‘Zurdo’ Ramirez Topples Gritty Yunieski Gonzalez in a Texas Firefight

Former WBO 168-pound champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, in his second bout as a light heavyweight, improved his ledger to 43-0 (29) with a 10^th-round stoppage of Yunieski Gonzalez. But it didn’t come easy. Both boxers were marked-up at the end of the bruising battle in San Antonio.

Gonzalez, the 36-year-old Cuban defector, based in Miami, started fast but couldn’t keep up the pace. In the 10^th, he was rocked by a right hand and was being pummeled against the ropes when the referee intervened.

The pride of Mazatlan, Mexico, ‘Zurdo’ was making his second start for Golden Boy after his amicable split from Top Rank. He is expected to challenge WBA title-holder Dmitry Bivol next in what would be an intriguing match between unbeatens. Gonzalez falls to 21-4.

Other Bouts

East LA’s Seniesa Estrada belongs in the conversation when one starts talking about the pound-for-pound list on the distaff side. The WBA minimum weight title-holder is one tough cookie. Tonight, she advanced her record to 22-0 (9) with a fourth-round stoppage of Guatemala’s Maria Micheo Santizo.

An Estrada left hook put Santizo on the canvas in the third frame and a straight left put her down again in the next round, forcing the stoppage. Santizo, 36, was 9-0 heading in. It was her U.S. debut and she came to win, but she couldn’t withstand Seniesa’s power.

Super featherweight Lamont Roach, a fighter from the D.C. metroplex, scored a wide 10-round decision over Nicaragua’s Rene Alvarado. The judges had it 100-90 and 98-92 twice, tallies that struck many viewers as too wide.

With the win, Roach advanced his ledger to 22-1-1 (9). Alvarado, akin to his twin brother Felix Alvarado, is a former world title-holder. His record declined to 32-11.

In her first title defense, WBC flyweight title-holder Marlen Esparza (11-1, 1 KO) turned away Mexican veteran Anabel Ortiz (31-5), winning a unanimous decision. A 2012 U.S. Olympian, Esparza, 32, was credited with dubious knockdowns in rounds two and four. On both occasions, Ortiz’s glove brushed the canvas. Two of the judges had Esparza winning wide: 100-88 and 99-90. Judge Glen Crocker had it 95-94.

Esparza has made known her interest in renewing acquaintances with Seniesa Estrada who saddled her with her lone defeat. Seniesa was comfortably ahead on the scorecards when the bout was stopped in the ninth round after an accidental head butt and she was awarded a technical decision.

In an off-TV fight, Guadalajara welterweight Raul Curiel, a former Olympian, improved to 11-0 (9) with a seventh round stoppage of local fan favorite Kendo Castaneda who suffered his fifth straight defeat after opening his career 17-0.

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