Edwin De Los Santos will keep his second-round knockout loss to Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela after the Nevada State Athletic Commission refused to alter the June 28 result.
De Los Santos disputed the stoppage after Valenzuela landed a left hand while he was already down on the canvas. His team argued the blow contributed to his inability to beat the 10-count.
Manager Adrian Clark requested a hearing, but Nevada officials denied the request.
Executive director Jeff Mullen cited state regulations granting the referee authority over foul calls. Referee Thomas Taylor did not rule the extra shot a foul or consider it responsible for keeping De Los Santos down, leaving no basis for the commission to change the result.
Clark remains frustrated with how Taylor handled the sequence, although he accepts that the appeal is finished.
“I mean, I get it. Thomas failed to protect the fighter and the NSAC has to stand behind its referee and his mistake,” Clark told BoxingScene’s Lance Pugmire. “We have to move on. Edwin has to get a win and look to hunt down ‘Rayo’ for a rubber match in 2027. It is what it is.”
Valenzuela hurt De Los Santos with left hands in the opening round before dropping him with a combination in the second. The disputed left landed after De Los Santos had gone down, but Taylor determined it was not responsible for keeping him on the canvas.
The ruling leaves Valenzuela’s knockout intact and the series tied at one win apiece. De Los Santos stopped Valenzuela in the third round of their first fight in 2022.
De Los Santos now needs to get back in the win column before trying to settle the rivalry with Valenzuela in a third fight.