Golden Boy Promotions made waves worldwide over Valentine’s Day weekend, with two massive victories under its banner. The action-packed night was held in Anaheim, where Oscar “La Migraña” Duarte (29-2-1, 23 KOs) delivered the performance of his career, taking down Miguel “Explosivo” Madueño (31-4, 28 KOs) and handing him his first knockout loss. Duarte dominated the fight from the opening bell, relentlessly pressuring Madueño with a series of brutal shots. The referee had no choice but to step in and halt the bout at 2:09 of the seventh round, crowning Duarte the new WBA Continental Americas Super Lightweight Champion.
“I want to thank the fans who came out and supported me tonight,” Duarte said, reflecting on the victory. “Madueño is a warrior, and I respect him. But I was ready for whoever stood in front of me. As for Barboza Jr., congratulations on his win. Whenever he’s ready, I’d love to step into the ring and fight for that title.”
Across the pond, Arnold Barboza Jr. (32-0, 11 KOs), now the WBO Interim Super Lightweight World Champion, pulled off a major upset in Manchester. On enemy turf, Barboza Jr. showed he’s a force to be reckoned with by outpointing Jack “El Gato” Catterall (30-2, 13 KOs) in a tense, split decision win. The judges scored the bout 115-113, 113-115, and 115-113, with Barboza claiming the victory.
“First and foremost, I want to thank God,” Barboza said, his voice brimming with emotion. “Golden Boy, the best promoter out there, gave me this opportunity. I’m taking this belt back to El Monte, and I’m ready for anyone. Let them bring the smoke!”
Co-Main Event: Darius Fulghum Dominates Winfred Harris
In the co-main event, Darius “DFG” Fulghum (14-0, 12 KOs) of Houston successfully defended his WBA Intercontinental Super Middleweight Title with an impressive fourth-round stoppage over Winfred “Hotboy” Harris (22-3-2, 10 KOs) of Detroit. Fulghum’s power was evident throughout, as he sent Harris to the canvas in the second round. Despite Harris’s resilience, the referee was forced to stop the fight at 2:18 of the fourth round, securing Fulghum’s victory.
“I’ve been grinding for this moment,” Fulghum said after the fight. “I’m not going anywhere. The world’s going to know my name soon enough.”
Ricardo Sandoval Outclasses Saleto Henderson
In another action-packed undercard bout, Ricardo “El Niño” Sandoval (26-2, 18 KOs) of Rialto showed his skills by outclassing Saleto Henderson (10-1, 7 KOs) of Indianapolis. The judges scored the fight unanimously in Sandoval’s favor, with two giving it 100-90 and one scoring it 98-92. The fight, a 10-round flyweight contest, was never in doubt as Sandoval dominated with speed and precision.
Kenneth Sims Jr. Claims Victory Over Kendo Castañeda
In a highly competitive 10-round welterweight fight, Kenneth “Bossman” Sims Jr. (22-2-1, 8 KOs) of Chicago earned a well-deserved win over Kendo Castañeda (21-8, 9 KOs) of San Antonio. The fight was a brutal, back-and-forth affair, with Castañeda landing some solid shots early on. However, Sims Jr. found his rhythm and outboxed Castañeda for the latter rounds. The judges scored the bout 99-91, 98-92, and 99-91 in Sims’ favor.
“Every fight’s a challenge, and I’m always up for it,” Sims Jr. said, catching his breath post-fight. “I’m ready to keep moving forward and taking on whoever they put in front of me.”
Joel Iriarte Continues Undefeated Streak
Former Team USA standout Joel Iriarte (6-0, 6 KOs) made it six wins, six knockouts, by stopping Darel Harris (19-24-2, 14 KOs) in the second round of their welterweight clash. Iriarte dominated with his jab, and after surviving the first round, Harris couldn’t withstand Iriarte’s power. The referee stopped the fight at 1:21 of round two, continuing Iriarte’s perfect knockout streak.
Preliminary Action: Young Prospects Shine
On the Golden Boy Fight Night: Duarte vs. Madueño Prelims, streamed live on Golden Boy’s YouTube channel, several young fighters made their mark. Mexico City’s Yair “Manotas” Gallardo (8-0, 7 KOs) produced a sensational first-round knockout, taking down Carlos Miranda (7-2, 3 KOs) of Honduras with a devastating body punch. Daniel “Junebug” Garcia (11-0, 9 KOs) of Denver needed just three rounds to finish Francisco Pacheco (7-4-2) of Mexicali in a scheduled six-round lightweight bout.
Undefeated Gael “El Terror” Cabrera (7-0, 4 KOs) impressed the judges with a shutout victory over Roberto “Escorpión” Pucheta (14-26-3, 8 KOs), while Fabian Guzman (7-0, 7 KOs) kept his knockout streak intact with a dominant win over Daniel Lim (11-4, 3 KOs) of Florida.
More Knockouts and Drama
The night continued with more explosive action, as Javier Meza (2-0, 2 KOs) of Amarillo, Texas, stopped Lyle McFarlane (3-7, 1 KO) in the second round. Super bantamweight Kevin Gudiño (2-0, 2 KOs) of Bakersfield added another knockout to his record, finishing Rafael Castillo (2-4, 1 KO) in the third round.
I dont get how people say Duarte win was so great. Madueño was clearly off his game. It seems more like a lucky punch than skill. Everyone saying Duarte is champ need to watch the fight agan, it was not that impressive.
Barboza’s win was way more than just luck! He showed real strategy and skill against Catterall. People need to stop underrating fighters just cause they dont know the tactics involved in boxing. This is why we have judges, they saw Barboza’s dominance!
This article talks about a big boxing event where Oscar Duarte won a championship by knocking out Miguel Madueño. It also mentions Arnold Barboza Jr. winning a close fight in Manchester. Other fighters like Darius Fulghum and Ricardo Sandoval also had impressive victories. It’s great to see new champions and exciting matches!