All Photos by Tom Hogan Photography/Golden Boy Promotions
On Friday, June 30, 2017, Oscar Negrete (17-0, 7 KOs) had Sergio Frias (19-7-2, 10 KOs) in the corner when a swift body shot dropped Frias in the 3rd round. Negrete then punished Frias for five more rounds before he would eventually stay in his corner in the 8th round, giving Negrete a TKO win and the vacant NABF Bantamweight title on the latest Golden Boy Promotions on ESPN event at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio California.
Frias traded punches with Negrete but the 8th round saw the unbeaten Columbian land some power shots which staggered Frias and led to his corner requesting to stop the fight. Negrete said he wants Randy Caballero next.
“I knew I was winning the fight,” Negrete said. “It was more of waiting for either the knock out to come about or get the unanimous decision. I felt like my jabs were the most effective.”
Negrete was originally scheduled to fight Caballero Friday but an ankle injury forced Caballero to pull out of the fight.
In the co-main event, super lightweight prospect Ryan Martin (19-0, 11KOs) from Tennessee out slugged Marcos Jimenez to win a 10-round unanimous decision. Martin and Jimenez exchanged punches throughout the fight with Martin landing to the body and head with precision.
Jimenez showed a strong chin and the willingness to go toe-to-toe but Martin kept the pressure, which gave him a score of 100-90 from the judges.
Martin said this was the first time he went a full 10 rounds and despite not getting the knock out, he’s glad he got the win.
“He was a tough, very defensive fighter,” Martin said. “It was hard for me to open up because he would only throw a shot once he could land it clean.”
WBC Youth Featherweight Champion Lamont Roach, Jr. (14-0, 5KOs) defended his title with a unanimous decision win over Mexico’s Jesus Valdez. The judges scored the bout 100-90, 98-92, 97-93 in favor of Roach.
“The icing on the cake would have been if I could have knocked him out, so I feel like this was an ok performance,” Roach said. “He was a tough opponent and he was able to catch me a couple times.”
After suffering his first career loss in April, welterweight KeAndre Gibson (17-1-1, 7KOs) rebounded with a unanimous decision victory over Dennis Dauti. The eight-round bout saw both fighters exchange dangerous punches but Gibson used his size and reach to his advantage.
Gibson said most fighters who come from overseas are pretty awkward in their styles and Dauti was no exception.
“He had strange head and shoulder movements that could have become accidental head butts,” Gibson said. “This fight gives me a confident boost.”
Standout amatuer Luis Feliciano earned his second career win with a unanimous decision victory over Baltazar Ramirez of Mexico in the six-round super lightweight bout. All three judges scored the fight, 60-54.
Feliciano said Ramirez was a tough guy and he took a lot of his punches.
“I feel like we came in and we executed the game plan just how we had trained,” Feliciano said. “I was not sure what type of fighter we were getting. Once you are in the ring, styles change.”
Damon Allen (12-0-1, 5 KOs) opened the card with split decision win over veteran Garmaliel Diaz. The doctors called the match in the sixth round after an accidental head butt. The judges went to the scorecards which had 57-56 for Diaz, 58-55 for Allen and 57-56 for Allen.
“I don’t know if it was an actual head butt that he got from me,” Allen said. “I just remember going off on him and unleashing my punches.”
Allen said he loves taking on veteran fighters for this reason. Allen feels that he can learn a lot about his skills and how to improve for the better.
“It doesn’t matter if it was split decision or if it was unanimously,” Allen said. “I was going to win regardless.”
The night was capped with Genaro Gamez destroying Devon Jones in the first round of a scheduled four-round lightweight swing bout. Gamez dropped Jones twice to improve to 5-0.
“We were the swing bout so I tried to send everyone home as early as I could,” Gamez said. “Of course I’m excited for this win. I’m trying to keep my knock out win streak alive.”
