By Ken Hissner: At the American Bank Center, Corpus Christi, Texas, over ESPN and ESPN+ Friday, promoter Bob Arum (Top Rank) presented in the main event IBF World Featherweight champion Louis ‘El Vanado’ Lopez in his third defense and the third chance for WBO No. 1 ranked Joet Gonzalez Lopez retained his title on some strange scoring.
In the co-main event, NABF and WBO NABO Super Welterweight champion Xander Zayas defended against Roberto ‘El Viejo Jr’ Valenzuela.
In the Main Event, IBF World Featherweight champ Luis ‘El Vanado’ Lopez, 29-2 (16), #125.2 of Mexicali, Baja California, MEX defeated WBO No. 1 ranked Gonzalez, 26-4 (15), #126, of L.A., CA, over 12 rounds.
In the first round, Gonzalez had the edge. In the next three rounds, it was champion Lopez outworking Gonzalez. In the sixth round, Gonzalez rocked Lopez halfway through the round with a right on the chin.
In the seventh round, Referee Laurence Cole warned Gonzalez about using his head. Gonzalez continued being the aggressor. Gonzalez had much swelling over the left eye.
In the eighth round, Gonzalez had Lopez against the ropes, landing punch after punch in the first minute. Lopez came back well in the final minute of the round.
In the ninth round, Gonzalez dominated until the final half-minute of the round. In the tenth round, the taller Gonzalez had Lopez against the ropes when Lopez was warned for holding. Gonzalez had an edge at the end of the round outlanding Lopez whose right eye was near closing.
In the eleventh round, with what seemed like an even one after ten rounds, the title of Lopez was on the line.
Halfway through the round, Gonzalez landed a left hook to the chin of Lopez, driving him back several steps. In the final seconds, Lopez started showboating, moving away from Gonzalez, who once again outworked Lopez.
In the twelfth and final round, the action continued with Lopez landing a three-punch combination halfway through the round after Gonzalez had the better of it up to that point.
In the final seconds, it looked like there would be a possible new champion, it being the third opportunity to win a world title for Gonzalez.
Scores were 118-110, 117-111, and 116-112 for Lopez and 115-113 for Gonzalez.
In the co-main event, 21-year-old NABF and WBO NABO Super Welterweight champ Xander Zayas, 17-0 (11), #153 ¾, of San Juan, PR, stopped Roberto ‘El Viejo Jr’ Valenzuela, 25-5 (23), #153 ½, of Agua Prieta, Sonora, MEX, at 0:22 of the fifth round of a scheduled ten rounds.
In the first round, Zayas knocked Valenzuela down with a hard jab for an 8-count from Referee Mark Nelson halfway through the round. In the final seconds Zayas pushed Valenzuela, and referee Nelson blew it, calling it a knockdown.
In the second round, Valenzuela suffered a small cut on his forehead as Zayas continued dominating him.
In the fourth round, the blood started flowing from a cut on the nose of Valenzuela as the ring physician was brought in the final minute. In the fifth round, with his face a mask of blood, Valenzuela had the fight stopped by referee Nelson.
WBC No. 7 ranked Super Lightweight Jamaine ‘The Technician’ Ortiz, 17-1-1 (8), #137 ¾, of Worcester, MASS, defeated Antonio ‘Tono’ Moran, 29-5-1 (20), #137 ½, of Mexico City, MEX, over ten rounds.
In the second round’s final minute, a left hook from Moran on the chin had Ortiz hurt inactive for almost a year.
In the third round, Ortiz lost a boot from Moran stepping on it. Ortiz started fighting southpaw at this point, but Moran still had an edge. In the fourth round first thirty seconds, Ortiz rocked Moran with a combination on the chin.
In the sixth round, Moran continued being the aggressor while Ortiz worked the ring well.
In the seventh round, Ortiz again spun Moran around and hit him without warning from Referee Lee Rogers. In the final seconds, Ortiz pushed Moran halfway through the ropes.
In the eighth round, Ortiz rocked Moran. Midway in the round, a bruise under the right eye of Ortiz finally opened into a cut from a Moran left.
In the ninth round, Moran continued chasing Ortiz in another close round. In the tenth and final round, Ortiz again spun Moran around and hit him without warning from Referee Rogers.
Scores were 99-91, 98-93, and 97-93 as did KH.
Omar ‘Pollo’ Alejandro Aguilar, 25-2 (24), #146 ½, of Ensenada, Baja California, MEX, lost to Julia ‘Canelito’ Luna, 21-1-2 (11), #146 ½, of Gomez, Palacio, Durango, MEX, over eight rounds, for the vacant WBC USA Welterweight title.
In the first five rounds, it was all action, with the faster Luna against the harder-hitting Aguilar.
In the sixth through the ninth rounds, it was close, with Luna having an edge. In the tenth and final round, both had their moments, but Luna seemed to be the better at the end. Referee Lee Rogers.
Scores were 79-73, 78-74, 77-75 as did KH.
Featherweight southpaw Ruben ‘Drac’ Villa IV, 21-1 (7), #126 ¾, of Salinas, CA, defeated Brandon Valdes, 15-4 (7), #127, of Barranquilla, COL, in an all-action eight round.
In the first round, Villa showed good power while Valdes landed several right uppercuts to the chin of Villa. From the second through the sixth rounds, it was close, with both showing good skills with Villa having an edge.
In the seventh round, final seconds, southpaw Villa rocked with a counter left Valdes, who had landed a jab in an action-packed round.
In the eighth and final round, Villa had an edge out working Valdes, who forced several clinches. Referee Laurence Cole
Scores were 78-74 by all three judges and 77-75 KH.
Junior welterweight 2020 Olympian Delante ‘Tiger’ Johnson, 10-0 (5), #141 ¾, of Cleveland, OH, won a hard-fought majority decision over Ricardo ‘Conejo’ Quiroz, 13-3 (7), #141 ½, of Oxnard, CA, over eight rounds.
After using an effective jab against a tough Quiroz for three rounds, he started opening up in the fourth round. In the sixth and seventh rounds, Quiroz had his best rounds out working Johnson.
In the eighth and final round, both boxers had their moments in a close round. Referee Lee Rogers.
Scores were 76-76, 79-73 twice, and 77-75 KH.
Welterweight southpaw John Rincon, 8-0 (2), #143 ½, of Rockport, TX, won a lopsided decision over Bryan Ismael Rodriguez Rivera, 4-2-1 (2), #144, of Caguas, PR, over six rounds.
In the first two rounds, Rincon had an edge. In the fourth round’s final seconds, Rincon landed a left on the chin knocking Rivera back a couple of steps.
In the fifth round, Rivera’s corner kept yelling for him to throw more punches as Rincon outworked him. In the sixth and final round, Rincon continued the aggressor out landing the reluctant Rivera.
Scores were 58-56 and 60-54 twice, as did KH.
Lightweight Emiliano Vargas, 7-0 (6), #135 ¾, of Las Vegas, NV, stopped Alejandro Guardado, 5-1 (1), #136 ¼, of Sevilla, Andalucia, SP, at 1:07 of the third round of a scheduled six rounds.
In the first round son of former world champ Fernando Vargas Emiliano Vargas was the aggressor having the edge landing a right to the chin and rocking Guardado in the final seconds of the round.
In the third round, Vargas landed a flurry of punches having Guardado out on his feet when Referee Lee Rogers wisely called a halt.
Ring Announcer Mark Shunock
