CASTRO: I AM READY FOR MY FIRST TITLE

Marc Castro told Matchroom’s ‘Flash Knockdown’ podcast that he has a spring in his step in training today after being told he will fight for his first title when he takes on Abraham Montoya for the WBC Continental Americas Super-Featherweight title at BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Saturday April 6, shown live worldwide on DAZN.

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Castro (11-0 8 KOs) recorded another stoppage win in his first ten round clash in November in Los Angeles, only needing seven of the scheduled ten to get Gonzalo Fuenalida out of there. The Fresno talent and former amateur stud has impressed in the paid ranks since making his pro debut in December 2020 in San Antonio but acknowledged on the podcast that taking on Montoya (22-5-1 14 KOs) represents a significant step-up – but feels that’s how it should be if you want to win belts.

“It’s amazing to be fighting for my first title and the green and gold is my favorite belt,” said Castro. “The WBC is a great program, I won their amateur title back in the day, so I am really excited. I know I have to go out and earn it and it’s not going to be easy, but nothing in this world is easy or given to me. This is a big step for big things ahead.

“My team, Matchroom and my manager Keith Connolly all feel like I am ready for this. We’re moving as a unit and that’s the most important thing to me. Once you know that it’s officially for the title, it’s different. I don’t want to say it’s extra motivation because I treat this like a job, I am here to do my job. Sometimes you don’t want to go to work but at the end of the day you get it done and that’s how I look at it. 

“It’s most definitely my toughest test. I know he has been in there with some great boxers at Super-Featherweight, he has a win over Lopez the current champion, so he has a great resume and he’s never been stopped. I am always thinking about the best-case scenario which is the KO and that’s what we train for, but at the end of the day we’re training for the ten rounds, and I know that he’s coming to fight.

“I feel most comfortable at Super-Featherweight. Trying to figure out the weights was a bit of an issue, but now we’ve got that sorted we’ll be rocking and rolling. I can be at peak condition at 130lbs, fast and strong, with a lot of agility. 

“I’ve been training since the last fight. I’ve just been keeping ready for whenever Matchroom could get me out and that’s April 6 so you will see the improvements in me.

“Las Vegas is so special, I always get my fans spending their hard-earned money to come and watch me fight, that means the world to me, seeing them coming together for every fight. My support is growing tremendously, it makes me really happy.

“I’ve learned a lot about myself from training, in the ring, out of the ring and my public image, all of that. The main thing I’ve learned is treating every day like a regular day, trying to make the most of every day and keep everything the same so once fight night comes, it’s just another day at the office, and that includes keeping my circle small.”

Castro takes on Montoya on a stacked card in Las Vegas which is topped by a double-header featuring two more of Matchroom’s hottest young fighters as Richardson Hitchins takes on Gustavo Lemos in a final eliminator for the IBF World Jr. Welterweight title and Diego Pacheco faces Shawn McCalman for the WBO International and USWBC Super-Middleweight titles.

Briton’s Olympic gold medal star Galal Yafai goes back-to-back in the US as he makes the fifth defense of his WBC International Flyweight title against Agustin Mauro Gauto, while World title action on the card could see Skye Nicolson become a World champion at the first attempt as she tackles former World ruler Sarah Mahfoud for the vacant WBC World Featherweight title.

Harley Mederos kicks off the action on April 6 over six rounds at Super-Featherweight against Pedro Vicente, the same distance that former Team USA talent Steven Navarro will make his pro debut at Super-Flyweight against Jose Lopez.

Castro appears in the the latest episode of ‘Flash Knockdown’ recorded before a huge night of action in Sheffield tomorrow night, live on DAZN. Sandy Ryan speaks ahead of the defense of her WBO World Welterweight title against Terri Harper, Heavyweight Dave Allen gives some inside scoop into Jack Catterall’s training camp, while Shabaz Masoud talks training during Ramadan and takes on the ‘Coach Trip’ quiz.




NICOLSON LANDS WORLD TITLE FIGHT IN VEGAS

Skye Nicolson will face Sarah Mahfoud for the vacant WBC World Featherweight title at BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Saturday April 6, live worldwide on DAZN.

