Ruben Villa Outpoints Miguel Carrizoza Over Eight Rounds

By Francisco Salazar

Featherweight prospect Ruben Villa looked very sharp in outpointing Miguel Carrizoza over eight rounds Saturday night at the Storm House in his hometown of Salinas, California.

The fight took place seven weeks (Aug. 24) after his last fight, a one-sided victory over former bantamweight contender Jose Santos Gonzalez in Corona, Calif.

Saturday night's fight was a far cry from his last fight in Salinas on Apr. 14, when opponent Marlon Olea did little to want to fight. Carrizoza came to fight, providing Villa with a decent test.

The southpaw Villa effectively outboxing and countering Carrizoza from the opening bell. Villa varied his attack on Carrizoza, whether it was connecting with lead left hands or countering with right hooks to the head.

Carrizoza, who resides in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, was game throughout the fight, but did not have the pedigree to keep up with or outbox the 21-year-old Villa.

Villa was content to outbox Carrizoza during the final round, sealing the win with a dominating display of ring generalship by Villa.

All three judges scored the bout 80-72 for Villa, who improves to 14-0, 5 knockouts.

"This is the best I felt for a fight," said Villa, who is co-promoted by Thompson Boxing and Banner Promotions. "Carrizoza was tough and I knew he was going to come and win. He wasn't coming to lay down."

"I watch a lot of (Vasiliy) Lomachenko and I adapt to it. I spar for 10 rounds and I believe I'm ready for those type of fights."

Villa does have two amateur wins over fellow featherweight prospect Shakur Stevenson.

Carrizoza (10-4, 2 KOs) has lost his last three bouts.

In the co-feature, unbeaten junior welterweight Pedro Moreno of Sacramento stopped veteran Daniel Martinez in the sixth and final round.

After a feeling-out opening round, Moreno (10-0, 6 KOs) was the aggressor, forcing Martinez off his back foot. By the middle rounds, Moreno consistently landed left hooks to the body in an attempt to slow Martinez down.

Martinez fought back in spurts during the second half of the fight, but was outgunned by the stronger Moreno. He did have his moments late in the fifth round, where he did connect with a handful of combinations.

The rally was short-lived as Moreno was the aggressor in round six. Moreno connected with a series of combinations that prompted referee Gerard White to stop the fight at 2:07.

Martinez, who resides in Tijuana, Mexico, falls to 14-14-1, 8 KOs.

In junior welterweight action, Maximilliano Becerra won a one-sided eight round decision over Juan Solis.

Becerra closed the distance, working behind a consistent jab early on in the fight. Becerra would follow up and connect with right hands to the body and double left hooks to the head.

By the midway point of the fight, Solis slowed down considerably, relegated to throwing one punch at a time. Becerra mixed left hooks and right hands in his continued attack to the body of Solis.

Becerra increased his aggression and punch output in round five, but Solis was savvy enough when to counter, clench, or back away as Becerra pressed forward. Solis looked exhausted by round seven, but rather than push for the knockout, Becerra was content to outbox Solis for the last two rounds.

Scores were 80-72, 80-72, and 80-71 for Becerra, who goes to 16-2-2, 7 KOs. Solis, who resides in Buenos Aires, Argentina, falls to 25-13, 9 KOs.

In other bouts:

Lightweight Brandon Trejo (4-1, 2 KOs) broke down Mario Franco, forcing a referee's stoppage in the fourth and final round. Trejo connected with three straight punches to the head of Franco (0-4), prompting referee Gerard White to stop the fight at 1:56.

Junior featherweight Enos Correa (3-0, 2 KOs) stopped Nery Garcia (1-7) when referee Edward Collantes abruptly stopped the bout at 2:47 of the second round after Correa landed a series of right hands to the head of Garcia.

Junior lightweight Arnold Dinong (2-0, 1 KO) dropped Josafath Vazquez (5-6, 3 KOs) twice en route to a second round knockout victory. Referee Gerard White stopped the fight at 20 seconds.

Francisco A. Salazar also covers boxing for the Ventura County (Calif.) Star newspaper. Boxingscene.com, and FightNights.com. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing