The Friday Telefutura "Boxeo" offering from Illinois country featured welterweights  Jesus Soto- Karass and Jose Antonio Ojeda in a battle for the WBC Continental  Americas minor league bauble.

Both fighters answered the opening bell in jab and counter style - edge went to Karass on quickness and a better mix of combinations - continues over stanza two with Karass rocking Ojeda with a solid left hook to steal the round.

Then numero tres and Karass with a counter right hand bomb over a lazy jab that sends Ojeda to the canvas - beats the count but is quickly driven to the ropes by a big left hook - a subsequent barrage of left hooks and right hands closes the show at 1:30 mark with referee Rocky Burke calling it no-mas.

Post Scripts: Jesus Soto Karass (17-3-3, 14 KO) ~ age 24 - tall welter at 5-11 with quick hands - nice assortment of combinations but not big enough punching power to dance with those at the next rung at welter and beyond.      

                       Jose Antonio Ojeda ( 14-6-3, 8 KO) ~ age 29 - not a clue to rest of the story - no chance to show much in being stopped so early.

                       Referee Rocky Burke - darts about the ring as if readying to do a Mexican hat-dance exhibition -  no more than 15 seconds into the opening round  spots a Karass low blow - and with both fighters exchanging punches, there’s sho-biz Rocky baby in the middle with a caution. Gimme a break!
………………………………..........................................................................

Welterweights Michel Rosales (16-1, 15) and Gilbert Venegas (10-4- 3, 7) met in eight round prelim with Rosales the busier of the two while claiming a majority decision win.

Problem in this one was Venegas getting too late of a wake up call - once throwing caution to the wind he managed to close the gap by grabbing stanzas seven and eight - but too little too late to bring home the bacon.

Official ballots went Rosales 78-74, 77-75 - 76-76 … my unofficial saw it Rosales 77-75 in points and 5 to 3 under round by round method.

Rest of the story: Rosales ~ age 24 - willing kid - mini-version of 1950s heavy Tommy "Hurricane" Jackson - lacked power but compensated with busy as a bee non-stop punching. Problem with Rosales’ welterweight version is body not conducive to handling incoming -  underline friendly club fighter on the resume.
                               Venegas ~ age 30 - sun setting - still, last noche, had he opened on similar note he closed on, could well have claimed the win. The 7-8 stanzas saw a Katie bar the door full court press that was lacking early on - and still claims a standoff on one ballot.
                               Referee Sam Garza -  passing grades … no auditioning.

GEL -

8-17-2007