In the ESPN2 main event at the Table Mountain Casino in Friant, California tonight, Bobby Pacquiao (25-11-3, 11 KOs) stopped Carlos Navarro (26-4-1, 21 KOs) in seven rounds.
Pacquiao slid and slipped in the first round, and so did Navarro, who actually slipped to the canvas, showing that it was a bad idea to bring brand new shoes to the ring, since zero traction spelled bad news for both combatants.
Pacquiao often spun around as he tried to land a long range punch, while Navarro jabbed and just threw straighter shots, not leaving himself open for counters and keeping the slipping to a minimum.
Pacquiao did, however, manage to land a couple of good right hooks which got Navarro’s attention late in the second round.
Tape, with the sticky side outwards, was used in-between the second and third rounds to wrap up Pacquiao’s shoes in order for the Filipino to regain his traction.
Navarro kept coming forward as Pacquiao moved backwards, standing his ground and punching back in spots during the third frame.
After a brief time out to rip some loose tape off Pacquiao’s shoe, the action heated up as Pacquiao came out gunning, although missing a lot, as Navarro was content to dip, duck and counterpunch off the ropes.
Pacquiao had both shoes taped up in between rounds once more.
Pacquiao did his best impersonation of his younger brother Manny in the fifth as he let his hands go, although the cleaner shots still belonged to the more experienced Navarro.
Pacquiao had two warnings for low blows in the round as both fighters ended the round banging it out to the bell, even though Navarro suffered a bloody nose and a swollen left eye in the stanza.
Both fighters traded shots well in the sixth, landing uppercuts and hooks in a very tight round.
Pacquiao suffered a small cut under his eye right before dropping Navarro with a body shot in the sixth round, although it was called a low blow, with Pacquiao losing a point for it.
A replay clearly showed a clean body shot for Pacquiao.
Pacquiao came out swinging, sensing the end as Navarro was dropped again and sat for a seven count.
Pacquiao swarmed, pushed Navarro down and punched him while he was down. Things then turned bizarre as Navarro looked like he wanted to quit, but the referee all but pushed Navarro back into the fight.
A follow up attack sent Navarro to a knee once more, and helped referee Jon Schorle to count him out.
Pacquiao wins the WBC Continental Americas super featherweight title.
Dos Santos TKO’s ”Z” in five
Brazilian Middleweight Joilson Dos Santos upped his record to 12-2, with 10 KOs by halting Danny Stanisavljevic (4-3-2, 2 KOs) in five.
The lanky Dos Santos, who likes to infight, found out that by getting his distance a bit more on the outside he could land better and cause more damage as the brave, but outgunned, Stanisavljevic found out by almost going down in the third round as Santos landed a whipping left hook at long range.
The referee and ringside doctor took a long look at Stanisavljevic after the fourth round, noting that the fighter would have the fight stopped if the punishment kept up.
The TKO did come in the fifth, as referee Marty Sammon did a good job by stopping the clobbering Stanisavljevic was taking at 2:18 of the round.
Esquivel decisions Zavala in four
Super featherweight Abraham Esquivel (3-0, 2 KOs) remained undefeated by decisioning fellow southpaw Danny Zavala (5-3-2, 2 KOs) in a very entertaining four round brawl.
The taller Esquivel pulled ahead in the second half of the bout, after what had been a very tight phone booth war in which Zavala had been cut on the inside part of his left eye area.
Scores were 40-36 (twice) and 38-38, all for Esquivel.
