Emanuel Navarrete retained the WBO Junior Lightweight title with a controversial technical unanimous decision over Charly Suarez at The Pachanga Arena in San Diego, California.

In round one, Suarez started to bleed from the nose after Navarrete landed a straight right. In round four, Suarez was cut over the right eye from an accidental headbutt. In round six, Navarrete suffered a horrendous looking cut over his left eye from an accidental headbutt. Replays showed that it was a clean left hand from Suarez that caused the cut.

The doctor checked the cut to begin the seventh frame. The doctor then stopped the fight as the eighth bell rang.

When they went to the scorecards, Navarrete won by scores of 78-75 and 77-75 twice.

Navarrete, 130 lbs of San Juan, Mexico needed six tries to make the championship weight limit is now 40-2-1. Suarez, 129.9 lbs of Sawata, PHL is 18-1.

Muratalla Decisions Abdullaev; Wins Interim Lightweight Belt

Raymod Muratalla won the IBF Interim Lightweight Title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Zaur ABdullaev.

Muratalla landed 140 of 533 punches; Abdullawv was 87 of 352.

Abdullaev, 134.4 lbs of Fontana, CA won by scores of 119-109 twice and 118-110 and is now 23-0. Abdullaev, 134.6 lbs of Russia is 20-2.

The full champion is Vasiliy Lomachenlko. Lomachecko has not defended his title due to a back injury,

Andres Cortes remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Salvador Jimenez in a junior lightweight bout.

Cortes landed 120 of 501 punches. Jimenez was 63 0r 253.

Cortes, 131.7 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 100-90 twice and 99-91 and is now 23-0. Jimenez, 131.9 lbs of Spain is 14-2-1.

Giovani Santillan won a 10-round unanimous decision over Angel Beltran in a welterweight fight.

Santillan, 147.2 lbs of San Diego won by scores of 97-93 on all cards and is now 34-1. Beltran, 146.6 lbs of Mexicali. MEX is 18-3.

Perla Bazaldua won a four-round unanimous decision over Mona Ward in a junior bantamweight fight.

Bazaldua, 114.4 lbs of Los Angeles won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 2-0. Ward, 114.1 lbs of Saint Louis is 0-2.

Alan Garcia won an eight-round unanimous decision over Cristian Medina in a lightweight contest.

Garcia, 136.7 lbs of Ulysses, KS won by scores of 79-73 on all cards and is now 16-1. Medina, 136.7 lbs of Unaipan, MEX is 8-3-1.

Sebastian Hernandez remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Azat Hovhannisyan in a junior featherweight bout.

In round nine, Hovhannisyan was docked a point for holding.

Hernandez, 122 lbs of Tijuana, MEX won by scores of 98-91 on all cards and is now 20-0. Hovhannisyan, 122.7 lbs of Terovan, ARM is 21-6.

SAN DIEGO (April 14, 2025) — Junior lightweight contender Andres “Savage” Cortes resumes his quest for a world title shot against Spain’s Salvador Jimenez in a pivotal 10-rounder on Saturday, May 10, at Pechanga Arena San Diego. Cortes, a Las Vegas native, is ranked No. 5 in the world by the WBO.

Cortes-Jimenez tops undercard action before a high-octane doubleheader featuring Emanuel Navarrete’s WBO junior lightweight world title defense against Charly Suarez and the interim IBF lightweight title showdown between Raymond Muratalla and Zaur Abdullaev.
 
Navarrete-Suarez and Muratalla-Abdullaev will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. 
 
Cortes-Jimenez, the previously announced welterweight fight between San Diego’s Giovani Santillan and Angel Beltran, and the rest of the undercard will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+. Promoted by Top Rank, tickets are ON SALE NOW via AXS.com.

“I’m back and ready to show everyone why I’m still a force at junior lightweight,” Cortes said. “I’m looking for a title shot this year, and it all starts on May 10 when I put on a great performance against Jimenez.”
 
Cortes (22-0, 12 KOs) was riding a wave of momentum after knocking out Xavier Martinez and Bryan Chevalier in consecutive fights. Last June, he edged former world champion Abraham Nova by unanimous decision in a verdict that had ringside observers split. Cortes and Suarez were scheduled to fight in an ESPN co-feature last September before Cortes suffered a training injury. He now turns his focus to Jimenez (14-1-1, 6 KOs), a former Spanish and European Union champion who has never been knocked out. Jimenez is coming off a decision defeat to Ryan Garner in March for the European and WBC International titles.
 
