Erick Ituarte and Daniel Ramirez steal the show in Ontario!
Thompson Boxing returned to the Double Tree Hotel on Friday night with it’s “Locked n’ Loaded” series featuring undefeated heavyweight LaRon Mitchell taking on veteran Epifano Mendoza in the main event. The co-featured bout however, between two tough super bantamweights would steal the show.
The Bay-Area heavyweight La Ron Mitchell (13-0, 12 KOs) needed less than two round to send Colombian Epifano Mendoza (42-22-1, 36 KOs) on his way. The two fought in close quarters with not much action from either side in the opening round. A body shot in the second round however, would signal the end. Mitchell landed a left hook shot and down went Mendoza who was able to beat the count and make it to his feet but not allowed to continue. Referee Raul Caiz Sr. waved it off at :52 of the second round
In the co-feature, Super bantamweights Erick Ituarte (13-1-1, 2 KOs) and Daniel Ramirez (11-3, 5 KOs) stole the show with an eight round war that saw both guys hit the canvas. Santa Ana’s Ituarte came out of the gate aggressive and took the fight to Ramirez who caught Ituarte slipping during a heated exchange and scored the first of three knockdowns. Clearly hurt and on shaking legs, Ituarte pulled himself together and bounced back in the second round, dominating most of the action. The two went back at it in the third and this time Ramirez would be forced to show some heart, pulling himself off the canvas after taking a big right hand shot that put him down for the count. Ituarte rode the wave through the fourth but couldn’t defend the counter left hook and as a result, found himself taking an eight count in fifth. Ramirez would edge the sixth but in the final two rounds, Ituarte was looking to finish strong and may have pulled out the unanimous decision victory with the last-ditch effort. Scores were 75-74, 76-73 and 77-73 all for Ituarte.
Jr. welterweights Manuel Mendez (10-1-2, 6 KOs) and Ricardo Maldonado (6-5-1) fought to a technical draw after a cut over Mendez’ eye caused the stoppage in the second round. Mendez was dominating the action and had scored a knockdown in the opening round but in the second, an unintentional clash of heads opened up a cut over his right eye and he was not allowed to continue. Referee Raul Caiz Sr. stopped the fight at the request of the ringside physician.
Welterweight Eridanni Leon (3-2) dominated Rasheed Lawal (1-4-1) before getting the fourth round TKO stoppage. Leon pressed the action from the opening bell and by the fourth he was loading up and firing off devastating head and body shots. Referee Sharon Sands would step in and wave it off at 1:31 of the final round.
Unbeaten super bantamweight Rudy Garcia (2-0, 1 KO) dominated the action in his fourth round unanimous decision over Rafael Rivera (2-9). Garcia was the aggressor throughout but Rivera countered well and had some success during exchanges, unfortunately for him it just wasn’t enough. Garcia would outwork Rivera to earn scores of 40-36 all around.