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Nicolson (9-0 1 KO) lands her first World title shot in Sin City, just over two years since making her professional debut in San Diego. The Australian has raced to #1 in the WBC rankings at 126lbs, and landed her first KO win in her last outing, stopping Lucy Wildheart in Dublin in November in the first defense of the interim title the 28 year old won in Mexico in September against Sabrina Perez.

Mahfoud (14-1 3 KOs) is looking to spoil the party and in turn become a two-time ruler at Featherweight. The Dane held the IBF title after being elevated from interim champion, and successfully defended it against Nina Meinke in April 2022, before losing to Amanda Serrano in Manchester, England in September 2022. The 34 year old is on a three-fight winning streak on home turf since that loss, picking up the WBC Silver title in March 2023 and successfully defending it in October, with an eight-round win in between.

“This means everything to me,” said Nicolson. “To fight for my first World title in the iconic boxing city of Las Vegas is truly special. It will be a proud moment for my family and my team – and on April 6, my lifelong dream of becoming a World Champion will finally become a reality. 

“Ever since the first time I put on a pair of boxing gloves, I’ve worked tirelessly towards this moment. Capturing the prestigious green and gold WBC belt will be the first major step towards becoming the Undisputed champion. And the new!”

“It is a dream of mine to become a two-time World champion,” said Mahfoud. “And it is also a dream of mine to box in Las Vegas on the biggest stage. Skye Nicolson is a good fighter, but she’s not proven at world-level like me. I will teach her a lesson and show her the levels on April 6.”

Two more fights added to the card are led by Briton’s Olympic gold medal man Galal Yafai defending his WBC International Flyweight title against Agustin Mauro.

Yafai (6-0 4 KOs) is hunting the World champions at the weight, and the 2020 games king is sitting pretty in the rankings, most pertinently at #6 with the WBC as he defends the belt he won on debut in February 2022 for the fifth time in Las Vegas. The 31 year old will be looking to put the belt holders on notice on April 6, but that’s exactly what Mauro (21-1 15 KOs) is looking to do too. The Argentine has won three of his last four fights inside the distance, and the 26 year old is planning to derail Yafai’s journey to a World title.

“It’s great to be fighting in Las Vegas for the first time in my career, which is something all Brits dream of,” said Yafai. “I know that Agustin is confident and that’s perfect for me, I want someone that believes they can win, as that will bring the best out of me.

“I like my positioning in the rankings, and I really think that 2024 is the year that I can get my shot at a World title.”

“I’m really excited about this opportunity,” said Mauro. “I’m going to destroy Galal Yafai. This is my time. I’d like to thank Matchroom Boxing for giving me such a huge opportunity for my career. I’ve been working extremely hard alongside my trainer, Rodrigo Calabrese, to get a great victory in the United States.

“We’ve been studying Galal. He is a great boxer, but I have what it takes to win the WBC International title on April 6. This will be my first time in Las Vegas. I always dreamed about fighting in this great city and I’m not going to waste my opportunity.

“I want to make history for Argentinean boxing, and this is a great opportunity to do just that. The fight comes at a great time in my career. I’ve had 22 professional fights. The last one was in Argentina in January, and I again displayed my knockout power. This is what I want to show in Las Vegas. On April 6, the boxing world will know who ‘Avión’ Gauto is.”

The third fight added to the bill sees Marc Castro fight over ten rounds for the second time, as he meets Abraham Montoya at Super-Featherweight. Castro (11-0 8 KOs) boxed over the ten round distance for the first time in November in Los Angeles, but only needed seven of them to record an eighth win inside the distance. Montoya (22-5-1 14 KOs) is a vastly experienced operator, with 99 more rounds in the bank than his young foe, and the 29 year old Mexican will provide the toughest test to date for the Fresno talent.

Nicolson, Yafai and Castro are part of a big night of action in Las Vegas, topped by a double-header featuring two of Matchroom’s brightest stars. Richardson Hitchins (17-0 7 KOs) tops the bill as he takes on Gustavo Lemos (29-0 19 KOs) in a final elimination for the IBF World Super-Lightweight title, while Diego Pacheco (20-0 17 KOs) continues his assault on the Super-Middleweight division as he defends his WBC USA and WBO International titles against Shawn McCalman (15-0 7 KOs).




Teofimo Lopez stops Campa in 7

Former Undisputed Lightweight World Champion, Teofimo Lopez christened the 140-pound division with a seventh round stoppage over Pedro Campa at Resorts World Las Vegas.

