By Cliff Rold
Chicago-born 31-year old veteran Welterweight David Estrada (24-6, 15 KO) of Miami, Florida proved that the education of previous defeats often trumps the shine of undefeated ledgers, laying a beating on previously undefeated 29-year old Mexican Orlando Lora (26-1-1, 18 KO) through eight rounds on Saturday night at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, California. Scheduled for twelve rounds, a cut and swollen Lora was ruled unfit to continue by the ring doctor before the beginning of round number nine. It was Estrada’s third consecutive victory after consecutive 2008 defeats.
Estrada weighed in at the 147 lb. Welterweight limit, Lora just under at 145 ½.
Lora was raked with a flush right hand from Estrada just seconds in, Estrada serving another near the ropes before thirty seconds had passed. Estrada landed another mixing in a left to the ribs before Lora responded near the midway point with a right and attempted left hook. Estrada absorbed the attempt and again had Lora with his back near the ropes. Lora, in the final minute, let loose with both hands but the veteran Estrada picked the blows off with an ear muff guard and blasted Lora with yet another right hand.
Lora came out with more purpose in the second, jabbing and pushing his right behind it but the sharper Estrada’s right hand was still the landing, telling blow. Lora’s best blow to then would land at the halfway mark of the round, a booming left to the body landing just below Estrada’s armpit. The Estrada right leathered the face Lora seconds later, Estrada not letting the advantage slide.
Estrada’s experience and accuracy began to redden the face of Lora and drew blood from his nose in round three and the right hand whipped Lora’s head back yet again to begin the fourth. As those latter three minutes developed, Lora could find little success beyond a triumph of courage as his punches too often found only the Estrada guard and Estrada’s blows found his head and body. Lora ended the round with a cut over the left eye, ruled caused by a clash of heads by referee Raul Caiz Sr.
Nothing in rounds five or six gave the ruling consequence, Lora unable to change the flow of a fight which appeared to favor Estrada in shutout terms. Lora fought hard, was hit harder, and could land only the token right hand to keep things honest.
Estrada, making only his second appearance in the ring since December 2008, slowed just a bit in the first two minutes of round seven, Lora seizing the opportunity to come forward in hopes of landing a turnaround blow. A left hook early didn’t deter Estrada nor did the body and head shots steadily attempted. In the final minute, Estrada accelerated again and rarely missed with clipping rights and left hooks thrown between the wider blows of Lora. Estrada’s blows sent Lora reeling backwards but the younger man kept his feet.
Round eight followed a similar aesthetic, Estrada turning it up as the round wore on. Caiz’s attention was increasingly keen, his body language suggesting he was considering stopping the contest. Caiz wouldn’t make the call alone, a consultation with the ringside doctor following the conclusion of round eight leading to the decision to halt the action and spare Lora further punishment.
For the hard luck Estrada, it was a thrilling change of fortune late in a rugged career. Three of Estrada’s six losses had come to undefeated fighters while Lora marked his third win over an undefeated fighter since 2004.
Estrada was professional in reflecting on his victory. “I just imposed my will on him and, just did what I said I was going to do. I think the most important thing was the pressure I put on him…I knew he hasn’t fought nobody like me and wasn’t gonna’ be familiar with type of fight I was going to bring to him which was world class.”
Estrada proved that, despite setbacks which have included current and former titlists like Shane Mosley, Andre Berto, and Kermit Cintron, that he certainly remains world class.
Estrada would not be the only world class performer, his stoppage win the culmination of a night of televised early endings.
In a battle of Mexican youngsters, 23-year old Jr. Middleweight Ruben Rivera, (4-1-1, 3 KO), 154 ½, didn’t leave with the undefeated record he showed up with while fellow novice, 22-year old Angel Osuna (4-2-1, 2 KO), 154, picked up his best victory to date.
Osuna jumped on Rivera right away with thudding left hands and kept the pressure on. Osuna, visibly quicker, used a long jab and left hooks to push Rivera towards the ropes and unloaded with a fusillade of blows. Rivera never went down, but he could not return fire, forcing a standing stoppage call from referee Lou Moret at 1:33 of the opening round.
In the televised opener, 27-year old Featherweight Leonilo Miranda (31-2, 29 KO), 125, of Mexico ended a two bout losing streak in emphatic fashion, forcing a quit from his opponent in the sixth round. The southpaw, making his first start since October 2009, stepped in with 27-year old fellow southpaw Andre Wilson (11-4-1, 9 KO), 122 ½, of St. Joseph, Missouri. Miranda steadily pressured the ever moving Wilson, dazing him with right hands throughout the first five rounds. In round six, a cracking right sent Wilson to the floor. As referee Lou Moret stepped in to count, Wilson rose and stated he could continue.
Moret stepped back to allow the action to resume while Wilson stepped to his left and thought better of the decision to continue his beating, taking a knee to signal his surrender at :43 second of the sixth. It was Wilson’s third consecutive defeat, the second straight inside the distance.
The broadcast was carried in the U.S. on basic cable outlet ESPN2, promoted by Gary Shaw Productions.
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
