Amado Vargas went the distance in a fight where he campaigned for two more rounds than what was scheduled.

The middle son of former two-time junior middleweight titlist Fernando Vargas, the 22-year-old junior lightweight floored Bernardo Manzano early but ultimately settled for a four-round, unanimous decision victory. All three judges scored the bout 40-35 for Vargas in their ESPN+ aired bout Saturday evening from Stockton Arena in Stockton, California.

Vargas scored the bout’s lone knockdown midway through the opening round. A pair of body shots by the second-generation boxer forced Manzano (2-5, 0KOs) to stutter step backwards before he fell to the canvas. The 27-year-old Mexican boxer was able to beat the count. Manzano was able to remain upright for the best of the bout but could not offer any more than general toughness.

Despite going the distance for the fourth straight time, Vargas (7-0, 2KOs) fought with conviction. The North Las Vegas-based prospect offered a committed body attack and was efficient with his offense, though ultimately forced to go the full four rounds for the fifth time his two-plus year pro career.

Also on show, Javier Martinez and Joeshon James both left with their unbeaten records still intact after their eight-round middleweight contest ended in a split decision draw. Milwaukee’s Martinez (8-0-1, 2KOs) was a 77-75 winner on the card of judge Pat Russell, while judge Lisa Giampa (79-73) scored wide for the regionally based James (7-0-1, 4KOs) from nearby Sacramento. Judge Edward Hernandez (76-76) had it four rounds apiece to produce the stalemate.

Vargas-Manzano was part of a seven-fight show. Headlining on the ESPN portion of the event, Kazakhstan’s Janibek Alimkhanuly (13-0, 8KOs) defends his WBO middleweight title versus Montreal’s Steven Butler (32-3-1, 26KOs). Also on the show, Australia’s Jason Moloney (25-2, 19KOs) and the Philippines’ Vincent Astrolabio (18-3, 13KOs) vie for the vacant WBO bantamweight title.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for krikya360.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox