LAS VEGAS—What started as a slugfest between Mexican Jorge Arce and Puerto Rican Jesus Rojas in the main supporting bout of the Pacquiao-Bradley showdown ended in a bizarre manner—a No Decision—after Arce was declared unfit to continue.
Arce knocked down Rojas in the first, but the Puerto Rican countered with two lefts that staggered Arce, a five-division world champion.
Action was so furious that they combined to land 73 of 170 punches in that round.
Early in the second, Rojas tagged Arce with a low blow followed by a right to the body and then a left near the ear that felled the proud Mexican.
If Pacquiao is the Mexcian executioner, Arce is the Filipino tormentor.
Arce has fought Filipinos six times and won them all, four by knockout.
Those who were stopped by Arce’s blazing fists were Jovan Presbitero and Carmelo Caceres in 2000, Joma Gamboa in 2004 and Fernando Lumacad in 2009 for the vacant IBF super flyweight title.
Only Juanito Rubillar was able to give Arce some semblance of a fight, yielding by unanimous decisions twice in 2001 and 2004.
There is a possibility Arce will fight Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire soon.
The WBO super bantamweight champion is scheduled to battle IBF counterpart Jeffrey Mathebula on July 7 in Carson, California.
General Santos City’s Ernie Sanchez won by unanimous decision over Wilton Hilario of St. Louis Park, Minnesota in an eight-round featherweight encounter.
The 20-year-old Sanchez, Pacquiao’s choice for inclusion in the fight card, according to his manager Rey Golingan, rose to 13-3 with 6 KOs in his first international stint.
Randall Bailey caught Mike Jones with a right uppercut to the jaw to win by kncokout and crown himself the new IBF welterweight champion in another supporting bout.
Bailey imrpoved to 43-7, 1 no decision with 37 KOs.