Boxing South Of The Border: Weekend Results

Two massive fight cards took place on Saturday night in Mexico and first, we’ll examine what took place at Auditorio Guelaguetza in Oaxaca as there were three world titles on the line.

Mexico City’s Erik Ramirez, 25-6-1 (19), stepped up to challenge WBO Minimumweight Champion Donnie Nietes but the WBO Latino titlist was canvassed in the first, fifth, ninth and twelfth frames yet somehow managed to finish the fight on his feet, only to lose a 116-108, 115-109 and 113-111 points decision.

Nietes, of Bacolod City, Philippines, improves to 24-1-3 (14) by winning his 11th straight and retaining the WBO belt for the second time since defeating previously unbeaten Pornsawan Kratingdaenggym for the crown in September, 2007.

WBA Minimumweight Champion Roman Gonzalez, 23-0 (20), had a tougher time in retaining his title as the hard punching man from Managua, Nicaragua was pushed hard by local hero Francisco Rosas, 20-6-2 (12).

Rosas was coming off a WBA flyweight eliminator win over Jean Pietro Perez in November but couldn’t shift the minimumweight crown from Gonzalez, coming up short after a firefight by scores of 115-114, 115-113 and 114-114 to lose a majority decision.

Ana Marie Torres, 17-3-2 (11), of Mexico City regained her WBC Female Super Flyweight title with a fourth round stoppage of Paulina Cardona, 13-5-3 (6), of Barranquilla, Colombia.

Former WBO Light Flyweight Champ Hugo Fidel Cazares, 27-5-1 (20), came back from an unsuccessful bid to regain his title fom Ivan Calderon in August by going way up in weight and stopping 18 year old light welterweight Jorge Romero, 12-2 (10), in the third.

30 year old Cazares of Los Mochis will go back down to a division closer to his natural weight class he meets Panamanian super flyweight southpaw Roberto Vasquez in Panama City in March.

There was another big show in Mexico on Saturday, as the spotlight turns to Polideportivo Centenario in Los Mochis where the main event saw local man and IBF Latino Champ Francisco Arce, 28-5-2 (19), lose a IBF Super Flyweight title eliminator to WBF kingpin Simphiwe Nongqayi, 15-0 (6). by unanimous decision.

35 year old South African Nongqayi got a late start in the professional ranks but the Eastern Cape man earned the nickname “Golden Master” by sweeping through the ultra-competitive domestic scene in his homeland.

The contest with Arce was competitive but Nongqayi solidified his dominance with an 11th round knockdown before sweeping the cards 116-111 from all three judges.

Former WBC Light Flyweight Champ Eric Ortiz, 31-8-2 (20), also made an appearance on the show, stopping Valentin Leon, 19-20-3 (8), in the fifth and ex-Mexican Super Feather titlist Ivan Valle, 27-8-1 (23), had to climb off the canvas in the third to KO WBC Fedecombox beltholder Carlos Urias, 39-20 (28), in the same round.

Super feather prospect Miguel Beltran Jr, 17-0 (13), retained his pristine resume with a fourth round finishing of Victoriano “Pirana” Nunez, 7-10-3 (2), and lightweight Miguel Vasquez, 24-3 (12), pounded out Antonio Valencia, 13-21 (4), in the third.

On Friday at Domo Del Mar in Ciudad Del Carmen, Mexico, hammer-fisted super feather David “Tyson” Gomez, 20-1 (19), forced a seventh round retirement of chinny veteran Leonardo Resendiz, 19-20 (11).

Heading down now to Argentina, at Club Union in Munro on Saturday, Cesar David Crenz, 16-3 (9), of Santa Fe avenged a KO loss of four years ago by crushing San Miguel’s Hector Alfredo Avila, 16-10-1 (12), for the Argentine Cruiserweight title in the third bout between the two men.

At Club Atletico in San Francisco, Santa Fe stylist Oscar Jesus Pereyra, 16-1 (11), recaptured the WBA Fedelatin Lightweight title by stopping Pergamino slugger and WBC Latino beltholder Daniel Alberto Dorrego, 25-2 (17), in the first frame.

Club Atalaya in Rosario saw ex-WBA Fedelatin Middleweight boss Marcos Silvano “El Renegado” Diaz, 22-3 (14), post a six round points decision over durable Buenos Aires visitor Cristian Ricardo “El Tornado” Rizzo, 6-16 (0), at super middle.

On Thursday in Chacabuco, one of the country’s top lightweights, Nazareno Gaston Ruiz, 27-12 (9), recovered from losing his Argentine title to the continent’s top man, Aldo Nazareno Rios, last September by winning a ten rounder over iron-chinned Sergio Javoer Escobar, 9-8-1 (2).