Beanpole Featherweight Rafael Espinoza Thumps Arnold Khegai in Mexico

Tonight Bob Arum (Top Rank) and his frequent collaborator Fernando Beltran (Zanfer) co-promoted a show in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, live-streamed on the Top Rank Classics FAST Channel. In the main event, Guadalajara’s Rafael Espinoza successfully defended his WBO world featherweight title with an 11^th-round stoppage of brave but outgunned Arnold Khegai. Espinoza (28-0, 24 KOs) was making the fourth defense of the title he won with an upset of Robeisy Ramirez.

At six-foot-one, Espinoza is the tallest featherweight champion in history. Khegai (23-3-1) is listed as five-foot-five but the height disparity appeared greater. An LA-based Ukrainian of Korean descent, Khegai could not penetrate Espinoza’s guard and ate a lot of leather before his corner mercifully stopped the one-sided fray at the conclusion of round 10. Per Mexican rules, the referee counted to “10” to make it official and the TKO goes into the books as an 11^th round stoppage.

A unification fight between Espinoza and Liverpool fireplug Nick Ball, the WBA belt-holder, would be an intriguing Mutt-and-Jeff match-up.

Other Bouts of Note

In a 12-rounder for an IBF 140-pound eliminator, 2016 Mexican Olympian Lindolfo Delgado improved to 24-0 (16) with an unpopular and controversial split decision over countryman Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela (31-5-1). With the win, Delgado becomes the mandatory opponent for Richardson Hitchins. It was a gutsy performance by Valenzuela, a 4/1 underdog, who was coming off a bad loss to Subriel Matias and fought the second half of the fight with damaged eyes.

In the eyes of TV commentators Corey Erdman and Morgan Campbell, Gollaz sealed the win when he knocked Delgado on the seat of his pants with a counter left hook in the final stanza. Two of the judges dissented, scoring it 114-113 for Delgado. The dissenting judge favored Gollaz by the same score.

The semi-wind-up was designed as a showcase for 21-year-old Emiliano Vargas, the youngest of the three fighting sons of “Ferocious” Fernando Vargas. Fighting in his first 10-rounder, Emiliano (16-0, 13 KOs) was extended the distance by New Orleans journeyman Jonathan Montrell (19-4).

Heading in, Vargas had answered the bell for only 41 rounds. It appeared that this fight would be over in a hurry when Montrell was on the deck in the opening round, but he stayed the course while losing a lopsided decision. The judges favored Emiliano by scores of 100-89 and 99-90 twice.

Rising heavyweight contender Richard Torrez Jr, the pride of Tulare, California, stepped down in class after defeating Guido Vianello and stopped hapless Tomas Salek at the 2:45 mark of the opening round. A punch or two by Torrez (14-2, 12 KOs) left Salek with a bloody nose. The ring doctor determined that it was fractured and instructed the referee to waive it off. It was the fourth loss in the last six starts for the non-combative Salek (24-8), a 27-year-old Czech who had previously been stopped four times.

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