Ryan Garcia came back from a 160month layoff to drop and take a 12-round unanimous decision over Emmanuel Tagoe at The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
In round two, Garcia dropped Tagoe in with an uppercut. Garcia was able to control the ring as he used his size to hurt Tagoe several more times that had the Ghanaian holding on several more times.
Garcia landed 165 of 599 punches; Tagoe was 90 of 391.
Garcia, 138.8 lbs of Victorville, CA won by scores of 119-108 twice and 118-109 and is now 22-0. Tagoe, 138.2 lbs of Accra, GHA is 32-2.
“He was making it difficult for me to end it,” said Ryan Garcia. “He was crafty with the holding, and I was trying to get him off me, and he was moving a lot; it was a new experience. I think I have to cut the ring off better with a guy who will keep moving all 12 rounds. I made sure to get him in the body a lot and used my left hook to hurt him. I have a lot of love for San Antonio. It was great that after a year and a half layoff, I was received by such a great crowd. It’s a blessing. I wanted to knock him out, but he was very crafty. At the moment, I could feel like I hurt him, but he really can take a punch.”
“First of all I want to thank my team,” said Emmanuel Tagoe. “I know the reason why I lost. I didn’t throw my right arm. He came forward but I couldn’t get any points from pushing. I think I’m going to go home and sit down with my team. Ryan Garcia is a good boxer.”
Shane Mosley Jr. Decisions Gabriel Rosado
Shane Mosley Jr. scored the biggest win of his career by winning a 10-round majority decision over former world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in a super middleweight fight.
Mosey landed 172 of 600 punches; Rosado was 124 of 517.
Mosley dominated the action, and rocked Rosado several times as he took the cards by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 95-95.
Mosley, 167 lbs of Pomona, CA is 18-4. Rosado, 167.8 lbs of Philadelphia 26-15-1.
“They know who I am now,” said Shane Mosley, Jr. “Gabriel is a great champ. We have to see what’s available. Right now 168 is tied up. Canelo has all the belts. Unless he vacates or fights someone else. I mean who’s going to turn down Canelo. I moved to 168 for the opportunity.”
Marlen Esparza Unifies Flyweight Titles
Marlen Esparza retained her WBC and captured the WBA Flyweight title with a tough 10-round unanimous decision over Nakoka Fujioka.
Esparza landed 120 of 436 punches; Fujioka was 107 of 418.
Esparza, 111.4 lbs of Houston, TX won by scores of 100-90 twice and 97-93 to go to 12-1. The 100-90 scores were much wider then the fight was as Fujioka won several rounds clearly. Fujioka, 111.6 lbs of Tokyo, JAP is 19-3-1.
“I thought it was a really good performance considering how hard she brings it,” said Marlen Esparza. “She’s a very seasoned fighter, she’s a world champion. I’m proud we did everything we practiced, me and my couch James Cooper. We really executed well and we expected it to go that way. You don’t know what a world champion can bring. We had to be patient and see what she had to bring to the table. It wasn’t tough because of the punches but more because she was smothering. I’m really just grateful I could have this experience not only for womens’ boxing but for my fans and really solidify the division. I really want the next two belts. ‘La Bonita’ from Argentina is the one I want, but I have to let my team decide what’s next. I’m happy for the future.”
Hovhannisyan stops Aguero in 2
Azat Havhannisyan stopped Dagoberto Aguero in round two of a scheduled 10-round featherweight fight,
In round two, Aguero came shot out of a cannon, but Hovhannisyan was able to drop Aguero with a hard right. Aguero was hurt and was sent to the canvas again with a huge flurry. With Aguero on rubbery legs, Hovhannisyan rocked Aguero several more times until the fight was stopped at 1:11.
Hovhannisyan, 124.2 lbs of Los Angeles is 21-3 with 17 knockouts. Aguero, 122.8 lbs of San Cristobal, DR is 15-2.
“I was planning on escalating the fight as it went on,” said Azat Hovhannisyan. “That was just the second round pace. I was warming up. When I landed the first body shot I knew I was going to hurt him.”
The scheduled 10-round super middleweight bout between Patrick Teixeira and Paul Valenzuela ended bizarrely as the fight was waved off in round two after Teixeira hit Valenzuela in the back of the head twice and Teixeira was disqualified.
The two punches looked to barely hit the head, yet Valenzuela reacted like the punches landed very hard and he could not continue.
Valenzuela, 168.4 lbs of Santa Rosalia, MEX is 27-11. Teixeira, 162.4 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is 31-3.
In a battle of undefeated featherweights, Katsuma Akitsugi won a a eight-round unanimous decision over Gregory Morales.
Akitsugi, 125.4 lbs of Hollywood, CA won by scores of 80-2 twice and 78-74 and is 9-0. Morales, 125.8 lbs of San Antonio, TX is 13-1.
“I want to thank my trainer and my sponsor,” said Katsuma Akitsugi. “ I’ve been through a lot and they helped me be more focused. I’m always training hard, no days off. So when they call me I don’t lose my opportunity.”
Tristan Kalkreuth scored a spectacular second-round stoppage over former world title challenger Santander Silgado in a six-round heavyweight bout.
In round two, Kalkreuth landed a booming right that sent Silgado down on his back for the 10-count at
Kalkreuth, 219.4 lbs of Duncanville, TX is 9-1 with seven knockouts. Silgado, 242 lbs of Panama City, PAN is 30-12.
“I’m very blessed to be here and be back where I am,” said Tristan Kalkreuth. “It’s a lot of emotions right now. I felt good. I was anxious and a little nervous. I’ve been out of the ring for 8 months. I was curious to see how my arm would feel. I went in and threw a right hand, it felt 100.
George Rincon remained undefeated with a10-round unanimous decision over Alejandro Frias in a welterweight bout.
In round two, Rincon scored a knockdown.
In round eight Rincon was cut on his forehead from a head butt. Frias was deducted a point for that.
Rincon, 138.4 lbs of Dallas, TX won by scores of 96-91 twice and 98-89, and is now 13-0. Frias, 141 lbs of Tepic, MX is 13-6-2.
“That was obviously my toughest fight to date,” said George Rincon. He was a very rugged fighter, I knew that coming into the fight. But this experience is only going to make me better. I was able to identify things that I still have to work on.”
Hector Valdez Jr. remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Daniel Moncada in a super bantamweight fight.
In round three, Valdez was cut on his hairline.
In round five, Valdez was credited with a knockdown after landing a left hook that put Moncada on the canvas. In round six, Moncada was bleeding over his left eye.
Valdez, 121 lbs of Dallas, TX won by scores of 80-71, 79-72 and 78-73 and is now 15-0. Moncada, 121.8 lbs of Mexico City is 15-6-2.
“I feel really rusty,” said Hector Valdez Jr. “ I think I could’ve taken him out if I trained more. It’s the first fight in over a year. I hurt him but he was really crafty to get in and hit him. There were punches there but as soon as I threw them he would move a little and they would go off course.”
Santos Ortega remained undefeated with a second-round stoppage over Jesus Martinez in a scheduled six-round featherweight bout
In Round two, Martinez was cut over his right eye. Seconds later, Ortega landed a hard combination in the corner the sent Martinez down. Martinez tried to get up but was counted out.
Ortega, 125.8 lbs of Sacramento, CA is 7-0 with three knockouts. Martinez, 124.4 lbs of Hollywood, FL is 30-16-1.
“This is probably the best and strongest I’ve ever felt,” said Santos Ortega. “I was praying everything went good. He was waiting for that overhand and I was too. I knew I had him hurt with a right hand and I just went in. I knew he was done, I felt it.
