It’s only Collard’s second knockout loss in the boxing ring.
After a memorable 2020 inside the Top Rank bubble, former UFC fighter Clay Collard has been unable to replicate his boxing success in 2021.
In what was a short notice fight considering he’d just competed three weeks ago, Collard took on unbeaten Cuban prospect Yoelvis Gomez (5-0, 5 KOs) on the PBC on FOX undercard in New Jersey. Gomez rocked Collard with a right hook from southpaw, then just went haymaker crazy in search of the finish. Three straight headshots put Collard down, and while he beat the count, he got beat up some more in the other corner and the referee had seen enough.
You can watch the highlights at the top of the page.
This is just the second boxing stoppage loss for Collard (9-6-3, 4 KOs in boxing; 20-9, 1 NC in MMA). He previously took a KO loss to prospect Bektemir Meliluziev back in 2019, but that was up at 168 lbs. In MMA, he participated in the 2021 PFL lightweight tournament, winning both of his regular season bouts over Anthony Pettis and Joilton Lutterbach, only to lose a controversial semifinal decision to eventual champion Raush Manfio.
After going 6-1 in boxing in 2020, Collard failed to record a win in three attempts in 2021. This has no doubt been a difficult year for Collard given both the fight results and the tragic loss of his brother in February. Hopefully his 2022 is a much better one after what he’s been through.