Veneno Chaves Suffered a Four-Knockdown Beating in Loss to Eridson García

Alan Abel Chaves entered Newark’s Prudential Center with a perfect record and a chance to turn his second U.S. appearance into a launchpad toward a world-title fight. Instead, the Argentine endured a 39-minute ordeal against Dominican southpaw Eridson García.

García controlled all 10 rounds with his reach, clean boxing, lateral movement and precision. He repeatedly kept Chaves out of range, but he did more than score from distance. He sent Chaves to the canvas four times and left him close to a stoppage.

The first knockdown came in the second round, when a fast combination left the fighter from Buenos Aires’ Barrio Santa Brígida sitting on the canvas. Chaves rose almost immediately, but a nose injury caused persistent bleeding for the rest of the fight. After García shook him again late in the fourth, he dropped him twice in the fifth, first with another rapid combination and then with a hook to the body.

Chaves survived the remaining 45 seconds of the round. A visit from the ringside doctor and referee Earl Brown to his corner during the break suggested the fight might end, but the contest continued. Chaves eventually reached the final bell, only to lose by wide scores.

The defeat ended a 22-fight winning streak that included 19 knockouts and followed an impressive April knockout of Mexico’s Miguel Madueño in Las Vegas. Chaves’ loss also damaged his hopes of moving into a world-title challenge. The main event saw Poland’s Damian Knyba defeat former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz.