By Ken Hissner: At Palenque Fex, Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, Saturday over ESPN+ Bob Arum (Top Rank Boxing) presented in a title eliminator in the Main Event former WBA Mini and IBF and WBA Light Flyweight champion and current WBC Silver Light Flyweight champion Hekkie “The Hexecutioner” Budler, of Johannesburg, South Africa defeated former WBO Light Flyweight champion Elwin “La Pulga” Soto, of Mexicali, Baja California, MEX, thanks to a last round knockdown by 114-113 on all scorecards.
In the main event, former 2-division champion and current WBC Silver Light Fly champ Hekkie “The Hexecutioner” Budler, 34-4 (10), #107 ¾, of Johannesburg, So. Africa, won a narrow decision over former WBO Light Flyweight champion Elwin “La Pulga” Soto, 19-3 (13), #107 ¾, of Mexicali, Baja California, MEX, over 12 rounds, thanks to a last round knockdown.
In the first round, Soto had the edge, outworking Budler, who came back to take the second doing the same. In the third round, an overhand right from Soto opened a cut on the left eyebrow of Budler halfway through the round. In the fourth round, it was Budler using an effective jab to take the round.
In the fifth round, Budler moved the ring well, countering with lead rights to the chin of Soto. Soto seemed to give to round away dancing around the ring. In the sixth round, Soto went to the body of Budler in outworking the countering Budler, mostly landing jabs. In the seventh and eighth rounds, Budler was able to use excellent footwork to move around Soto, hitting him from every angle.
In the ninth round, Soto doesn’t seem to know how to cut off the ring, and his fans are starting to get upset with the little return from him. Halfway through the round, Soto finally started landing to the body and an occasional overhand right to the chin of Budler. In the tenth round, a frustrated Soto is falling short with desperate rights, not finding their target on a moving Budler countering with his jabs. In the final twenty seconds, Budler landed a solid right to the chin of Soto.
In the eleventh round, it is more of the same, with Budler giving Soto a boxing lesson. It may not be fan-friendly in Mexico, but he has controlled the fight. In the twelfth and final round, Soto landed a right on the side of the fleeting away Budler. At the halfway point, Budler scored a knockdown with a chopping right on the chin of Soto, whose glove hit the canvas but was up immediately from the count from Referee Celestino Ruiz.
All scores were 114-113, with this writer 116-111.
Flyweight Yahir Frank, 10-0 (7), of Hermosilio, Sonora, MEX, stopped Carlos “Grillo” Mejia, 8-3-1 (2), of Mexico City, MEX, after one round of a scheduled eight rounds.
In the first round, both fighters came out throwing bombs until halfway through the round when a left hook from Frank on the chin of Mejia knocked him down for an 8-count. He managed to get through the round, rising up to fight his way to the bell. The corner wouldn’t allow Mejia out for the second round.
Super Bantamweight 6:01” Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza, 19-0 (16), of Guadalajara, Jalisco, MEX, stopped Gerardo Valenzuela, 10-2 (9), of Agua Prieta, Sonora, MEX, at 2:30 of the first round of a scheduled 8 rounds.
In the first round, Espinoza controlled the action for the most part, with his jab backing Valenzuela to the ropes. With half a minute left in the round, a devastating left hook from Espinoza landed on the chin, and down went Valenzuela. He was up immediately, taking a count, and went into a squat, causing the referee to wave the bout off.
19-year-old Super Lightweight Abel Rivas, 5-1 (4), of Durango, MEX, lost for the first time to southpaw Abimael Hildago Cruz, 8-1-1 (7), of Tijuana, Baja California, MEX, over eight action-packed rounds.
In the first round, Cruz suffered a bad cut on the right eyebrow that had blood flowing down the side of his face for the second part of the round. In the second round, Cruz continued to be the aggressor. It was a close round, with Rivas having the edge but not by much.
In the third and fourth rounds, Cruz had Rivas against the ropes for most of the round with a two-fisted attack. It wasn’t until the final minute of the round Rivas landed an effective punch, a right on the chin.
In the sixth round, it was Rivas having Cruz pinned in a neutral corner for the first minute. Halfway through the round, the cut that occurred in the first round finally opened up on the right eyebrow of Cruz, but not much blood was coming out. Rivas had his way until the final minute when Cruz went on the attack.
In the eighth and final round, after thirty seconds into the round, Cruz landed three right hooks to the chin of Rivas. Cruz continued outworking a near exhausted Rivas into the final minute. With twenty seconds remaining, both fighters landed punches to the chin of one another. Both fighters were landing punches when the bell sounded, with blood coming down the right side of the face of Cruz.
Cruz was declared the winner with my score of 78-72.
Super Bantamweight southpaw Jorge “The Baker” Monreal, 13-2-1 (8), of Durango, MEX, lost a competitive fight to southpaw Israel Ramirez, 17-1 (9), of Mexicali, Baja California, MEX, over eight exciting rounds.
In the first round, mostly landing jabs feeling one another out, Ramirez had a slight edge. In the second round, both continued with jabbing one another until halfway through, when both landed punches to the chin at the same time. Near the final minute remaining in the round, Ramirez landed a hard left on the chin of Monreal.
In the third round, Ramirez was having his way, drawing blood from the mouth of Monreal halfway through the round. Near the final minute left, Ramirez hurt Monreal with a left on the chin. In the final twenty seconds, Monreal landed three uppercuts to the chin of Ramirez, who came back rocking Monreal with a left to the chin as the bell sounded.
In the fourth, Ramirez was driving Monreal into a corner in the final minute only to be driven back by a combination from Monreal on the chin. Thirty seconds into the fifth round, Ramirez landed a solid left on the chin of Monreal, stopping him in his tracks.
In the fifth round, Monreal came back well, having Ramirez on the ropes in the final seconds, looking dazed from a flurry of punches to the chin. In the seventh round, Monreal was having his best round after being nailed with a left on the chin after a minute of the round. He had Ramirez on the defense right up to the bell. In the eighth and final round, both fighters let it all hang out in the best round of the fight.
Ramirez was declared the winner while Monreal applauded him.