BoxRec

The Alex Saucedo-Sonny Fredrickson fight has been rescheduled.



Boxing Scene has learned that Saucedo and Fredrickson will square off in a 10-round junior welterweight bout June 30 at an undetermined location in Las Vegas. ESPN is expected to televise the Saucedo-Fredrickson fight as part of a show that’ll air on a Tuesday night.

Saucedo (29-1, 19 KOs) and Fredrickson (21-2, 14 KOs) were supposed to square off April 25 in a non-televised fight on the Naoya Inoue-Johnriel Casimero undercard at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc., Saucedo’s promoter, is in the process of finalizing a deal to stage a series of cards in June and July at an MGM Resorts International property in Las Vegas.

The 25-year-old Saucedo knocked out Rod Salka (24-6, 4 KOs) in the first round of his only fight since Maurice Hooker, then the WBO junior welterweight champion, stopped him in the seventh round in November 2018 in Oklahoma City, Saucedo’s hometown. Fredrickson, who’s also 25, lost a 10-round majority decision to Samuel Teah (17-3-1, 7 KOs) in his last fight, November 14 in Washington, D.C.

Saucedo-Fredrickson will be part of the fourth week of fights for Arum’s company upon its return from the COVID-19 pandemic. Pending approval from the Nevada State Athletic Commission at its next meeting Wednesday morning, Top Rank will return with an ESPN card June 9.

Shakur Stevenson (13-0, 7 KOs), the WBO featherweight champion, is expected to headline that show, which also will take place on a Tuesday night. Stevenson’s opponent hasn’t been solidified, but whomever it is will face Stevenson in a 10-round, 130-pound, non-title fight.

Arum told BS.com on Tuesday that Top Rank will return with three ESPN shows that second week of June. Cards also are being arranged for June 11 and June 13, a Thursday night and Saturday night, respectively.

June 30
MGM Grand Conference Center – Grand Ballroom

Main Event

Alex Saucedo (29-1, 19 KOs) vs. Sonny Fredrickson (21-2, 14 KOs)
10 Rounds, Junior Welterweight

Saucedo has fought only once — a first-round knockout over Rod Salka — since he was knocked out by Maurice Hooker in November 2018 in a bid for the WBO junior welterweight world title. The Oklahoma City product is entering his second fight with head trainer Pedro Neme and will move closer to a second world title opportunity with a victory over the 6-foot-1 Fredrickson. From Toledo, Ohio, Fredrickson is a former U.S. amateur standout who is hoping to re-establish his momentum following a majority decision defeat to Samuel Teah last November.

“I have gotten a lot of quality sparring during the last few months, and I believe that’s going to show on June 30,” Saucedo said. “We have done 130 rounds in this camp sparring three times a week. We were able to get some taller guys to prepare for what Sonny brings to the table. I’ve worked on the things I need to win this fight. I’m still the same aggressive fighter, but we put a lot more movement in there. I’ve gone back to basics.”

Undercard

Junior welterweight prospect Josue “The Prodigy” Vargas (16-1, 9 KOs) will seek to increase his winning streak to 11 when he faces the battle-hardened Salvador Briceno (17-5, 11 KOs) in a 10-rounder. Vargas fought four times in 2019, including a win over Noel Murphy that earned him the IBF North American junior welterweight strap. Briceno is 4-2 in his last six fights, including competitive showings in decision losses to unbeaten prospects Gabriel Flores Jr. and Yomar Alamo.

Former U.S. amateur superstar Javier Martinez, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, will make his professional debut against an opponent to be named in a six-rounder at middleweight. Martinez won the U.S. Olympic Trials at 165 pounds and was ranked number one in the nation at that weight, but after being named an alternate for the Olympic squad, he turned pro with Top Rank and noted manager Tim VanNewhouse.

Junior welterweight rising star John “El Terrible” Bauza (13-0, 5 KOs) will return from a nearly one-year layoff against the Irish-born, New York-based Larry Fryers (11-2, 4 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

Unbeaten Cleveland native Fred Wilson Jr. (6-0-2, 2 KOs) will face Rance Ward (4-1-1, 2 KOs) in a six-rounder at junior middleweight.

In a six-round junior welterweight bout, Adrian Valdovinos (5-0-1, 4 KOs) will fight Gerardo Alvarez (2-2-2, 0 KOs).

Looking forward to seeing Josue Vargas in action. Solid card!

Main Card (ESPN, 8:00 pm ET)

10 Round Junior Welterweight Bout
Alex Saucedo (29-1, 19 KOs) vs. Sonny Fredrickson (21-2, 14 KOs)

10 Round Junior Welterweight Bout
Josue Vargas (16-1, 9 KOs) vs. Salvador Briceno (17-5, 11 KOs)

8 Round Junior Welterweight Bout
John Bauza (13-0, 5 KOs) vs. Larry Fryers (11-2, 4 KOs)

6 Round Middleweighst Bout
Donte Stubbs (6-0, 2 KO) vs. Isiah Jones (8-2, 3 KOs)

Sonny is a great guy and has some nice under dog odds. I think he can pull out the upset stoppage tonight.

armageto wrote: ↑30 Jun 2020, 20:27 Sonny is a great guy and has some nice under dog odds. I think he can pull out the upset stoppage tonight.

Gotta admit he's looked really weak when I've seen him fight, seems like a type of fight he should get overwhelmed in eventually. Good luck though, he at least probably wont have it too difficult to find Saucedo

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑30 Jun 2020, 20:28

armageto wrote: ↑30 Jun 2020, 20:27 Sonny is a great guy and has some nice under dog odds. I think he can pull out the upset stoppage tonight.

Gotta admit he's looked really weak when I've seen him fight, seems like a type of fight he should get overwhelmed in eventually. Good luck though, he at least probably wont have it too difficult to find Saucedo

I thought Sonny did well, when he let his hands go and stayed off the ropes. For the +470 odds, it was worth a shot with little investment. I had it 97-93 for Saucedo.

Ya, in the middle of the ring he did well, gave Saucedo a good bloody nose. Went back to the ropes too much though and stopped fighting when he was on them. Seemed to tire late too, but all in all he actually surpassed my expectations. It felt as much like what he wasnt doing as much as it was what Saucedo did.

On Top Rank's Las Vegas undercard, Josue "The Prodigy" Vargas hit Salvador Briceno with everything, including the kitchen sink. After ten rounds, Briceno was still standing, and Vargas earned a unanimous decision by scores of 100-90 (twice) and 99-91. Vargas (17-1, 9 KOs), a rising junior welterweight, extended his winning streak to eleven. Briceno (17-6, 11 KOs) fell to 2-3 in his last five outings....

Two weeks after a decision loss inside "The Bubble," as Top Rank's set-up in Las Vegas' MGM Grand is known, Detroit native Isiah Jones (9-2, 3 KOs) rebounded to hand Donte Stubbs (6-1, 2 KOs) his first pro loss. Jones won via majority decision in a six-round middleweight bout. The first boxer to fight twice post-coronavirus, Jones prevailed by scores of 57-57, 58-56 and 59-55...

Junior welterweight John "El Terrible" Bauza (14-0, 5 KOs) returned from a nearly year-long layoff to best "Lethal" Larry Fryers (11-3, 4 KOs) by eight-round unanimous decision. Official scores were 80-72 (twice) and 79-73.
source: top rank

No trainer, no problem

Junior welterweight Josue Vargas got some quality work in on Tuesday night, the type of hard rounds that every prospect needs on their way up. These types of experiences are much more valuable than early-round KOs against over-matched foes.

This was perhaps one of the tougher fights of Vargas' career so far, given that his father and trainer, Elario Vargas, was barred from the corner after he was caught leaving and trying to reenter the controlled environment of "The Bubble" (more on that below). It was startling to see Vargas so emotional as he spoke to ESPN reporter Bernardo Osuna about this issue just as he was preparing to step in the ring.

This couldn't have been an easy situation for anyone involved, especially the younger Vargas, as it's tough enough to lose the services of your lead trainer at the 11th hour -- even more so considering it was his father, with whom he has a close relationship. His reaction to this unfortunate situation shows you that boxing is every bit as mental as it is physical.

Kudos are in order for trainer Raul Rivas, who took over the reins and did a masterful job in jockeying Vargas to the finish line. He gave strong commands throughout the night and provided an assuring presence that helped mitigate the lack of a familiar voice. Rivas is the head trainer of John Bauza, who also fought on the card.

While not a great puncher, Vargas is a solid boxer-puncher from his left-handed stance, and he stings just hard enough that he'll get your attention. Vargas showed he has a good understanding of how to move around the ring, adeptly changing distances and angles on the inside.

It was a fight Vargas will never forget, but under tough and unusual circumstances, he took another important step forward in his development.

Bauza needs time

The best things junior welterweight John Bauza has going for him are that he's a southpaw, and that he's only 22 years old. In defeating the rugged Larry Fryers on Tuesday, Bauza showed he has boxing skills and can throw sharp counterpunches, but when he was on the inside, Bauza was muscled around by the 29-year-old Fryers. Bauza will have to find his way as a volume puncher as his career evolves, given the fact he doesn't have heavy hands.

I wonder if he'll actually be slick and elusive enough to fend off the harder-hitting 140-pounders he's bound to face. It's one thing to outbox hand-picked opponents, but can Saucedo do it at the higher levels of the sport, with guys who are good enough to consistently touch him? It will be interesting to see how he reacts as he faces tougher competition at the 10-round level.

There are some skills there, but it's evident that there has to be some physical strength developed for Bauza to make a successful jump.

No warnings in "The Bubble"

Before the opening bell sounded on Tuesday night's broadcast, ESPN reporter Bernardo Osuna broke the news that Vargas' father/trainer, Elario, was expelled from "The Bubble" and couldn't work Josue's corner because he was walking around the MGM Grand hotel without a mask on Monday. It was a clear violation of one of the many protocols put in place so that fights can go off as safely as possible at the MGM Grand Conference Center.

Top Rank and the Nevada State Athletic Commission put strict protocols in place for a reason, but it appears that the message still hasn't completely gotten through to all the participants of these fights in Las Vegas -- just because someone tested negative for the coronavirus upon entering "The Bubble," even after the weigh-ins take place, everyone is far from being in the clear.

Thus far, it seems as though the protections are working. One fight scheduled for Tuesday's card was called off before it could even happen. On Monday, the six-round junior middleweight contest between Rance Ward and Fred Wilson Jr. was canceled after Ward tested positive for COVID-19.

The sanctity of the bubble is of the utmost importance when it comes to doing as much as possible to protect the fighters, their teams and everyone on hand to produce the show.

Alex Saucedo continues progress

Judges' Scores: 98-92, 100-90, 99-91 for Saucedo

In soundly defeating Sonny Fredrickson over 10 rounds, Alex Saucedo showed he has made progress under the direction of trainer Pedro Neme, but he's still a work in progress.

Under previous trainer Abel Sanchez, Saucedo had the well-earned reputation of being a fan-friendly, hard-hitting slugger. The problem was that Saucedo paid the price for the type of damage he took against Lenny Zappavigna (in an all-action bout, selected as one of the best fights of 2018). It showed in a disappointing title effort against Maurice Hooker in Saucedo's hometown of Oklahoma City back in November 2018.

After that night, changes were made.

The bottom line is that Saucedo will always get touched up in the ring, as his come-forward style usually comes at a certain price. But with Sanchez, Saucedo's progress had stalled. In the fight with Hooker, he showed all the head movement of a statue. Neme was not brought in to change Saucedo, whose natural ring identity is to be a pressure fighter who breaks his opponents down, but rather to be a fighter who is more defensively responsible in the process.

Saucedo will never be mistaken for Willie Pep or Pernell Whitaker, but against Fredrickson you saw more head movement, a chin that was tucked in more consistently, usage of the jab as a pathfinder to his opponent and changing angles while punching from in close. The goal is to make sure he gets hit less often in the future.

Saucedo looked better in the early going, but there is still a lot of work to be done. The 6-foot-1 Fredrickson started to get more comfortable in letting his hands go as the fight went on, and he was able to find the mark with numerous uppercuts. That right there is about faulty head placement and not fully understanding spacing, which Saucedo will have to continue to improve.

At times the last line of defense for Saucedo will be his chin, and he'll always be a tad leaky on the defensive end. His best defense will always be his offense. Breaking down the wall of Rod Salka in a first-round KO victory in November proved nothing, but the Fredrickson fight gave a good indication of positive development with Neme.

I didn't see any progress tbh...lol that they praise his defense for that showing, Frederickson would land whenever he threw

Alex Saucedo wins by unanimous decision over Sonny Fredrickson

Alex Saucedo scored a hard-earned junior welterweight victory over Sonny Fredrickson in the main event of Top Rank's card Tuesday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Saucedo set a quick pace from the start and constantly let both hands go, throwing 301 more punches than Fredrickson over the duration of the bout. Saucedo landed 146 more punches than his opponent and won by a wide margin on the cards, with the judges scoring it 100-90, 98-92 and 99-91.

"We worked on a lot of things in the gym," said Saucedo. "It was important for me to get the rounds in, and Sonny was a tough opponent."

The hard-hitting Saucedo (30-1, 19 KOs) is now under the helm of new trainer Pedro Neme. Early on, it was evident the changes that have been implemented. There was more head movement, better usage of the jab and tighter defense.

After getting shaken in the first round from an overhand right, it looked like Fredrickson (21-3, 14 KOs) wouldn't last long. But he gathered himself and had his moments, connecting time and time again in between Saucedo's flurry of punches. Fredrickson put up a strong effort, but he was simply overwhelmed by the pressure and volume of his opponent.

In this incredibly high-striking affair, Saucedo threw 885 punches, landing 318 of them. Fredrickson threw 584 punches, landing 172.

The constant pressure of Saucedo had Fredrickson backing up along the ropes for large segments of the fight. Fredrickson would take a steady barrage of punches from Saucedo, who planted left hooks to the body and overhand rights with consistency. But to the credit of Fredrickson, he hung in the fight and landed more than his fair share of uppercuts on the inside during the middle rounds.

Saucedo gave himself only a C+ grade for the night's effort.

"It was a good performance, I was able to get the rounds in, get the experience," he said. "I felt a little better than before, my movement was better. I still got caught with some punches I didn't want to get caught with. So we definitely got a lot of work to do."

Neme, who was brought in to replace Abel Sanchez, was tasked with making the aggressive Saucedo a more responsible fighter defensively. There were clear signs of progress versus Fredrickson, but also evidence that there is still work to be done. The goal is to make sure that the next time he fights for a world title at 140, he will come out victorious, unlike his 2018 loss to Maurice Hooker for the vacant WBO title in which he was stopped in the seventh round.

"We'll see what happens, we'll see what they offer," said the 26-year-old Saucedo. "I believe I'm ready."

Punch stats

I was disappointed to see Saucedo unable to finish off Fredrickson. Had him ready for the knockout several times.

I thought Josue Vargas looked great, although unpolished at times. He’s a fun southpaw to watch who doesn’t care to mix it up.