In other scheduled undercard action:

• Rising featherweight Albert “Chop Chop” Gonzalez (13-0, 7 KOs) looks to earn his second win in as many months when he takes on Jose Guardado (16-3-1, 6 KOs) in a 10-rounder. Gonzalez won a workmanlike decision over Australia’s Dana Coolwell on April 5 in Las Vegas. Guardado, from Ensenada, Mexico, is a six-year pro who fell via seventh-round TKO to Robson Conceição on a Top Rank on ESPN card in April 2024.
   
• Lightweight Alan “Kid Kansas” Garcia (15-1, 11 KOs) fights Mexico’s Cristian Medina Garcia (8-2-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder. After suffering a stunning one-punch knockout at the hands of Ricardo Fernandez last September, Garcia returned to winning ways in February with a six-round decision over Juan Centeno.
   
• Emerging Mexican junior featherweight contender Sebastian “Logan” Hernandez (19-0, 18 KOs) battles former world title challenger Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan (21-5, 17 KOs) in a can’t-miss eight-rounder. Hovhannisyan is coming off a competitive decision loss to Alan Picasso, while Hernandez is riding a 17-fight KO streak.
   
• Sammy Contreras (1-0, 1 KO) makes a rapid return against an opponent to be named in a four-rounder at junior welterweight. The 14-time national amateur champion turned pro on April 5 with a first-round stoppage of Robert Jimenez.
   
• Top Rank’s newest SoCal sensation, Perla Bazaldua (1-0, 1 KO), makes her promotional debut in a four-round junior bantamweight bout against Saint Louis native Mona Ward (0-1).
   
• Briana Carrera (3-0, 1 KO), a big-punching junior welterweight, will make her Top Rank on ESPN debut in a four-rounder against fellow unbeaten Kacey Wheeler (2-0, 2 KOs). Carrera, a native of Arlington, Texas, was a top amateur before turning pro last May with a first-round knockout over Jessie Clark.

# # #

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Knockout is the first word in the second chapter to Jamie Munguia’s career.

It sums up what he hopes to do.

It defines the promotional plans Top Rank has for him.

The KO was authored and patiently executed by Munguia in his first fight, post-Canelo, against an unknown, yet skilled Eric Bazinyan Friday in front of a roaring crowd of about 6,500 at Desert Diamond Arena.

In a super-middleweight fight full of twists and turns, ebbs and flows, a bigger and quicker Munguia finally delivered the final word with a succession of punches that left an exhausted Bazinyan on all fours, looking exhausted and beaten late in the 10th. He was finished, a loser by KO at 2:36 of the round.

“It was a great experience,’’ Munguia (44-1, 35 KOs) said in a tone that suggested he anticipates even greater ones in  a career that is just entering its prime.

It was also a victory that put him one fight beyond his last one, a scorecard loss to fellow Mexican Canelo Alvarez. There were questions about how the 27-year-old Munguia would respond to the loss to boxing’s  so-called Face of the Game.

Would he be tentative?

Would he be over-anxious?

No. 

And no.

Munguia’s evident poise was very much intact against Bazinyan (32-1-1, 23 KOs), an Armenian living in Canada. Bazinyan tested Munguia repeatedly in the middle round. 

“I felt like I was winning,’’ Bazinyan said.  “I felt he was very frustrated with my jab, right hand, and counters. He was getting tired. All of a sudden, I got caught. I don’t know what happened there.”

Munguia rocked him in the sixth, seventh and eighth. Each time, it looked as if Munguia was about to take control. But the well-conditioned Bazinyan came charging back, repeatedly rocking him with a solid right hands that he threw behind a consistently accurate jab.

A tentative Munguia would not have known how to respond. An overanxious Munguia would have rushed in and perhaps walked right into knockout blow. But Munguia carefully measured his punches and perhaps his energy, all in an effort to score a KO he had to envision in a comeback from his lone loss.

What’s next? Predictably, Munguia, a quiet fighter from Tijuana, wouldn’t be specific. He was asked about about the Top Rank-promoted Christian M’billi. He was asked by Caleb Plant, who is coming off a bruising victory over Trevor McCumby.

Then, he was asked by Edgar Berlanga, who lost a one-sided decision to Canelo at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena last Saturday.

“If I had to pick, I’d pick Berlanga,’’ he said.

Sounds like that one could produce the second word in that second chapter. 

