By Norm Frauenheim
GLENDALE, Ariz. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez added a third division title with his sixth round knockout of Antonio Vargas Saturday, yet his career goal of a showdown with Naoya Inoue remained unclear in the immediate aftermath of his successful debut at bantamweight.
Trainer Robert Garcia said he wanted Bam to fight once more at 118 pounds before any deal is made to face Inoue.
“We’ve talked about January or February, next year, for the Inoue fight,’’ Garcia Said after Bam knocked down Vargas after some rocky moments in front of a roaring crowd åt Desert Diamond Arena. “We can still do that. That doesn’t have to change.But I want Bam to have one more fight at 118. We can do that in September or October.’’
Bam (24-0, 17 KOs) struggled at times in the early going against Vargas, who leaned on him and backed him up with a succession of punches.
Not until the fifth round did Bam make a key adjustment. It started where it usually does: His feet. With his singular footwork, he stepped to the left of Vargas (19-2-1, 11KOs) and delivered a textbook left hand, putting the World Boxing Association’s defending champion onto the canvas.
In the sixth, Bam did it again, this time ending Vargas’ one-fight reign as the WBA champion.
In an interview inside the ring, Bam was asked about Inoue.
“If you’re asking me if I’m ready, I’m going to say yes,’’ he said. “I’m going to say yes I’m ready for anyone and yes I’m ready for whatever my team plans next.”
This Cardenas scores unanimous decision, wins rematchtime there was no debate. No trash talk either.
Arturo Cardenas made sure of it Saturday, scoring a unanimous decision over Jordan Martinez in a rematch at Desert Diamond Arena.
“I did what I didn’t last time, said Cardenas (18-0-2), who fought Martinez to a draw in early February.” I was aggressive early. I didn’t give away those rounds.’’
Martinez (16-1-1), a popular Phoenix fighter, didn’t quarrel with the result, despite at least one debatable score, a 100-90 shutout. On the other cards, it was 98-92 and 97-93, both for Cardenas
Turkish champion retains belt in narrow win over Gabby Tellez
Elif Nur Turhan kept the belt. Gabby Tellez got the cheers.
In a close and somewhat awkward fight for the women’s International Boxing Federation lightweight title Saturday at Desert Diamond Arena, the bigger Turhan sustained an aggressive pace, scoring enough points on the scorecards for a unanimous decision — 96-94 on all cards — over Tellez (7-1, 3 KOs).
With Phoenix trainer Jose Benavidez Jr. in her corner, Tellez circled Turhan, a powerful Turk, throughout the 10 rounds. Turhan landed a couple of long punches in the final couple of rounds, which might have been just enough to claim a victory that allowed here to take the belt back to Turkey
Terraza wins quick stoppage
Terraza said he knew victory was just a matter of time.
That time came swiftly.
And decisively.
Within two rounds, Terraza, an unbeaten junior-lightweight from Mexico, overwhelmed a shorter Javier Rodriguez, who was down midway through the round and finished within its final few seconds.
Rodriguez (10-1, 6 KOs), who grew up in the Glendale neighborhood surrounding Desert Diamond Arena, simply had no counter for Terreza’s reach. Terraza (14-0, 10 KOs) knocked him down with an overhand right and then folllowed with successive punches from all angles.
Trini Ochoa lands right to land back in win column
Trini Ochoa, a popular junior welterweight from Mesa, got back into the win column Saturday. All he needed was a right hand.
It landed, flooring Tristan Perez (12-5-1, 7 KOs) Saturday in a stunning second round at Desert Diamond Arena. Ochoa was coming off his first defeat
Esquina delivers punishing stoppage
It was punishing.
Punishing mostly for Sepu Taylor.
Xechal Esquina, an undefeated featherweight from Phoenix, tirelessly moved forward for six-plus rounds, landing shots that echoed throughout Desert Diamond Saturday on a card featuring Bam Rodriguez-Antonio Vargas.
Somehow, Taylor (1-2-1), of Denver stay edupright. Early in the sixth, however, he began to back away on unsteady feet, At 2:39 of the round, he was down. And done, a bruised stoppage loser to a relentless attack Esquina (6-0, 5 KOs).
Hector Beltran wins second round TKO
Hector Beltran Jr., who calls himself Handsome, must have looked scary to Shaquile Felicia.
Beltran (8-0, 6 KOs), a junior-middleweight From Dallas, threw a quick combo that dropped Felicia (3-2). It also left Felicia with a look that seemed to say he’d rather be back home in Anchorage. Seconds and few more combos later, he was finished, a TKO loser at 2:53 of the round.
First Bell: Ronny Alvarez stoppage opens the show
With temperatures pushing 110 degrees, a small crowd began to escape and gather inside Desert Diamond Arena.
Anything for a little air conditioning.
In the ring, however, Cuban super-middleweight Ronny Alvarez (7-0, 6 KOs) continued to pour on the heat, scoring a seventh round stoppage of Serbia Flip Stankovic (9-4, 6 KOs) Saturday afternoon in the opening bout on a card featuring Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez-Antonio Vargas.
