After losing his WBC super-flyweight title last August in Thailand, Tomas “Gusano” Rojas comes back to the spot light with an impressive stoppage of the well experienced Feliciano Dario Azuaga of Paraguay last Saturday, November 5th, at the Tijuana Municipal Auditorium. Rojas knocked out Azuaga at the end of the second round in the main event of “Gala Boxistica” presented by Zanfer Promotions and broadcast live in Mexico by TV Azteca.
Photo by Rafael Soto Gil/Zanfer Promotions
After hurting Azuaga (82-22-2, 67KOs) in the first round, Rojas (37-13-1, 25KOs) of Veracruz, Mexico, scored with a hard left hand that forced the South American to back track towards the ropes. Rojas caught up with Azuaga and attacked to both the head and body in a calculated manner. The fatal blow was a straight right hand to the mouth of the stomach which sent Azuaga to the canvas. Despite beating the count, referee Juan Jose Ramirez determined that Azuaga was in no condition to continue and stopped the fight.
“I was expecting a tougher fight but I felt very strong at the bantamweight limit,” Rojas stated minutes after the contest.
Azuaga admitted Rojas being a better fighter but complained about the quick stoppage by Ramirez, “Rojas is very good, he was able to get inside my defense and I tried to counter attack but he hurt me to the body. I was able to beat the count, I was waiting for the referee to finish his count to get up and I did it in time. I think he got ahead of himself by stopping the fight but it is what it is.”
Rojas mentioned that he would like to campaign in the bantamweight division and looks for a world title opportunity but he also said that if Suriyan Sor Rungvisai gives him the rematch for the super flyweight title he lost earlier this year, he would take it.
Hirales and Bernache in Great Match Up
In a fight with drama, competitive and where both fighters ended the contest with markings of a war on their faces, Raul Hirales maintained his undefeated record as he was awarded a majority decision over Jalisco’s Enrique “Duende” Bernache.
Photo by Rafael Soto Gil/Zanfer Promotions
Hirales (15-0-1, 8KOs) displayed his boxing skill while controlling the pace of the bout while Bernache (18-3, 9KOs) was the brawler who forced the inside game and who in each round came out to “kill or be killed”.
“Duende” won the first two rounds but from the third round on, Hirales found his distance and the combinations to hold Bernache at bay. Bernache seemed to do more damage with his power punches but Hirales was more effective and methodical. At the end of the sixth round, the ringside physician climbed into the ring to check Bernache’s left cheek and in the seventh the referee again prompted for the doctor to do another check but this time for an inflammation of the jaw but despite the concern, the battle went on.
Knowing that he was losing on the cards, Bernache tried to close out the last three rounds and was able to instill his own damage on Hirales’ face by opening a cut over Hirales’ left eye in the eight and hurting him in the ninth. The tenth was even but Bernache’s aggression was evident and by the end, the audience in attendance sounded divided in their support. The decision went to the judges who awarded Hirales the majority win with Benjamin Rendon and Leobardo Ibarra seeing it an identical 96-94 while Alejandro Rochin saw it an even 95-95.
Other Results:
In a minor upset, Danny Escobar (7-1, 5KOs) beat previously undefeated and world ranked lightweight Jose Emilio Perea (21-1, 13KOs) via unanimous decision in a six round super lightweight match up.
Sergio Frias (11-1, 6KOs) defeated via unanimous decision Francisco Rodriguez (4-1, 4KOs) in a six round super flyweight match.
Alejandro “Cobrita” Gonzalez Jr. (11-0-2, 6KOs) stopped Tijuana’s Sergio “Elegante” Nuñez (4-8) in the sixth and final round of a bantamweight six.
Hard hitting Venezuelan Jose Uzcategui (8-0, 7KOs) remained undefeated when he stopped Guillermo “Durango” Garcia (5-6, 1KO) when Garcia’s corner stopped the contest after “Durango” met the canvas for the second time in the round.
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