World-ranked Yoshihiro Kamegai (21-0-1) of Japan was held to a surprise majority draw by underdog Jorge Silva (19-2-2) of Mexico in their 10-round main event Saturday night, highlighting pro boxing's return to Memorial Auditorium.
Kamegai weighed 142 pounds, two over his normal junior-welterweight division limit, and had all he could handle against Silva, at 148.
The announced crowd of 1,422 gave the two fighters a standing ovation after one judge favored Kamegai 96-94 in the free-swinging battle against two even scorecards of 95-95.
In a co-feature, former world junior-lightweight champion Jorge Linares (32-3) of Venezuela didn't look sharp but still was awarded a lopsided unanimous 10-round decision over former contender Hector Velazquez (52-18-3) of Mexico.
Both Sacramento fighters, featherweight Guy Robb and super bantamweight John Abella, won on the undercard. Robb (10-1) posted a six-round unanimous decision over Adolfo Landeros (22-28-2) of Mexico, and Abella (3-0) stopped Pablo Cupul (6-9) of Mexico in the fourth and final round. Also:
Preston Freeman (1-0) of Salinas won by a unanimous four-round decision over Jose Mendoza (7-8) of Mexico, in welterweight; Hugo Centeno (16-0) of Oxnard won by a six-round unanimous decision over Justin Williams (4-6-2) of Beaumont, Texas, in junior middleweight; Jonathan Chicas of San Francisco stopped Ralph Prescott of Seattle in the second round in junior welterweight; and Andy Vences won by a four-round unanimous decision over Carlos Gonzalez, in junior lightweight.
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