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Ugas, Barrios putting in work for big fight on Canelo-Charlo undercard
Former world champions Yordenis Ugas and Mario “El Azteca” Barrios showed off their skills and previewed their upcoming showdown for the Interim WBC Welterweight Title during a media workout in Las Vegas Tuesday before they meet on the Canelo vs. Charlo SHOWTIME PPV undercard on Saturday, September 30 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Canelo Promotions will present the Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view.
Ugas and Barrios will look to reclaim championship gold in a matchup that will see the former WBA Welterweight Champion Ugas square off against the former 140-pound titlist Barrios. Each fighter is led to the ring by a renowned trainer as Ugas is guided by longtime top trainer Ismael Salas, while Barrios trains under 2022 Ring Magazine Trainer of the Year Bob Santos.
Here is what Ugas and Barrios had to say Tuesday from DLX Boxing in Las Vegas:
YORDENIS UGAS
“In the end, it’s about taking each round as seriously as the previous round. I don’t take anything for granted. The goal is to have each and every round go the direction I want it to go.
“I’m not in the prediction business, but what I do is fight elite fighters, give my best every round and let the chips fall where they may.
“I’m used to these big fight atmospheres, but it is very exciting to be on the card with a star as big as Canelo. It’s a great source of pride and I plan to bring my best for all the fans watching.
“It’s beautiful to be fighting here in Las Vegas again. I’m 5-0 in Las Vegas and this is my third time fighting at T-Mobile Arena. I feel at home and absolutely love fighting here in Las Vegas.
“It was both physically and emotionally tough after the Errol Spence Jr. fight. Emotionally I had to carry that loss with me. Now I can redeem myself and put it all in the past. I always knew that I would come back after the fight. My eye got stronger after the surgery and now I feel ready.
“I was so happy to be able to be back in the gym and do what I’ve wanted to do my entire life. I was back in training in December and started sparring again a couple months after that.
“I’m just focused on my fight. I have no clue what Crawford may do with the WBC belt. I’m doing my thing and that’s what I plan to keep doing.”
MARIO BARRIOS
Photos from Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions
“I’m gonna bring the same intensity that I bring in every fight. I feel a lot more comfortable and settled in at the weight now.
“I’m preparing myself to the best of my ability. We have a very good game plan that we’re getting ready for Ugas. It’s a really hard fight, but those are the type of fights that I like to take. I want to continue to test myself and my ability and my skill in the ring.
“Everything has been really good. I’ve been here in Las Vegas for a few months staying ready. My mind and body are both looking on point right now. It’s exciting.
“I think the move out here to Las Vegas was necessary. I feel sharper than ever and more focused. I get tremendous workouts here. It’s been very beneficial.
“A win in this fight means everything for me and my career right now. It puts me at the top of the division with the best welterweights out there and gets me closer to the bigger world title fights.
“I’m very happy to be here in Las Vegas with Bob Santos. Me and Bob have always had a great relationship and having him as the head coach again is great. We’re gonna be able to accomplish a lot in the next few years.”
Vikings acquire RB Cam Akers
After two games, the 0-2 Minnesota Vikings have struggled in the running game. Minnesota has rushed for only 69 yards thus far this season. The Vikings needed an upgrade, and they got it.
On Wednesday, the Vikings announced that they traded a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Rams in exchange for RB Cam Akers and a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The completion of this trade is pending Akers passing a physical.
The 24-year-old spent his entire four-year career with the Rams. Akers, who was unhappy with his role, requested a trade from Los Angeles last season, and he was inactive on Sunday in the team’s loss to the 49ers.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips, and quarterbacks coach Chris O’Hara were on the Rams offensive coaching staff during Akers’ tenure in Los Angeles.
Last season, Akers ran for 786 yards and seven touchdowns.
Akers should have an opportunity to have a prominent role with the Vikings.
In his career, Akers has tallied 1,443 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 360 attempts, adding 250 receiving yards and a score on 27 receptions.
Hitchins: ‘I’m ready for the champions’
Richardson Hitchins is planning to dominate Jose Zepeda and send a message to the big guns at 140 pounds that he’s coming for them when they clash on Saturday night at Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida(DAZN).
Hitchins (16-0 7 KOs) is sitting pretty at #5 in the WBO and #7 in the IBF, and victory on Saturday night would see him rise to the cusp of World title fights, with the WBC Silver, WBO NABO and IBF North American Super-Lightweight titles on the line.
