Ramirez crushes Mendez, Vences tops Delgadillo

By David Robinett at ringside
Photos: Carl Klingenberg / Top Rank

Unbeaten WBC #11 super lightweight contender and 2012 USA Olympian Jose Ramirez (18-0, 13 KOs) of Avenal, California, scored a fourth round TKO over Tomas Mendez (22-8, 14 KOs) of the Dominican Republic, on Saturday night at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Leemore, California. It looked like it would be a quick night when the popular Ramirez, who has previously fought in front of sellout crowds in Central California, dropped Mendez three times in round one. Mendez first hit the canvas from a Ramirez left hook to the jaw. He was floored again from a Ramirez barrage on the corner, and went down a third time from a body shot, but somehow Mendez survived. Ramirez continued to punish the gutsy Mendez and referee Jack Reiss finally waved it off with Mendez under heavy fire in round four. Time was :53. Impressive performance from Ramirez, who retained his WBC Continental Americas title.

Kicking off the UniMas “Solo Boxeo” telecast, super featherweight prospect Andy “El Tiburon” Vences, (16-0, 10 KOs), earned a workmanlike unanimous decision over tough Mexican Moises Delgadillo, (17-15-2, 8 KOs). Scores for the eight round bout were 77-75, 78-74, and 79-73.

Vences fought at a measured pace, relying mostly on his jab and superior quickness to avoid Delgadillo’s slower, looping punches. That kept Vences out of harm’s way but also allowed Delgadillo to gain confidence as he used Vences’ lack of urgency against him, winning rounds simply by virtue of being the busier fighter. However when he needed to Vences was able to regain the momentum, often with his right hand and superior accuracy.

“He took a lot of good shots,” explained Vences, who had some extra motivation due to his grandfather having come from Mexico to see him fight for the first time. “It was a little tough in there because he knew how to get to me, but it was a great learning experience for me.”

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In the day’s biggest upset so far, undefeated super middleweight Joe Louie Lopez, (8-1, 5 KOs), was knocked out by the first punch from journeyman Ernesto Martinez, (12-10-1, 6 KOs) at 0:19 of the first round of a scheduled six round bout. Martinez landed a right hand on Lopez’s chin that dropped Lopez so quickly everyone assumed it was a slip. However Lopez staggered badly around the ring after getting up, prompting an immediate stoppage as the crowd gasped and tried to figure out what had just happened.

In the opening bout from a packed outdoor stage at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, California, lightweight Eric Altamirano, (8-0, 6 KOs), scored a knockout at 0:52 of the sixth and final round over Daniel Tran, (4-5-1, 2 KOs).

Featherweight Efren Lopez, (1-0, 1 KO), had an auspicious debut in the evening’s second bout, quickly disposing of winless Barry Dudley, (0-3) in the first round of a scheduled four round contest. Time of the knockout was 2:23.

Another debuting fighter from California’s Central Valley, super lightweight Ector Madera, (1-0, 0 KOs), rolled to an easy victory. Madera pitched a 40-36 shutout on all three scorecards over Hawaii’s Kevin Davila, (1-3-2, 0 KOs) in a four round bout.

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