 1:59.
Ve Shawn Owens Edges Alex Gayton
Local super welterweight Ve Shawn Owens (10-2, 9 KOs) returned to the win column with a hard-fought split decision over Alexis Gaytan (5-3, 2 KOs). A score of 76-75 in favor of Gayton was overruled by scores of 76-75 and 77-74 in favor of Owens, who survived a third-round knockdown to prevail.
For a closer look at Quillin vs Truax, check out our fight night page.