That fight capped a perfect weekend for Split-T Management.

Lopez was dominant from the onset of the contest as he boxed and started to land some solid power punches as early as the second. With each ensuing round, Lopez begam to land more and more as he started to break down the Mexican warrior.  

As the second half of the fight commenced, Lopez stepped on the gas and started to hurt Campa in round six. In round seven, Lopez dropped Campa with a hard right that was followed by a left. Lopez started to emphatically beat Campa until the bout was stopped at 2:14.

Lopez moves his impressive resume to 17-1 with 13 knockouts. Campa is 34-2-1.

Lopez said, “I was at 135 pounds for nine years. It was killing my body, since I was a teenage kid, man. We want Josh Taylor. We want these guys. We want {Regis} Prograis. We want {Jose} Zepeda. We want all the belts. We want to become two-time undisputed champion.”

“If Josh Taylor is too busy with his wedding and there’s nobody else around because the WBA belt is taken and the WBC is going to be fought with Zepeda and Prograis, then so fuc*ng be it,” Lopez said.

Zayas Stops Espadas in 5

Xander Zayas remained undefeated with a fifth round stoppage over Elias Espadas in a junior middleweight bout.

In round one, Zayas dropped Espadas with a left hook

In round five, Zayas landed a beautiful straight right to the head that sent Espadas down and the fight was stopped at 23 seconds.

Zayas, 153 lbs of San Juan, PR is 14-0 with 10 knockouts. Espadas, 153.6 lbsof Merida, MEX is 22-5.

Zayas said, “I feel amazing. I’m glad to be back with a strap around me, a regional title, something amazing. It’s special to me to bring my first belt to the island. It’s a step closer to my goal of becoming world champion.
 
“I promise it wasn’t intentional. I wasn’t trying to hit him low. I guess the punches were just landing there. Referee {Russell Mora}, I want to thank him. He gave me a chance. I just listened to the corner, and they told me, ‘Hey, forget about the body.’ Let’s get these head shots and then we’ll start working the body. And that’s what we did in round four on.” 

Jose Enrique Vivas pounded out an eight-round split decision over Edy Valencia in a featherweight bout.

Vivas landed 280 of 792 punches; Valencia was 257 of 750

Vivas, 127.8 lbs of Texcoco, MEX won by scores of 78-74 and 77-75. Valencia took a card 77-75.

Vivas is 22-2. Valencia, 127.6 lbs of Culican, MEX is 19-8-6.

Andres Cortes won a eight-round unanimous decision over Abraham Montoya in a junior lightweight fight.

Cortes landed 141 of 460 punches. Montoya was 108 of 427.

Cortes, 130.6 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 79-73 on all cards and is now 18-0. Montoya, 131 lbs of Mexicali. MEX is 20-4-1.

Troy Isley remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Victor Toney in a middleweight bout.

Isley, 156 lbs of Alexandria, VA won by scores of 60-54 and 59-55 and is now 7-0. Toney, 156.8 lbs of Youngstown, OH is 6-2-1.

In a battle of undefeated featherweights, Duke Ragan took a six-round unanimous decision over D’Angelo Fuentes.

Ragan, 126.6 lbs of Cincinnati, OH won by scores of 59-55 and 58-56 twice and is now 7-0. Fuentes, 125.6 lbs of Coconut Creek, FL is 7-1.

Omar Rosario won a six-round unanimous decision over Esteban Munoz in a junior welterweight bout.

Rosario, 140.8 lbs of Caguas, PR won by scores of 58-56 on all cards and is now 8-0. Munoz, 140.6 lbs of San Bernadino, CA is 6-2.

In a battle of undefeated lightweights, Charlie Sheehy went the distance for the first time, but still was able to win a four round unanimous decision over Juan Castaneda.

Sheehy, 134.4 lbs of Brisbane, CA won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 4-0. Castaneda, 133.8 lbs of Mexico City, MEX is 2-1-2.




Andres Cortes Training Camp Quotes 

LAS VEGAS, NV (August 9, 2022) – Top Rank’s undefeated super featherweight rising star, Andres “Savage” Cortes (17-0, 10 KOs), squares off against Abraham Montoya (20-3, 14 KOs), this Saturday, August 13, 2022, at the Resorts World Las Vegas. Cortes vs. Montoya, an 8-round bout, will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+.

Teofimo Lopez (16-1, 12 KOs), the former unified and lineal lightweight champion, will face Mexican veteran Pedro “Roca” Campa (34-1-1, 23 KOs), in the 10-round main event. Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $40 are on sale now and can be purchased at Etix.com.

Cortes, who is riding an impressive 3-fight knockout streak, talks about his recent training camp, his matchup with Montoya, and more.

On his recent training camp in Las Vegas:

“This has been one of my better camps. The sparring we got was very tough. I was in there with many different styles, guys that can bang and guys that can box. My strength and conditioning is right on point and I feel stronger going into this fight. These final days of cutting weight will be smooth because of all the hard work I put in this camp.”

On his matchup with Abraham Montoya:

“Montoya is a very tough opponent who has never been stopped. He’s been in the ring with some notable names, so I know he has the mental capacity to fight under the bright lights. I will have to make the proper adjustments to get him out of there. I’m prepared to go the distance, but the goal will be to knock him out.”

On what a win will do for his career:

“A victory against Montoya will put me in position to fight a big name and catapult me into 10-round bouts. The super featherweight division stacked with talent and a win gets me closer to fight them all. In due time I’ll be knocking on the door of a world title shot, which is the ultimate goal at the end of the day.”

On fighting at home in Las Vegas:

“Fighting on this card means a lot to me because I have so many of my family and friends that will be in attendance watching. My last three fights have been knockouts, with the last two being here in Vegas. I looking to keep this knockout streak alive here in my hometown. I want to thank my promoter Top Rank for putting me on this card.”




Ramirez Decisions Pedraza

In a battle of former world champions, Jesus Ramirez won a 12-round unanimous decision over Jose Pedraza in a junior welterweight bout at The Save Mart Center in Fresno, California.

It was a tactical fight with Ramirez looking to push forward, while Pedraza was getting in good work while working off the back foot and countering. In round, nine, the right eye of Pedraza began to swell.

Ramirez landed 133 of 554 punches; Pedraza was 110 of 586.

Ramirez, 139.8 lbs of Avenal, CA won by scores of 116-112 on all cards and is now 27-1. Pedraza140 lbs of Cidra, PR is 29-4.

Ramirez said, “Jose Pedraza is a smart, experienced fighter. He was going to find a way to survive and put up a fight. He was there boxing towards the end of the fight.  My hat’s off to him and his team. He was well-prepared. It was a great fight. I got to see where I am right now.

“I’m going to go back, work and stay focused and stay active. That’s one thing that’s affected me these last couple of years. I’ve trained so many times for a little bit of fights. My inactivity, my discouragement throughout training camps, it really took a big toll on me. I’m ready to stay active and stay motivated. There’s a lot of really great fighters coming up to 140. There’s a lot of really good fighters at 140 right now.”

Torrez Jr. stops Melson in 2

2021 U.S. Olympic Silver Medal winner, Richard Torrez Jr. made a successful pro debut as he stopped Allen Melson in round two of their six-round heavyweight bout

In round one, Torrez dropped Melson in the corner with a little combination. Melson’s nose began to bleed. Torrez began to bleed badly over his left eye from a clash of heads. In round two, Torrez dropped Melson with a straight left. the fight ended when Torrez dropped Melson with a left after a furious exchange, and the fight was stopped at 1:23.

Torrez, 228.2 lbs of Tulure, CA is 1-0 with one knockout. Melson, 201.8 lbs of Alabama is 6-4.

Torrez said, “After the cut, I knew I had to get back to basics, and that’s what I did. I made sure to avoid additional head clashes, and I got the job done in the second.
 
“Sure, the cut is frustrating, but I’m not going to let it ruin the celebration. What a night. It was everything I’d hoped it would be.
 
“I didn’t know what to expect. I wanted to make a good first impression, especially in front of my home fans. They brought the energy, and I fed off the energy they gave me. The Central Valley is home, and I am proud to represent my people.”

Gonzalez stops Santisima in 9

Joet Gonzalez stopped Jeo Santisima in round nine of a scheduled 10-round featherweight bout of former world title challengers.

