Miguel Ángel Esparza Cruz vs. Tshifhiwa Munyai & Diana Laura Fernández Ortiz vs. Alondra Nava RBR

Huh. Appears to be a corner retirement? Maybe an injured hand/arm for Ramírez? (as they're very gingerly removing his right glove and he's favoring that shoulder)

Ah, well. Anticlimactic but Mendoza gets the stoppage victory I was just saying he needed on paper here.

 

Sergio Alfonso Mendoza Cordova vs. Joel Cordova Ibañez, 8 rounds @ super flyweight

 

Joel "El Trino" Cordova Ibañez challenged Julio Cesar Martínez for the WBC flyweight title four years ago (lost via TKO6) and later went the distance in a UD loss to Francisco "Chihuas" Rodríguez Jr.

Not exactly a leap up in class for Sergio "Yoreme" Mendoza, but a solid opponent. Blowing him out would be a statement for the 25 year old 25-0 (22) southpaw.

 

JulianusJulius gave the underdog Cordova Ibañez the opener.

 

Cordova only has three KO wins in 27 bouts, so the fact that he's forcing a brawl and being the aggressor versus a much taller unbeaten kid with an 88% stoppage rate is pretty ballsy.

 

JulianusJulius gave Mendoza the second and now has it level.

 

Been all Mendoza the last few rounds. In the first it seemed we might have another Cuevas-Sánchez type upset afoot, but Mendoza went to work and quickly made the proper adjustments.

 

This was promoted to a 10-rounder, per ESPN Knockout's onscreen graphic (BoxRec still lists eight rounds)

 

Cordova bringing the heat but he can't get past that long southpaw jab without paying a price.

 

JulianusJulius has it 58-56 Mendoza, giving Cordova the 1st and 6th.

 

Mendoza scores a KD in the final minute of the 7th. Left uppercut on the body, then a quick overhand left on the face as Cordova was doubled over.

10-8 round makes it kind of academic. I really doubt Cordova is scoring a come from behind KO here this late...

 

JulianusJulius has it 68-64 Mendoza.

 

Mendoza has this well in hand, mostly coasting behind the long right jab...but it feels like he could step on the gas and close the show. Kind of disappointing that he doesn't try. Cordova is plucky but not really a threat power-wise.