Alex Saucedo Decisions Clarence Booth: Vences Wins

By Cliff Rold

21-year old Mexican welterweight Alex Saucedo (21-0, 14 KO) of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, took another step forward in his young career with a unanimous decision in the main event on Saturday night at the Sportsman’s Lodge in Studio City, California over 28-year old Clarence Booth (13-2, 7 KO) of St. Petersburg, Florida. The fight was scheduled for eight rounds.

Booth came into the bout at 141 ½, Saucedo at 142. The referee was Raul Caiz Sr.

It was a competitive affair from start to finish but one Saucedo largely controlled. While the quick-handed Booth pressed for most of the fight, the accuracy of his flurried attacks varied. When he was landing, Booth was doing good work to the head and body inside but he was taking some hard leather in return. The right hand of Saucedo seemed to be the most impressive punch as the rounds went by. Booth wasn’t losing rounds by much but he was losing them.

Saucedo closed the show in style. Punching with his man, Saucedo staggered Booth in the closing seconds. Booth went into the ropes and absorbed a hard volley of shots. He gamely kept his feet but the winner was clear as the final bell rang. The final scores came in 78-74 and 79-73 twice for Saucedo as Booth shook his fist in frustration.

The broadcast opened in the Jr. lightweight division with both men weighing just over the division limit.
24-year old Andy Vences (15-0, 10 KO), 130 ¼, of San Jose, California, went eight rounds for the first time with a unanimous decision win over 21-year old Yardley Suarez (14-3, 8 KO), 132, of Sinaloa de Leyva, Sinaloa, Mexico. The referee was Jack Reiss.

The fight was largely uneventful from the beginning. Vences played the role of the aggressor, mostly fighting from a traditional stance but occasionally switching to get in a big shot. Suarez, a southpaw, used movement to limit the output of Vences and looked to counter. Vences got the better of it on those grounds, landing single clipping shots while dictating the pace. The scores were an academic 80-72 across the board at the end.

Suarez loses for the second time in three starts.

Super featherweight Toka Kahn-Clary (18-0, 12 KOs) blasted out Gabino Cota (18-6-1, 16 KOs) in six rounds.

2012 Olympic bronze medal winner Oleksandr Gvozdyk (9-0, 7 KOs) blew out Mike Snider (9-3-3, 5 KOs) blew out Snider in one round. Sinder was down three times before the light heavyweight bout was waved off.

Welterweight prospect Egidijus Kavaliauskas (12-0, 11KOs) crushed Prenice Brewer (17-4) in two rounds.

The card was televised in the US on UniMas as part of its “Solo Boxeo” series, promoted by Top Rank.