Celestino Caballero Batters Daud Yordan, Gamboa Next

By Mark Vester

At the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida, a featherweight battle Celestino Caballero (34-2, 23KOs) batter previously undefeated Daud Yordan (25-1, 19KOs) over twelve rounds of action to win a unanimous decision. The scores were 119-108, 120-107 and 118-108. Caballero is now lined up to face face WBA champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in the July.

Caballero threw 111 punches in the first rounds and was pounding Yordan to the head and body. Yordan was able to catch Caballero with some quick puncehs in spots. In the second, Caballero continued to use his large 5'11 frame and advantage in reach to throw punches in bunches on Yordan. At the end of the round, Caballero countered Yordan with a right uppercut and dropped him at the bell. Yordan started well in the third, pumping hard rights and lefts to Caballero's head. Caballeo quickly came back with a very fast punching pace.

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Caballero went back to his fast rate of punching in the fourth. Yordan was forced to cover up with 100-plus punches coming at him at all times. In the fifth, Yordan would land crushing hooks during openings, but he was unable to hurt Caballero. He couldn't do much against during long spots and Caballero continued to press the action with a high volume of punching. The sixth round was a mirror of the fifth, with Yordan landing a few good hooks but taking a beating in close.

Yordan did a little better in the seventh round. Caballero continued the heavy load of punches. The eight round was more of a beating being dished out by Caballero. Yordan tried to stay closer to Caballero in the round but it didn't really help him much. He was taking a pounding. The tenth was fought at a slower pace. Caballero continued to outwork Yordan.

During the twelfth, Yordan actually stunned Caballero in the middle of the round with a hard counter hook. He followed up with a few more punches but couldn't get through Caballero's guard. Caballero pounded on Yordan until the bell.

On the undercard

Undefeated middleweight prospect Jonathan Cepeda (8-0, 7KOs) knocked out Shadrack Kipruto (18-15-2) in two rounds.

Welterweight Antwoine Smith (18-1, 9 KO) landed a left to the body of Franklin Gonzalez (13-5, 9 KO) for a third round stoppage.

Middleweight Yudel Johnson (6-0, 4 KO), a 2004 Cuban Olympic silver medal winner, defeated Chris Grays (9-20) with a first round knockout.

Cruiserweight Yunier Dorticos (4-0, 4 KO) defeated Zack Ziegler (3-1) by way of a first round knockout.