TEMECULA – Pechanga Resort and Casino welcomed back boxing for the first time since the pandemic stopped all big events when ESPN came to town to cover Top Rank Boxing, in association with Ringside Ticket Inc. July 15. The main event bout featured Arnold Barboza Jr. and Danielito “El Zorro” Zorrilla in a 10-round super lightweight bout, as well as six other bouts.
Junior welterweight contender Arnold Barboza Jr., who waited nearly 10 years as a pro to make his main event debut, stepped into the ring with an undefeated record of 26 wins, zero loses and zero draws, 10 of those wins coming by way of knockout. Zorrilla showed up to the ring with an unblemished record of 16 wins and zero draws, with 12 of those by knock out.
Barboza (27-0, 10 KOs), from South El Monte, grinded down Danielito Zorrilla to win a 10-round unanimous decision in front of a sold-out crowd of 2,836. Ranked No. 8 by the World Boxing Organization at 140 pounds, he prevailed by scores of 98-92 and 97-93 2x.
After an 11-month layoff in vintage form, Barboza returned by wearing down Zorrilla with a consistent body attack and well-placed right hands. Zorrilla (16-1, 12 KOs), down big on the cards, summoned one final charge in the 10th round. He landed a crisp right hand that wobbled Barboza, creating one very anxious moment for the Southern California standout. Barboza composed himself and held on for win number 27.
Barboza said, “I was a little rusty. It’s been a while. I’m not going to be inactive like that no more, man. I am going to be fighting constantly.”
In the co-main event of the evening, lightweight sensation Raymond “Danger” Muratalla (15-0, 12 KOs) shut out the game Jair Valtierra (16-2, 8 KOs) over eight rounds by identical scores of 80-71. Muratalla, who hails from just down the road in Fontana, dropped Valtierra with a left hook in the fourth. Muratalla, who landed 133 power punches to 20 for Valtierra, pressed for the knockout in the eighth round, but saw his nine-bout knockout streak end as Valtierra fought until the final bell.
The quickest fight of the night saw Heavyweight U.S. Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs) take out Roberto Zavala Jr. (2-2-1, 2 KOs) at 58 seconds of the opening round. Torrez pressed forward and backed Zavala Jr. into the blue corner, unleashing a combination that prompted referee Eddie Hernandez Sr. to wave it off.
In other results:
Heavyweight: Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw (17-0, 13 KOs) lived up to the billing with an explosive power burst that dropped Bernardo Marquez (14-5-1, 10 KOs) three times in less than three minutes. Shaw, from St. Louis, ended the evening with a chopping right hand that dropped Marquez to the canvas. Shaw is 2-0 in 2022 since signing a co-promotional pact with Top Rank.
Junior Featherweight: Four weeks after improving to 5-0, Floyd Diaz (6-0, 2 KOs) returned with a power flourish. After a competitive opening round, Diaz turned the tables in the second round and floored Pedro Salome (3-1-1, 1 KO) with an overhand right in the third. Referee Daniel Sandoval waved off the fight after a three-punch combination staggered Salome.
Welterweight: Adrian Yung (28-7-3, 22 KOs) fought Jorge Marron Jr. (20-3-2, 7 KOs) to a draw. Yung, who was originally supposed to fight Muratalla, was not fazed by the late-notice opponent. Marron, who hails from San Diego, brought a sizable cheering contingent but had to settle for his second consecutive draw.
Featherweight: Austin Brooks (7-0, 2 KOs) wins with a unanimous decision over Victor Saravia. (1-3, 1 KO).
JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia.com.
