On August 24, 2013, Jhonny González delivered one of the most stunning upsets in modern boxing by knocking out Abner Mares in the first round at StubHub Center in Carson, California, according to the World Boxing Council. González captured the WBC featherweight world title by overwhelming the undefeated champion with a devastating left hook that forced referee Jack Reiss to wave off the bout at 2:55 of the opening frame.
The Shocking First-Round Knockdown
Abner Mares entered the ring as a heavily favored, undefeated three-division world champion, defending the featherweight belt he won earlier that year against Daniel Ponce de León. González, a veteran puncher carrying extensive championship experience, seized the opening moments by dictating the pace with heavy hands. According to historical fight records from the World Boxing Council, González dropped Mares with a sharp left hook early in the round. Mares beat the count, but González immediately swarmed him, landing another clean left hook that sent the champion crashing back to the canvas, prompting an immediate stoppage.
Title History and Subsequent Rematch
The victory marked González’s second reign as a WBC featherweight champion, adding another defining chapter to a career that included over 50 career knockouts. The upset derailed Mares’ trajectory as one of boxing’s elite pound-for-pound fighters. The two rivals later met in a high-stakes rematch in August 2015 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, where Mares avenged the loss by a seventh-round technical knockout, according to boxing sanctioning body records.
https://x.com/WBCBoxing/status/2091911383579316574
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