LAS VEGAS – Mirco Cuello, Santa Fe, Argentina, 20-1 (15 KOs) won a steady eight-rounder over Ugandan southpaw Sulaiman Segawa, 16-4-1 (6 KOs), at featherweight in the Las Vegas show opener as the clock counted down to the Tim Tszyu-Sebastian Fundora main event here at the T-Mobile Arena.

The initial round was quiet, although Cuello threatened behind a sharp right down the chute that registered on Segawa. The same shot scored in the second round, too, and although Segawa tried to bring his left hand into play more, the sharpness and power in Cuello’s right hand kept him honest.

Cuello stalked Segawa in the third, but neither threw much of any consequence. The same could be said for the fourth, while the fifth was arguably the best of the fight. The seventh was paused for the tape to be fastened around Cuello’s glove and the Argentine was increasingly aggressive. Segawa feinted and countered, but he didn’t seem to pose the same menace and lost on all three judges' scorecards by margins of 80-72, 79-73, and 78-74.

[Editor's note: Cuello's record above is from the official bout sheet and differs from BoxRec. If going by Boxrec, Cuello's record would now be 14-0, 11 KOs]

Kaipo Gallegos, Las Vegas, 4-0-1 (3 KOs) a southpaw super-featherweight from Las Vegas, scored a knockdown on his way to an entertaining six-round decision over Eric “The Hitter” Howard, St Louis, Missouri, 6-2 (1 KO).

The opening session was keenly contested and both turned the screws with about 20 seconds left in the round, with Howard thudding home some clean shots and Gallegos retaliating near the bell.

Howard was not here for a check. He got his right hand motoring in the second, although he shipped plenty in return through an absorbing fight. There was a moment when they each landed with their rear hands, seconds apart, and they were trading as the frame concluded.

Neither had to go looking for their opponent in the third, and toward the end of the round Howard walked into a crisp left uppercut, but he kept moving forward.

Howard was caught in a hail of leather and forced to touch down with a glove in the fourth, however, and Gallegos was able to assert himself for the rest of the session. Howard was given a moment to recover from a shot that strayed low, but it was a momentary reprieve as Gallegos hacked away with right hooks to the body and big left uppercuts.

In the sixth and final round, Howard flashed over a decent right hand but Gallegos looked strong and upped his volume at the end to rubber stamp his win.

Gallegos won by margins of 60-53 (twice) and 59-54. Howard didn’t deserve to win, but he earned his money.

In the four-round show opener at the T-Mobile, southpaw super-lightweight  Adrian Neaves, of San Antonio, Texas, made his pro debut. Neaves tried to get his jab working early and was also looking to land a big overhand left against Steven Walker, from Long Beach in California.

Neaves was gritty and polished in equal measure, landing a smart left uppercut in the second. And while Walker was game and kept coming, with some success, Neaves more than obliged him on the inside, scoring hooks with both hands.

Walker found a home for several shots from the southpaw stance in the third, which was a hard-fought round, and the fourth was similar.

Neaves won by three totals of 39-37 and is now 1-0 (0 KOs). And whatever the victor’s ceiling is, he won’t forget the welcome to the pros Walker, who is now 0-2, gave him. Good fight.