By Rocky Morales and Miguel Maravilla at ringside
Welterweight Ivan Redkach (23-4-1, 18KO) exploded in the sixth round of a dead even fight with three knockdowns to stop former world champion, Devon Alexander (27-6-1, 14KO) on Saturday night at the Soboba Casino in San Jacinto, California. Redkach landed an uppercut through the guard of Alexander for the first knockdown. Alexander got up on very unsteady legs and Redkach attacked, landing a cross to drop him for a second time. A barrage of punches sent Alexander down for the third time leading the referee to wave off the fight.
Redkach, fighting for the first time at 147, was in good company as he had an all star corner with both trainer Sugar Shane Mosley and reigning champion, Leo Santa Cruz, in his corner.
Alexander looked solid through five rounds and had his own all star corner with trainer Roy Jones Jr, but it wasn’t enough and he drops his second in a row and may want to consider retirement.
Time of the stoppage was 1:10 of the sixth round.
Former world title challenger Willie Monroe Jr. (24-3, 6 KOs) won a ten round unanimous decision over Hugo Centeno Jr. (27-3, 14 KOs) as they met in a crossroads match-up in the co-feature.
The southpaw Monroe was slick and busy in the early rounds as Centeno stalked and started slow. Centeno was cut on the eye in the fourth but continued to press. Things picked up in the fifth as both Centeno and Monroe let their hands go trading on the inside.
Past the halfway point, Monroe landed a looping left in the sixth as he out-boxed Centeno. Things got rough in the seventh as Centeno hit Monroe after referee Ray Corona stepped in to separate them, Corona issued a warning. Centeno worked off the jab as Monroe continued to be slicker of the two. Continuing to beat Centeno to the punch, Monroe appeared to frustrate Centeno in the eighth. Late in the fight in the ninth Monroe’s jab was too quick as tag Centeno and beat him to the punch. The tenth and final round, Centeno and Monroe sensed the urgency as they came out punching as they closed the show strong.
Judges scored the bout 98-92, 97-93, and 96-94 as Monroe wins a unanimous decision.
Rodney Hernández (13-7-2, 4KO) pulled off the shock upset with a double left hook first round knockout over previously undefeated 6’7” Nigerian, Onoriode “Godzilla” Ehwarieme (17-1, 16KO). Ehwarieme had all the physical advantages over the shorter and stockier Hernández but Hernández never got discouraged. In the closing seconds of the opening round, Ehwarieme got sloppy and left himself wide open for a short left hook from Hernández. Hernández, however, didn’t stop there and with King Kong already toppling over, Hernández landed another hard left hook for good measure. Ehwaraieme went down hard and struggled up at the count of nine on rubber legs. With Ehwarieme in no condition to continue, the referee stopped the contest making Hernández the winner by KO. Time of the stoppage was 2:59 of the first round in a scheduled eight round heavyweight bout.
Jose Balderas (7-0, 2KO) unleashed the power with four knockdowns and a fourth round knockout over Julio Garcia (3-1, 2KO). After an evenly contested first round, Balderas pulled away and dominated the rest of the way. It was two knockdowns in the third round with Garcia unwisely choosing to continue for more abuse in the fourth round. The referee took a close look at Garcia after the next knockdown midway in the fourth round. With another knockdown quickly following, the referee waved off the bout. Time of the stoppage was 2:18 of the fourth round in a scheduled six round bantamweight bout.
Jhack Tepora (23-0, 18KO), WBA #15 featherweight, won a clearcut unanimous decision victory over journeyman Jose Luis Gallegos (16-7, 12KO) in a ten round featherweight bout. Gallegos was an easy target and seemed to be stuck on pause when he seemed like he should be letting his hands go against Tepora who was in front of him all night. Tepora has no such problem of letting his hands go and hit Gallegos early and often but failed to drop him or stop him.
Tepora briefly held the WBA interim featherweight title but lost it on the scales last January when he lost it on the scales coming in 5.5 pounds heavy and being replaced with an alternate fighter. This was the debut fight for Tepora in the USA and to his credit his weight was just a pound over the featherweight limit in this non title bout.
All three judges scored it the same, 99-91, in favor of Tepora. Post fight, Tepora expresses a desire to challenge WBA Super World Featherweight Champion, Leo Santa Cruz for his title.
Former world champion Marlon Tapales (33-2, 16 KOs) of the Philippines scored a third round knockout over Roberto Castaneda (23-12-2, 16 KOs) of Mexicali, Mexico in a scheduled 10-round super bantamweight fight. Tapales offense was too much for Castaneda as referee Ray Corona stepped in to stop the fight at at 1:37 of the third.
Super lightweight Justin Cardona (3-0, 2 KOs) of Salinas, California made quick work of J.C Sanders (0-3) of Louisiana scoring a first round knockout. Cardona attacked Sanders as the referee stepped in to stop the fight at 1:56 of the first.
In the opening bout from the Soboba Casino Resort Events Center in San Jacinto, California, super bantamweight Shon Mondragon (3-0, 2 KOs) of Denver won a unanimous decision over Jose Naranjo (3-10-2, 1 KO) of Mexico. Mondragon dominated as all the judges scored the bout 40-36, 40-36, and 39-37.