Joe Cordina prevailed over Stockton’s own, Gabe Flores, securing a 12-round unanimous decision victory in a captivating contest to claim the WBO International lightweight championship. The bout saw both competitors trade formidable blows throughout.
Flores often employed multi-punch sequences, occasionally gaining an advantage over Cordina, the ex-IBF super featherweight titleholder. However, his efforts lacked consistency. Cordina, on his part, resorted to aggressive, less refined methods for the initial six rounds.
Following multiple admonishments for delivering illegal blows to the back of the head, Cordina incurred a point deduction during the sixth round. He had struck Flores on the occiput twice while Flores was bent forward.
Starting from the eighth round, Cordina intensified his assault, unleashing powerful punches and relentlessly battering Flores. An impactful right hand in the 11th round left Flores severely dazed. Flores exhibited resilience, managing to avoid a stoppage.
The official scorecards read 117-110, 115-112, and 114-113.
In the light welterweight division, Ernesto Mercado displayed a compelling performance, securing a knockout victory over WBO International titleholder Antonio Moran in the sixth round of what was slated to be a ten-round contest. Mercado sent Moran to the canvas once in the opening round and then twice more in the sixth, leading to the knockout. The fight concluded at the 2:37 mark of the sixth round.
During the first round, Mercado delivered a devastating right hook to Moran’s head, which sent him sprawling. Upon regaining his footing, Moran appeared unsteady. Luckily for him, Ernesto eased off for the remainder of that round.
By the sixth round, Mercado aimed for the finish, landing a concise left hook while pressed against the ropes. This blow snapped Moran’s head back, forcing him to withdraw. Mercado instantly pressed his offense, striking Moran with another left that floored him.
Having struggled to rise from the floor, Moran courageously tried to confront Mercado, but his efforts were futile. Mercado unleashed a rapid left-right combination, causing Moran to fall backward. Subsequently, referee Michael Margado ended the fight.
In the super bantamweight division, Skye Nicolson displayed complete control over Yuliahn Luna Avila, securing a 10-round unanimous decision victory to claim the WBC interim super bantamweight championship. Skye effectively used her left-handed right hook and direct left punches to outmaneuver Avila. She found Avila to be an easy mark, frequently landing blows whenever Avila entered striking distance.
The scorecard results were 98-92, 98-92, and 97-93.
The featured matchups for this evening
- Diego Pacheco versus Kevin Lele Sadjo
- Joe Cordina against Gabe Flores Jr
- Ernesto Mercado versus Antonio Moran
- Skye Nicolson against Yuliahn Luna
This evening’s event is being held at the Stockton Arena, situated in Stockton, California.
Viewers can watch the live broadcast on DAZN, commencing at 8:00 pm Eastern Time / 5:00 pm Pacific Time.
