Unrelenting underdog Sulaiman Segawa Upends Ruben Villa

Featherweight Sulaiman Segawa defied expectations and claimed the biggest win of his career by upsetting Ruben Villa in a 10-round unanimous decision Saturday at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

The scores were 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94, all in favor of Segawa.

The underdog Segaw (17-4-1, 6 KOs), 33, of Kampala, Uganda, set a blistering pace from the start, throwing 69 punches in the first round (landing 13) and outlanding Villa, who managed only three landed blows. Segawa’s relentless punch volume and high energy defined the early rounds, leaving Villa, a brilliant boxer and counterpuncher, searching for openings and waiting for Segawa to tire.

Villa (22-2, 7 KOs), 27, of Salinas, California, found some success in the fourth with a stunning uppercut, but Segawa’s persistence kept the fight competitive. The pro-Villa crowd, many of whom traveled from California’s “Salad Bowl” to Vegas, cheered loudly as Villa seemed to gain momentum in the fifth round. Despite this, Villa’s left eye showed noticeable bruising by the end of the round and Segawa remained undeterred.

The bout continued with intense exchanges, particularly in the eighth round when Segawa hurt Villa with a left hand, only for Villa to retaliate with a body shot that caught Segawa’s attention. By the end of the seventh, Villa’s left eye was swelling, signaling a difficult night for the former contender.

Heading into the 10th and final round, Segawa’s trainer, Lawrence Kennedy, confidently assured his fighter that he was winning, while Villa’s corner urged him to give everything he had. In the end, Segawa’s relentless effort and high punch volume secured him the unanimous decision victory, marking a career-defining upset.

Junior welterweight Charlie Sheehy won his debut at his new weight class with an eight-round unanimous decision over Ricardo Quiroz on Saturday. The judges scored the bout 78-74, 77-75 and 77-75.

Sheehy (10-0, 5 KOs), 25, of Brisbane, California, was keyed to victory by his jab, although transitioning to eight-round fights presented some challenges. Blood flowed from a cut over Sheehy’s left eye, confirmed by referee Raul Caiz Jr. to be from a punch. Veteran cutman Mike Bazzel worked diligently to manage the cut, allowing Sheehy to continue effectively.

The size of Quiroz (13-5, 7 KOs), 26, of Oxnard, California, and the cut initially unsettled Sheehy. In the later rounds, the fighters exchanged punches in the pocket, with Sheehy excelling in the catch-and-counter. Despite Quiroz’s tricky timing and counterpunching, Sheehy secured the unanimous decision win.

Eighteen-year-old welterweight Art Barrera Jr. earned a hard-fought six-round unanimous decision over Javier Mayoral. The judges scored the bout 60-53.

Barrera (6-0), of Paramount, California, dropped Mayoral (6-6-1, 1 KO) in the fourth round with a straight right counterpunch, capitalizing on Mayoral’s wide punches. Trainer Robert Garcia urged Barrera to look for the stoppage, but despite landing clean hooks and right hands at distance, Barrera would sometimes smoother his punches. Mayoral, a 27-year-old from New Orleans, proved tough, taking good punches and offering professional resistance, forcing Barrera to go the distance.

Junior lightweight Jonathan Lopez knocked out Leonardo Padilla in the first round at 1:43. Lopez (16-0, 12 KOs), 21, of Orlando, Florida, timed Padilla (23-6-1, 16 KOs), 28, of Petare, Venezuela, with a body shot followed by a left uppercut, landing a subsequent blow that left Padilla stuck between the ropes and unable to continue.

In another junior lightweight bout, Albert Gonzalez earned a sixth-round technical knockout of Conrado Martinez. Gonzalez (9-0, 5 KOs), 22, of Perris, California, applied strategic pressure, attacking the body relentlessly. The fight ended at 1:23 of the sixth and final round when referee Thomas Taylor stopped the bout after Gonzalez landed a flurry of unanswered punches following a slip by Martinez (9-2), 24, of Odessa, Texas, that put him on the canvas.

Junior welterweight Israel Mercado (11-1, 7 KOs), 29, of Pomona, California, won a six-round unanimous decision over Dondrell Haynes (8-2, 7 KOs), 28, of Rosenberg, Texas. The judges scored the fight 55-59 twice and 60-54 for Mercado.

In the opening bout, decorated amateur featherweight Javier Zamarron (9-0, 4 KOs), 23, of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, secured a six-round unanimous decision over Michael Bracamontes (9-2, 5 KOs), 19, of Santa Ana, California. The scores were 59-55 in favor of Zamarron on all three judges’ scorecards.