TIJUANA, BAJA CALIFORNIA – Local favorite Jesus “Bombardero” Valadez and returning former U.S. amateur standout Aldwayne Simpson thrilled the spirited fight crowd on hand at the Salon Mutualista with devastating first-round stoppages in their featured attractions as Diego “Pelucho” Morales’ Promociones PM returned to the border city on Friday night.
In what was a face-paced bout for as long as it lasted, Valadez (6-1, 3 KOs) of Tijuana scored a frightening knockout of aggressive swinger Edgar Vazquez (4-3-1, 2 KOs) of Tijuana, ending the night’s main event in just 1:13 of the first.
Vazquez, 140, charged out at Valadez, 140, as the bell sounded to begin the fight. Valadez, just 18-years-old, kept composed as he defended Vazquez’ onslaught. Once Vazquez began to slow his output, Valadez seized an open opportunity by connecting with a vicious short right hand. Vazquez was out immediately, but found himself tangled in the ropes near a neutral corner. Vazquez’ team rushed from his corner and spectators assisted in removing his unconscious body from the strands as referee Juan Morales Lee rushed in and waved off the bout. After some scary moments, Vazquez regained consciousness as his team removed his shoes and fanned him with a towel.
Aldwayne Simpson (2-0, 2 KOs) of Richmond, California, United States by way of Kingston, Jamaica worked off just a bit of ring rust with a first-round knockout of tough Jorge Sillas Amor (1-3) of Tijuana.
Sillas Amor, 135, looked to exchange early, but the difference in strength and hand speed were apparent immediately. When Sillas Amor leaned in to throw a body shot, Simpson, 142.9, grazed the top of his head with a left hand. Referee Manuel Rincon gave Sillas Amor a short reprieve to warn Simpson for the borderline infraction.
Shortly after action resumed, Sillas Amor came rushing in again, but soon found himself on the wrong end of straight lefts and straight rights as Simpson switched effortlessly from orthodox to southpaw and back. Sillas Amor continued to exchange, but when a counter left hook took him off his feet, the Mexican opted to stay flat on his back as Rincon counted to ten.
Sillas Amor replaced originally scheduled opponent Miguel Nava, who had failed to appear at Thursday’s weigh-in. Sillas Amor took to the scales Friday morning and came to fight, but was simply overmatched in skills and natural physical ability. Simpson, who is scheduled to return to the ring at the Craneway Pavilion in his hometown of Richmond on August 17th, had recently wrapped up a training stint alongside new WBC Interim Welterweight titleholder Robert Guerrero at high elevation in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, United States.
Former Tijuana amateur champion Erick Cebreros (3-0, 1 KO) methodically broke down a much shorter Benny Guevara (0-1) of Tijuana en route to a fourth-round referee’s stoppage. Cebreros, who turned professional only in April, had the most vocal following of any fighter on the card and sent his contingent home happy.
Cebreros, 127.2, began the bout using his advantages in height and reach by boxing the undersized Guevara, 123.5, at a distance. By the time round one was coming to a close, Cebreros began letting go with power shots to the head and body. Guevara attempted to get into the fight, at times unloading looping rights that would find their mark, but do little to faze Cebreros.
The Raul “Jibaro” Perez-trained Cebreros had completely wore down Guevara by the time the fourth round came along. With the fight out of Guevara, referee Juan Morales Lee opted to end the contest at 1:26 of the fourth, giving the young prospect his first career knockout as a pro.
In a rare all-Tijuana heavyweight attraction, Juan Manuel Dominguez (3-0, 2 KOs) halted Rodrigo Ramirez (0-2) in the second round for a scheduled four. After a fairly even first round in which both Dominguez, 229.3, and Ramirez, 260.1, landed their share of power shots, Dominguez pressed the fight in the second. After a series of unanswered blows from Dominguez, Ramirez winced, shaking his right hand to signal to his corner that he was injured. Dominguez refused to let up, swinging away with his foe back into his own corner. Eventually Ramirez’ corner opted to throw in the towel, forcing the hand of referee Manuel Rincon. Official time of the stoppage was 2:58 of the second. Ramirez had been out of action since a second-round stoppage loss back in September of 2010.
In a competitive action fight, Ciro Arrellanos (2-0) of Mexico City, Distrito Federal moved past Tijuana’s debuting Martin Gomez (0-1) via four-round majority decision. Arrellanos, 141.1, was solid all the way through, but Gomez, 141.1, seemed to have an edge in the middle two rounds. In the end, one judge had the fight even, 38-38, but was overruled by scores of 39-37 twice for Arrellanos.
In the opener, two fighters looking for their first pro victory fought their hearts out attempting to get into the winner’s circle, but it was Pedro Garcia (1-2) of Tijuana that ultimately achieved his goal with a four-round majority decision over Luis Contreras (0-3) also of Tijuana. Defense was a concern for neither Garcia, 134.5, nor Contreras, 135.7, but what the two lacked in boxing skill they made up for in heart and determination. Ultimately it was the harder-punching Garcia that won over two of the judges, 39-37. The lone dissenter had it 38-38 even.
Photos by Felipe Leon
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected]
