Tonight at 8:30 pm EST, Omar Figueroa returns to action against Antonio DeMarco in the main event of a PBC on NBC card from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, with heavyweight Chris Arreola in the co-feature.
Figueroa (25-0-1, 18 KO) and DeMarco (31-5-1, 23 KO) are both former lightweight titleholders, fighting this bout at a renegotiated max weight of 152 pounds, which came about after word that Figueroa was struggling to make weight. Figueroa weighed in yesterday at 151 pounds, with DeMarco at 149. DeMarco, 29, has lost his last two fights, and announced his retirement earlier this year, only to go back on that pretty quickly.
Arreola (36-4-1, 31 KO) will face fellow veteran Travis Kauffman (30-1, 22 KO) in what should be a banger for however long it lasts. Arreola is almost never in a boring fight, but also hasn't looked very good in any of his last three fights -- he lost a rematch to Bermane Stiverne in 2014, and this year went tooth-and-nail with club fighter Curtis Harper (UD-8 win) before a fortunate 10-round draw decision against Fred Kassi in July.
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RESULTS
Omar Figueroa def. Antonio DeMarco by unanimous decision (115-113, 116-112, 115-113)
Chris Arreola def. Travis Kauffman by split decision (114-113, 113-114, 114-113)
Victor Ortiz def. Gilberto Sanchez Leon by TKO (2:57 of round 8)
tLanell Bellows def. Michael Gbenga by unanimous decision (79-72, 79-72, 79-72)
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OMAR FIGUEROA vs ANTONIO DEMARCO
Round 1: Figueroa coming out fast as usual. We'll have to see if DeMarco really wants to be here anymore, but Figueroa does make just about every fight he's in difficult for himself. Figueroa letting his hands go, DeMarco not so much. DeMarco with a good left as I say that. Right hook to the body from DeMarco. Figueroa outworks DeMarco in first round, but AD came on a bit late. Figueroa 10-9
Round 2: Figueroa throwing a ton to start the round again. Figueroa working and landing constantly. DeMarco landing some, but not throwing a lot. Being smothered. Figueroa 10-9, 20-18
Round 3: Figueroa slowing it down just a bit this round, but still outworking DeMarco. DeMarco with a hook to the body. he just can't work enough to do any real damage, and Figueroa's hard to hurt anyway. Firefight to close the round and DeMarco got in a good shot, but Figueroa ate it with no real issue. Figueroa 10-9, 30-27
Round 4: Not a bad fight by any means, plenty of action, but the rhythm is well established. Figueroa is throwing a ton, landing a ton, and DeMarco lands a good shot here and there that Figueroa seems to not care about. Figueroa 10-9, 40-36
Round 5: More of the same, really. DeMarco isn't going to win this fight at this pace. He's landing some good hooks to the body that might add up but right now he's being outworked. Figueroa 10-9, 50-45
Round 6: Same. I'm sorry, it's just not interesting to talk about. Figueroa landing and throwing an astronomical amount of punches. Figueroa 10-9, 60-54
Round 7: DeMarco landing some vicious shots this round and throwing in combination finally, staying off the ropes and moving around, keeping Figueroa from just planting himself and whaling away. DeMarco 10-9, Figueroa 69-64
Round 8: Figueroa continuing to wing shots. DeMarco getting the better work down now, though. His workrate seems to have gone up, or maybe Figueroa's has declined a bit. DeMarco 10-9, Figueroa 78-74
Round 9: DeMarco back to lying on the ropes too much this round, and Figueroa gets back into control. Figueroa 10-9, 88-83
Round 10: Figueroa tiring and getting sloppier. Not as able to just bully and smother DeMarco. DeMarco 10-9, Figueroa 97-93
Round 11: DeMarco is just unloading on Figueroa early in this round and Figueroa is hurt! Referee taking a look but Omar is throwing back. Figueroa slows it down and leans on DeMarco some more, now DeMarco spins him around and goes back on the attack. Figueroa trying to hammer away again at the end of this round, but gets caught twice more with big shots. Massive round for DeMarco. DeMarco 10-9, Figueroa 106-103
Round 12: Let's see if DeMarco has something special. Figueroa trying to smother DeMarco here in round 12, and not the usual way he does, with punches, but with clinching. He's worn out. DeMarco doing the cleaner work here but not hurting Figueroa, it doesn't seem. Crowd chanting for Figueroa, trying to will him to victory here. DeMarco smacks him again. Figueroa throwing and lands. DeMarco 10-9, Figueroa 115-113
CHRIS ARREOLA vs TRAVIS KAUFFMAN
Round 1: Aaaaaand Arreola flies out of the corner and starts throwing punches. Kauffman with a jab, but Arreola back with a counter right. Kauffman lands a couple good shots, Arreola hasn't really gotten going yet with the fight settling in, but he started fast and landed good counter shots. Arreola 10-9
Round 2: Arreola throwing thudding shots, landing to the body now with one that hurt Kauffman just a bit. Kauffman hurt on a right hand, and here comes Arreola, but Kauffman stems the tide by backing away well enough. Arreola throwing looping shots, shakes his right hand at one point. Arreola 10-9, 20-18
Round 3: Arreola smacking to the body while in the clinch. Kauffman boxing OK in spurts but Arreola's brawling carrying the day at the moment. Big body shots and down goes Arreola suddenly! Arreola up but he's feeling it. Kauffman with a hook upstairs, Arreola still wobbly. Arreola trying to hang on. Kauffman looking to place his shots smartly. Arreola will get out of the round. Kauffman 10-8, 28-28
Round 4: Kauffman back to the body, then a hook up top. He's walking Arreola down right now, almost squared up at times. Kauffman with another quick combo. Arreola with a hard shot and now he's firing bombs looking to do something. It was a hook that hurt Kauffman there. Kauffman gets his legs back and gets some offense going as the round wears on, but Arreola has this round. Arreola 10-9, 38-37
Round 5: Arreola jabbing more this round, Kauffman whacking at the body as much as he can, seems to think that's Arreola's weakness, and may be right. Kauffman 10-9, 47-47
Round 6: Some fireworks to start this round, Arreola getting the better of a big exchange with an uppercut that shakes Kauffman just a bit. Arreola digging hooks to the body, but Kauffman holding his ground at mid ring. Kauffman with a little work on Arreola's midsection again. Arreola 10-9, 57-56
Round 7: Kauffman digging back to the body again this round. Much slower paced fight now. Arreola targets the body in response. Kauffman walking Arreola down easily this round. Left hook from Kauffman. Kauffman 10-9, 66-66
Round 8: Kauffman really in control again this round, Arreola looks fatigued and sluggish. Good combos from Kauffman. Body work has mattered. Arreola just not letting it go enough. So much for the weight loss helping his stamina. Kauffman 10-9, 76-75
Round 9: This is gut check time for Arreola. Frankly he looks like he either doesn't want it enough, or he just can't execute anymore. He's really struggling, though. Arreola hit low and takes some time. It was a legit low blow. Crowd boos him for getting hit in the nuts. Kauffman 10-9, 86-84
Round 10: Arreola turning it around now, landing his chopping overhand right. Arreola putting punches together again. That rest he got last round might have helped him out, he was really laboring. Kauffman with a little hook late in the round. Arreola 10-9, Kauffman 95-94
Round 11: Good counter right from Arreola to start the round, and he lands another. It's landing consistently now. Body hook and then an uppercut upstairs from Kauffman. Some good shots inside from Kauffman. Both fighters tired but working. Chopping right from Kauffman. Good right from Arreola. He nicks the round. Arreola 10-9, 104-104
Round 12: Arreola comes out big with a left hand. Marv confuses who is who. Great stuff. Arreola fighting harder down the stretch of this fight, and he just might be "stealing" this fight with a strong final three rounds. Just when I say that, in a close round, Arreola starts to throw a bomb but Kauffman lands first, and Arreola stumbles back a bit. Kauffman 10-9, 114-113