Amir Imam knocks out Fernando Angulo to earn WBC title shot

Hot prospect Amir Imam is zeroing in on his first world title shot now, as the 24-year-old knocked out Fernando Angulo this evening in a WBC junior welterweight eliminator bout.

Imam (18-0, 15 KO) started the fight nicely in the opening two rounds, using his height and range to pick off the charging veteran, whose goal was to rough up the younger fighter. In the third round, Angulo (29-10, 16 KO) did manage to get some good work done, muscling Imam into the corner and whacking away, landing a few shots here and there, and controlling the geography of the fight for those three minutes.

But early in round four, Imam ripped Angulo with a right hand to the ear as Angulo was ducking down to slip the jab before the right hand, and fell face-first to the canvas. Referee Jon Schorle immediately stopped the fight without a count, and Angulo was wobbly and out of it for a few minutes more.

Imam is now in line to face the winner of a potential Lucas Matthysse vs Viktor Postol fight, which would contest the now-vacant WBC junior welterweight title. That fight is looking likely for October 3, which would push any Imam title shot into 2016.