By David Robinett at ringside
In the main event at the Renaissance Hotel in Palm Springs, California, junior lightweight contender Rafael Rivera remained unbeaten with a technical decision over a game, but past his prime Giovanni Caro, after the bout was stopped at the beginning of round seven due to multiple cuts on Caro caused by accidental headbutts. All three judges scored the bout 70-64 for Rivera, who had started to pull away in what was a close fight early despite the wide scorecards. Rivera, (24-0-2, 15 KOs), was content to counter the stalking Caro, (27-21-4, 21 KOs), although he was taking as much punishment as he was dishing out early on. Caro, who once lost a questionable split decision challenging for the IBF super bantamweight title in 2011, looked sharp against his much younger opponent, trading punches in close quarters for the first three rounds. Caro started to slow down though as the rounds progressed, allowing Rivera to land his counterpunches before Caro could respond. Accidental headbutts throughout the fight caused a pair of cuts along Caro’s left scalp and along his right eye, leaving Caro’s face a bloody mess after six rounds. Between rounds, the ringside doctor examined Caro and consulted with referee Eddie Hernandez Sr. before the fight was called and sent to the scorecards. With the win, Rivera, a former WBC FECARBOX featherweight titlist, establishes himself as a player in the junior lightweight division.
In the evening’s co-main event, junior welterweight Max Becerra, (11-2-2, 7 KOs), won a tougher than expected six-round unanimous decision over Hugo Padilla, (5-10, 2 KOs), by scores of 59-55, 60-54, 60-54. Becerra, who started his career 6-0-2 before hand injuries forced him out of the ring for two years, was clearly the superior fighter, but struggled at times with Padilla, a 37-year old club fighter whose five victories to his name were all over opponents with two wins or less. Becerra used his long, rangy style to consistently land his jab and straight right hand, but never seemed to push beyond the intensity of a sparring session. An accidental headbutt by Padilla made things even harder for Becerra, opening a cut along his right eye that bled profusely for the remainder of the fight.
Junior bantamweight Danny Andujo, (3-1, 1 KO), earned a four-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Elwin Soto, (2-1, 1 KO), by scores of 39-37, 39-37, 40-36. Soto outlanded Andujo in round one, loading up on left hands, but Andujo stepped it up in round two, working in combinations while Soto continued to throw one punch at a time. Andujo had particular success with his right uppercut in the latter half of the fight, and was the clear winner after four rounds.
Super welterweights David Lopez, (4-0, 3 KOs), and Antonio Neal, (4-8, 3 KOs), put on a show for three rounds of a scheduled four-round bout before Lopez ended matters late in round three with a left hook to the body that sent Neal onto the canvas in pain. Lopez was content to lay on the ropes for the bulk of round one, countering Neal with hooks to the body while Neal did good work inside, including landing several combinations. Lopez began to move a bit more and create some space between him and Neal, allowing him more punching range, including a right uppercut that rocked Neal. In round three Lopez stepped on the gas and Neal could not keep up. Lopez dropped Neal after a left to the body followed shortly by an overhand right. Neal rose from the canvas but soon after another Lopez left to the body ended matters for good at 2:35 of the round.
Welterweight Larry Fryers, (2-0, 1 KO), made easy work of his debuting opponent, Rolando Padilla, (0-1), earning a referee’s stoppage at 0:31 of round three in a scheduled four-round bout. Fryers, who fights out of the late Cus D’Amato’s KO Boxing Gym in Catskill, New York, was in control from the opening bell, landing right hands at will to Padilla’s head and body. In round three, referee Tony Crebs stepped in to rescue Padilla after another right hand from Fryer snapped Padilla’s head back with Fryer loading up for more.
In the opening bout from Liveco Boxing’s Palm Springs Boxing Gala from the Renaissance Hotel in Palm Springs, California, Ronnie Robidoux, (2-0, 2 KOs), showed considerable moxie in coming back from a first round knockdown to stop Donnis Reed, (0-1), at 2:13 of round two in a scheduled four-round super middleweight bout. Reed, a former MMA fighter who served two tours in Iraq with the Marine Corps before his fighting career, started off strong, countering Robidoux for a knockdown during a furious exchange early. Robidoux appeared to be on shaky legs when he got up but managed to use his jab to keep Reed at bay for the rest of the round. In round two, Robidoux continued to work behind the jab and then mix in shots to the body as the round progressed, eventually catching Reed with a right hand that dropped him for the count.
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