Global Belt For Barboza - Pound4Pound.com

Global Belt For Barboza
By Albert Castillo
Photos: William Trillo

From the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA, Golden Boy Productions put together a solid 11 fight card event. In the main event of the evening Arnold Barboza (33-1, 11 KO’s) took on Robbie Sims (22-4-1, 8 KO's). For the first ten rounds the beginning of each round started slow and ended slow.

In between there were brief moments of engagement albeit very brief. In the 11th round a head butt opened a cut on the head of Barboza. The blood streaming down his face lit a fire under Barboza. He went after Sims like a man possessed, swinging wildly and connecting.

Sims was on his back foot doing his best to fend off the attack. The 12th round saw more of the same. The bell sounded and the outcome was in the hands of the judges. Scores were 117-111, 120-108, and 118-110 all in favor of Barboza earning him the WBO Global Welterweight Championship. In the post-fight interview Barboza called out Ryan Garcia.

Minimum World Champion Oscar Collazo (14-0, 11 KO’s) retained his title when Jesus Haro could not come out for the seventh round.

It was Collazo’s body work that took away the legs, conditioning, and ultimately the confidence of Jesus Haro. Haro had lost every round and his corner decided to throw in the towel. Collazo remains undefeated.

An incredible fight between Alexis Rocha (26-2-1) and Jojo Diaz (34-9-1,15 KO’s) delighted the crowd and got them standing on their feet in the last round. Rocha proved to be too big and strong, connecting on many 8-punch combinations.

Iron-willed and granite chinned Diaz gave as good as he got returning fire at every opportunity. However, Rocha punches landed harder than anything Diaz could muster. But Rocha displayed expert skills flanking Diaz, moving to his right and shoe-shining Diaz throughout the fight.

The fans came to their feet when in the last round Diaz never stopped punching, giving it his all displaying the heart of a champion. It wasn't enough as judges scored 97-93, 98-92, and 100-90 all for Alexis Rocha. In the post-fight interview Rocha called out Ryan Garcia.

World Lightweight Champion and highly popular Gabriela Fundora (18-0, 10 KO’s) demonstrated why she is one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world. Her impeccable timing, patience, and power dominated Viviana Ruiz (10-3, 5 KO’s). In the 5th round Gabriela “Sweet Poison” Fundora sent Ruiz reeling with a left uppercut and right hook. Down went Ruiz but she did make the count.

Fundora sealed the deal in the 6th round with a tremendous barrage in which Ruiz had no answer and became indefensible. Referee Corona stopped the fight at 1:25 of the 6th round. With her last four fights ending in knockout, Fundura remains unbeaten and world champion.

For the WBA Continental Flyweight Championship Joel Iriarte (10-0, 9 KO’s) battled a tough Rock Dodler Myrthi (17-3-1, 13 KO’s) The fight started slow but came alive in the sixth round when Iriarte caught Myrthil with a check left hook that put him down hard.

Iriarte followed up with a right hand that stunned Myrthil. Referee Thomas Taylor stopped the fight t and there was no complaint from Myrthil. Iriarte earns the knockout at 2:35 of the sixth round. Iriarte remains undefeated in 10 fights with 9 knockouts.

Top prospect Grant Flores (13-0, 9 KO’s ) out of Coachella Valley, CA, dropped Rashid Stevens (6-2-2, 5 KO’s) two minutes into the first round with an overhand right that surprised everyone but especially Stevens.

Flores smelled blood in the water and charged Stevens with an onslaught of punches and dropped Stevens again. Stevens made the count, the bell rang and both returned to their corners. For the next six rounds the fight slowed to a crawl.

Finally in the 8th round Flores caught Stevens with a right hand. Stevens appeared to be off balance and hit the canvas. The referee ruled it a knockdown. Stevens got up quickly and the fight ended with the bell. Judges scored it 79-70, 77-72, and 78-71 all in favor of Flores for a unanimous decision win.

Hot prospect Cayden Griffiths (8-0, 7 KO’s) destroyed Omar Munguia (8-3-1, 6 KO’s). The Coachella native dropped Munguia in the first minute of round one and then put him away for good at 2:09 of the same round.

Munguia never had a chance as Griffiths pounded him with a flurry of lefts and rights and a final right hand that made Munguia hit the canvas. Griffiths remains unbeaten in 8 fights with 8 knockouts.

This middleweight match-up featured two young prospects going toe to toe. Fabian Guzman ( 10-0, 8 KO’s) and Julian Delgado (9-2, 4 KO’s) ventured into a slugfest of epic proportions. Both fighters uncorked huge bombs with Guzman getting the better of it in the majority of the rounds.

Delgado fought hard but came up on the losing end in this one. Judges scored it correctly, 79-73,79-73, 77-75 all in favor of the unbeaten Guzman. Guzman was given an excellent test this afternoon and he rose to the occasion.

Undefeated prospect Daniel ”Junebug” Garcia (13-0, 10 KO’s) made short work of Blas Ezequiel Caro, (12-10-5KO’s). Junebug peppered Caro with several combinations during the entire first round. At 2:54 Junebug dropped Caro with a crisp left hook and that was all she wrote. A big Junebug win by knockout. Looking forward to seeing him step up in competition.

In the opening bout of the evening Leonado Sanchez(10-0, 8 KO’s) continued his winning ways with a second round knockout of Cesar Jimenez (31-20, 24 KO’s).