To secure his win, Miguel Madueno maintained a more aggressive stance throughout the bout.
The contender managed to clinch a split decision victory over Justin Pauld on Wednesday night at the White Sands (also known as Probox TV) Event Center in Plant City, Florida. While one judge scored 95-94 in favor of Pauldo, the other two judges favored Madueno with scores of 97-92 and 95-94, improving his record to 31 wins, 2 losses, and 28 knockouts.
Originally from Guasave, Mexico, Madueno now resides in Orange, California, and claimed the WBA regional title belt.
From the start, Madueno took the lead by pressing forward, initiating attacks as the aggressor. Paulodo, despite being at a disadvantage, focused on counterattacking and managed to land a solid straight right to Madueno’s head. The two fighters engaged in exchanges, with Pauldo targeting Madueno’s head with his right hand more frequently. Madueno, undeterred, continued as the aggressor but faced challenges in effectively cutting off the ring.
In the fifth round, referee Christopher Young penalized Madueno for hitting Paul in the back of the head, deducting a point. Despite the warning, Madueno persisted.
As the fight progressed, Pauld displayed effective boxing skills in certain instances, while Madueno maintained a higher activity level, landing hooks and crosses on Paulod’s head and body.
During the intense exchange in the eighth round, both fighters unleashed hooks and crosses, captivating the audience. Towards the end of the round, they found themselves fighting back in the corners. Despite Madueno’s attempts to corner Paulodo in the final rounds, Paulodo opted to box from a distance, limiting Madueno’s success.
Madueno’s last fight saw him losing by unanimous decision to fringe junior welterweight contender Steve Clagett on November 14th. The 25-year-old has secured victories in four of his last five matches.
Living and training in Houston, Texas, Pauld’s record now stands at 17 wins, 2 losses, 1 no-contest, and 8 knockouts. In his previous fight on November 15th, Pauld defeated Jerry Perez after three rounds. Notably, Pauld had remained undefeated since his split decision loss to Efrain Cruz in July 2015.
In the co-main event, light heavyweight contender Najee Lopez from Atlanta, Georgia, secured a majority decision victory over Marcos Escudero.
Although one judge scored the fight a draw at 95-95, the other two judges favored Lopez with scores of 97-93, giving him a seemingly disproportionate score of 99-91, improving his record to 10 wins, 0 losses, and 8 knockouts.
Lopez initially dominated the first two rounds, but Escudero soon showcased superior boxing skills. Employing an unorthodox but effective style, Escudero made Lopez miss and countered with a left hook to the head. As Escudero’s hooks began to find their mark, Lopez’s right eye started to swell.
Both fighters engaged in an exciting exchange of hooks and crosses in the fifth round, thrilling the spectators. Escudero continued to outbox Lopez, gaining success at the center of the ring.
Feeling the need to step up his game, Lopez increased his punch output in the eighth round and landed more punches. He maintained his superiority in the final rounds, outperforming Escudero until the final bell.
Escudero, a Cordoba, Argentina native now residing in Green Acres, Florida, holds a record of 14 wins, 3 losses, and 10 knockouts. The 30-year-old has secured victories in his last four matches.
Kicking off the Probox TV card, Tzendobatar Erdenebat defeated Mohamed Soumaolo decisively in an eight-round bout. The judges’ scores were 80-72, 80-72, and 79-73 in favor of Erdenevat, elevating his record to 9 wins, 0 losses, and 4 knockouts.
Erdenevat, a southpaw who competes at a catchweight of 137 pounds, effectively outclassed Soumaoro with his combination punches, particularly targeting the body.
In the fifth round, Erdenevat managed to stun Soumaoro with a right hook to the head, following up with a body shot that hurt Soumaoro. Despite the setbacks, Soumaoro exhibited resilience.
Soumaoro demonstrated competitiveness, landing some effective punches, including a straight right to the head in the seventh round. Erdenevat strategically maneuvered in and out of Soumaoro’s range in the final rounds, landing precise punches to secure his victory.
The 27-year-old Erdenevat, who represented Mongolia in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and now resides in Paramount, a suburb of Los Angeles, has fought in weight classes ranging from featherweight to 139 pounds.
Soumaoro, a 31-year-old originally from Conakry, Guinea, currently based in Montreal, Canada, holds a record of 14 wins, 3 losses, and 6 knockouts.
Francisco A. Salazar has been writing for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. You can contact him at: [email protected]
