BELTERRA, Ind. -- Rising star Julio Diaz upped his mark to 23-0 (17 knockouts), stopping Dario Esalas in the fourth round of their scheduled 10-round lightweight contest at the Belterra Resort and Casino
in the main event of ESPN2's Tuesday Night Fights.
Colombia's Esalas gave Diaz, of Coachella, Calif., the toughest test of his young career, dropping him with a hard right in the second round, but in the end suffered his first pro loss (22-1, 19 knockouts).
While not much was known about Esalas, of San Ofore, Colombia, the obvious facts that jumped right out
before the fight were that he was unbeaten and
in extremely good shape. As the fight wore on, it was clear he was there to win, and the fact put away Esalas spoke volumes
about Diaz's potential future.
Both fighters had their moments in opening round, but the defining moment came with 1:15 to go when Diaz landed a
counter-left hook to Esalas's jaw, dropping him to the canvas.
Esalas got up from the
knockdown and had his nose bloodied by another Diaz left hook before the round came to a close.
In the second, Esalas come after Diaz, intent on quickly reversing the tide that was going solidly against him. Esalas shook off a couple of Diaz
left hooks that bloodied his mouth, kept the pressure
on and blasted Diaz with a right hand to the temple and sent him to the canvas. Diaz, who had never been
decked before, shook it off.
Midway through the fourth round, Diaz blasted Esalas with two devastating
left hooks that effectively closed the book on this fight. Esalas was
sent reeling to the ropes, Diaz jumped on top of him,
scoring with hard left and right hands as the referee watched,
seemingly waiting for the right moment to jump in and
stop it.
Esalas temporarily backed Diaz off with a right hand, but a quick Diaz right followed by a crippling left hook to the body sent Esaslas to the floor
and sent his mouth piece rolling across the canvas.
Esalas didn't get up from this one and the contest was
stopped at 2:12 of the fourth round.
Ruiz awarded decision over Lacierva
In the main undercard, Heriberto Ruiz of Mexico City (22-1-1, 11 KO)
was awarded a split decision victory over Jorge Lacierva Los
Mochis, Mexico (19-4-3, 11 KO).
Also:
Cruiserweight Peter O'Kane improved his
record to 5-1-1 (1) when he upset Darrin Humphrey, now
5-1 (2), in their four-round contest. O'Kane won on matching cards that
read 39-37 in his favor.
Last week
SAN ANTONIO -- The ankle monitor was hidden under his sock. There was no way to hide the scars of his bullet wound.
Even with the constant reminders of a troubled past and present, Tony Ayala Jr. showed he still has some life in his boxing career.
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Also on the card ...
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In the main undercard, Hicket Lau improved his record
to 16-6-2 (7) when he was awarded a unanimous decision
victory over Danny Rios, now 14-2-1 (3), in their
10-round junior welterweight contest.
The 6-foot, fleet-footed Lau used his height and reach advantages
effectively enough to outland Rios in every round
except the eighth while also scoring the only
knockdown of the fight, a left hand that put Rios on
the canvas in Round Three. Rios, the crowd favorite,
put up a very gutsy effort and had several big moments
of his own when he pinned Lau up against the ropes, but
in the end was simply outclassed by the lanky Cuban.
Lau won the fight on cards that read 97-92 and 95-94
twice.
Also, promising prospect Gabriel Elizondo improved to 8-0 (5), battering Leonardo Gutierrez (21-22, nine KO) in their four-round super featherweight
contest. Elizondo was awarded a unanimous decision.
-- maxboxing.com
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The once-promising middleweight, whose career was short by a rape conviction and lengthy prison sentence, scored a unanimous decision Tuesday night over Puerto Rico's Santos Cardona.
Fighting for the first time since a loss to Yory Boy Campos last year, Ayala, 38, scored consistently with power punches to the body and a few savage combinations to the head that staggered Cardona, 35, several times.
"When I got in the ring, I started to feel the beast come out in me," Ayala said.
The judges scored the fight 96-92, 98-90 and 95-93 for Ayala (28-1). Cardona (39-10) was penalized twice for hitting below the belt.
Cardona's best chance came in the eighth round when the two fighters exchanged a series of head shots after Cardona backed Ayala into a corner. Neither boxer could land a strong enough blow for a knockdown.
The crowd of 2,635 cheered loudly for their hometown hero,
chanting "Tony, Tony, Tony" during the 10th and final round as
they sensed victory.
Now the real fight begins for Ayala.
His boxing career goes on hold in two weeks while he heads to a San Antonio courtroom on criminal charges that could send him to prison for life.
Ayala came into the ring wearing the ankle monitor, which allows authorities to track his every move, under his left sock. About the size of a pack of cigarettes, it was easy to hide.
More noticeable were the bullet wounds.
Last December, Ayala was shot through the left shoulder blade by a woman after he allegedly broke into her house and refused to leave.
Already a convicted rapist, Ayala was charged with burglary with
intent to commit sexual assault and ordered to wear the ankle monitor.
He goes on trial Aug. 13.
"I just regret all of the mistakes in my life," said Ayala,
who served 16 years in prison for the 1983 rape conviction. He
insists the circumstances around the shooting will not warrant a
conviction.
"Hopefully, when the court date comes, the truth about all of the allegations will come out and I can get on with my life and live up to my destiny," he said.
Ayala was the No. 1 contender when he was sent to prison in 1983. His dream has been to get a shot at the title before his age forces him out of the ring.
The crowd didn't seem to care about the troubled past of "El Torito" (the Little Bull), cheering every blow he landed and giving him a standing ovation after the victory.
"I expected to be booed," a defiant Ayala said. "I expected the worst when I walked out because I've been vilified in the press and everywhere else for the last year."
Ayala was considered the better power puncher going in but Cardona seemed content to exchange body blows with him for a couple of rounds. By the third, the two fighters had opened up as each landed several head shots.
Cardona said he never considered trying to attack Ayala's wounded shoulder.
"Oh no. I wasn't even thinking about that. Everything was the weight. He's too heavy for me," Cardona said. Both fighters weighed in at 158 pounds.
For Ayala, there was no knockdown, no knockout, just a victory
that could be his last, best opportunity as a free man.
"No matter what happens in the future, no matter what happens
with the judge and jury," Ayala said. "I'll remember this night
for the rest of my life."
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 Tony Ayala Jr. trades blows with opponent Santos Cardona.
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Tony Ayala Jr. wins the unanimous decision in his hometown of San Antonio.
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 Tony Ayala Jr. has words for the doubters following his victory.
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