PRIMM, NEVADA — Former world champion Vivian Harris remained on his stool after a rough first-round against Jessie Vargas Friday night at the Buffalo Bill’s Resort & Casino. When referee Joe Cortez made his way into the corner, Harris informed the official he was not continuing in the bout. Moments after the loss, his third in a row, Harris announced he was hanging up the gloves on his Facebook page.

“Just lost my fight [and] I am done with boxing because I [can’t] get a fight at the weight I want to,” said Harris, referring to his desire to fight at 147-pounds. “Boxing gave me a lot, thanks to all my fans.”

Harris’ post came roughly 45 minutes after he had left the ring. Harris (29-6-1, 19 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York by way of Georgetown, Guyana had told 15rounds.com prior to Thursday’s weigh-in that he had been planning to fight at welterweight, but all his offers came in for light welterweight opposition. “I want to go up to 147, because making 140 was definitely a hard thing for me to do,” admitted Harris Thursday. “But I have to take the fight because I have a family to feed and I can’t just sit at home or at the gym training. I have to pay the bills and I have a mortgage to pay and stuff like that. That’s why when the fights come at 140 I have to take it.”

Harris claimed the WBA Light Welterweight title in 2002 with an eye-opening second round stoppage over Diosbelys Hurtado. Harris would make three defenses before a shocking knockout loss to Carlos Maussa, who had replaced Arturo Morua on short notice, in 2005. Though he notched a couple victories on the comeback trail, Harris never regained the career momentum he had heading into the Maussa bout.

Harris would be stopped by Junior Witter in a failed attempt at the WBC version of the 140-pound title, a fight that the Guyana-born former champion had been the favorite among boxing insiders. Two fights later, Harris collapsed in the ring after a second-round headbutt against Noe Bolanos in Tucson, Arizona. In his three fights since, Harris has been stopped inside the distance each time.

While retirements made in the immediate aftermath of a tough loss rarely stick, this writer hopes Harris is one of the exceptions to the rule. The former champion made a good run and one can only hope that he finds life outside the ring to be just as rewarding as his time as a champion.

Photo by Mark Ortega

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

PRIMM, NEVADA — Rising light welterweight Jessie Vargas announced his arrival with a stoppage of former world champion Vivian Harris in the televised main event of Telefutura Solo Boxeo emanating from the Buffalo Bill’s Resort & Casino on Friday night. The bout ended after the first round when Harris remained on his stool, a decision that may effectively end his career, or at minimum its relevancy.

Vargas (15-0, 8 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada stunned Harris (29-6-1, 19 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York by way of Georgetown, Guyana with the first shot he threw, a solid left hook. Vargas’ body attack clearly bothered Harris, 145, from the outset as well. Vargas, 143, allowed himself to get backed into the ropes briefly, but the Las Vegan quickly turned the situation around, landing a body shot that hurt Harris again.

Seconds later, Vargas landed a right that may have found Harris high on the head which ruined the former WBA Light Welterweight titleholder’s equilibrium. When action resumed, Vargas dug to Harris’ body before following with a straight right. The blow dropped Harris on the seat of his pants to the bottom rope, but with the bell ringing, referee Joe Cortez opted to not rule a knockdown. It proved to be academic, as Harris informed Cortez that he would not be continuing in the bout. According to Harris’ corner, it was completely their fighter’s decision to stop the contest.

With the victory, Vargas has a good name on his resume that could make him viable for an opportunity with a name fighter and perhaps a world ranking. Unfortunately for Harris, it appears to be the end of the line. A career that was so promising in 2003 has sputtered sharply downward. Harris had trouble making the contracted 144-pounds at yesterday’s weigh-in, taking the scale four times to get down to 145. Harris had said he wanted to fight as a welterweight, but needed to take the fights that he was offered in order to take care of his financial responsibilities. It is a formula that may lead Harris unwisely back into the ring.

Eddie Gomez (4-0, 3 KOs) of the Bronx, New York was not the aggressive puncher we have seen on television for his first three pro bouts, but he still outclassed Roberto Lopez (4-2-2, 1 KO) of Kissimmee, Florida in the six-round co-feature. Gomez, 150.5, did put the hurt on Lopez, 150.5, late in the opening round. The left hook was his primary effective weapon throughout the fight and it did the damage early. Gomez stunned Lopez with it, forcing the San Diego resident into the ropes for a damaging flurry of mostly lefts.

Somewhat inexplicably Gomez turned into a mover in the second round, and remained one thru most of the middle rounds. Gomez hurt Lopez in the third, as he uncorked a left hook and followed up with a flurry along the ropes. Gomez connected with two more left hooks before getting back on his toes and moving around the ring. In the end, Gomez was the unanimous winner by scores of 60-53, 59-55 and 59-54.

In an upset of sorts, power-punching prospect Bastie Samir (10-0-1, 10 KOs) of Las Vegas by way of Accra, Ghana was held to a six-round draw by Lester Gonzalez (11-3-2, 6 KOs) of San Diego, California by way of Havana, Cuba. Samir revealed plenty of defensive faults, but that may have been due to his low level of respect for Gonzalez’ power. In stretches it was an exciting fight, but in others it was not.

The free-swinging Samir, 161.5, was caught clean in several exchanges, but it was clear that Gonzalez, 163, was no puncher. The action really heated up in the third round, as neither fighter had any regard for defense and traded wildly. Samir was caught clean plenty, but did not appear to be too affected. Gonzalez, game, especially in the early going, landed a few wild swings himself.

The pace slowed in the middle rounds, but Samir appeared to be getting the more damaging punches through. Gonzalez was less and less willing to trade, before turning up the aggression in the sixth and final round. In the end, two judges had it 58-56 each way. The third judge made the draw with a 57-57 scorecard.

In a sloppy, but entertaining slugfest, Alexander Flores (4-0, 2 KOs) of Rowland Heights, California scored a minor upset over Quadtrine Hill (4-2, 1 KO) of Hollywood, California via four-round unanimous decision. Hill 219.5, you may recall was on the cover of ESPN The Magazine back in December of 2009, due to his status as a former University of Miami fullback and NFL practice squader. Flores, 225.5, decided he was not going to stick to the script, and he outslugged Hill en route to the decision by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice. Flores’ ability to make the off balance Hill pay for his mistakes was the difference.

In the opener, Paul Green (2-1) of Compton, California outworked Kai Zama (5-3, 3 KOs) of Costa Mesa, California by way of Tokyo, Japan over four rounds in what ended up being scored a split decision. Green, 136.5, was the quicker and flashier boxer in the bout. Zama, 139, moved forward and made a fight, but appeared to be outworked in just about every round. One judge favored Zama, 39-37. The other two judges had the fight for the winner Green, 39-37.

In a rousing walkout bout, Tatini Anderson (3-1-1, 3 KOs) of Las Vegas fought returning Lissette Medel (2-1-1) of Maywood, California to a four-round majority draw. Affectionately referred to as Mini Tyson, Anderson, 139, had the clear power edge, especially early. Medel, 138, was nothing if not game, especially considering she was ending a four-and-a-third year layoff.

Fighting in a Tyson-esque style, Anderson landed well and often in the first. Medel managed to back her to the ropes, but Anderson quickly landed a right that forced the Maywood native back to center ring. Medel landed a left that caught Anderson flush early in the second, and Anderson responded with a flurry to the body. However, Anderson’s punches seemed to have lost a little steam by the end of the round.

After a solid back-and-forth third round, which may have been edged by Anderson, both females opened up to start the fourth. Before ring announcer Joe Martinez could finishing telling everyone ringside that it was the fourth and final round, Anderson and Medel were going toe-to-toe, trading heavy shots. In the end, one judge had it for Anderson, 39-37, but was overruled by the other two, 38-38.

Promoter Roy Englebrecht informed the media that should both combatants be willing to do a rematch, he would attempt to put it together for his May 19th event at the Hyatt Regency Irvine in Irvine, California. After the fight, members of Medel’s team informed this writer that Anderson’s side already turned down the immediate rematch. That information is unverified as of press time.

Tonight’s card was a special edition of the “Fight Club Primm” series, which normally features both boxing and mixed martial arts. Roy Englebrecht Promotions will team with Golden Boy Promotions for another special edition of the series at Buffalo Bill’s on July 9th. When tickets go on sale, they will be made available online at Ticketmaster.com.

Delays

Not to close on a sour note after an excellent night of action, but something that requires mentioning, even though it is common practice for televised boxing events, would be the delays television crews cause in the flow of an event for the audience on hand.

Several TV-related delays occurred around the second fight of the night, the heavyweight clash between Alexander Flores and Quadtrine Hill. The fight was delayed several times after Flores entered the ring. The reason for a delay of close to ten minutes was that the TV crew needed time to film a segment, but the live show was continuing on regardless. After some confusion, Hill came out to the ring, but the fight was still held up for television taping. After another five minute pause to allow the cameramen to get into taping position of the introductions, the fight took place.

After the final televised fight ended, the women’s attraction remained, but production caused a delay in the start of that bout as well. Promoter Roy Englebrecht, clearly bothered by the delays, informed the TV crew that they needed to wrap up so that the fighters could come to the ring. Finally Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer ordered the next fight out, ending the delay.

The issue of balancing producing a televised event, while still keeping the house crowd entertained – and not halting the flow of the show – has become a consistent problem and one that has become more and more noticeable in recent weeks. This issue is something the powers that be in the sport need to address if they wish to keep fans coming thru the turnstiles instead of turning on their television.

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

Former WBA Light Welterweight titleholder Vivian Harris takes on undefeated Jessie Vargas tonight at the Buffalo Bill’s Resort & Casino in Primm, Nevada. Their ten-round bout headlines Telefutura Solo Boxeo. Harris (29-5-1, 19 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York by way of Georgetown, Guyana is in need of a victory if he hopes to remain relevant. The former champion spoke to 15rounds.com about the fight and his desire to campaign at welterweight just before stepping on the scale Thursday night. It would take Harris four attempts, but he did make 145-pounds, which was one pound over the contracted weight. In Nevada, fighters are allowed be one-pound over in non-title bouts.

Light welterweight prospect Jessie Vargas has his sights set on a top ten ranking, and a victory over former titleholder Vivian Harris tonight at the Buffalo Bill’s Resort & Casino in Primm, Nevada would go a long way in making that goal a reality. Vargas (14-0, 7 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada spoke to 15rounds.com about the ten-round Telefutura Solo Boxeo main event just before weighing in Thursday night.

PRIMM, NEVADA — Rising light welterweight prospect Jessie Vargas aims to add the name of former world champion Vivian Harris to his resume before a hometown crowd at the Buffalo Bill’s Resort & Casino. Their intriguing ten-round clash is the featured main event of tonight’s Telefutura Solo Boxeo telecast. Fighters weighed in Thursday evening at the casino’s Star of the Desert Arena, where tonight’s action takes place.

Vargas (14-0, 7 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada has built his reputation mostly against the usual list of suspects, but has the opportunity to raise a few eyebrows if he can impressively defeat Harris, who only a few years ago was a serious contender. Vargas had hoped to get in the ring with a former champion in his last bout, but Jose Armando Santa Cruz was ruled out and replaced by journeyman Cristian Favela on short notice. Vargas ended up notching an eight-round unanimous decision victory in that fight last October.

Harris (29-5-1, 19 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York by way of Georgetown, Guyana looked to have the potential as a force at 140-pounds when he knocked off veteran WBA Light Welterweight titleholder Diosbelys Hurtado in the second-round back in October of 2002. Harris made three defenses before his steady decline began with an upset knockout defeat to unheralded Carlos Maussa in June of 2005, just as his name was being mentioned for a possible showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Harris’ last outing, a devastating third-round knockout to Victor Ortiz last September, has led some to question whether or not he should continue fighting. A loss to Vargas tonight would definitely relegate him to the opponent category, but a win would go a long way in making him a more viable entity once more.

Thursday’s main event weigh-in provided more entertainment value than was advertised. Vargas came in a pound under the contracted 144-pound catchweight for tonight’s ten-round bout, but on his initial try Harris scaled 146.5-pounds. Vargas’ team, led by former world champion Cornelius Boza Edwards, insisted that Harris lose one-and-a-half pounds (in Nevada there is a one pound leeway for non-title bouts). An hour later Harris returned and took to the scale in the nude, but was still over at 145.2-pounds. Boza Edwards still insisted that Harris lose the .2-pounds. After a third and fourth try, Harris came in at 145-pounds, thus avoiding paying out a percentage of his purse in fines.

Light middleweight prospect Eddie Gomez (3-0, 3 KOs) of the Bronx, New York will take on Roberto Lopez (4-1-2, 1 KO) of Kissimmee, Florida in the six-round co-feature. Gomez, a former New York Golden Gloves Champion, will be making his U.S. debut as a professional after scoring three exciting stoppages on Puerto Rican soil this past winter. Lopez was undefeated prior to his last outing, a six-round decision defeat to now 10-0 Jake Giuriceo last September. Gomez and Lopez both weighed in at 150.5-pounds.

Bastie Samir (10-0, 10 KOs) of Las Vegas by way of Accra, Ghana will take on Lester Gonzalez (11-3-1, 6 KOs) of San Diego, California by way of Havana, Cuba in a six-round middleweight bout. Samir, who is trained by the respected Kenny Adams, has literally blown through his competition. Only one fighter, tough guy Loren Myers, has taken him past the third round. Gonzalez, currently on a three-fight skid against solid competition, has failed to last the distance just once in his career, but that came in his most recent fight. Samir came in at 161.5-pounds, while Gonzalez made the contracted 163 right on the nose.

In the featured women’s attraction of the evening, the powerfully-built Tatini Anderson (3-1, 3 KOs) of Las Vegas will meet Lissette Medel (2-1) of Maywood, California in a four-round light welterweight bout. Anderson, who was affectionately refereed to as Little Tyson at the weigh-in, scored three straight knockout victories before dropping a decision to Kuulei Kupihea almost exactly one year ago. Medel, who did not appear to be intimidated by Anderson’s muscular build, has not fought in over four years. Anderson weighed in at 139-pounds, while Medal came in at 138.

Former ESPN The Magazine cover boy Quadtrine Hill (4-1, 1 KO) of Hollywood, California looks to keep his winning streak going against Alexander Flores (3-0, 2 KOs) of Rowland Heights, California in a four-round pairing of heavyweights. Hill has posted three straight decision wins since admittedly running out of gas and getting stopped last September by Yohan Banks on pay-per-view. Flores, who turned pro in March of 2010, weighed in at 225.5-pounds. Hill, who has been training at the Wild Card Boxing Club since relocating from Florida, weighed in at 219.5-pounds, which is the lowest of his career.

Paul Green (1-1) of Compton, California takes on Kai Zama (5-2, 3 KOs) of Costa Mesa, California by way of Tokyo, Japan in a four-round light welterweight bout. Zama, who scaled 139, will be making his U.S. debut, as he has fought entirely in Japan until now. Zama’s last outing was a four-round decision defeat to Mitsumasa Takahashi last August. Green, who weighed in at 136.5-pounds, fought just last month, dropping a four-round decision to Juan Reyes in Tustin, California.

Tickets for the event, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Roy Englebrecht Promotions, are available online at Ticketmaster.com.

Quick Weigh-in Results:

Welterweights, 10 Rounds
Vargas 143
Harris 145*

Light Middleweights, 6 Rounds
Gomez 150.5
Lopez 150.5

Middleweights, 6 Rounds
Samir 161.5
Gonzalez 163

Heavyweights, 4 Rounds
Hill 219.5
Flores 225.5

Light Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Anderson 139
Medel 138

Light Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Green 136.5
Zama 139

*Harris made weight on his fourth attempt, originally scaling 146.5

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

FAIRFIELD, CALIFORNIA — Three years ago Alejandro Perez was an emerging undefeated prospect with the backing of a powerful promoter, but one slip up derailed his rise. With an eye-opening first-round stoppage of world ranked Antonio Escalante Friday night at the Fairfield Sports Center, Perez appears ready to fulfill the promise of years passed.

Escalante (24-4, 15 KOs) of El Paso, Texas by way of Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico is normally a forward-moving brawler, but did little of either in the one round of action Friday. The strategy played into the hands of Perez (15-2-1, 10 KOs) of Salinas, California, who was able to time the movement of Escalante’s left hand. Midway through the round, Perez, 130, jabbed and missed Escalante, 130, with an overhand right by several inches. Though the combination failed to accomplish its mission, the idea behind it was correct.

Escalante continued to keep his lead hand held at his waistline, and when Perez jabbed downstairs a second time, it brought the Texan’s left down even further, setting up the overhand right that landed flush on his jaw and ended the fight. Escalante, who hit the back of his head hard on the mat, sat up before signaling to referee Ed Collantes that he could not continue. Time of the stoppage was 2:57 of round one.

Perez, who had fought at 122-pounds nearly his entire career, had been scheduled to fight last Friday against featherweight prospect Ronny Rios in Costa Mesa, California. Soon after that fight fell out, Perez was offered Escalante at super featherweight. Although he carried his power all the way up the scale, Perez plans to drop back down to the 126-pound featherweight division.

Despite having just scored the biggest win of his career, which played to a national television audience on Telefutura’s Solo Boxeo, Perez could not be goaded into calling out one of the marquee names of the featherweight division. “I am just taking it one day at a time,” says Perez. “I can say I want to fight this person or that person, but only time will tell. Whatever comes our way, we will sit down and make a decision.”

For Escalante, who entered the fight the IBF #6/WBO #14 ranked featherweight, it is hard to imagine a scenario in which he becomes a viable contender again any time in the near future. The loss to Perez marked the second straight early round kayo loss of his career, the first coming at the hands of former champion Daniel Ponce De Leon last September.

In the competitively matched co-feature, Clint Coronel (4-1-2, 1 KO) of San Jose, California came away with a six-round split decision nod over journeyman Carlos Musquez (3-5-3, 3 KOs) of Sacramento, California.

Neither fighter may be craftiest or quickest pugilist you ever saw, but both Coronel and Musquez bring their hard hat and lunch pail, planning to put in the work for however many rounds they are scheduled. The naturally larger Coronel, 150 ½, did his best work when he gave himself enough room to score with his looping overhand right, which was the showiest punch continually landed in the bout.

Despite his apparent height and strength disadvantages, Musquez, 149 ½, was effective pressing Coronel and landing in combination to the San Jose resident’s body. Several of the rounds were hard to score, as each had their moments in most every round. In the end, two judges preferred Coronel by the scores of 59-56 and 58-56. The lone dissenting judge had it for Musquez, 58-56.

Former amateur standout Manuel Avila (3-0, 2 KOs) of Vacaville, California scored three knockdowns in under two completed rounds to halt Frank Gutierrez (2-9-2, 1 KO) of Highland, California

Avila, 121, boxed cautiously before landing a straight right midway through the first round. The tentative southpaw Gutierrez, 120, flicked out a jab, but offered little else that might prevent Avila from utilizing any of the weapons in his arsenal. When Gutierrez lunged forward awkwardly, Avila landed two lefts that forced his foe to stumble to the mat for the first knockdown of the fight late in the first.

Gutierrez made it out of the round, but found himself deposited on the mat by a short counter left seconds into the second. Gutierrez returned to his feet before unwisely leaving out a lazy jab moments later. Avila seized the opening, sending out a laser right that dropped Gutierrez a third and final time. Referee Ray Balewicz waved off the fight without a count at 59 seconds of the second round.

Unfortunately for the television audience at home, the fight of the night did not make air as former amateur standout Guy Robb (3-0, 1 KO) of Sacramento battled debuting Manuel Morales (0-1) of Orosi, California tooth and nail en route to a well earned four-round majority decision victory.

One punch that was there all night for Robb, 131, was his straight right, which was the first telling blow he landed early in the first. Morales, 136, let it be known right then that he was not going to be an easy out. Morales charged inside, and forced Robb to fight from the ropes. Robb, though clearly the more schooled boxer, opted to trade from the ropes rather than spin out and box at a distance. Just as Morales appeared to be coming on, Robb uncorked left on the inside that bucked the Orosi native nearly down to a knee right at the bell.

Although Morales had come in heavier, three pounds over the contracted weight, Robb looked bigger and was clearly the stronger puncher. Neither of those facts deterred Morales, as he continued to press Robb throughout the fight. Robb may have been a little out of his comfort zone, but he seemed to be enjoying the toe-to-toe action nonetheless. Robb’s power-punching and ability to shorten up his punches on the inside gave him the edge in rounds two and three.

Undeterred, Morales broke through with some clean shots of his own late in the fourth. After the final bell, fans ringside applauded both fighters. One judge had the fight even, 38-38, but was overruled by the other two official scorers who had Robb a shutout winner, 40-36.

What looked to be a physical mismatch proved to be just that, as Trevor McCumby (2-0, 2 KOs) of Glendale, Arizona wasted no time in dispatching Nathan Ortiz (0-2) of Crystal River, Florida in the opening contest of the night. Hands held low, McCumby, 183, moved in and pressed the stocky Ortiz, 182, from the outset.

McCumby, the 2010 Under 19 National Champion at light heavyweight, punctuated an unanswered series of blows with a left hook to score the inevitable knockdown. The fight continued as the wobbly-legged Oritz managed to make it to his feet. However, with their man taking punches along the ropes, Ortiz’ corner signaled for referee Ray Balewicz to stop the fight. Official time of the stoppage was 1:13 of the first round.

Super bantamweight prospect Roman Morales (2-0, 2 KOs) of San Ardo, California put his wide arrange of abilities on display for four-rounds in a unanimous decision over durable Danny Pantoja (0-4-2) of Fairfield. Pantoja, 125, never stopped trying, but was simply outgunned in every way.

Morales, 123, never changed his expression as he systematically picked Pantoja apart from round one. Morales’ well-timed counter right started the damage midway through the first, opening Pantoja up for a series of clean headshots along the ropes. Pantoja turned defensive and was countered with a chopping right before round’s end.

Over the course of the following three rounds, Morales pulled many of his tools out of the toolbox. The former amateur champion switched to southpaw and back, boxed in spots, landed punches from multiple angles and mixed up his power shots from body to head and vice versa. To his credit, Pantoja never went completely defensive, as he fought back in spots, perhaps hoping to land that one Hail Mary shot that could turn around the fight. It never came as Morales took the decision 40-36 on all three official cards.

Photos by Stephanie Trapp/StephanieTrapp.com

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

FAIRFIELD, CALIFORNIA — An intriguing crossroads battle headlines tonight’s edition of Telefutura Solo Boxeo, as world ranked contender Antonio Escalante attempts to rebound from a devastating kayo against fellow exciting action fighter Alejandro Perez at the Fairfield Sports Center. Fighters weighed in Thursday evening at the Courtyard by Marriott Fairfield Napa Valley Area in Fairfield.

Escalante (24-3, 15 KOs) of El Paso, Texas by way of Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico was last seen in action in September when he took on former champion Daniel Ponce De Leon in a WBO Featherweight title eliminator. Unfortunately for Escalante the power-punching Ponce De Leon proved to be too much, and the fight ended in a brutal third-round knockout loss. Escalante, still the IBF #6/WBO #14 ranked 126-pounder, has opted to move up to super featherweight for this fight.

Much like Escalante, Perez (14-2-1, 9 KOs) of Salinas, California has been known for providing entertaining fights, and much like Escalante, he looks to rebound from a loss. Perez has been out of the ring since dropping an eight-round decision to emerging contender Rico Ramos in November 2009. Perez had planned to move up to featherweight and take on undefeated prospect Ronny Rios last week, but soon after that fight fell out, he was offered the crack at Escalante in a fight one weight class further up the scale.

Weight became a storyline to tonight’s main event at yesterday’s weigh-in. When originally approached for the fight, Perez was asked to sign for a 132-pound catchweight bout. When Perez said that was too heavy, Escalante’s team agreed to 130-pounds and the fight was a go. However, when Escalante first took the scales he came in at 132-pounds, while Perez made 130.

Escalante did sweat off the two extra pounds and make 130 within the two hour time frame allotted by the California State Athletic Commission, but had he not the fight could have been in jeopardy. “He came in two pounds heavier than I did,” said Perez after Escalante’s initial attempt. “I made the sacrifice to lose the weight. I dug down to get to 130, which was the contract. What we decided is that he has two hours to lose the weight, and if he doesn’t, we are not going to fight.” Time will tell if Escalante’s struggle with the scale will have any effect on him, or maybe even add extra fuel to Perez’ fire.

In the televised co-feature, two unheralded fighters get the chance to shine in front of a national audience as Clint Coronel (3-1-2, 1 KO) of San Jose, California takes on Carlos Musquez (3-4-3, 3 KOs) of Sacramento, California in a six-round light middleweight fight. Coronel, who scaled 150 ½, has only one loss on his record, but he just as easily could be undefeated. The lone blemish was the result of a cut stoppage in a fight with Roberto Reyes, which replays indicated was initiated by a headbutt. In his last time out, Coronel fought undefeated Richard Hargraves to a four-round draw. Musquez, who came in at 149 ½, ended a two-and-one-half year layoff in January with a four-round draw against unbeaten Anthony Martinez.

In a four-round super bantamweight swing bout, former local amateur standout Manuel Avila (2-0, 1 KO) of Vacaville, California takes on Frank Gutierrez (2-8-2, 1 KO) of Highland, California. Avila pleased his local following with a fourth-round kayo of Carlos Garcia at the Fairfield Sports Center just last month. Originally scheduled to fight last week, Avila, who scaled 121, is pleased to have another opportunity to fight at home. Gutierrez, who came in at 120, has met a tough run of prospects and faces another one tonight.

Fresh off of a dominant showing at this same venue last month, Guy Robb (2-0, 1 KO) of Sacramento, California looks to thrill his local fan base again, this time against debuting Manuel Morales of Orosi, California in a four-round lightweight bout. For the second straight time, Robb’s opponent came in heavy, as Morales scaled 136-pounds. Robb, who plans to campaign as a featherweight eventually, scaled 131-pounds Thursday.

Super bantamweight prospect Roman Morales (1-0, 1 KO) of San Ardo, California will take on tough luck pro Danny Pantoja (0-3-2) of Fairfield in a four-round bout. Morales, promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, capped a stellar amateur run with a gold medal at the Four Nations Tournament in France last November and turned pro with a first-round knockout in February. Pantoja has fought prospects almost exclusively, coming up short in two majority decisions and one split decision. Morales scaled 123-pounds, while Pantoja came in at 125.

Trevor McCumby (1-0, 1 KO) of Glendale, Arizona will take on Nathan Ortiz (0-1) of Crystal River, Florida in a four-round cruiserweight bout. McCumby, the 2010 Under 19 National Champion at 178-pounds, was quite the imposing figure as he scaled 183-pounds Thursday. Ortiz, who will be at a great height disadvantage, weighed in at 182-pounds.

Remaining tickets for the event, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Don Chargin Productions, Jorge Marron Productions and Paco Presents, will be sold at the door.

Quick Weigh-in Results:

Super Featherweights, 10 Rounds
Escalante 130
Perez 130

Light Middleweights, 6 Rounds
Coronel 150 ½
Musquez 149 ½

Super Bantamweights, 4 Rounds
Avila 121
Gutierrez 120

Super Bantamweights, 4 Rounds
Morales 123
Pantoja 125

Lightweights, 4 Rounds
Robb 131
Morales 136

Cruiserweights, 4 Rounds
McCumby 183
Ortiz 182

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

One of the biggest letdowns a fighter could have is finding out their scheduled bout has been cancelled because their opponent is unable to go for whatever reason. Their disappointment level is greater the closer to the fight the pullout comes. More often than not, their weeks or months of preparation are all for not. There are exceptions of course. Featherweight Alejandro Perez had been scheduled to take on touted prospect Ronny Rios last Friday night in Costa Mesa, California before he got one of those calls fighters dread. Fortunately another call came soon thereafter, and now Perez finds himself in a televised main event against world ranked Antonio Escalante tomorrow night at the Fairfield Sports Center in Fairfield, California.

When Perez (14-2-1, 9 KOs) of Salinas, California got word that the Rios fight was off, no one would have blamed him for getting frustrated. Perez had several bouts scheduled in 2010, but not one actually took place. More often that not, it was his opponent that was either injured, sick or out with a case of cold feet. On two occasions, it was Perez himself that had to withdraw due to injury or illness.

“It just sucks when you are very anxious, and you have a lot of people cheering for you and many of them have already bought tickets, and everything is ready,” says Perez. “And then last minute, a couple days before the fight you get that call and it is not going to happen after all. It was very disappointing, but then again this is the boxing business. It happens once, it happens twice. It wasn’t the first time and it won’t be the last.”

Perez’ positive mindset likely aided his ability to shift gears back into preparation mode when the call to fight Escalante came. “We had already been preparing for Ronny Rios, and so our training was not put to waste,” says Perez. “What we do know is that he is a tougher fighter and a very aggressive fighter, but we are ready for whatever he may bring Friday night. We have been training very hard and I feel great for this next fight.”

Escalante (24-3, 15 KOs) of El Paso, Texas represents a more dangerous challenge than would have the prospect Rios last Friday. Where Rios is mostly an untested commodity, Escalante has won at the higher level in the past. Not only is Escalante more experienced, but the Texan has also become known for his action style and penchant for pier six brawls. “I know he is a toe-to-toe type of fighter,” says Perez of Escalante. “Myself, I am a toe-to-toe type of fighter, but I can also be a boxer. If he wants to brawl, then we will brawl. Two things are for sure: the people are going to see a fight and the people are going to get what they paid for.”

While it is likely Escalante will come forward looking to make an action fight, Perez plans to be flexible in his approach in case his opponent does not hold true to form. “I know Escalante is one of those fighters that goes in there and gives a fight, and so am I,” says Perez, who trains out of the famed Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California under Hector Valladarez. “I know he will come in there with a certain game plan and I have a game plan of my own. But once fight night comes, things can change dramatically, so I just have to adapt to whatever he may bring.”

Perez has been a super bantamweight for just about his entire career, but had planned on moving up four pounds to the 126-pound featherweight division for his next fight even before he got the call from the Escalante people. Escalante too had been a 122-pounder until recently moving up a weight class, but for this fight the IBF #6/WBO #14 ranked featherweight’s team requested that the bout be made above the super featherweight division limit.

“Escalante’s team wanted 132-pounds, but I said no, that is too much for me,” says Perez. “I couldn’t do 122 no more, so I decided to move up to 126. My next fight should have been at 126. But I guess they really wanted the fight, because they called us back and said how about 130? 126 to 130, yeah its four pounds difference, but it is time for me to fight and I feel really good at this weight. I have been weighing 130 for about the last two-and-a-half weeks and I have been feeling great. I feel it is going to be a great weight for me, but I am only going to fight this fight at 130 and then go back down to 126.”

The last time Escalante was in the ring was probably his worst night as a boxer. Fighting a featherweight eliminator in the opening bout of a pay-per-view telecast, Escalante was bombed out in three rounds by Daniel Ponce De Leon last September. It was the type of devastating knockout that could potentially have lasting effects. “I have never been knocked out myself or hurt that bad, but I believe it gets to anyone that has had a fight like that,” believes Perez. “He is going to have that little bit of fear of getting punched to the maximum again, as he was by Ponce De Leon. I will definitely have that in mind, but if I see the opening during the fight, believe me I am going to take it.”

The Escalante fight could be a make or break moment in the career of Alejandro Perez. Not only will the ten-round fight be the televised main event on Telefutura’s Solo Boxeo telecast, but a victory would catapult Perez into the world rankings and make him a viable opponent for any top featherweight. “To date, this is my biggest fight,” says Perez. “So I have to leave everything in the ring. I have to go in with the mentality of winning no matter what it takes. I am going to leave my heart and soul in there. This is the type of fight we fighters train for, and the type of fight we fighters live for.”

Regardless of the final outcome, Perez makes one last promise, “It will definitely be a crowd pleaser, I am sure of that.”

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

Competing for the second time in two weeks after a two-year absence, former world ranked light middleweight James Kirkland stopped Jhon Berrio in the second round at the Orange County Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California. Kirkland (27-0, 24 KOs) of Austin, Texas spoke to 15rounds.com about the fight and his future plans.

COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA — Both prospect Luis Ramos Jr. and recently returned contender James Kirkland notched victories as expected on Friday night at the Orange County Fair & Event Center, but neither appear ready for the names they have been linked to in recent weeks just yet.

On paper, Ramos (18-0, 8 KOs) of Santa Ana, California seemed to be meeting his toughest challenge to date in the rugged Jose Hernandez (10-5-1, 4 KOs) of Fort Worth, Texas. That belief proved to be true, as Ramos, 139.4, earned a hard-fought eight-round majority decision in the Telefutura Solo Boxeo main event.

Hernandez, 135.2, has upset some prospects in his career, and taken others to the limit. He did the latter Friday night, but ultimately Ramos’ superior boxing and well-timed counter-punching won out over Hernandez’ pressure and solid inside game.

Ramos boxed well in the first and seemed to score a knockdown in the second round with a short right counter. Hernandez’ fall was ruled a slip by referee Lou Moret, but a replay on the large screen in between rounds indicated that a knockdown was perhaps the right call. There was some contact between Hernandez’ left foot and the right foot of Ramos, but the punch seemed to be the cause of the fall. Hernandez was undeterred either way and landed two good right uppercuts moments later. Ramos, as was the case often in the bout, was a little quicker on the draw and caught Hernandez with a right as the Texan looked to fire one of his own.

Round four was a good one for the out-of-towner, but the most memorable blow was one from Ramos that dislodged the mouthpiece from Hernandez’ mouth. The fifth featured solid two-way action before Hernandez had another good round in the sixth. Against conventional wisdom, it was the taller Hernandez doing better on the inside. The shorter Ramos was more effective boxing from the outside and countering the aggressive Hernandez.

Ramos boxed smart for much of the seventh by keeping Hernandez at the end of his one-two and tying up or moving out of range when his opponent moved in close. Hernandez did manage to get inside in the last thirty seconds, landing a solid left hook and stiff right uppercut. Ramos answered back, landing two clean, short punches before the bell.

Again Ramos boxed well for much of the eighth, as his subtle defensive movements made it difficult for Hernandez to land anything clean. That changed again in the last thirty seconds, when Ramos, likely a bit winded, stayed on the inside. Hernandez landed two solid hooks in the last seconds that may have hurt Ramos, but it could have also been the Santa Ana resident’s fatigue showing through.

In the end, one judge had the fight even, 76-76, but was overruled by tallies of 79-73 and 77-75 for Ramos. “I’m happy with the performance,” Ramos said after the fight. “I got hit, but that is a part of boxing.”

Ramos’ manager Frank Espinoza had mentioned possibly matching Ramos against another prospect, such as Mercito Gesta, but it would appear to be wise if a fight like that was put on hold for a bit. Ramos is ready for a move up to ten rounds, and probably would already have had one or two set for that distance by now if it were not for the 90 minute timeslot of the Solo Boxeo program which has aired his last few fights.

James Kirkland (27-0, 24 KOs) of Austin, Texas shook off a little more rust as he disposed of journeyman Jhon Berrio (15-9, 11 KOs) of Monteria, Cordoba, Columbia inside of two rounds in the co-feature.

Berrio, 161.6, opted to trade with Kirkland, 163.4, early, not usually a great idea, but the journeyman did surprisingly find some success in the opening frame. Kirkland did show his strength as he pressed Berrio around the ring for much of the round. However, the Columbian landed a straight right that seemed to clearly hurt the “Mandingo Warrior.” Kirkland would later claim it was the headbutts that hurt him in the first, but when Berrio landed that right it forced his left leg to shiver.

Kirkland held briefly after Berrio’s solid right, but quickly regained his footing and controlled the rest of the round while fighting mostly on the inside. Berrio did employ some rough tactics, such as headbutts and forearms, which Kirkland complained of in the second round.

About a minute in to the second, Kirkland dropped Berrio, lastly landing a glancing jab. Berrio began to rise on all fours, but plopped back down to the mat, prompting referee Zack Young to wave off the contest. The crowd ringside was not convinced Berrio could not continue, which was something the California State Athletic Commission would debate themselves after the bout.

While the glancing jab was the last punch landed, if the knockout was legitimate, it was either a straight left to the body or an overhand left that landed high on Berrio’s head that really did the damage. Those blows were thrown and landed with Berrio in a corner, just before he moved to the ropes and took the jab.

While kneeling over to be inspected by the physician, Berrio pointed to his head, seemingly indicating the overhand left was the reason he did not get up. Later Berrio told a member of the Commission he was coughing up blood, which would indicate the body shot stopped him. There was talk of withholding Berrio’s check due to his non-effort in the bout. No word on how that shook out as of press time. Officially the stoppage came at 1:05 of round two, and now Kirkland can look ahead to bigger and better things.

Immediately ahead, Kirkland is slated to appear on the pay-per-view undercard of the April 9th clash between Erik Morales and Marcos Maidana at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kirkland’s manager Cameron Dunkin, who admittedly wanted a softer touch for tonight’s fight, said he and Golden Boy Promotions’ matchmaker Eric Gomez are still discussing potential opponents for that date.

Looking further down the road, at the end of last week’s HBO telecast of recognized middleweight king Sergio Martinez’ victory over Serhiy Dzinziruk, commentator Max Kellerman anointed Kirkland as the potentially intriguing contender to the middleweight throne. “That’s right down the street,” said Kirkland Friday of a potential Martinez clash. “That’s right in the area where I need to be at. Sergio Martinez is a great fighter, but he is not one of the best fighters and I want to expose him and put him out there, because that is a fight I do want.”

While Kirkland would like to get a fight with Martinez, the top 160-pounder, he does not plan to campaign at middleweight at this time. “As far as middleweight, this is just me coming back and taking it real nice and slow,” said Kirkland, who has fought just twice since March 2009. “I am dropping weight and I will be back at 154, junior middleweight.”

Considering Kirkland was incarcerated for 17 months and has fought under five minutes since regaining his freedom, it is fairly incredible that he is already being mentioned in the same breath as Sergio Martinez or even getting ready to fight on pay-per-view. These developments are not lost on Kirkland. “It is more than overwhelming to get back into this position,” said Kirkland. “To show my talent amongst people who really care, and amongst fans and around people who really supported me and helped get me back to this position.”

Light welterweight prospect Antonio Orozco (9-0, 6 KOs) of San Diego, California by way of Tecate, Baja California, Mexico made short work of Manuel Aguilar (6-2, 4 KOs) of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico thanks to a concentrated body attack.

Orozco, 140.8, landed two well placed lefts to the body set up a right upstairs and yet another left to the ribs that ended the night for Aguilar, 140.4, early. Referee Zack Young counted to ten with Aguilar hunched over on one knee for a stoppage at the 1:42 mark of the first round.

Unbeaten lightweight prospect Francisco Contreras (16-0, 13 KOs) of Irvington, New Jersey by way of La Romana, Dominican Republic failed to impress ringside observers as he cruised to a six-round unanimous verdict over journeyman Adolfo Landeros (20-18-1, 9 KOs) of Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

After a methodical round-and-a-half, Contreras, 133.8, sprang to life in the second and began to put his punches together. Contreras’ fighting style can be more sizzle than steak, as he throws quick, showy combinations and moves around the ring on his toes. However, the number of punches he threw with real conviction probably could have been counted on two hands through the first four rounds. The limited but game Landeros, 133, continuously came forward, but could not land anything of real significance.

