Danny Roman expressed his aspirations to replicate his previous performance.

The former WBA/IBF junior featherweight champion secured a commanding 10-round unanimous decision victory over Ricardo Espinoza in their non-title showdown televised by Showtime on Saturday evening at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. Judges Zachary Young (97-93), Edward Hernandez Sr. (98-92), and Rudy Barragan (98-92) all scored the bout in favor of Roman, who notched his second win since surrendering his titles to Murodjon Akhmadaliev last January.

Both junior featherweights wasted no time in engaging with the electric atmosphere of the venue. Espinoza initiated the action in the opening round, eager to demonstrate his prowess on the contender platform. Roman adeptly navigated through his opponent's initial barrage, maintaining composure and consistently retaliating with precise combinations.

Reflecting on the fight afterward, Roman acknowledged, "I understood that Ricardo Espinoza is a formidable opponent and packs a punch. I recognized the importance of fighting strategically and adapting as necessary."

Espinoza's strategy for potentially causing an upset relied on outperforming Los Angeles' Roman, a tactic he continued to pursue in the second round. While Roman effectively utilized his jab and right hand counters, Espinoza found success in close quarters, where he could land powerful right-hand blows.

It was in the third round that Roman truly took control. Known for his slow starts, Roman, who controversially defeated Juan Carlos Payano last September, stepped up the tempo, challenging Espinoza to engage in a battle of endurance. The Tijuana native struggled in exchanges on the inside and faced difficulties whenever Roman maintained distance with his jab.

Despite encouragement to increase his output in the middle rounds, Espinoza briefly regained momentum in the fourth round. However, Roman swiftly regained control in the fifth, catching Espinoza with a well-placed right uppercut and delivering crisp, impactful combinations, clearly outclassing his opponent.

Roman escalated his assault in rounds six and seven, consistently landing blows that rocked Espinoza, who valiantly fought on despite visible signs of fatigue and injury. Despite facing adversity, Roman remained composed, delivering a varied array of strikes, including a memorable left hook and a devastating uppercut.

By the eighth round, Espinoza displayed evident signs of weariness, battling through the pain but visibly affected by cuts and injuries. Meanwhile, Roman maintained his assault, targeting the body and showcasing his precision with left uppercuts.

Round nine saw a brief interruption as the ringside physician assessed Espinoza's injuries, but action quickly resumed with Roman resuming his dominance. Although Espinoza managed to connect with a left hook, he was overwhelmed by Roman's relentless barrage of power shots.

The final round mirrored the previous rounds, with Espinoza enduring Roman's onslaught but ultimately unable to mount a significant comeback. While Espinoza could find solace in lasting the full ten rounds against the highly skilled former champion, Roman emerged victorious yet again.

With his second consecutive post-title reign triumph, Roman's record stands at 29-3-1 (10KOs). His victory was attributed to his superior accuracy, landing 220-of-756 total punches (29.1%), including 190-of-502 power punches (37.8%), compared to Espinoza's 190-of-724 punches (26.2%), including 182-of-513 power shots (35.4%).

Despite remaining a formidable contender, the 31-year-old former champion must wait for a potential title shot, likely not until 2022. Roman is positioned as one of the top challengers for the WBC and WBO belts, with the WBC title holder Luis Nery facing Brandon Figueroa in the main event. The victor of this bout will meet WBO junior featherweight titlist Stephen Fulton in a title unification clash scheduled for September 11.

Disregarding future plans, Roman demanded immediate recognition for his mandatory WBC title shot. "I'm the mandatory challenger for the WBC belt. I want my shot now," he declared emphatically. "The fans are eager for it. Give me the winner of the main event. It doesn't matter who it is... I'm ready to face the best."

The fight aired live on Showtime as part of a televised tripleheader, serving as the chief undercard to a highly anticipated 122-pound title fight between Luis Nery (31-0, 24KOs) and Brandon Figueroa (21-0-1, 16KOs).

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