RENO, NEVADA — There was a time not too many generations ago when boxing’s elite fought every few weeks. In an era when the top fighters usually fight no more than twice a year, world ranked heavyweight contender Cristobal Arreola eyes his second victory in just under two weeks as he takes on veteran Kendrick Releford in the ESPN2 Friday Night Fights main event at the Reno Events Center tonight. Fighters weighed in Thursday evening down the street at the Silver Legacy Resort Casino.
Tonight’s originally scheduled main event, which would have pitted rising light welterweight contender Josesito Lopez against Steve Upshur Chambers, was scratched not many days before Arreola (31-2, 27 KOs) of Riverside, California stopped Nagy Aguilera in three rounds. Lopez, who shares trainer Henry Ramirez with Arreola, went down with an injured hand. While they were still standing in the ring after the stoppage, which took place on the May 14th Andre Ward-Arthur Abraham undercard, the idea of fighting again tonight was brought up and less than a week later the fight was announced.
Releford (22-14-2, 10 KOs) of Fort Worth, Texas is a fighter that has been around the block and given an impressive list of solid fighters tough fights in his ten-year career. Just two years ago, Releford, who scaled 230-pounds Thursday, trimmed down and made a run at cruiserweight which ended with a third-round stoppage to Alexander Alexeev in July 2009. Since then Releford came back up around 220 and posted two wins before dropping an eight-round decision to former international amateur champion Luis Ortiz last August.
The word on Arreola, the WBC #2/IBF #5/WBO #13/WBA #15 ranked heavyweight contender, was if you could keep him busy enough he would stay in shape. After years of showing up to big fights carrying some extra baggage, Arreola came in looking lean at 234-pounds on May 14th. On Thursday, Arreola looked much the same as he came in at 236-pounds. With an impressive showing tonight, Arreola would be right in line for a return to the upper level of the division and the bigger paydays that come attached to those fights.
Arreola is not the only ranked heavyweight on the bill. In fact, the co-feature has even bigger implications, at least in the short-term, on the heavyweight title picture. Longtime top ten big man Tony Thompson (35-2, 23 KOs) of Silver Spring, Maryland takes on career-spoiler Maurice Harris (24-14-2, 10 KOs) of East Orange, New Jersey in a twelve-round bout with the IBF #2 heavyweight ranking on the line.
Harris, the IBF #6 ranked heavyweight, has taken an improbable road to get to this position once again his career. If there was ever a rollercoaster ride of a career, Maurice Harris’ fits the bill. Harris, still just 35-years-old, turned pro way back in 1992. Harris told 15rounds.com earlier in the week he feels the years of experienced have served him well going into the fight tonight.
“With age comes wisdom,” says Harris. “It was all a matter of being refocused. I always knew I knew had the talent, it was just the work ethic that I needed to improve. I have a couple more kids involved, so that changes things.”
When Harris came back to the ring last year, he made the move expecting to work his way back to this position. “I would have never come back to the ring if I didn’t feel I could do it,” says Harris, who previously fought for the IBF #2 ranking back in 2003 against Fres Oquendo. “From that first day in March that I first got back in the ring, I knew this is what I could do.”
Harris has victory of sorts over Thompson. Back in November of 2002, promoter Cedric Kushner put together a one-night heavyweight. Harris beat Gerald Nobles and Ray Austin, while Thompson advanced past Jeremy Williams and Derrick Jefferson to lead them into the finals. “When I fought him the first time, I didn’t know much about him,” recalled Harris. Harris lack of preparation did not hinder him, as he took the decision and the cash prize. “I hadn’t trained to fight a southpaw or anything. I didn’t know who I would be fighting, but that showed a lot of people where I was skill wise. I beat three different guys, three hungry guys.”
Thompson, the IBF #7 ranked heavyweight, has bounced back from his spirited effort in defeat against Wladimir Klitschko in 2008 with four consecutive stoppage victories. Most notably, Thompson halted former prospect Chazz Witherspoon in nine-rounds in December 2009. Thompson weighed in at 255 ½, while Harris came in at 244-pounds. The winner of the eliminator will eventually be matched with IBF #1 heavyweight contender Eddie Chambers with a crack at the title hanging in the balance.
“Tony’s a good fighter,” says Harris. “I’m not taking anything away from him. He’s up there for a reason. We are fighting for the number two position. It’s going to be an interesting fight. He’s hungry. I’m hungry. So it is going to be a good fight.”
In the first swing bout, 2008 U.S. Olympian Javier Molina (6-0, 4 KOs) of Norwalk, California returns to the ring with the same turnaround as Arreola, having fought on the May 14th Ward-Abraham card in Carson, California. Molina will take on David Lopez (3-5-3) of Nampa, Idaho in a four-round light middleweight fight. Molina, who fought one more round than Arreola did two weeks ago in a four-round decision over Danny Figueroa, weighed in at 149, while Lopez scaled 149 ½-pounds.
In the other swing bout, rising super featherweight prospect Guy Robb (3-0, 1 KO) of Sacramento, California will take his most experienced opponent to date Noe Lopez Jr. (7-7, 4 KOs) of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico in a bout scheduled for either four or six-rounds. Robb, who scaled 128-pounds, is coming in off of a thrilling four-round decision over Manuel Morales in March. Lopez, who has lost when he has stepped up to the prospect level in the past, came in at 131-pounds.
One of a few fights that have fight of the night potential is the six-round super featherweight rematch between Michael Ruiz Jr. (7-0-1, 3 KOs) of Fresno, California and Jonathan Alcantara (4-4-2) of Novato, California. Ruiz pressed the action for the most part, but was never quite able to pin Alcantara down. Alcantara boxed well at range as each fighter took a card 58-56, with the third one coming up even at 57-57. At the weigh-in it was clear there was some animosity between the two fighters. During the post-scale photo op, Alcantara shoved Ruiz. When asked what he did to provoke Alcantara, Ruiz stated, “I just smiled at him.” Ruiz came in at 119, while Alcantara came in at 120-pounds.
There is another former U.S. Olympian on the card, but from the 2000 team, as Ricardo Williams Jr. (17-2, 10 KOs) of Cincinatti, Ohio continues his comeback against journeyman Chris Gray (13-14, 1 KO) of Baton Rouge, Louisiana in the six-round curtain raiser. Williams, who claimed silver in Sydney, Australia, weighed in at 148-pounds, as did Gray. Williams has scored three consecutive stoppages against mostly limited opposition.
Tickets for the event, promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions, are available online at Ticketmaster.com.
Quick Weigh-in Results:
Heavyweights, 10 Rounds
Arreola 236
Releford 230
IBF Heavyweight Championship Eliminator, 12 Rounds
Harris 244
Thompson 255 ½
Light Middleweights, 6 Rounds
Molina 149
Lopez 149 ½
Super Featherweights, 4 or 6 Rounds
Robb 128
Lopez 131
Super Bantamweights, 6 Rounds
Ruiz Jr. 119
Alcantara 120
Welterweights, 6 Rounds
Williams 148
Gray 148
Photos by Stephanie Trapp/trappfotos@gmail.com
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com.
