Apr. 11—MIAMI — Lewiston's Drake Randall fought gamely through multiple setbacks, but ultimately suffered a third-round TKO defeat to Jose Ferreira of Chile in a mixed martial arts encounter held as part of a Combate Global fight card Thursday at Univision Studios Miami.
The 28-year-old needed a timeout with a little over a minute remaining in the first round when he caught a thumb to the eye off a Ferreira jab. After action resumed, Randall (6-2) found the advantage with a strong passage of grappling-based offense, but Ferreira (13-2) retaliated with a series of strikes ending in a left hook thrown after the bell that rocked Randall.
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"Super-late! That was super-late!" Randall's sensei Austin Arnett could be heard shouting in the aftermath of the punch, which was not ruled a foul by the referee.
A right cross from Ferreira midway through the second round knocked Randall down and brought him to the brink of a stoppage as Ferreira descended on him. The former Eastern Oregon wrestling All-American escaped a near-submission situation and briefly regained the upperhand on the floor, only for Ferreira to pull free and land another series of strikes with the two back on their feet.
Randall narrowly lasted out the second round and was examined by officials for his fitness to continue before the third. Ferreira forced Randall to the floor early in the third round and connected with a short right hand to the temple that prompted a referee stoppage with 4 minutes, 20 seconds remaining.
