LAS VEGAS — Keep coming back for updated undercard results, from ringside.
In the opening bout of the evening, local Las Vegas kid Yosmani Abreu (2-2) won a unanimous decision over Los Angeles, Calif.’s Marcus Robinson (4-2) in a four-round welterweight bout. Robinson was on the retreat for most of the bout, following a surprisingly strong opening round from Abreu, who pressed the action throughout. This fight featured a fair amount of action early on but faded as the two fighters slowed dramatically after the first two rounds. Scores were 39-37 three times.
In an entertaining four-round heavyweight scrap, Razvan Cojanu (2-1) of Voinesti, Romania got back into the win column by scoring a unanimous decision win over Rodney Hernandez (1-1, KO) of San Jose, Calif. The bout featured lots of back and forth with Cojanu doing great work upstairs and Hernandez doing most of his damage to the body. In a wild 4th round, Cojanu seemed to have Hernandez out on his feet, who rallied later in the round to nearly stop Cojanu with a fierce body attack. Both fighters barely made it to the final bell with Cojanu earning the win by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice, much to the disdain of the crowd.
Welterweight prospect Javier Molina (10-1, 4 KOs) of Norwalk, Calif. took a pedestrian unanimous decision over game but outclassed Albert Herrera (8-5-1, 5 KOs) of Riverside, Calif. in a six-round bout. Molina dropped Herrera early in round 1 with an overhand right and then took his foot off the gas. At times, Molina was content to allow Herrera to dictate the pace of the action, forcing an ugly fight on the inside. Molina was able to cut short the rally of Herrera and won the 6th round big en route to a final tally of 59-54 and 58-55 twice in his favor.
In the opening televised bout, promising junior bantamweight Matt Villanueva (7-0-1, 7 KOs) of Burbank, Calif. broke down Fresno, Calif.’s Michael Ruiz, Jr. (8-2-1, 3 KOs) via 7th round technical knockout. Ruiz showed good movement but was just much too small for Villanueva, who was able to hurt Ruiz nearly everytime he landed. In round 2, a series of straight power shots put Ruiz down for a count. Ruiz was able to make it through the round and rebounded, showing signs of life midway through the fight when the technique of Villanueva began to fade. Still, Ruiz would defend himself well for long stretches of time only to get staggered when Villanueva would finally find the mark. Ruiz was game, always trying to land the big shot. After nearly seven lopsided rounds, Ruiz was again dazed by a wicked left hand. Villanueva followed up with a barrage of punches before referee Russell Mora waved it off at 1:04.
Though it wasn’t part of your originally scheduled programming, Joel Diaz Jr.’s 7th round stoppage of Guy Robb in the televised co-feature was a pleasant surprise. A late substitution to the card when middleweight Brandon Gonzales pulled out of his fight a week prior, Diaz-Robb was greenlit to take its place. The two went after each other from the opening bell and both California-based lightweights saw the canvas at least once. Diaz (7-0, 6 KOs), of Los Angeles, dusted himself off the canvas in the 2nd round to rally back and drop Sacramento’s Robb (7-1, 3 KOs) twice in the3rd. Referee Vic Drakulich allowed Robb to continue and even survive some real shaky moments before pulling the plug at 2:20 of the 7th round. When Robb went to the body, he had Diaz in trouble. Diaz was able to land his overhand right almost at will. The right hand would end up being Robb’s undoing as another flurry of them in the 7th signaled the end. A rematch between the two with more preparation would be a fight worth pursuing as it was the kind of fight where no one walks away a loser.