In round eight, Samtisima started to swell under his right eye. In round nine, Gonzalez landed a couple of right hands and the fight was stopped at 2:05.

Gonzalez, 125.8 lbs of Glendora, CA is now 25-2 with 15 knockouts. Santisima, 125.2 lbs of the Philippines is 21-4.

Gabriel Flores Jr. gutted out a 10-round majority decision over Abraham Montoya in a junior lightweight bout.

Flores looked good early, but seemed to tire in the middle rounds and started eating flush punches. Flores was better in the final frame.

Flores landed 177 of 503 punches; Montoya was 174 of 597.

Flores, 131.6 lbs of Stockton, CA won by scores of 96-94 twice and 95-95 and is now 21-1. Montoya, 131.8 lbs of Mexicali, MEX is 20-3-1.

Hector Tanajara and Miguel Contreras fought to an eight-round split draw in a lightweight bout.

Tanajara won a card 78-84, Contreras took a card 77-75 and a third card was even at 76-76.

Tanajara, 135 lbs of San Antonio, TX is 19-1-1. Contreras, 134.2 lbs of Bakersfield, CA is 11-1-1.

Karlos Balderas stopped Aelio Medquita in round two of a scheduled six-round lightweight bout.

Seconds into the bout, Balderas landed a big right hand that sent Mesquita down for a knockdown. Towards the end of the round, it was another right that sent Mesquita to the deck for a 2nd time. In round two, Balderas landed another right sent Mesquita down and the fight was over at 38 seconds.

Balderas, 134.2 lbs of Santa Maria, CA is 12-1 with 11 knockouts. Mesquita, 131.2 lbs of Guajua, BRA is 20-7-1.

Javier Martinez remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Donte Stubbs in a middleweight bout.

In round two, Stubbs began to bleed from his nose. In round three, Stubbs dropped Martinez with a straight right.

Martinez, 161.8 lbs of Milwaukee, WI won by scores of 59-56 and 58-55 twice and is now 6-0. Stubbs, 163 lbs of Riverside, CA is 6-4.

Charlie Sheehy remained undefeated with an opening round stoppage over previously undefeated Johnny Bernal in a scheduled four-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Sheehy rocked Bernal with a hard right and followed up with another hard right that sent Bernal into the ropes for a knockdown. Sheehy hurt Bernal again with a left hook. Sheehy then landed a vicious combination that forced a referee stoppage at 2:33.

Sheehy, 134.2 lbs of Brisbane, CA is 2-0 with two knockouts. Bernal, 135 lbs of Denver, CO is 2-1.

6’9″ Antonio Mireles remained perfect as he stopped previously undefeated Brandon Hughes in round two of their scheduled four-round heavyweight bout.

In round one, Mireles landed a perfect jab-straight left that sent Hughes down on his face. Moments later it was another straight left that put Hughes down just before the end of the round. In round two, Mireles landed a big left hand that hurt Hughes and the fight was stopped just as Hughes hit the canvas at 1:04.

Mireles, 259.4 lbs of Des Moines, IA is 3-0 with three knockouts. Hughes, 282.4 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is 2-1




March 4: Gabriel Flores Jr.-Abraham Montoya Junior Lightweight Showdown Added to Ramirez-Pedraza Card at Fresno’s Save Mart Center LIVE on ESPN+

FRESNO, Calif. (Jan. 27, 2022) — Gabriel Flores Jr. is aiming for a fresh start in Fresno. The 21-year-old junior lightweight hopes to bounce back from his first career defeat in a 10-round bout against Mexican veteran Abraham Montoya on Friday, March 4 at Save Mart Center.

Flores and Montoya will do battle underneath the junior welterweight main event between former unified champion Jose Ramirez and two-weight world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza. The entire Ramirez-Pedraza card will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+. 

“The mission I’m on is personal, and I will be a world champion,” Flores said. “I am more motivated than ever, and I will have answers for whatever Montoya brings.”

Flores (20-1, 7 KOs), who hails from Stockton, California, will have a sizable cheering section make the roughly two-hour drive to Fresno. Last September in Tucson, Arizona, he suffered his first career defeat, a one-sided unanimous decision loss to Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez. Flores showed his mettle over 10 rounds, fighting back in the face of Lopez’s relentless onslaught. Signed by Top Rank as a 16-year-old, Flores was flawless throughout the first four-plus years of his pro career. In February 2020, he became only the second man to knock out Puerto Rican contender Jayson Velez.

