Pedro Guevara was a level above Miguel Herrera from the opening bell tonight in Sinaloa, Mexico, picking up his 40th professional victory in controlling fashion. Guevara (40-3-1, 22 KO), a former WBC champion at 108 pounds, still looked like a world class fighter. Even at age 34 and now up two divisions at super flyweight, he still showed top reflexes and tools.
Herrera (22-6-5, 8 KO) was bouncy and herky-jerky, trying to move and avoid punishment, and throwing flurries of fast punches high and low. Guevara was just too sharp and precise, never wasting a movement or facing any real danger. Guevara wasn’t shaken by an unpleasant cut over his left eye from an accidental shoulder in the 2nd. Even in Herrera’s best moments, mixing up his style and controlling the first two minutes of the 5th round, Guevara eventually timed Herrera’s head movement and spent the last minute pummeling him.
Herrera showed a strong chin and a stronger will, fighting through a 4th round cut to his eye and savage punishment in the 7th, with Guevara landing heavy shots from both sides and making it feel like a stoppage could come at any second. He managed to hang on to the final bell, and did have occasional flashes of success throughout the fight. But, a patient and methodical approach from Guevara earned him every round on Bad Left Hook’s unofficial scorecard, and all three judges officially saw it the same way, 100-90 for Guevara.
Alexis Molina KO-2 Jesus Ivan Mercado
A quick start between a pair of happy-handed youngsters promised to be fun for as long as it lasted… And that turned out to be a little less than four minutes. Jesus Ivan Mercado (5-1-1, 4 KO) got caught with a left hook early in the 2nd round, took a knee, and couldn’t or wouldn’t get back up from it. Quick work for Alexis Molina (9-0, 3 KO), who picks up his first finish in six fights.
Nazario Castro TKO-8 Juan Ramirez Marquez
Strange fight, with Nazario Castro hurting and damaging Juan Ramirez Marquez when bringing pressure, but spending much of the fight laying up in corners with his hands down. Castro (11-2-1, 6 KO) didn’t really start attacking until the 4th round, swelling up Marquez’s (15-7, 8 KO) face when he finally did.
After a reversion to passivity by Castro in the 5th, he reversed again and finally brought a sustained attack that prompted Marquez’s corner to throw in the towel in the 8th round. Based on Marquez’s body language and how he was reacting to Castro’s punches, probably a wise decision.