By the fifth round, Contreras must have realized that Landeros could not hurt him, as the New Jersey transplant really began to toy with his Mexican counterpart. Contreras offered up everything from long range uppercuts to bolo punches, but never really pressed for the knockout that was there for the taking. When the final bell rang, all three scorers handed in identical 60-54 scorecards for Contreras.

Making his professional debut, Humberto Zatarain (1-0) of Whittier, California did what few fighters manage to do in their entire careers: get off the canvas and win a unanimous four-round decision. Jose Manuel Sanchez (3-2, 1 KO) of Santa Ana dropped Zatarain with a straight left in close midway through the first round, but was unable to follow up to any great effect, and it ended up costing him.

Zatarain, 127.6, came out in round two looking to change the course of the fight, which he did as he rocked and bloodied Sanchez, 127.2, with a flurry in the early moments of the round. Each fighter had their moments in an all-action third and fourth rounds to close out the solid scrap, but ultimately it was Zatarain that impressed the judges en route to a 38-37 victory on all three cards.

Steffan Lugo (1-0, 1 KO) of Newport Beach, California spoiled the professional boxing debut of veteran mixed martial artist J.J. Ambrose (0-1) of San Jose, California via third-round stoppage. The action was a bit frantic early, but it was Ambrose, 166.6, that landed the most telling blow of the first, a left hook which forced Lugo to hold on momentarily. Lugo, 165.2, recovered quickly and got in the last shot of the round just before the bell.

The local favorite Lugo began to take control in the second, as his right uppercut began to find a home regularly. Lugo kept up the pressure, landing a straight right midway through the third round. The end came when Lugo landed a hard right hook which sent Ambrose towards the mat. As Ambrose took his ascent, Lugo landed another left just to make sure he would not be allowed to continue. Referee Lou Moret called a halt to the contest at 1:49 mark of round three.

In the final bout of the evening, Bobby Chavez (1-2) of Santa Ana got into the win column with a third-round stoppage of Stephen Rubalcava (0-3) of Lindsay, California. Chavez, 152.2, pressed the action from the outset with constant punching. Rubalcava, 151, weathered the onrush early, but never landed anything of note in retort.

Chavez continued his into the third with mostly arm punches, though a right uppercut had Rubalcava holding on in the second round. In the third, a straight right forced a delayed reaction knockdown as Rubalcava took a knee. When the action resumed, Rubalcava was left taking shots against the ropes before his cornerman Repo Ric threw in the towel to signal referee to stop the fight. Official time was 1:14 of the third round.

Friday’s event was a special edition of the “Fight Club OC” series at the Orange Country Fair & Event Center promoted by Roy Englebrecht Promotions. Fights take place in the building known as The Hangar. The next fight card, which will feature both boxing and mixed martial arts, takes place on April 21st.

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

Rising lightweight prospect Luis Ramos Jr. faces perhaps his stiffest test to date in rugged Jose Hernandez in the main event of tonight’s edition of Telefutura Solo Boxeo at the Orange County Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California. In the co-feature, James Kirkland attempts to continue the rebuilding of his career following a self-inflicted layoff against journeyman Jhon Berrio. It is imperative for both Ramos and Kirkland to look impressive in order to keep proposed money fights on the table for later this year. Fighters weighed in Thursday at the fight venue.

Ramos (17-0, 8 KOs) of Santa Ana, California could be a win or two away from a meaningful fight against a ranked contender or fellow prospect, which is exactly the type a fight a boxer with his record should be moving towards, but first comes tonight’s eight-rounder against Hernandez. Ramos, who has yet to step up to ten round bouts in his career, will be making his 2011 debut after two straight Telefutura-televised eight-round decision wins closed out his 2010 campaign. Ramos weighed in at 139.4-pounds Thursday.

Hernandez (10-4-1, 4 KOs) of Fort Worth, Texas provides an interesting test for the young Ramos, considering he has upset the plans of a couple other prospects and come close to doing the same on two recent occasions. Just last month, Hernandez fought undefeated Mickey Bey Jr. to an eight-round majority draw. Two judges had the fight even, while the third had Hernadnez up by four points. Hernandez, a former WBC Youth Super Featherweight title holder, scaled 135.2-pounds.

Though he fights in the co-feature, the most noteworthy name on the card tonight is James Kirkland (26-0, 23 KOs) of Austin, Texas. Kirkland will fight for the second time in two weeks, as he needed just 34 seconds to dispose of Ahsandi Gibbs on March 5th in Anaheim, California. That recent victory ended a two-year layoff due to Kirkland’s much publicized 17-month incarceration for a probation violation.

Prior to his legal troubles, Kirkland was one of the fast-rising stars of the sport, perhaps on the verge of challenging for a light middleweight title. Kirkland had punctuated a six-fight knockout streak with a sixth-round stoppage over Joel Julio in the main event of an HBO telecast in March of 2009. Though he has had just the one fight since, Kirkland has already been anointed by some in the press as an intriguing challenger to the middleweight throne of Sergio Martinez. Should Kirkland, who scaled 163.4, win without trouble as expected tonight, a slot awaits him on the Erik Morales-Marcos Maidana pay-per-view telecast on April 9th.

Berrio (15-8, 11 KOs) of Monteria, Cordoba, Colombia is 0-2 when competing in the United States. Two fights ago, Berrio lost a ten-round majority decision to light middleweight prospect Sherzod Husanov in Washington, which preceded a sixth-round stoppage defeat against Peter Manfredo Jr. in Rhode Island this past November. Berrio weighed in for the scheduled eight-round bout at 161.6-pounds Thursday.

In a swing bout likely to make television, undefeated Antonio Orozco (8-0, 5 KOs) of San Diego, California by way of Tecate, Baja California, Mexico will take on Manuel Aguilar (6-1, 4 KOs) of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico in a light welterweight contest slated for either six or four-rounds, depending on the length of the two featured bouts. Orozco, an Espinoza Boxing Club stablemate of Luis Ramos, weighed in at 140.8-pounds, while Aguilar weighed in at 140.4.

Unbeaten lightweight prospect Francisco Contreras (15-0, 13 KOs) of Irvington, New Jersey by way of La Romana, Dominican Republic will get his year started against journeyman Adolfo Landeros (20-17-1, 9 KOs) of Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, Mexico in a six-round tilt. Contreras, who shares his manager Cameron Dunkin with James Kirkland, weighed in at 133.8-pounds. Landeros, a favorite of Golden Boy Promotions’ matchmakers, scaled an even 133.

Somebody’s ‘O’ must go, as Bobby Chavez (0-2) of Santa Ana takes on Stephen Rubalcava (0-2) of Lindsay, California in a four-round pairing of light middleweights. Chavez scaled 152.2-pounds, while Rubalcava came in at 151.

Jose Manuel Sanchez (3-1, 1 KO) of Santa Ana will meet debuting Humberto Zatarain of Whittier, California in a four-round featherweight contest. Sanchez, fighting for the second time in two weeks, weighed in at 127.2-pounds. Zatarain weighed in 127.6-pounds Thursday.

In the curtain raiser, veteran mixed martial artist J.J. Ambrose of San Jose, California will make his pro boxing debut against Steffan Lugo of Newport Beach, California in a four-round super middleweight bout. Ambrose, who appeared on the UFC’s reality series The Ultimate Fighter last year, is a veteran of over twenty pro MMA contests. Lugo, who is also making his debut, scaled 165.2-pounds, while Ambrose came in at 166.6.

For the second straight time in his career, lightweight prospect Fidel Maldonado Jr. (8-0, 7 KOs) of Albuquerque, New Mexico stepped on the scales, but did not have an opponent with whom to take any traditional weigh-in photos. Maldonado, who weighed in 136.6-pounds, can only hope it turns out as well as it did last month, when his opponent arrived late and was stopped early the next day. Maldonado was to have taken on Juan Montiel (5-3-2, 3 KOs) of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico in a six-round bout. As of press time a replacement opponent was being sought.

Tickets for tonight’s event, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Roy Englebrecht Promotions, are available online at FightClubOC.com.

Quick Weigh-in Results:

Light Welterweights, 8 Rounds
Ramos Jr. 139.4
Hernandez 135.2

Middleweights, 8 Rounds
Kirkland 163.4
Berrio 161.6

Light Welterweights, 4 or 6 Rounds
Orozco 140.8
Aguilar 140.4

Lightweights, 6 Rounds
Contreras 133.8
Landeros 133

Light Middleweights, 4 Rounds
Chavez 152.2
Rubalcava 151

Featherweights, 4 Rounds
Sanchez 127.2
Zatarain 127.6

Super Middleweights, 4 Rounds
Ambrose 166.6
Lugo 165.2

Lightweights, 6 Rounds
Maldonado Jr. 136.6*

*Maldonado without an opponent as of press time

Photos by Eric Gomez/Golden Boy Promotions

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

The name J.J. Ambrose is likely familiar to those who closely follow mixed martial arts, but if you only follow the older combat sport of boxing, you probably have not heard of him. That is because the young MMA veteran will be making his professional boxing debut this Friday night at the Orange County Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California.

While still a wrestler in high school, Ambrose found his way to sanctioned combat in 2004. Working out at a gym, Ambrose was approached about an upcoming MMA event in nearby Lake Havasu City, Arizona and quickly agreed to fight on the card. “Every weekend we were watching UFC fights, and I remember thinking at the time that if I could just punch Matt Hughes in the face one time, I could be champion,” recalls Ambrose. “Little did I know at the time, I was just a stupid, ignorant kid.”

Despite his ignorance, and only about two weeks of prep time, Ambrose won his first bout against an equally inexperienced foe by guillotine choke. “The guy wasn’t very good as it was, so it wasn’t a big deal,” says Ambrose in retrospect. “But at the time it was huge. I was a kid in high school that won a fight.”

In the years since, Ambrose has dedicated himself to mixed martial arts, amassing a listed record of 15-3, 3 KOs, 9 Submissions. Currently Ambrose lives in San Jose, California and trains alongside some of the world’s best mixed martial artists at the American Kickboxing Academy. Still just 24-years-old, Ambrose has gained recognition while stomping out much of his competition and gaining titles in various regional promotions. However, when Ambrose has stepped up to the more visible level of the sport he has come up short.

In June of 2008, Ambrose was submitted by current UFC competitor Mike Pyle on the Affliction – Banned show in Anaheim, California. “He just outclassed me,” says Ambrose. “He was a notch ahead of me. I was just 21 and had only broken into the sport for a couple years. Experience definitely played into that.”

More recently, Ambrose was featured on the twelfth installment of the UFC’s popular program The Ultimate Fighter. Fighting for a spot on one of the two teams, Ambrose lost a two-round decision to Sevak Magakian. “It was a good experience, but I know who I am now,” says Ambrose. “I am pretty much a family man/fighter. You take me off my rock and I turn into a mental midget. I need my wife and my kid close by. They don’t need to go to the fight, but the weeks leading up, I like having my wife and kid there. I spend a day without them and I start panicking.”

Had Ambrose won entry into the tournament, he would have been living in a house with the other fighters, without any contact with his wife Francesa and baby daughter Juliet. “It got frustrating being there,” says Ambrose. “Just the thought of being there for six weeks without them got rough. It’s one thing to be shut in a house with a bunch of dudes and not be able to call them, it changes everything.”

While his early exit from The Ultimate Fighter meant a missed opportunity at a contract with the UFC, the goal of just about every serious mixed martial artist, Ambrose feels his time will come. “I want to go when I am absolutely ready,” says Ambrose. “I think The Ultimate Fighter brings in guys that aren’t quite ready, but are perfect for the drama. It wasn’t my time. I think in another year or two I will be ready. But right now I just want to focus on getting more experience and more tough fights.”

Since his time on The Ultimate Fighter, Ambrose has fought twice and won both, lastly knocking out Masakazu Taguchi in the first round. Unlike many mixed martial artists that transition or even dabble in boxing, Ambrose is not a striker by trade. “I am more of a ground guy,” says Ambrose. “Recently I went to Thailand for a couple months and did some stand-up, and I ended up knocking out my last opponent with just my hands. I am mostly a wrestler, but I think I am going into uncharted territory for myself and working on my stand-up. So who knows, I may have a boxer-wrestler style now I guess.”

After years of wrestling and mixed martial arts, Ambrose has decided to try his hand at boxing. “I’ve been talking about it for a few years,” says Ambrose. “I have already done mixed martial arts, and boxing is one of the key factors of MMA. I figured I might as well do both. K.J. Noons is real famous for doing both, so I figured I would try the same.
I have been practicing for a while and the opportunity came up.”

Ambrose’s opportunity comes this Friday, as he takes on debuting Stephan Lugo of Newport Beach, California in a four-round middleweight bout. Unlike the aforementioned Noons, Ambrose does not have any designs on claiming titles as a boxer. “I don’t think you [can win titles] in both,” Ambrose believes. “Boxers have to box everyday. Mixed martial artists have to do a wide range of things. I think you could be perfect at only one thing. I don’t think you could be perfect at both. K.J. Noons calling out [Floyd] Mayweather, that is either for publicity or he is delusional.”

In preparing for his first pro boxing match, Ambrose has had to make adjustments in everything from footwork to footwear. “It’s funny, I bought my first pair of boxing shoes and I don’t wear shoes too often,” says Ambrose. “If I wear shoes, they are just a pair of sandals or I pick up a pair of those vibrams and go running with those. Other than that, this is the first pair of shoes I have worn consistently for a while.”

As one could imagine, there are many nuances an MMA fighter has to pick up on to be successful as a boxer. “I’ve had to drop all of my MMA background and learn how to box,” says Ambrose. “Keeping your hands up is huge. There is a lot more pivoting in boxing. MMA fighters seem to go right at each other. Working with boxers is very different. Boxers like to dip their heads down real low, and in MMA you can’t do that because you will get kneed in the face.”

“I can’t say which training his harder, because in boxing, your arms get tired. They are throwing punches the entire three minutes of a round. In MMA, there is down time. You take a guy down. You lay on top of him for a minute and then you transition to something else. When we are standing up, we throw big bombs and then we take a break. In boxing, there is a lot more punches thrown. I have watched CompuBox, and they are throwing 100 punches a round. That is an incredible pace for three minutes.”

Win or lose, it is more than likely that the next time Ambrose stares across at an opponent, it will be as a MMA fighter. “I am just going to see how this fight goes,” says Ambrose. “If it goes well then I will get another one, but at heart I am a MMA fighter. I already miss wrestling. I haven’t wrestled in two months. I have just been doing nothing but boxing. I am ready to get an MMA fight as soon as the boxing match is over, but as supplemental fighting, in between MMA, I wouldn’t mind doing boxing matches.”

J.J. Ambrose is an athlete that enjoys challenging himself, especially with something new or different. This Friday night one such challenge presents itself, and Ambrose would not have it any other way. “I feel like most of my fights were against guys that weren’t up to my caliber, and that is why I beat them,” says Ambrose. “I don’t feel like I’ve beat too many guys on heart or conditioning. It was always about my skill being better than their skill. I’d like some more difficult fights, and that is why I am doing this boxing match. Obviously this guy is going to have better boxing, but we will see how his heart and his conditioning play out.”

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

The pay-per-view lineup for the May 7th Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley event is now complete, as former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik will return to the ring against undefeated Alfonso Lopez III in a ten-round super middleweight bout at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Though contracts have not yet been finalized, both sides have come to a verbal agreement.

Pavlik (36-2, 32 KOs) of Youngstown, Ohio has been out of action since losing his WBC/WBO Middleweight titles to Sergio Martinez via twelve-round decision last April in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Pavlik pulled out of a scheduled bout against Brian Vera on the Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito undercard last November citing a rib injury. However, it later came out that he had checked into the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California for treatment of his chemical dependence on alcohol.

Though Pavlik has not fought above 160-pounds since his decisive decision loss to Bernard Hopkins in October of 2008, and has not won a bout contracted above 160 since his decision over Jermain Taylor eight months prior, the Youngstown native is currently the WBC #1 ranked super middleweight contender.

Lopez (21-0, 16 KOs) of Cut and Shoot, Texas is coming off of a twelve-round unanimous decision victory over Romero Johnson last November which netted him the vacant WBC Continental Americas Super Middleweight title. For the promising Lopez, the Pavlik fight represents the chance of a lifetime. “It’s a huge opportunity for me, an honor almost really,” Lopez told 15rounds.com Tuesday evening. “He’s fought some great fighters and is a great fighter himself. It’s what we have been working for. I have been giving up a lot of things for this opportunity, and it is finally here.”

Though Pavlik has had his share of problems, both in and out of the ring, in recent years, Lopez and his team are expecting the world champion version of “The Ghost” come May 7th. “I am training for the Kelly Pavlik of a few years ago,” said Lopez. “I am going to watch the tape of him fighting Jermain Taylor. I am also going to watch him fight Bernard Hopkins, because he was a little heavier and is going to be bigger at 168. I am definitely expecting the Kelly Pavlik that comes out with a fast pace, behind a stiff, strong jab and lots of pressure. That’s what I am expecting and we are preparing for a long, tough fight.”

Lopez had been in training for a bout which was to have taken place April 15th in Corpus Christi, Texas when he found out he was in the running for the Pavlik bout. “We’ve always said we were ready for something like this, but we knew we had to do some things to get us known and to be selected for such a fight,” said Felix Ramirez, who manages and trains Lopez, along with Henry Harris. “This is a great opportunity, and it doesn’t get any better than this, at least to this point in our careers.”

Considering the leap in class Lopez will be taking, some may question his readiness for such a daunting undertaking. Ideally perhaps Lopez, who has fought outside of Texas just twice in his pro career, would have had another step up before taking on an elite fighter such as a Kelly Pavlik. However Lopez’ manager believes he is up to the task. “Some people would like to have an opening fight, or maybe an off telecast pay-per-view fight [first,] but it is just a matter of how that individual is,” explains Ramirez. “Some people choke, and some people do great under pressure and show up. Alfonso is the type of individual that I don’t believe it will affect him. I think he is going to show up when the time comes and when that bell rings he is going to be ready.”

Kelly Pavlik Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank

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

RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA — Despite the close final tallies of the ringside scorers, Ana Julaton was impressive in a mostly one-sided ten-round unanimous decision over game veteran Franchesa Alcanter in defense of her WBO Super Bantamweight title on Friday night at the Craneway Pavilion.

Julaton (8-2-1, 1 KO) of Daly City, California was both the aggressor and the superior boxer over the course of the ten-round affair. To her credit, Alcanter (18-10-1, 9 KOs) of Kansas City, Missouri did not come to lie down and fought hard until the ring of the final bell.

Julaton, 116 ½, applied pressure from round one, and had Alcanter, 118 ½, backing up as the opening round closed. Julaton settled into a boxer-mover style for rounds two and three, before upping her output in the fourth. Late in the round, Julaton let loose on Alcanter in a corner. The Kansas City resident showed some bravado as she smiled at Julaton after the ring of the bell.

In the fifth, Julaton continued to beat an apprehensive Alcanter to the punch. Despite her natural size advantage, Alcanter did not fight like the larger woman in the bout. Just as was the case in the round before, Julaton pressured Alcanter near the ropes to close the fifth.

Alcanter landed perhaps her best shot in the sixth, a straight right that snapped Julaton’s head back. Alcanter had some success in the round, but Julaton made have stole it with a lead left hook that landed flush late. After a letdown in the action in the seventh, Julaton came right out at Alcanter in the eighth. Landing punches in combination, Julaton forced Alcanter into retreat and drew blood from the veteran’s nose.