The Brooklyn ace shone in his last outing, flooring New Jersey’s John Bauza en-route to a shut out over ten at Madison Square Garden. The 25 year old knows continuing to win is vital to landing the World title shot he craves, but not content with that, Hitchins believes that his rivals will stand up when he delivers dominant displays, and that starts with the biggest test of his career in former World title challenger Zepeda (37-3 28 KOs).
“Winning is number one of course, but to get the big fights I have to win and dominate,” said Hitchins.
“I’m ready for the champions because when you look at the guys Prograis or Haney fight, those are guys that I am a nightmare for any of them. I have size, reach, superb defense – I can damn near feel when a guy is about to punch. So, when you have a guy like that against a guy that doesn’t know how to defend themselves, it kind of makes it tricky for them, because I’ve been in there with guys that just stand in front of you and don’t have the ability. You get in front of a guy like Shakur Stevenson, that turns boxing into a math problem, it’s different and that’s what you face with me. I can bring that puzzle that people can’t solve, it’s algebra in the ring.
“Every fight at 140lbs is a good fight, this is a great fight. Jose is confident, he’s put people to sleep, out, first round KOs, had the fight of the year in 2020 with Baranchyk. And then there’s people now saying, ‘OK let’s see how Richardson handles Zepeda’. Then you have Teofimo, he says he’s from Brooklyn – I know he ain’t, but I am. He beat the man at 140 and I feel I’m the uncrowned king at 140 and that would be a great fight.
“Jose is supposed to say he wants to fight me. He’s 34 years old, he’s been campaigning for a long time, he has confidence, he was power, and he’s got the tools to make it a nightmare for me, so he should be taking an opportunity like this, why would he say no?
“It’s just my job to show him that I am on a different level to him. He’s going to try to use his experience to try land his power, pressure me. Boxing is a sport where you must be smart, he’s a tough fighter but he’s not a durable one because he’s been down numerous times and I feel the mistake that they cannot make its me is overlooking my power, I’m a very sharp powerful fighter. My record may not show it, but if you pay attention, it shows I am punching.
“I’m a way smarter boxer than Jose, he’s one-dimensional and I just feel I’ll show levels. I must be smart and show him, yeah, this kid knows what he is on. I think when I am in there, he will see that. Boxing is all about timing, everything I do is about doing it at the right time.
“There’s a lot of things that can happen next. I want to fight again in 2023, I think that could be a guy that’s going to bring the best out of me, just like Zepeda will, and then we should be ready for the World champions, Devin, Regis and Teofimo. If I win this, I’ll climb the rankings again in the WBO, so I’ll be knocking at the door for Teo.”
Htichins’ clash with Zepeda is part of a stacked card in Orlando, with Jessica McCaskill (12-3 5 KOs) and Sandy Ryan (6-1 2 KOs) clashing in a unification battle for the WBA, WBC, WBO, IBO and Ring Magazine Welterweight titles.
Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams (14-0 10 KOs) press his claims for World title action at Middleweight as he tackles Steve Rolls (22-2 12 KOs) and will Orestes Velazquez (7-0 6 KOs) will defend his WBA International Super-Lightweight title to kick off the main card against Mohamed Soumaoro (13-1 6 KOs).
Khalil Coe (6-0-1 4 KOs) continues to rise through the ranks at Light-Heavyweight, and ‘Big Steppa’ headlines the Before The Bell action and will be looking for his third KO win of 2023 against Kenmon Evans (10-1-1 3 KOs). Super-Welterweight Jeovanny Estella (12-0 3 KOs) and Super-Flyweight Jasmine Artega (10-0-1 5 KOs) tasting action over eight rounds while Bantamweight Roberto Rivera Gomez (3-0 2 KOs) kicks the whole night off over four rounds, with all three fighters to be matched imminently.
Eagles’ Sirianni on passing game: ‘We’re not in a panic mode’
Last season, the Philadelphia Eagles offense was prolific. Philadelphia finished the season with a franchise-record 477 points, including club records in total touchdowns (59), scrimmage touchdowns (57) and rushing touchdowns (32).
In addition, the Eagles’ 32 rushing touchdowns are tied for the fourth-most in NFL single-season history.
