By Francisco Salazar

Boxers who usually stray from a fight plan in the middle of a bout, even though they are the favored fighter, suffer an unpredictable loss.

Saturday night, Luis Ramos strayed away from his fight plan on Saturday night, which led to an unpredictable ending that resulted in his first loss of his professional career. For now.

Ramos was stopped after the fifth round in his scheduled 10 round bout before a shocked partisan crowd at the Business Expo Center in Anaheim, CA.

The bout headlined an eight-bout card, presented by Golden Boy Promotions.

On paper, Ramos was fighting his first recognizable fighter in Williams, even though the 2000 Olympic Silver Medalist has had a disappointing career. Williams suffered two disappointing defeats in 2003 and 2004 before being arrested and convicted for drug trafficking.

After defeating very modest opposition as a lightweight, including a controversial 10 round decision over Ray Beltran in January, Ramos decided to make the move up to the 140-pound division. He is coming off an eighth round technical knockout victory over Noe Bolanos on September 8th.

The tempo for the fight was established in the first round as both landed well. One would figure the tempo would favor the 24 year old Ramos, eight years younger than Williams.

The pendulum swung more in Ramos’ favor in the second when he dropped Williams with a left cross to the head. Williams was not visibly hurt, even rallying to close the round.

Although Ramos was the more assertive fighter in the third round, Williams began to land more counter overhand left crosses to the head of Ramos. The punches seemed to affect Ramos in that he began to throw wider punches, leaving himself open to continuously be countered to the head.

Williams was just as effective in the fourth round, again countering when Ramos dropped his right hand after he attempted to land on Williams.

Both had their moments in the fifth round. During an exchange, an accidental head butt opened a cut over the left eye of Ramos. Moments later, a Williams seemed to open a cut above the right eye of Ramos. Sensing the fight could turn against him, Ramos, with blood and sweat splattered across his face, threw a lot of combinations at Williams.

During the minute break after the round, a ringside physician consulted with referee Raul Caiz, Jr. to stop the fight, awarding the Williams the technical knockout victory.

At the time of the stoppage, Ramos was up 48-46 on two of the judges’ scorecards, while the third judge, and Boxingscene.com, had the fight scored 47-47.

Manager Frank Espinoza, who manages Ramos, contends that both cuts were opened by accidental headbutts. Espinoza claims that if that were the case, Ramos should be awarded a technical majority decision over Williams.

Espinoza plans to file a protest with the California State Athletic Commission for the decision to be overturned.

For now, Williams, from Cincinnati, OH, goes to 21-3, 11 KOs. Ramos, from nearby Santa Ana, drops to 23-1, 10 KOs.

Bantamweight and three-time United States Olympian Rau'Shee Warren won a four round unanimous decision over David Reyes. Both Warren (2-0) and Reyes had their moments in the first round, landing at will. However, the southpaw Warren won most of the exchanges the rest of the way, continuously beating Reyes to the punch with right hooks to the head. As Reyes (2-3-1) moved forward to throw, Warren landed wild, but effective punches to the head. All three judges scored the bout in favor of Warren, 40-36, 40-36, and 39-37.

Junior middleweight Jermall Charlo stopped Edgar Perez after the fourth round of a scheduled eight round bout. The physically taller and stronger Charlo (10-0, 6 KOs) had his way with Perez, landing at will to the head and body. Perez (5-2, 3 KOs) threw combinations in spurts, but his punches had little effect on Charlo. Perez's face began to redden and swell under his eyes in the fourth round. After the round, Perez's corner told referee Thomas Taylor to stop, saving their fighter from further punishment.

In the walkout bout of the evening, 2012 United States Olympian Jamel Herring won his professional debut, defeating Jose Valderrama (3-3, 3 KOs) by a unanimous decision over four rounds of action. Herring utilized his speed and better accuracy to outland Valderrama. All three judges scored the fight 40-36.

Light heavyweight Thomas Williams stopped Ricardo Campillo in the fifth round of a six round bout. The southpaw Williams (11-0, 8 KOs) fought from the center of the ring and was quicker to the punch than Campillo. Williams landed at will, while the limited Campillo rarely landed anything flush. As the bout progressed, Campillo (7-5-1, 5 KOs) tried loading up to throw and land one punch. He did find some success, but left himself open to get countered, which is what Williams did in the fifth. Williams stunned Campillo with a two-punch combination, backing him up to the ropes. He hurt Campillo with a right hook, prompting referee Raul Caiz, Jr. to step in and stop the fight at 1:19.

Junior lightweight Erick Ituarte stopped Noe Lucas in the fourth and final round. Ituarte (4-0, 1 KO) was mostly in control of the fight, save for a few counter right hands Lucas would land. In the fourth round, Ituarte stunned Lucas with a barrage of punches. Ituarte followed up until referee Thomas Taylor stepped in and stopped the bout at 2:48. Lucas was making his professional debut.

Heavyweight Gerald Washington (5-0, 4 KOs) needed just 23 seconds to knock out Marcus Washington. A left hook by Gerald to the head dropped Marcus hard to the canvas. Referee Raul Caiz Jr. immediately stopped the fight. Marcus Washington drops to 1-1, 1 KO.

In the opening bout of the Golden Boy Promotions card, lightweight Robert Easter (2-0, 2 KOs) knocked out David Castillo in the first round. A body shot from Easter dropped Castillo (3-5) and referee Tom Taylor counted him out at 1:43.

Notes:

- Lightweight world title holder Adrien Broner, unbeaten featherweight Ronny Rios, former super welterweight Sergio Mora, unbeaten junior middleweight Jermell Charlo, and welterweight Rashad Halloway all took in the action from ringside.

- The fight card was televised on Fox Sports and Fox Sports Deportes. Mario Solis and Doug Fischer called the action on Fox Sports.

- This was the first fight card ever held at the Business Expo Center in Anaheim.