‘Title Night in the Don’ Boxing Recap
Jennifer Han Def Liliana Martinez (Unanimous decision)
Official results: 98-92, 100-90, 99-91, (UD)
600 ESPN El Paso Scorecard: 98-92
In a simple defensive clinic aided by the use of her superior jab and footwork to create distance from an inaccurate Liliana Martinez, and an overall solid performance from the now veteran champ. Jennifer Han breezed through her mandatory challenger Liliana Martinez to keep the IBF World Featherweight Title in El Paso.
Martinez came out wildly swinging, but Han was poised the entire bout showing great anticipation defensively, and got-in-and-out to repeatably score with quick combos for an easy unanimous decision in Saturday’s main event.
The only small blip on the radar was a pair of what Han described as accidental head-butts by Martinez which split Han’s lip and gave her a swell on the left side of her forehead. Martinez’s best round was the eighth round, but Han controlled the scorecard's by dodging wild miss, after wild miss from Martinez who drops to 20-16.
Martinez was able to land a few accurate shots in the fifth round to make things interesting for a few seconds, but Han was able to answer everything the Dominican threw at her by simply out boxing her with continued poise, and hard right hands.
Han landed some hard shots to the face towards the end of the second, fourth, and eighth rounds which frustrated Martinez who was unable to counter. Han, 14-3-1, retains the IBF Featherweight World Title belt in her second title defense.
Ricky Vasquez def Saul Gomez (Majority Decision)
Official results: 38-38, 40-36 Vasquez, 40-36 Vasquez
600 ESPN El Paso Scorecard: 39-37 Vasquez
Las Cruces’ Ricky Vasquez took things over in the second round, hurting Saul Gomez with an accurate jab assault as he cruised to his sixth career victory in a four round Junior Lightweight bout. Vasquez opened things up in the second round with some solid counters off of some whiffs from Gomez, and a steady jab hurt Gomez after a series of accurate shots across the face.
The Las Cruces native was in control midway through the third round, although Gomez finished the final round strong with some quick busy action. Gomez who is from Juarez, drops to 1-2.
Richard Villa vs. Tim Meek (Split Draw)
Official results: 39-37 Meek, 39-37 Villa, 38-38
600 ESPN El Paso Scorecard: 38-38
El Paso’s Tim Meek found himself in a four round Light Heavyweight slug-fest with Roswell’s Richard Villa that ended in a split draw.
Villa set the tone in the first two rounds with a powerful right hook that knocked Meek off balance in a sequence. Villa was accurate with his power punches early on, while Meek was able to counter well enough to not get too far behind on the score cards in the later rounds.
Meek skillfully boxed his way back into the decision in the final two rounds with improved defense, and accurate counters using his athletic ability to make things close against the stocky Villa who was able to weather a number of hard shots by Meek.
Meek’s record stands at 5-3-2 after the split draw, while Villa remains unbeaten at 1-0-1.
Augustine Banegas def Alejandro Moreno (Unanimous decision)
Official results: 60-54, Banegas (UD)
600 ESPN El Paso Scorecard: 59-55, Banegas
Augustine Banegas from Las Cruces outclassed Juarez veteran Alejandro Moreno from the opening bell in a six round Bantamweight bout.
Banegas was quicker, more accurate, and way more effectively active against the outmatched veteran from Mexico. Moreno was thoroughly dominated through the first few rounds, and fell behind early as he failed to score any damage.
Moreno appeared worn down by the later rounds, but showed a little life in the fifth round, but it was too late as the up-and-coming Banegas won his fourth straight fight against a Mexican born fighter, and his second fight in El Paso.
Banegas stays unbeaten at 9-0, while Moreno drops his record to 24-36-3.