CLOVIS, CALIFORNIA – Tonight at the Table Mountain Casino in Friant, California, two longtime rivals square off in what is being billed as the last fight for both, as Christy Martin aims to defend her WBC Light Middleweight title against Mia St. John in a rematch of their memorable 2002 encounter. Fighters for the five-bout event weighed-in Monday at the Bod-e² Shop in nearby Clovis.
Martin (49-6-3, 31 KOs) of Orlando, Florida is going for elusive win number fifty as she caps what has been perhaps the most important career in the history of women’s boxing. Martin’s first attempt at the big 5-0 came in June of last year, as she took on Dakota Stone in Los Angeles, California. Martin had defeated Stone to claim the WBC title two years prior and was on her way to a points win in the rematch. However a broken hand forced referee David Mendoza to award the fight to Stone, despite the fact the fight had reached the sixth and final round.
Martin’s difficulty in defeating St. John back in 2002 led some to question what she had left in the tank way back then. Martin has been less than active in the years since for a variety of reasons, but the lady that put the sport on the map is not too concerned with her naysayers. “People have said all kinds of different things,” explains Martin. “I have been on the downslide since I started. I don’t care what the commentators or sports writers have to say. My job is to go out there and fight my hardest and that’s what I am going to do. I am going to go out there and be entertaining to the crowd like I’ve done for almost sixty fights now.”
St. John (46-11-2, 18 KOs) of Oxnard, California has kept much more active in the years since their 2002 meeting and proven herself to be a top notch fighter, having taken on some of the best opposition in and around her weight division. Few would have likely predicted that St. John would have had as successful a career as it has turned out to be back when she was fighting in four-rounders on pay-per-view undercards. “I went into the first fight with people thinking I would get knocked out in the first round and obviously that didn’t happen,” recalls St. John. “I went on to fight the best women in boxing. I fought Holly Holm, Jessica Rakoczy and the list goes on. I fought them all. People know by now that I am not just a novelty. I can walk away from the sport knowing the truth. I know I wasn’t the best female boxer in women’s boxing, but nor was I the worst. I was damn good. I know the truth, because I have fought the worst, the mediocre and the best, so I know where I stand. I don’t regret any move in my career. I feel that I did what was right.”
An issue before their first fight and again heading into the rematch was weight. The fight is for the WBC’s 154-pound title. The last recorded weight for St. John was 137 ¼, so right away it is easy to see who the naturally bigger fighter is going to be. “There is still a huge weight difference,” said St. John. “There is a bigger weight difference now than there was ten years ago. That doesn’t bother me because I feel that she is going to be bigger and stronger, but I am faster and a better technician. I feel the better boxer prevails. Not always, but in this case that will be true.” Martin weighed in at 150.2-pounds Tuesday, while St. John scaled 146.6.
In undercard action, Former amateur standout Luis Villagomez of Fresno is still on the bill and will take on Manuel Ortega (1-4) of Seattle, Washington in a four-round featherweight bout. Villagomez, who scaled 125.4 on Monday, has a quickly improving record. His pro debut, which ended on a cut, was recently changed from a loss to a no contest, based on the finding that a headbutt was the original cause of the laceration. Ortega, who came in at 126.2, has lost four straight, but did go the distance with prospect Randy Caballero.
Yoshi Fuji (2-3-1, 2 KOs) of Fresno ends a five-year layoff against Jose Garcia (0-2) of Santa Ana, California in a four-round lightweight bout. Fuij, who scaled 132-pounds, has fought at Table Mountain Casino twice before. He hopes to begin his return with a victory that would end a three-fight skid. Garcia, who came in at 131.8, has gone the distance in both of his two pro bouts, which each took place last year.
In a four-round lightweight affair, Aaron Acevedo (1-0-1, 1 KO) of Moreno Valley, California will take on Angel Torres (2-10-2, 1 KO) of Yonkers, New York. Acevedo, who scaled 132.2, fought just over a month ago, earning a draw against debuting Daniel Martinez. Torres, who weighed-in at 133, has been stopped four straight times.
Fleshing out the card, David Barragan (1-0-1, 1 KO) of National City, California will take on Beau Hamilton (0-2) of Montague, California in a four-round middleweight fight. Barragan, who weighed 157, comes in off of a draw with Marquise Bruce in March. Hamilton, who scaled 156.8, was last seen going the distance with debuting Antonio Tarver protégé Juan Reynoso in June.
Tickets for the event, promoted by Roy Englebrecht Events, are available online at Tmcasino.com.
Quick Weigh-in Results:
WBC Light Middleweight Championship, 12 Rounds
Martin 150.2
St. John 146.6
Featherweights, 4 Rounds
Villagomez 125.4
Ortega 126.2
Lightweights, 4 Rounds
Fujii 132
Garcia 131.8
Lightweights, 4 Rounds
Acevedo 132.2
Torres 133
Middleweights, 4 Rounds
Barragan 157
Hamilton 156.8
Photo by Marty Solis/California Advocate
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected].
