The much-anticipated bout between Jesus Saracho (13-1-1, 11 KOs) of Guanajuato, Mexico, and Tarik Zaina (12-0-1, 8 KOs), currently residing in Tijuana, Mexico, took place yesterday at the Doubletree Hotel.
Both fighters showed their prowess from the very start, but the bout was marked by a series of alternating dominance. Saracho implemented his plan of attack with impressive left-right or right-left combinations, while Zaina attempted to counter with right uppercuts to the head. Despite the aggressive and tactical performances from both sides, the final scores from the judges resulted in a deadlock.
The fight was an intense rollercoaster, featuring strategic punches, smart defense, and dramatic shifts in momentum. Saracho’s focus on Zaina’s body from the fourth round started to pay off, but Zaina retaliated in the fifth round, landing several uppercuts and straight right hands to Saracho's head. Saracho made a strong comeback in the seventh round and had a dominating ninth round. However, a straight right to the head from Zaina in the tenth round seemed to stun Saracho, though the latter returned the favor with his aggressive offense, leaving Zaina on the defensive.
In the undercard, Nelson Oliva (7-0, 6 KOs) dropped Miguel Angel Barajas (3-4, 2 KOs) three times, resulting in a first-round knockout. In a special attraction, welterweight prospect Angel Beltran (17-1, 10 KOs) stopped Abraham Afful (12-5-1, 12 KOs) after the end of the opening round. Moreover, Emiliano Moreno (6-0, 4 KOs) won a unanimous decision against Cristian Dominguez (11-6, 6 KOs), while Levy Garcia (3-0-1, 2 KOs) emerged victorious against Jesus Gonzalez (6-1-1, 2 KOs). Lastly, lightweight Tayden Beltran (6-0-1, 4 KOs) dropped Gerardo Fuentes (2-8-1, 2 KOs) twice, resulting in a second-round stoppage.
Image Credit: Thompson Boxing