Photo: commdiginews.com.
The Mexico City extravaganza truly delivered on Friday night (23rd October). It included another contender for fight of the year as Juan Francisco Estrada successfully defended his WBC world super-flyweight title against Carlos Cuadras.
The rematch turned out to be a ‘barnstormer’ with the champion dropped in the third and recovering to score two knockdowns of his game opponent later in the fight. He eventually overwhelmed former champ Cuadras to register an eleventh round stoppage after 2:20.
The 30 year old Mexican, Estrada raised his record to 41-3, 28 KO’s. As well as being WBC champion he is also recognised as The Ring magazine champion at 115lbs/8st 3lbs and pound-for-pound #9.
Nicaraguan living legend Roman ‘Chocolalito’ Gonzalez, a four-weight ‘world’ champion, also successfully defended his WBA world super-flyweight version against Israel Gonzalez with a unanimous points decision in a boxing masterclass. The judges returned scores of 118-110, 116-112 and 117-111.
The Nicaraguan (50-2, 41 KO’s) dominated the fight to set up a potential ‘superfight’ between himself and the younger Estrada. They met eleven years ago with Estrada seeking to avenge a narrow defeat this time around.
Finally, on an excellent card Julio Cesar Martinez destroyed Moises Calleros in a second round stoppage to defend his WBC world title at flyweight. Martinez moves to 17-1, 12 KO’s and at twenty five his future looks all ahead of him.
The focus this week switches to London, England with the delayed heavyweight showdown between Ukrainian Olexandr Usyk and Londoner Dereck Chisora.
Promoted by Matchroom this will confirm whether we can treat Usyk, the London 2012 gold medallist and former undisputed cruiserweight world champion, as a genuine heavyweight contender or, the second coming of Chisora continues towards another world title shot. The build up and hype this week should be fascinating for an event televised on Sky Box Office (PPV) in the UK.
There are also major cards in the US with the Las Vegas debut of Naoya ‘The Monster’ Inoue at bantamweight (118lbs/8st 6lbs) and the contest between Gervonta Davis and Leo Santa Cruz at lightweight (135lbs/9st 9lbs). Former WBC world junior-lightweight champion Regis Prograis also returns to action. More to follow in the Friday Faceup.
The Undisputed 