Ulysse, Franco and Marlen Esparza Win at Fantasy Springs 

INDIO, Calif.-A Canadian civil war resumed between Montreal’s Yves Ulysse Jr. and Calgary’s Steve Claggett and this one took place 1400 miles south of their border on Thursday night in the Coachella desert.

It was 100 degrees outside.

Ulysse (18-1, 9 KOs) pulled out the win in this rematch with Claggett (27-6-2, 17 KOs) before a crowd of maybe 1,000 fans at Fantasy Springs Casino. An earlier clash between the two Canadians saw the Calgary fighter emerge with the win in 2017 in Montreal.

It wasn’t to be this time for Claggett who was the aggressor throughout the fight but was immediately tagged by slick combinations from Ulysse in the first round. It was a pattern that remained for most of the fight.

Ulysse usually backpedaled from danger but on occasion stood his ground and exchanged blows and deflections with Claggett that was reminiscent of 1950s style in-fighting. It was appropriate that James “Lights Out” Toney was in the audience this night because he’s one of the masters of that lost craft. Maybe the best ever.

After 10 rounds of exchanges in an ebb and flow fight the judges scored it 97-93 twice and 96-94 all for Ulysse who wins the vacant WBA interim super lightweight title.

Franco

In another rematch, Joshua Franco (15-1-1, 7 KOs) started slowly but finished strong in winning the NABF International bantamweight title by split decision over former titlist Oscar Negrete (18-2-1, 7 KOs) after 10 rounds.

The last time these two fighters met back in October it was like pouring gasoline to a fire and ended in a draw. This time the title match was more like a slow fuse that got tighter as the rounds mounted. Neither fighter was ever hurt but Franco’s combination punches seemed to be preferred over the single big blows by Negrete.

One judge saw it 98-92 for Negrete but the other two saw it 97-93 and 96-94 for Franco who becomes the new NABF titlist.

Return of Marlen

Marlen Esparza (6-0, 1 KO) returned to the boxing ring after having a baby a year ago and powered through Ecuador’s Jhosep Vizcaino (9-9, 3 KOs) with a truckload of rights to win the vacant NABO flyweight title by unanimous decision after eight rounds.

Esparza, 28, a 2012 US Olympic bronze medalist, returned to boxing with an immediate attack against veteran Vizcaino who was tentative at first, but mounted a rally in the second half of the fight. But none of the judges felt she did enough to win a round and all scored the fight 80-72 for Esparza.

“I felt really strong,” said Esparza, “It was hard to place my shots.”

Other Bouts

Santa Ana’s Alexis Rocha (13-0, 8 KOs) battled Japan’s Shoki Sakai (23-10-2, 13 KOs) for 10 rounds to win by unanimous decision. No knockdowns were scored in the fight that featured the lefty Rocha against the counter-puncher Sakai in a welterweight fight. The Japanese fighter trains in Mexico City with Nacho Beristain but was too defensive to get the decision from the judges who scored it 99-91, 97-93 twice for Rocha who wins the WBC Continental Americas title with the win.

Former title challenger Mike Reed (24-2, 13 KOs) put a steady beating on Yardley Cruz (25-14,15 KOs) of Mexico in the first round and after 1:45 of the second round referee Eddie Hernandez had seen enough and stopped the one-sided super lightweight fight. Reed fights out of Washington D.C. and fought Juan Carlos Ramirez and lost a regional title against the current WBC super lightweight titlist. This was his first fight in more than a year.

Mexico’s Raul Curiel (6-0, 4 KOs) won by knockout over Indiana’s Andrew Rodgers when he could not answer the bell for the third round. During the first round Rodgers slipped at the edge of the canvas after an exchange of blows and seemed in pain. He hesitated to come out for the second round but managed to survive against Curiel’s attacks. At the end of the second round the fight was signaled over by referee Ray Corona.

“I hurt my knee when I slipped,” said Rodgers.

Coachella’s Anthony Reyes (6-0, 4 KOs) looked like he was knocked down by a left hook from Roberto Pucheta (10-16-1, 6 KOs) but it was ruled a slip in the second round. Reyes then proceeded to use his speed and out-connect the sturdy but slower Mexican fighter. After four rounds all three judges scored it 40-36 for Reyes in the featherweight match.

Photo credit: Alonzo Coston

Check out more boxing news on video at The Boxing Channel

To comment on this story in The Fight Forum CLICK HERE