Isaac Dogboe successfully launched his comeback Tuesday night with a new trainer, Barry Hunter, in his corner in Las Vegas.
The former WBO 122-pound champion beat Chris Avalos by eighth-round technical knockout in their featherweight fight at MGM Grand Conference Center. Dogboe’s win was the first fight since Emanuel Navarrete stopped him in the 12th round of their WBO junior featherweight championship rematch in May 2019. Mexico’s Navarrete upset the Ghanaian by unanimous decision in their 12-rounder five months earlier to win that title from him.
Dogboe improved to 21-2, recorded his 15th knockout and ended a two-bout losing streak in his first fight in 14 months. The 30-year-old Avalos (27-8, 20 KOs) lost for the fifth time in his past six fights and lost by knockout for the fifth time in 12 years as a pro.
Referee Russell Mora stopped their scheduled eight-rounder at 2:25 of the eighth because he felt Avalos was taking too much punishment.
