By Miguel Maravilla at ringside

Undefeated lightweight Miguel “El Explosivo” Madueño (26-0, 24 KOs) of Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico scored an impressive fifth-round knockout over Jose Luis “La Boa” Rodriguez (25-15-1, 13 KOs) of Monterrey, Mexico Friday night in headlining Thompson Boxing’s “New Blood” series’ return to the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, California.

Madueno attacked Rodriguez from the start and finished the first round on the attack keeping Rodriguez up against the ropes. Fighting inside in round two, an uppercut by Madueno staggered Rodriguez as the undefeated fighter was on the offensive.

Fighting at close range on the inside in round three, Rodriguez and Madueno exchanged. Sticking the jab, Madueno was off to a slow start in the fourth, Rodriguez pressed connecting with the chopping right hand, but Madueno attacked to close the round.

Rodriguez threw the overhand right to begin the fifth, but Madueno relentlessly attacked working inside connecting with a body shot. Rodriguez went down but continued to fight. Madueno swarmed Rodriguez letting his hands go prompting referee Raul Caiz Sr. to step in to stop the fight at 2:46 of the fifth.

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Undefeated super lightweight Katsuma Akitsugi (7-0, 1 KO) handed Eros Correa (10-1, 7 KOs), of San Jose, California his first defeat by winning a majority decision in the co-feature bout. Pawing the jab was the southpaw Akitsugi but the chopping right hand by Correa connected a couple of times as Correa attacked. The fight began to get wild in round two as Correa and Akitsugi used rough tactics pushing and shoving, the round ended as the two traded in the center. Exchanging in the center in round three, Correa connected once again with the hard chopping right hand stopping Akitsugi’s momentum. Fighting off his backfoot, Correa circled the ring as Akitsugi stalked, Correa boxed connecting and countering effectively while Akitsugi attempted to make it a rough dirty fight.

In the fifth, Akitsugi began to connect with taking it to Correa on the inside and roughing him up. Akitsugi pressed to begin the sixth round as Correa boxed off his backfoot countering, Akitsugi continued to make it a rough fight staying close tying up Correa. It was close as the fight in the final two rounds, with both fighters sensing the urgency in the eighth and final round Correa let his hands go as Akitsugi continued to press and connect inside with short punches. With the fight very close it was left in the hands of the judges 78-74, 78-74, and 76-76 as Akitsugi pulls off the majority decision win.

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Super lightweight Esteban Muñoz (5-1, 2 KOs) of San Bernardino, California scored a first round knockout over Manuel Martinez of Tijuana. Munoz connected with a solid uppercut in the opening round stopping Martinez’s momentum, moments after a body shot did it as Martinez was crunched to his knees and momentarily got up but took another knee. Referee stopped the fight at 1:50 of the first.

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In the opening bout of the evening super bantamweight Lazaro Vargas of Coachella, California (2-0, 1 KO) won a unanimous decision over Ulises Rosas (0-5), of Tijuana, Mexico. Vargas attacked Rosas from the opening round keeping him up against the ropes and corner. Continuing his attack Vargas kept coming letting his hands go as Rosas proved tough taking Vargas’s best. Working behind the jab in the third, Vargas was on the offensive, but Rosas proved to be tough through three rounds. Rosas was on the receiving end of a headbutt in the fourth and final round, but the fight continued. Shortly after Vargas hit Rosas on the beltline as the referee ruled it a low blow. It was a fun fight as Vargas and Rosas went the distance four rounds. All three judges scored the bout 40-36.

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