SAN BERNARDINO, California – Too long, too young, too talented.
Southern California’s Kevin Anton improved to 14-0 by outclassing journeyman tough guy Vladimir Hernandez by unanimous-decision scores of 100-90, 100-90, 99-91 at ProBoxTV’s Saturday card at National Orange Show.
The 6-feet-3 Anton, 27, compiled the rounds he was deprived of in his first-round stoppage victory at the same venue in March, showcasing a wide arsenal of skill built on his physical traits that compare favorably to the 6-feet-6 WBC 154lbs champion Sebastian Fundora.
Anton joins an impressive list of those who have defeated Hernandez, including former 154lbs champion Israil Madrimov and current WBC interim middleweight champion Jesus Ramos Jnr.
“My conditioning is always going to be a factor for me, and it’s always going to be in my favor,” Anton said. “That showed tonight.”
A veteran known for his willingness to fight anyone, Hernandez tried to stay in the fight by popping jabs at Anton early.
The bout was paused in the second round when the top rope came loose, causing a 13-minute delay.
Not missing a beat, Anton showed the importance of being a decade younger in the fifth round, sending a barrage at Hernandez against the ropes that clearly wounded the veteran. Hernandez sought to go toe-to-toe to close the frame, but Anton’s freshness and significant reach advantage emerged as defining weapons.
Anton’s power shots met Hernandez’s charging head in the seventh, widening his lead.
“You always have that [yearning to dominate] in your mind. I did think I was going to break him down in the later rounds … just keep cracking and cracking them, and they’ll go away,” Anton said.
The ability to outwork a tiring Hernandez, 37, separated Anton further in the eighth, and it became target practice on the iron-chinned veteran from Mexico who’s only been knocked out twice previously and defeated the likes of former 154lbs champion Julian Williams and former title challenger Alfredo Angulo.
The victory may vault Anton into the junior-middleweight rankings.
“Every fight, I pick out the faults I had. It was a good performance, but I can always do better,” Anton said.
In earlier action, local super-flyweight prospect Luis Coria 5-1 was upset by Cuba-raised Yusniel Abrahante 8-2 by scores of 60-54 and 59-55 twice. Coria is trained by two-time trainer of the year Robert Garcia in Moreno, Valley, California.
Another surprise followed when welterweight Tre’Sean Wiggins won by disqualification over previously unbeaten Ruben Eduardo Aguilar 24-1-1 when the referee Gerard White ruled Aguilar’s knockdown punch as the pair were breaking was an illegal punch 1:01 into the round.
The crowd jeered the decision.
Local 140lbs fighter Charles Harris Jnr 13-1 posted a unanimous-decision triumph over Texas’ Jason Limon 11-3-12 by scores of 80-72, 79-73, 80-72 to impress his coach, Brian “BoMac” McIntyre.
McIntyre said Harris’ past sparring with the talents in his gym including five-division champion Terence Crawford, former lightweight champion Keyshawn Davis and others has sharpened his prospect in ways that were seen Saturday.
Texas lightweight prospect Amador Mendez 8-0 swept a complicated William King by three 60-54 scores.
KJ Waialae 5-0, a 140lbs fighter from Hawaii, opened the card with a unanimous-decision victory (60-53, 60-53, 59-54) over Juan Carlos Campos Medina 4-4, scoring a second-round knockdown en route to the triumph.
