Photos: Sumio Yamada
With the planned fight between WBC super lightweight world champion Jose Ramirez and Danny O’Connor imploding 24 hours earlier, WBO #2, WBA #4, WBC #5 welterweight Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas and Juan Carlos Abreu stepped into the main event on Saturday night at the Save Mart Arena in Fresno, California. Two-time Olympian Kavaliauskas (20-0, 16 KOs) was cut over both eyes and had all he could handle with Abreu (21-4-1, 19 KOs) as he retained his NABF title with an unsatisfying ten round unanimous decision. Scores were 97-93, 97-93, 96-94.
“Everything did not go as well as I expected. Abreu was very fast and very slick. In the beginning, I needed a couple of rounds to make adjustments,” Kavaliauskas said. “I’m ready for all of the big names. I give 200 percent in the gym and I will always give my best in the ring.”
Unbeaten super featherweight Andy Vences (21-0-1, 12 KOs) outscored Frank De Alba (22-4-2, 9 KOs) over ten rounds in a clash for the WBC Continental Americas title. Scores were 99-91, 99-91, 98-92.
In a clash between former heavyweight title challengers, world rated Andy “El Destroyer” Ruiz Jr (31-1, 20 KOs) outworked Kevin “Kingpin” Johnson (32-10-1, 16 KOs) over ten rounds. Not an exciting fight but Ruiz pressed the action and earned his 97-93, 97-93, 99-91 unanimous decision.
Unbeaten lightweight Gabriel Flores Jr (9-0, 5 KOs) dropped James De Herrera (4-4, 3 KOs) in round one, but was forced to go the six round distance en route to a 60-53 shutout on all three cards.
Unbeaten super featherweight KO artist Joseph Adorno (8-0, 8 KOs) halted journeyman Guadalupe De Leon (9-16-1, 5 KOs) in round three. Adorno dropped DeLeon in round three and got the stoppage with his follow-up barrage. Time was 2:32.
Unbeaten super lightweight Ruben Rodriguez (3-0, 1 KO) outpointed Richard “Sugar Ray” Howell (2-2-2, 1 KO) over four rounds. Scores were 39-37, 40-36, 40-36.
Super bantamweight Santos Ortega (2-0, 1 KO) outscored Ivan Martino (2-2, 2 KOs) over four. 40-36 across the board.
