Mexican super middleweight Manuel “El Meno” Gallegos (20-1, 17 KOs) showed no signs of rust last night on the “Canela Boxeo” card, presented by CANELA BOXEO, and World Cup Boxing Series (WCBS), at Centennial Sports Center in Los Mochis, Sonora, Mexico.

The 25-year-old Gallegos has been unable to fight the last 10 months, which resulted in him technically fighting as a light heavyweight against archrival Jesus “Mazo” Moroyoqui (10-2-1, 7 KOs), who was stopped early in round two.

Gallegos, fighting at home in Los Mochis, won his third straight fight, all by knockout, after suffering his lone loss as a professional in 2020.

“Manuel Gallegos proved he’s ready for anyone at 168 pounds,” Taylor noted. “Can you imagine how entertaining Gallegos versus Edgar Berlanga (20-0, 16 KOs) would be, especially with the Mexico-Puerto Rico rivalry?”

In the co-featured event, rising star Jorge “Jorgito” Lugo Cota (9-0, 6 KOs) met the challenge of his toughest test to date, convincingly taking a unanimous decision victory in his first 8-round bout versus welterweight Jesus Antonio “Chino” Rubio (13-6-2, 7 KOs), a World Boxing Association (WBA) Interim super lightweight title challenger.

Also fighting at home in Los Mochis, 20-year-old Cota was a standout amateur boxer who compiled a record of 155-10, including numerous state and national championship gold-medal performances. Jorge’s is part of the famed Mexican fightin’ Montiel family. His uncle, 5-time world champion Fernando Montiel (54,6 39 KOs) is the color commentator for “Canela Boxeo.”

“Jorge Lugo made a huge statement defeating a former world title challenger in his fist 8-round bout,” Taylor added. “I’m so proud of this young man. He continues to get better each fight and look forward and to his next bout, which has already been scheduled for October 21st back on CANELA BOXEO.”

Mexican featherweights Nazrio Castro (11-2, 6 KOs) and Sergio “The Shadow” Villalobos (10-6, 2 KOs) were matched in a scheduled 8-rounder, which ended in the fourth round as Castro recorded a technical knockout for his 9th straight win.

The evenly matched lightweight bout between Arnando “El Chica” Ramirez (8-1-1, 3 KOs) and Rafael “Peque” Armenta (5-1-1, 1 KO) lived up to the pre-fight billings as Ramirez edged Armenta by way of a 6-round majority decision.

Another Mexican amateur star, featherweight Alejandro Cota (3-0, 1 KO) turned in an auspicious television debut at the tender age of 17, pitching a shutout by winning all four rounds on each of the three judges’ scorecards against Luis Nides Nunez (1-3-1, 0 KO). Cota was the 2021 National Mexican Champion, turning pro after registering a 114-6 amateur record, including 4 Sonora State Championships.