Quinones Looks to Impress in Return

COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA – Local product Alfredo Quinones ends a one-year layoff as he takes on tough gatekeeper Michael De La Cruz in the four-round welterweight main event of the “Fight Club OC” event emanating from the Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center on Thursday night. Fighters for the five-bout card, which will be streamed live by TrillerTV+, weighed-in Wednesday morning in the Costa Mesa building across from the venue. 

Quinones (2-0-1, 2 KOs) of Carlsbad, California was last in the ring in May 2024 when he was held to a majority draw. Subsequently, Quinones has been out of action after an eye exam turned up something that needed review. With a clear bill of health, Quinones was originally slated to fight Julian Baez on Thursday, before the taller and more experienced nine-fight veteran De La Cruz stepped-in to take his place. The durable De La Cruz (2-5-2) of Ventura, California recently took heralded prospect Lorenzo Powell the six-round distance and figures to be a good test for the returning Quinones. Both De La Cruz and Quinones weighed-in at the welterweight limit of 147-pounds. 

Quinones is ready to get back in the ring after more than a year away, including four months off of training all together. 

“I had a few problems with my eye,” explained Quinones. “My last fight got cancelled because I had a lattice degeneration, but I got a second opinion and it is all good.” 

Quinones will oppose an opponent roughly five inches taller in De La Cruz. The height difference is nothing new to the Carlsbad native however. 

“I have the same game plan and nothing really changed about that,” said Quinones. “I am walking around at 5’6,” so everyone is always taller than me. I am used to being the shorter fighter. It is going to be a great fight. The people that have to come to support me, I think they know what to expect, they get the same thing everytime.”  

San Bernardino, California’s Elena Mandujano will make her professional debut against Amanda DeRosa (0-1) of Hesperia, California in a four-round featherweight bout. Mandujano, who was originally scheduled to turn pro in her hometown this past February, struggled with her weight cut and an agreement was reached prior to hitting the scales between camps to keep the bout intact. Mandujano weighed-in at 126.2-pounds, while DeRosa scaled 122.8, just over the super bantamweight limit. 

Former amateur standout Ryan Jones of Lake Forest, California will take on Maclovio Salas (0-2) of Mission Hills, California in a four-round super featherweight bout. Jones, who competed at the 2024 USA Boxing National Championships last December, scaled 128.8-pounds. Salas, who last boxed in 2018, came in at the super featherweight limit of 130. 

Albert Ochoa (1-0, 1 KO) of Sacramento, California will see action against old adversary Leon Miles Jr. of Los Angeles, California, who will be making his professional debut, in a four-round welterweight bout to open the night. Ochoa and Miles, both heavily prevalent on social media, have shared a ring before, having fought an exhibition in December of 2023. Both Ochoa, who claimed victory in their first pairing, and Miles, known by the handle of “Suede the Plug” on social media, scaled 143.8-pounds. 

MMA

In a crossroads pairing of veteran fighters, Elj Portee (8-10-1, 7 KOs) of Fallbrook, California will take on John Simon Portland, Oregon (7-6, 4 KOs) of Portland, Oregon in a three-round middleweight fight. Portee, fighting for the second time this year, scaled 174.8-pounds, while Simon, who just fought on May 10th, made 174.6-pounds.

A scheduled bout between Christopher Cruz (2-1-1) of Los Angeles and Robert Duran (0-1) of Fullerton, California was scratched from the card. 

Quick Weigh-in Results:

Welterweights, 4 Rounds

Quinones 147

De La Cruz 147

Featherweights, 4 Rounds 

Mandujano 126.2

DeRosa 122.8

Super featherweights, 4 Rounds

Jones 128.8

Salas 130

Welterweights, 4 Rounds 

Ochoa 143.8

Miles Jr. 143.8

MMA

Middleweights, 3 Rounds

Portee 174.8

Simon 174.6

Tickets for the event, promoted by SOCA Fights, are available online at socafights.com 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com