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Francis vs. Beltran Results: Francis Wins By UD Over Beltran on ProBox TV
PLANT CITY, FL – At the ProBox TV Event Center, as the main event of the “For Pride” card, former lightweight titleholder Ray Beltran (37-10-1, 23 KOs) took on Panama’s Cesar Francis (11-0, 6 KOs) in a 10-round bout for the vacant WBO NABO super lightweight title. The Brooklyn-based Panamanian scored the most significant victory in his career thus far, winning a unanimous decision with scores of 95-94, 96-93, and 98-91.
AND THE NEW 🔥
Cesar Francis dominates Ray Beltran en route to a unanimous decision win to capture the NABO 140-pound title #ProBoxTV #FrancisBeltran #ForPride pic.twitter.com/k8DuEcXkCS
— ProBox TV (@ProBox_TV) July 10, 2022
The Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico native entered the fight as the heavy underdog at +390, with Francis as much as an -575 favorite before the bout. Beltran, at 41, faced a 10-year age disadvantage with Francis being 31, but the age gap wasn’t comparable to the gap in experience between the two.
The first round was a battle of the jabs with both men trading in the center of the ring. Martin, who is the taller fighter with a reach advantage, was more effective using the jab with Beltran attempting to land hooks up close. Whenever Beltran got Francis by the ropes, he would unleash a barrage of body punches. Not all the punches landed clean, but they were used to set up openings to the head. Francis’ reach was a significant factor in keeping Beltran from forming a more consistent attack keeping the Mexican fighter at the end of his punches.
Photo Credit: Damon Gonzalez/ProBox TV
In the fourth round, Francis, who remained composed during each of Beltran’s flurries, landed a right hand and left hook that dropped the veteran. The crowd in the intimate arena exploded with loud cheers for Francis, and the former lightweight champion was fortunate that the knockdown occurred at the end of the round. The fight dynamics had now taken a turn. The fifth round was a complete 180 from previous rounds, with Francis being the aggressor and Beltran fighting on the back foot. However, as is always the case, Beltran would not lie down and still fired back at Francis. By the end of the round, Beltran was backing up the Panamanian against the ropes.
Photo Credit: Damon Gonzalez/ProBox TV
Francis abandoned his jab for most of the sixth round allowing for Beltran to have a better round outworking the Brooklyn-based Panamanian with right and left hooks. However, Francis picked up the pace in the next round, using his feet to back Beltran up while keeping him on the defensive with his jab.
The straight right hand became more of a weapon for Francis in the final rounds catching the former titleholder clean almost every time he threw the punch. In the final two rounds, Beltran attempted to use an ambush attack style by retreating and coming forward with combinations to surprise Francis. However, the Panamanian was prepared and would land the harder punches in each exchange. With the victory, Francis will look forward to continuing his path towards a world championship in a stacked super lightweight division.
Curtis Harper Upsets Christian Thun Winning Majority Decision In Heavyweight Slugfest
Photo Credit: Damon Gonzalez/ProBox TV
In the night’s co-main event, the heavyweights took center stage with Christian Thun (8-1, 6 KOs) stepping in the ring against Jacksonville, Florida’s Curtis Harper (14-8, 9 KOs). The first round began a bit awkward with Harper ducking under many of Thun’s attacks whenever up close. The fight dynamics were clear from the onset as the 6’8, Thun needed space to be effective while the smaller Harper thrived whenever the fight was contested in close quarters.
Harper may have had faster feet than Thun anticipated, as he was able to close the distance in the third and land an overhand right that dropped the Florida-based German. Thun made it through the round, but any notions of this being an easy night for him were thrown out the window. After the knockdown in the third round, each followed a similar pattern, with Harper landing power shots whenever up close. For the most part, Thun was reduced to throwing one-twos, followed by holding his opponent. By the sixth round, Harper was able to time Thun from a distance, landing right-hand counters almost every time the taller fighter threw his jab.
Photo Credit: Damon Gonzalez/ProBox TV
With a sense of urgency in the seventh round, Thun started to go on the offensive, backing Harper up against the ropes and landing right hands. The round featured some of the best back and forth action of the night, with both heavyweights trading bombs. In the eighth and final round, fatigue set in for both fighters. They sluggishly traded punches at times, with Harper seemingly landing the more eye-catching blows against the ropes and in the center of the ring.
