MVP Promotions, in association with Boxlab Promotions, put on a blockbuster card at the Convention center in South Padre Island, Texas last night, headlined by the WBC light flyweight title fight between defending champion Lourdes Juarez and former champ Yesica Nery Plata. Also on the card was the IBF/WBO female middleweight title between champion Desley Robinson and challenger Logan Holler, not to mention the leading candidate for round of the year, if not fight of the year!
WBC light flyweight champion Lourdes Juarez barely turned back the gallant challenge of former champion Yesica Nery Plata to retain her title after 10 hard fought rounds. There was little to choose between these two female warriors as each gave as much as they received. Nery Plata bore a few more black and blue marks than her rival at the end, but did herself proud after two years out of the ring. Juarez prevailed via majority decision with scores of 95-95 and 96-94 twice. Juarez improves to 39-4, 5 KOs, while Nery Plata falls to 30-3, 3 KOs.
A rematch would definitely be in order, however Juarez may opt for a chance at becoming undisputed against three belt holder Evelyn Nazarena Bermudez of Argentina.
The final appetizer of the night before the main event saw the battle of the Omars, as Omar Juarez took on Omar Rosario at super lightweight. Juarez simply imposed his will from start to finish on Rosario, walking away with a ’99-89 twice and 97-91 victory, to improve to 20-2, 7 KOs. Rosario drops to 14-3, 4 KOs.
Australian Desley Robinson made short work of American challenger Logan Holler Silva enroute to defending her IBF/WBO middleweight titles. Robinson’s class showed as she dominated every aspect of this fight. After edging the first round with her jab, a hard left hook drove Holler into the ropes for a mandatory eight count as referee Ellis Johnson ruled the ropes had kept her up. A follow-up barrage left Holler helpless, forcing referee Johnson to call a halt to the bout at 1:08 of round two. Robinson retains her titles and improves to 11-3, KOs. Holler falls to 11-4-1, 4 KOs.
Opening the DAZN televised portion of the card, Cuban super middleweight Ronny Alvarez administered a bloody beat down on Mexican Bruno Pola Ruiz. By around five , the corner of Pola Ruiz had seen enough, and stepped onto the ring apron to request that referee James Green call it off at 2:28 of the round. Alvarez moves to 5-0, 4 KOs, for while Pola Ruiz drops to 10-4-1, 9 KOs.
Former IBF bantamweight champion Shurretta Metcalf scored a solid win over previously undefeated Krystal Rosado-Ortiz over eight hard fought rounds. Metcalf utilized her exceptional reach and experience to handle most of what Rosado-Ortiz dished out. The scores were 77-75 and 78-74 twice for Metcalf, now 15-5-1, 2 KOs. Rosado-Ortiz drops her first at 7-1, 2 KOs.
Puerto Rican Alexis Chaparro scored a scary knockout over Mexican. David Gutierrez Garcia in a hard fought middleweight battle. Chaparro waded through some of his own adversity early in the fight. Taking a trip to the canvas that could have been called a knockdown, but wasn’t. He eventually collected himself, and had Gutierrez walking back to his corner at the end of the fifth round on rubbery legs, very badly hurt. The sixth round commenced, Chaparro jumped on his man and fired off a nine punch combination, the last four of which were landing as Gutierrez was out on his feet, hung up on the ropes. For some reason, referee Ellis Johnson started to administer the count when it was clear that Gutierrez was barely conscious. Johnson eventually abandoned the count, calling it off 0:25 of the sixth. Chaparro improves to 6-0, 6 KOs, while Gutierrez loses his first, falling to 4-1, 2 KOs.
Lady Super lightweights Yolanda Vega and Miranda Reyes want the full eight rounds. Reyes imposed her will and poured forth an unbelievable display of volume punching. An injury to Vega’s left hand didn’t help matters for her. In the end, the judges saw it 79-73 and 80-72 twice, all for Reyes, who improves to 8-3-1, 3 KOs. Vegas loses her second straight to fall to 10-2, 1 KO.
In one of the most exciting, mind-boggling, eye-popping fights and definitely single rounds that a fight fan could ask for, Sebastian Juarez came back from certain defeat to stop DeMarcus Layton in the first round. Layton dropped Juarez hard and looked like the sure winner as there was a ton of time left and Juarez was staggering around the ring like a drunken sailor. Two more points were deducted from Juarez by referee Laurence Cole as Juarez was desperately hanging on, trying to regain stability in his legs. Suddenly, with his legs back under him, Juarez dropped Layton. Incredibly, Juarez scored two more knockdowns to come back from the brink of defeat, winning by TKO at 2:59 of round one. Juarez improves to 10-0, 8 KOs. The unlucky Layton Falls to 10-8-1, 8 KOs. Again… Rematch anyone?!
Super welters Pedro Veitia (Cuba) and Xavier Lehi Zuniga Ceron (Mexico) went at it over six rounds, each having their moments of success. The judges saw 60-54 Veitia, 58-56 Zuniga and 57-57 for a three way split draw. Both fighters remain undefeated Veitia at 6-0-1, 6 KOs and Zuniga at 4-0-1, 3 KOs. Rematch anyone?
The first fight of the evening saw lightweights Reggie Ray Martinez and Edgar Rosales lock horns over four rounds. The scores were 40-36 and 39-37 twice all for Rosales who moves to 6-0, 2 KOs. Martinez drops his first at 6-1, 1 KO.
