Box Fest XVI Results: Deonte Brown Defeats Grimardi Machuca

PHOTOS - EDISON SIGUA | RED OWL BOXING

Super featherweight Deonte “Lay Em Down” Brown (17-0, 11 KOs) of Morgan City, Louisiana, won a hard fought decision over Grimardi Machuca (17-3, 14 KOs) of Camden, New Jersey, as they squared off for the WBA Continental Americas title Friday night at the Commerce Casino in Commerce California in headlining Box Fest XVI on DAZN.

Firing the jab to begin the bout, Brown the southpaw kept Machuca away in the opening round. Things began to pick up in round two as Machuca applied the pressure, Brown mixed it up. In the third, Machuca attacked and pressed as Brown connected with a solid counter left stopping Machuca’s momentum. At the halfway point, Brown continued to tally up points peppering with the jab as Machuca kept applying the pressure with limited success.

PHOTO - EDISON SIGUA | RED OWL BOXING

Past the halfway point in the sixth, Brown kept boxing effectively as Machuca attempted to figure out Brown’s style. Machuca had a moment as he connected Brown with a straight right in the seventh with Brown keeping up the pace continuing to box effectively. In the eighth, Machuca chased much of the round as Brown was flashy on his feet boxing. Late in the fight in the ninth, Brown appeared to be sliding away with the fight as Machuca was limited and couldn’t seem to figure out Brown who worked his way to the decision.

Sanchez & Rodriguez Draw

In going the distance ten rounds, the judges scored the bout 97-93, 97-93, and 96-94 as Brown takes the unanimous decision.

Super bantamweights Saul “The Beast” Sanchez (21-4-1, 12 KOs) of Encino, California and Edwin Rodriguez (12-9-3, 5 KOs) of Puerto Rico fought to an eight round draw as they squared off in a rematch. Rodriguez won the first match by decision. This time around the competition was closer and competitive. It was a back and forth match as Sanchez and Rodriguez went the distance eight rounds.

After completing eight rounds 78-74 for Sanchez, 76-76, and 76-76.

Castro Edges Bazaldua

Super lightweight Darian Castro (4-0, 1 KO) Las Vegas by way of Cuba got off the canvas to defeat Criztec Bazaldua (6-2, 1 KO) of Los Angeles, California by unanimous decision. Bazaldua came out sharp connecting with a looping right in the opening round as Castro showed hand speed. Castro leg shuffled in the second but that did not deter Bazaldua as he stayed composed and moments later dropped the Cuban with a left cross. Exchanging to start round three, Bazaldua and Castro traded away in the center most of the round.

Castro beat Bazaldua to the punch in the fourth outworking and racking up points in the process. Connecting with a looping left in the fifth, Castro kept coming as Bazaldua appeared to be frustrated. Sensing the urgency in the sixth and final round Bazaldua pressured letting his hands go with Castro limited countering away.

After completing six rounds, the judges scored the bout 58-56, 57-56, and 57-56.

Rashida Ellis Wins Pro Debut

2020 U.S. Olympian Rashida Ellis, (1-0) made her pro debut with a unanimous decision over seasoned veteran Maria “Polverita” Salinas (27-13-6, 7 KOs) of Coahulia, Mexico in a six-round featherweight bout. Working the jab, Ellis neutralized Salinas’s pressure early on limiting the Mexican fighter. Boxing effectively, displaying superior skill halfway through the bout against the 50 fight veteran as Ellis outworked Salinas in route to the decision win.

Official scores 60-54,59-55, and 58-56.

Other Bouts

Super bantamweight Cornellio Phipps (6-0, 2 KOs) Oxford, Pennsylvania edges out a split decision over Jessie Mandapat (9-3-1, 5 KOs) from Anaheim. It was fast paced early on in the fight as Phipps and Mandapat had some solid exchanges. Continuing to exchange in the fourth round, Phipps and Mandapat did not hold back with Phibbs getting the better of the exchanges. Late in the fight, Mandapat pressed and let his hands go as Phibbs traded away, the sixth and final round it was Mandapat showing aggression backing Phibbs.

After completing six rounds, the judges scored the bout 59-55 Phibbs, 58-56, Mandapat, and 58-56 as Phibbs squeaks out the decision.

Angel Perez (10-0-1, 8 KOs) from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania made quick work of Sachin Rohila (8-5, 2 KOs) of Sacramento. A hard left hook to the body by Perez did it as Rohila went down and took a knee, as the referee reached a ten count at 2:04 of the opening round.

Making his pro debut welterweight Isaiah Garcia from Perris, California won a fourth round disqualification over Clayton Hibbert (2-9, 2 KOs) of Los Angeles. Fighting composed showing poise throughout the fight Garcia pressed and worked Hibbert. Garcia’s offense was too much forcing Hibbert to the canvas twice but were ruled slips. In the fourth round Garcia finally scored the knockdown, Hibbert was up but things got rough as Hibbert was about to hit the canvas taking Garcia with him as things got rough as the referee stopped fight.

Armenian super featherweight Narek Hovhannisyan (2-0, 1 KO) of Los Angeles, stopped Eric Howard (7-4, 2 KOs) of Saint Louis in four rounds. Hovhannisyan punished Howard for as the referee Thomas Taylor had seen enough stepping in to stop the fight at 42 of the fourth.

Compton’s Jorge Unyce Ruiz (2-0, 2 KO) scored second round knockout over Prince Martin (1-3, 1 KO) Spartanburg, South Carolina. A crunching left hook to body started it all as an accumulation of punches forced the stoppage, forcing the referee to stop it at 1:46 of the second.

Opening the BoxFest XVI card from the Commerce Casino in Commerce, California. Welterweight Kamari Burnside (2-0) of Las Vegas won a unanimous decision over Obed Sepulveda (1-9-1) of Juarez, Mexico. It was all Burnside dominating his way to a decision victory as the judges scored the bout 40-36, 40-36, and 39-37.