Dramatic events unfolded at the Toyota Center. The Golden Boy Promotions’ ‘Rocha vs. Curiel’ witnessed the headliner between welterweight contenders Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel ending in a draw. Another match—a super featherweight duel between ranked prospect Victor Morales and Jose Ivan Guardado Ortiz—was stopped early after the ringside physician deemed the latter unable to continue due to a severe cut above his right eye.

As concluding images from the match appeared, fans and followers started joining in, sharing their thoughts and concerns. The ten-round bout ended in Morales’ favor, and he remains unbeaten with a 20-0-1 record.

Bringing the fight to a screeching halt

DAZN, which provided the live broadcast, shared a few photos and footage from the fight. For many, Guardado’s injury was reminiscent of a few recent instances, most notably the one suffered by champion Amanda Serrano.

Seems Guardado suffered the injury quite early in the fight. The cutman used the swab-tipped applicator to stem the bleeding. Later, they applied Vaseline to seal the injury temporarily. While trying to gauge the situation, one of the commentators mentioned, “I got to believe that he couldn’t see peripheral hooks come from the side; there are lots of ways that you need your peripheral vision.”

As they were about to begin the fight, the referee halted the bout. The ringside doctor wanted to review Guardado’s condition. After a few minutes of tests and observations, he gave his verdict, and the referee promptly waved his hands. Reportedly, ‘half a pound’ of Vaseline covered the injury over Guardado’s right eye. Let’s check what a few of the fans had to say.

From concerns to comparisons

The injury failed to perturb this fan. “In the 90s they called this a mouse. Not a big deal,” they said. Though strongly resembling a mouse, the injury—a swollen bruise or lump, typically on the face—was often considered unthreatening to a fighter’s ability to continue in the match.

Jose Ivan Guardado’s condition reminded this fan of Erik Morales‘s condition when he faced Marcos Maidana. The fan said, “It reminded me of Morales vs. Maidana in 2011.” The two legends met on April 9, 2011, at the MGM Grand Arena. The Argentine boxer secured a majority win. The bout had its share of drama when Morales’ eye swelled in the first round.

Nevertheless, the Mexican fighter’s face had the next one worried. They said, “Hope not brain damage😢.” Given the heavy blows they endure, head injuries are a major concern in the sport. In Guardado’s case, although the injury is above his eye, he may undergo a full examination to rule out any internal damage.

For some fans, the 25-year-old boxer’s injury closely resembled the most recent incident. One involving world champion Amanda Serrano. This user said, “Manz got the Serrano special as well.” A comparison saw this fan confirming Serrano’s injury as ‘worse’: “Serrano was worse, tbh, but this is still bad.”

One highlighted how despite suffering a serious cut, the Puerto Rican star continued fighting Katie Taylor during their rematch last month. “Amanda Serrano was dirtier, and they didn’t stop the fight because she didn’t want to,” said this follower. Amanda Serrano highlighted the injury through an Instagram post. During the post-fight interviews, she spoke about the headbutt she received from Katie Taylor. But later she went back on her comments and congratulated the Irish icon on her win.

Given that the fight was stopped before it reached the final bell, it will be recorded as a career loss for Jose Ivan Guardado Ortiz.

Earlier in April, he suffered a loss to Robson Conceição but turned things around when he faced Luis Marin. This latest setback may push him back to the drawing board. A victory over Morales, who currently stands twelfth in the WBC rankings, could have helped improve his standing.

What do you think? Do you believe the ringside physician made a judicious decision to stop the fight?