Khalil Coe Stops Manuel Gallegos in 6th-Round TKO Rematch

Mexico’s Manuel Gallegos faced Khalil Coe at the Domo Alcalde in Guadalajara, in a 10-round light heavyweight rematch for the WBC USA title, streamed live on DAZN. The atmosphere was electric, with local fans rallying behind Gallegos, a 27-year-old from Los Mochis with a 21-2-1 (18 KOs) record, who had stunned the boxing world by stopping Coe in their first encounter in November 2024. Coe, a 28-year-old from Jersey City, New Jersey, entered at 9-1-1 (7 KOs), determined to avenge his first professional loss, a ninth-round TKO where he was floored four times. The stakes were high: a win for Coe could restore his status as a rising star, while Gallegos aimed to prove his upset victory was no fluke. Coe delivered a commanding performance, punishing Gallegos with a relentless jab and forcing his corner to stop the fight after the fifth round, at one second into the sixth, reclaiming the WBC USA title. The victory moved Coe to 10-1-1 (8 KOs), while Gallegos fell to 21-3-1 (18 KOs), his momentum halted in front of his home crowd.

Coe’s strategy was a marked departure from their first fight, where he suffered from rhabdomyolysis, a condition linked to overtraining that left him hospitalized twice. This time, guided by new trainer Rashiem “Rell” Jefferson, Coe relied heavily on his jab, using his 5’10” frame and orthodox stance to keep Gallegos at bay. From the opening bell, he targeted Gallegos’s face, drawing blood from his nose with a heavy jab in the first round that set the tone. Gallegos, also orthodox and slightly taller at 6’3”, employed the same aggressive, straight-ahead pressure that had overwhelmed Coe in Philadelphia, landing left hooks to the body in the third. However, Coe’s improved conditioning and footwork allowed him to sidestep Gallegos’s advances, landing sharp counters that swelled the right side of Gallegos’s face by the second round. “Flat out, I just wasn’t sick this time,” crediting his health and new training regimen for his dominance. Coe’s jab was the fight’s defining weapon, with Gallegos struggling to close the distance.

The fight’s critical moments unfolded in the third and fifth rounds, showcasing Coe’s tactical evolution. In the third, Coe began walking Gallegos down, a reversal from their first bout, landing a stiff jab that sent Gallegos backward without a significant power punch. This shift disrupted Gallegos’s rhythm, as his looping punches and body shots lacked the snap to deter Coe. By the fifth, Coe’s confidence surged, as he layered hooks and overhand rights behind his jab, splattering blood from Gallegos’s nose onto his chest. A particularly vicious right hand in the fifth rocked Gallegos, leaving him dazed as the round ended.

Gallegos’s corner, recognizing their fighter’s inability to continue, threw in the towel at the start of the sixth round, one second in, prompting a roar from the crowd, tinged with disappointment from Mexican fans. The stoppage, while decisive, spared Gallegos further punishment, as his face bore the marks of Coe’s relentless assault.
The undercard, featuring Murodjon Akhmadaliev’s decision win over Luis Castillo and Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela’s unanimous decision over Manuel Medina, added to the event’s energy, but Coe’s redemption stole the spotlight. Coe’s pre-fight confidence, “This is a must-win for me,” he told BoxingScene—reflected the stakes, as another loss could have derailed his career. The victory was a statement for the New Jersey native, who had been a -105 favorite, nearly even odds with Gallegos at -120, signaling a competitive rematch.

The fight’s broader context underscored its significance for both fighters. Gallegos’s upset win in November 2024, where he dropped Coe four times, had been a career-defining moment, erasing doubts from his 2023 TKO loss to Diego Pacheco and a 2020 decision loss to Oziel Santoyo. His 85% knockout ratio (18 of 21 wins) made him a feared puncher, but Coe’s jab-heavy approach neutralized his power. Coe, a former amateur standout, had faced criticism after his draw with Aaron Casper in 2021 and the Gallegos loss, making this rematch a critical test.