24-year old WBA and WBO Flyweight titlist Juan Francisco Estrada (31-2, 22 KO) of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, got more than he bargained for in a stay busy non-title affair on Saturday night in his hometown at the Centro de Usos Multiples. Estrada won a unanimous decision in ten rounds over 25-year old Joebert Alvarez (14-1-1, 6 KO) of General Santos City, Cotabato del Sur, Philippines, in a bout marred by accidental head clashes from start to finish that saw both men cut. Estrada wins his fifth straight.
Saturday marked his first non-title affair since August 2012. Estrada is 4-1 in title fights. Estrada came in at 114 ?. Alvarez weighed 112 ?. The referee was Porfirio Penato.
Twin cuts marked first round, Estrada over the left eye and Alvarez over the right. Estrada took some clean straight lefts in the frame, struggling to time the moving southpaw. He found the range he wanted late, working Alvarez into the ropes with a flurry.
The largely technical struggle continued for the next few rounds. A slick canvas also meant some slips to the floor for Alvarez, all of them correctly ruled. By round six, the cut over Alvarez?s eye had grown bad enough to merit a look from the doctor. Action continued after the brief halt, Alvarez deemed okay to go on.
Both fighters looked to score single points with both unable to put together sustained offense. Estrada closed the seventh with a big, eye catching right hand and did his best to chase to moving target down late in the eighth. Round nine started strong for Alvarez as he found contact with the pressuring Estrada. A clash of heads in the final minute was par for the course but no new cuts were raised. Alvarez continued to find the target in the late going.
With a round to go, Estrada appeared to have a lead but Alvarez was conceivably still in the fight. Going to the body, Estrada closed well but a weary Alvarez was firing back until a final clash of heads at the bell.
Scores came in, way too wide, at 98-92 and 99-91 twice. Estrada enters 2015 with much speculation about a potential rematch with WBC and lineal Flyweight Champion Roman Gonzalez. Gonzalez defeated Estrada in a thrilling Jr. Flyweight title clash in 2012, Estrada?s last defeat.
In the televised opener, 34-year old WBC and WBA Women?s Super Bantamweight Champion Jackie Nava (31-4-3, 13 KO) earned a unanimous decision in ten exciting rounds to hand 24-year old Sayda Mosquera (7-1-1, 5 KO) her first professional defeat. It was a decided points win but Nava?s face showed she?d been in a fight at the end. It was Nava?s fifth successful defense of her WBA crown and first WBC defense since adding that title in her last fight.
Nava came into the bout at 118 ?, Mosquera at 120 ?. The referee was Roberto Ramirez Jr.
Mosquera was aggressive throughout but Nava?s superior jab was the key. As the fight wore on, Nava?s work to the body and counter shots piled on points. In the final round, Mosquera went for broke. Nava caught her with a low blow that halted action for couple of minutes. The game challenger couldn?t find the shot she needed when action resumed. Final scores came in at 98-92 and 97-93 twice, all for Nava.
The card was broadcast in the US on BeIn Espanol, promoted by Zanfer.
Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene and a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at [email protected]
