Gallo lands as a bantamweight

Juan Francisco “Gallo” Estrada successfully navigates his debut as a bantamweight, defeating game and brave Karim Arce by UD, at the Centro de Multiples in Hermosillo, Sonora.

It was his first fight since being KO’d by Jessie “Bam” Rodriguez last June 29th in Phoenix and Gallo rose from those ashes, like a phoenix.

Karim went down on his knees to pray before the opening bell. He’d be knocked to the canvass three times during the ten ensuing rounds. But each time got up and fought back, which would make Uncle Travieso proud.

Gallo’s searing left to the liver,  obliged Karim to take a knee, as early as round two. He weathered it and by the fourth he drove Gallo to the ropes, only for the old maestro to spin round, turn the tables and land a peach of a left right combination just before the bell.

In the sixth both stared trading at close range and it was noticeable that appreciably more Karim right hands were finding their mark and landing. By the eighth Gallo’s zip was diminishing against the noticeably bigger man, but in the next round he picked up the pace and jabbed crisply.

Well behind on points by the tenth and final round, Karim went for broke and it was very nearly his undoing. A perfectly placed left hook shook him and an even bigger right put him down. Somehow he got up to be hit with another flurry and he went down on a knee and got up again. He was all at sea, but the bell saved him.

The Judges’ scores of:  100-87, 98-89 and 99-88 accurately reflected Gallo’s dominance. But he is easier to hit, especially with right hands. Something which has to be pondered and rectified PDQ.