Prelim Results From Zuffa Boxing: Z3 Undercard
By Boxing Bob Newman
Middleweights Leo Ruiz (CA) and Casey James Streeter (ME) closed out the prelim portion of the Zuffa Boxing Z03 card tonight. The heavy-handed pressure of Ruiz really started paying off in round three as Streeter began getting rocked to his boots. Streeter’s cornerman warned him not to bang with his foe as well as threatening to stop it if further punishment ensued. It didn’t take much more as referee Allen Huggins stepped in at 1:23 of the fourth as Streeter was a standing heavy bag. Streeter didn’t protest the stoppage. Ruiz is now 17-1, 9 KOs. Streeter falls to 15-3-2, 6 KOs.
Middleweights Antonio Woods (MN) and Mark Beuke (TX) met in a hard fought, scheduled 8-rounder. The first few rounds alternated: Beuke, Woods, Beuke, Woods. Then things took a turn as Beuke began exerting his power to the body, which paid dividends. In the sixth, the power shots from Beuke made their way to the head, with Woods seeming to fade decisively. An in-ring visit from the ringside physician at the beginning of round 7, assessed the swelling on the face of Woods, who was allowed to continue. Woods had a last gasp in round 8, with the judges seeing it: 77-7 Beuke, 77-75 Woods, and 77-75 Beuke, for a split decision in favor of Beuke- the first underdog of the night to notch a an upset win. He rises to 13-3, 7 KOs. Woods falls to 14-2, 12 KOs.
In a Mutt-n-Jeff lightweight affair, Oswaldo Molina (Mexico) and Joshua Clark (MN, USA) met in a scheduled six-rounder. Molina’s 3.5 inch height advantage, as well as his poise, helped him control the action throughout. Clark however, was game and crafty, trying to work his way in via the bob-n-weave approach, but his connect success rate was limited. Molina exercised great control of his range at all times, occasionally switching to Southpaw just for a change of pace. He had a smile on his face from time-to-time, pleased with his own work, both on offense and defense. The judges were also pleased with the work of Molina based on their scores: 60-54 across the board, all for Molina, now 10-0, 6 KOs. Clark falls to 9-2, 2 KOs.
Fighting at a catchweight limit of 122 lbs. (Zuffa doesn’t recognize the junior or super weight classes), smallish featherweights Emiliano Alvarado (CA) and Devin Gantt (NJ) went at it in a scheduled six-rounder. Gantt entered this bout coming off two straight losses after starting out 5-0, 5 KOs. After a shaky first round, Alvarado found his rhythm, alternating between orthodox and Southpaw stances, spearing Gantt with sharp jabs, mixed in with hard hooks. Gantt simply could not stop Alvarado’s forward momentum, as long-range lefts, inside uppercuts, basically everything, was working for the 18-yeard-old Mexican. A barrage in the corner buckled Gantt, who was held up by the ropes, forcing referee Allen Huggins to call a knockdown. After administering the mandatory 8-count, Huggins asked Gantt if he wanted to continue, to which Gantt answered “no” more than once. The time was 1:24 of the fourth. Alvarado is now 10-0, 6 KOs, while Gantt loses his third straight at 5-3, 5 KOs.
Lightweights Dariial Kuchmenov (Russia) and Jorge Lagunas (Mexico) opened the Zuffa Boxing (Z3) show at the Meta Apex tonight in Las Vegas. The well-schooled Kuchmenov, who trains out of the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, was in control over the experienced Lagunas from the start. Lagunas simply could not handle the controlled aggression and output of Kuchmenov. A left-right to the body dropped Lagunas with less than 30-seconds in round three. Lagunas beat the count to see the end of the round. Less than a minute into round four saw Lagunas take a knee to escape the onslaught of Kuchmenov again. Rising at the count of eight, Lagunas couldn’t escape any further and referee Mark Nelson stepped in to ass the freshly cut-on-the left-eye Lagunas and decided he’d seen enough. The time was 1:32 of the fourth. Kuchmenov moves to 10-0, 8 KOs, while Lagunas drops to 19-8, 16 KOs.
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