However, the Eagles have gotten off to a slow start this season on offense, especially in the passing game. In 2022, after two games, Hurts averaged 9.2 yards per completion; after two games this season, he’s averaging 6.5 yards per completion.
Fortunately, the Eagles ran for 259 yards against the Vikings last Thursday night, and more importantly, they are 2-0 as they prepare to battle the Buccaneers on Monday night in Tampa.
On Monday, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni explained what’s going on with the team’s passing game.
“We’re not in a panic mode or anything like that,” he said. “Have the pass numbers been down? Yeah. Does the defense play into that? Of course, it does. Fortunately for us — and not everybody has this luxury — but fortunately for us, we’re able to win on the ground, and we are able to win in the air, and so you are able to balance off what the defense does.
“I thought [Offensive Coordinator] Brian [Johnson] and the offensive staff did a phenomenal job of saying, ‘hey, okay, they’re packing this in the middle of the field right here and keeping all these guys high and having this three-down front. All right, cool. You guys are doing that. We’ll do what we have to do to win the game.’
“So, [QB] Jalen [Hurts] was, what? 18 of 23 in that game, so he was completing a high percentage of his passes. It was just, hey, we had 48 runs to 23 passes. Well, of course, your run stats are going to look different than pass stats, and it’s going to appear that your pass stats may be down. Was our first game our best game passing the football? No. But there were some similarities in that game plan as well.
‘Again, we are talking about a two-game sample size. We’re just going to keep doing what we need to do to put the guys in position to succeed, and that’s our job as coaches. We know for sure that we have the right guys in this building to go out and execute against the defenses that we see.”
To Sirianni’s point, there’s still a lot of football left. In addition, most of the starters did not play in preseason for the Eagles, so there could be some rust at this point. Moreover, they have a new offensive coordinator, Brian Johnson. The Eagles have so much talent on the offensive side of the ball, especially in the passing game, so it might take time, but in the end, this offense and passing game should be just fine.
Sandy Ryan wants Jessica McCaskill’s belts
Sandy Ryan has told Jessica McCaskill to ‘keep the belts warm’ as they meet in a Welterweight unification clash on Saturday night (September 23) at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida(DAZN).
Ryan (6-1 2 KOs) landed the vacant WBO title in her last fight, seeing off Canadian Marie Pier Houle in Cardiff in April, and in her first defense, she travels to Florida to face WBA, WBC, IBO and Ring Magazine champion McCaskill (12-3 5 KOs), the Chicagoan who is fighting in her tenth consecutive World title bout.
Ryan, who turned 30 on Saturday, believes she’s heading down the path of her own lengthy run of World title action starting in Orlando and leading to an undisputed fight next, then showdowns with the other big-name champions in the sport.
“This is just massive for me,” said Ryan. “Jessica is up there, she is on the pound-for-pound list and that’s where I want to be, so I need to beat girls like her to be where she is. I really respect Jessica as a fighter, and you’ll see that this week with the shape that I am in and the mentality that I have. I remember watching her against Katie and she’s done so well since then, she’s always been in the big fights, and she’s won most of them.
“She’s tough, she’s going to come with everything, she’s never been stopped and she knows the pro game because she’s been in it a long time so she knows all the tricks, but I feel that with my ability I am at another level to her.
“I’m not going off the Chantelle Cameron fight as I think she had a bad night; I’ve had a bad night and I don’t think anyone would look at me with that performance. I can see that there’s some bad habits from that fight, but she will be training her heart out for this fight because if she loses, it’s her last fight, she’ll have nothing, no belts. That’s why I am making sure I am fully prepared. She’s going to see isn’t she. I don’t need to say much, we’ll see on Saturday night, just be ready, keep the belts warm for me.
“It’s all about big fights now for me. This is massive but the level I am at, if I win this fight, I want to be undisputed and there’s nothing bigger, so this is the level I am now. You never know in boxing what is going to happen but now I am at this level, I feel I am here to stay.
“Every pro wants to hold all the belts, that’s the aim, it’s legacy. Welterweight is where I am at, I’ve done 140lbs as well, there are some massive fights that can be made with all the best girls, let me get all the belts at 147 and then let’s all make big fights.
“I think I can be a star in the game. I’m quite low-key, but I know what I can achieve, and I can be a massive name in the women’s pro scene.”
