TEMECULA, Calif- IBF minimumweight world champion Pedro Taduran (20-4-1, 14 KOs) scored four knockdowns en route to a seventh-round TKO victory over Gustavo Pérez Álvarez (16-2, 5 KOs) at the Pechanga Resort and Casino.
In the opening round, both southpaws exchanged right jabs while circling each other. Taduran landed the harder, cleaner punches, while Alvarez punched with him, landing his own combinations. Throughout the second round, Taduran was landing powerful single shots, but Alvarez responded with a four-punch combination, forcing Taduran back. It seemed that Taduran’s punches, although single shots, were doing more damage. Alvarez still had a solid round with his quick combinations.
Alvarez used his footwork brilliantly in the third round, making Taduran miss and countering with 3-4 punch combinations. This frustrated Taduran, who began to swing wildly at times. Although Alvarez had a lot of success in the third, Taduran came roaring back in the fourth round with vicious hooks to the body. Then Taduran landed a straight left to the body, sending Alvarez down. He got up in time, and Taduran jumped all over him. A left hook to the body sent Alvarez down again. He got up in time and made it to the end of the round.
In the fifth round, Alvarez returned to what worked for him in the third—the use of his footwork to make Taduran miss and counter occasionally. Taduran was following Alvarez around instead of cutting off the ring. Alvarez dominated most of the sixth round, but with ten seconds remaining, he became a bit careless with his defense, and Taduran landed a straight left hand, dropping him for the third time in the fight. Alvarez beat the count, and the bell rang shortly after.
In the seventh round, Taduran landed another straight left, knocking Alvarez down for the fourth time. When he got up, referee Thomas Taylor looked into his eyes and decided to stop the fight. Taduran earns a TKO victory, but more importantly, a shot at a unification fight later this year.
Pedro Taduran vs Gustavo Perez Alvarez Undercard Results
Jimuel Pacquiao Jr. (1-0-1) earns his first career victory with a second-round TKO over Darrick Gates (0-2). Although Pacquiao Jr. swung wildly in the first round, he calmed down in the second and delivered two knockdowns, with the second one ending the fight.
Middleweight Lazaro Lorenzana (20-0, 13 KOs) won a unanimous decision (96-93, 98-91 & 95-94) over Esneiker Correa (16-7-3, 6 KOs) in a rough fight filled with fouls committed by Correa. Lorenzana came away with the victory, but Correa should be closely watched in future fights due to the numerous dirty tactics used.
Featherweight Joseph Subia (4-0-1, 3 KOs) went toe-to-toe with Francisco Casillas (3-1-2, 2 KOs) in their four-round fight that had the crowd excited at the Pechanga Resort and Casino. Ultimately, all three judges scored it for Subia, with scores of 38-38, 40-36, and 39-37.
Lightweight Paolo Barredo (6-0, 2 KOs) scored a unanimous decision (59-55, 60-54 x2) over Roberto Almazan Monreal (13-27-1, 5 KOs). Barredo controlled most of the action with his quick 3-4 punch combinations, but there were moments when he was caught with a punch by Monreal that buzzed him. In the end, Barredo dominated the six-round fight.
Super bantamweight Antonio Villegas (1-0, 1 KO) made his pro debut and scored a quick first-round knockout over Alexander Nakamura (0-2). Villegas jumped all over Nakamura right from the start of the fight, and after the second knockdown, Villegas chose not to continue.
Opening the night, lightweight Malikah Salazar (1-0) made his pro debut and earned a unanimous decision (40-36 & 39-37 x 2) victory over Stephen Barbee (1-7). Things weren’t easy in there as Barbee had Salazar busted up with a face full of blood, but Salazar pushed through it. Salazar had Barbee hurt to the body quite a few times, but wasn’t able to get him out of there.
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