By Jake Donovan
Photo © Chris Cozzone/FightWireImages.com
It was a short, explosive night for promising welterweight prospect Michel Rosales and a laboring affair for Brian Viloria as both emerged victorious in the 2008 debut of Telefutura's Solo Boxeo Tecate boxing series, airing live from the Alameda Swap Meet in Los Angeles, CA.
The early portions of the main event suggested a long night ahead for Rosales, as 33-year old transplanted Colombian journeyman Dairo Esales came with greater aspirations than just serving as intended road kill. As is the case in almost all of his fights, Rosales came out with both guns blazing, only to find Esales in his face early and often, giving almost as much as he was forced to endure.
Esales was giving Rosales all sorts of fits in the second round before literally walking into a straight right and left hook, the latter which deposited him on the canvas for the bout's first knockdown. Overzealous referee Jack Reiss allotted Esales a few extra seconds of recovery time following the mandatory eight count, as he refused to allow action to resume until Rosales pinned his back against the neutral corner.
The theatrics proved to be a moot point. Rosales sought to close the show, unloading on Esales in the corner before sending him to the canvas once again. No count necessary this time, as Reiss immediately intervened, ending Esales' evening.
The official time was 2:06 of Round 2.
Rosales picks up his third straight win following the lone loss of his career fifteen months ago. The two-fisted bomber improves to 14-1 (12KO) overall, and remains one to watch in 2008.
Not so much for Esales, who was violently brought back to reality tonight after scoring a major upset last November over a badly faded Demarcus Corley. That win snapped a five-fight losing streak, but Esales returns to the L column after running into Rosales, dipping to 30-11 (24KO) with the knockout loss.
In the televised co-feature, former junior flyweight titlist and 2000 Olympian Brian "Hawaiian Punch" Viloria picked up his first win in nearly two years with a workman-like unanimous decision over battle-tested veteran Juan Garcia-Bernal in their eight round junior bantamweight battle.
There wasn't much to choose from in the first six rounds. Viloria appeared to land the more telling blows, while Garcia remained the busier fighter while spending much of the night flipping back and forth between conventional and southpaw.
The final two rounds were what helped Viloria seal the deal. The seventh round saw Viloria finally let his hands go, something of a rare site in the past two years for the 27-year old. A right hand and left hook shook Garcia enough to sending his mouthpiece flying, causing a break in the action and halting a rare moment of momentum for Viloria.
Though the fight was already in the bag on all three cards after seven, Viloria came out looking to close the show in the final round. More power shots led Garcia to spit out his mouthpiece, as the Colombian was beginning to run on empty.
The brief time-out did little to slow down Viloria, racing across the ring to drop Garcia with a right-hand body shot midway through the round. Adding insult to injury, Garcia was also docked a point after once again intentionally spitting out his gum shield. Viloria refused to let up, bombing away on a now defenseless Garcia until the final bell.
Ringside judges Max DeLuca, Marty Denkin and Lou Filippo all scored the bout identical, 78-72, as did BoxingScene.com.
Viloria advances to 20-2, 1 NC (12KO) with the win, his first since February 2006, snapping a three-fight winless streak. The win allows Viloria to remain afloat in the lower weight classes, though where he lands once ready to make another title run remains to be seen. Wherever he winds up, Viloria will need to bring it, with 108, 112 and 115 fully loaded from top to bottom.
Garcia falls to 26-11-1 (17KO) with the loss, his second straight and sixth in his last eight. At 37, whatever potential Garcia once had is long behind him, though remains durable enough to where he should continue to find work.
It was Mexico vs. Puerto Rico in a swing bout receiving unexpected TV time with the main event ending early. Undefeaed 21-year old super featherweights Juan Garcia and Gamalier Rodriguez made the most of their face time, entertaining throughout in a spirited six-round battle that was easily the best televised bout of the evening.
The bout nearly came to a screeching halt midway through the third, when a clash of heads left Garcia with a nasty gash atop his forehead. The blood continued to flow, which apparently served as a sense of urgency for Garcia, who turned up the heat against his less-experienced Puerto Rican foe.
Garcia's wound re-opened in round five, but Rodriguez enjoyed only brief moments of success as he was unable to fend off his relentless foe for much of the round, and bout for that matter. It was more of the same in the final round, with Garcia rocking Rodriguez several times with right hands. Rodriguez never wilted, fighting back to the bitter end, but found himself on the business end of most of the fight's exchanges, which was reflected on the final scores.
Judges Marty Denkin and Max DeLuca scored the bout 59-55, while judge Lou Filippo saw it one round closer at 58-56, all for Garcia. The lean 21- year old Mexican, having just turned pro three years ago, improves to 14-0 (5KO) with the win, snatching Rodriguez' "0" in the process. Rodriguez, two months shy of two years in the pay ranks, falls to 5-1 (2KO)
The show was presented by Top Rank, Inc.
