Jojo Diaz and Frankie Gomez Score Dominant Wins at Fantasy Springs

INDIO, CALIF.-Super bantamweight Jojo Diaz dominated Mexico’s Ruben Tamayo and welterweight Frankie Gomez did the same against Mexico’s Jorge Silva in a twin main event on Friday.

Fans saw two budding contenders as South El Monte’s Diaz (18-0, 10 Kos) and East L.A.’s Gomez battered their respective opponents in front of a large crowd at Fantasy Springs Casino, on a Golden Boy Promotions fight card.

Both Diaz and Gomez shut out their opponents, winning every round impressively in their 10-round fights.

Diaz showed too much speed and accuracy for the taller Tamayo (23-7-4, 15 Kos), who also has a very good chin. Shots to the body seemed to affect the lanky fighter from Ciudad Obregon. In the early half of the fight body shots doubled over Tamayo, who complained of low blows. The referee warned Diaz but the blows were on the belt line. The second time Tamayo feigned low blows the referee did not buy it.

Maybe it was his southpaw stance or simply the overwhelming speed. Tamayo could not do a thing against Diaz, who fired combinations with impunity.

Last summer Tamayo proved a little tougher against another contender, Oscar Valdez. This time, he looked lost against the left-handed Diaz, who was like a Navy Seal sharpshooter firing blows at will with little repercussion.

After 10 rounds all three judges scored it the same, 100-90.

“I wanted to win the fight decisively. He was long and rangy and kind of powerful. I wanted to make sure he didn’t land anything effectively,” Diaz said.

Though Diaz dominated he did learn a thing or two inside the ring from Tamayo.

“I felt I hurt him a couple of times with body shots but he was a smart veteran and he knew what to do, he smothered me so I couldn’t hit him again,” said Diaz, a former US Olympian. “He was a smart veteran.”

East L.A.’s Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez (19-0, 13 Kos) had little resistance from Tijuana’s Jorge Silva (19-10-2, 15 Kos), who sported a good chin but nothing else. Gomez pounded him at will and the only damage he suffered came from accidental head clashes. The fight lasted all 10 rounds with Gomez showing off his combinations that seemingly strafed Silva at will. There were no knockdowns. Gomez and Silva clashed heads violently in the ninth round with each suffering cuts under the eye. All three judges scored it 100-90 for Gomez.

“I hurt my hand throwing an overhand right early in the fight,” said Gomez. “I could have not let him hit me but I wanted to give something for the fans.”

The junior welterweight Gomez is ranked and looks to fight for a world title next year.

“As long as I stay busy,” Gomez said.

Gomez entered the ring three pounds over the contracted weight. Silva agreed to fight Gomez nonetheless. It was the third time the East L.A. fighter did not make weight for a fight. Still, his talent is obvious. A world title fight could happen if he desires.

Other bouts

Coachella’s Alberto Fundora (6-0) used his length and jab to out-maneuver Commerce’s Richard Romero (3-1) over six rounds in a super middleweight clash between undefeated prospects. No knockdowns were scored but there were plenty of big blows exchanged in the fight. One judge saw it 59-55 the other two 58-56.

St. Louis middleweight KeAndre Gibson (14-0-1, 6 Kos) remained undefeated with a decisive knockout of Michigan’s Thomas Howard at 55 seconds of the second round. A one-two combination dumped Howard to the floor. He beat the count but was unsteady on his legs.

Marco Magdaleno (1-0) wasted little time in landing an overhand left to floor Compton’s Phillip Bounds (0-1) early in the first round. Bounds made it to his feet but was met with a barrage of lefts and rights. After several landed, referee Eddie Hernandez stopped the fight at 1:09 of the opening round. Magdaleno is the youngest brother of boxers Jessie and Diego Magdaleno.

Glendale’s Melsik Baghdasaryan (3-0) used some accurate left uppercuts to score and win by majority decision over L.A.’s Diego Padilla (1-2) after four rounds in a welterweight contest. One judge scored it a draw while the other two saw Baghdasaryan the winner 39-37.

In a heavyweight fight Paul Ritter (1-1) of Newport Beach scored his first pro win by decision after four rounds with Relonzo Richard (0-1) of Lancaster. Ritter looks like Thor and shows a good chin plus power. He just needs to adjust to inside fighting.

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