Zurdo Shines in San Antonio

The main event between Yunieski Gonzalez of Cuba and Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez of Mexico at the AT&T Center delivered a fight-of-the-year candidate. It featured an action-packed first round where Gonzalez rocked Ramirez with a right hand just seconds into the fight. However, the southpaw Ramierz came charging back scoring with left hands and right hooks in the final seconds of the round to even things up. Gonzalez stepped back on the gas and fired off combinations forcing the undefeated Mexican backward, behand a snappy jab Ramirez was able to get inside of the charging Gonzalez and land uppercuts and solid body shots. If the action was good through the first six minutes, which it was, it really got going in round three where each man traded power shots against the ropes with Zurdo getting the better work landing a massive left that shook the Cuban just before the bell. Gonzalez came out aggressive in the fourth landing solid straight right hands but a left hook from Ramirez landed on the button and rocked Gonzalez. The two exchanged for the remainder of the round with the Mexican getting the better work in and having Gonzalez on the brink at the end of the fourth round with the referee looking in closely. Gonzalez was not deterred as he rallied back and had Zurdo in trouble midway through the fifth, unleashing heavy artillery while his opponent laid with his back to the ropes. The frenzied pace kept up for the remainder of the fight, which came in the 10th. as a right hook about took Gonzalez's head off and left him out on his feet and defenseless as Zurdo began teeing off on the Cuban who was helpless against the ropes and brought referee Rafael Ramos in to waive the bout off midway through the 10th giving Ramirez his 43rd win in 43 fight and 29th KO. 

In the co-main event, Seniesa Estrada defended her WBA 105-pound strap against unbeaten Maria Santizo of Guatemala City, Guatemala City. After finding the distance Estrada exploded in the third Estrada tied a perfect left hook that went over a shot from Dantizo and put her down and nearly out. She courageously got to her feet and was nearly dropped again after a straight right buckled her sending her telling into the ropes. After landing a vicious left hook early in the fourth that rocked the Guatemalan she finished the job moments later with yet another picture-perfect left hook that sent her opponent crushing to the canvas1:51 of round number four. Moving her record to 22-0 (9)

The undercard featured two Texans of note Marlen Esparza of Houston not only defended her WBC Flyweight title and put on a show controlling the action and making Ortiz miss wildly, a barrage of head movement at the end of the first round that was Pernell Whitaker-esque. She then scored a knockdown in the second. Remaining in control she continued to use swift lateral movement to get in and out on Ortiz she scored a second knockdown in the fourth and remained in control throughout begins a snappy jab and excellent footwork kept her out of the way of Ortiz's return fire. The Houston native cruised to a wide decision victory by scores of 100-88, 99-90, and an extremely interesting and much to close  95-94-94. 

The other Texan on the card didn't fare as well. Kendo "Tremendo" Castaneda, the lone San Antonian on the card was just "a step or two behind" as famed trainer "Jesse" James Leija said. He fought competitively against undefeated prospect Raul Curiel and after an early knockdown rallied in the fifth and sixth rounds. However, it wasn't enough and in the seventh Curiel landed a crushing body shot that dropped Castaneda for the 10-count and some. Handing Curiel has 11th win in 11 fights.