COMMERCE, Calif. – Omar Cande Trinidad knocked two birds with one stone Friday night.

Trinidad claimed Los Angeles-area bragging rights in his clash against Adan Ochoa and solidified his standing as a legit featherweight prospect.

After overcoming a slow start, Trinidad defeated Ochoa by unanimous decision before a raucous and sold-out crowd at Commerce Casino.

Scores were 80-72, 80-72, and 78-74 for Trinidad, who improved to 12-0-1, 9 knockouts.

The clash between Trinidad and Ochoa became a war-of-words following Trinidad’s last bout on January 27, a second-round knockout win over Jose Luis Ramirez. After the fight, Ochoa got in the ring and challenged Trinidad to a fight.

At Thursday’s weigh-in, both fighters had to be separated after the traditional face-off.

Friday’s fight was even early on, partly due to Ochoa working behind a jab and Trinidad starting off slowly. By the fourth round, it was all Trinidad’s fight.

After a feeling-out opening round, Trinidad, who resides in the Boyle Heights area of East Los Angeles, began letting his hands go, throwing and landing two- and three-punches combinations. He worked from the center of the ring, walking Ochoa down, as Ochoa looked to counter.

Ochoa, who resides in Compton, did find success in the third round, landing a series of right hands to the head of Trinidad.

By the middle rounds, Trinidad swung momentum in his favor, focusing his attack to the body of Ochoa, throwing and landing a series of right hands and left hooks. Trinidad excelled in round 6, battering Ochoa, whose punch output dropped considerably. Ochoa was relegated to throwing one punch at a time and looked fought defensively with each passing moment.

Trinidad’s punch volume increased, particularly in Round 7, as he continued to put Ochoa on the defensive. Trinidad went for broke in the final round as he was on the attack, hoping to score a knockdown. Ochoa was able to hold on until the final bell, at which time, both fighters embraced, putting aside their trash talk and animosity.

“He (Ochoa) has heart,” said Trinidad after the fight. “He did a hell of a job. It takes two to tango.”

“I just want to stay active. I love fighting. I love representing my city.”

Ochoa drops to 12-3, 1 NC, 5 KOs.

In the co-feature, and a four-round middleweight attraction, Gabriel Silva was successful in his professional debut, defeating Angelo Thompson by unanimous decision.

Scores were 39-36, 39-36, and 38-37 for Silva.

The taller-Silva landed the more-telling punches throughout the fight, but the southpaw Thompson did connect with a barrage of punches. Thompson was deducted a point in round 3 for holding and hitting on the break.

Silva is the son of MMA legend Anderson Silva, who was in Gabriel’s corner and celebrated his 48th birthday Friday night.

Thompson, who resides in Irvington, New Jersey, drops to 0-7.

Junior welterweight prospect Cain Sandoval dropped Jose Angulo of Ecuador twice en route to a knockout win in Round 5.

Sandoval, who resides in Sacramento and recently signed a promotional deal with 360 Boxing Promotions, was the more-effective fighter and the aggressor from the opening bell. He dropped Angulo with a barrage of punches towards the end of the second round.

Angulo was game, even at times showboating to the crowd, but was not able to keep Sandoval away from him, even as he attempted to box from distance.

Early in Round 5, another barrage of punches dropped Angulo to the canvas. Angulo fought back, even connecting to the head of Sandoval, who later landed another barrage of punches that stunned Angulo. Referee Jack Reiss saw enough and stopped the bout at 2:34.

Angulo drops to 14-6, 7 KOs and has now lost his last four bouts.

Light heavyweight Umar Dzambekov battered Nathan Sharp (4-5, 2 KOs) of Merced, California before earning a knockout win in Round 3.

The southpaw Dzambekov (4-0, 3 KOs), who is originally from Grozny, Russia and now resides in Los Angeles, dropped Sharp with a right hook to the head in round 1. Dzambekov continued to connect with combinations, particularly with hooks to the body. Referee Eddie Hernandez saw enough and stopped the bout at 2:24, saving Sharp from further punishment.

Welterweights Osvaldo Lopez (4-0-1, 4 KOs) of nearby Maywood and Jose Manuel Gomez fought to a split-decision draw. Each fighter won 58-56 on a judge’s scorecard while the third judge scored the bout 57-57. Gomez, who resides in Livermore, California, goes to 4-2-1, 4 KOs.

In the opening bout of the 360 Boxing Promotions card, flyweight Gloria Munguilla of Los Angeles improved to 3-0, defeating Nikki Williams, who was making her pro debut in an action fight. One judge scored the bout 38-38, while the other two judges scored the bout 40-36 and 39-37 for Munguilla. Williams also resides in Los Angeles.

Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached at [email protected]

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