By Francisco Salazar

CORONA--In the Boxcino junior middleweight final, John Thompson survived a first round knockdown to stop Brandon Adams in the second round.

Adams dropped Thompson moments into the first round with a right hand to the body, left hook to the head. Thompson recovered well and got back into the fight, landing a series of combinations as well.

Midway through the second round, a series of left hands to the head dropped Adams against the ropes. Adams got up and tried to fight back, but a barrage of punches from Thompson hurt Adams again against the ropes. Referee David Mendoza administered an eight-count and allowed the bout to continue, but immediately stopped the bout when Thompson hurt Adams again against the ropes. Time of the stoppage was 2:18. 

"After first round, my corner told me to stick to my game-plan," Thompson said after the fight. I figured he would punch himself out after the third or fourth round. I knew when he was hurt, his peripheral vision was not good, so i threw left hooks. This is a new beginning. I was meant to be here.

NON-BOXCINO

Lightweight Angel Martinez stopped Andres F. Figueroa in the fifth round. Martinez (6-1-1, 2 KOs) stunned Figueroa in the second round and continued to land the more telling blows. Just when it looked like Figueroa (5-1, 3 KOs) would mount a rally, Martinez dropped him with a counter right to the head. Figueroa tried to fight back, but Martinez landed at will, prompting referee David Mendoza to stop the bout at 1:09.

Junior featherweight Isaac Zarate won a six round unanimous decision over Fernando Fuentes. Zarate (11-1-1, 1 KO) did well early on, outboxing Fuentes during a majority of the exchanges. Zarate began attacking the body in the third round and was doing well, until Fuentes began to land his share of body punches. Fuentes (5-5-1, 1 KO) landed the telling blows, while Zarate slowed down considerably. All three judges scored the bout 58-56 in favor of Zarate. 

Francisco A. Salazar has written for BoxingScene.com since Sept. '12 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (CA) Star newspaper, RingTV, and Knockout Nation. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing