NEW YORK —
Reito Tsutsumi’s second professional fight was a lot shorter than his debut two months ago.
The 22-year-old Japanese southpaw assaulted overmatched Michael Ruiz with body shots and finished him off with a straight left up top early in the second round on the
Edgar Berlanga-Hamzah Sheeraz undercard at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens.
Referee Eric Dali determined Ruiz shouldn’t take more punishment after he went down for the third time in their brief bout and waved an end to their scheduled four-rounder. Dali halted the action 28 seconds into the second round.
Tsutsumi’s first pro bout
went the distance May 2 in Times Square. He defeated Chicago’s Levale Whittington (1-3-1, 1 KO) by unanimous decision in that six-rounder.
Tokyo’s Tsutsumi (2-0, 1 KO) almost finished off Ruiz in the first round.
He landed a left to the body and followed up with a right to the body that made Ruiz take a knee with 32 seconds to go in the opening round. Still hurt once he reached his feet, Ruiz tried to stay away from Tsutsumi, who landed another left to the body that forced Ruiz to take another knee with 11 seconds remaining in the first round.
Ruiz (2-8-1), of Lacey Township, New Jersey, made it to the second round because the bell prevented Tsutsumi from dropping him again in the first round.
Tsutsumi pressured Ruiz as soon as the second round began and landed a straight left to Ruiz’s chin that sent him down again. Dali immediately halted the action at that point.