CHICAGO – Randy Suico’s quest for stardom in the international stage suffered from a huge setback when the OPBF super-featherweight champion lost convincingly to veteran Javier Jauregui via 10-round majority decision last night at the Lyon Center in the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles.
Jauregui, a slick veteran of 64 fights, wisely avoided the more dominant power of Suico by using every inch of the ring apron, slapping combinations from odd angles and frustrating the knockout artist from Mandaue City with his awesome footwork.
Suico started slow, perhaps too slow for his own good. The WBC’s fifth-ranked contender, he allowed the Guadalajara, Mexico native to rip through his defenses early on. Jauregui’s left hook was especially baffling as it repeatedly tagged Suico every time the hard-hitting Mandauehanon was about to gain ground.
Crisp combos
Suico turned up the volume in the sixth round, belting crisp combinations to the body and head of the former IBF lightweight king. But just as Suico appeared ready to take full control of the fight, Jauregui came back with little flurries of his own, pecking and running and continuing to disappoint the 26-year-old Suico.
Rounds 7, 8 and 9 saw Suico aggressively moving forward. Using his longer reach, the 5-foot-8 Suico pawed the 5-7 Jauregui with stiff jabs, but the combinations, although sharp and dangerous at times, came few and far between.
The 10th round was easily Suico’s best. Perhaps knowing that he was on the short end of the scoring, he opened the final stanza with more fireworks than New Year’s Eve. A relentless barrage of hooks and straights stunned the tiring 32-year-old Jauregui, but Suico failed to land a direct hit, and as the clock melted, so did Randy’s chance of winning.
Chuck Hasset scored the bout at a 95-standstill, but the two other judges, Jack Reiss and Rey Corona, penned identical 99-91 slates in favor of the Mexican. Jauregui upped his ring record to 50-12-2 (34 KOs), while Suico dropped to 22-2 (19 KOs).
The Suico-Jauregui fight was the main event of Oscar dela Hoya Promotion’s Sol Boxeo offering, which was broadcast live through the Mexican channel Telefutura.
On the other hand, it wasn’t a royal debut by any stretch of the imagination, but Disodado “The Prince” Gabi Jr. won his US debut at the Stockton Civic Auditorium in Stockton, California.
Gabi victorious
Mike Koncz, Gabi’s US manager, called this reporter shortly after the fight and said Gabi won on points on the judges scorecards after the fight was stopped in the fourth round after an intentional headbutt by Jose Alredo Tirado opened a nasty cut on Gabi’s left eye. Gabi improved his record to 26-2-1 with 18 KOs.
