Fox upsets Gaibnazarov on ESPN prelims

Mykal Fox knocked off a gold medalist, plus more from the early fights in Tucson.

Mykal Fox UD-10 Fazliddin Gaibnazarov

Second time’s the charm this year for Fox getting the duke against a hyped prospect, after coming up just short against Shohjahon Ergashev in February. Gaibnazarov was deducted points in the seventh round for holding and in the eighth round for a backhand, which killed him on the cards. Scores were 95-93, 95-93, and 96-92 for Fox, and would’ve been a majority draw without the points off.

Gaibnazarov, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist for Uzbekistan, had trouble dealing with Fox’s huge height advantage and the awkwardness that represented, but Fox had trouble with Gaibanazarov, too. It wasn’t the prettiest fight, to say the least. Fox is now 20-1 (5 KO), while Gaibnazarov falls to 7-1 (4 KO).

Carlos Castro UD-10 Mario Diaz

Castro, a 25-year-old super bantamweight, is climbing the ladder a little bit in the division, winning here on scores of 98-91, 100-89, and 100-89, dropping Diaz (18-3, 7 KO) in the second round. This win combined with his last strong showing against Genesis Servania should have Castro (23-0, 9 KO) on the radar in a good division. Still work to do, but he’s doing his part.

Miguel Marriaga RTD-3 Ruben Cervera

Cervera (10-2, 9 KO) came in on very short notice this week, coming off of a loss on ShoBox in January. Marriaga (28-3, 24 KO) is 0-3 in world title fights, losing to Nicholas Walters, Oscar Valdez, and Vasiliy Lomachenko, but he was too much for Cervera, dropping him twice in the second round on left hooks to the body. Cervera actually scored a knockdown in the third before he quit in the corner, but it was more due to Marriaga having been off-balance. Other than that fluke moment, Cervera was really having no success and was being battered to the body. No word on what amount of time he spent on the toilet today.

Manny Guajardo MD-4 Jonathan Espino

Guajardo, 28, is a Tucson local, and he got the nod in a fun and competitive fight on scores of 38-38, 39-37, and 40-36. Guajardo is a little old to be a prospect, and as his 5-0 (0 KO) record reveals, he doesn’t have much for power. But this was an enjoyable scrap, I’ll never turn down a fight like this one.

Miguel Parra RTD-1 David Morales

Morales (13-11, 13 KO) went down on a left hook and right hand in the first round, and though he got out of the round, his corner threw in the towel in the corner. Mexico’s Parra, a 25-year-old junior welterweight, improves to 17-1-1 (12 KO) with the win.