Ryan’s clash with McCaskill is part of a stacked card in Orlando, topped by the biggest test of Richardson Hitchin’s (16-0 7 KOs) career to date against Jose Zepeda (36-3 27 KOs), with the WBC Silver, WBO NABO and IBF North American Super-Lightweight titles on the line.
Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams (14-0 10 KOs) press his claims for World title action at Middleweight as he tackles Steve Rolls (22-2 12 KOs) and will Orestes Velazquez (7-0 6 KOs) will defend his WBA International Super-Lightweight title to kick off the main card against Mohamed Soumaoro (13-1 6 KOs).
Khalil Coe (6-0-1 4 KOs) continues to rise through the ranks at Light-Heavyweight, and ‘Big Steppa’ headlines the Before The Bell action and will be looking for his third KO win of 2023 against Kenmon Evans (10-1-1 3 KOs). Super-Welterweight Jeovanny Estella (12-0 3 KOs) and Super-Flyweight Jasmine Artega (10-0-1 5 KOs) tasting action over eight rounds while Bantamweight Roberto Rivera Gomez (3-0 2 KOs) kicks the whole night off over four rounds, with all three fighters to be matched imminently.
Jets’ Wilson: ‘We’ve got to be better’
Life without Aaron Rodgers may be difficult for the New York Jets(1-1) after all.
On Sunday, New York went into Dallas and got beat up by the Cowboys(2-0) 30-10.
It’s hard to win on the road in the NFL and even harder when you turn the ball over four times. Furthermore, it becomes even harder when you can’t protect your quarterback. The Cowboys had Zach Wilson under duress for most of the game and sacked him three times.
Wilson had moments, including a 68-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson. In addition, he was able to use his legs to get away from pressure, and he rushed for 36 yards.
However, Wilson completed 12/27 passes for 170 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh thought Wilson played well for most of the game.
“Up until we had to force it, I thought he did a really nice job,” Saleh said after the loss. “He hit that strike route to Garrett for that big touchdown. I thought he did a really nice job at the end of half, moving the chains, getting some points. It just, like I said, that team, when you have to get into a drop-back game consistently with those guys, it’s not going to be pretty.”
Wilson thought he played well for the first three quarters, but to Saleh’s point, things fell apart for the third-year quarterback in the fourth as all three interceptions came in the final quarter.
“It’s tough, man,” Wilson said. “I thought I was seeing it well for the first three quarters of the game, but we kept getting stopped. There’s always going to be things we can keep cleaning up. But I thought I was seeing it well, at least for the first three quarters. I think when we watch this film, we’ll be able to keep pushing forward on some stuff.”
Wilson is optimistic about the future despite the loss and the struggles on offense.
“We’ve got to be better,” he said. “I need to be better, but we are right there. So, it’s a long season. We’re going to watch this film and see how we can improve. Everyone trusts and believes in each other. Everyone loves each other. We’re excited for the challenge.”
This loss was not on Wilson. Defensively, New York will need this unit to be at their best. Dak Prescott and the Cowboys did not have much resistance from the defense, so again, this unit must lead the way for the Jets.
New York returns home next Sunday to host the Patriots.
Giants’ Daboll on Jones: ‘I thought he finished strong’
On Sunday, the New York Giants(1-1) went into halftime trailing the Arizona Cardinals(0-2) 20-0. At that point, it appeared that the Giants were on their way to falling to 0-2.
The Giants, who were routed by the Cowboys 40-0 in Week 1, were the first team to surrender at least 60 points in a season before scoring since 1978.
However, the second half was a much different story for the Giants. New York trailed 28-7 in the third quarter, but they would score 24 straight points and take the lead on a Graham Gano 34-yard field goal as they defeated Arizona 31-28 at State Farm Stadium.
The last time New York came back from a 21-point deficit was in 1949.
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones and the offense struggled mightily in the first half. The team had zero points and had only 81 yards of total yards.
However, n the second half, Jones woke up. He completed 17/21 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns. In addition, he scored a touchdown on the ground. Jones ended the night completing 26/37 passes for 317 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception(first half). He also added 59 yards on the ground.
The Giants finished the game with 439 total yards, the second-highest total of the 21-game Brian Daboll era and the most they’ve had in a victory.
Daboll was happy with how Jones finished the game.
“Yeah, I thought he finished strong,” Daboll said. “Played a really good second half. We had a couple of things that we could have improved on in the first half, (we) talked about those. But he is a resilient young man who went out there and played well along with, I’d say, a number of people.”
Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard was also impressed by Jones’ resiliency.
“It’s resiliency,” Shepard said. “It’s something that we talk about all the time too. Those are two guys that are very competitive and want to win, and they play with a lot of heart and passion. That’s exactly what was just played.”
Jones, who improved to 8-1-1 in his last ten games following a loss (since Week 7, 2021), felt the team needed to execute better in the second half, which they did.
“I think it’s about execution, and you can’t really afford to think about any of that or get emotional or think about anything outside of what your job is, and that’s to execute and focus on one play at a time and being right there in that play and making sure you’re taking advantage of it and making good decisions, giving guys chances to make plays. That was my focus, and I thought we did that well as a team.”
New York avoided disaster on Sunday. This would have been a terrible loss but credit to Jones and the rest of this team for getting things right in the second half.
Saquon Barkley:
Barkley led the Giants with 63 rushing yards on 17 carries, including a one-yard touchdown run, and tied with Darren Waller for the team lead with six receptions (for 29 yards, including a nine-yard score).
However, late in the game, Barkley injured his right ankle. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Barkley is scheduled to undergo an MRI on the ankle Monday in Arizona to determine the severity of his injury and how much time he could miss.
Official: Mavs re-sign Markieff Morris
The Dallas Mavericks have re-signed forward Markieff Morris, the team announced on Saturday.
According to reports, it’s a one-year deal.
Morris, 34, originally came to Dallas along with Kyrie Irving in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets in February.
Last season, Morris appeared in eight games (1 start) for the Mavericks in the 2022-23 season and averaged 4.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 8.8 minutes.
The 12-year veteran holds career averages of 10.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 24.1 minutes over 750 games (378 starts) with Phoenix, Washington, Oklahoma City, Detroit, the L.A. Lakers, Miami, Brooklyn and Dallas. He has shot 44.6% (3,065-6,877 FG) from the field, 34.3% (635-1,853 3FG) from beyond the arc, and 77.8% (1,189-1,528 FT) from the free throw line over his career.
Selected with the 13th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Suns, the University of Kansas product won an NBA Championship in 2020 with the Lakers.
Cavs president Koby Altman arrested for driving while impaired
Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman was arrested and charged with driving while impaired on Friday night in Cleveland.
Altman is also being charged with committing a marked lanes violation, according to WKYC.
According to FOX 8 Ohio, just before 9 P.M., “troopers initiated a traffic stop and during their interaction with the driver indicators of impairment were observed. The driver was subsequently placed under arrest for OVI and soon after offered a breath test, which he refused.“
Altman, who turned 41 on Saturday, was cooperative and respectful, according to the report.
The Cavs issued the following statement on Saturday:
“We are aware of an incident involving Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman. We are currently gathering more information and have no further comment at this time.”
Before being named general manager in 2017, Altman had been a part of the Cavaliers’ basketball staff for five years, including being promoted to assistant general manager in September 2016. As a member of Cleveland’s front office, Altman has been an integral part of a team that reached four straight NBA Finals (2015-2018) and won an NBA Championship in 2016. He originally joined the Cavaliers as pro personnel manager in August 2012 and was promoted to director of pro player personnel in September 2013.
In 2022, Altman received a contract extension and was promoted to president of basketball operations. Last season, the Cavs made the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
Lopez defeats Gonzalez by UD, Zayas impresses
Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez (29-2, 16 KOs) successfully defended his IBF Featherweight by defeating Joet Gonzalez (26-4, 15 KOs) by unanimous decision at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas on Friday night.
Lopez retained his belt with scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112.
In the opening round, Gonzalez pressured Lopez with punches to the body. By rounds three and four, though, Lopez found his distance and began using his legs to set up shots from the outside.
Gonzalez’s high guard made it difficult for Lopez to connect with his signature leaping punches, but occasional counterpunches on the inside kept Gonzalez from gaining momentum.
Lopez seemed to fade in the later rounds, and with a sense of urgency, Gonzalez began pressuring Lopez as he did in the opening round.
Photos: Mikey Williams/Top Rank
However, it wasn’t enough as Lopez got the nod on the scorecards.
