Photo by Esther Lin / Showtime
- Michel Rivera added another knockout to his highlight-reel Saturday in California.
- The young boxer is attracting headlines for more than his fighting prowess, though.
- This is because he looks, and dresses, like a young Muhammad Ali.
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A 23-year-old boxer who looks just like Muhammad Ali won a spectacular knockout Saturday in America.
Meet Michel Rivera, a Dominican lightweight who is building a considerable name for himself because of his unbeaten run, 21-fight winning streak, and his "La Zarza Ali" nickname.
With his high-fade haircut, slender athletic build, and white shorts with black trim, fight fans would be forgiven for thinking they've gone back in time to see a late 1960s Ali – when he was called Cassius Clay.
But Rivera is fighting in the 21st century, scoring impressive victories during live broadcasts on the premium US network Showtime.
In his latest win, Rivera trounced Jon Fernandez at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson.
Rivera out-landed his opponent Anthony Mercado Raices in every round that the fight lasted. He scored a contentious knockdown, a legitimate knockdown in the sixth, and then closed the show for good in the eighth.
Rivera, in total, landed 138 shots from 372 dispatched for a 37.1% punch accuracy, compared to the 63 from 384 than Raices threw for a 16.4% accuracy rate, according to Compubox data sent to Insider.
The final blows Rivera hit Raices with were so hard that he couldn't help but fall face-first to the canvas.
Watch the knockout right here:
-SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) July 4, 2021
"I'm so excited and beyond happy to get this win," Rivera said in a statement sent to Insider. "Fernandez was a strong, experienced opponent that forced me to change the game plan I had going in.
"I knew since the first round that I would have to be careful with him. He had heavy hands and was taller than me, but I was faster and more skilled overall."
With his latest success, Rivera advanced his pro boxing record to 21 wins (14 knockouts).
He is now targeting big fights against fellow Premier Boxing Champions stablemates Rolando Romero and Gervonta Davis.
"I want the fight with Rolando Romero next," said Rivera. "Once I do face him, I would like to go up against Gervonta Davis or Teofimo Lopez."