Boxing South Of The Border: Weekend Results

ByAlejandro Tostado

There were a few good cards this weekend and we kick this report off at the Auditorio Telmex de UG in Zapopan, Mexico where a few big names were in action.

One of the world’s top featherweights, Jorge Solis, won a IBF title eliminator by stopping America’s Monty Meza-Clay in the fifth round.

Meza-Clay came into the bout sporting a eight bout win streak, including a stoppage over former IBF Feather Champion Erik Aiken a year ago, but had spent most of his career at lightweight or super feather and had never fought at 126 pounds as a professional.

But the skills of seasoned operator Solis, a former Mexican Champ at super bantam and feather, proved to be too high a hurdle as the 29 year old Guadalajara man won the IBF title eliminator handily.

Solis moves up to 37-1-2 (27) and has now won four bouts in a row since suffering his only career loss at the hands of Manny Pacquiao at super feather in 2007.

With the victory, Solis is now the mandatory challenger for IBF Champion Chris John of Indonesia, who makes his American debut defending against Rocky Juarez in Houston later this month.

Also on the bill, living Mexican boxing legend, Marco Antonio Barrera, 65-6 (43) kept busy for his upcoming clash with England’s Amir Khan with a scheduled ten rounder against Cuban novice Freudis Rojas, 1-8-1 (1).

The bout didn’t go smoothly as late replacement Rojas was disqualified in the third round for a headbutt that left Barrera with a severe eyebrow laceration, much to the displeasure of the crowd in attendance.

On the undercard, lightweight Rene Gonzalez, 23-1 (18), won the vacant WBC World Youth Lightweight title by stopping Saul Carreon, 6-1-1 (3), in the seventh frame.

There was another good card in Mexico last night as local man and two-time world super bantamweight title challenger Ricardo Castillo, 36-7 (25), successfully stepped up to featherweight to cage the vacant NABF title during a tenth round stoppage of Mexico City’s Abraham Rodriguez, 14-6-2 (7), in the tenth at Palenque del Fex in Mexicali.

Towering American super feather David Rodela, 12-1-2 (6), edged out Nicaraguan slugger Marlon “Rocky” Aguilar, 19-6-1 (14), in a thrilling ten round split decision win. Aguilar came into the bout after winning two straight following his seventh round KO loss to Interim WBC Featherweight Champion Oscar Larios a year ago.

19 year old lightweight Pablo Cesar Cano, 14-0-1 (12), stopped his 11th straight opponent by icing Luis Rey, 7-2-1 (5), in the first frame and snapping the Ciudad Obregon man’s seven bout no loss streak.

For more Saturday action, we go way south to Club Social y Deportivo in the Mar de Ajo section of Buenos Aires, Argentina where southpaw Ulises David “Cloroformo” Lopez, 23-2 (14), continued his second reign as Argentine Light Middleweight Champion by stopping previously unbeaten prospect Sergio Jose Sanders, 16-1-1 (11).

Lopez stands at the top the 154 pound division in Argentina as WBC Interim Champion Sergio Gabriel Martinez long ago relocated to Madrid, Spain and has not fought domestically in seven years.

On the undercard, promising local welterweight Diego Gabriel Chaves, 7-0 (7), continued to tear through opposition by stopping veteran Rosario based light welter Norberto Adrian Acosta, 15-18-3 (4), in the second frame of a scheduled ten.

On Friday, there was a fight card at the UVI Sports and Fitness Center in Saint Thomas, US Virgin Islands that saw WBA Fedecaribe Light Welter titlist Victor Manuel Cayo, 24-0 (14), of the Dominican Republic, post a nine round UD over iron-chinned Mexican lightweight Noe Bolanos, 20-4-1 (12).