Photos - Sye Williams/Golden Boy
Making his impressive Golden Boy Promotions debut former super middleweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (42-0, 28 KOs), now campaigning as a light heavyweight, scored a fourth round KO over Sullivan Barrera (22-4, 14 KOs) on Friday night at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles.
It was slow-paced in the early rounds as Ramírez and Barrera worked off the jab. In round three, a body shot by Ramírez crunched the 39-year-old Barrera and he took a knee. Zurdo sent Barrera to the canvas two more times with body shots in round four and referee Thomas Taylor ended the fight at 1:38.
After the fight, Zurdo stated “Bivol, you’re next!”
In a clash for the WBC interim lightweight title, Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr. (32-1-1, 15 KOs) moved up to 135lbs and won a twelve round unanimous decision over Javier Fortuna (36-3-1, 25 KOs) on Friday night at at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles. Scores were 117-110, 116-111, 115-112.
The two southpaws sized each other as they pawed with the lazy jab in round one, Diaz and Fortuna finished the round with a brief exchange with Fortuna connecting a straight left. Diaz stalked in round two as Fortuna showed flash. Things got rough in round three as Fortuna hit Diaz behind the head, referee Raul Caiz Jr issued s warning. Moments later a clash of heads opened a cut on Diaz’s left eye. In the fourth, Diaz was deducted a point for holding Fortuna’s head down as blood continued to trickle down Diaz’s eye. Díaz continued his attack.
Fortuna came out attacking in the fifth round as Díaz tied up but Diaz stalked and stood at close range attacking inside. In the sixth, Diaz stayed composed with his attack and did not panic despite the cut, Fortuna continued to be awkward. The 2012 U.S Olympian and former world champion Diaz seemed to set in past the halfway point in the seventh as Fortuna appeared to be tiring. Fighting inside in round eight, Diaz and Fortuna let their hands go and clinched as the fight appeared close.
It was an exchange on the inside in the ninth as Diaz pressed afterwards and had Fortuna backing up and staying away. Late in the fight in the tenth, Díaz landed a short right that staggered Fortuna as the local fighter Diaz attacked and had the crowd on their feet. In the championship rounds, Diaz continued to stay close attacking Fortuna. The final round saw Diaz and Fortuna not holding back as the fighters sensed the urgency but it was Diaz that got the better of it staggering Fortuna in the final minute. Scores were 117-110, 116-111, 115-112.
East L.A's Seniesa “Superbad” Estrada (21-0) won the women’s WBO world light flyweight title with a near shutout victory over five-time world champ, Tenkai Tsunami (28-13-1, 16KO). Estrada landed the cleaner punches all through the bout while Tsunami mostly plodded forward unsuccessfully. Tsunami was staggered in the eighth round but held on until the final bell while Estrada never took her foot off the gas. Judges scored the fight 99-91, 98-92 and 98-92, all in favor of Estrada. With the victory, Estrada is now a 3-0 three division world champion and looks like a true standout in women’s boxing.
Lightweight William Zepeda (23-0, 21KO’s) of Mexico was impressive stopping Hector Tanajara (19-1, 5 KO’s) at the end of six in opening up the DAZN stream. It was a fast-paced opening round as Tanajara showed the flash, Zepeda connected with the solid punches. Trading in the center in round three, Zepeda unloaded combinations connecting and backing Tanajara.
Attacking on the inside in the fourth, Zepeda stalked and went to the body following up with some combinations upstairs as Tanajara boxed and could not keep Zepeda off him. Continuing to back Tanajara in the fifth, Zepeda continued to impress with good hand speed and effective punching as Tanajara kept backing away. Zepeda’s relentlessness did it as he attacked Tanajara, at the end of the sixth trainer Robert Garcia stopped the fight as his fighter had enough.
Other Bouts
Five division female champion, Naoka Fujioka (19-2-1, 7KO) successfully defended her WBA flyweight title with a majority decision victory over Sulem Urbina (12-2, 2KO). It was a majority decision as judges scored it 95-95, 99-91 and 96-94 in favor of Fujioka.
Bryan Chevalier (16-1-1, 12KO) won the vacant NABO featherweight title with a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over the tough James Wilkins (9-2, 6KO). In a hotly contested bout, the judges had it unanimously for Chevalier by scores of 97-92, 96-93 and 95-94.
Super featherweight Lamont Roach Jr. (21-1-1, 9 KOs) scored a second round knockout over Daniel Rosas (21-5-1, 13 KOs). A barrage of punches by Roach sent Rosas down to the canvas as the referee stopped the fight at 2:14 of the second.
Making his pro debut lightweight Miguel Gaona (1-0) of El Sereno, California won a unanimous decision over Alberto Aguilar of Mexico City. Gaona had his way with Aguilar in going the distance four rounds. Scores were 39-37 all across.
Armenian super bantamweight Azat Hovhannisyan (19-3, 16 KOs) of Glendale, California won a unanimous decision over Jose Gonzalez of Guadalajara, Mexico. It was a scrappy fight as Hovhannisyan was relentless throughout the fight Gonzalez held his own for the ten rounds but the Armenian worked his way to a decision as the scores were 100-90, 99-91, and 99-91.
Heavyweights Mihai Nistor (3-0, 3 KOs) and Colby Madison (9-2-2, 6 KOs) went to war for two rounds. A body shot dropped Madison in the opening round. He got up and returned the favor dropping Nistor for the first time in his career. Nistor was bloodied in round two as Madison sent him to the canvas a second time but Nistor wasn’t done as he connected a left dropping Madison. He got up but did not continue when referee Raul Caiz waved it off at 2:16.
Dominican lightweight Sterling Castillo (15-0, 12 KOs) scored a brutal knockout over Bakersfield’s Miguel Contreras (11-1, 6 KOs). A huge left by Castillo knocked out Contreras as the referee immediately waved off the bout at 46 seconds of the second round.
Super bantamweight Gregory Morales (13-0, 8 KOs) of San Antonio won a unanimous decision over Mexican veteran Rodrigo Guerrero (26-12-2, 16 KOs) in the opening bout from the Banc of California Stadium in Los Ángeles.
Follow Miguel on Twitter @MigMaravilla @SouthernCalBox
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