Montoya (20-2-1, 14 KOs), from Mexicali, Mexico, is an eight-year pro with a knack for upsetting undefeated prospects. In March 2018, he bested Luis Alberto Lopez (12-0 at the time) by split decision. Last February, he upset undefeated prospect Alejandro Guerrero by majority decision. He has won two fights since a November 2019 decision defeat to top contender Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov.

Flores Jr. vs. Montoya joins a packed undercard that includes featherweight contender Joet Gonzalez (24-2, 14 KOs) against Jeo Santisima (21-3, 18 KOs) in a 10-rounder, the six-round heavyweight professional debut of U.S. Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr., rising junior lightweight Karlos Balderas (11-1, 10 KOs) in an eight-rounder, lightweight prospect Charlie Sheehy (1-0, 1 KO) in a four-rounder, 6’9 heavyweight Antonio “El Gigante” Mireles (2-0, 2 KOs) in a four-rounder, and middleweight prospect Javier “Milwaukee Made” Martinez (5-0, 2 KOs) in a six-rounder.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $36 are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com.

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Bocachica decisions Reyes Jr.

Janelson Figueroa Bocachica won a 10-round majority decision over Mark Reyes Jr. in a battle of undefeated welterweights at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

It was a close fight with Bocachica trying to take the lead while Reyes was looking to counter.

The closeness of the fight was evident by the punch stats that saw Bocachica landing 156 of 579 punches; Reyes was 158 of 579.

Bocachica, 146 1/2 lbs of Detroit won by scores of 97-93, 96-94 and 95-95 and is now 17-0. Reyes, 147 lbs of Tampa, FL is 14-1.

“I felt like I had a unanimous decision but I just need to go back and watch the tape,” said the 22-year-old Bocachica. “I felt like it was an easy victory and I took him to school.”

“He had a short temper and he came out talking trash so you know I had to talk my trash back,” continued Bocachica. “But it was all part of the game plan to get him emotional in the ring and it worked in my advantage.”

“I don’t disagree with the scorecards tonight,” said Reyes, who became the 196th fighter to lose their undefeated record on ShoBox. “I obviously could have done more to win but it was a close fight nonetheless. I just have to go back to drawing board and train harder. I need to execute things a little bit better during the preparation for my fight. I can’t take anything away from the judges.”

Shishkin Decision Agbeko

Vlaidimir Shishkin won a 10-round unanimous decision over Sena Agbeko in a super middleweight fight.

In round two, Shishkin started to bleed around his left eye. It was from a punch, and the cut worsened as the fight went on, but Shishkin was the more effective fighter and won by scores of 100-90 twice and 98-92.

Shishkin landed 222 of 596 punches; Agbeko was 109 of 555.

Shishkin, 169 lbs of Oak Park, MI is now 12-0. Agbeko, 168 3/4 lbs of Nashville, TN is 23-2.

“I did have to overcome adversity tonight with the cut,” said the Russian Shishkin, who fought for the first time under new trainer L.J. Harrison. “But I have been cut many times in my career so I was able to deal with it. It affected me a little bit but that’s boxing.

“It was good to go the distance. I felt like I got a lot of good work in tonight and learned some things. I will improve a lot because of this fight and fix my mistakes. I am ready for a big fight after this.”

Montoya Decisions Guerrero

Abraham Montoya won an eight-round majority decision over previously undefeated Alejandro Guerrero in a lightweight bout.

Montoya landed 268 of 1000 punches; Guerrero was 198 of 623.

Montoya, 135 lbs of Mexicali. MEX won by scores of 79-73, 77-75 and 76-76 and is now 20-2-1. Guerrero, 135 lbs of Houston, TX is 12-1.

“I felt great tonight and it was all because my physical trainer Raul Franco got me in shape for this fight,” said Montoya. “He is the reason I was able to throw so many punches tonight. I felt I could have kept that pace for 10 or 12 rounds if I had to.

“I felt good at lightweight and didn’t have to worry about my weight but I am definitely moving back down to super featherweight. I only moved up for this opportunity. I felt I would have knocked him out at super featherweight.”