Newark, N.J. — Fighting close to home for the first time since childhood, Emmanuel Chance experienced both triumph and adversity in a dramatic six-round battle at Prudential Center on Friday night.
The 19-year-old bantamweight, a former USA Boxing national team standout, started fast and looked sharp early. In the second round, Chance scored a knockdown that seemed to signal a dominant performance was underway. But the fight quickly shifted into a far more demanding contest than expected.
Angel Munoz refused to fold after hitting the canvas. Instead, the California native capitalized on Chance’s aggressive push for a finish, landing timely counters as the New Jersey prospect began to overextend.
As the rounds progressed, momentum steadily swung toward Munoz. Chance’s output slowed, and his early rhythm gave way to fatigue. Munoz took advantage, stringing together combinations to the head and body while keeping Chance on the defensive.
By the middle rounds, the fight had become a grind. Munoz even switched stances to disrupt Chance’s attack, finding success with sharp hooks and uppercuts. In the closing moments, both fighters exchanged heavy shots, with Munoz landing a particularly strong uppercut late in the final round.
Despite the late surge from Munoz, Chance’s early knockdown proved decisive. Two judges scored the bout narrowly in his favor, awarding him a split decision victory, while a third saw it for Munoz. Chance remained unbeaten, improving to 4-0, while Munoz fell to 3-3.
Undercard Highlights Deliver Action
Elsewhere on the card, Denver’s Erick Kedar Gainous kept his undefeated record intact with a third-round stoppage of Alejandro Ibarra. Gainous overwhelmed his opponent with sustained pressure, forcing the referee to intervene late in the round.
Brooklyn prospect Elijah “Macho” Gonzalez also impressed, earning a fourth-round stoppage against veteran Danny Murray. Gonzalez showcased his power throughout, even knocking Murray out of the ring earlier in the fight before sealing the victory with a decisive shot in the final round.
A promising outing for lightweight Ofacio Falcon ended in frustration. After dropping Tackie Annan and closing in on a stoppage, Falcon landed an accidental low blow that resulted in the bout being ruled a no-contest. Annan was unable to continue immediately but later exited the ring under his own power.
In featherweight action, Keith Colon needed less than one round to make his mark, stopping Luis Almendarez Morales in emphatic fashion at 2:38 of the opening frame.
The night began with a closely contested lightweight bout between Alex De Jesus and Gregory Lee, which ended in a split draw after four rounds.
