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Mares Decisions Cuellar Wins WBA Featherweight Title

By Miguel Maravilla at Ringside Photos By

Abner Mares (30-2-1, 15 KO's) of Hawaiian Gardens, California by way of Gudalajara, Jalisco, Mexico added another world title as he won a split decision over Jesus Cuellar (28-2, 21 KO's) of Argentina Saturday night at the Galen Center on the campus of U.S.C in Los Angeles on the Showtime Championship Boxing main event. The two fighters came at each other form the opening bell as Mares surprisingly landed the big punches going to the head and body as he countered Cuellar well. In round two Cuellar stalked as he closed the gap Mares clinched and countered late in the round Cuellar connected with a big right. Mares boxed patiently as the aggressive Cuellar pressed landing a flush left in round three. Boxing like a matador in round four Mares timed the aggressive bull as Cuellar came in with big punches, Mares clinched.

Keeping his distance and sticking the jab in round five Mares boxed the aggressive Cuellar. Mares connected Cuellar with a left uppercut in round six as Mares kept his distance. The champ landed a solid straight left in round seven as Mares continued to box the aggressor Cuellar. Mares didnt let Cuellar get comfortable inside as he continued to circle the ring in round eight.

The Argentine fighter began the ninth round going to the body as later in the round Mares countered with a right. In round ten Mares continued to box smart timing Cuellar and connecting with counters. Heading into the championship rounds Mares scored a key knockdown with as Cuellar got up, Mares landed a barrage as the Argentine was backed agaisnt the ropes. The twelfth and final round Mares played it safe boxing away as Cuellar sensed the urgency looking for the knockout punch.

Judges scored the bout 117-110 for Mares, 115-112 for Cuellar, and 116-111 as Mares wins the WBA featherweight title.

In what was an all out slug-fest IBF super welterweight champion Jermall Charlo (25-0, 19 KO’s) of Houston and Philadelphia ’s Julian “J- Rock” Williams (22-1-1, 14 KO’s) clashed on the Showtime co-feature bout. Charlo dropped Williams with a stiff jab in round two. A huge uppercut by Charlo in round five dropped Williams as he got up staggered Charlo finished him off sending him to the canvas a third time as the referee Wayne Hedgepeth waived it at 2:06 of the fifth round.

Undefeated super lightweight contender Sergey Lipinets (10-0, 8 KOs) of Kazakhstan scored an eighth round knockout over former world title challenger Australia’s Lenny Zappavigna (35-2, 25 KOs) in a scheduled ten round bout. Lipinets landed a clean left hook in the opening round as he stopped Zappavigna's momentum. The Aussie outworked Lipinets in round two as as they finished the round strong. Lipinets suffered a cut above his head in round four as he was bleeding massively.

Trading away in the center in round five a left hook by Lipinets dropped Zappavigna as he got up and continued to trade. Zappavigna also suffered a cut on his right eye as he began to bleed, Lipinets continued to land big shots. Lipinets backed Zappavigna to the ropes in the seventh and teed off. A right by Lipinets dropped the bloddied Zappavigna in the eighth as the referee Thomas Taylor reached ten count at 1:23.

Abner Mares’ younger brother, Adan Mares (14-1-4, 3 KOs) and Evincii Dixon (7-15-2) went the distance and fought to a draw in a scheduled four round bout. Mares boxed and worked the body as he traded with the bigger man as Dixon landed some clean punches. All three judges scored the bout 38-38.

Middleweight prospect Erickson “Hammer” Lubin (17-0, 12 KOs) of Orlando, Florida scored a second round knockout over the Dominican Republics Juan Ubaldo Cabrera (23-2, 15 KO’s) in two rounds in a scheduled ten round bout.

Oxnard’s Hugo “The Boss” Centeno Jr. (25-1, 13 KOs) stopped Ronald Montes (17-5, 13 KO’s) of Columbia in three rounds in a scheduled ten round super middleweight bout. Montes did not continue after the third as the referee stopped the fight.

San Antonio ’s Mario Barrios (17-0, 9 KOs) scored a second round knockout over Argentina ’s Claudio Rosendo Tapia (24-18-5, 9 KOs) of Argentina. Barrios sent Tapia to the canvas two times in the second round as a left uppercut finally did dropping Tapia for a third time forcing the referee to stop the fight at 2:36 of round two

In the opening bout from the Galen Center on the campus of U.S.C in Los Angeles Former world title challenger Riverside’s Josesito Lopez (34-7, 19 KOs) was in action as he won a unanimous decision over Todd Manuel (12-12-1, 1 KO) in a six round welterweight bout.

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