At just 20 years old, Floyd Schofield got a huge opportunity to substitute in for Vergil Ortiz as the main event at the At&t Center in San Antonio. He was not about to let opportunity was not about to slip away with just a so-so performance. "Kid Austin" was going to fight and, was going to make the most of this opportunity. Schofield got to work early, staggering Haskell Rhodes in the first with a rapid-fire combination landing on the button. He did the same in the second. It appeared his opponent was a sitting duck, and it was going to be a short night. However, Rhodes was determined to survive the night, and beginning in round three, he went into survival mode. Schofield, who was levels ahead, slammed on the gas. A right hand buckled the outmatched opponent 45 seconds into the third. It became obvious immediately that Rhodes was in over his head as the Austinite was sharp and active. Landing with laser-like precision with the left hook that snapped his opponent's head back again with under a minute to go in the third. By round four Rhodes was clearly fixed on simply surviving and had given up trying to win. The end looked to be drawing in quickly in the seventh as Schofield unleashed a left hook that dropped his opponent. Rhodes beat the count but was quickly planted back on the canvas by a whirlwind of power shots. Rhodes remained on a knee and appeared to be finished. However, he decided at the last possible second to stand up and continue fighting. The onslaught carried over into the next round. Schofield pushed to close the show with a knockout. Pressing his wounded foe. A left hook caught Rhodes flush again and again dropped Rhodes, who once again beat managed to be at the count. The ninth saw a nasty cut open up below the eye of Schofield, who was immediately taken to the doctor to have the cut examined. Schofield told the doctor not to stop the fight, and the doctor obliged, allowing Schofield to go out and finish the 10-rounder and take a completely lopsided UD by scores of 100-87X3. Following the fight, the victorious Texan said, "I ain't gonna lie, the man can take a hell of a punch. I didn't think he was gonna survive the first knockdown... I want Keyshawn Davis, send the contract." Following the fight, Golden Boy President Eric Gomez and Golden Boy Business Partner Bernard Hopkins expressed interest in making a Schofield-Jo Jo Diaz fight for the fourth quarter of this year.
Also on the card was fan-favorite women's unified flyweight champ Marlen Esparza of Houston. Esparza successfully picked up her third flyweight strap by taking a majority decision over Gabriela Alaniz of Argentina, who entered the night as the WBO flyweight champ. Alaniz was hyper-aggressive and fired over 600 punches, but Esparza's reflexes and defensive skills forced Alniz to misfire on about 80% of those. The Houstonite made Alaniz pay early and often with counter right hands that landed with accuracy. Alaniz did her best impression of the Energizer bunny and kept going and going and without tiring, and by the eighth round seemed to have evened up the fight up on the cards and had Esparza throwing limited shots and just one at a time. With the momentum shifting into the hands of the Argentine, Esparza found a second wind. She shifted her attack downstairs and worked the body of the WBO champ, slowing her down and setting up a big 10th for the Texan. That final rally sealed the deal. Esparza took a majority decision by scores of 97-93, an outrageous 99-91, and Lisa Giampa handed in an even draw of 95-95. It appears Esparza will get her wish and could land IBF flyweight Champ Arely Mucino. Golden Boy promotes both, Esparza and Mucino, and the fight seems likely for this year. Esparza has prioritized unifying all the belts at 122 over exacting a controversial loss to Seniesa Estrada.
