East LA’s Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada (25-0, 9 KOs) once again proved her skills, holding her ground against Argentina’s former champ, Leonela Yudica (19-2-3, 1 KO). This title defense took place on a Friday night at the Pearl Concert Theater in the heart of the Palms Casino Resort, underscoring the 31-year-old Estrada’s steadfast journey towards the undisputed champion’s title.
The ring became a theater of strategy as Estrada demonstrated her adaptability, fluidly alternating between orthodox and southpaw stances. She unleashed a flurry of combos on Yudica, but in doing so, her aggressive style left her vulnerable to counterstrikes.
Capitalizing on her slight reach advantage, Yudica retorted to Estrada’s moves with pinpoint left hooks and straight punches as the tension of the fight ramped up. Sensing the rhythm of the bout changing, Estrada boosted her offense in the final rounds, resulting in an intense exchange of punches.
With the judges awarding her a score of 97-93 across the board, Estrada held on to her unified titles, underlining her stronghold in the division.
Reflecting on the fight, Estrada remarked, “I understood from the get-go that this fight demanded a specialized strategy. Yudica was a wily adversary, hesitant to engage directly. It was a complex ballet of tactical footwork and feints, while ensuring I stayed in a position to deliver and evade punches. Sure, I took a few hits, but that’s the fight game. My dominance in the division stands unchallenged.”
Turning her gaze towards the future, she added, “Yokasta Valle is next on my radar. I believe I’m the best in the division, and I aim to reinforce that by defeating her. She might as well consider giving up her belts now, as the match won’t play out in her favor.”
Yudica, however, voiced her disagreement with the outcome, countering, “I emphatically disagree with the judges’ scorecards. I can assure you that she’s never felt punches as hard as mine. If she disputes this, her battered face would bear evidence. I brought my A-game, and the result does not do justice to my efforts.”
Undercard:
- In a lightweight match, Philadelphia’s Nahir Albright upset U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas by scoring an eight-round majority decision win due to a higher punch output.
- Dominican Olympian Rohan Polanco overwhelmed Panamanian contender Cesar Francis to achieve a fifth-round TKO victory in their junior welterweight match.
- In a junior lightweight bout, Abraham Nova defeated former world champion Jonathan Romero in three rounds with a decisive overhand right.
- Subaru Murata extended his knockout streak by defeating Juan Centeno in a junior featherweight match, causing Centeno to bow out after the third round.
- Dante Benjamin Jr. and William Langston reached a six-round majority draw in their light heavyweight match, with both fighters landing significant blows.
- Former Team USA amateur standout Charlie Sheehy scored a third-round TKO against Kaylyn Alfred in a lightweight match, leading to Alfred’s defeat.