By Francisco Salazar
Ruben Villa continues to win and doing so in impressive fashion.
The unbeaten featherweight prospect outboxed former bantamweight contender Jose Santos Gonzalez to win by unanimous decision Friday night at the Omega Products International in Corona, California.
It was another impressive performance for Villa, who is a former amateur standout from Salinas, California. On paper, Gonzalez was Villa's toughest test to date, but the southpaw Villa was too good and effective in the center of the ring.
After the first two rounds, the 21-year-old Villa began to increase his aggression and punch output. Gonzalez was on the attack, allowing Villa to easily counterpunch Gonzalez to the head and body.
Villa was the sharper puncher, letting his hands go more with each passing round. Even with Villa standing in front of him, Gonzalez rarely landed anything flush as Villa utilized effective head and lateral movement.
At times during the last three rounds, Villa pressed to hurt Gonzalez with two-three punch combinations to the head, but Gonzalez was not fazed, fighting on until the final bell.
Scores were 79-73, 79-73, and 80-72 in favor of Villa, who improves to 13-0, 5 KOs. He is co-promoted by Thompson Boxing and Banner Promotions.
Gonzalez, who resides in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, drops to 23-7, 13 KOs.
In junior featherweight action, Saul Sanchez stopped veteran Ernesto Guerrero in the fourth round.
Sanchez was the aggressor for most of the fight, walking Guerrero down. Sanchez focused on Guerrero's body, landing several hooks or right hands to the body.
The tactic worked as Guerrero's punch output dropped significantly. By the third round, Guerrero (29-24, 19 KOs) looked tired as he would only throw one punch at a time.
Sanchez (10-0, 6 KOs) ended matters in round four, throwing a one-two combination followed by a right hand to the body. Guerrero's momentum carried him through the bottom ropes, and onto the canvas where he writhed in pain, prompting referee Zac Young to stop the fight at 1:59.
Welterweight Luis Lopez (4-0, 3 KOs) stopped Edgar Garcia (7-18-1, 2 KOs) at 39 seconds of round four when referee Wayne Hedgpeth abruptly stopped the fight. Garcia did not look visibly hurt.
Junior featherweights Daniel Guzman (2-1-1, 1 KO) and Luis Montellano (0-3-2) fought to a four round split decision draw. Each fighter won 39-37 on a scorecard, but the third judge scored the bout 38-38.
Heavyweight Elvis Garcia dominated Oswaldo Ortega over four round to win a one-sided decision. All three judges scored the bout 40-36 in favor of Garcia, who was announced as 5-2, 4 KOs before the fight, but is now listed as 5-0, 4 KOs on Boxrec.com.
In a clash of two fighters making their pro debuts, welterweight Carlos Velasquez won a four round unanimous decision over Keith Carson. Scores were 40-36, 40-36, and 39-37 for Velasquez.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for Boxingscene.com since September of 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (Calif.) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing
