The second installment of Goossen Tutor’s local fight cards at Sportsmen’s Lodge again played to a packed house, and showcased several up and coming prospects. In attendance were former world champions James Toney, Steve Forbes, as well as former contender Randy Shields. Baseball legend Pete Rose was also ringside.
In the main event, 2008 Olympian Shawn Estrada moved to 15-0-13KO’s with a brutal 2nd round KO over previously unbeaten cruiserweight Felix Piedra. Piedra, of Weslaco, TX pursued Estrada, but could not handle the East Los Angeles fighters power punches, which resonated throughout the intimate venue. Piedra was dropped with a barrage of right hands in his own corner, and struggled to rise on splayed, unsteady legs. Referee Jack Reiss wisely called it over. Piedra drops to 9-1-1-6KO’s. Estrada said after the fight, he plans to drop from this career high 185lbs back down to 168.
Anatoliy Dudchenko went 8 rounds for the first time in his career, as he won a shutout decision over Los Mochis journeyman Alfredo Contreras. Contreras showed his toughness by standing up to the Ukranian’s big right hand, but was taking clean shots throughout, and never threatened back. Contreras falls to 11-14-3-4Kos, while Dudchenko, the USNBC Light Heavyweight champ, rises to 16-2-11KO’s. All scores were 80-72.
Other than that, judges Carla Caiz and Barry Druxman had a difficult time, as three fights were scored draws, at least two of which seemed erroneous. Heavyweight Sergo Pogosyan seemed to make his debut a successful one, as he outboxed debuting Avery Gibson, of Lancaster… however only judge Lou Moret had it correctly, as the result ended up a majority draw. Pogosyan, of Russia, as well as Gibson are each 0-0-1draw.
Junior welterweight Leon Spinks III also seemed to do enough to deserve a decision over Bakersfield’s Eduardo Melendez. Melendez showed durability and aggressiveness, but was hurt twice by southpaw right hooks, and seemed to lose at least 3 of the rounds. Caiz and Druxman again saw it 38-38, moving both men’s records to 2-0-1-1Ko for Spinks, of St. Louis, and 0-2-1 for Melendez.
The only correctly scored draw of the night came in the card’s featherweight opener, as Fontana’s Sammy Yniguez overcame a rocky 2nd and 3rd round to pull even with another unbeaten St. Louis fighter, Stephon Young. Young, who like most St. Louis fighters, is a southpaw, was pulled into trading shots, instead of using superior boxing skills. He moved to 3-0-1-2Kos’, while Yniguez is now 3-4-1-3KO’s
In other action, Los Angeles junior middleweight John Hays moved to 2-0 with a close decision over Tijuana’s Eduardo Hernandez. Hays scored a flash knodwon in the first round, and proceeded to make an easy fight difficult by giving up his height to stand and trade for the bouts duration. Hernaqdez closed strong but did not seem to deserve the close nods of 38-37 (twice). A more appropriate 39-36 score rounded out the decision. Hernandez drops to 0-4-1draw.
Junior featherweight Jesse Villanueva improved to 5-0-3KO’s by outhustling debuting Benjamin Briceno of Hayward, CA. It was an all action brawl, and Briceno was hurt often early, but weathered the storm to take the last round over a tiring Villanueva, of Palmdale, CA. Scores were 39-37 across the board.
Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com
