Thursday, March 28, 2024  |

News

Joseph Diaz Jr. scores victory on Canelo Alvarez-James Kirkland undercard

Fighters Network
09
May
Joseph Diaz Jr. (R) lands a bodyshot on Giovani Delgado on May 9 in Houston. Photo by Ed Mulholland/Getty Images-Golden Boy Promotions

Joseph Diaz Jr. (R) lands a bodyshot on Giovani Delgado on May 9 in Houston. Photo by Ed Mulholland/Getty Images-Golden Boy Promotions

HOUSTON – Another test passed with flying colors by the unbeaten Joseph Diaz Jr.

Diaz won a convincing 10-round unanimous decision over Giovani Delgado in the main supporting bout of the Canelo Alvarez-James Kirkland undercard at Minute Maid Park.

With the win, Diaz improves to 16-0, 10 KOs, while Delgado drops to 15-3, 9 KOs.

The southpaw Diaz is one of Golden Boy Promotions’ prized young fighters and his last three or four fights have demonstrated why they are very high on him. The 22-year-old featherweight has developed a consistent pro style where he is now sitting down on his punches.



Diaz got good work in against Delgado, who did well once he got on the inside of Diaz’s guard. Delgado was able to score with hooks to the body, but the 2012 Olympian counterd well with left hands to Delgado’s head.

Sensing he was down on the card, Delgado came on in the final two rounds, but Diaz was able to again counter effectively.

All three judges scored the bout in favor of Diaz, 100-90, 100-90, and 99-91.

Joshua Clottey v Jorge Silva

Clottey decisions Silva

Junior middleweight contender Joshua Clottey won a workmanlike 10-round unanimous decision over Jorge Silva.

With the win, Clottey improves to 39-4, 22 KOs, while Silva, who dropped his sixth fight in a row, falls to 20-9-2, 16 KOs.

Clottey was scheduled to fight Alvarez on Dec 6., but the bout was canceled in October when Alvarez reaggravated a previous ankle injury.

Clottey had his way with Silva during most of the fight. It was not a spectacular performance, but Clottey did what he had to do to outpoint his opponent. Silva made a run in the final two rounds, but Clottey was able find openings in his guard to effectively counter to the head and body.

All three judges scored the bout in favor of Clottey, 100-90, 100-90, and 98-92.

Guerrero stops Badillo

Former world title holder Rodrigo Guerrero won by technical knockout when Arturo Badillo did not come out for the eighth round.

Rodrigo, who is now campaigning as a junior featherweight, improves to 23-5-1, 16 KOs, while Badillo drops to 21-7, 19 KOs.

Badillo held his ground early in the fight, but Guerrero’s pedigree began to show in the third round. Guerrero landed at will to the head and body, putting Badillo on the defensive. Towards the end of the sixth round, Guerrero hurt Badillo with a left hook to the body. After the seventh round, Badillo’s corner advised referee Lee Majors that Badillo was unable to continue.

Lopez stops Gonzalez in 2

Fringe light heavyweight contender Alfonso Lopez scored an emphatic second-round knockout win over Lester Gonzalez.

Both fighters had their moments in the first round. Gonzalez pressed the fight in the second round, but towards the end of the round, Lopez landed a devastating left hook that dropped Gonzalez to the canvas. Gonzalez got up on wobbly legs and almost fell over before the fight was wisely stopped at 2:59.

Lopez improves to 25-3, 20 KOs, while Gonzalez drops to 12-16-4, 6 KOs.

Taishan v Jamal Woods

In other undercard bouts:

– KeAndre Gibson (13-0-1, 5 KOs) scored a one-sided eight-round unanimous decision over Jorge Romero. Gibson dropped Romero (24-9, 21 KOs) with a counter right hand to the head in round two and did enough to win on all three judges’ scorecards (80-71).

– Junior welterweight Curtis Meeks (10-1-2, 3 KOs) won a six-round majority decision over Ramsey Luna (12-3, 5 KOs). One judge scored the bout 76-76, while the other two judges scored the bout in favor of Meeks, 78-74 and 77-75.

– Junior welterweight Ryan Martin (13-0, 8 KOs) stopped Ivan Zavala (7-10-2, 3 KOs) at 1:04 of the first round.

– Heavyweight Taishan (4-0, 2 KOs) won a four-round majority decision over Jamal Woods (6-19-3, 6 KOs). One judge scored the bout 38-38, while the other judges scored the bout in favor of the Chinese fighter, 40-36 and 39-37.

– Featherweight Cresencio Ramos (3-0, 2 KOs) stopped overmatched Cody Walker (1-5) at 2:23 of the first round.

– In a battle between unbeaten junior featherweights, Joseph Rodriguez (9-0, 2 KOs) won a six-round majority decision over Luis Guevara (3-1-1, 2 KOs). One judge scored the bout 57-57, while the other two judges scored the bout in favor of Rodriguez, 60-54 and 59-55.

– In the opening bout, light heavyweight Armando Pina (6-0, 6 KOs) stopped Zacharia Kelley (4-10, 4 KOs) at 2:45 of the second round.

Francisco A. Salazar has written for RingTV since October of 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (CA) Star newspaper, Boxingscene.com, and Knockout Nation. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing

SIGN UP TO GET RING NEWS ALERTS