By Nick Bellafatto
In the undercard main attraction for the vacant WBA International welterweight title, Johan Perez (17-1-1, 12 KO’s) of Caracas, Venezuela after ten rounds of action would hand Japan’s formerly unbeaten Yoshihiro Kamegai (22-1-1, 19 KO’s) his first defeat by way of unanimous decision. The final scores all in favor of Perez would read 100-90, 98-92, and 97-93.
The game, come forward Kamegai was able to handle that which was dealt by the Venezuelan, but mainly reluctant to work behind a jab, the Japanese fighter was totally ineffective to time and again run into scoring shots which would prove to be the difference.
To open the days action at the Home Depot center, two evenly matched scrappers from Los Angeles would go at it in a scheduled four-round bantamweight tilt. In the end it would be undefeated Edgar Valerio improving to 3-0 over David Reyes 2-4-1 via split decision. The final tallies would read 37-35 twice for Valerio, and 37-35 once for Reyes. Valerio would inflict a cut over the right eye of Reyes in round 1 who by fight’s end would look the worse for wear, something that had no doubt factored in to the judges decision.
Undefeated junior featherweight Manuel Avila (12-0, 4 KO’s) of Fairfield, California on paper figured to have an easy go of it in his eight round clash with Saint Louis, Missouri’s Jamal Parram (6-8-1, 4 KO’s). In fact the 80-72 verdict all the way around for Avila would indicate such, with the reality being quite different. That’s to say Parram landed his share of sneaky right hooks to inflict a cut over Avila’s left eye, while the Mid West fighter’s defense wasn’t all that bad either. In any case, the technically skilled Avila it could be argued did enough to deserve the decision, the scoring of which seemed to have no basis in fact.
Hollywood, California’s unbeaten junior welterweight Jamie Kavanagh (14-0-1, 5 KO’s) looked like a world beater over the course of three rounds, landing sharp precise combination punches to both the head and body of opponent Adolfo Landeros (21-32-2, 10 KO’s). Quite durable though, Landeros would hang in to land a few solid shots of his own. However, lacking in defense, the Landeros corner would call it quits at the end of the third to prevent a further accumulation of what looked to be endless punishment in this scheduled eight-round bout.
Undefeated junior lightweight Ronny Rios (21-0, 9 KO’s) of Santa Ana, California would early on be involved in a competitive two-way scrap with game Sonora, Mexico opponent Leonilo Miranda (32-6, 30 KO’s). But the heavier handed of the two, Rios would visibly begin separate himself in what was a scheduled ten-rounder, wearing southpaw Miranda down with good body work etc., so that Leonilo would become more vulnerable over time. This circumstance would prompt referee Pat Russell to intervene, finally calling a halt to the action at the 1:37 mark of round six.
The big boys were up next as an eight-round heavyweight attraction would see undefeated former USC football player Gerald Washington (8-0, 5 KO’s) stay that way, registering a unanimous decision over Bahamas native Sherman Williams (35-13-2, 19 KO’s) by scores of 79-72 all the way around. The game and more experienced Williams would taste the canvass in round 2 courtesy of a counter right uppercut, but Sherman would rise to his feet to press on. However, at a tremendous reach disadvantage as the much shorter opponent, Williams would find it difficult to land anything meaningful in what was an overall lackluster bout due to the less than impressive activity level of both participants.
Former Olympian Joseph Diaz Jr. (6-1, 3 KO’s) of El Monte, California would return to action against opponent Rigoberto Casillas (8-11-1, 6 KO’s) of San Diego, California, and that action would be all one way. With no answer for Diaz’s short crisp left hand, the wide swinging and defensively challenged Casillas would be reduced to a punching bag as early as round two. With much of the same in the ensuing round, referee Lou Moret had seen enough to waive the bout off in between rounds 3 and 4.
