FAIRFIELD, CALIFORNIA — Middleweight prospect Brandon Gonzales may be on the cusp of emerging on the national scene, but first he must move past once-beaten Lester Gonzalez at the Fairfield Sports Center tonight. Local welterweight prospect Alan Sanchez takes on journeyman Cristian Favela in the Telefutura-televised co-feature. Fighters weighed in Thursday at the Courtyard by Marriott Fairfield Napa Valley Area in Fairfield.
Gonzales (13-0, 10 KOs) of Sacramento, California fought all of 2010 in Nevada, but returns to his home area tonight against Gonzalez (11-1-1, 6 KOs) of San Diego, California by way of Havana, Cuba in the eight-round main event. Gonzales’ promotional team is poised to move him into a regional title bout, but at the time same, they are not looking past Lester Gonzalez. “There are so many opportunities that are being discussed for Brandon,” co-promoter Terry Lane of Let’s Get It On Promotions told 15rounds.com yesterday. “We are looking at ESPN Friday Night Fights for his next fight, if not, the one after. But no one is looking past Lester Gonzalez. What happens with Brandon, and how quickly, may depend on his performance tomorrow.”
San Diego’s Gonzalez is coming in off of his first career loss, an eight-round decision to light middleweight prospect Chris Chatman in November. Ironically it was Lester Gonzalez, a career light middleweight, that had trouble making weight Thursday. The contract weight for the fight was 162-pounds. On his initial try, Gonzalez scaled 164. Brandon Gonzales, who has fight as high as 176-pounds in his career, made it a point to come all the way down to the middleweight limit of 160-pounds. Reportedly Lester Gonzalez sweated off the two pounds to make 162-.
Much of the reason why professional boxing has returned to Fairfield for the first time since the late 1980’s is welterweight Alan Sanchez, who fights in the televised co-main event. Sanchez takes on California matchmakers’ favorite journeyman opponent Cristian Favela (28-30-7, 18 KOs) of Los Angeles, California by way of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. Sanchez (5-2-1, 2 KOs) of Fairfield is coming off of a controversial draw with Luis Grajeda, which was televised on Telefutura. Sanchez had Grajeda down twice in the eight-round bout, but was forced to settle for a unanimous decision draw.
Unfortunately for local fight fans, touted former amateur star Manuel Avila (1-0) of Fairfield will not be in action, as his replacement opponent Manuel Ortega (1-3) of Seattle, Washington could not come close to contracted weight. Avila, who was signed out of the amateurs by manager Cameron Dunkin and Golden Boy Promotions, weighed in at 121-pounds. Ortega came in nine-pounds heavier at 130-.
Undefeated Ivan Redkach (5-0, 4 KOs) of Los Angeles by way of Shostka, Ukraine will take on Jaime Orrantia (13-28-5, 4 KOs) of Lakeside, California by way of Los Mochis in a six-round welterweight fight. Redkach, who has fought his entire pro career in California, scaled 145-pounds, while Orrantia weighed in at 141 ½-pounds.
Luis Sanchez (0-4) of Fairfield hopes to get pro victory number one in front of the hometown crowd as he takes on Jonathan Garcia (3-0, 2 KOs) of Watsonville, California in a four-round light welterweight fight. Sanchez, who is headliner Alan Sanchez’ brother, scaled 142-pounds, as did his opponent Garcia.
Popular local prospect Maximilliano Becerra (3-0-1, 2 KOs) of Vacaville, California will take on debuting Omar Sanchez of Fairfield in a four-round light welterweight fight. Becerra sat out all of 2010, but is ready to get an early start to 2011 and in front of the hundreds of fans who bought tickets out of nearby Vacaville. Becerra weighed in at a career high 138 ½-pounds, while Sanchez came in at 139-.
Heavyweight Hector Martinez (5-4, 4 KOs) of Broderick, California will take on Fairfield’s Lamont Williams (2-1, 1 KO) in a four-round bout. Williams, who trains out of the same JL Tepito Boxing Club in Fairfield as the three Sanchez boys on the card, scaled 206-pounds. Martinez, a longtime Sacramento area favorite, scaled 227-pounds.
The event, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Don Chargin Productions, Jorge Marron Productions and Paco Presents, is announced to be completely sold out.
Quick Weigh-in Results:
Middleweights, 8 Rounds
Gonzales 160
Gonzalez 162*
Welterweights, 8 Rounds
Sanchez 146
Favela 146
Welterweights, 6 Rounds
Redkach 145
Orrantia 141 ½
Light Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Sanchez 142
Garcia 142
Light Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Beccera 138 ½
Sanchez 139
Heavyweights, 4 Rounds
Williams 206
Martinez 227
*originally came in at 164, reportedly made it down to 162 on his second try
Gonzales Photo by Erik Killin/Boxingbb.com
Other Photos by Mary Eble/JLTepitoBoxingClub.org
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected].
