Barboza boxes past Saucedo in action fight!
A matchup between two top junior welterweight contenders Alex “El Cholo” Saucedo (30-2, 19KOs) and Arnold Barboza (25-0, 10KOs) would take center stage prior to the highly anticipated Vasyl Lomachenko v Teofimo Lopez unification bout.
ACTION FROM THE ONSET
The moment the bell rang it was bombs away! Quickly meeting in the middle of the ring, the action would start at an action-packed pace. Saucedo, known for his willingness to stand and slug, would be met by Barboza, who is more the boxer puncher.
The first half of the fight was filled with back and forth action. Both pressed forward throwing head-snapping and body-crunching punches. Saucedo would land his right-hand almost at will while stalking Barboza. Barboza, on the other hand, would really focus on the body of Saucedo as he was determined to do damage downstairs.
A KNOCKDOWN OR NOT?
In the seventh round, Saucedo would land a left hook that sent Barboza down. However, it was initially ruled a slip by the referee. Right as the eight round was set to begin, the knockdown, or lack there of, would be reviewed. About ten seconds later, the call was rightfully overturned.
In the later rounds, Barboza would start to pull away by boxing and countering his aggressive opponent.
After an action-packed fight, Arnold Barboza would be declared the winner by way of a unanimous decision. The scores were 97-93 (x2) and 96-92.
This win moves him closer to a world title opportunity in 2021.
By: Jerrell Fletcher
