By David Robinett at ringside

In a rare championship walkout bout, featuring an equally rare matchup between undefeated fighters in boxing’s lightest weight division, Southern California’s Carlos Licona (14-0, 2 KOs) earned a split decision over Mark Anthony Barriga (9-1, 1 KO), a 2012 Olympian representing the Philippines, to capture the vacant IBF minimumweight title, by scores of 113-115, 115-113, 115-113.

In the second and final walkout bout of the evening, former heavyweight title challenger Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola (37-5-1, 32 KOs) returned to the ring for the first time since his unsuccessful title challenge of Deontay Wilder in 2016, earning a sixth round knockout over Maurenzo Smith (20-11-3, 13 KOs).