In a non-stop action slugfest, hard-hitting Marcos “El Chino” Maidana (34-3, 31 KOs) scored a sixth round TKO over “The Riverside Rocky” Josesito Lopez (30-7, 18 KOs) on Saturday night before a huge crowd at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. Maidana caught Lopez with an overhand right to the chin sending him to the canvas. Lopez quickly got up and appeared to be staggered as Marcos Maidana continued his assault referee Pat Russell stepped in to stop the contest at 1:18 of the sixth round. Lopez was up on two scorecards 48-47 at the time of the stoppage. Maidana was ahead 48-47 on the third card.
In an all out war, Erislandy Lara (18-1-2, 12KO) survived a fourth round knockdown and a ninth round knockdown to stop Alfredo Angulo (22-3, 18KO) at 1:52 of the tenth round and claim the vacant WBA Interim Super Welterweight belt. With the two engaging in an exchange in the tenth round, Angulo, after getting caught with a hard punch, seemed to suffer a broken orbital bone, turned his back and referee Raul Caiz Sr. called an end to the fight. At the time of the stoppage, Lara was ahead 85-84 on two of the judges scorecards with Angulo ahead 86-83 on the other judges scorecard. Lara, however, took it out of the judges hands and left a capacity pro-Angulo crowd tremendously disappointed.
Jermell Charlo (21-0, 10KO) won a razor thin lackluster unanimous decision victory over Demetrius Hopkins (33-3-1, 13KO) to take the USBA Junior Middleweight belt from Hopkins while successfully defending his own WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight belt. With neither fighter having a west coast connection nor a crowd pleasing style, it was an especially dreadful affair to watch for the sold out crowd in attendance who booed heartily throughout the fight and, especially, at the conclusion. Judges scored the bout 115-113, all in favor of the undefeated Charlo.
Former WBA light welterweight titlist, Johan Perez (17-1-1, 12KO) moved up in weight to win a unanimous decision victory and hand WBA/WBO #6 contender, Yoshiro Kamegai (22-1-1, 19, KO) his first loss to win the vacant WBA International welterweight belt. The heavy handed Kamegai simply did not do enough and fought in spurts while Perez seemed to fight three minutes of every round to win a clear cut victory. Judges scored the ten round fight 100-90, 98-92 and 97-93 all in favor of Perez.
In a TV swing bout, a scheduled four round featherweight contest, unbeaten 2012 U.S. Olympian Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr. (5-0, 3 KOs) stopped Rigoberto Casillas (8-11-1, 6KO) who was unable to come out for the fourth round. Diaz Jr. easily outboxed and overpowered the game but overmatched Casillas. Time of the stoppage was 3:00 of the third round.
In a heavyweight attraction, Gerald Washington (8-0, 5KO) won a unanimous decision victory over veteran Sherman Williams (35-12-2, 19KO). In the only highlight of a mostly lackluster fight, the 6’6″ 240 pound Washington landed a flush short right cross to put the 40 year old, 5’10″ 266 pound, Williams on the canvas but was unable to put him away with half the round remaining. All three judges scored the bout 79-72 in favor of Washington.
In a scheduled 10 round junior welterweight bout, top rated Ronny Rios (21-0, 10KO) was the TKO winner at 1:37 of the sixth round when the corner of Leonilo Miranda (32-6, 30KO) waived a white towel to request referee, Pat Russell, to stop the bout. Miranda fought toe to toe in the early rounds with Rios but then Rios was able to break down Miranda to take control of the bout and hand Miranda his fourth consecutive loss while keeping his perfect record intact. Rios, ranked in the top 10 of each the WBA, WBO and WBC, keeps his title hopes alive with the victory.
Jamie Kavanagh (14-0-1, 6KO) was too much for veteran Adolfo Landeros (21-33-2, 10KO), winning by TKO at 3:00 of Round 4 when the referee deemed Landeros unable to continue. It was a scheduled eight round junior welterweight bout that saw Landeros content to take two punches for every punch he landed and Kavanagh was happy to oblige by landing punishing left hooks to the head and body. There were no knockdowns but Landeros was hurt on numerous occasions.
In a scheduled 8 round junior featherweight bout, Manuel Avila (12-0, 4KO) had an easy time with southpaw Jamal Parram (6-7-1, 4KO). By way of unanimous decision victory with all three judges scoring the bout 80-72, Avila keeps his perfect record intact but did suffer a cut from an accidental headbutt.
In a spirited four round bantamweight clash to start the festivities, Edgar Valerio (3-0, 2KOs) remained undefeated with a hotly contested split decision over the game David Reyes (2-4-1), both of Los Angeles. Reyes was the more aggressor of the two but the taller Valerio scored the more effective punches including one that caused a severe cut over Reyes’ left eye. Scores were 37-35 twice for Valerio while the third judge saw it the same but for Reyes.
