PLEASANTON, CALIFORNIA – Welterweight prospect Jacob Macalolooy ended the longest layoff of his blossoming career with a hard-fought six-round majority decision over Angel Munoz in the main event of the seven-bout “Brawl in the Bay” card at the Alameda County Fairgrounds on Saturday night.
After feeling things out in round one, Macalolooy (10-0, 4 KOs) of Union City, California came out more aggressive in round two, backing Munoz (7-2, 5 KOs) of San Bernardino, California against the ropes and letting loose with his hands.
Macalolooy, 148 ½, asserted himself in the third as well, pounding Munoz, 146 ½, back into the red corner to highlight the round. Munoz worked his way back into the fight in the fourth, finding a home for two right uppercuts in the early going. Macalolooy, who turned southpaw for a stretch, mirroring his left-handed opponent’s stance, closed the round strong before dancing back to his corner.
Taking a page out of his opponent’s book, Macalolooy doubled up on his uppercut early in the fifth round. Macalolooy controlled most of the round, but Munoz did land his uppercut again, sending fluid from his foe’s mouth flying across the ring. Each had their moments in the sixth. Munoz landed a stiff right hand early and did some good work through two-and-one-half minutes, before Macalolooy came on strong to close out the fight.
In the end, judge Kermit Bayless had the fight scored even, 57-57, but was overruled by judges Melissa McMorrow and Brian Tsukamoto, who scored the fight 59-55 for Macalolooy. The fight represented Macalolooy’s return after over a year away from traditional ring action.
Light heavyweight prospect Kumar Prescod (4-0-1, 4 KOs) of Oakland, California did something not seen in California too often: score four knockdowns in a single round. After some bad blood at Friday’s weigh-in, Prescod had a short, but eventful night in dispatching Isaac Johnson (4-16-1, 1 KO) of Denver, Colorado inside of a single round.
Prescod, 176, rocked Johnson, 174, early and often, scoring the first knockdown with a straight left. The punch bounced Johnson off a neutral corner’s turnbuckle pad and down. Johnson rose quickly, but was abruptly downed for the second time with a short right hand. The third knockdown was scored with a right to the body. On most nights, that would have been the end. Johnson was allowed to continue before a quick two-punch combination sent him down for the fourth and final time. Time of the stoppage was 2:29 of round one.
In his U.S. debut, junior welterweight Rob Gutierrez Jr. (3-0, 2 KOs) of San Jose, California was taken the distance for the first time as a professional by Imer Lima (1-1-1, 1 KO) of Los Angeles, California, but came away with his unbeaten record intact via four-round unanimous decision.
Gutierrez, 141 ½, controlled the action from the outset, pressing Lima, 140, to the ropes. At times it seemed like Gutierrez did the hard work of backing Lima up and getting inside, but did not let his hands go enough once he got there.
After a second round that mirrored the first, Gutierrez closed the third, having hurt Lima to the body and chasing his adversary while looking to land the put away shot. However, Lima did well to get on his horse and regroup.
After another clear round for Gutierrez, who looked like he had more gas in the tank, judges Melissa McMorrow and Kermit Bayless scored the shutout, 40-36. Judge Brian Tsukamoto found a round for Lima, turning in a 39-37 scorecard.
Moving into the win column, Johnie Williams (1-0-1) of Suisun City, California pounded his way to a four-round unanimous decision over Terrence Coleman (0-2) of New York, New York.
Williams, 170 ½, repeatedly found a home for his overhand right, as Coleman, 171 ½, kept his left low in an Archie Moore-type defensive posture, but without bringing his right hand over to deflect shots upstairs.
Williams again landed clean with the overhand right late in the second. The punch shook Coleman, but after it scored they tangled up and fell to the canvas. The extra time was probably welcomed by Coleman, who looked weary making the trip across the ring and back to his corner.
Things got more interesting in the third as Williams scored two knockdowns. The first knockdown came from a right hand, but the second had a little more flair. Williams landed a combination, scoring a knockdown that sent Coleman down and out of the ring, under the bottom rope, and to the floor. To his credit, Coleman beat the count back in, but was rocked in the closing seconds by an uppercut.
Both switched to southpaw briefly in the fourth before Coleman executed a double leg takedown. Williams closed out the round landing upstairs again, but Coleman made it to the final bell.
Judge Melissa McMorrow scored the bout 40-35, while judges Kermit Bayless and Brian Tsukamoto had it 40-34.
In an evenly matched contest, Tiare Womack (2-0-1, 2 KOs) of San Francisco, California and Danna Pineda (1-0-1) of Orosi, California by way of Michoacán, Mexico fought to a four-round split decision draw.
The first two-minute round featured some frantic inside work by both fighters. Womack, 129 ½, appeared stronger on the inside in the early going, but Pineda, 129, held her own in the exchanges.
Once the fight moved into the second, Womack was holding in close more often, while Pineda kept her hands moving. Womack was cut over right eye late in the round, ruled as a result of a legal punch by referee Michael Margado.
Womack started the third with a clean combination, but Pineda was undeterred and fought tough in the final minute.
Womack landed her best punch early in the fourth, but Pineda was busier and worked more on the inside whenever her opponent looked to tie up.
Judge Melissa McMorrow scored the bout 39-37 for Pineda. Judge Kermit Bayless had it 39-37 for Womack. Judge Brian Tsukamoto turned in the even card, 38-38. Both fighters expressed interest in a rematch during the post-fight interview.
In a fight that was there for the taking for either debuting fighter, Ralie Gulley (1-0) of Fresno, California edged out Colin Madlangbayan (0-1) of Hayward, California, taking a four-round majority decision.
Madlangbayan, 133 ½, and Gulley, 133 ½, felt out each other in the first round. Gulley turned southpaw at various points, something he would do all fight. Madlangbayan landed with a couple sweeping rights early, but nothing telling was landed by either before the first closing bell.
Madlangbayan closed the distance in the second and found a home for his straight left hand, which was probably the best punch landed in the round.
Madlangbayan forced his way inside again early in the third and landed a clean combination upstairs. Gulley landed a few clean shots at range, but had a hard time keeping the distance that would best suit his longer frame.
Gulley found his range again in spots in the fourth, but neither fighter really pressed to close out the fight strong. In the end it was Madlangbayan that suffered for it, as Gulley did enough to win over judges Kermit Bayless and Brian Tsukamoto, 39-37 each. Judge Melissa McMorrow had the dissenting card, 38-38.
In his U.S. debut, Danny Belloso Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs) of Modesto, California made short work of Antonio Ferrel (0-3) of Santa Rosa, California, scoring a first-round stoppage in under a minute.
Ferrel, 123, was hurt by the first counter right Belloso, 121 ½, landed. With Ferrel in immediate retreat, Belloso followed with combinations, culminating with two left hooks, to score a knockdown. Referee Michael Margado began his count, before stopping bout without reaching the conclusion of his count at 55 seconds of the first.
The event was promoted by Elite Underdog Promotions and Benjamin’s Boxing and streamed live by BXNG TV.
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com
