John Laryea disqualified in WBA Featherweight title eliminator

John Laryea was disqualified in the ninth round of his WBA Featherweight title eliminator against Argentina’s Maximilliano Robledo in Buenos Aires on Saturday night. The stoppage gave Robledo victory after Laryea was penalised for repeated low blows.

Laryea had a promising opening, using his movement to make Robledo miss and finding opportunities to land with power. The momentum shifted in the third round when a right hook dropped the Ghanaian boxer to the canvas.

Robledo continued to find success as the contest developed. Laryea went down again in the fourth round and was knocked down for a third time in the fifth, with the Argentine applying sustained pressure in front of his home crowd.

Laryea’s problems then extended beyond the knockdowns. He began committing low blows, had one point deducted for the offence and was warned that further infringements could end the fight.

The decisive incident came in the ninth round when Laryea again struck low with a left hook. Referee Janny Guzman disqualified him, ending the bout and confirming Robledo as the winner.

Robledo’s record now stands at 14 wins, one defeat and six victories inside the distance. His position as WBAF3 means he will next meet the winner of the Figueroa-Kameda contest for an opportunity to challenge for the featherweight title.

The result ended the unbeaten start to Laryea’s professional career. It was his first defeat in 18 fights, while Robledo advanced from the eliminator after recovering from Laryea’s effective movement in the early rounds.