Curtis Harper upsets Christian Thun 😳#ProBoxTV #FrancisBeltran #ForPride pic.twitter.com/W6iOZcfYGT
— ProBox TV (@ProBox_TV) July 10, 2022
With most of the attention focusing on Thun before the match, it was unclear how the judges would score the fight. The judges would award Harper with a majority decision victory with scores of 78-72 and 76-73, with one judging scoring the bout a draw with a score of 75-75. The fight highlights how unpredictable boxing can be, as, on any given night, any fighter can be bested.
Marques Valle Continues His Knockout Streak Stopping Jorge Sosa in 2
The eldest of the Valle brothers, Marques Valle (5-0, 5 KOs), fought in a scheduled six-round super welterweight fight against Paraguay’s Jorge Rodrigo Sosa (3-5, 3 KOs). Valle went immediately to work with his jab putting the late replacement Sosa on the defensive against the ropes. The Puerto Rican landed blow after blow, hurting his opponent with almost every shot. Sosa went down twice in the first round, with the fight seemingly coming close to an end.
Marques Valle continues his KO streak 😎#ProBoxTV #FrancisBeltran #ForPride pic.twitter.com/mn7kEf9U2b
— ProBox TV (@ProBox_TV) July 10, 2022
Sosa responded in the second round showing heart and responding to almost every punch that landed on him. But eventually, he was brought down with a counter right hand. Although he did get up, the referee had seen him take enough punishment and put a halt to the bout. The fight was stopped at the 2: 38 mark of the second round. Valle improves his record to 5-0.
Julio Solis Goes The Eight-Distance Dominating Emiliano Garcia
Photo Credit: Damon Gonzalez/ProBox TV
In an eight-round lightweight contest, Caguas, Puerto Rico’s Julio Solis (8-0, 6 KOs) faced off against Argentina’s Emiliano Garcia (17-7-1, 14 KOs). Aware that Garcia may look to take the fight into the late rounds to use his experience, Solis approached cautiously but determined not to make a mistake.
Solis, 21, showcased how sharp he could be when throwing in combination in the second, displaying an acute accuracy to land most of his punches. The young Puerto Rican began to open up more on the 38-year-old Argentinean as the rounds went by, gaining confidence in each stanza. While Garcia had been stopped in four of his previous six losses, he knew enough tricks to ensure he made the distance. In the first half of the fight, Solis could have benefitted from varying his punches somewhat, as with each punch he threw, he was going for the home run to get the stoppage.
WE GO TO THE SCORECARDS!
Julio Solis defeats Emiliano Garcia by unanimous decision #ProBoxTV #FrancisBeltran #PorOrgullo pic.twitter.com/rdV9BduDve
— ProBox TV (@ProBox_TV) July 10, 2022
In the sixth round, as if residing to knowing he may end up going the full eight-round distance for the first time in his career, Solis slowed down and used his jab more to set up more combinations. The Puerto Rican’s sharpness was at its best in the round as he took complete control for the rest of the bout. After eight rounds, Solis was awarded the unanimous decision victory with scores of 80-72 from all three judges.
Dominic Valle Stops Manuel Guzman in 3 With A Series of Body Shots
Photo Credit: Damon Gonzalez/ProBox TV
Starting off the telecast was a six-round super featherweight bout between Tampa, Florida’s Dominic Valle (4-0, 4 KOs) and Nicaragua’s Manuel Guzman (8-6-1, 5 KOs). The 21-year-old Puerto Rican Valle initiated the offense using his jab, allowing him to push back Guzman. As the round proceeded, Valle punished Guzman with combinations to the head and body, dominating every aspect of the fight.
Valle varied his attack in the second round and overwhelmed the Nicaraguan with an onslaught of blows. The bout looked like it was going to come to an end, but Guzman’s toughness allowed him to survive the round. Valle’s corner instructed the young fighter to focus more on the body. Despite the amount of punches Valle was landing, it was evident to his trainer ringside that he would get the stoppage going to the body. The Puerto Rican widened his attack to the body to go around Guzman’s guard and put him down for the 10-count. The fight was stopped at the 2:39 mark of the third round.
Dominic Valle with the third-round stoppage win 👏#ProBoxTV #FrancisBeltran #ForPride pic.twitter.com/pVTqEvXQHt
— ProBox TV (@ProBox_TV) July 10, 2022
The fight was another example of the importance of a fighter listening to their corner. Those ringside can sometimes view a perspective the fighter can’t see up close. Valle quickly adjusted and scored the fourth stoppage of his career.
