Fernando Vargas, Jr. continues to remain busy, notching wins in the process.

The unbeaten junior middleweight prospect won by knockout after opponent Andre Byrd did not answer the bell Saturday night at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California. 

Vargas, who resides in North Las Vegas, Nevada, improved to 11-0, 11 knockouts. 

The southpaw Vargas boxed from distance, landing the more-accurate punches on the shorter Byrd, who was game, but was not able to overcome Vargas’ accurate and more-effective punches. 

Vargas let his hands go more during the third round. Byrd was not seriously hurt, but the amount of punches he took during the round forced him to not come out for the fourth round.

Saturday marked Vargas’ second fight of June. In his last bout on June 2, Vargas won by knockout after the second round when opponent, former prospect Heber Rondon, did not come out to fight in round 3 due to what looked like an injured shoulder he suffered the previous round. Saturday also marked Vargas’ fourth fight of 2023.

Vargas is the son of former two-time world junior middleweight champion Fernando Vargas. The eldest of three brothers, Vargas and brother Amado are promoted by MarvNation. Youngest sibling Emiliano is promoted by Top Rank.

Byrd, who resides in Jacksonville, Florida, drops to 10-14-2, 1 KO. Byrd has now lost seven of his last nine bouts. 

In the co-feature fight, junior lightweight Leonardo Alcala of Petare, Venezuela defeated Andy Vences by unanimous decision. 

Scores were 78-73, 78-73, and 76-75 for Alcala, who goes to 22-5, 15 KOs.

Vences had his moments early on, particularly in the second round, connecting with a series of counter and right crosses to the head. Alcala was mostly the aggressor, landing left hooks and right crosses to Vences’ head. 

About midway through the fifth round, Vences was deducted a point for hitting Padilla in the back of the head. Referee Edward Collantes had warned both fighters earlier in the round for unnecessary holding and fouls, and while Alcala did initiate a clinch, Collantes saw Vences’ retaliation, thus the point deduction. 

Sensing he was down in the fight, Vences attempted to initiate exchanges, but would get countered by Alcala with more right crosses to the head. Alcala continued to either push Vences’ head down or clinch on purpose, but was never admonished or deducted a point. 

The 27-year-old has now won four of his last six bouts, with the two losses coming at the hands of Thomas Patrick Ward and unbeaten Mirco Cuerllo. 

Vences, who resides in nearby San Jose, falls to 23-5-1 1 NC, 12 KOs. The 32-year-old has also lost to the likes of Albert Bell, current IBF world featherweight titleholder Luis Lopez and Henry Lebron.

Junior middleweight Evan Holyfield of Atlanta, Georgia, the son of undisputed heavyweight and cruiserweight champion Evander Holyfield, defeated Juan Meza Moreno by unanimous decision. 

All three judges scored the bout 57-56 for Holyfield, who goes to 11-1, 7 KOs. 

Meza (4-3, 3 KOs), who resides in Los Angeles, was at his best when he initiated exchanges and forcing Holyfield to fight off his back foot. He would have fought to a draw had he not been dropped late in the fight by Holyfield.  

In welterweight action, Jacob Macalolooy of San Diego defeated Cuba’s Yainiel Alvarez Telemaco (3-3-2, 1 KO) by unanimous decision. Scores were 58-56, 58-56, and 59-55 for the southpaw Macalolooy, who goes to 6-0, 4 KOs. 

The card was promoted by Westside Promotions. 

Francisco A. Salazar has written for BoxingScene since September 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing