Before welterweight world titleholders Errol Spence Jr. and Shawn Porter meet to unify belts at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Saturday, a lot of other good fights are taking place on the undercard.
Anthony Dirrell puts his WBC super middleweight world title on the line against David Benavidez and Mario Barrios faces Batyr Akhmedov for the vacant WBA “regular” junior welterweight belt.
On the opening bout of the pay-per-view, former welterweight title challengers Josesito Lopez and John Molina Jr. meet in a 10-round battle.
Lopez outpoints Garcia
In an all-Dallas featherweight bout Juan Antonio Lopez (15-7, 6 KOs) outfought Fernando Garcia (12-2, 7 KOs) to score the upset. He won 79-73, 79-73 and 77-75 in an action fight in which he got the better of most exchanges.
Lawson KOs Zavala
Junior middleweight Leon Lawson III (12-0, 5 KOs), of Flint Michigan, knocked out Alan Zavala (15-6, 13 KOs), of Mexico, in the second round of their scheduled eight-rounder. Lawson, the cousin of super middleweight titlist Anthony Dirrell, dropped Zavala in the second round and referee Thomas Taylor counted him out at 2 minutes, 27 seconds.
Olvera uspets Rashidi
Welterweight Alfonso Olvera (11-7-3, 4 KOs), of Mexico, upset Amon Rashidi (7-1, 5 KOs), of Dallas, in a one-sided fight. Olvera outhustled Rashidi and outpunched throughout the bout to win 79-73, 79-73 and 78-74.
Brooks stops Valdez
Dallas light heavyweight Burley Brooks (4-0, 4 KOs) easily disposed of Fabian Valdez (3-6, 0 KOs), of Mexico, in a fight that had no remote aspect of competition. Brooks dropped Valdez four times with left hooks to the body before the fight was waved off at 2 minutes, 25 seconds of the first round.
Still to come:
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Title fight: Anthony Dirrell vs. David Benavidez, 12 rounds, for Dirrell’s WBC super middleweight title
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Title fight: Mario Barrios vs. Batyr Akhmedov, 12 rounds, for vacant WBA “regular” junior welterweight title
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Josesito Lopez vs. John Molina Jr., 10 rounds, welterweights
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Robert Guerrero vs. Jerry Thomas, 10 rounds, welterweights
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Joey Spencer vs. Travis Gambardella, 4 rounds, junior middleweights
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Lindolfo Delgado vs. Jesus Zazueta Anaya, 8 rounds, welterweights
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Misael Rodriguez vs. Brandon Maddox, 8 rounds, super middleweights
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Jose Valenzuela vs. Charles Clark, 4 rounds, junior lightweights
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Justin Cardona vs. Archie Weah, 4 rounds, junior welterweights