SAN DIEGO – Angel Estrada and Cristian Dominguez fought to a No Contest in the third round of a junior welterweight contest Saturday night.
Estrada (now 10-1-1 1 NC, 7 knockouts), who resides in nearby Santee, had his best moments in the opening round, although Dominguez connected with sweeping left hooks and right crosses to the head.
During the second round, Dominguez began timing Estrada, effectively countering to the head with the more-accurate punches. A punch opened a cut over the right eye of Estrada, who had to deal with blood seeping down into his eye.
Towards the end of the second round, a sweeping right cross to the head dropped Estrada to the canvas. Estrada beat the count, but was not able to capitalize as the bell sounded to end the round.
Both fighters had their moments early in round 3, but Dominguez landed the more-telling punches. During an exchange, both fighters inadvertently clashed heads, opening another cut above Estrada’s eye. The ringside physician was called to inspect the cut, which was deemed to deep to continue, prompting the stoppage.
Because the fight did not go four complete rounds, under California rules, it was ruled a No Contest, bringing disappointment to the near-sellout crowd at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel.
Estrada was looking to return to action in a few months, but because of the cuts over his eye, those plans would have to wait.
“I wasn’t hurt. It was a flash knockdown,” Estrada told BoxingScene after the fight. “I was off-balanced after he landed the right hand.
“My plan was to move up to eight rounds (Saturday’s fight was scheduled for six rounds). I want to stay really active. I want to fight three more times this year.”
Dominguez (11-5-1, 6 KOs), who is originally from Santa Ana, California and is living and training in Las Vegas, hopes to face Estrada in a rematch. Dominguez believes it was only a matter of time before he would have stopped Estrada.
“I’m a slow starter and I thought the first round was even,” Dominguez told BoxingScene. “I finally got going and I was the better fighter in the second and third rounds. I think I was up on the scorecards. It’s disappointing because we’re fighting in his backyard.”
Welterweight Kyle Erwin dropped Argentina’s Jonatan Godoy once en route to a knockout win in round 4.
Godoy (6-17) was game, but Erwin broke him down during each round. Erwin mixed his attack, but was effective digging left hooks to the body of Godoy.
During the third round, Erwin (now 7-1, 3 KOs), who resides in nearby Oceanside, landed a right hand to the head, followed by a punch to the stomach, forcing Godoy to take a knee. Godoy was able to beat the count, but it was only a matter of time before Erwin would end matters.
After the ringside physician checked on Godoy to start round 4, Erwin went on the attack. Erwin threw a two-punch combination that did not land, hitting the shoulders of Godoy, but referee David Soliven stepped in to stop the fight at 30 seconds.
Godoy has now lost 11 of his last 13 fights.
Welterweight Jesus Resendiz of nearby Spring Valley improved to 7-0-1, 5 KOs, stopping Jose Leon in the third round.
After a lackluster first two rounds, Resendiz began letting his hands go with more aggression in the third round. Resendiz walked Leon down, putting him on the defensive.
Towards the end of the round, a right cross hurt Leon, forcing him to drop to one knee in a corner. Leon (7-7-1, 6 KOs), who resides in Visalia, California, beat the count and tried to fight back, but another right hand from Resendiz shook him back into a corner, prompting referee Ray Corona to stop the fight at 2:54.
In the opening bout of the Red Boxing card, junior welterweight Alfredo Quinones of Carlsbad, California was successful in his pro debut, stopping Earnest Wells in the opening round. Wells was dropped twice before referee David Soliven stopped the fight at 2:05.
Walls, who resides in Moline, Illinois, falls to 1-13, 1 KO.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for BoxingScene since September 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing