PLEASANTON, CALIFORNIA – Super featherweight prospect Gabriel Garcia scored the stoppage he predicted over Armando Frausto, but likely in a less satisfying fashion than he envisioned and rising featherweight Kyle Lacanlale delighted his throng of supporters in an action-packed decision over Rodolfo Molina to cap a ten-bout card at the Alameda County Fairgrounds on Saturday night.
Garcia (12-0, 7 KOs) of Antioch, California and Frausto (10-7-1, 5 KOs) of La Marque, Texas were just getting started when the action was abruptly halted with both combatants covered in blood. While Garcia, 129 ½, was covered in crimson, the blood was entirely the property of Frausto, 130, as a vertical gash had opened over his left eye in the midst of an exchange.
Referee Gerard White conferred with California State Athletic Commission official Nichole Bowles and the ruling was that the cut was caused by a legal punch, declaring Garcia the winner at 1:26 of the opening round.
A frustrated Frausto and his team disagreed with the ruling and Garcia seemed amenable to a rematch during their in-ring post-fight discussion.
In the co-main event, Kyle Lacanlale (5-0, 2 KOs) of San Ramon, California scored a thrilling four-round decision over a game Rodolfo Molina (0-2) of Antioch, California.
Lacanlale, 124 ¾, and Molina, 125, engaged in a toe-to-toe, offense-first battle at the opening bell. With his corner instructing him at times to settle down, Lacanlale opted to engage and meet Molina’s aggression with aggression of his own. Lacanlale’s edge in power was apparent, but Molina made him work.
Referee Shannon Sands had the ringside physician take a look at Molina before the start of round three, which would end up being the toughest act for the Antioch native. With punches coming both ways, Lacanlale landed a crisp and short right hand that resulted in the first knockdown of the bout. Molina returned to his feet and kept up the pressure, but Lacanlale landed another combination that resulted in the second knockdown. With seconds left in the round, Lacanlale rocked Molina again with a left hook, but the bell sounded before any follow-up could potentially end the fight.
Despite the rough round three, Molina resumed his offensive style and caught Lacanlale a few times down the stretch of the fight. In the end, the crowd favorite Lacanlale won every round on the cards of judges Susan Thomas Gitlin, Mike Rinaldi and Joel Farbstein, 40-34. Lacanlale will return to the ring on September 6th at the Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California.
Former amateur star Kumar Prescod (3-0, 3 KOs) of Oakland, California scored a second-round stoppage of an awkward Rueben Johnson (1-8, 1 KO) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Prescod, 175, toyed with Johnson, 172, a bit in the first round before coming out aggressively to begin the second. Prescod pressed Johnson into a neutral corner and uncorked an unrelenting combination before referee Gerard White called a halt to the mismatch at 39 seconds of round two.
In a crossroads bout between veterans, Willie Shaw (15-6, 10 KOs) of Vallejo,
California scored a workmanlike six-round decision over Salvador Briceño (18-11-1, 11 KOs) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and fighting out of the Jose Morales Boxing Academy in Roseville, California.
Shaw, 139, was the busier fighter over the course of the bout. Briceño, 139.5, had fleeting moments, but never really got rolling.
Judge Susan Thomas Gitlin had it a shutout, 60-54, judge Joel Farbstein scored it 59-55, and judge Mike Rinaldi had it 58-56.
Without breaking a sweat, Sergio Gonzalez (2-0, 2 KOs) of Sacramento, California scored a quick referee’s stoppage Tyre Travon Reed (0-1) of Las Vegas, Nevada.
Gonzalez, 156, hurt Reed, 152, with the first sweeping hook he threw. Reed did not have the best defense and referee Gerard White decided to stop the contest to save the Las Vegas resident from further punishment. Official time was 1:21 of the first round. Gonzalez will return to the ring on September 6th at the Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California.
Utilizing his decisive edge in height and reach, Alton Wiggins (2-1-1) of Modesto, California scored a four-round unanimous decision over an onrushing Michael Portales (3-4-1, 1 KO) of San Jose, California.
After a feeling out first round, Portales, 154.5, stepped on the gas in the second, landing clean with a few head shots. With Wiggins’ edge in height, Portales had to sell out a bit and wing his way inside. Wiggins, 155, won over judges despite Portales’ best efforts to force the action.
All three judges, Susan Thomas Gitlin, Mike Rinaldi and Joel Farbstein, scored the bout for Wiggins, 39-37.
Braulio Ceja Navarro (5-0, 2 KOs) of Concord, California remained unbeaten ad he took a close decision on the cards over Emond Driver (1-3, 1 KO) of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Ceja Navarro, 138, and Driver, 139.5, followed a heated weigh-in with a rough and tumble bout. Ceja Navarro’s class began to prove itself in the third round, before the Concord resident really upped his attack in the fourth. A clean right forced Driver back into his own corner, scoring an official knockdown. Ceja Navarro’s follow-up was stunted by warnings to both for rough stuff, which may have helped Driver clear his head.
Judge Susan Thomas Gitlin scored the bout 38-37 for Driver, but was overruled by judge Mike Rinaldi, who had it 39-36, and judge Joel Farbstein, 38-37, both for Ceja Navarro.
Isaiah Orozco (3-0, 2 KOs) of Gilroy, California managed a four-round split decision over Juan Molina (1-3, 1 KO) of Oakland in a crowd-pleasing action bout.
Orozco controlled the first, boxing at a distance. An early round trip to the canvas by Molina was correctly ruled a slip by referee Shannon Sands.
Molina found some success turning southpaw late in the second round, while also forcing more of a close range fight. The third and fourth featured exciting, two-way action as each had their moments. Molina found a way to land clean with his left at short range and out of the southpaw stance. Orozco landed some eye-catching blows upstairs as well.
Judge Mike Rinaldi scored the bout for Molina 49-37, but was overruled by judges Joel Farbstein and Susan Thomas Gitlin, who scored it 39-37, for Orozco.
Nicholas Saavedra (2-0, 1 KO) of Modesto dropped Richard Esquibel (1-3, 1 KO) of Albuquerque, New Mexico once in the second en route to a third-round referee stoppage.
Saavedra, 126.5, held the clear power edge immediately, but really sat down on his body shots in round two, landing three in a row, punctuated by a left that dropped Esquibel, 126.5. Another left upstairs wobbled Esquibel just before the bell to end the round.
Saavedra varied his attack to start the third, but soon went back down to the bread basket. With Esquibel wincing from the body blows, Saavedra forced the New Mexican to a neutral corner with a combination upstairs that forced the hand of referee Gerard White. Time of the stoppage was 2:02 of the third. Saavedra will return to the ring on July 19th at the Modesto Centre Plaza in Modesto.
The Bay Area’s Tiare Womack (1-0, 1 KO) scored her first career professional KO before breaking her first professional sweat, halting Lauren Michaels (2-5) of Holidaysburg, Pennsylvania in under a minute.
Michaels, 128.5, made a tactical error in opting to trade at close range with the powerfully-built Womack, 131, at the outset. Mid-exchange, Womack caught Michaels with a straight right that dropped the Pennsylvania native. Michaels watched the count from her knees and rose in time. Moments later, Womack flurried Michaels into the blue corner, prompting referee Shannon Sands to end the bout at 52 seconds of the first.
Saturday’s event was the first offering of Elite Underdog Promotions and Benjamin’s Boxing, who announced they will present their next event in December.
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected]