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Torrez stays unbeaten, Dawejko’s mouthpiece gets him DQed

Richard Torrez Jr. threw most of the punches in a fight dominated by his movement and Joey Dawejko’s mouthpiece.

In the end, it was the mouthpiece that proved to be decisive.

In a heavyweight fight with no knockdowns, Dawejko’s mouthpiece hit the canvas five times. The fifth time resulted in his disqualification in the fifth round of the final fight before the main event, a super-middleweight clash between Jaime Munguia and Eric Bazinyan Friday night in front of an estimated crowd of 7,000 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale Arena.

The DQ will go down as a victory for Torrez, pushing the prospect’s unbeaten record to 11-0 with 10 knockouts.

“Joey was a vet, just like I said,” Torrez said.  “He didn’t give up. That mouthpiece came out a little too much. That’s a veteran move, but at the end of the day, congratulations to him. He put up a good fight.

“I think we were able to show more boxing ability that I was telling you about.”

Torrez was clearly on his way to victory with quick hands and agile feet. On The Boxing Hour’s card, he won the first three rounds easily. He was winning the fourth, too, when Dawejko’s mouthpiece began to dominate the round. Referee Wes Melton picked it up once, twice and then a third time. That’s when he issued his first one-point penalty. A fourth time resulted in a second one-point penalty  for Dawejko (28-12-4  16 KOs), a Philadelphia roofer when not in the ring.

In the fifth, Melton had seen enough of Dawejko’s mouthpiece and the fight. He waved off the fight at 2:02 of the round.

El General marches on to another battle won

In the opening bout of the ESPN+ telecast “El General” Emiliano Vargas 11-0(9Kos) of Las Vegas, NV faces “Lethal” Larry Fryers 13-6-1(5Kos) of Clones, Ireland. Coming in the fight Larry made a bold prediction stating he was going to knock out Vargas in the 5th round. Missing majority of the year Larry is making his 2024 debut looking to mirror 2023 were he went undefeated in his 2 matches. Fans made sure to be in their seats prior to the start of this one. As most AZ fight fans are very familiar with Vargas, this will make it his fourth time fighting in front of them at the Desert Diamond Arena. It also does not hurt that he comes to fight which make him a fan friendly fighter. In a town known for fighter such as the legend Micheal Carbajal, Jose Benavidez jr, and David Benavidez AZ loves to see in all out war. The El “General” has the perfect tactics to keep them happy and on the edge of their seats.

In the opening round emiliano came out with a combo of a left and right to the head of Fryers which caught him by surprise and stunned. Vargas did not let up from the punishment landing at will knocking back Fryers to ropes with a series of jabs. More importantly Vargas was showing off his defense with great footwork and head movement, making his opponent miss many of his punches.

Focusing on the body in round 2 Vargas landed some vicious body shots to the right of fryers ribs. As the round came to an end at the sound of the 10 second mark, Vargas lands a straight left hand wobbling fryers to the ropes with a few significant punches following. Best exchange of the fight to this point

Larry has no answer for Emiliano’s left hook to the head nor to the body. Just as you think Fryers is done he comes back with a punch of his own but no damage being done. As a repeat of the previous round Vargas came with a late rally hurting Larry to the point if there was more time the referee might had to save him.

In the mid point of the fifth round Vargas landed 2 perfect body shots to set up the furious knock out punch a over hand left hook ending the night for Lethal Larry Fryers. The stoppage come at 1:38 of the fifth round.

Emiliano stated that this is his best performance to date and will enjoy crumbl cookies for his hard work. Vargas is showing that he can knockout out his opponents but now adding that he can make them miss as well. The prediction of a 5th round KO was right just the fighter who said it was not. Emiliano “El General” Vargas improves to 12-0(10KOs).

Charly Suarez scores third-round stoppage

Speed is power and Filipino junior-lightweight Charly Suarez proved it repeatedly in overwhelming Jorge Castaneda in the final bout before the ESPN telecast Friday of the card featuring Jaimie Munguia-Erik Bazinyan Friday at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale AZ.

Suarez (18-0, 10 KOs) dropped Castaneda (17-4, 13 KOs), of Laredo TX, twice in the third round, finishing him at 2:23 of the third for a fringe World Boxing Organization belt.