Perhaps looking for the opportunity to do what several other top flight females have been unable to, stop Alcanter, Julaton continued to force the fight in the ninth. Alcanter bravely fought back and did not appear to be in any serious trouble, but she did absorb a good amount of punishment in the round. Julaton closed the fight well in the tenth and appeared to be headed for a wide decision victory.

In the end, all three official scorers had it for Julaton by the scores of 96-94, 97-93 and 98-92. “I thought that is was at least eight to two,” said Julaton advisor and lead cornerman for the night Angelo Reyes. “It was an extremely dominant performance. I mean six to four? That is just silly.” Julaton’s promoter Allan Tremblay was in agreement with Reyes. “If you watch the tape, you will find out that [Ana] forced the action,” said Tremblay of Orion Sports Management. “She was the aggressor.”

Due to a scheduling conflict, Julaton’s famed trainer Freddie Roach was unable to work the corner Friday night in Richmond. After the clear-cut decision win, it was obvious that the missing person in her corner had little effect on the outcome, but still the press was curious about the situation at the post-fight presser. “He was definitely with us in spirit,” said Reyes, who has worked with Julaton since her amateur days. “I did what I am sure Freddie would have told me to do, ‘Hold the water, and let Ana do her thing.’ Freddie Roach is the best trainer in the world. He has I believe three world champions right now: Manny Pacquiao, Amir Khan and Ana Julaton. We completely understand.”

Though most of what fight observers notice is the action in the corner, the work of a trainer is most valuable in camp. “All the work had been done and I have a strong corner,” explained Julaton, who had worked with Roach through Wednesday. “We all have the same focus and game plan, and we just go out and deliver.”

As for what comes next, Julaton’s promoter is already close to finalizing her next date. “We are going to fight in the Philippines, probably on April 9th,” said Tremblay. “I can’t announce it just yet, but I have already secured the opponent. I am assured from the doctor here that she could fight next week, so I think we are good for the ninth.”

Taking into account the four main sanctioning bodies, there is one other world champion at 122-pounds, WBA title-holder Lisa Brown, who holds a win over Julaton. The other two titles are currently vacant, but those positions will soon be filled. The vacancy of the IBF title is about to be filled by the winner of the upcoming Melinda Cooper-Ada Velez bout, while the WBC kingpin will be decided by the Yesica Marcos-Fredee Gonzalez fight.

After a series of rigorous distance wins against formidable opposition, Julaton’s promoter does not have designs on throwing her at one of the other title-holders just yet. “We’ve fought champions and number one contenders, and every fight is a tough one, but you don’t have to go to the extreme every time,” explained Tremblay. “So I think it is time for us to step back and fight a voluntary defense if you will, and not one of the killers.”

In the other boxing match on the card, exciting Filipino prospect Bruno Escalante Jr. (2-0-1, 1 KO) of San Carlos, California by way of Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines rolled over Martin “Tarzan” Sandoval (0-1) of Oakdale, California in under two rounds.

Escalante, 122 ½, was a ball of energy and Sandoval, 124 ½, did not have an answer for his attack. Sandoval, an accomplished professional mixed martial artist, was downed in the first by a straight left hand he probably did not see coming. Escalante, a former National PAL Champion as an amateur, came out at Sandoval in the second and eventually landed the same straight left to score a second knockdown. This time Sandoval got up much slower and referee Ray Balewicz waved off the fight at the 1:05 mark.

Amateur Kickboxing

Gaston Bolanos of Dublin, California scored a second-round stoppage of Ike Spears of Fresno, California in a light welterweight bout scheduled for three. Bolanos, who fights out of the Combat Sports Academy in Dublin, forced a standing eight count with a barrage of kicks in the second round. Referee Dan Stell allowed the fight to continue, but urged Spears to “show him something.” Spears, who trains out of the Fresno Kickboxing Academy, looked to be fatigued and not on steady legs. Bolanos proceeded to score a knockdown, which is not what Stell was looking for and the fight was stopped at the 1:30 mark of the second.

In a competitive and action-packed bout, Dee Alhadi of San Jose, California scored a three-round unanimous decision over Marc Talledo of Milpitas, California. Talledo, who trains out of the Unlimited Training Center in Milpitas and Alhadi, who trains out of the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, each had their moments over the course of the three rounds.

In the second round, Talledo, 134 ½, and Alhadi, 130, stood in the center of the ring and exchanged power shots, pleasing the fight crowd on hand. In the end, all three judges scored the fight a shutout for Alhadi, 30-27. The final tallies are a bit misleading, as Talledo traded on even ground with Alhadi for much of the contest.

Xavier Vigney of Pleasant Hill, California prevailed by first-round stoppage over Gary Grant of Antioch, California in the final fight of the evening. The much taller Vigney, who trains out of Team Black in Pleasant Hill, forced a standing eight count early in the bout, as Grant, who trains out of Guila Hawaiian Kajukenbo-Kickboxing in Antioch, covered up against a series of unanswered blows.

Vigney, 206, landed a swift kick that downed Grant, 222 ½, soon after the rendering of the standing eight. With Grant up, but wobbly and potentially injured, referee Ray Balewicz called the fight. Grant, either angry with his performance or the stoppage, kicked the stool in his corner as the ringside doctor attempted to observe him.

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

DALY CITY, CALIFORNIA — WBO Super Bantamweight Champion and media darling Ana Julaton defends her title against respected veteran Franchesca Alcanter tonight at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, California. Their ten-round title clash, which will be televised in both the United States and the Philippines, headlines a four-bout card as part of a sports and music expo geared towards the Filipino-American community. Fighters weighed in Thursday night at the Mink Bar & Lounge in nearby Daly City.

Julaton (7-2-1, 1 KO) of Daly City has been out of the ring since reclaiming the WBO title via ten-round split decision over Mexico’s Maria Villalobos back in June of last year. Julaton, who is immensely popular both locally and in the Philippines, and her team picked a very respectable opponent for the first defense of her second reign in Alcanter. “From being a three-time world champion, I know I am in a position that people are trying to take what I have, and that is just the name of the game,” said Julaton. “I just have to make sure that I don’t take anything lightly and stay grounded.”

Alcanter (18-9-1, 9 KOs) of Kansas City, Missouri has been around the block and taken on some of the biggest names in women’s boxing in her twelve-year pro career. In her last ring appearance, Alcanter went the ten-round distance in a failed attempt at claiming a 126-pound title from Ina Menzer in Germany. Alcanter does hold two clear advantages in the fight, her experience and the fact that she is the naturally larger fighter.

After Thursday’s weigh-in, it is still hard to figure how far Alcanter came down in weight, because the scales seemed to read about three to four pounds light. Julaton, who has routinely weighed in between 120 and 122-pounds in her career, scaled 116 ½-pounds at Thursday’s weigh-in. Alcanter, who has fought as high as 140-pounds in her career, weighed in at 118 ½ on Thursday night. “I trained really hard for this fight, and I know I scaled in at the actual weight class,” Julaton explained simply after the weigh-in. “The last time I weighed-in at 116, I was fifteen-years-old.”

Also on the card, former amateur standout Bruno Escalante Jr. (1-0-1) of San Carlos, California by way of Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines will take on Martin “Tarzan” Sandoval of Oakdale, California in a four-round featherweight fight. While Sandoval will be making his professional boxing debut, he has already been successful as a mixed martial artist, posting a 6-3, 3 KOs, 3 Submissions record. Escalante, the 2008 National PAL Champion at 112-pounds, trains out of the same Undisputed Boxing Gym in San Carlos as Nonito Donaire Jr. Escalante weighed in at 122 ½, while scaled Sandoval 124 ½-pounds.

Amateur Kickboxing

Two amateur kickboxing bouts complete the card tonight. In a three-round pairing of heavyweights, Gary Grant of Antioch, California will take on Xavier Vigney of Pleasant Hill, California. The long and lean Vigney, who trains out of Team Black in Pleasant Hill, scaled 206-pounds. Grant, who trains out of Guila Hawaiian Kajukenbo-Kickboxing in Antioch, weighed in at 222 ½-pounds Thursday night.

Rounding out the card, Dee Alhadi of San Jose, California will take on Marc Talledo of Milpitas, California in a three-round super lightweight bout. Talledo, who trains out of the Unlimited Training Center in Milpitas, weighed in at 134 ½-pounds. Alhadi, who trains out of the famed American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, scaled 130-pounds Thursday.

The event, dubbed “Return of the Hurricane,” will also feature musical performances by the A.J. Rafael Band and Sway Penala. MYX will televise in United States and TV5 will broadcast in the Philippines. Tickets for the event, promoted by CP Presents, Phantom Promotions and Orion Sports Management, are available online at BrownPaperTickets.com.

Quick Weigh-in Results:

WBO Super Bantamweight Championship, 10 Rounds
Julaton 116 ½
Alcanter 118 ½

Featherweights, 4 Rounds
Escalante Jr. 122 ½
Sandoval 124 ½

Amateur Kickboxing Weigh-in Results:

Super Lightweights, 3 Rounds
Alhadi 130
Talledo 134 ½

Heavyweights, 3 Rounds
Grant 222 ½
Vigney 206

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

Back in December of 2009, Ana Julaton defeated veteran Donna Biggers before a raucous and supportive crowd in San Jose, California to claim the vacant WBO 122-pound title. Now, a little over a year later, the wildly popular Julaton returns to the Bay Area, defending the title against veteran Franchesca Alcanter at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, California this Friday night.

Unlike the last time Julaton (7-2-1, 1 KO) of Daly City, California fought in the Bay Area, this time around she trained away from home. “It was definitely a change of pace,” said Julaton. “I miss everyone at home and all my friends and family, but it feels really good to be training at the Wild Card Gym. There are a lot of exceptional fighters over there, all getting ready for a fight. Just being able to be in that whole boxing element, I feel like I am at an academy or school of professional boxing. So being able to immerse myself in the world of professional boxing, I feel it has been a good camp.”

Julaton began her professional career training at the Wild Card in Hollywood, California under Freddie Roach and the two reunited prior to her last bout, a June 2010 title defense against Maria Villalobos. “Freddie pushes really hard,” said Julaton. “Everything went really well though.” As always, the services of Roach are a well sought after commodity, but Julaton was able to get her share of time with the esteemed trainer. “There are lots of other fighters getting ready for a fight, and I feel lucky and fortunate that he is spending the time to look at my stuff,” said Julaton. “But I make sure I do my part and listen and push myself really hard. So far it has been working out really well.”

Julaton’s primary sparring partner in Hollywood was former world champion Rodel Mayol. “He has been helping me a lot,” says Julaton. “He helps me work, and he will capitalize on all my mistakes, and he will punish me. Overall it has been humbling. It puts a lot of emphasis and focus on the sparring, making sure that I am sharp and stuff. So it has been great.”

Sandwiched in between Julaton’s title-winning effort over Biggers and her upcoming defense was a rollercoaster 2010. Julaton signed with Orion Sports Management and took her title to Canada in hopes of winning the WBA version against Lisa Brown. The trip proved fruitless, as Brown won a convincing decision. Before her next bout just three months later, Julaton left trainer Nonito Donaire Sr. and rejoined Roach in Hollywood before regaining the WBO title with the points win over Villalobos. Julaton’s team hoped to line up another bout before the end of the year, but a fight did not to fruition until now.

Despite some disappointments, Julaton does not look back on the year with any regrets. “I don’t take anything back about how everything has happened so far over the past year,” said Julaton. “I really got to spend a lot of time on just getting back to Freddie’s style as well as incorporating all of the stuff I learned from Nonito Sr. It also has really helped get me to look at this year as a fresh start and taking it one fight at a time.”

As has been the case for most of her professional career, the next fight for Julaton comes against a more experienced veteran opponent, Franchesca Alcanter (18-9-1, 9 KOs) of Kansas City, Missouri. In her most recent ring appearance, Alcanter hung tough with the well respected Ina Menzer in a failed attempt at a 126-pound title in Germany in May of 2009.

“I saw her last fight with Menzer,” reveals Julaton. “She’s very experienced. She has been in multiple world championship fights and she fights at 130, 126 weight classes. This fight will be at 122, so she is a bigger girl coming down to a smaller weight division. I know she’s taking this fight very seriously and she is training really hard to try and take the WBO title away from me.” For those reasons, Julaton expects a challenge Friday night. “For every title fight that I go into, I expect to be sharp and strong for all ten rounds. Overall it’s going to be a great fight.”

Local fight fans should plan on being in attendance this Friday in Richmond if they want to see a Julaton fight live in 2011, as her team is already working on potential dates in the Philippines and Canada. “Since winning the title, I have had the opportunity to fight in Canada, and I am looking into the possibility of fighting internationally, and I don’t know when I will be able to come back home again and fight in the Bay Area,” says Julaton.

There is the possibility that Julaton may never again fight in her home area. If she was sticking to the timetable she set for her career a couple of years ago, Friday’s fight would not even be taking place. “It’s so funny being able to sit back a think about all the stuff I used to say back then, like how I wanted to be able to retire by the time I was 30,” says Julaton, who turned 30-years-old last year. “As far as how long will I stay in this sport? It is really hard to say. I just feel inspired and I fall in love with the sport more and more. I know there will be a point in my life when I will not have this anymore. I am just taking it one fight at a time. I want to see how far I can go.

Maybe three or four, or four or five more big fights. But you never know.”

Photo by Alfredo Perez

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

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA — On the cusp of world title contention, super featherweight contender Eloy Perez scored a comprehensive eight-round unanimous decision over veteran Roger “Speedy” Gonzalez in the main event at the Longshoremen’s Hall on Friday night. In the co-main event, Filipino prospect Mercito Gesta lit up journeyman Genaro Trazancos for the second time in six months.

Perez (20-0, 5 KOs) of Salinas, California showed his class as he failed to lose a round against the once-determined former contender Gonzalez (27-4, 18 KOs) of Indio, California. Perez, the WBO #2 ranked super featherweight, boxed intelligently throughout and Gonzalez had no answers.

Perez, 130, targeted Gonzalez’ soft body early in what was a feeling out first round. Gonzalez, 133, had come in three pounds over the contracted weight, thus forfeiting 20 percent of his purse at yesterday’s weigh-in, and Perez looked to capitalize on his opponent’s apparent lack of conditioning.

As the fight progressed, Perez applied pressure in spots, but boxed carefully for the most part. Though Perez opened up a bit late in rounds two and three, the difference in class between the two combatants became more readily apparent in round four. Gonzalez continually looked to land a counter, but it was impossible for him to win rounds in that style against a volume puncher such as Perez.

With the fight moving into the later rounds, Gonzalez continued to only offer up his offense once Perez had ceased firing. However, the active Perez left Gonzalez few openings to shoot for and simply kept piling up on points. With the fight well in hand in the eighth, Perez looked to close the show in style and sat down on a combination that rocked Gonzalez.

In the end, all three judges scored every round for Perez, for tallies of 80-72 across the board. Perez is penciled in for the April 29th edition of Telefutura Solo Boxeo, which is ticketed for Reno, Nevada. The fight could potentially be a WBO Super Featherweight title elimination bout.

“I want Vicente Escobedo now,” pronounced Perez’ manager Kathy Garcia after Friday’s fight. Escobedo recently announced plans to campaign at the 130-pound super featherweight class, and hails from Woodland, California. A Perez-Escobedo clash would be a hot ticket almost anywhere in Northern California. Also on the hit list for Team Perez: Rocky Martinez, Rocky Juarez and Jason Litzau.

Mercito Gesta (21-0-1, 11 KOs) of San Diego, California by way of Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines had no trouble dismantling the weathered Genaro Trazancos (22-14-1, 13 KOs) of Fort Myers, Florida by way of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico.

Gesta, 140, was landing freely by a minute into the bout. As was the case last August, Trazancos, 138 ½, could not find an answer for the speed or boxing ability of Gesta, and it was evident from the outset. By the last minute of the first, it was clear Gesta could land a flurry at any time of his choosing.

Gesta rocked Trazancos early in the second with two right hands, and then calmly went back to boxing. A two-handed Gesta flurry hurt the Mexican against the ropes seconds later. Still on shaky ground, Trazancos moved and covered up enough to make it out of the round.

With the end in sight, Gesta landed a straight left that stunned Trazancos early in the third. Gesta flurried to follow-up and appeared to have a stoppage on his mind. The slippery Trazancos moved and flailed, but eventually got caught again and looked to cover-up. Again, Gesta calmed down and began to pick his shots.

In between rounds three and four, Trazancos expressed that he did not want to continue, which forced referee Ray Balewicz to stop the bout. Trazancos left the ring favoring his ribs. It was the second stoppage of Trazancos for the Filipino prospect, the first coming in the seventh round six months ago. For Trazancos, it was his ninth loss in his last ten bouts. His only win during that stretch came against Waldo Vela, a reported 0-6-3 fighter.

For Gesta the future looks bright. The Filipino plans to make his stand in the 135-pound lightweight division, a weight he has not made since April 2008. Gesta, currently the WBO #12 ranked lightweight, had hoped to fight Hector Velazquez tonight, but that did not come together. Based on recent performances, Gesta appears ready for the next step up in competition.

In a bout where somebody’s ‘O’ had to go, nobody’s did as Adolfo Gonzalez (1-0-1) of Salinas and Jose Leon Jr. (1-0-1) of Visalia, California fought to a four-round draw. Gonzalez, 149, started the bout looking to touch gloves, but was met with an unsportsmanlike right hand from Leon, 150.

Both fighters had their moments in a difficult fight to score, as was evidenced by the final official scores. One judge had it 40-36 in favor of Gonzalez, while another had it 40-36 the other way. The third judge had it even, 38-38, thus forcing the draw. Though Leon showed poor sportsmanship in the opening, he very classily raised the arm of Gonzalez after the decision was read.

Making his professional debut, local favorite Joe Gumina (1-0, 1 KO) of San Bruno, California pleased his hometown crowd with a first-round stoppage of Jose Jesus Hurtado (3-3, 3 KOs) of San Ysidro, California.

It ended up being both a long and short night for the two fighters, who originally entered the ring as the first fight of the event. Shortly after their introductions, it was announced that required paramedic had not yet arrived at the building. After waiting in the ring for over twenty minutes, they were sent back to the dressing room.

The raucous pro-Gumina crowd stuck around until the night’s first walkout bout, and Gumina, 182, took little time giving them what they wanted. Gumina came out in his trademark free-swinging style, forcing Hurtado, 186, to quickly cover-up. The chubby Hurtado defended well before a right uppercut landed clean and sent him backing up. The following barrage sent him to the ropes and eventually down to a knee for the first knockdown. Two hard lefts and another right forced Hurtado down to a knee again, prompting referee Dan Stell to stop the fight at the 1:02 mark of the first.

Former amateur standout Richard Hargraves (2-0-1, 2 KOs) of San Francisco ended an eleven-month layoff in his hometown, but came up with a draw against a determined Clint Coronel (3-1-2, 1 KO) of San Jose, California.

Hargraves, 151, reportedly held two amateur wins over Coronel, 152 ½, who fought professionally as a mixed martial artist before returning to boxing in 2009. In rounds one and two, Hargraves boxed and moved, avoiding the swings of Coronel for the most part. When on the inside early in the bout, Hargraves was quick to tie up in shorter opponent.

Coronel came out more aggressively in the third and quickly caught Hargraves with two solid right hands. Hargraves fell out balance, but regained his footing as he stepped back towards the ropes. Coronel took more chances coming into range, which resulted in a bloodied right eye, but also gave him an opportunity to turn around the fight. An energetic Coronel remained standing for much of the rest period before the fourth.

