SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – Junior middleweight Khristopher Estep and featherweight Kyle Lacanlale both unanimously decisioned their veteran opponents to remain unblemished in the co-main attractions of a six-bout card at the DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton, Sacramento on Saturday night.
Making his six-round debut in just his third pro fight, Estep (3-0, 1 KO) of Sacramento was tested by the always willing William Davis (5-5-2, 1 KO) also of Sacramento, making for an entertaining main event.
Davis, 152, began the first boxing well and outworking Estep, 154, in the very early going. By late in the round, as Estep let his hands go, the power difference became apparent. Estep, the natural junior middleweight, could back up Davis, a junior welterweight for most of his career, with one or two power punches. Late in the round, Estep had Davis covering up briefly before the veteran unleashed a clean power left hook counter. The punch may have dropped a 140-pounder, but Estep was able to shake it off and stay composed.
Both had their moments in an exciting second round. Estep began the round aggressively, but Davis found success soon after landing with a looping right along the ropes. Davis was able to keep his chin tucked while swinging high at the taller Estep’s chin. Estep weathered the storm and turned the exchange back in his favor in moments. The veteran Davis was able to get Estep to fight an in-close style, which negated the younger fighter’s height and reach advantages.
The brisk pace continued through the middle rounds and down the stretch. Neither fighter looked to hold, both always looking to let their hands go as the fight stayed on the inside. The 36-year-old Davis impressively kept up with the 26-year-old Estep’s pace, if not setting it himself. However, Estep’s power edge was the main differentiating factor.
In the end, judges Kermit Bayliss, Melissa McMorrow and Joel Farbstein were in agreement, scoring the unanimous decision for Estep, 59-55 across the board. With the victory, Estep stays in line for a return to the ring at The Venue at Thunder Valley at Thunder Valley Casino in nearby Lincoln, California on September 5th.
In the co-main event, Kyle Lacanlale (8-0, 4 KOs) of San Ramon, California scored a four-round unanimous decision over Jonathan Almacen (7-17-3, 2 KOs) of Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila, Philippines.
The 22-year-old Lacanlale held even more of a height and natural size advantage over his veteran opponent than did Estep in the co-main. The 26-year-old Almacen began his pro career at 107-pounds in 2016 when Lacanlale was 12-years-old. In April, Lacanlale scored a second-round knockout of a 134-pound opponent.
What Almacen, 124, lacks in size and power at featherweight, he tries to make up for in evasiveness. Lacanlale, 124, was the aggressor early in the fight, but had a tough time pinning Almacen down long enough to land the combination that could end the night early.
Almacen had his best round in the second, as he let his hands go in stretches and may have caught Lacanlale a little over frustrated. With no time to waste in a bout that was reduced from six rounds to four by the California State Athletic Commission, Lacanlale came out with renewed vigor to open the third round. Almacen just did not possess the power to earn the younger fighter’s respect. Lacanlale walked through what Almacen could land, placing power shots that backed the veteran up.
Almacen surprisingly pressed the action early in the fourth, but Lacanlale was comfortable firing off his back foot and exchanging. Despite the solid work rate from the veteran, Lacanlale’s edge power did not require him to match Almacen punch-for-punch.
In the end, Judge Melissa McMorrow scored the bout 39-37, while judges Joel Farbstein and Kermit Bayliss both scored it a shutout, 40-36, all for Lacanlale. With his victory, Lacanlale will next take to the ring on the September 5th event at The Venue at Thunder Valley at Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln.
In a competitive and fast-paced action fight, Jose Aguilar (5-0, 3 KOs) of Linden, California remained unbeaten and moved past Eduardo Sanchez (1-2) of Watsonville, California via four-round majority decision.
Sanchez, 116 ½, had a strong first round, setting a brisk pace and landing with several well-placed power punches. Aguilar, 117, let his hands go as well and tried to meet Sanchez’s output. Aguilar was able to land a few more power punches in the second, but otherwise the round looked very similar to the first, with Sanchez pressing forward and consistently moving his hands. With Sanchez’s pace slowed slightly in the fourth, Aguilar had one of his better rounds, landing with a few eye-catching punches upstairs that may have been enough to sway the judges.
Judge Joel Farbstein scored the bout even 38-38, but was overruled by judges Kermit Bayliss and Melissa McMorrow, 39-37 for Aguilar.
With a strong group of supporters on hand from Northern Nevada, Harley Sampson (3-1, 3 KOs) of Reno, Nevada upset the local fanbase of previously unbeaten Dorrel Fore Jr. (3-1) of Sacramento by scoring a first-round knockout.
Sampson, 140, began the fight with his trademark aggressiveness and forced the boxer Fore, 140, into a firefight right away. With Fore out of his comfort zone, Sampson pressed and continually landed with his left hand. With the taller Fore perhaps feeling he was out of punching range, Sampson leaped in with a clean left hook that dropped the Sacramento native down on his back. Fore beat the count, but when he took a wobbled backwards step, referee Edward Collantes stopped the bout at 1:23 of round one.
In the action-packed opener, Miguel “Tito” Elizondo (2-0) of Carson City, Nevada dropped Reymundo Rangel (1-1) of Grand Prairie, Texas in round one en route to a four-round unanimous decision.
Elizondo, 129, and Rangel, 130, came right at each other from the opening bell. After some good back-and-forth, Elizondo countered a landed right from Rangel with one of his own to score the knockdown. Rangel beat the count and went right back to engaging with the oncoming Elizondo.
Over the next three rounds, both of the previously unbeaten super featherweights engaged in a free-swinging action fight with Elizondo holding a slight, but decided edge, especially in power-punching.
All three judges, Melissa McMorrow, Kermit Bayliss and Joel Farbstein, scored the bout a shutout for Elizondo, 40-35.
Muay Thai Kickboxing
In an added attraction, Moises Rodriguez (1-0, 1 KO) of San Diego scored a second-round knockout of Santiago Moralez (0-1) of Sacramento. The bout came to its conclusion after Rodriguez, 155, landed a series of elbows that downed the local fighter. With Moralez, 152, unable to continue, the bout was waved off by referee Edward Collantes at 2:38 of round two.
Promoter of Saturday’s event, Upper Cut Promotions, returns with live boxing at The Venue at Thunder Valley at Thunder Valley Casino in nearby Lincoln on September 5th.
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com
