Josesito Lopez Wins By KO Over Anthony Mora

ONTARIO, CALIF-In a stacked card that would embarrass most television cards Riverside’s Josesito Lopez struck hard but fellow lightweight hotshot Dominic Salcido fell hard on Friday in front of another sold out crowd.

Lopez continued his trek toward upper contender status with a technical knockout victory over Colorado’s tall Anthony “The Matrix” Mora (15-4, 10 KOs) in front of more than 1,800 fans at the Doubletree Hotel. The card was staged by Thompson Boxing Promotions.

Usually Lopez is the taller fighter when he steps into the ring, but against Mora he surrendered a good three inches in height to the Denver-based junior welterweight.

“He was a tall, lanky fighter,” said Lopez (26-3, 15 KOs).

From the opening bell it was Lopez who surged forward firing loud smacking blows to Mora’s body then firing to the head of the dodging and slipping boxer. Though Mora would evade Lopez’s first blows, the Riverside fighter followed up with three or four more and they usually hit something.

For three rounds Lopez beat up Mora’s body with lefts and rights as the taller fighter switched to southpaw and back. Nothing worked against Lopez’s brutal body attack. A left hook to the ribs at the end of the third round followed by a right to the head seemed to knock the gas out of Mora. As he returned to his corner at the bell he spit out his mouthpiece and whispered something to his corner man. It was all over as referee Jack Reiss announced to the crowd. The referee said Mora’s ribs were damaged.

“I had to chop him down,” said Lopez, who is trained by Henry Ramirez who also trains number one heavyweight contender Chris Arreola. “I used the same body attack that Chris is going to use against the big guy (Vitali Klitschko).”

Lopez fought at 140 pounds but is willing to drop to 135 again if it involves a marquee fighter or a battle for a world title next year.

“I want to make a name for myself,” he said.

Other fights

Rialto’s Dominic Salcido (17-2, 9 KOs) was cruising along with an easy victory after four rounds including a knockdown of Colombia’s Ilido Julio (39-15-1, 35 KOs) when a six punch exchange and a left hook from the smaller fighter dropped the local lightweight phenom for the count of 10 at 2:16 of the fifth round. Salcido was hoping to regroup from last year’s loss to Vicente Escobedo that ended in similar fashion. It was Julio’s fourth straight knockout victory.

Venezuela’s Patrick “El Elegante” Lopez (16-2, 11 KOs) landed a sonic boom of a left hook to the body that floored Missouri’s skillful Tyler Ziolowski (11-9, 6 KOs) for a knockout in 2:16 of the first round of a junior welterweight clash. Lopez returned to Ontario after a hard-fought loss several months ago. Thompson Boxing Promotions signed the speed power boxer. Ziolowski was able to avoid the head shots but that slight opening to the solar plexus was exploited.

Daniel “Travieso” Hernandez (8-0, 4 KOs) stepped up in class to face Mexico’s super rugged Jose “Huero” Lugo (10-11-1) a granite-chinned lightweight. After six rounds Hernandez found plenty of action for his left hook but Lugo of Los Mochis was there until the end despite taking some serious punishment in the fourth round. The judges scored it 60-54 twice and 58-56 for Lugo.

A few months ago Jesus “Pollo” Hernandez (8-0-2, 2 KOs) fought to a disputed draw with San Diego’s Aaron Garcia (9-1-2, 2 KOs). Nothing changed with both featherweights battling to another draw. Judge Marty Denkin had it 58-56 for Hernandez, James Jen Kin scored it 59-55 for Garcia and Jerry Cantu scored it 57-57 for a majority draw. It was a different fight than the first encounter as Hernandez wobbled Garcia with the first left hook he landed. After that it was Hernandez side-stepping Garcia’s charges with both having their moments. Garcia scored many to the body and Hernandez landing with crisp combinations.

After a five-year absence Raul Franco (22-6-1) of Costa Mesa returned to the ring and found that Pacoima’s Sergio Macias (14-17-1) was his equal in the ring after six rounds of a junior welterweight clash. Both fighters had their moments with Franco throwing the clearer combinations but Macias landed multiple overhand rights at will. The judges scored it a majority draw. Marty Denkin scored it 58-56 for Franco while James Jen Kin tabbed it 59-56 for Macias. Jerry Cantu had it 57-57.

South Central L.A.’s Scott Alexander dropped Indiana’s Dusty Callendar with a left jab and it was downhill after that. Subsequent left hands and rights forced referee Jack Reiss to stop the mismatched fight at 1:26 of the first round of a heavyweight bout.