By Cliff Rold

It was the biggest win to date for 29-year old Jr. Lightweight Cornelius Locke (18-3-1, 11 KO) of Detroit, Michigan as the presume underdog upended 30-year old veteran Roger “Speedy” Gonzalez (27-2, 18 KO) of Chino, California in ten on Wednesday night at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California.  The fight at times brought back memories of the Sacramento heyday of Tony “The Tiger” Lopez. 

Locke, 129 ½, came out snapping his southpaw right jab from on the onset, and Gonzalez, 127, attempted to parry with the same.  Early in the round, a hard right from Gonzalez knocked Locke back on his heels but he was unable to follow up.  Locke would be more fortunate in his power punching when a left hand sent Gonzalez skidding on his trunks towards the ring ropes for the bouts first knockdown.

The superior speed of Locke continued to exact a toll in the next two rounds as he worked the right as a jab, hook, and body shot, mixing in solid left leads.  Gonzalez rocked Locke again with a right in the third but was finding himself in a possible hole on the scorecards.

After struggling again with the athleticism and reach of Locke in round four, Gonzalez showed signs of life in round five with a solid left-right upstairs and some thudding work downstairs.  The success was short lived.  A dull sixth round brought out a round of boos from the fans as Locke circled the ring and kept Gonzalez mostly pinned on the outside, punching in spots and controlling the geography and tempo of the action.

Then, suddenly, Gonzalez was back in the fight and then some.  A right hand rocked Locke backwards, his legs wobbled, and the Chino native gave chase.  He found lots of glove as Locke pulled his guard high, so Gonzalez went to the body.  The advantage would stay with the aggressive Gonzalez until the last minute when a Locke left blasted his backwards.  A follow-up right hook-straight left combo further cemented the swing of momentum as both men went inside.  A Gonzalez right uppercut off the ropes was met with a short straight left from Locke and then, finally, a bell that silenced any boos in the sixth.

Bleeding now from the nose and mouth, Gonzalez continued to press in the eighth.  Locke did his best to keep his legs beneath him and defend, Gonzalez his best to take them away.  A hard right at center ring saw Locke’s legs tangles but he stayed up.  In the closing seconds, a vicious combination along the ropes caved away at the ribs of Locke and one wondered what the younger man had left.

He answered immediately in the ninth.  A left hand along the ropes opened up Gonzalez’s body and now it was Locke who would come forward, working his man in close.  Gonzalez weathered the barrage and the battle moved back to center ring.  More lefts from Locke moved him back to the ropes where he ate long, stinging power to the temple.

With one round to go, it was anyone’s fight.  Anyone would prove to be Locke.  Asserting himself from the opening clang of the bell, Locke again forced Gonzalez to the ropes early before yet another left and right hook high on the head dropped Gonzalez for the second time.  While rising by the count of eight, Gonzalez was an injured man and Locke would end his night seconds later.  Gonzalez would be battered to his knees by a body shot and final hook to the head as the referee jumped in to wave an end to the action at 1:27 of the tenth round.

On the televised undercard, 26-year 2004 Olympian Vicente Escobedo (18-1, 11 KO) of Woodland, California made it nine in a row since his first setback with a lopsided eight-round decision win against 28-year old journeyman Cristian Favela (15-16-4, 9 KO) of Los Angeles.  Escobedo, a Lightweight, appears ready for a better level of opposition.  Both men weighed in one pound over the division limit at 136 lbs.   

Escobedo dominated through the first two rounds with his jab, straight right, and some professional work to the body.  Favela’s veteran experience made more of a fight of it in round three.  A hard right close to the ropes caused Escobedo to hold, and a nice uppercut at ring center also brought an acknowledgement of Favela’s work.

Escobedo was again in control in the fourth when a well-timed right stumbled him.  Favela, overly excited, punched himself wildly out of position and was unable to follow up.  It would be his last real highlight.  Having tasted the best Favela had to offer, Escobedo went about the business of walking his man down steadily through the final four round, showing off an assortment of offense while wisely avoiding anymore sneaky counters. 

Escobedo was announced the victor to unanimous scores of 78-74 and 80-72 twice.

Other Televised Results

Featherweights: Gregorio Torres (5-1-2, 4 KO) D4 Christopher Martin (10-0-1, 2 KO)

Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com