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Sanchez, Avila score TKOs on Solo Boxeo

Fighters Network
26
Aug

FAIRFIELD, Calif. – Welterweight prospect Alan Sanchez stopped Manuel Leyva in the 10th and final round of a gross mismatch, the main event of Solo Boxeo Tecate from the Allan Witt Sports Center.

Sanchez inflicted a sustained beating to Leyva, going into the 10th round for the first time. Leyva ate punches round-after-round, never wavering in his determination. In the 10th round, Sanchez drilled Leyva with an overhand right as the veteran crumpled along the ropes and referee Dave Stell ended the massacre at

“I gained a lot of experience tonight,” said Sanchez. “He was a hard fighter. He got me with a good shot in the stomach. I knew he was getting tired and that I would knock him out, so good thing I finished him.”

Sanchez, of Fairfield, Calif., was tentative from the onset, waiting for Leyva to punch so he could counter.



When the 21-year-old local favorite did connect with right hand leads against the southpaw, the hometown crowd went bonkers.

The 29-year-old native of Mexico looked grossly out of shape, though he fought Sharif Bogere at lightweight in June, falling by second-round knockout. 

Sanchez, who is very rangy for a welterweight at 6-foot-1, was clearly the larger man, though he seldom elected to use his jab.

Sanchez (11-2-1, 5 knockouts) amped up his attack in the fifth, unloading with an array of combinations. Leyva had nothing to offer in return other than words, for which he was admonished by referee Dan Stell. Sanchez landed a punishing combination in the closing moments, to which Leyva seemed angered by and snapped back with a shot that missed.

Leyva (21-8, 12 KOs) badly hurt Sanchez in the sixth with a devastating combination to the body. He dug two more hooks to the midsection, then went on the attack, dishing it out as Sanchez reeled. Sanchez braved the scary moment and recovered, as Leyva’s best chance for the monumental upset vanished.

Leyva landed another good body blow in the opening of the seventh, but from that moment on Sanchez was on the offensive. He landed a straight right which badly stunned Leyva and followed up, turning his foe’s head with crosses and hooks. A clash of heads opened up a gash on Leyva’s forehead which trickled blood down his face and into his right eye.

Sanchez knocked Leyva back several times in the ninth.

In the 10th, Sanchez ended the bout within the distance, the accumulation of punches taking their toll.

Sanchez feels ready for a tougher challenge next time out and hopes to step-up.

“Whoever wants to fight me – I’m ready.”

In the co-featured bout of the Telefutura broadcast, Golden Boy Promotions featherweight prospect Manuel Avila dropped Vincente Alfaro twice en route to a third-round stoppage.

The 20-year-old Fairfield, Calif.-based fighter dropped Alfaro to a knee with an overhand right in the second. Alfaro and Avila engaged in a spirited exchanged along the ropes after the knockdown, with Alfaro giving as good as he got.

Alfaro, of Northfield, Minn., was down again in the third, the recipient of a double left hook. Alfaro (5-2, 1 KO) again beat the count, but this time Avilla (8-0, 3 KOs) sensed he was hurt and jumped on him. Moments later, the white towel came sailing into the ring, signaling the end at 2:04.

Paul Mendez, of Delano, Calif., won by TKO in the third round when Loren Myers quit on his stool before the fourth round began. Mendez (8-2-1, 3 KOs) dished out a sustained beating to his out-of-shape foe, convincing Myers (8-17-1, 2 KOs) to submit.

Jonathan Chicas dominated Jose Mendoza over four rounds in a junior welterweight contest, prevailing by unanimous decision (40-36, 40-36, 40-36). The San Francisco native overpowered Mendoza with left hooks and power shots to the midsection. Chiacs rose his record to 6-0 (3 KOs) while the Jalisco, Mexico native fell to 7-6 (4 KOs).

Joe Gumina of San Bruno, Calif. defeated Payton Boyea by unanimous decision (40-36, 39-37, 40-36) in a wild cruiserweight slugfest. Gumina (3-1, 2 KOs) tagged his foe often in the opening stanza, stunning Boyea (0-2, 0 knockouts) multiple times without producing a knockout. Boyea of Sacramento, Calif. had a solid round two, hurting Gumina in the closing seconds with a right over the top. A series of power jabs brushed Boyea back in the third. Gumina of San Bruno, Calif. stalked for the remainder of the round, as Boyea bled from both eyes.

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