It was a solid night of action across the country Friday as prospects, contenders and titleholders stayed busy in action fights. IBF super featherweight champion Amanda Serrano brought back the non-title stay busy fight with a fourth go round with Ela Nunez in what was the most action-packed fight of the night. Team Puerto Jonathon Gonzalez and Thomas Dulorme showed their wares on Shobox: The New Generation on Showtime while Mike Dallas, Jr and Shawn Estrada showed what they had on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.
Estrada, 14-0 with 12 KOs, was up first on the College Park Center card on the University of Texas campus in Arlington, Texas. Having shown up 24 pounds overweight for a super middleweight bout, Estrada won the fight by scores of 78-72 and 80-72 twice but he damaged what reputation he had. He was already known for fighting soft opposition but on this night, he showed a lack of professionalism in his conditioning that was deplorable for a TV fighter. His opponent, Terrance Woods, was game but the size and overall class of former Olympian Estrada won the fight. “Manos de Oro” needs to stay away from the Oreos.
Mike Dallas, Jr, 18-2-1 with 7 KOs, showed improvement in his game in taking control of Miguel Gonzalez and never relinquishing it. The fight moved from the outside to the inside and Dallas, Jr, a once highly touted prospect who is quietly battling his way back into the contention picture, showed poise and a more diverse arsenal than we’ve previously seen from him. I like where this story is going for Dallas, Jr and his manager Jackie Kallen. The scores were 100-90 twice and 100-89.
In Chicago’s Cicero Stadium, IBF super featherweight titleholder Amanda Serrano, 14-0-1 with 9 KOs, and Ela Nunez, 11-13-2 with 3 KOs, put on their fourth fight together. The women showed each other a lot of respect before and after but gave no quarter during what was fight of the night. Serrano is a like female Puerto Rican James Kirkland. From her black and red gladiator trunks to her aggressive southpaw style, she is the first female boxer to make me care about female boxing since Ann Wolfe. Serrano fought through a swollen right eye and Nunez survived a nasty cut on her head along with a barrage of punches to go the distance. In the end, Serrano took a unanimous decision.
“I want all the belts,” said a smiling Serrano of her future plans. “I love Ela. She’s a great fighter. She made me who I am today.”
Heavyweight Joey Dawejko,6-0-1, 2 KOs, also on that card, looked good at times but ultimately allowed his opponent, Juan Carlos Robles, 12-4 with 5 KOs, back into the fight on the back end. The fight ended in a draw and to this writer, the proposed move for Dawejko to cruiserweight should be sooner rather than later. He is carrying a piano on his back for no reason. He clearly has good skills.
Opening up that card was super feather weight hot prospect Joel Diaz, Jr. He moved his record to 8-0 with 7 KOs by stopping Ryan Pederson in about thirty seconds. Diaz landed a left hook that crushed Pederson’s nose causing it to bleed profusely. The ref promptly and wisely ended matters.
Puerto Rican junior middleweight Jonathon Gonzalez, 15-0 with 13 KOs, had to weigh in twice to get to 156 pounds and for his troubles received a stiff test from Billy Lyell, 24-11-2 with 5 knockouts at the Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, CA. Gonzalez appeared the bigger man but Lyell took it to him throughout anyways. The fight was back and forth with Lyell appearing to be the one making it with his pressure and aggression. Gonzalez didn’t exactly light the world on fire in winning by scores 97-93 twice and 98-92. The fight felt like more of a draw with each man taking a round then giving it right back the next stanza out. It was fun fight that Gonzalez can hopefully build on.
Finishing the night off in style was Thomas Dulorme, 14-0, 11 KOs, a welterweight attraction out of Puerto Rico. He was facing late replacement Aris Ambriz, 16-3-1, 8 KOs and he made early work of him. A series of Dulorme hooks that began with a straight right ended with one crisp left that had Dulorme in the air and Ambriz on his back. He would rise but Dulorme finished like a champ. Two uppercuts and a right hand off a turn move later and Ambriz went down again. The ref wisely told him to stay down. The time was 2:12 of the first round. Dulorme needs a step up now but he looks like the real deal.
|
Subscribe to feed