Sensing he needed the round, Coronel game out guns blazing to start the final stanza. Hargraves weathered the early rush and began to settle back into his box from outside, tie up when on the inside game plan. However, Coronel may have caught the eye of the judges with the one or two hard right hands he landed later in the round. In the end, one judge had the fight for Hargraves, 39-37, while the other two had it even, 38-38.

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

There are few things the casual fight fan-ticket buyer would rather see than a knockout. Power is a funny thing. No matter how many times you hit the bag, or how many rounds you spar, you either have it or you don’t. It is the one attribute even the elite boxing trainer cannot teach his fighter. By his own account, Joe Gumina knocked out 16 of his 26 amateur opponents, which translates to an obscene knockout percentage, especially considering there was headgear involved in all of those bouts. Tomorrow night, Gumina’s opponent will not have the benefit of such equipment, as the unapologetic puncher turns pro down the street from his childhood stomping grounds at the Longshoremen’s Hall in San Francisco, California.

Gumina always admired the sport from afar, but did not take up boxing until he was 21-years-old, an advanced age for a beginner. “I always wanted to do it as a kid, but I was always playing baseball or football,” recalls Gumina. “Once I was done playing college football, Hector Martinez said that he would help teach me how to box. I just started working out with him, and he turned me over to Arturo [Gastelum] at Frisco Boxing and its history since. I have just been sticking with it.”

Just about two years after giving up playing linebacker, Gumina qualified for the 2007 National PAL Championships by winning the California Police Activities League state title. “I went there having not really trained for it,” recalls Gumina. “I was in good shape, but not 100 percent. I had hurt my ankle, but I was ‘You know, I am going to do it.’ I had the opportunity and I went down there and knocked out all three guys in all three fights. I have been blessed, and just jumped in there.”

Gumina went on to compete against the top 178-pound amateurs at the national tournament in Oxnard, California. Gumina advanced to the semi-finals after scoring a first-round knockout of Jamar Parker in under a minute, but lost on points to superb boxer Dorian Anthony. The following year Gumina again made it to the National PAL Championships, but lost on points to Marcos Vega.

During his amateur career, Gumina heard some criticism for his all-or-nothing style. “Truthfully, I have had people talk shit about how I box,” says Gumina. “But I am there to fight and I am there to entertain people. If I lose, but I put a hurtin’ on the other guy, hey, basically I won. I am there to knock people out, and that is what boxing needs. It doesn’t need two guys playing patty cake with each other. People may say I am not the best boxer, but I will tell you this, I am there to fight.”

Gumina had planned to turn pro over a year ago, but had to put his career on hold when he was injured at work. Three months ago, Gumina, a resident of San Bruno, California, hooked up with well known trainer Jesse Reid and decided to make the move to Southern California to better himself as a boxer. “I came to a point where I just felt like my wheels were spinning up here,” says Gumina. “I just got on the internet to see what other trainers there were, and I looked him up and found him. I got a hold of him and went down there and sparred in front of him. He said he likes everything he sees, and thinks I could do major things.”

Friday’s bout takes place at the historic Longshoremen’s Hall in San Francisco, a stone’s throw where Gumina grew up. “I’m from San Bruno, so I am ten minutes outside of San Francisco and I have worked at Fisherman’s Wharf since I was a little kid,” says Gumina, who worked at Alioto’s Restaurant, which his cousin owns. “I am grateful as hell that this fight came through. To be able to fight in my hometown for my first fight, I thought for sure I would be fighting in some little Indian casino somewhere. I am excited and I am going to put on a hell of a show in front of all of my friends and family.”

Gumina’s originally scheduled opponent Ryan Davis was a late scratch from the card. “He’s in jail or something,” explained Gumina, who will now face Jose Jesus Hurtado (3-2, 3 KOs) of San Ysidro, California in a four-rounder. “I know nothing about him,” admits Gumina. “I just found out I am fighting him this morning, but I don’t really care. I feel that if I can execute my game plan, I will be alright.”

When Gumina fights, he seems to put everything into just about every punch he throws. Now he is taking that mentality and putting it on his boxing career as a whole. “I am going to go as far as God is willing to let me go, because I am in it to win it,” declares Gumina. “I am putting 100 percent of everything of what I have into this career and boxing. Wherever it takes me, it takes me, but I am giving it 100 percent every day of the week.”

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

The busy month of Northern California fight cards which began last week in Fairfield continues this Friday in San Francisco and concludes the following Friday in Richmond. Not in several years has the region hosted three cards in as many weeks.

Boxing Back in San Francisco

This Friday’s edition of the weekly Telefutura series Solo Boxeo will emanate from a Northern California city once known to be a boxing hotbed, San Francisco. Professional boxing returns to the city for just the second time in the last five years at the Longshoremen’s Hall in Fisherman’s Wharf. The venue which played host to acts such as Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead in the 1960’s will showcase the sweet science for the first time since a modest card in 2004.

Back in the 1950’s and 60’s, Filipino great Flash Elorde drew large crowds to see him fight in the city at the Cow Palace and the San Francisco Gardens. Promoter Don Chargin hopes history repeats itself as he places a young Filipino prospect in the main event on the 18th. Lightweight Mercito Gesta (20-0-1, 10 KOs) of San Diego, California by way of Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines will rematch Mexican journeyman Genaro Trazancos (22-13-1, 13 KOs) of Fort Myers, Florida by way of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico in an eight-rounder. Gesta, the WBO #12 ranked lightweight, stopped Trazancos in seven back in August.

In the co-feature, WBO #2 ranked super featherweight Eloy Perez (19-0, 5 KOs) of Salinas, California will take on former contender Roger “Speedy” Gonzalez (27-3, 18 KOs) of Indio, California in an eight-round bout. Perez may be on the verge of fighting for the WBO title, as an elimination bout had even been in the offing, but he first must get past the challenge of Gonzalez, an all-action fighter who has never lost a decision.

The undercard is slated to feature welterweight prospect Karim Mayfield (13-0-1, 8 KOs) of Daly City, California in a six-round bout. Mayfield headlined the only card held in San Francisco last year, as he demolished Sergio De La Torre in five rounds at the Kezar Pavilion in June. However, Mayfield’s opponent is yet to be named, and it is looking unlikely that one will.

In other action, Adolfo Gonzalez (1-0) of Salinas will take on Jose Leon (1-0) of Visalia, California in a four-round lightweight bout. Aaron Garcia (9-1, 2 KOs) of Vista, California will take on a to be determined opponent in a six-round featherweight fight. Also, former amateur knockout artist Joe Gumina of San Bruno, California will make his pro debut against Jose Jesus Hurtado (3-2, 3 KOs) of San Ysidro, California in a four-round light heavyweight bout.

Tickets for the event, promoted by Don Chargin Productions and Golden Boy Promotions, are available online at http://theboxingtruth.vbotickets.com.

Julaton Brings Title Back to the Bay

WBO Super Bantamweight Champion Ana Julaton (7-2-1, 1 KO) of Daly City will defend the title she won with a victory over Donna Biggers in San Jose, California in 2009 against veteran Franchesca Alcanter (18-9-1, 9 KOs) of Kansas City, Missouri in a ten-rounder at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, California on February 25th.

Julaton is coming off a hard-fought ten-round split decision over Maria Villalobos back in June of last year. Julaton’s team has designs on bringing her to the Philippines for a title defense, or possibly a unification bout, but Alcanter comes first. “I know she’s taking this fight very seriously and she is training really hard to try and take the WBO title away from me,” Julaton told 15rounds.com. “From being a three-time world champion, I know I am in a position that people are trying to take what I have, and that is just the name of the game. I just have to make sure that I don’t take anything lightly and stay grounded.”

In her last bout, Alcanter, who also has some MMA experience, took the much-ballyhooed Ina Menzer the ten-round distance in a featherweight title bid in Germany last year. “I saw her last fight with Ina Menzer,” says Julaton. “She’s very experienced. She has been in multiple world championship fights and she fights at 130, 126 weight classes. This fight will be at 122, so she is a bigger girl coming down to a smaller weight division.”

Also slated for the card, former amateur standout Bruno Escalante Jr. (1-0-1) of San Carlos, California by way of Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines will take on Floyd Smith (0-2) of Apple Valley, California in a four-round bantamweight bout.

The event will also feature amateur kickboxing bouts as well as musical performances by A.J. Rafael and Sway Penala. Tickets for the event, promoted by CP Presents and Orion Sports Management, are available online at BrownPaperTickets.com.

Escobedo Makes Move to 130

Former lightweight title challenger Vicente Escobedo (22-3, 14 KOs) of Woodland is moving back down to super featherweight, beginning with a March 4th bout against career-spoiler Walter Estrada (38-13-1, 25 KOs) of Miami, Florida by way of Canalete, Colombia. Their bout will headline Telefutura’s Solo Boxeo and emanate from the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California.

Escobedo fought at 130-pounds earlier in his career, but ventured north in weight because that is where bigger fights were offered. “It’s something I been thinking about since the fight with Katsidis,” Escobedo told 15rounds.com. “The reason it didn’t happen then was because I was approached with some great opportunities. Fighting in the lightweight class the fighters were much bigger and stronger.” Escobedo fought well, but came up short against both Michael Katsidis and Robert Guerrero.

At 130-pounds there are not a great number of name fighters to target, but Escobedo could be in line for a title fight with a couple of wins. “Going down to 130 should be fascinating,” says Escobedo. “There are a lot of great fighters in this weight class. As I step in the ring March 4th as a super featherweight I will be more comfortable, stronger and will dominate. This is the weight class where I belong in for now.”

Tickets for the event, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, are available online at FantasySpringsCasino.com.

Notes

-Last Friday’s fight card, which took place at the Fairfield Sports Center in Fairfield, California, had been originally pegged to take place in nearby Vacaville. The record shows the last time a pro boxing card was held in Vacaville it was August 17, 1921. That same Wednesday evening, cards were held in Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose. Either Vacaville or Fairfield will host the March 25th edition of Telefutura Solo Boxeo.

-Manuel Avila (2-0, 1 KO) of Fairfield will apparently not be on the bill on the 25th, as he is pegged for the Solo Boxeo undercard the previous week, which takes place at the Orange County Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California

Photo by Paul Gallegos/Golden Boy Promotions

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

FAIRFIELD, CALIFORNIA — Rising middleweight Peter Quillin outclassed and busted up Dennis Sharpe on his way to a fourth-round stoppage in the Telefutura Solo Boxeo main event at the Fairfield Sports Center on Friday night.

Quillin (23-0, 17 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York set the tone for the fight in the opening moments of the first round, as he landed a jab, straight right hand combination to back up Sharpe (17-6-3, 4 KOs) of Bayonne, New Jersey. The right hand would be the primary weapon for Quillin, 166, throughout the fight.

Any time Sharpe, 159, would throw a punch, which was not all that often, Quillin seemed to have a perfectly timed counter waiting for him. Having lost the boxing match in the first, Sharpe decided to get into an exchange with Quillin in the second. Quillin got the better of that too, as he tagged Sharpe with two right hands.

By the third round, Sharpe’s nose was bleeding heavily due to Quillin’s right handed attack. In the fourth, two hard rights, followed up by a left hook rocked Sharpe. Another right snapped the Bayonne native’s head back near the ropes. Quillin closed in and landed another right and followed up with a flurry, which prompted referee Marcos Rosales to stop the contest. Official time was 1:54 of round four.

Fairfield’s Alan Sanchez (7-2-1, 2 KOs) dropped John Ryan Grimaldo (6-1, 5 KOs) of Denver, Colorado twice en route to an eight-round unanimous decision victory. Grimaldo, 142, flashed an unbeaten record coming in, but it had been built up against mostly soft opposition. Despite his lack of credentials, Grimaldo showed his heart as he stood up to the varied assault of Sanchez, 144.

The bout began with a cautious and somewhat tentative first round for both combatants. Grimaldo had his best round in the second, as he outworked the inactive Sanchez. The fight changed in the third, as Sanchez caught Grimaldo with a left hook in an exchange. Grimaldo went down, but made it back up and avoided enough of the wild Sanchez attack to last the remaining minute-and-a-half of the round.

Grimaldo seemed to regain his legs in time for the start of the fourth, but he did not mount much of an offense. In the fifth, Sanchez rocked Grimaldo again, this time with a straight right hand. Grimaldo refused to surrender and landed a solid left hook that seemed to bother Sanchez in the sixth. Grimaldo was having one of his better rounds, but Sanchez turned the momentum back in his favor with a left hook of his own late in the sixth.

Grimaldo showed his resolve again in the seventh. The Denver resident stunned Sanchez with a left early, but Sanchez quickly retorted. The local favorite snapped Grimaldo’s head back with a straight right and buckled his knees with a short left hook. In the eighth, Sanchez landed a chopping right and followed with a left hook to drop Grimaldo for a second time. Still game, Grimaldo fought on, even landing a looping right late in the final round. In the end, all three judges scored the bout for Sanchez, 80-70, 79-72 and 78-72.

Fidel Maldonado Jr. (8-0, 7 KOs) of Albuquerque, New Mexico kept his promising career rolling in fashion, as he brutalized late replacement opponent Carlos Hernandez (3-5-2) of San Fernando, California en route to a second-round stoppage.

Maldonado, 145, scored three knockdowns in under four minutes. The first came from a clean, sweeping left hook, which put Hernandez down to the seat of his pants. Hernandez, 142, gamely rose to his feet and fought back, but appeared to have much of his will sapped by another stiff left hand. Moments later Hernandez was on the mat again, this time from a couple rights to the body that did not look to be all that damaging.

The fight could have been halted after the second knockdown, but with the bell following close behind, the fight lasted into the second. Seconds into the round, two quick shots downed Hernandez again. Referee Marcos Rosales called the fight without a count at the time of 37 seconds of the second round.

Manuel Avila (2-0, 1 KO) of Fairfield remained unbeaten with a fourth-round stoppage over willing adversary Jose Garcia (0-3) of Bakersfield, California. Avila, 121, was aggressive at the outset and hurt Garcia, 119, with a right, left combination in the first. In the second Garcia managed to land clean in spots, but his shots did not seem to both Avila too much.

The third round featured some two-way action as well, but Avila landed harder and more often. Avila did not pay too much attention to defense in exchanges, perhaps feeling Garcia did not have the power to hurt him. In the fourth, Avila cornered Garcia into the ropes after landing a hard left hook. A left hook-uppercut hybrid backed Garcia into the turnbuckle and the follow-up flurry prompted referee Ed Collantes to the stop the bout. Official time was 2:28 of round four.

Former amateur star Guy Robb (2-0, 1 KOs) of Sacramento, California scored two official knockdowns and outpointed the naturally larger Omar Sanchez (0-2) of Fairfield via four-round unanimous decision.

Robb, 132, controlled most of the first round with his movement and well-timed punching. The most telling punch of the round was a solid right by Robb, but Sanchez, 138, fought back and landed well just before the bell. The second round was give-and-take. Robb landed a solid right early, and Sanchez landed a hard left hook late in the round.

As the third round progressed, Robb completely took control of the fight. An overhand right from Robb dropped Sanchez midway through the round. Robb kept up the pressure, but Sanchez continued to fire back. In the fourth, Robb staggered Sanchez into the ropes with a left hand. With Sanchez a bit tangled up, referee Ed Collantes ruled it a knockdown. Even without the knockdown ruling, the fight was already Robb’s. In the end the scores read 40-34 and 39-35 twice, all for Robb.

Tonight’s promotional team of Golden Boy Promotions, Don Chargin Productions, Jorge Marron Productions and Paco Presents will promote next Friday’s offering of Telefutura’s Solo Boxeo from the Longshoremen’s Hall in San Francisco, California. There are plans to return to Fairfield, or go to Vacaville, for an event on March 25th.

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

FAIRFIELD, CALIFORNIA — Last month, the weekly boxing series Solo Boxeo, which airs nationally Friday nights on Telefutura, brought their traveling road show to the city of Fairfield, California. It was the first time professional boxing had taken place in the city since the late 1980’s, and the thirsty local fight fans showed up in mass, as an overflow crowd packed the Fairfield Sports Center to witness a slew of local prospects ply their trade. Just one month later boxing is back, as middleweight Peter Quillin and local favorite Alan Sanchez co-headline the card. Fighters weighed in Thursday evening at the Courtyard by Marriott Fairfield Napa Valley Area.

Quillin (22-0, 16 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York ended a long stretch of inactivity with a ten-round decision over Fernando Zuniga in February of last year. In his only other ring appearance of 2010, Quillin made short work of Martin Desjardins, stopping the journeyman with a right hand late in the first round of a December bout. Quillin, who now fights out of the famed Wildcard Boxing Club in Hollywood, California under the tutelage of Freddie Roach and Eric Brown, looks poised to make his move in an intriguing middleweight division. Quillin weighed in at 166-pounds Thursday.

Opposing Quillin in the eight-round bout is Bayonne, New Jersey’s Dennis Sharpe (17-5-3, 4 KOs). Sharpe finds himself in the familiar role of opponent for a well known rising contender. All five of Sharpe’s losses have come against previously unbeaten foes, which accounts for his five most recent ring appearances. Sharpe managed to last the distance against the trio of Ronald Hearns, Buddy McGirt Jr. and Andy Lee in the last three bouts, but those took place in 2006 and 2007. Sharpe scaled 159-pounds Thursday evening.

While the main event may or may not prove to be competitive, the co-feature is the bigger drawing card for local fight aficionados anyway. Fairfield’s Alan Sanchez (6-2-1, 2 KOs) turned back the challenge of the always game Cristian Favela via eight-round unanimous decision at last month’s event. This time around Sanchez goes up against an unbeaten but less proven opponent in Denver, Colorado’s John Ryan Grimaldo (6-0, 5 KOs). Grimaldo, who scaled 142-pounds, is completely untested, as his previous opponents had a combined record of 10-31. Sanchez, who weighed in at 144, went 1-1-1 against three prospects with a combined record of 26-1 before meeting Favela last month.

Last month former national amateur standout Manuel Avila (1-0) of Fairfield was slated to be a part of the card at the Sports Center, but after several opponents fell out, his fight was scratched. Promoters were able to lock down an opponent this time around, as Avila will take on Jose Garcia (0-2) of Bakersfield, California in a four-round super bantamweight bout. Avila, managed by Cameron Dunkin, was impressive in his debut back in November, as he showed the composure of a veteran in a four-round decision of Alexis Hernandez. Avila weighed in at 121-pounds, while Garcia scaled 119.

Former amateur star Guy Robb (1-0, 1 KO) of Sacramento, California will take on Fairfield’s Omar Sanchez (0-1) in a four-round light welterweight bout. The fight nearly fell apart on Thursday, when Sanchez came in at 138-pounds, two pounds over the contracted 136. Robb, a winner at the 2008 Ringside World Championships as an amateur, had scaled 132-pounds. Sanchez did not want to lose the two pounds, but eventually a deal was stuck with Robb’s team to keep the fight intact. Robb turned pro back in October, scoring a devastating first-round stoppage of Jose Pacheco in Santa Ynez, California. Sanchez turned pro on the January card in Fairfield, but ran into prospect Maximilliano Becerra and lost an action-packed four-round decision.

Becerra (4-0-1, 2 KOs) of Vacaville, California was slated to be on tonight’s card, but is without an opponent presently. Becerra’s originally scheduled opponent, Irving Garcia (3-1, 1 KO) of Stratford, California, fell out for undisclosed reasons. Should an opponent be found, he and Becerra will weigh-in today, two hours before the card begins.

