by Cliff Rold

StubHub Center, Carson - The comeback continues for 36-year old two-division, three-time former titlist Brian Viloria (38-5, 23 KO), 113 ½, of Waipahu, Hawaii. He picked up his second win of 2017 in the Jr. bantamweight division, scoring a fifth round stoppage over a game 25-year old Miguel Cartagena (15-4-1, 6 KO), 113 ½, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who came up short of what could have been a career altering win. Viloria extends his career as he seeks one more title before he’s done.

Cartagena drew a whoop from the crowd at the opening bell as he came right across the ring and threw a bomb at Viloria. Before the first round was over, they’d get two more loud reactions during an exchange of power shots in the middle of the round and a closing salvo where Viloria looked rocked by a counter. Cartagena couldn’t hurt him again in the second but he made clear he’d not come to be anyone’s rebuilding opponent.

It meant a very real fight for the veteran and he responded in a big way in round four, a massive right hand hurting Cartagena and driving him back. Viloria worked Cartagena along the ropes, chasing him around the ring, but couldn’t find a finishing blow. Cartagena landed a big right off the ropes to keep him honest and kept his feet. He was under heavy fire again on the ropes but surviving as the fifth round unfolded when referee Raul Caiz Sr. decided he’d had enough and halted the action at :35 seconds of the frame. It was a debatable stoppage.

The bout was Viloria’s second of 2017 after taking all of 2016 off following an October 2015 loss to Roman Gonzalez. The 1999 World Amateur Champion and 2000 US Olympian has held titles twice at Jr. flyweight and in 2012 unified a pair of titles at flyweight. Whether he will proceed in the stacked 115 lb. class or return to flyweight probably depends on where a title opportunity emerges.

It was eight rounds of heavy leather at Jr. welterweight as 24-year old Ruslan Madiev (10-0, 4 KO), 139 ½, of Karaganda, Kazakhstan, won a unanimous decision far tougher than the scoring indicated over 26-year old Abdiel Ramirez (23-1-1, 21 KO), 140, of Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. It was Ramirez’s first fight since December 2017 and he gave the sort of account that should get him more work even in defeat. The referee was Jerry Cantu.

25-year old women’s Jr. flyweight hopeful Seniesa Estrada (11-0, 2 KO), 106 ¼, of Los Angeles won nearly every second of the scheduled eight rounds against 28-year old Anahi Torres (16-17-1, 2 KO), 107, of Texcoco, Mexico. Torres made an aesthetic impression with bright lime green boxing shoes to go with her pink and silver trunks but could make little impression on Estrada. The local favorite showed off an array of skills, boxing effectively from both the orthodox and southpaw stances and exhibiting sharp countering ability. The scores were a unanimous 80-72 across the board. The referee was Raul Caiz Sr.

With an enthusiastic rooting section chanting his nickname, “Yuyu,” through each round, 20-year old lightweight George Acosta (3-0), 136 ½, of Whittier, California, pitched a shutout through four rounds over the still winless 32-year old Derick Bartlemay (0-6-2), 136 ¾, of Eugene, Oregon. Bartlemay pushed forward the whole fight, and stayed on his feet from start to end, but found the slipping and countering Acosta a hard target. All three scores came in at 40-36. The referee was Jerry Cantu.

The untelevised portion of the card began in the welterweight division.

23-year old Nick Frese (6-0, 5 KO), 145 ½, of Bangkok, Thailand, went the distance for the first time in his career but had his way in defeating Nam Phan (3-3-1, 2 KO), 146 ½, of Fountain Valley, California. Final scores tallied at a shutout 40-36 on two cards with another judge giving Phan a single round at 39-37. The referee was Raul Caiz Sr.

The card was televised in the US on HBO as part of the Boxing After Dark series, promoted by K2 Promotions.

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene and a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com