A battle for the IBF women’s junior bantamweight title was the highlight of a sold-out MarvNation show at the Infinity Studios in Long Beach, California on Saturday.

Irma Garcia (23-5-1, 4 KOs), of Mexico City, Mexico, outpointed previously unbeaten Stephanie Silva (8-1), from Roma, Italy, over 10 heated rounds to earn the vacant 115-pound title. This all-action affair showcased their tactical prowess as each punch thrown was met by a counter, but it was the Mexican veteran who took control of the fight by landing the harder shots and dropping Silva in the fifth round en route to unanimous scores of 99-90.

Garcia-Silva was one-sided on the scorecards but it featured fierce action. Photo by German Villasenor

In the main event, undefeated welterweight prospect Miguel Gaona (4-0, 3 KOs) made quick work of Paulo Figueroa (3-2, 3 KOs), of Temascalcingo, Mexico, landing a solid left to the body to end the bout at the 1:02 marks of opening round.

In the co-main event, undefeated junior middleweight prospect Fernando Vargas Jr. (13-0, 13 KOs) kept his knockout streak alive with a second-round stoppage of rugged Mexican journeyman Wilfredo Buelvas (24-18, 18 KOs). Vargas came out guns blazing, dropping Buelvas with an over hand right in the opening round. Buelvas beat the count and survived the round before being knocked out at the 52 second mark of the second.

Fernando Vargas Jr. kept his KO streak going. Photo by German Villasenor

On the undercard, Pico Rivera fan favorite Nathan Rodriguez improved to (13-0, 8 KOs) with a lopsided unanimous decision victory over Giovanni Gutteriez (11-6-1, 5 KOs) in a six-round junior lightweight bout. Rodriguez dominated from the opening bell, controlling the distance and pace of the fight with pinpoint punching. Rodriguez dropped Gutteriez twice in the fourth round. All three judges scored the bout 60-52 for “El Hijo De Pico.”

Jose Luis Castillo Jr. (27-4, 20 KOs), the son of the former lightweight champion of the same name, lost to Micheal Bracamontes (8-1-1, 4 KOs), of Santa Ana, California, who captured a hard-fought decision in an eight-round featherweight bout. Both combatants displayed fortitude in a fan friendly brawl. After eight solid rounds the judges turned in scores of 80-72 (twice) and 78-74 for the sharper and more aggressive Bracamontes.

“King” Mylik Birdsong (14-1, 10 KOs), of South Central, Los Angeles, suffered the first loss of his career as he was matched against the undefeated Jose Vargas Quintana (9-0, 7 KOs), of Chino Hills, California by way of Apartado, Colombia. Trained by former world title contender Oscar Negrete and making his U.S. debut Quintana scored a fifth-round stoppage of the local prospect.

Jose Vargas Quintana halted a still-game Mylik Birdsong in the fifth round of a fight Birdsong appeared to be winning. Photo by German Villasenor

The Colombian started aggressively but that was quickly nulled by the speed, timing, and accuracy of Birdsong, who continued his dominance throughout the fight. However, in the fifth round, after Quintana had been deducted a point for hitting on the break, the Colombian caught Birdsong with an overhand right. Birdsong staggered into the ropes as Quintana continued to throw punches forcing referee Gerard White to step in at the 2:51 mark.

Other bouts:

Welterweights (6 Rounds): Brian Gallegos (7-1- 5 KOs) KO 3 Antonio Armas (13-7, 8 KOs).

Minimum weights (8 Rounds): Yadira Bustillos (9-1, 1 KO) TKO 4 Maria Santizo (11-5, 6 KOs).

Lightweights (4 Rounds): Juan Estrada (debut) KO 1 Gibran Perez (0-2).

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