By: Sean Crose
The 26-0 junior welterweight Arnold Barboza Jr stepped into the ring at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California on Friday night to face the 16-0 Danielito Zorrilla in an ESPN broadcast main event that was scheduled for 10 rounds. Although Puerto Rico’s Zorrilla was the power puncher of the two, Barboza, of Los Angeles, with fighting in front of a hometown crowd. The fight was an important one for the careers of both men, as a win in front of an ESPN audience could bring in much attention.
Barboza flicked out a fast jab throughout the first, though Zorilla was able to land effectively on a few occasions. Barboza fired crisp shots in the second, allowing himself to dictate the tempo up until the point Zorilla began pressing the action himself. Both men searched for clean shots in the third. Although Zorilla was known to be the knockout puncher, it as Barboza who landed more tellingly in the fourth. Barboza continued to look sharp in the fifth.
Zorilla tried making his punches out in the sixth, but Barboza was able to put his punches together impressively. Barboza began truly hurting his man in the seventh. Zorilla continued being landed on in the eighth. The game Zorilla kept fighting in the ninth, but Barboza simply appeared to be the better fighter. Surprisingly enough, Zorilla landed hard on Barboza in the tenth and final round. Hurt, but courageous, Barboza decided to trade. He was subsequently able to survive the round and walk out of the ring with a unanimous decision win.