Nave Under the Stadium Lights One More Time

NOVATO, CALIFORNIA – Refusing to listen to his detractors, 52-year-old local hero Paul Nave returns to the ring tonight in search of elusive win number 20 as he takes on Justin Danforth in the eight-round main attraction of what will likely be the last professional boxing event to take place at Albert Park Field in Downtown San Rafael. Fighters for the five-bout card weighed-in at the nearby Inn Marin on Thursday evening.

Nave (19-9-2, 8 KOs) of San Anselmo, California was last in the ring a little over a year ago. In the fifth fight of his unlikely comeback after a nine-plus year retirement, Nave battled previously unbeaten 25-year-old Brandon Hoskins on even terms but came up just short with a majority decision defeat. Nave took painstaking measures to bring last year’s event to Albert Park Field and encountered similar obstacles in bringing tonight’s card back to the park. After granting Nave permission to host tonight’s event, local officials passed legislature that will prevent future boxing events to take place at the venue. Given all the factors, local fight fans should think of this as their last opportunity to see outdoor boxing in San Rafael and, for all anybody knows, the last hurrah of the “Marin County Assassin.”

Aiming to spoil the show is Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s “Jazzy” Justin Danforth (6-18, 1 KO). Though mired in a four-fight losing streak, Danforth has been matched tough against some of better prospects in the Midwest. Although it has not happened often, Danforth has proved capable of springing an upset. Most notably, Danforth ended the unbeaten run of Mike Post via six-round decision back in 2006. Post has yet to lose another fight. Both Nave and Danforth weighed-in a pound under the welterweight limit at 146-pounds on Thursday.

In undercard action, one of the area’s brighter prospects Aldwayne Simpson (2-0, 2 KOs) of Richmond, California will take on Jovanni Rubio (7-15, 4 KOs) of Santa Rosa, California in a four-round welterweight bout. Simpson, who recently added Virgil Hunter to his team which includes respected head trainer Henry Jarrow, will be making his Bay Area return after turning pro back in 2009. After fighting as a middleweight and super middleweight in recent years, Rubio is back down to 145-pounds for the first time since 2007. Simpson scaled 144 ½, while Rubio stripped down to just make the contracted 145-pound limit.

Novato’s Marquita Lee (1-0) returns to the Albert Park Field ring in a four-round super featherweight bout against veteran Lisa Lewis (7-14, 3 KOs) of Fresno, California. Lee is coming off of a four-round decision over Laura Deanovic last year. Lewis, though she had a fight fall out in August, has not competed since 2007. Lewis’ record reads like a who’s who in women’s boxing, including losses to Holly Holm, Melissa Fiorentino, Kelsey Jeffries and Jessica Rakoczy among others. Lee scaled 129 ½, while Lewis came in at 127-pounds.

Having proven to be a ticket seller in her defeat at the park last year, Laura Deanovic (0-3) of San Francisco, California is back in search of elusive win number one. Opposing Deanovic is a familiar foe in Claudia Amaro (1-2) of Fresno in a four-round featherweight bout. Amaro claimed a four-round majority decision over Deanovic in May of last year. Amaro’s first battle came against the scale, as she came in at 127-pounds, a few pounds over the contract limit. Deanovic made weight at 122 ½-pounds. An agreement was reached and the fight will go on as scheduled.

Opening the evening will be an amateur exhibition between local amateur star Rudy Macedo of Novato and David Lopez of San Francisco. Macedo weighed-in for their three-round bout at 154-pounds, while Lopez came in at 156-pounds.

Tickets for the event, promoted by Liberty Boxing Enterprises, are available online at Ticketmaster.com.

Quick Weigh-in Results:

Welterweights, 8 Rounds
Nave 146 ½
Danforth 146 ½

Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Simpson 144 ½
Rubio 146

Super Featherweights, 4 Rounds
Lee 129 ½
Lewis 127

Featherweights, 4 Rounds
Amaro 127
Deanovic 122 ½

Amateur Weigh-in Results:

Light Middleweights, 3 Rounds
Macedo 154
Lopez 156

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected].