Edgar Berlanga rallied from an early scare to stop Steven Butler in the seventh round of their scheduled 10-round super middleweight headliner Sunday night at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. Butler scored a knockdown in the second round, but Berlanga gradually broke him down with sustained power punching as the fight developed into an action-packed exchange. A badly hurt Butler remained on his feet in Round 7 until the referee stepped in to halt the contest after another barrage, ending a bout that featured momentum swings from both fighters. Berlanga moved to 24-2 with 19 knockouts, while Butler dropped to 38-6-1 after falling short in his upset attempt.

Richardson Hitchins made a successful jump to the welterweight division with a one-sided unanimous decision over Ricardo Salas in the 10-round co-main event at Zuffa Boxing 9 on Sunday night at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. The former IBF light welterweight champion kept Salas at the end of a steady jab, controlled the distance, and repeatedly beat him to the punch. Salas never found an answer for Hitchins’ timing or accuracy, allowing the Brooklyn native to dictate the fight from the opening bell through the final round. The judges turned in identical 100-90 scorecards, giving Hitchins an emphatic victory in his debut under the Zuffa Boxing banner and at 147 pounds.

Jalil Hackett boxed his way to a unanimous decision over Sergiy Derevyanchenko in a 10-round middleweight contest. Hackett established his jab early, added power shots as the fight progressed, and opened cuts around both of Derevyanchenko’s eyes that worsened over the later rounds. Derevyanchenko refused to back down and staggered Hackett in the 10th round, but he was unable to capitalize before the final bell. The judges scored it 98-92, 97-93, and 96-94 for Hackett, who earned the most notable victory of his career.

Heavyweight Vladyslav Sirenko stopped Otto Wallin with a crushing knockout in the closing seconds of the 10th and final round of their fight. After a competitive fight, Sirenko landed a right hand followed by a left hook that dropped Wallin flat on the canvas. Medical personnel attended to Wallin before he was taken from the ring on a stretcher. The late stoppage gave Sirenko (23-1) a signature victory over the former world title challenger.

Emiliano Moreno picked up a unanimous decision over Arnold Gonzalez after eight rounds of welterweight action. The fight was competitive early, but Moreno gradually separated himself by landing the more effective punches and keeping Gonzalez on the defensive through the later rounds. Gonzalez produced a late surge in the seventh, yet Moreno quickly regained control before the final bell. The judges awarded Moreno the victory by scores of 79-73, 78-74, and 78-74.

Heavyweight Kashaun Davis stayed unbeaten with a clear eight-round unanimous decision over Mihai Nistor. Davis controlled the action with fast combinations as Nistor repeatedly clinched in an effort to slow the pace. A clash of heads opened a cut above Nistor’s right eye before he lost a point in the fifth round for excessive holding. Davis prevailed by scores of 80-71, 80-71, and 79-72, handing Nistor the first defeat of his professional career.

Troy Nash earned an eight-round majority decision over Ethan Perez in a battle of unbeaten featherweight prospects. Nash stayed composed under Perez’s constant pressure, using his jab and timing to win many of the cleaner exchanges across the fight. Perez kept pressing until the final bell, but he was unable to overturn Nash’s advantage on the scorecards. The judges turned in scores of 79-73, 79-73, and 76-76, keeping Nash (8-0-1, 1 KOs) unbeaten while Perez absorbed his first professional defeat.

Super featherweight Andres Sosa spoiled Dominique Francis’ unbeaten record with an eight-round unanimous decision victory in the opening bout of Zuffa Boxing 9 at Madison Square Garden’s Infosys Theater. A third-round knockdown from a sweeping left hook gave Sosa (19-4, 9 KOs) early separation on the scorecards before he continued applying steady pressure through the middle rounds. Francis (16-1, 10 KOs) boxed with urgency over the closing stages, but Sosa matched his output and prevented him from gaining enough momentum to change the result. The judges scored the fight 79-72, 78-73, and 77-73, giving Sosa the victory in the super featherweight contest.