Hermosillo, Mexico – WBC ‘franchise’ super flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada (43-3, 28 KOs) had a much tougher task than expected, winning a twelve-round unanimous decision over Argi Cortes (23 -3-2, 10 KOs). (photos by Ed Mulholland)
The scores were 115-112, 115-112 and 114-113 for Estrada.
Estrada started slow in the first two rounds, not throwing much and sometimes getting tagged. He really started to open up and land the punches on him in the third. However, in the fourth it was Cortes landing numerous right hands that landed flush with the veteran.
It was a one-on-one fight during the fifth, with Estrada bleeding from the nose and mouth. It was a close action in the sixth, with both moments of success. Estrada was really getting ahead in the seventh, when he began to connect with accurate punches and scored a knockdown with body shots. When Cortés got up, Estrada went for the finisher but was unable to finish it off.
Estrada was in complete control during all eight, as he pummeled Cortes’s head and body. In the ninth, Cortes seemed to have recovered and was competitive again with good shots connecting. Estrada was also connecting, with the harder shots. During the tenth, Estrada suffered a cut around his left eye. It was a round of give and take with both boxers connecting well, but Cortes seemed to have the upper hand.
In the eleventh, Estrada was pressing and landing well for the first two minutes. Cortes began to come back with his own punches at the last minute. The twelfth and final round saw many exchanges with Estrada landing the best shots. He was give and take for most of the round.
