In a middleweight showdown to determine the undisputed champion WBC, WBA, Ring Magazine, and newly crowned IBF champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (52-1-2, 34 KOs) won a unanimous decision over Daniel "Miracle Man" Jacobs (35-3, 29 KOs) as they squared off Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Canelo worked hard for the decision as Jacobs gave him all can handle in going the distance. The judges scored the fight 116-112, 115-113, & 115-113.
Grand Prairie, Texas's welterweight prospect Vergil Ortiz, Jr. (13-0, 13 KOs) scored a spectacular knockout over durable gatekeeper Mauricio Herrera (24-9, 7 KOs) and earning a stoppage 29 seconds into round three. Ortiz is the first to stop the always tough Herrera.
South El Monte, California's Joseph Diaz Jr. (29-1, 15 KOs) stops Freddy Fonseca (26-3-1, 17 KOs) of Nicaragua in a scheduled twelve round super featherweight bout. Diaz started off fast out landing the aggressive Fonseca in the early rounds. Keeping up a fast pace Diaz displayed great ring generalship as his hand speed was just too much for the Nicaraguan.
Continuing to out class his opponent, Diaz stood in the pocket in the fifth making Fonseca miss and cracked him with a solid right. The hand speed was too much for Fonseca as Diaz just kept coming, a straight left by Diaz got it started as he followed up with a combo dropping the Nicaraguan. However Diaz hand speed and skills were too much as an accumulation of punches forced the corner to throw in the towel as the referee stepped in to stop the fight at 2:07 of the seventh.
Washington D.C.'s super featherweight Lamont Roach Jr. (19-0-1, 7 KOs), survived a spirited challenge from Jonathan Oquendo (30-6, 19 KOs), earning a unanimous decision that was lustily booed by the crowd, with one judging scoring the bout 96-93, and the other two judges turning in questionably wide scorecards of 97-93.
Other Bouts
Atlantic City's welterweight Anthony Young (21-2, 8 KOs) stopped former world champion Sadam Ali (27-3, 14 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York in 3. Young backed Ali and had up against the ropes continued his attack as referee Kenny Bayless stepped in prematurely stopping the fight at 2:38.
London's John Ryder (28-4, 16 KOs) captured the interim WBA super middleweight title with an impressive third round knockout of previously unbeaten Bilal Akkawy (20-1-1, 16 KOs) of Australia
Undefeated super featherweights Aram Avagnyan (8-1-1, 4 KOs) of Armenia and Las Vegas's Francisco Esparza (10-0-1, 3 KOs) went the distance ten rounds. Esparza got it started as he dropped Avagnyan with a left hook in round two. The Las Vegas native boxed the early part of the fight as Avagnyan pressed. Standing and trading in the fifth Esparza and Avagnyan exchanged. The second half of the fight Esparza seemed sluggish but continued to outwork the tough Armenian that continued to press. Avagnyan continued to stalk and stay on top of Esparza in the eighth as he began to look comfortable in the ring. Late in the fight Avagnyan connected some good shots and pressed the action as Esparza kept his distance. The tenth and final round saw the two fighters trade as the fight seemed to be up in the air, Esparza and Avagnyan battled in going the distance. Judges scored the 97-92, 96-93, and 96-93 as Esparza pulls off a tough unanimous decision win.
In the opening bout from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas super middleweights Alexis Espino (2-0, 1 KO) of Las Vegas won a unanimous decision over Billy Wagner (1-1) of Montana. Boxing patiently Espino controlled the fight landing heavy punches rocking Wagner. Espino was deducted a point in round two for hitting Wagner while he was down. A hard right hand followed by a left hook rocked Wagner in the third as Espino continued to box and land heavy punches battering Wagner in route to a unanimous decision. The judges scored the fight 39-35, 39-35, and 39-34.