“We knew that Joet Gonzalez is a very dangerous fighter,” Lopez said. “He never stops attacking. He can take anything you throw at him. We knew that’s what he came to do and that he came with a lot of hunger to take the title away from me, but I also am very hungry to remain champion.”
Gonzalez thought the scorecards should have been closer.
“I thought the scores should have been a little closer,” Gonzalez said. “Overall, I am very disappointed in my performance. I felt that I could have done a lot better. By far, this is the worst performance of my title fights.”
Zayas continues to impress!!
Puerto Rican junior middleweight phenom Xander Zayas (17-0, 10 KOs) scored a fifth-round TKO victory against hard-hitting Mexican Roberto Valenzuela Jr. (21-5, 20 KOs) in tonight’s co-feature.
Zayas dropped Valenzuela with a hard jab in the opening round. Valenzuela got back up, only to suffer another knockdown before the round ended. In rounds two and three, Zayas worked off his back foot, landing quick combos from the outside. A left hand in round three caused a cut on Valenzuela’s nose.
The cut bled profusely, but referee Mark Nelson allowed Valenzuela to continue fighting. However, Zayas continued landing vicious punches to Valenzuela’s nose, forcing Nelson to halt the contest at :42 of the fifth round.
“I didn’t think he was going to stop bleeding from his nose,” Zayas said. “When I went to my corner, I told my dad {assistant trainer Orlando Garcia} that his nose was really bad. So, we knew that it was a matter of time.
“I came here to accomplish a goal. I came here to let everybody know at 154 pounds that I’m coming for everything. They said he was a power puncher, and I dominated tonight. I’m a contender now at 154 pounds. Whenever Top Rank gives me the opportunity, I’ll be ready for a world title. All my respect to Roberto. He was a warrior like I knew he was going to be.”
In other action:
Unbeaten lightweight sensation Emiliano Fernando Vargas (7-0, 6 KOs) made his ESPN-televised debut with a spectacular third-round TKO win against Alejandro Guardado (5-1, 1 KO).
In the opening round, Vargas calmly evaded shots with quick head movement before sneaking uppercuts through Guardado’s guard. He pressured Guardado in the second round, but Guardado responded with offense of his own.
Vargas then landed a counter left hook in the third round that initiated a flurry that forced referee Lee Rogers to end the fight at 1:07.
Vargas said, “We’re just going to work in there. It’s a beautiful thing to be here with all my beautiful Mexican fans. I love what I do. I get up early in the morning and it’s not work. I can’t wait to be back.”
Welterweight: In an all-Mexican showdown, Julio Luna (21-1-2, 11 KOs) toppled Omar Aguilar (25-2, 24 KOs) to capture the vacant WBC USA welterweight title. Aguilar was aggressive early, but Luna’s distance made it hard for him to land cleanly. In the fourth, Aguilar found success on the inside, but Luna overcame the onslaught with longer punches. Scores: 79-73, 78-74, and 77-75.
Welterweight: John Rincon (8-0, 2 KOs) beat Bryan Ismael Rodriguez Rivera (4-2-1, 2 KOs) via unanimous decision in front of a hometown crowd. The bout was a cautious affair, but Rincon pulled away with effective aggression. Scores: 60-54 2x and 58-56.
Junior Welterweight: Jamaine Ortiz (17-1-1, 8 KOs) overcame an almost one-year layoff to defeat Antonio Moran (29-6-1, 20 KOs) via unanimous decision. Moran hurt Ortiz early, but Ortiz got his rhythm by the middle rounds and wobbled Moran in the sixth round. A game Moran was aggressive in the later rounds, but it was not enough to overcome Ortiz’s quick counterpunching. Ortiz was coming off last October’s valiant stand against Vasiliy Lomachenko. Scores: 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93.
Featherweight: Former world title challenger Ruben Villa IV (21-1, 7 KOs) tallied a workmanlike eight-round unanimous decision against Brandon Valdes (15-4, 7 KOs). Valdes started strong by finding a home for his right uppercut. Villa, however, figured him out and out-landed the Colombian in nearly every exchange. Scores: 78-74 3x.
Featherweight: Former world title challenger Ruben Villa IV (21-1, 7 KOs) tallied a workmanlike eight-round unanimous decision against Brandon Valdes (15-4, 7 KOs). Valdes started strong by finding a home for his right uppercut. Villa, however, figured him out and out-landed the Colombian in nearly every exchange. Scores: 78-74 3x.