Another fight is pending a Friday afternoon weigh-in, as lightweight prospect Fidel Maldonado Jr. (7-0, 6 KOs) of Albuquerque, New Mexico is pegged to fight Carlos Hernandez (3-4-2) of San Fernando, California in a four-rounder. Hernandez was a late addition to the card and did not arrive in Fairfield in time for Thursday’s weigh-in.

A scant few, if any, tickets remain for tonight’s event promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Don Chargin Productions, Jorge Marron Productions and Paco Presents.

Quick Weigh-in Results:

Super Middleweights, 8 Rounds
Quillin 166
Sharpe 159

Welterweights, 8 Rounds
Sanchez 144
Grimaldo 142

Super Bantamweights, 4 Rounds
Avila 121
Garcia 119

Light Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Robb 132
Sanchez 138

Light Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Maldonado*
Hernandez *

Lightweights, 4 Rounds
Becerra**

*will weigh-in today
**will weigh-in today if opponent is found

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

MAYWOOD, CALIFORNIA — In what would have been a mild upset, Dyah Davis looked to have a decision victory in his grasp, but had to settle for a majority draw with world ranked super middleweight contender Francisco Sierra in Saturday’s main event at the Maywood Activity Center.

The actual fight will not further the career of either fighter, but Davis should have the victory on his record. Davis (18-2-1, 9 KOs) of Coconut Creek, Florida seemed to win a minimum of seven rounds, but two judges managed to find the fight even after ten rounds.

Sierra (23-3-1, 21 KOs) of Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico never got unhinged in the fight, which was not a crowd pleaser. Sierra, 170 ¾, could not get the bat of his shoulder and only managed to land one punch at a time whenever he did land. Davis, 169, worked well in spots from the outside, but most of the fight consisted of a lot of falling in and clinching.

Davis began to get more effective work done in the second half of the fight. A left hook forced Sierra to stumble coming in twice in the seventh, with the second having more power behind it. Davis’ confidence continued to rise, as he held his left hand down low and pursued Sierra in the eighth. Another lead left hook scored for Davis in the ninth and a left jab, straight right landed clean in the tenth. Sierra showed signs of life, landing a right late in the round, but as was the case for much of the fight, the Mexican could not maintain any sort of momentum.

In the end, only one judge had it for Davis, by the correctly wide tally of 98-92. The other two judges seated ringside unfortunately must have fallen asleep, deciding perhaps no one deserved the win, as they handed in scorecards of 95-95. Sierra entered the bout the WBO #10 ranked super middleweight, based solely on his knockout of prospect Donovan George last year.

Oscar Meza (21-4, 17 KOs) of Van Nuys, California by way of El Dorado, Sinaloa, Mexico moved past game journeyman Leo Martinez (15-15, 7 KOs) of Columbus, Ohio by way of Ciudad Nezahualcoyotl, Estado de Mexico, Mexico by unanimous eight-round decision.

After a feeling out round one, Meza, 136 ¾, turned up the heat in round two, as he put his punches together a little more. Martinez, 135 ½, became more offensive in round three, but it was still Meza landing the harder shots. Meza really began to put a hurt on Martinez in round five, which was evidenced by the marks on his face. Martinez did not fare any better in the sixth either, as Meza kept up the pressure.

Early in the seventh, a left hook dropped Martinez hard to the canvas. The Ohio-based warrior got right back up and gamely made it out of the round and actually may have won the eighth with his activity level. In the end, all three judges had the bout for Meza, 80-72, 78-73 and 79-72.

Andy Ruiz Jr. (7-0, 5 KOs) of Imperial, California by way of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico battered Kelsey Arnold (4-6-2, 1 KO) of Lexington, Tennessee en route to a third-round stoppage. Ruiz, 257 ½, got rough in round two, bloodying the nose of Arnold, 241, and flooring him with a jab on a break. The potential knockdown was correctly waved off by referee David Mendoza. In the third, Ruiz relentlessly pounded Arnold, who was leaking crimson quite heavily, before Mendoza called a halt to the violence at the 2:19 mark of the third.

Fighting before a vocal supporting crowd in the first walkout bout, debuting Raymond Chacon (1-0) of Los Angeles scored a four-round unanimous decision over Manuel Machorro (0-3) of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. Chacon, 121, was the aggressor in an awkward fight, which was more than enough to get the unanimous verdict over Machorro, 119. All three judges handed in tallies of 40-36 for Chacon.

Jose Roman (9-0, 7 KOs) of Garden Grove, California remained unbeaten with a six-round unanimous decision over Johnny Frazier (2-5-3, 2 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada in the night’s final bout. Frazier, 132, coming off of a four-round decision loss to Jose’s younger brother Jessie Roman, was dropped in the first. A right hook stunned him and set the table for a left hook that cleaned up for the knockdown.

Roman, 133, rocked Frazier with another sweeping left hook in the second. Frazier came alive in the third as he landed well with Roman’s back to the ropes. Roman shut down his offense for a bit after getting buzzed, but awoke late in the fight. The sixth featured some tense action, but in the end Roman had no need to worry, the fight was already his on the cards. In the end, Roman won by scores of 60-53 and 59-54 twice.

In a closer than anticipated contest, Patrick Teixeira (12-0, 10 KOs) of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil just got by Nampa, Idaho’s David Lopez (3-4) via six-round split decision. Lopez, 155 ½, won over the crowd with his active pace, but it was Teixeira, 155, that won over the majority of the official judges in the end. Two had it 59-55 for Teixeira, while one had it the other way, 58-56 for Lopez.

Davis-Sierra Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank
Additional Photos by Mark Ortega

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

SANTA YNEZ, CALIFORNIA — Making the move from prospects to contenders, featherweight Luis Franco and cruiserweight Lateef Kayode were matched tough, but well as they passed their most demanding tests to date at the Chumash Casino Resort on Friday night.

Competing for just the ninth time as a professional, Franco (9-0, 5 KOs) of Miami, Florida by way of Havana, Cuba moved past veteran Leonilo Miranda (32-3, 30 KOs) of Huatabampo, Sonora, Mexico with an entertaining ten-round split decision.

Things did not start out well for Franco, 126, in the first. Miranda, 126, buzzed him early in the round and seemed to score a knockdown with straight left as Franco backed up. Though Franco looked hurt, referee Marcos Rosales ruled it a slip.

After a first round that was all Miranda, Franco came out and boxed in the second as if the fight was starting over. When the former Cuban Olympian utilized his superior boxing skills, he seemed to be on a completely different level than Miranda. Through the fourth round, Franco kept his range and frustrated the free-swinging Mexican with his constant movement.

Inexplicably, with the fight going his way, Franco decided to stand and trade with Miranda in spots. Franco was giving Miranda his only chance for victory, because when the Cuban boxed and moved, the Mexican had no answer. In the fifth, Miranda seemed to stun Franco with a left hook at one such instance, but the Cuban came back and closed out the round well.

In the sixth, Franco, the WBO #9/IBF #13 ranked featherweight contender, went back to his bread and butter style and controlled the next few rounds. Franco closed out the eighth pressuring Miranda against the ropes has he sat down on a flurry. However, in the ninth, Franco again decided to stand his ground and trade with the Mexican puncher. It was a risky move, but Franco was outworking the tiring Miranda.

Franco fought the tenth much the same as the ninth, and Miranda obliged as the round featured some excellent two-way action. Both warriors were visibly tired, but still throwing a ton of punches. Franco’s higher output and movement gave him an edge in the round as they closed out the ten-round bout.

Judge Ray Balewicz saw the fight for Miranda, 96-94. Judges Ralph McKnight and Steve Morrow had Franco the winner, 97-93 and 96-94 respectively. With the win, Franco retained his WBO Intercontinental Featherweight title and likely improved upon his world rankings.

In the co-feature, WBA #4/WBO #4/WBC #6 ranked cruiserweight Lateef Kayode (16-0, 14 KOs) of Hollywood, California by way of Lagos, Nigeria saw his 14-fight knockout streak snapped, but he did score a ten-round unanimous decision over Nicholas Iannuzzi (16-2, 9 KOs) of Tampa, Florida.

Iannuzzi, 198, probably fought the best fight he could have, but it was not enough to win over the official scorers seated ringside. The first two rounds featured little action, as Iannuzzi moved and moved, and Kayode, 199, was far too patient. The fight began to pick up a bit in the third, after Iannuzzi gained some confidence after landing a solid counter right. Iannuzzi began to mix in some offense with his constant movement, as he landed well in spots and wisely got out of danger.

In the fourth, Iannuzzi was even braver, as he stood his ground at times and landed well. Kayode was slow to pick up his work rate until late in the fifth round. The sixth round told the story of the fight. Iannuzzi landed a good combination after countering Kayode and picked his spots at other times in the round. However, the most telling blow was landed by Kayode, a short left that rocked Iannuzzi. It would be up to the judges if they preferred Iannuzzi’s higher output, or Kayode’s one or two power punches.

Iannuzzi continued to stick to the game plan in the seventh, as he landed a quick combination upstairs and quickly got out of range. At one moment, Kayode feinted being hurt to try and entice Iannuzzi forward. Late in the round, Kayode landed a solid hook upstairs and then placed another to the body. The second one seemed to take a little steam out of Iannuzzi for a bit.

Iannuzzi had his moments in the final two rounds, most notably a left hook that snapped Kayode’s head back in the ninth, but the Nigerian’s pressure seemed to win him the rounds. Iannuzzi was not moving as well as earlier in the bout, which allowed Kayode to get more work done. They traded at the bell to close the fight, with Iannuzzi getting one or two in after.

In the end, Iannuzzi had won over the crowd, but had lost the fight. Judge Ray Balewicz had it close, 95-94, but judges Ralph McKnight and Steve Morrow had it rather wide, 97-92 and 98-91 respectively. With the win, Kayode retained his WBO NABO and NABF Cruiserweight titles and gained some much needed experience.

Francisco Santana (12-2, 6 KOs) of Santa Barbara, California returned to action with a devastating first-round stoppage over Adan Leal (6-3, 5 KOs) of Nogales, Arizona by way of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. Santana, 156, quickly got Leal, 158, to retreat to the ropes and uncorked a picture perfect left hook that absolutely wreaked Leal. Referee Marcos Rosales began his count while Leal gamely tried to get to his knee. When Leal fell into the ropes, Rosales waved off the fight at the 1:57 mark of the first.

Welterweight prospect Michael Anderson (10-0, 8 KOs) of New York, New York scored a come from behind victory of sorts, stopping determined journeyman Octavio Narvaez (7-8-1, 4 KOs) of Chinandega, Nicaragua in the fourth round of a scheduled eight.

Narvaez, 148, was an aggressive adversary from the outset as he repeatedly pressured Anderson, 147, to the ropes. Narvaez did not seem to have all that much on his punches, but the sheer volume kept Anderson on the defensive for much of the four rounds. Anderson employed a Floyd Mayweatheresque defense, and was very selective with his shots.

Before the start of the fourth, Anderson was down 30-27 on two cards and 29-28 on the third. Scoring would not matter, as Anderson unleashed a left hook to the body that took the wind and all of the determination out of Narvaez. Official time of the stoppage was 2:42 of the fourth round.

Rufino Serrano (8-3) of nearby Santa Maria, California outboxed Jose Morales (6-3, 1 KO) of Denver, Colorado en route to a six-round unanimous decision. Serrano, 128, had both the better boxing skills and conditioning, which was more than enough to get the better of Morales, 128.

After controlling most of the first three rounds with his jab and movement, Serrano began to sit down on his punches more in the fourth. An exchange of hooks late in the round sent Morales to the ropes where Serrano landed a clean left hook just before the bell. Serrano highlighted the fifth with an attempted bolo punch and a clean uppercut. Morales seemed to be danger of getting stopped in the sixth, but Serrano did not have the power to get him out of there. In the end, two judges scored it 59-55 and the third had it 60-54, all for Serrano.

In his debut under the Gary Shaw Productions promotional banner, Kurtiss Colvin (3-0, 3 KOs) of Austin, Texas wowed the crowd with a first-round knockout of accomplished mixed martial artist-turned boxer Tony Hervey (0-2) of Detroit, Michigan. Hervey, 159 ½, stood up to the onslaught early, but eventually Colvin, 162, caught him with a combination upstairs that sent him bouncing against the ropes on two sides of the ring. Referee Raul Caiz Jr. stopped the bout with the official time of 2:12 of the first.

Former amateur standout Roman Morales (1-0, 1 KO) of San Ardo, California looked impressive in his debut without headgear as he stopped Shaun Solomon (1-2-1) of Moreno Valley, California in the first round. Morales, 123, landed a left hook, followed by a straight right hand up the middle that downed the southpaw Solomon, 124, early in the round. Another left upstairs forced a wobbly Solomon to touch one of his gloves to the canvas and thus another knockdown. Referee Marcos Rosales allowed the fight to go on, but when Morales landed two more hard rights, he leaped in to stop the bout at 2:59 of the first.

Two amateur exhibitions began the night. In spirited bouts, Francisco Ortega, fighting out of the Santa Rita Boxing Club, took on Brandon Gutierrez of the Santa Rita PAL and Maggie Soares of the Santa Rita Boxing Club met Erika Guaderama of the Santa Rita PAL to open up the evening.

Photos by Mark Ortega

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

Since its 2001 debut, Showtime’s long-running series Shobox: The New Generation has been a proving ground for several of the sport’s brightest prospects on their way to claiming world championships. Tonight the series showcases two more unbeaten potential future champions looking to move forward in their careers in separate bouts at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California. Former Cuban Olympian Luis Franco takes on his toughest challenge to date in the form of 34-fight veteran Leonilo Miranda in the main event, while cruiserweight knockout artist Lateef Kayode meets Nicholas Iannuzzi in the co-feature. Fighters weighed in Thursday evening at the casino.

Just four fights ago, Franco (8-0, 5 KOs) of Miami, Florida by way of Havana, Cuba was fighting in a four-rounder. Now, just entering his ninth pro bout, Franco is just a win or two away from serious contention. Franco is coming off of a disqualification victory over once-beaten Eric Hunter in December and now finds himself the WBO #9/IBF #13 ranked featherweight.

Franco, who represented Cuba at the 2004 Olympic Games, plans to fall back on his amateur experience to get past the veteran puncher Miranda. “I won’t have an issue fighting a southpaw,” said Franco. “I fought plenty as an amateur. “I think he’s knocked out guys who just stood in front of him. We won’t be doing that.” Franco will look to outbox the forward-moving Miranda, but the Mexican will be dangerous for every frame of their scheduled ten-rounder. Franco, who will be defending his WBO Intercontinental Featherweight title, scaled 126-pounds.

Miranda (32-2, 30 KOs) of Huatabampo, Sonora, Mexico rebounded from an 0-2 run in 2009 to score two knockouts in 2010, one of which was a short-notice stoppage of Andre Wilson on ESPN2. With an upset victory tonight, Miranda would catapult himself into the world rankings at featherweight. Miranda has to force the fight and try to rough up Franco in order to make his puncher’s chance prove fruitful. “I’m coming to fight ten rounds, but I have the punching power to change the fight at any time,” understands Miranda. “We’ll try for the kayo if it’s there.”

Kayode (15-0, 14 KOs) of Hollywood, California by way of Lagos, Nigeria has allowed only one opponent to last the distance, and that was in his pro debut. Last time out, Kayode, the WBA #4/WBO #4/WBC #6 ranked cruiserweight, stopped Ed Perry with a perfectly place uppercut to the body in the sixth. “These knockouts have been a blessing for me,” said Kayode. “I’m aggressive. If I land a good shot I’m not going to stop. I’ll keep coming until the kayo comes, until they are down.” Kayode, defending his WBO NABO/NABF Cruiserweight titles, weighed 199-pounds for the ten-round encounter.

Iannuzzi (16-1, 9 KOs) of Tampa, Florida has bounced back from his sole defeat to reel off four consecutive victories. The last came against former Kayode knockout victim Jose Luis Herrera, as Iannuzzi scored a six-round unanimous decision this past October. Iannuzzi feels his one loss has served him well. “My only loss was good for me,” said Iannuzzi. “It was a huge stepping stone for me and I won’t let it happen again. I learned a lot from it.” Iannuzzi weighed in at 198-pounds.

In off-television action, Rufino Serrano (7-3) of nearby Santa Maria, California will take on Jose Morales (6-2, 1 KO) of Denver, Colorado in a six-round super featherweight fight. Serrano, who closed out 2010 with a six-round decision over Rodrigo Aranda at the Chumash Casino Resort in December, scaled 128-pounds. Morales, out of action since a first-round stoppage to Gabriel Tolmajyan last April, weighed in at 128-pounds.

Francisco Santana (11-2, 5 KOs) of Santa Barbara, California will take on Adan Leal (6-2, 5 KOs) of Nogales, Arizona by way of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico in a six-round middleweight bout. Santana, coming off of a kayo loss to prospect Karim Mayfield back in November of 2009, scaled 156-pounds, while Leal, a kayo victim in his last two, came in at 158-pounds.

Recently signed by Gary Shaw Productions, Kurtiss Colvin (2-0, 2 KOs) of Austin, Texas will meet Tony Hervey (0-1) of Detroit, Michigan in a four-round middleweight fight. Colvin weighed in at 162-pounds, while Hervey scaled 159 ½-pounds.

Undefeated welterweight prospect Michael Anderson (9-0, 7 KOs) of New York, New York will meet Mexican journeyman Octavio Narvaez (7-9-1, 4 KOs) of Chinandega, Nicaragua in an eight-round bout. Anderson, looking for his seventh straight knockout, scaled 147-pounds, while Narvaez, normally a durable opponent, weighed in at 148-pounds.

In the opener, former amateur star Roman Morales of San Ardo, California makes his pro debut against the capable Shaun Solomon (1-1-1) of Moreno Valley, California in a four-round super bantamweight bout. Morales scaled 123-pounds, while Solomon was 124.

Tickets for event, promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, are available online at ChumashCasino.com.

Quick Weigh-in Results:

WBO Intercontinental Featherweight Title, 10 Rounds
Franco 126
Miranda 126

WBO NABO Cruiserweight Title
NABF Cruiserweight Title, 10 Rounds
Kayode 199
Iannuzzi 198

Super Featherweights, 6 Rounds
Serrano 128
Morales 128

Middleweights, 6 Rounds
Santana 156
Leal 158

Middleweights, 4 Rounds
Colvin 162
Hervey 159 ½

Welterweights, 8 Rounds
Anderson 147
Narvaez 148

Super Bantamweights, 4 Rounds
Morales 123
Solomon 124

Photos by Tom Casino/Showtime

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

FAIRFIELD, CALIFORNIA — Poised to make the move from prospect to contender, middleweight Brandon Gonzales moved past rugged Lester Gonzalez with a decision victory Friday night at the Fairfield Sports Center. In the co-main event, Fairfield’s own Alan Sanchez pleased the overflow crowd as he turned back a tough test in veteran Cristian Favela.

Gonzales (14-0, 10 KOs) of Sacramento utilized his refined boxing skills to outpoint the tough Gonzalez (11-2-1, 6 KOs) of San Diego, California by way of Havana, Cuba over eight rounds. Gonzales, 160, boxed and moved his way through the first round before relying on his powerful right hand more in the second. The southpaw Gonzalez, 162, began to land in the third, as he most notably found a home for a straight left late in the round. That punch, however, was preceded by a well-timed uppercut by Sacramento’s Gonzales.

The fourth was perhaps San Diego’s Gonzalez’ best round. Early in the round, Gonzalez landed a right over Gonzales’ left. As the round progressed, Gonzalez’ left became his primary weapon. Gonzalez’ briefly gained momentum dissipated in the fifth, and it was pretty much Sacramento’s Gonzales’ fight the rest of the way.

