Oscar Collazo retained his WBO and WBA minimumweight titles with a seventh-round stoppage of Jayson Vayson at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California. The Puerto Rican champion improved to 13-0 (10 KOs) after his opponent’s corner halted the contest at 1:41 of the round, despite the challenger appearing determined to continue.
Vayson, now 14-2-1, was visibly upset by the stoppage and insisted he wanted to fight on. “My corner thought I was breaking. I wanted to fight,” he said. “I respect the decision of the corner for the safety of the boxer.” At the time of the stoppage, all three judges had Collazo ahead 59-54, reflecting his steady control of the fight.
Collazo relied on pressure and a sharp jab to dictate the pace. He scored a first-round knockdown and repeatedly backed Vayson to the ropes, mixing in body shots and left hands upstairs. While Vayson rallied at times with hard counters, Collazo gradually broke him down. “That’s the round we were going for the finish,” the champion explained. “I knew I was going to get him.”
The decision by Vayson’s corner drew harsh criticism from the DAZN commentary team, who felt the naturally bigger Filipino was still competitive. Nonetheless, the result marked Collazo’s third straight win over a Filipino opponent since May 2023 and reinforced his position as one of Puerto Rico’s brightest champions.
Looking ahead, Collazo faces several options. He could pursue undisputed status at 105lbs, move up to challenge WBO junior flyweight titlist and countryman Rene Santiago, or jump to flyweight for a clash with newly crowned unified champion Ricardo Sandoval. “Puerto Rico versus Mexico is always a good matchup,” Collazo said, with promoter Oscar De La Hoya describing Sandoval as a “great challenge” for the near future.
Imagr Credit: Golden Boy