Orlando Gonzalez, in the ProBox headliner, battled tooth and nail to snatch a majority decision win. Talk about a fight! Gonzalez (22-2, 12 KOs) squared off against Jorge Castaneda (16-3, 12 KOs) in a clash that had everyone impressed. The judges were split, scoring it 95-95 for Castaneda, and 97-92 and 96-93 in favor of Gonzalez.
Right from the bell, Gonzalez was all business. He nailed Castaneda with a straight left in the first round that had him wobbling. Castaneda’s nose started bleeding in the second, but that didn’t slow him down. Gonzalez then dropped him with a right hook followed by a left, marking the first knockdown. Castaneda managed to beat the count and stay in the fight.
The third round saw Castaneda trying to rally, but Gonzalez’s slick footwork and sharp counter hooks were too much. Castaneda, clearly agitated, couldn’t find his rhythm. He did manage to shake Gonzalez in the fourth with a massive one-two, temporarily shifting the momentum.
Round five was like a scene from an old-school fight movie, both men trading blows at close quarters. Gonzalez’s body shots were taking their toll, but the crowd was all in, cheering their hearts out. Castaneda fought back with a clean double left hook in the sixth, but Gonzalez’s check right hooks kept him in check. Gonzalez dominated the seventh with varied attacks, but Castaneda fired back with a left to the body and a triple left uppercut in the eighth, visibly hurting Gonzalez.
In the ninth, Castaneda, like a hunter, stalked Gonzalez and nailed him with a left hook to the body. Though he had Gonzalez reeling, a knockdown eluded him. The final round was an all-out war, both fighters emptying their tanks, desperately trying to tip the scales in their favor. In the end, it was Gonzalez who did just enough to edge out the win.
Zaina Outclasses Lopez, Valle Triumphs in Gritty Bout
Tarik Zaina (13-0-1, 8 KOs) made it look easy against Marcelino Nicolas Lopez (37-4-1, 22 KOs) in the co-feature of the night. Zaina, displaying superb boxing skills, cruised to a unanimous decision win with the judges scoring it 97-93, 98-92, and 99-91.
Zaina’s opening round was a showcase of sharp lateral movement, while Lopez tried to establish dominance with his left jab and an overhand right. However, Lopez’s overhand right mostly missed its mark throughout the first half. As the fight progressed, Lopez’s strategy of chasing Zaina backfired, with Zaina countering effectively, particularly with his left jab.
In a strategic move, Zaina switched to a southpaw stance in the seventh round, a change Lopez struggled to adapt to. Zaina then took control, using his right jab to dictate the pace and ultimately sealing the deal for a unanimous decision victory.
Undefeated super welterweight Marques Valle (10-0, 7 KOs) faced a tough challenge against Farid Ngoga (10-1, 6 KOs) but emerged victorious with scores of 77-75, 78-74, and 78-74. Valle’s win was hard-earned, as he had to withstand Ngoga’s aggressive style throughout the fight.
Ngoga set the early pace with a solid left jab, while Valle was more measured, stalking but not landing many punches initially. Valle found his rhythm in the second round, connecting with a left jab followed by a right uppercut. Ngoga, showing signs of fatigue, was hit with some heavy shots but managed to create swelling on Valle’s face with some well-placed combinations.
The third round saw Ngoga landing overhand rights, but Valle, undeterred, applied relentless pressure and stunned Ngoga with a triple right uppercut. Despite Ngoga switching to a southpaw stance in the fifth round and landing a series of right jabs, Valle continued his aggressive approach.
Ngoga maintained the southpaw stance for the remainder of the fight, finding success with the right jab. However, Valle’s cleaner and harder shots resonated more with the judges, leading to his unanimous decision win, despite sustaining a cut under his left eye. Both fighters ended the fight strong, but it was Valle’s cleaner strikes that swayed the judges in his favor.
Kicking off the night with a bang, ProBox Promotions showcased an electrifying bantamweight showdown where Joahnys Argilagos (9-1-1, 4 KOs) and Jose Lopez (4-2-3, 0 KO) battled to a standstill. The judges couldn’t agree on a winner, scoring it 78-74 for Lopez, 77-75 for Argilagos, and 76-76, ultimately leading to a draw.
Right from the start, Argilagos set a blazing pace with rapid-fire combinations. Lopez, not to be outdone, focused his attack on the body, slowly chipping away at Argilagos’ defenses. This strategy paid off as Lopez began to find openings for his heavy right hands, with Argilagos’ guard starting to lower.
The second round saw a slight shift. Argilagos wasn’t as busy but caught the eye with some flashy combinations. Lopez, undeterred, maintained his steady, relentless approach, jabbing with his left and following up with overhand rights, keeping the pressure on Argilagos.
As the rounds progressed, from the third through the seventh, the pattern of the fight became clear. Argilagos would unleash bursts of eye-catching punches, while Lopez steadily marched forward, peppering Argilagos with a barrage of body shots and consistently landing overhand rights.
In the final round, knowing the fight was still anyone’s to win, both fighters threw caution to the wind and went toe-to-toe in a thrilling exchange. The lack of knockdowns didn’t dampen the excitement, as the crowd erupted in cheers at the fight’s conclusion.