As the latter rounds rolled by, Gonzales at times displayed the combination of speed and power that makes him one of the top prospects in the region. Gonzales wobbled Gonzalez with a right early in the sixth round, and continued to rock the San Diego resident with the follow-up barrage. Lester Gonzalez was in retreat before coming back with some offense of his own just before the bell.

The classier boxer Gonzales maintained his edge in the bout down the stretch by dictating the style of the fight and landing the harder shots. When the decision was announced, Brandon Gonzales had taken home a wide unanimous decision victory. One judge had it scored 79-73 and the other two had it 78-74. After the fight, Gonzales’ trainer Jeff Mayweather was succinct in his assessment of the performance. “He stuck with the boxing and made the adjustments necessary,” said Mayweather. “He did what he had to do.” With the win, Gonzales could be in line for a crack at a regional title in the next fight or two.

In co-feature, Alan Sanchez (6-2-1, 2 KOs) took a hard-fought eight-round unanimous decision over gritty journeyman Cristian Favela (28-30-7, 18 KOs) of Los Angeles, California by way of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico.

Sanchez, 146, found Favela, 146, to be an unrelenting and determined adversary, but he was able to make use of his physical advantages enough to earn the unanimous verdict. Sanchez kept his range early in the first, while Favela had trouble moving in close. The momentum of the bout was briefly halted when the lights flickered on and off above the ring.

Sanchez got on his toes and boxed better beginning in the second round. One two-punch combination in particular was a thing of beauty for Sanchez. Favela found some success in the middle rounds, as he took advantage when Sanchez got on his bike. By the sixth, Sanchez superior boxing skills were the difference the bout. However, late in the round, Favela goaded Sanchez into a trading match. The taller, stronger Sanchez got the better of it, but it was Favela’s only hope.

When Sanchez landed a clean combination in the eighth, Favela smiled and immediately offered back. Their exchange kicked off an action-packed close to the fight and it may have been Favela that stole the last round late. In the end, the local favorite Sanchez won comfortably on the cards, by scores of 80-72 and 78-74 twice.

In an impressive performance, Jonathan Garcia (4-0, 3 KOs) of Watsonville, California punished a normally durable Luis Sanchez (0-5) of Fairfield before scoring a second-round stoppage. Garcia, 142, opened round one with a left to the body of Sanchez, 142, and kept control of the bout from that point on.

Garcia rallied Sanchez against the ropes and forced him into a corner. Sanchez was in trouble, but lasted the round. Garcia came out quick in round two and landed a clubbing right that stunned Sanchez against the ropes again. Sanchez was in trouble for most of the second round, but made it to his stool. In the corner, Sanchez’ trainer Jesse Lopez Sr. became aware of an injury to his charge’s left arm and stopped the fight. Official time was 3:00 of round two.

In an out-and-out brawl, Maximilliano Becerra (4-0-1, 2 KOs) of Vacaville, California remained unbeaten with a four-round unanimous decision over game Omar Sanchez (0-1) of Fairfield. The fight, which matched two locals who drew a vocal supporting audience, had just about everyone out of their seats.

After a tense first round in which both had their moments, Beccera, 138 ½, came out guns blazing and seized control of the fight. However, Sanchez, 139, was an undeterred battler that never took a backward step, which made for great action. In the third round, an overhand right landed for Becerra and got Sanchez in some trouble. With Sanchez still reeling, Becerra rattled off a three-punch combination that ended with a crushing left to down the Fairfield resident.

Sanchez made it back to his corner and came out swinging in the fourth. Sanchez managed to work Becerra back into a corner for a stretch, but the Vacaville favorite eventually rolled out and rocked Sanchez at the close of the fight. In the end, two judges had 39-36, with the third scoring it a shutout, 40-35.

In a free-swinging affair, Fairfield’s Lamont Williams (3-1, 1 KO) took a four-round split decision over Hector Martinez (5-5, 4 KOs) of Broderick, California. Williams, 206, outboxed Martinez, 227, in the first, but the tempo of the fight changed before round’s end. Despite winning the boxing match, Williams elected to stand and trade with Martinez to close out the first.

In the second, a more determined Martinez upped his work rate and controlled most of the round. Williams did wake up late in the round to land some hard shots. Martinez came back to rock Williams early in the third. Williams did come back to get in a few tough shots before the bell. With the fight on the table, Williams outworked Martinez for much of the fourth. In the end, one judge favored Martinez, 39-37, but was overruled by the other two, who both had it 39-37 the other way.

Ivan Redkach (6-0, 5 KOs) of Los Angeles by way of Shostka, Ukraine did what he was supposed to do and got journeyman Jaime Orrantia (13-29-5, 4 KOs) of Lakeside, California by way of Los Mochis out of there inside of three rounds.

Redkach, 145, was dominant at the outset and rocked Orrantia, 141, several times in the first. Referee Ray Balewicz missed a knockdown, when a two-punch combination forced Orrantia to touch his right glove to the mat. The southpaw Redlach controlled the second in much the same manner, punishing Orrantia all over the ring.

By the third, Orrantia was ready to go. Redkach rocked him with the first right that landed in the round. With the Mexican in retreat, Redkach pressed forward and eventually downed him with a short blow. Too game for his’ own good, Orrantia got up only to be rocked against the ropes and canvassed again. Balewicz immediately stopped the bout without a count at 1:43 of round three.

With a strong turnout from the local fight fan base, it is expected that tonight’s team of promoters will bring another show back to the area within the next two months. They may need a bigger venue the next time, as reportedly fire marshals turned away ticket holders at the door when the allowed occupancy of the building turned out to be lower than was expected.

Photos by Mark Ortega

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

FAIRFIELD, CALIFORNIA — Middleweight prospect Brandon Gonzales may be on the cusp of emerging on the national scene, but first he must move past once-beaten Lester Gonzalez at the Fairfield Sports Center tonight. Local welterweight prospect Alan Sanchez takes on journeyman Cristian Favela in the Telefutura-televised co-feature. Fighters weighed in Thursday at the Courtyard by Marriott Fairfield Napa Valley Area in Fairfield.

Gonzales (13-0, 10 KOs) of Sacramento, California fought all of 2010 in Nevada, but returns to his home area tonight against Gonzalez (11-1-1, 6 KOs) of San Diego, California by way of Havana, Cuba in the eight-round main event. Gonzales’ promotional team is poised to move him into a regional title bout, but at the time same, they are not looking past Lester Gonzalez. “There are so many opportunities that are being discussed for Brandon,” co-promoter Terry Lane of Let’s Get It On Promotions told 15rounds.com yesterday. “We are looking at ESPN Friday Night Fights for his next fight, if not, the one after. But no one is looking past Lester Gonzalez. What happens with Brandon, and how quickly, may depend on his performance tomorrow.”

San Diego’s Gonzalez is coming in off of his first career loss, an eight-round decision to light middleweight prospect Chris Chatman in November. Ironically it was Lester Gonzalez, a career light middleweight, that had trouble making weight Thursday. The contract weight for the fight was 162-pounds. On his initial try, Gonzalez scaled 164. Brandon Gonzales, who has fight as high as 176-pounds in his career, made it a point to come all the way down to the middleweight limit of 160-pounds. Reportedly Lester Gonzalez sweated off the two pounds to make 162-.

Much of the reason why professional boxing has returned to Fairfield for the first time since the late 1980’s is welterweight Alan Sanchez, who fights in the televised co-main event. Sanchez takes on California matchmakers’ favorite journeyman opponent Cristian Favela (28-30-7, 18 KOs) of Los Angeles, California by way of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. Sanchez (5-2-1, 2 KOs) of Fairfield is coming off of a controversial draw with Luis Grajeda, which was televised on Telefutura. Sanchez had Grajeda down twice in the eight-round bout, but was forced to settle for a unanimous decision draw.

Unfortunately for local fight fans, touted former amateur star Manuel Avila (1-0) of Fairfield will not be in action, as his replacement opponent Manuel Ortega (1-3) of Seattle, Washington could not come close to contracted weight. Avila, who was signed out of the amateurs by manager Cameron Dunkin and Golden Boy Promotions, weighed in at 121-pounds. Ortega came in nine-pounds heavier at 130-.

Undefeated Ivan Redkach (5-0, 4 KOs) of Los Angeles by way of Shostka, Ukraine will take on Jaime Orrantia (13-28-5, 4 KOs) of Lakeside, California by way of Los Mochis in a six-round welterweight fight. Redkach, who has fought his entire pro career in California, scaled 145-pounds, while Orrantia weighed in at 141 ½-pounds.

Luis Sanchez (0-4) of Fairfield hopes to get pro victory number one in front of the hometown crowd as he takes on Jonathan Garcia (3-0, 2 KOs) of Watsonville, California in a four-round light welterweight fight. Sanchez, who is headliner Alan Sanchez’ brother, scaled 142-pounds, as did his opponent Garcia.

Popular local prospect Maximilliano Becerra (3-0-1, 2 KOs) of Vacaville, California will take on debuting Omar Sanchez of Fairfield in a four-round light welterweight fight. Becerra sat out all of 2010, but is ready to get an early start to 2011 and in front of the hundreds of fans who bought tickets out of nearby Vacaville. Becerra weighed in at a career high 138 ½-pounds, while Sanchez came in at 139-.

Heavyweight Hector Martinez (5-4, 4 KOs) of Broderick, California will take on Fairfield’s Lamont Williams (2-1, 1 KO) in a four-round bout. Williams, who trains out of the same JL Tepito Boxing Club in Fairfield as the three Sanchez boys on the card, scaled 206-pounds. Martinez, a longtime Sacramento area favorite, scaled 227-pounds.

The event, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Don Chargin Productions, Jorge Marron Productions and Paco Presents, is announced to be completely sold out.

Quick Weigh-in Results:

Middleweights, 8 Rounds
Gonzales 160
Gonzalez 162*

Welterweights, 8 Rounds
Sanchez 146
Favela 146

Welterweights, 6 Rounds
Redkach 145
Orrantia 141 ½

Light Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Sanchez 142
Garcia 142

Light Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Beccera 138 ½
Sanchez 139

Heavyweights, 4 Rounds
Williams 206
Martinez 227
*originally came in at 164, reportedly made it down to 162 on his second try

Gonzales Photo by Erik Killin/Boxingbb.com
Other Photos by Mary Eble/JLTepitoBoxingClub.org

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

Few prospects in boxing today have had a more difficult four-fight run at the same stage of their professional careers than the recent schedule of welterweight Alan Sanchez. In his last four bouts, the rugged Sanchez (5-2-1, 2 KOs) of Fairfield, California took on four fellow prospects in a row. The combined record of the four was 30-2 at the time of their contests. Tomorrow night, Sanchez gets his first home game and will take on long tenured journeyman Cristian Favela (28-30-7, 18 KOs) of Los Angeles, California by way of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. Their eight-round bout is the Telefutura-televised co-main event emanating from the Fairfield Sports Center.

It is the opinion of several who have sat ringside for Sanchez’ three blemishes, including his trainer Jesse Lopez, that the Fairfield prospect should be undefeated. “Alan hasn’t really lost any fights, they have just taken them from him,” says Lopez, who operates the JL Tepito Boxing Club in Fairfield with his son Jesse Lopez Jr. “But he always gives good fights, and that is why they keep calling us and that is why they have made this fight.”

Sanchez’ most recent bout, against former Mexican Olympian Luis Grajeda, aired nationally on Telefutura. Despite dropping Grajeda twice in an eight-round bout, Sanchez was forced to settle for a draw. “Everybody knew [we won,] but they gave him a draw because Oscar De La Hoya had that guy,” says Lopez. “All the people, they started booing. Even some of De La Hoya’s people said ‘No man, Alan won the fight.’ Don Chargin was there, and he said ‘Jesse, he won clean.’ The commentators, even they said Alan won the fight. Everyone said he won the fight.”

Lopez had talked to the promoters about staging a fight in Fairfield for some time, and after Sanchez’ strong showing against Grajeda, they decided to move forward with the idea. “I told them people like boxing over there,” recalls Lopez. “There are a lot of fanatics of boxing over there. After the Grajeda fight, they told me they were going to bring a fight here. I told them to get some guys from Vacaville to help bring in more people, but you know it’s already all sold out. People keep calling me, but I have to tell them that it is already sold out.”

In all, Lopez has four guys on the card, including Alan’s brother Luis Sanchez. If anyone in the state has had a tougher schedule than Alan, it is his brother Luis (0-4). “Luis is a good fighter. The only thing is that sometimes he doesn’t throw enough punches,” says Lopez. “But I call him the “Machine Gun,” because he can throw punches from anywhere and he can do damage.” Luis will take on his fifth straight unbeaten opponent in Jonathan Garcia (3-0, 2 KOs) of Watsonville, California in a four-rounder. “I know how much hard work boxing is, and that is what I teach my guys, hard work,” says Lopez. “Boxing is hard to predict, because you never know.”

In the televised co-main event, unbeaten middleweight prospect Brandon Gonzales (13-0, 10 KOs) of Sacramento, California returns to fight in his home area for the first time since May of 2009 as he takes on Lester Gonzalez (11-1-1, 6 KOs) of San Diego, California by way of Havana, Cuba in an eight-rounder. Also on the card, is touted Golden Boy prospect Manuel Avila (1-0) of Fairfield and lightweight prospect Maximilliano Becerra (3-0-1, 2 KOs) of nearby Vacaville, California. The sold out event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Don Chargin Productions, Jorge Marron Productions and Paco Presents.

A New Day for Knight

Former title challenger Ava Knight (5-1-2, 2 KOs) and now fighting out of Oakland, California will end a seventeen-month layoff at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California next week in a six-round bout against battle-tested Gloria Salas (3-5-1, 1 KO) of Palm Springs, California.

In her last outing, Knight fell to Ana Maria Torres by unanimous decision in an attempt at the WBC Super Flyweight title. Despite entering the bout battling injuries, Knight lost close on two of the official scorecards in a bout that took place in Torres’ native Mexico. Knight, who has moved from Chico, California to the more fight-happy Oakland, is happy to be returning to the ring.

“After a long lay off, my motivation is higher than ever and I’ve gotten my fire back,” Knight tells 15rounds.com. “I’m hungry this time, and now I am getting the opportunity to show people who I am. I was doubted before and have always been the underdog, but now people will see what I am about and how good I really am. This fight is a warm up for more to come this year.”

In the Telefutura-televised headliner, Cuban prospect Erislandy Lara takes on Delray Raines in a ten-round light middleweight bout. Tickets for the event, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, are available online at FanstaySpringsResort.com.

Escobedo Back March 3rd

Golden Boy will return to the Fantasy Springs Casino on March 3rd, as former lightweight title challenger Vicente Escobedo (22-3, 14 KOs) of Woodland, California will be featured in the main event against an opponent to be announced.

Escobedo is coming off of a unanimous decision defeat to fellow Northern California-based contender Robert Guerrero in November. Escobedo was downed twice, but rallied late in the fight to make for an exciting finish. The night was bittersweet for Escobedo, who proposed to his girlfriend Valerie Zarate in the ring after the fight. Zarate said yes.

That bout was contested at lightweight, but Escobedo plans to make a move in the 130-pound super featherweight class. Escobedo, the IBF #6 ranked lightweight, fought at 130- early in his career, but has been a full-fledged lightweight since 2008. The super featherweight is wide open, with nary a big name, but plenty of opportunities for rapid advancement through the rankings.

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

Sources have informed 15rounds.com that Golden Boy Promotions has put their flag in the ground for the Cinco de Mayo weekend of 2011. Golden Boy reportedly has the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on hold for the date of Saturday, May 7th. Headlining the pay-per-view event would be Saul Alvarez (35-0, 26 KOs) of Juanacatlan, Jalisco, Mexico in a twelve-rounder against an opponent to be determined.

Alvarez, who has been anointed by many as the next Mexican boxing superstar, currently holds the WBC Silver Light Middleweight title. Alvarez successfully defended that title this past Saturday, with a decision victory over longtime division gatekeeper Lovemore Ndou in Mexico. The win capped a busy 2009 campaign for Alvarez, who entered the year as a word-of-mouth prospect. Three of his five wins played to wide U.S. audiences, beginning his stoppages over Jose Miguel Cotto and Carlos Baldomir, which took place on big HBO Pay-Per-View cards and ending with his decision over Ndou, which was televised on HBO Latino.

In recent years, either Golden Boy or rival Top Rank has offered up a pay-per-view event on the weekend that surrounds the Cinco de Mayo holiday. Most times the events feature established Mexican boxing stars. Reportedly Alvarez is targeted for a February or March return before the May pay-per-view event.

Photo by Alma Montiel/World Boxing Council

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

The night was supposed to belong to Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., but instead it was a Humberto Soto victory over Urbano Antillon that fittingly and deservedly took center stage as the main event Saturday night at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Soto (54-7-2, 32 KOs) of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico managed to hold onto his WBC Lightweight title by engaging enough and avoiding just enough over twelve rounds with the hard-charging Antillon (28-2, 20 KOs) of Maywood, California by way of Namiquipa, Chihuahua, Mexico.

Antillon, 135, took the fight to Soto, 134¾, at the outset and the defending champion obliged. The tone of the fight was set right then, and very rarely deviated from a toe-to-toe battle. Antillon, the WBC #6 ranked lightweight, was the aggressor throughout the entire fight and had Soto in trouble at times, but it was the champion’s ability to box when needed that won him the fight. Soto was also the busier and more effective puncher, which helped give him the edge.

In the end, it was a sixth-round point deduction by referee Ray Corona from Antillon for low blows that cost the challenger a draw. Incredibly there were no knockdowns in the fight, as both men were hurt and in trouble several times. The final scores read 115-112 and 114-113 twice, all for Soto to give him the unanimous decision win.

The original plan as outlined by Top Rank promoter Bob Arum would have had the Soto-Antillon winner take on lightweight prospect Brandon Rios in February. However, the nature of tonight’s fight would seem to preclude Soto from competing that soon, something Arum acknowledged after the fight. During the post-fight interviews, Arum suggested that Antillon take on reigning IBF Lightweight Champion Miguel Vazquez on the same card as Soto-Rios, whenever that does take place, and that the winners eventually meet.

In the co-main event, former two-division titleholder Nonito Donaire Jr. (25-1, 17 KOs) of San Carlos, California announced his presence at 118-pounds with a comprehensive four-round destruction of former WBA Bantamweight Champion Wladimir Sidorenko (22-3-2, 7 KOs) of Kiev, Ukraine.

Donaire, 118, was too much for Sidorenko, 117 ½, from round one. Donaire displayed both speed and power against a fighter that looked much smaller than him, even though he had been a bantamweight for most of his career. Donaire scored knockdowns in the first, third and fourth. Sidorenko was bloodied early on and had his nose completely busted by the right hand that put him down for the final time. Official time of the stoppage was 1:48 of round four.

With the victory, Donaire claimed the WBC Continental Americas Bantamweight title and more importantly stayed on track for a clash with unified 118-pound belt holder Fernando Montiel, scheduled to take place on February 19th on HBO. Montiel must first get past unheralded Eduardo Garcia next Saturday in Mexico.

IBF #1 ranked featherweight Miguel Angel Garcia (24-0, 20 KOs) of Oxnard, California maintained his standing amongst the upper echelon at 126-pounds with a fifth-round knockout over Olivier Lontchi (18-2-2, 8 KOs) of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Garcia, 123¼, downed a hurt Lontchi, 125 ½, with a right hand in the fifth. Lontchi sat on the seat of his trunks, seemingly debating his participation in the remainder of the bout. After getting up, Lontchi was downed again by a Garcia flurry. Referee Jerry Cantu counted Lontchi out as the Canadian shook his head to signal that he had had enough. Official time of the stoppage was 1:30. With the win, Garcia remains in line for an eventual shot at IBF/WBA Featherweight Champion Yuriorkis Gamboa.

