Joseph Landeros is 13-0 With 13 KOs and He’s Only 17 Years Old !

High school sensation Joseph Landeros continued his winning streak with his 13^th consecutive knockout on Saturday in Mexico. It’s a country that has proven to be lucky and profitable for the driven teen-aged prizefighter.

Landeros, now 17, has been making this trek to fight professionally for two years. Occasionally it’s even further and requires air flights. On those excursions the caravan shrinks in size.

“Usually there are about 10 of us altogether who drive to Tijuana,” said Landeros, who still attends high school in Riverside. “

Landeros (13-0, 13 KOs) who is nicknamed “El Tigre,” faced an opponent named Irvin Ordaz (5-2-1, 2 KOs) from Coacalco, Mexico at Auditorio Ruffo Appel in Rosarito Beach, Mexico. Most of the time he has no idea whom he is opposing or what style he faces.

It was his 13th professional fight since turning pro on September 30, 2016 at the age of 15 because in California and virtually every other U.S. jurisdiction professional boxers must be 18. Landeros is now 17, and since that first prize he had racked up 12 consecutive knockouts before Saturday. It’s one thing to accomplish it in the U.S., it’s another to do it in Mexico where many are bent on disrupting the Mexican-American’s journey toward success.

The Riverside high school student is acutely aware of the circumstances.

Landeros doesn’t speak Spanish fluently but has been forced to speak on his own behalf with fans, promoters and others he encounters in the Mexican fight game. It’s an interaction he enjoys and he spends hours conversing with the public and taking photos with every curious fan who has heard about the Norte Americano from Riverside, California.

“It’s been amazing,” said Landeros who spoke by phone while in Rosarito Beach, Mexico. “One thing I learned is how much boxing unifies people of this earth. It’s about forgetting nationalities and just enjoying the sport. In certain situations I’m not able to communicate with fans, but their applause says it all.”

Entering the ring the tall and gaunt looking Landeros stands out at almost 5’10” and only 118 pounds. His opponent was several inches shorter and packed with muscles. But once the fight began the Riverside fighter slipped into an aggressive mode. Ordaz tried to compete by slipping and blocking but was not entirely successful. He survived the first round.

In the second round Landeros increased the already fast tempo and forced Ordaz to retreat. Every so often the shorter Ordaz stopped to exchange, but despite connecting Landeros kept on moving forward with arms winging like a machetero slicing stalks of sugar canes. A left hook to the body followed by a short right cross floored Ordaz for the count. He waited on one knee and rose before the count of 8 and was quickly met by Landeros who increased the tempo even more. After following Ordaz around the ring Landeros cornered him against the ropes and sliced two left hooks to the body and down went Ordaz again. Again he beat the count and again Landeros chased him around the ring. When Ordaz stopped to exchange, Landeros fired a short left uppercut to the chin and down went Ordaz for good. The referee did not bother to count and Landeros had gathered his 13^th consecutive knockout.

It was a lucky number for Landeros but not so lucky for Ordaz.

“Soon were going to be in the US.,” said Landeros.

Ten more months to go.

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