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Steve KimESPN
The second night of boxing this week at the MGM Conference Center in Las Vegas had eventful fights, a few knockouts, and one awkward and difficult bout for featherweight contender Jessie Magdaleno.
Magdaleno (28-1, 18 KOs) walked away with a win Thursday when Yenifel Vicente was disqualified. Vicente (36-5-2, 28 KOs) was docked four points during the bout, mostly for low blows, before referee Robert Byrd had seen enough and called off the fight at 1 minute, 38 seconds of the 10th and final round.
Magdaleno scored knockdowns in the first and fifth rounds from counter right hands.
But the lasting image of the bout was the fouling by Vicente. In the fourth round, he hit Magdaleno below the belt and followed up with a right hand, putting Magdaleno on the canvas for a few minutes. Byrd tried to step in after the low blow, but Vicente connected anyway and was docked two points for the violation. He lost another point later in the round for another low blow.
After Vicente incurred another penalty for the same infraction in the 10th, Byrd ended the fight.
“He was a rugged fighter. He was a tough veteran. I tip my hat off to him. He knew what he was doing. His way was to get me low,” Magdaleno said.
Magdaleno was unable to mount a consistent offensive attack against a foe who had a one-dimensional offensive approach.
“I wasn’t going to let him get in my head,” Magdaleno said. “I kept my composure, got the win and we move on to the next one.”
The contender didn’t make the impression he wanted, but nevertheless is in line for a title shot. He is ranked No. 1 by the WBC, whose champion is Gary Russell Jr., and fourth by the WBO, which has Shakur Stevenson as its belt holder.
It’s clear whom Magdaleno is targeting.
“Gary Russell, I’m coming for you,” he said. “But like I’ve said before, I want any of the champions at 126 pounds. I want to be a two-division world champion. Simple as that.”