By Mario Ortega Jr.
STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA – Lightweight contender Gabriel Flores Jr. returns to his hometown and brings pro boxing to a venue more accustomed to hosting sluggers of another variety in Banner Island Ballpark on Saturday night. Flores will take on veteran Ronal Ron in the eight-round main event of a six-bout card. Fighters weighed-in at the University Plaza Waterfront Hotel on Friday morning.
Flores (23-2, 8 KOs) is the headlining attraction for the first-ever boxing event hosted at the home of Minor League Baseball’s Stockton Ports. Eventual World Series champions such as Max Muncy and Matt Olson once slugged their share of home runs on the same field where Flores will hope to continue his road to a crack at a world title of his own.
Last time out, fighting under his father’s G-Squad Entertainment promotional banner for the first time, Flores packed the Adventist Health Arena next door en route to a decision win over previously unbeaten Julian Rodarte. Flores’ large local following will have more room to stretch out on Saturday, as the young contender may provide fireworks of his own before the pyrotechnics are set to fill the stadium’s open air at the conclusion of the event.
Ron (14-6, 11 KOs) of Chino Hills, California by way of Caracas, Distrito Capital, Venezuela has been cast in the part of durable opponent, charged with giving the local favorite son a good enough fight that it is not just the peanuts and crackerjack sending the crowd home satisfied.
Ron may have more stoppage victories under his belt than does Flores, but a comparison of their resumes reveals that none could be fairly made. The two times Ron has stepped up to the upper level also represent his two knockout defeats. Eventual 130-pound champion Hector Luis Garcia halted Ron in three in 2019 and Abdullah Mason needed four rounds this past April.
Flores, defending the WBA Continental USA title he claimed in March with the win over Rodarte, weighed-in at 134.8-pounds.
Ron, who looked to provoke some heat during the face-off, scaled 134.4.
Former Flores foe, the aforementioned Julian Rodarte (19-1-2, 8 KOs) of Downey, California returns to Stockton to take on Andrew Rogers (8-12-3, 3 KOs) of Elkhart, Indiana in an eight-round lightweight bout.
Rodarte, who lost a majority decision to Flores on his last visit to the “Port City” in March and is now promoted by G-Squad Entertainment, made 134.4-pounds. Rogers, 0-3-1 in his previous four trips to California, came in a whopping five pounds over the limit.
As of press time it was unclear whether or not this bout would actually come to fruition due to the weight discrepancy.
Andrew Rodriguez (3-0, 1 KO) of Salinas, California makes his long-awaited U.S. debut against former amateur opponent Alejandro Robles (0-3) of Modesto, California in a four-round super flyweight fight.
Rodriguez made the weight with a little room to spare at 113.8-pounds. Robles just missed the contracted weight at 115.8-pounds. After some discussion, Robles opted not to attempt to lose the extra weight and will instead receive a fine.
Former standout amateur Lorenzo Powell (1-0) of Sacramento, California will meet Ethan Rowan (0-1) of Saint Paul, Minnesota in a four-round lightweight contest. Powell, who turned pro in Stockton in March, scaled 137.2-pounds. Rowan, a veteran of mixed martial arts prior to taking up pro boxing, made 139-pounds.
Ab Lozano (1-0, 1 KO) of Martinez, California will take on Rod Sarguilla (2-5, 1 KO) Los Angeles, California by way of Midsayap, Cotabato, Philippines in a four-round featherweight bout. The well-regarded Lozano scaled 123.8-pounds, while Sarguilla, based out of the famed Wild Card Boxing Club, made 123-pounds even.
Former amateur star Steve Canela of San Jose, California had hoped to be making his professional debut on Saturday night. Instead, Canela’s four-round bout with Pedro Pinillo (5-8, 5 KOs) of Cali, Colombia will be sanctioned as an exhibition.
Pinillo would have made for an experienced opponent for a debut, but Canela will have to wait a bit longer to make it official. Pinillo, having just fought well-regarded prospect David Lopez for a full six-rounds one week ago, is under a routine seven-day suspension by the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission, set to run through today’s date, July 19th.
Quick Weigh-in Results:
WBA Continental USA Lightweight Championship, 8 Rounds
Flores Jr. 134.8
Ron 134.4
Lightweights, 8 Rounds
Rodarte 134.4
Rogers 140*
Super Flyweights, 4 Rounds
Rodriguez 113.8
Robles 115.8**
Light welterweights, 4 Rounds
Powell 137.2
Rowan 139
Featherweights, 4 Rounds
Lozano 123.8
Sarguilla 123
Welterweights, 4 Rounds (Exhibition)
Canela 144.6
Pinillo 145.4
*Rogers 5 pounds over contracted weight
**Robles .8 over contracted weight
Tickets for the event, which will be streamed via pay-per-view by the BLK Prime streaming service, are available online at gsquadent.com
Photo by Julio Sanchez/G-Squad Entertainment
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected]
