LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Later tonight, Ryan Garcia will attempt to make his case for inclusion in the pound-for-pound top ten discussion against Conor Benn in the Paramount+ main event from the T-Mobile Arena. First bell for the five-bout preliminary undercard began at 2 PM local time.
In the final preliminary contest before the four-bout main card began, rangy super featherweight prospect Oswaldo Molina (10-0, 4 KOs) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico flashed his excellent boxer-mover skillset in claiming a wide six-round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Pablo Rubio (15-1, 5 KOs) of Whittier, California.
Molina, 131 ½, controlled the fight all the way through. Molina’s reach and jab gave Rubio, 131, trouble in the early going. Rubio had to work hard to cut off the ring and get inside close enough to land. Molina’s footwork was also a problem for the Whittier native.
Rubio was able to land his left to the body but never really strung his punches together against the more elusive Molina. Both fighters let their hands go prior to the final bell before the final verdict was read. Judges Glenn Feldman and Don Trella both found a round for Rubio, scoring the bout 59-55. Judge Tim Cheatham had the fight a shutout, 60-54.
Abel Gonzalez (9-0, 6 KOs) of Safety Harbor, Florida rebounded from a first round knockdown to box his way past a forward-moving Raul Solomon (16-5-1, 14 KOs) of Long Beach, California by way of Ciudad Morelos, Baja California, Mexico via eight-round unanimous decision.
The competitive first round swung completely for Salomon, 167, as he scored a knockdown with a sweeping left, followed by a right with seconds left to go.
Gonzalez, 167 ½, appeared clear-headed as the fight continued in the second. Gonzalez’s long left jab became a problem for Salomon as the early rounds progressed, evidenced by the mouse that formed underneath the Long Beach resident’s right eye.
By the fifth, Gonzalez began to find a home for his lead right on a more frequent basis. Salomon’s constant pressure seemed to be wearing on Gonzalez some by the seventh. Both fighters closed out the eighth and final round throwing their hands.
In the end, all three judges; Eric Cheek, Kermit Bayless and Max DeLuca, scored the bout for Gonzalez by the score of 77-74.
Welterweight prospect Vlad Panin (25-2, 17 KOs) of Los Angeles, California by way of Gomel, Belarus appears more than ready for the next level of opposition after a fourth-round stoppage over Dakota Linger (17-8-3, 13 KOs) of Buckhannon, West Virginia.
Panin, 151 ½, landed with both hands from the opening bell against the smaller Linger, 150 ½, who was game enough to throw back and keep referee Thomas Taylor from jumping in for an early stoppage in the first three rounds.
The fight got into the fourth before referee Thomas Taylor leaped-in to end things, prompted by an unanswered flurry by Panin with Linger covering up in the red corner. Time of the stoppage came at 1:22 of round four.
Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha (27-2, 16 KOs) of Irvine, California scored the most noteworthy win of his career, besting former unified 140-pound champion Jose Carlos Ramirez (29-4, 18 KOs) of Avenal, California via ten-round unanimous decision in a solid scrap.
The southpaw Rocha, 146 ½, warmed up a bit faster in the early going, perhaps banking some rounds before Ramirez, 146 ½, was really in the flow of the fight.
The action began to pick up in the seventh, with Rocha landing a hard lead left hand that looked to hurt Ramirez momentarily. Ramirez returned the favor right back, kicking off excellent two-way action for the remainder of the round. Ramirez closed the round landing with Rocha along the ropes, attempting to hold on.
Both fighters had their moments early in the eighth before Rocha bounced back, closing the round strong with his lead left hand.
A clash of heads early in the ninth opened a deep cut just below Rocha’s hairline that prompted a time out and a visit to the ringside physician. Once action resumed, both fighters let their hands go immediately and the blood began to flow, creating a crimson mask over the right side of Rocha’s face. In the midst of an exchange, a glancing Rocha jab scored an official knockdown as Ramirez rushed in and tripped, throwing his right.
Rocha began the tenth well before either becoming more bothered by the blood or reaching near the limit of his gas tank before Ramirez closed the final round strong, landing in combination.
Judges Kermit Bayless and Max DeLuca both scored the bout 98-91, while Chris Migliore had it 97-92, all for Rocha. With the win, Rocha has two consecutive victories over 2012 U.S. Olympians, having decisioned Joseph Diaz this past March.
Opening the night in advance of his older brother’s main event appearance, Sean Garcia (8-1-1, 2 KOs) of Los Angeles was forced to work, but managed to move past tough Abraham Morales (4-2, 2 KOs) of Oxnard, California via six-round majority decision.
Garcia, 134, was forced to box going backwards for much of the bout, as the determined Morales, 134, pressed the fight from the outset. The naturally larger Garcia used his reach advantage and elusiveness to avoid some of the free-swinging Morales’ attack.
Garcia was credited for a knockdown with about a minute left in the third, as Morales overswung, leaping in with his left. Garcia landed with a glancing right while Morales made his way to the mat.
Garcia was deducted a point for holding early in the fourth, but took the round after he wobbled Morales back with a lead left hand. Morales pressed Garcia well in a solid bounce back round in the fifth as he doubled up on his right to great effect.
After six completed rounds, judge Patrica Morse Jarman scored the bout even, 56-56, but was overruled by judges Lisa Giampa and David Sutherland, who both scored the bout for Garcia, 58-54.
Photos by Cooper Neill/Zuffa Boxing and Ed Mulholland/Zuffa Boxing and Al Powers/Zuffa Boxing
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com
