Irish boxer Gary ‘Spike’ O Sullivan suffered an 11th-round TKO against Mexican Jaime Munguia at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on Saturday night.
The County Cork man was headlining the much-anticipated world middleweight bout for Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy promotion which was streamed by over-the-top subscription service DAZN.
However, it wasn’t to be for the gallant 35-year-old who was no match for his rivals longer reach and potent left-handed jabs.
Munguia, who defeated fellow Irish man Dennis Hogan in controversial circumstances last year, left no doubt about the result on this occasion, roaring out of the blocks in the opener and a quick combination followed by a thunderous left hook had O’ Sullivan dazed as the bell rang.
The 23-year-old former WBO junior middleweight titlist, who was making his debut at middleweight, looked much the sharper in the earlier exchanges but didn’t have it all his own way, a powerful right hand from O’Sullivan dazed him at the very end of the third.
But that was the closest he got as Munguia recomposed himself and began effectively using his jab to stave off the O’Sullivans advances and began mixing it up with quicker headshots and smart body shots.
Munguia was penalized with a one-point deduction by referee Mark Calo-oy in the sixth following a low blow to O’ Sullivan and he took a knee in the seventh after another punch flew south of the border – the crowd incensed now at what they felt were play-acting tactics but replays suggested otherwise.
O’Sullivan struggled to find an opening in the latter rounds and began to empty in the tenth, his corner asking him if he had enough before the eleventh.
He bravely continued but Munguia, 13 years junior, sensed blood and after an array heavy two-shot combos, O’ Sullivan’s team called time as he hit the ropes and crumbled to the canvas.
“A fighter always wants to fight on, but sometimes you’re too brave for your own good,” said O’Sullivan – who initially seemed incensed at trainer Paschal Collins’s decision to throw in the towel.
O’Sullivan’s record now stands at a respectable 30 wins from 34 outings – with all four defeats coming from former world champions.
“I think he is strong at middleweight and he can do good things at the weight. Golden Boy (promoters) said they are going to get me a world title shot at light middleweight,” O’Sullivan added .
“I think he was stronger at 160lbs than he was at 154lbs. He was the bigger guy in there, but I nearly took him out a few times as well.
“I rocked him a few times. I just want to go home and take some time off from boxing now and spend some time with my kids. I want to take a break from boxing for a while.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7OIBxspo7-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
