Burgos On Course For Championship Shot

By Roy Marquez
Photos: Marlene Marquez

WBC #3 contender and CABOFE featherweight belt holder Juan Carlos Burgos squared off against Russian and European featherweight champion Vyacheslav Gusev before a standing room only crowd at the Doubletree Hotel, Ontario, CA. Burgos v Gusev headlined a night of fistic fury presented by Thompson Boxing Promotions.

“This was not the most difficult fight I’ve been in but because I hurt my left hand it made it more difficult”, said Burgos through an interpreter following the fight. In one sentence Burgos neatly summed up his evening against Russian Vyacheslav Gusev (16-2). Burgos circled to his left and threw a steady left jab to fend off the charging Russian. Gusev followed Burgos around the ring absorbing jabs while trying to close the distance. Once inside Gusev grabbed and wrestled with Burgos rather than let loose with his hands.

In the first Gusev suffered a laceration to the corner of his right eye. Burgos targeted the cut by doubling and tripling up on the jab. Burgos couldn’t miss with the jab so he followed it with a left hook. By the middle rounds Gusev’s eye was bruised and closing.

Gusev had his best round of boxing in the fifth when he landed a solid right hand that knocked Burgos off balance. He followed with a great body shot in the seventh, a round he likely won on the judges’ score cards.

Burgos threw an occasional lead right but won the fight hooking off the jab and circling away from danger. In the tenth Burgos sat down on his punches and decided to trade shots with Gusev. Burgos won the round and the fight. The judges awarded the fight to Burgos 97-93, 98-92 & 98-92.
 

With the poise of a seasoned veteran, Mauricio Herrera defeated Luis Alfredo Lugo over ten rounds to capture the WBC USNBC light welterweight title. Herrera (11-0) controlled the pace and his opponent with a stiff jab and sound defense. Lugo (10-9-1) let his hands fly but found Herrera difficult to hit flush. Furious exchanges in the fourth and seventh were won by the faster hands of Herrera. In the rounds that followed Herrera pot-shot Lugo with right hands and uppercuts. Herrera unloaded on Lugo but could not discourage the fighter from Los Mochis, Mexico. Lugo fought on, beaten but not broken. Herrera looked for the knockout in the tenth but had to settle for a dominating performance.

“My corner’s plan was to hit him with hooks to the head but I knew that wouldn’t work”, said Herrera following the fight. “I knew I had to take my time.” Two judges scored the fight 100 – 90 while judge Marty Denkin’s card tallied 99-91 in favor of Herrera.
 

Undefeated fighter Jesus Hernandez suffered cuts over both eyes yet fended off his first loss as a professional by drawing with fellow featherweight Aaron Garcia. Garcia (9-1-1) outworked Hernandez early committing to the body with both hands. Hernandez (8-0-1) suffered a cut above his right eye in the third drawing a long look from the doctor following the round. Motivated by the possibility of a stoppage, Hernandez increased his work rate in the fourth and worked his way into the fight.

Despite suffering a second cut in the fifth, Hernandez landed the best right of the night. A three punch combination in the sixth earned Hernandez the round and a draw in the contest. Judge Marty Denkin scored the fight 58-56 for Garcia. Judges Herb Werner and Ray Corona scored the fight even at 57-57.
 

Yakub Shidaev worked the 1-2 to defeat rugged Ignacio Garcia in a four round light welterweight contest. The fighters pursued each other with reckless abandon in a punishing first. The action continued at a dizzying pace in the second as neither fighter was willing to give an inch. Garcia (2-2-1) slowed a bit in the third giving the taller Shidaev (2-1) room to operate.

Shidaev timed Garcia’s approach and landed the cleaner, harder punches. All three judges scored the fight 39-37 for Shidaev.
 

Welterweight Alberto Herrera overwhelmed Alfredo Rivera in the third, stopping him 45 seconds into the round. Herrera (2-0) worked behind a stiff jab in the first to soften Rivera (0-5). Herrera stunned Rivera with an uppercut in the second but Rivera fought through the round.

The end came as Herrera unleashed a barrage of power shots Rivera was unable to withstand. Referee Moret immediately waived off the bout.
 

In a rousing opening bout, Oscar Chinchilla defeated fellow lightweight Miguel Oronia in a contest pitting fighters making their professional debuts. Chinchilla, of Guatemala City, Guatemala, brought the fight to Oronia in the first, snapping the jab and firing hooks. Oronia responded with hooks and uppercuts during a furious second round.

Chinchilla pressed Oronia to the ropes in the third where he dug hooks to the body. The fourth was a tightly contested and could have been scored for either fighter. The final scorecards favored Chinchilla 38-38, 39-37 & 39-37.