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Arnold Barboza Jr. Cruises Past Alex Saucedo

With the year practically over, the next step for Arnold Barboza will be a shot at the big names in the division.

Mikey Williams/Top Rank

During a normal night of boxing, the co-main event would get a fair share of the spotlight. But with Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez headlining at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, both Alex Saucedo and Arnold Barboza Jr. played second fiddle. With that being said, the pair of Super Lightweight contenders made the most of their dimmed spotlight.

Saucedo, 26, came into the night looking to build off his recent two fight win streak. The Mexican native started things off uniquely to say the least. The usual orthodox fighter stepped into the middle of the ring as a southpaw. Something that baffled commentators and former champions, Tim Bradley and Andre Ward.

Early on, the unconventional start to his night was paying off. Barboza Jr. had a difficult time figuring out the rhythm of the aggressive Saucedo and paid for it with hard shots. The success of his man didn’t last entirely too long as Barboza Jr. began landing a few shots of his own.

The first few rounds of their matchup took place in a phone booth. Neither man wanted to take a step back and gave the crowd less arena a show because of it. Although Saucedo found his moments of success, Barboza Jr. seemed to be a step ahead.

Once we hit the halfway mark, the punches of the California product became ubiquitous and as Saucedo’s face began turning into a mess, he became desperate. That moment of desperation actually turned the fight in his favor as he scored an unexpected knockdown in the seventh round.

Nothing would come of it however as Barboza Jr. bounced back up and would continue to put on a clinic. After pushing back the second half efforts of his man, the 28 year old would finish strong in the final frame and take home a unanimous decision victory.

Final Grade For Arnold Barboza Jr: B+

Barboza Jr. is a problem for anyone at 140 pounds. Saucedo may have fallen short on the championship stage, but he was universally recognized as a top contender in the weight class. Outside of a flash knockdown, Barboza Jr. made it look easy on the night.

With the year practically over, the next step for the newfound contender will be a shot at the big names in the division.

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