Antonio DeMarco vs. Jesus Gurrola & Abner Lopez vs. Humberto Gutierrez RBR

Round 2

Munguia is tilting in, not quite completely giving up his height but lowering himself enough to reach Velasquez with body hooks and spearing rights on the belt line. The ref warns Munguia to keep them up. Velasquez is walked into a corner and eats a straight volley on the face backing straight into it. Light body shots by Velasquez. Double hook by Munguia. Munguia stays on him and catches jabs on his mitts. Lead right hand in the teeth by Munguia, following with a hard jab and another straight right. Left hook by Munguia crowding in. Velasquez is stunned by the ropes, bouncing off them and backpedaling. The ref jumps in and embraces him, waving.

TKO2!!

 

Kind of a weird stoppage, and you can tell what Velasquez thought of it by his smirk and head shake, but Munguia did show what seemed to be legit power and probably was going to knock Velasquez out cold in the ample time remaining to him. (Velasquez in his career has been stopped eight times in the first two rounds)

 

Choosing that moment was completely nonsensical, yeah.

If Munguia had been in the middle of a combination that was hurting Velasquez, OK - but the ref didn't slide in until a moment after Munguia was done punching and Velasquez was consciously moving away with his hands up to defend himself. :conf

 

Rodrigo Garcia vs. Claudinei Lacerda, 8 rounds @ welterweight

 

Lacerda is a tricky SOB known best for having given headaches to Andy Murray and Humberto Soto in UD10 losses, making their offense look silly with his spoiling but offering little of his own worth mentioning...and for knocking down Russian prospect Eduard Troyanovsky (only to be knocked out in the next round).

Garcia is a huge welterweight at six feet tall, young and undefeated but taking a step up in class here.

 

Round 1

Garcia comes out with the hard 1-2 early. Lacerda stays in with him and chops at the body with his right hand. Garcia catches some left jabs across the throat, Lacerda grinding with his forearm intentionally. Lacerda billy-goats in and slams into Garcia bodily, whipping his arms into Garcia's sides. Hard combination by Garcia, partially blocked but putting Lacerda on the ropes. Garcia hammers the body with a right hand and Lacerda winces. Long right hand finds the head of Lacerda as Garcia steps in while Lacerda is playing possum hoping to surface at the last second with an uppercut - timed just a moment off. Jabs by Lacerda while jumping past Garcia. Hard rainbow right hands behind the jab by Garcia, making Lacerda shell up on the ropes where Garcia hammers him above the kidneys with rights.

10-9 Garcia

 

Round 2

Lacerda is dropping rights on the body and jogging backward with his guard up and turned in, pinkies together and palms on his eyes. Lacerda is in negative mode, moving around the ring and dropping his head down between his knees when Garcia throws a jab. Lacerda is diving and holding as Garcia drills the body with straights. Slaps behind the back by Lacerda. Wild swings up top by Lacerda backing out. Garcia walks him down and drops a hard right on the belt line before stuffing a jab in Lacerda's face. 1-2 by Garcia, backing Lacerda up and making him blink in pain. Lacerda whips up a blind left hook while backing into the ropes and trying to put Garcia in a headlock with his right arm.

10-9 Garcia

20-18 Garcia

 

Round 3

Garcia is hooking the body as Lacerda tosses up head jabs from the hip, carrying both hands low and dancing around. Lacerda pushes out some jabs while turned sideways and averting his face. Garcia is following Lacerda around the ring and trying to time his wide left hook misses with a right hand but Lacerda is ducking low out of the way. Lacerda covers up as Garcia flurries on him, pinning him on the ropes. Lacerda backs up and swats with his light backhanded left jab as Garcia presses him across the ring with jabs and shoveling body shots. Clinch by Lacerda. Hits across the spine and on the break by Lacerda, no warnings.

10-9 Garcia

30-27 Garcia

 

Round 4

Lacerda is putting his jab straight out and then down in a crowbar motion, looking to either tap Garcia on the chest or pound him on the balls in case he doesn't connect. Garcia steps back and lines up a flush right hand lead on the chin. Garcia keeps walking forward tagging Lacerda on the head with jabs and rights. Lacerda dives in and jabs Garcia lightly on the bicep before darting out. Lacerda keeps firing jabs wildly in all directions stepping in and out. Lacerda circles left and is caught with a counter left hook on the bridge of the nose while jabbing down at Garcia's stomach with his right arm low. Lacerda jumps in and lands a low blow. Garcia flurries on him and Lacerda turns his back to him. Unintentional rabbit punches by Garcia as he keeps punching while Lacerda turtles up and bends over. The ref waves it off.

TKO4!!

 

Beyond just Mexican domestic level?

I would need to see a few more performances against higher class journeymen to say.

He didn't let the awkwardness of Lacerda get to him, though, and remained committed to game plan and never got undisciplined. Very calm and workmanlike fighter. Whether his power holds up as he steps up is a question mark. He isn't fast but could be one of those guys that just does everything well enough to do well. (like a Danny Garcia - although I'm by no means projecting he will even do half as well in his career as Swift...)

 

...and that concludes the program. :huh They elected to not televise Lopez vs. Gutierrez, it appears.