Avila Ready for His Close-Up

REDWOOD CITY, CALIFORNIA – Promising super bantamweight Manuel Avila aims to impress in his first English-language broadcasted appearance as he takes on a late replacement opponent in journeyman Jose Angel Cota in the ten-round main event televised by Fox Sports 1 and emanating from the SportsHouse tonight. Fighters for the eight-bout card weighed-in Sunday afternoon at a conference room adjacent to the fight venue.

Avila (12-0, 4 KOs) of Fairfield, California has quietly been positioning himself as one of the top young fighters based in the northern part of the state. Avila’s most impressive win came two fights back against the once highly-touted Ricky Lopez last December. Avila impressively dispatched Lopez in the eighth and final round before his raucous following in Vacaville. Unfortunately for the young pro, tonight’s contest marks only his second appearance of 2013 and anything less than a spectacular performance by Avila would be seen as a disappointment given the quality of his opponent and the fact that he’s fighting in front of a national television audience. Avila made the 122-pound super bantamweight limit on the scales Sunday.

Cota (15-9-1, 11 KOs) of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico came in on short notice, replacing the originally scheduled Jose Silveira last than one week ago. Most of Cota’s victories have come against modest opposition in Mexico, many of which taking place on cards that were so underreported that they never made their way on to the record-keeping site BoxRec.com. When fighting in the United States, Cota has mixed it up with some quality fighters, including Leo Santa Cruz, Jonathan Arrellano and Daulis Prescott. Against that trio, Cota did not last the distance in any of the three bouts. Cota came in at 122.5-pounds Sunday.

In the ten-round co-main event, fringe middleweight contender Paul Mendez (14-2-1, 6 KOs) of Delano, California takes on tough once-beaten Louis Rose (8-1, 2 KOs) of Lynwood, California. Mendez, coming off of an easy sparring session type win over hapless Rahman Yusubov last month, had the option of defending his IBA Middleweight title against Rose tomorrow. However, Mendez decided he did not want to make the 160-pound limit for his fight with Rose, who did want the chance at the belt. Rose’s claim to fame is an eight-round unanimous decision victory over previously unbeaten, ten-win middleweight Delen Parsley this past May in New York. Mendez made 162-pounds at the weigh-in, while Rose scaled 163.

In an intriguing six-round light welterweight bout, Jonathan Chicas (10-1, 4 KOs) of San Francisco, California looks to put his lone pro loss three fights back further in the rearview as he takes on tough gatekeeper Joaquin Chavez (6-9-2, 2 KOs) of Los Angeles, California. Since getting stopped by Moris Rodriguez last December, Chicas scored decision wins over sub .500 journeymen Arthur Brambila and Adolfo Landeros. Chavez has knocked off two previously undefeated and one once-beaten fighter just in 2013 alone. Chavez, who could campaign at lightweight if he desired, scaled 141-pounds, while the sturdy Chicas came in at 142.

Former amateur standout Andy Vences (4-0, 2 KOs) of San Jose, California returns to the ring one month after passing the first minor test of his career to take on a natural featherweight in Jose Garcia (3-6-1, 2 KOs) of Bakersfield, California in a four-round lightweight bout. Vences, coming off of a hard-fought four-round decision over Matthew Flores in September, scaled 133.5-pounds Sunday. Garcia, who has fought as low as 117-pounds in his pro career, came in at 134-pounds.

In what could be a show stealer, once-beaten bantamweights Mario Ayala and Benajmin Briceno will likely wage war in a four-round bout fought just above the 122-pound super bantamweight limit. Ayala (2-1) of Sacramento, California is looking for a quick rebound from his first professional loss just a couple weeks back, a four-round majority decision verdict in his hometown. Briceno (2-1) of San Leandro, California did rebound from his first loss in his debut with two back-to-back impressive four-round decisions this year. Ayala weighed on at 120.5, while Briceno scaled 122.5-pounds Sunday.

Fighting before his hometown crowd, Jesus Partida (3-1-2) of Redwood City takes on Sammy Perez (1-2-2) of Tigard, Oregon in a four-round super featherweight bout. Partida has fought with mixed results in his two previous hometown appearances. Two fights back, Partida eked out a four-round majority draw against Sacramento’s Alberto Torres in a fight many ringside could have been scored for his opponent. This past June, fighting at the Fox Theatre, Redwood City for the second straight time, Partida escaped a four-rounder with Christian Silva with a split decision and a cut right eye. Hoping to make his third homecoming Partida’s worse will be Perez, who is coming off of a draw with undefeated Andre Ramos in June. Partida made 131, while Perez scaled 130-pounds.

Light welterweight and former collegiate track star Darwin Price (2-0) of Saint Louis, Missouri will look to continue his romp through the dregs of his division as he takes on a heftier than expected Omar Avelar (2-9, 1 KO) of Lummi Reservation, Washington in a four-round bout. Price, fresh off of a controlled boxing exhibition over journeyman Johnny Frazier (2-19-4) last month, scaled 141-pounds. Riding a six-fight losing streak, Avelar, who splits time between boxing and mixed martial arts, scaled 148-pounds. Despite spending some time in the restroom jumping and shadowboxing, Avelar could not shed any of the extra weight, but the fight will go on regardless.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. underling Andrew Tabiti (1-0, 1 KO) of Las Vegas, Nevada returns to the ring for the first time in over three months to take on Eric Slocum (0-1) of Columbus, Ohio in a four-round cruiserweight bout. Tabiti, who had been scheduled to fight on the Mayweather-Saul Alvarez bill before his opponent fell out, weighed-in at 193-pounds. Slocum, who turned pro in July against a 2-0 fighter and losing a four-round decision, scaled 195-pounds Sunday.

Tickets for the event, promoted by Don Chargin Productions, Paco Presents and Golden Boy Promotions, are available online at PacoPresentsBoxing.com.

Quick Weigh-in Results:

Super Bantamweights, 10 Rounds
Avila 122
Cota 122.5

Super Middleweights, 10 Rounds
Mendez 162
Rose 163

Light Welterweights, 6 Rounds
Chicas 142
Chavez 141

Lightweights, 4 Rounds
Vences 133.5
Garcia 134

Super Bantamweights, 4 Rounds
Ayala 120.5
Briceno 122.5

Super Featherweights, 4 Rounds
Partida 131
Perez 130

Light Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Price 141
Avelar 148

Cruiserweights, 4 Rounds
Tabiti 193
Slocum 195

Photo courtesy Golden Boy Promotions

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @MarioG280