By Armando Cabrera
Photos by Armando Cabrera
On Saturday, April 26, 2014 boxing fans enjoyed another beautiful day of out-door boxing at the “Stubhub” arena in Carson, California, Home of many legendary fights.
Keith Thurman [23-0, 21 KO’s] of Clearwater, FL. and WBA interim Welterweight champion came out strong against Julio Diaz [40-10-1, 29 KO’s] of Coachella, CA. of a schedule 12-rounds bout. Thurman made Diaz take a knee in the second round. The following round Diaz and Thurman exchange hard leather but when round ended Diaz couldn’t continue due to a rib injury.
Thurman wins a third round technical knock out.
John Molina [27-4, 22 KO’s] of Covina, Ca. and Lucas Mathysse [35-3, 33 KO’s] of Trelew, Argentina fought perhaps the best fight of the night and the FANS love it.
The 12 rounds Junior Welterweight Co-Main Event started with Molina dazing Mathysse in first round following up with more shots but not enough to finish with a knock out. The next round a right hand by Molina drop Mathysses, he got up too continued backing his punches back in the second round. A head butt occur in the third causing a cut on the top right side of the eye for Mathysse, somehow that didn’t stop him to take control of the round. The Crowd kept on cheering Molina then Mathysse, or Mathysse then Molina depending who you ask.
Molina right hand drop Mathysse in the fifth round for the second time of the fight, he managed to get up and quickly adjusted counterpunching until the bell rang. Mathysse was getting stunned often with some hard punches from Molina but was also fighting back causing a cut behind Molina left back ear.
Mathysse’s several combinations punches landed send Molina to the canvas in the eighth round, John did get up and bell seems to rung again when they were ducking it out. The following round Mathysse was all his round and Molina goes down again in the ten, the crowd where on their feet. The eleven rounds Mathysse send Molina to the canvas for the third time and referee halt the bout after seeing that Molina wouldn’t get up. Mathysse wins an eleven round knockout of Molina.
Omar Figueroa [23-0-1 17 KO’s] faced his opponent he has lost to in the amateur Jerry Belmontes [19-4, 5 KO’s] of Corpus Christi, Texas. Figueroa from Weslaco, Texas and the current WBC Lightweight champion was not going to give up his title belt that easy.
The 12 rounds bout started with Belmontes taking a hedge in the first couple of rounds getting inside making it difficult for Figueroa to adjust. The champ was sluggishly gaining points by the third round while both still fighting in the inside. The middle rounds Figueroa’s jabs made Belmontes to be dancing and fighting from outside, though he was able to land some shots but had slow down.
Figueroa coming forward seems to become discouraged of chasing Belmontes at time after the ten rounds but was able to land his right hand, and one-two shots to stop Belmontes on his tracks as fight went the distance.
The three judges scored it [115-113] for Belomtes [116-112] and [118-110] for Figueroa. Figueroa wins a split decision.
Frankie Gomez [17-0, 13 KO’s] of East Los Angeles, Ca. took care of Orlando Vasquez [13-4-1, 6 KO’s] of Bayamon, Puerto Rico in two rounds of a schedule 10 rounds in a welterweight bout.
Yamaguchi Falcao [1-0] Sao Paulo, Brazil and 2012 Brazilian Olympian middleweight won his second fight against Fernando Nareja. Falcao won a unanimous decision of a four rounder middleweight bout. Judges scores [40-36] Falcao pro-debut ended in a no-contest.
Joseph Diaz [10-0, 7 KO’s] of El Monte, CA. was unanimous over Luis Maldonado [38-12-1, 29 KO’s] of Calexico, Ca. Judges score it [60-54] all for Diaz. Diaz wins a six round super bantamweight bout.
Jermall Charlo [17-0, 14 KO’s] of Houston, Texas cruised by Hector Munoz [22-4-1, 14 KO’s] of Albuquerque, NM. Wining a fourth round technical knock out of a schedule ten rounds junior middleweight bout.
Bryant Perella [4-0, 3 KO’s] of Lehigh Acres, FL. Knock out Roberto Crespo [4-4] of Brooklyn, NY. in the first round of a schedule four rounder junior middleweight bout.
Sharif Bogere [24-1, 16 KO’s] of Las Vegas, NV obtained a technical knock out against Arturo Urena [26-17-1, 22 KO’s] of Mazatlan, Mexico. In the sixth round of a schedule eight rounds lightweight bout.