By Francisco Salazar at ringside
Lightweight contender John Molina (23-1, 19 KO’s) won by technical knockout over Robert Frankel after the fifth round of a scheduled 10 round bout at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, CA. Frankel came to fight from the opening round, even stunning Molina with a right hand to the head in the second. However, Molina busted Frankel (28-11-1, 5 KO’s) up, opening a cut above Frankel’s left eye and below his right eye. As Molina began connecting more to the head, Frankel’s right eye began to close. After the fifth round, the ringside physician advised referee Raul Caiz, Jr. to stop the fight.
In a crossroads battle between young junior welterweights, Mauricio Herrera won a 10 round majority decision over Mike Dallas. Herrera (18-1, 7 KO’s) was busier than Dallas in the early part of the fight, as Dallas looked to counter. Sensing he was down on the cards, Dallas (17-2-1, 7 KO’s) came on in the final three rounds, at times beating Herrera to the punch during exchanges between the two. One judge scored the bout 95-95, while the other two judges scores the bout 96-94 and 98-92 in favor of Herrera.
