[slideshow_deploy id=’9484′] Photos by Naoki Fukada
Sergio Mora vs. Milton Nunez
Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora (24-3-2, KOs) made his return tonight in a Middleweight bout that was scheduled for eight rounds against Colombian fighter Milton Nunez (26-8-1, 24KOs).
The fight began with Mora trying to control the pace with his jab and Nunez trying to come in. Nunez was successful in his attempts, hurting Mora in the second round and working him on the inside in the third.
Eventually, however, Mora found his rhythm and was able to finish Nunez in the fifth round. Nunez was knocked down before Mora began a second barrage that finally forced the referee to call the fight.
Brandon Gonzalez vs. Jonathan Nelson
Next on the card was the first of Virgil Hunter’s fighters to step in to the ring tonight. Brandon Gonzalez (17-0-1, 10 KOs) took on Jonathan Nelson (19-0, 9 KOs).
Brandon Gonzalez has been a sparring partner for Alfredo Angulo and Andre Ward, a stable headed by Hunter and which includes Amir Khan and Andre Berto.
It was a matchup of two undefeated fighters with similar records and similar builds. Both fighters fought confidently in the first and second rounds, with both taking punches very well.
Despite their similarities, it was clear that Gonzales had far more experience. By the third round, Gonzales had Nelson on the ropes while landing hooks to the body.
The next few rounds were marked by exchanges in which both threw punches, but where Gonzalez’s were more frequent and more powerful. Gonzalez was successful in stepping in with the double jab with his head tucked in in order to find room to work on the inside.
Gonzalez’s technique and strength allowed him to dictate the fight for ten rounds, winning via Unanimous Decision.
Charles Huerta vs. Johnathan Arellano
The penultimate bout was a Jr. Lightweight showdown between Charles Huerta (18-3, 11 KOs) and Johnathan Arellano (13-2-2, 3 KOs).
The feel out process had Huerta–who was much taller–trying to use his jab to find his rhythm, while Arellano did his best to slip most of the punches.
Huerta was once considered a prospect, but after previous three losses in his young career, the future doesn’t look too bright.
Indeed, Arellano looked stronger and more skillful. Huerta, whose game plan was to stand close and trade with Arellano—a bad idea when fighting a smaller fighter—was eating uppercuts and hooks by the second round.
Arellano dictated the rest of the fight, landing punches on the inside, switching angles, and then landing more.
The fight went the full eight rounds, with a bloody Huerta losing by a majority decision.
Andre Ward vs. Edwin Rodriguez
The main event, which was surrounded by a bit of controversy due to Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez’s inability to make weight, took off without Andre “S.O.G.” Ward’s WBA Super Middleweight belt on the line.
Along with that last-minute change, Rodriguez also had to forfeit 20 percent of his purse, leaving him with only 800,000 of what would have been a million-dollar payday.
Ward, (26-0, 14 KOs), who was asked by Rodriguez to take a drug test after failing to make weight, was angry with Rodriguez. Ward was angry at his request, and the dispute between them was a sign of the excitement to come.
The first round began with Rodriguez racing across the ring to attack Ward. He forced him into a clinch and spent most of the round trying to land right hooks the body and to the head. Ward tried his best to land his jab and find his rhythm, but the pressure was stifling.
By the second round it was clear that Ward’s plan was to land one jab at a time, then clinch Rodriquez before he could land any hard shots. Ward also landed two strong left hooks that may have helped keep Rodriguez off of him.
The third round had Ward finding his jab and landing it often. Ward, who was coming off a long layoff, only took three rounds to find his rhythm on a fighter who was trying to rip his head off.
In the fourth round, a street fight nearly broke out as both Rodriguez and Ward refused to stop punching in the clinch. As they held each other, Ward threw a left hook and an uppercut. The referee was forced to separate them as Rodriguez was still throwing punches.
The referee two points from each fighter, clearly because both were engaging in a fight more suited for a bar.
As the fighters were allowed to continues, Ward continued his domination by landing left hooks and right hands. There was clearly bad blood between them, as Rodriguez began to taunt Ward, even though Rodriguez was badly getting hit.
By the sixth round, Ward began hitting more clearly and often. The craziness Rodriguez showed in the first round was gone as Ward easily out boxed Rodriguez and even grinned a few times as he did it.
The later rounds had Ward controlling the fight by stepping in with the jab, a move also done by Brandon Gonzalez—it is a technique that Virgil Hunter likes to teach his fighters. The jab allowed Ward to get in and land left hooks at a close distance.
The ninth round had Ward doing the same thing, nearly knocking Rodriguez with a powerful shot that nearly knocked him down.
By the twelfth and final round Rodriguez had a cut above his left eye. He was still standing, but was also eating the same left hook he had been receiving in the early rounds. Ward’s ring ability was too much for Rodriguez to make any adjustments.
Ward walked away with a unanimous decision on all the scorecards and improves to 27-0, 14 KOs.