Not in Kansas anymore

Alan “Kid Kansas” Garcia 14-0(11KOs) from Ulysses, Kansas took on Ricardo Fernandez 15-13(1KO) from Santa Cruz de la sierra, Bolivia in a scheduled 8 round bout. Garcia is coming off a very short break just fighting a little over a month ago when he KOd his opponent in 3 rounds. Coming into this fight should not be nothing new to “Kid Kansas” this past year fighting on average every 2 months, each time taking care of business

Coming to the ring paying homage to Mexico wear the colors of the flag Green, white, and red  during Hispanic heritage month. As the action started Garcia quickly Established the jab, connecting flush on his opponent’s face.

Picking up the activity in the 2nd utilizing more of his arsenal going to the body more often. Towards the end of the round Garcia briefing stunned Fernandez with a left hook to his right temple.

Settling down for the start of the 3rd  Garcia again picked it up carrying all the action as his dance partner did not come out to tangle. Very solid round for Kid Kansas as he did a little of everything  head shots, body shots and movement in the ring

Sensing he has nothing to lose Fernandez came out his Corner swinging, throwing as many punches as all of the previous rounds combine. That was short lived as Garcia took control of the fight once again simply out boxing Fernandez

Garcias body  shots have been landing effectively throughout the fight so far. In a wild turn of event with 45 seconds left in the 5th round Garcia left his guard down and was caught with a powerful right over hand. Before even hitting the canvass Garcia was out, unfortunately his head bounced off the mat. Not being able to get up the referee stops the fight at 35 seconds left in the fifth round.

This is a huge upset for top prospect Alan Garcia, maybe all those miles he put on his body this year is what failed him tonight. There is still a very bright future for Kid Kansas. In his post fight interview Fernandez stated that he was not surprised of the knockout and he knew that he was not getting up. Fernandez improves to 16-13(2KOs) while Garcia suffered his first defeat now at 14-1(11KOs)—-By David Galaviz

DJ Zamora wins decision in tough junior-lightweight bout 

DJ Zamora calls himself The War Machine. 

He got the war. 

Got the victory, too.

Zamora (14-0, 9 KOs), a junior-lightweight from Las Vegas, won a unanimous decision, yet was forced into an intense battle during the middle to late rounds of a scheduled eight-rounder by Argentine Gerenardo Antonio Perez (12-6-1, 3 KOs) Friday on a card featuring Munguia-Bazinyan at Desert Diamond Arena Friday.

Zamora’s superior reach and hand speed controlled the early rounds. In the fourth, however, Perez adjusted, slipped under Zamora’s long  punches and landed repeated uppercuts in a bout cheered by a small, yet lively crowd. 

Unbeaten Steven Navarro scores third-round TKO

Steven Navarro, an unbeaten Super Flyweight from Los Angeles, combined power and speed for a two-fisted demolition of Oscar Arroyo in the third fight — all one-sided — Friday on the card featuring Jaime Munguia-Eric Bazinyan at Glendale’s Desert Diamond Arena.

Navarro (4-0, 3 KOs) overwhelmed Arroyo (3-3, 2 KOs), of Virginia, knocking him down twic , once in the first round and again in the second. Late in third, Navarro unleashed a succession of punches from countless angles, prompting the referee to step in and end it at 2:35 of the round.  

Jorge Perez scores first-round KO

ia Essaoudi walked into the ring, answered an opening bell and had to be helped through ropes and into his dressing forty-six seconds later.

It was quick work, all delivered by Mexican middleweight Jorge Perez (31-4, 26 KOs) in the second fight on a card featuring Munguia-Bazinyan at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, a Phoenix suburb.

Perez, of Los Mochis, landed a lethal hook to Essaoudi’s left side. Essaoudi (22-3, 15 KOs), of Germany, reacted as if he had suffered a fractured rib. In evident pain, he dropped his hands. Then, Perez landed a head-rockincombo. At :46 of the first round, it was over — Perez, winner by knockout.

First Bell: Unbeaten Sebastian Hernandez forces aging foe to quit 

It was a matinee surrender.

The ESPN show featuring Jaime Munguia-Erik Bazinyan opened Friday at Desert Diamond Arena with junior-featherweight  Sebastian Hernandez (17-0, 16 KOs), of Tijuana, landing punches at will against a retreating Yenfrez Parejo (24-7-1, 12 KOs) a middle-aged Venezuelan with a receding hair line. 

Parejo’s age was listed  at 37-years-old. By the third, he looked 50. After the fourth, he was finished, a senior citizen who couldn’t continue.