Pawel Wolak (28-1, 18 KOs) of Mount Arlington, New Jersey by way of Debica, Poland overcame a terrible start to score a seventh-round stoppage over Jose Pinzon (18-2-1, 12 KOs) of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.

Wolak, 161 ½, was downed in the second and nearly out, before turning around the round and the fight before the three minutes were up. Pinzon, 159, seemed drained by the end of the second and never found himself in control again. The much shorter Wolak, who had been signed for tonight’s main event against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., pressed the fight from the third round on. Finally the fifth, Pinzon was stopped on his feet while taking a serious barrage of unanswered punches. Official time of the bout was 2:24 of the seventh.

Undefeated Jessie Roman (5-0, 3 KOs) of Santa Ana, California turned back the tough challenge of Johnny Frazier (2-4-3, 2 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada via four-round unanimous decision. Despite lopsided final tallies, Frazier, 132 ½, was very much in the fight. However it was Roman, 133 ½, that won over the judges with his aggression. In the end, Roman took all three cards by the scores of 39-37 and 40-36 twice.

Photos by Chris Farina/Top Rank

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

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA — Andre Ward successfully defended his WBA Super Middleweight title with a hard-fought twelve-round decision over WBA #13 ranked Sakio Bika before a crowd of 4,120 Saturday night at the Oracle Arena to set up a Super Six showdown with Arthur Abraham sometime in the first quarter of 2011.

Ward (23-0, 13 KOs) of Oakland may have left the ring with the most bruises of his professional career, but showed his class in a lopsided decision win over the rough and rugged Bika (28-5-2, 19 KOs) of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia by way of Douala, Cameroon.

The fight was a wrestling match at the outset in an ugly first round, as the two tangled up for the most part. Bika, 168, may have landed the one telling blow in the round before the two collided for the first of many accidental headbutts. The roughhouse tactics continued in round two, with headbutting, clinching and wrestling. Ward, 168, looked to referee Dan Stell for some help, but nothing slowed Bika’s approach.

Bika blatantly utilized his elbow in the third and Ward took to holding Bika’s left. Bika allowed the holding and began clubbing Ward with his free right. With the inside fight going Bika’s way for the most part, Ward began to find his range on the outside and implementing his superior boxing skills. The two traded to close the third, with Ward landing the best shot and Bika getting one in after the bell.

Ward landed with a left to open the fourth and continued to box well when at a distance. Ward leaped in with a flurry that rocked Bika against the ropes. Even though Bika appeared hurt by the combination and was holding on before he fell, Stell waved off the knockdown. Bika continued to hold on when the action resumed, and Ward continued to press forward. It would appear that all of Bika’s rule-bending had gotten under Ward’s skin, as the usually composed champion was opening up more freely than in fights past.

Another bad accidental headbutt started the fifth. Bika landed with a solid right over the top that had Ward covering up. Both fighters got in their licks in the round before Bika landed a good shot late and Ward jumped back with a couple of his own. Bika smiled and patted Ward on the head after the bell.

The pace of the fight slowed a bit in rounds six through eight. Bika had his moments in those rounds, as most of the action took place on the inside. At one instance, Ward complained to Stell, and Bika forearmed him right in front of the referee.

Ward came on in the ninth and hurt Bika against the ropes. With Bika holding on for dear life, the referee struggled to break up the clinching and lectured the two once they let go of each other. With the fight going Ward’s way, Bika turned to boxing and found little to no success. Bika left the round with a cut over his left eye and little hope for turning around the fight.

After Ward continued to outbox Bika in the tenth and eleventh, Bika got wild in the twelfth, but could not get much done. In the end, all three judges had it a landslide for the defending the champion. Judge Marty Sammon had it a shutout, 120-108, judges Jon Schorle and Hunter Walton both had it 118-110 all for Ward.

After the fight, Bika was asked to compare Ward and current IBF Super Middleweight titleholder Lucian Bute, who had defeated the Cameroonian back in 2007 and is regarded by most as either the number one or number two in the division. “The more difficult fighter was maybe Andre Ward,” said Bika. “Andre Ward today was stronger and threw harder, so I think Andre Ward was the tougher one.”

Now Ward can shift his focus to his Super Six World Boxing Classic semi-final opponent Arthur Abraham, who was completely outboxed in a one-sided loss to Carl Froch earlier in the evening in Helsinki, Finland. However, when pressed for his thoughts on the match-up, Ward seemed reluctant to begin that process, and was brief in speaking on the subject. “This is the perfect guy to get ready for a fight like that,” said Ward. “I’m just pleased with the win. I am going to go back do better.”

Determining fight sites has been a factor in many of the disputes and spats that have occurred between the various camps throughout much of the tournament. Ward promoter Dan Goossen mentioned a desire to hold the fight on the Caribbean resort island country Saint Lucia and made it clear he would not make the fight in Germany. Though Ward fought in Saint Lucia back in 2007, it would be considered even ground. “Sauerland [Event] will not come out here to Oakland,” said Goossen. “We have a contract that allows for both parties to have a mutual agreement on a site, and in this case, a neutral site.”

Javier Molina (5-0, 4 KOs) of Norwalk, California was taken the distance for the first time in his professional career by journeyman Francisco Rios Gil (17-14, 12 KOs) of Phoenix, Arizona by way of Huatabampo, Sonora, Mexico in the final preliminary bout before tonight’s main event.

Molina, 149, utilized his boxing skills instead of overpowering the veteran Rios Gil, 149, as he had done his previous four opponents. After four rounds, all three judges had the fight for Molina by the scores of 39-37 and 40-36 twice.

In what was more of a boxing match than the action fight most had expected, Michael Ruiz Jr. (6-0-1, 3 KOs) of Fresno, California fought to a six-round split decision draw with the always tough Jonathan Alcantara (4-3-2) of Novato, California.

The fight got off to a bit of a slow start, as Ruiz, 120 ½, and Alcantara, 119, went through the feeling out process. The action began to heat up a bit to start the second, as Ruiz and Alcantara decided to exchange. As the fight progressed, Alcantara took on the role of boxer-mover and Ruiz continued to come forward. The fight would become an inside battle in spots, but for the most part was an exhibition of boxing skill. In the end, two judges had it 58-56, one for each man, while the third official scorer forced the draw with a 57-57 score.

Promising super middleweight Cornelius White (16-0, 15 KOs) of Houston, Texas continued to destroy everything put in front of him as he decimated experienced and usually durable Demetrius Davis (20-25-5, 8 KOs) of Washington, District of Columbia in one round.

White, 171 ½, seemingly hurt Davis, 166, with everything that he threw in the fight. White scored a knockdown right off the bat with a straight left jab and Davis never seemed to recover. A quick flurry with Davis leaning on the ropes scored knockdown number two. Davis got up wobbly and nearly fell through the ropes once White connected again. What could have been scored a knockdown was not, and the fight continued. Davis, getting knocked around the ring, managed to wave to the crowd and fire a quick flurry to end the round, but the ringside physician decided to call the fight before the start of the second.

Previously unheralded Khadaphi Proctor (6-6-1) of Hesperia, California scored three knockdowns en route to unceremoniously ending the undefeated run of lightweight prospect Stan Martyniouk (10-1, 1 KO) of Sacramento, California. Proctor, 135, surprisingly dropped Martyniouk, 134 ½, twice in the first and once in the third.

A right hand downed Martyniouk for the first time early in round one and a left hook scored the second minutes later. The second knockdown clearly hurt Martyniouk, who rose seconds before the end of the round. After getting beat for most of the second, Martyniouk sprung to life with two hard lefts just before the bell.

Just as it seemed Martyniouk was getting back in to the fight, he traded lefts with Proctor in the third. Unfortunately for Martyniouk, Proctor’s landed first and hardest, and prompted the third knockdown. To Martyniouk’s credit, he kept trying and clearly began to sit down on his punches with all that he could, but Proctor took them well and fired back. They traded punches after the bell to end the fifth, with Martyniouk’s landing last.

After a good round for Martyniouk to end the fight, the unanimous decision verdict was rendered in favor of Proctor. Judge Kermit Bayless scored it 56-55, while judges Marshall Walker and Michael Tate had it 58-53, all for Proctor.

Roman Andreev (10-0, 7 KOs) of the Komi Republic, Russia remained unbeaten in the opener, with a six-round decision over Manuel Del Cid (4-4, 1 KO) of Los Angeles, California. Andreev, 135, got off to a rough start early in round one, but bounced back late and stalked Del Cid, 135, for most of the second stanza.

Andreev took over mid-fight with his relentless pressure en route a six-round unanimous decision. Judge Kermit Bayless had it 59-55, while judges Marshall Walker and Michael Tate both had it a 60-54 shutout for Andreev.

In the walkout bout, Matt Villanueva (4-0, 4 KOs) of Van Nuys, California scored a third-round stoppage over Adrian Aleman (6-8-3, 4 KOs) of Cathedral City, California. Villanueva, 117 ½, flashed his speed and power throughout the bout, a fight that Aleman, 117, was never really in. In the third round, Villanueva landed a combination that prompted referee Ray Balewicz to stop the fight. Official time was 43 seconds of the third.

Photo by Craig Bennett/Goossen Tutor Promotions

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

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA — Their fight may not be part of the Super Six World Boxing Classic, but the outcome of tonight’s Andre Ward-Sakio Bika title bout may have greater implications on the tournament than even the Carl Froch-Arthur Abraham clash which will end hours earlier. Ward is not only defending his WBA belt, but the remaining sanctity of the Super Six concept against a determined and willing challenger that was not deemed “Super” enough for whatever reasons. Their fight, to be televised live by Showtime, takes place on Ward’s home turf, the Oracle Arena in Oakland. Fighters weighed in Friday, down the road at the Hilton Oakland Airport.

Bika (28-4-2, 19 KOs) of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia by way of Douala, Cameroon has been a perennial 168-pound contender since battling then-WBC ruler Markus Beyer to a technical draw in 2006. Bika’s wild career has seen him lose to Joe Calzaghe before a packed M.E.N. Arena in Manchester, England on international television to fighting in relative obscurity on undercards in Australia. Bika’s biggest claim to fame was winning The Contender reality series tournament in 2007, but he did so at a time when the show had been placated to ESPN and thus the victory did not have the career-lifting effect such as it had for its initial run. However, with an upset victory tonight, Bika will have turned the division on its ear.

Ward (22-0, 13 KOs) of Oakland has distanced himself from the pack in the Super Six as the clear favorite and the fighter to most likely emerge from tournament as a new boxing star. Ward knocked off the pre-tourney favorite Mikkel Kessler to claim the WBA Super Middleweight title and carried that momentum into a twelve-round drubbing of Allan Green this past June. Now Ward attempts to solidify his claim to the throne of division leader against the WBA #13 ranked Bika. Those who believe that title belongs to Lucian Bute will have some basis for a comparison once tonight’s bout is over, as Bika dropped a clear-cut decision to the reigning IBF belt-holder over three years ago. Both Ward and Bika scaled an even 168-pounds Friday.

In undercard action, 2008 U.S. Olympian Javier Molina (4-0, 4 KOs) of Norwalk, California will take on weathered journeyman Francisco Rios Gil (17-13, 12 KOs) of Phoenix, Arizona by way of Huatabampo, Sonora, Mexico in a six-round light middleweight bout. Molina, who came in at 149-pounds, takes the ring for the second time in two months after an injury-induced fourteen-month layoff. Rios Gil, who scaled 149 as well, has built up his win total in Mexico and most of his loss total against American prospects, as is the case tonight.

Lightweight prospect Stan Martyniouk (10-0, 1 KO) of Sacramento, California will take on Khadaphi Proctor (6-5-1) of Hesperia, California in a six-round fight. Martyniouk, who came in at 134 ½-pounds, took on renowned world class trainer Joe Goossen just before his last fight in July and gets a chance to show off what he has learned tonight in front of some of his supporters making the short trip down to Oakland from Northern California. Proctor, coming off of a pay-per-view victory over Rynell Griffin two months ago, scaled 135-pounds.

Promising super middleweight Cornelius White (15-0, 14 KOs) of Houston, Texas will take on the experienced Demetrius Davis (20-24-5, 8 KOs) of Washington, District of Columbia in a swing bout set for either six or eight-rounds and contracted for just over the 168-pound division limit. After a brief amateur run, White has reeled of an impressive knockout tally, but will take on by far the most durable opponent of his career to date. Davis began his career when White was just five-years-old and worked his way to a regional title try against Thomas Tate in 1998, before taking a nearly nine-year sabbatical from the sport. White came in at 171 ½-pounds, while Davis scaled 166.

There may not be a bona fide co-feature on the card, but the supporting bout of the night is expected to be the six-rounder between former national amateur standout Michael Ruiz Jr. (6-0, 3 KOs) of Fresno, California and all-action fighter Jonathan Alcantara (4-3-1) of Novato, California. Ruiz, who scaled 120 ½-pounds, has torn through his competition since turning pro just over seven months ago. Alcantara, who came in at 119, has made a career out of going against former national amateur stars, posting a 2-2 record in such fights.

Bantamweight prospect Matt Villanueva (3-0, 3 KOs) of Van Nuys, California takes on six-year veteran Adrian Aleman (6-7-3, 4 KOs) of Cathedral City, California in a four-round bout. Villanueva, who came in at 117 ½-pounds, has blasted out three opponents in just under eleven combined minutes. Aleman, who scaled 117, has dropped five straight, but four came against unbeaten foes and all went the distance.

In a swing bout scheduled for either four or six-rounds, unbeaten lightweight Roman Andreev (9-0, 7 KOs) of the Komi Republic, Russia will take on Manuel Del Cid (4-3, 1 KO) of Los Angeles, California. Andreev, who trained for the bout in Southern California, scaled 135-pounds. Del Cid, who also scaled 135 on Friday, has the unenviable task of taking on Andreev in his first fight since suffering a second-round knockout at the hands of Jose Benavidez Jr. just over two months ago.

Quick Weigh-in Results:

WBA Super Middleweight Championship, 12 Rounds
Ward 168
Bika 168

Light Middleweights, 6 Rounds
Molina 149
Rios Gil 149

Lightweights, 6 Rounds
Martyniouk 134 ½
Proctor 135

Light Heavyweights, 6 or 8 Rounds
White 171 ½
Davis 166

Super Bantamweights, 6 Rounds
Ruiz Jr. 120 ½
Alcantara 119

Bantamweights, 4 Rounds
Villanueva 117 ½
Aleman 117

Lightweights, 4 or 6 Rounds
Andreev 135
Delcid 135

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

The Super Six World Boxing Classic has given Andre Ward the platform to showcase his skills like never before in his professional career, but the ride has been full of surprises. When the three Group Stages were first charted out, Ward was to fight then reigning WBA kingpin Mikkel Kessler, followed by Jermain Taylor and then ultimately Andre Dirrell in the third stage. Well he fought (and dominated) Kessler to claim the title, but it has been one curveball after another since. The latest will be that he will not have a Group Stage 3 fight at all, having already qualified for the semi-finals, and will instead defend his title against rugged two-time title challenger Sakio Bika this coming Saturday at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.

Bika (28-4-2, 19 KOs) of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia by way of Douala, Cameroon provides a very different challenge than Dirrell would have. A muscularly built specimen, Bika is a straight forward clubber who rarely takes a backward, or lateral, step. “I think that everybody in the boxing world knows what Bika is going to do,” stated Ward at a press conference two weeks ago. “He’s going to come full steam ahead. He’s going to swing with both arms. He’s not a really skillful guy, but he throws a lot of wild punches. I just got to have my eyes open and just continue to do what I do and that is a little bit of everything.”

As Ward (22-0, 13 KOs) of Oakland proved in both his title-winning effort against Kessler and his Group Stage 2 drubbing of Allan Green, he is a fighter that can adapt mid-fight in order fight the best fight possible. “I try not to put myself in a box because adjustments in these big fights are key,” says Ward. “We didn’t plan to fight Allan Green necessarily the way we fought him the last time. We were going to get inside in spots, but it turned out to be close combat for most of the night. It just happened and I had to make that adjustment on the fly. We always have a general game plan, but we always keep the door open for adjustments that need to be made. As the fight unfolds I will know what I need to do based on what Bika is doing or based on what he is not doing.”

Bika has fought many of the top super middleweights of recent years, and though he has come up short against the very upper tier, he has never been stopped. Ward is very much aware of Bika’s solid chin. “I am not going to come outside of myself to try and prove anything,” said Ward. “I am going to do what I do, but just try to do it a little better. Sakio Bika has never been stopped and that is obviously the goal. Win the fight, but that would definitely be great to get a stoppage in this fight.”

Along with his reputation for an aggressive style and solid whiskers, Bika has been known to go outside the rules at times. The most recent example would be Bika’s disqualification loss to Jean Paul Mendy in September. Despite dominating the action and downing Mendy, Bika ended up the loser for clubbing Mendy while he was down, much in the same fashion Arthur Abraham did against Andre Dirrell earlier in the year.

In preparing for Bika, Ward has noticed the trend of fouls in his past and will likely take measures against falling victim to any similar tactics. “At the end of the day, the referee has a job to do, but I am also going to protect myself,” proclaimed Ward. “He does get very frustrated at times. I saw in the Peter Manfredo fight he got upset with the referee because he didn’t agree with a call, and push the referee. He headbutted Lucian Bute on purpose. He hits behind the head. I am not going to call him a dirty fighter, but let’s just say that he tends to do those things and we are prepared for that.”

While a bout with Dirrell would have likely provided for a scientific boxing match, the clash against Bika should instead provide for an action-packed contest. In fact, Bika could be Ward’s sternest test to date. “Bika is, in my estimation, probably the toughest guy we have fought when it comes to just pure, unadulterated toughness,” said Ward’s trainer Virgil Hunter. “We have a good plan, and we plan to see that through. I think it is going to be a very entertaining and eventful night.”

With the Super Six ongoing, it would not be surprising if the tournament front runner Ward were to look past Bika this coming Saturday, and look forward to his next opponent. But with expectations higher than ever, Ward continues to say all the right things. “I have a lot of stiff competition, first with my fight on November 27, but also as the tournament moves forward into the semi-finals and finals,” said Ward. “I just want you guys to know that I am preparing, I’m dedicating myself, and putting in all the hard work. I want to do everything I can to put on a tremendous performance and outdo the last performance. I have a tough opponent in Sakio Bika. Sakio is going to bring it, but I am going to bring it too, so we should have a good fight.”

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

This past Saturday night at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington, longtime local favorite David Torres fought to a majority draw with Santos Pakau in an action-packed ten-round contest. Torres (21-2-1, 13 KOs) of Othello, Washington felt as though he won the fight and talked to 15rounds.com about the draw and his future plans.


Watch 15rounds.com Interview with David Torres

This past Saturday at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington, veteran Santos Pakau fought a spirited battle with David Torres en route to a ten-round majority draw. Pakau (27-6-2, 10 KOs) of Spokane, Washington by way of Auckland, New Zealand felt that he had deserved the nod and was obviously dejected by the official decision, but spoke to 15rounds.com about the fight and his future.


Watch 15rounds.com Interview with Santos Pakau

Competing for the first time in over three-years, Lafarrell Bunting flexed his still formidable power with a sixth-round stoppage over Junior Moar at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington this past Saturday. Bunting (17-3-1, 17 KOs) of Memphis, Tennessee spoke to 15rounds.com about the victory and a potential match-up with world ranked Otis Griffin.


Watch Lafarrell Bunting Interview with 15rounds.com