By: Sean Crose
Premiere Boxing Champions returned to Fox Sports 1 on Saturday with an under the radar card that was broadcast live from the Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield, California. The headliner was a scheduled 10 round lightweight affair featuring the 9-0 Jose Valenzuela as the 26 year old took on the 22-3-1 Deiner Berrios.
Valenzuela started off trying to employ his height advantage, as well as his southpaw jab. He also tried working the body. Berrios, however, employed what looked to be a sharp defensive game plan. Berrios went on to try to employ pressure in the second. Valenzuela put his man down in the third, with an accidental strike behind the head. Needless to say, it was not considered a knockdown.
Berrios continued to try to counterpunch effectively in the fourth, but Valenzuela was the more active fighter. Neither man threw to great effect in the fifth, but Valenzuela was certainly throwing more than Berrios. Berrios, it seemed was disciplined to a fault. Valenzuela continued to try to put his punches together in the sixth. Berrios became more aggressive in the seventh. His hands were fast, but, as usual, he wasn’t throwing enough shots.
Berrios landed hard on his man in the eighth, but Valenzuela – after being stunned a moment – was able to regain his composure quickly. By he ninth, it was clear Valenzuela was most likely in the lead, but he had to fight hard constantly to keep the low output Berrios off him, which was naturally draining. With that in mind, Valenzuela and Berrios gave it all they had in the tenth and final round.
The judges awarded the win to Valenzuela via a unanimous decision.
Earlier in the evening Elon de Jesus fought Rajon Chance to a draw in a controversial featherweight six rounder. The referee took a point from de Jesus in the fourth for hitting after Chance had slipped to the canvas. Extra time was then given to Chance later when he complained he couldn’t see after being knocked down in the fifth.