Roger Gutierrez wins WBA world title for late mother

Entering the 12^th and final round at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX, Saturday night, underdog Roger Gutierrez, who had knocked down champion Rene Alvarado twice, needed something more.

What did he need?

His Mom.

Gutierrez had dedicated the fight to his mother who passed away last November. He did well in the first two rounds and almost ended things in the next stanza. After Alvarado missed a home run punch, Gutierrez stepped inside and let fly with a perfectly timed uppercut. Alvarado collapsed to the canvas. He beat the count but his legs were still quivering. Seconds later he was down again, courtesy of a right hand off the noggin.

Alvarado, who stopped Gutierrez three years ago, worked his back into the fight. He opened up a cut slightly over the left eye of Gutierrez. He rocked the Venezuelan challenger with a combination. Fighting at a deliberate pace, both fighters landed solid shots in rounds six, seven and eight. Gutierrez was a little busier, but Alvarado continued to pursue and clip him occasionally.

Finally, in the last round, Gutierrez connected with a check left hook that floored Alvarado for a third time. The blow turned out to be the difference maker as Gutierrez won the fight by three identical scores of 113-112.

“I am so happy for this victory,” said Gutierrez, who collapsed to the canvas after hearing his name announced as the winner. “I did this for my mother.”

IBF light flyweight champion Felix Alvarado, brother of Rene, overpowered game DeeJay Kriel – winning by stoppage in round nine. Alvarado (36-2, 31 KOs) was too powerful for Kriel, flooring him hard in rounds two and four. The gutsy Kriel (16-2-1, 8 KOs) battled back the best he could, stealing some of the middle rounds until Alvarado dazed him badly with a hard right near the halfway point of round nine. The referee immediately jumped between the fighters and waved off the fight. An emotional Kriel was consoled by promoter Oscar De La Hoya after the fight.

Middleweight prospect Raul Curiel (9-0, 7 KOs) flashed power by stopping veteran Ramses Agaton in round two. Curiel floored late replacement Agaton (22-13-3, 12 KOs) in opening heat, and ended matters a few minutes later.

In the opening bout of the evening, Sean Garcia, little brother of Ryan, edged Rene Marquez by majority decision in a four-rounder. Garcia (6-0, 2 KOs) got off to a good start, until Marquez (5-6, 2 KOs) found some success on the inside. Scores were 38-38, and 39-37 twice for Garcia.