Avila Perspective Chap 361 Las Vegas is Back in Boxing … and More

Avila Perspective Chap 361 Las Vegas is Back in Boxing … and More

Las Vegas is back in boxing.

After one of the lightest years in memory, boxing returns with not one but two boxing events on back-to-back nights in the casino capital of the world.

Zuffa Boxing makes its debut on Friday Jan. 23 with Ireland’s Callum Walsh (15-0, 11 Kos) meets Carlos Ocampo (38-3, 26 Kos) at Meta Apex in Las Vegas. Paramount will stream the Zuffa Boxing card.

The name Zuffa is familiar to fans of UFC but for boxing fans that don’t follow MMA, Zuffa is Dana White’s organization. He also advises Walsh and administrates UFC. Meta Apex located at 6650 El Camino Road in Las Vegas.

Many of the fighters appearing on the Zuffa show may seem familiar because fighters like Walsh have been participating for 360 Boxing Promotions. Also, on this same card super lightweight Cain Sandoval (17-0, 15 Kos) fights Julian Rodriguez (24-1, 15 Kos) in the co-main event.

Anything can happen in boxing. Both main events are not sure things.

Walsh, 24, is coming off an entertaining scrap against Fernando Vargas Jr. on the undercard of Terence Crawford and Canelo’s massive showdown in Las Vegas this past September. Now he faces Ocampo whose three losses came against Tim Tszyu, Sebastian Fundora and Errol Spence Jr. It’s a test for Walsh to see where he belongs among the top middleweights.

Sandoval versus Rodriguez is another test for both fighters to see who moves into title contention. Sacramento’s Sandoval gets better and better and has a four-fight knockout streak going. New Jersey’s Rodriguez is no slouch and knocked off one of Jake Paul’s highly-rated fighters Avious Griffin this past June. It’s a typical east versus west showdown.

One more notable addition is East L.A.’s Omar Trinidad (19-0-2, 13 Kos) fighting Max Ornelas (17-2-1, 6 Kos) of Las Vegas in a featherweight clash. Both are tall for the weight division.

Matchroom Boxing on Saturday in Vegas

Las Vegas hosts another boxing card on Saturday Jan. 24, when Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz (6-0, 3 KOs) and Southern California’s Raymond Muratalla (23-0, 17 Kos) vie for the IBF lightweight world title at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas.

DAZN will stream the Matchroom Boxing card.

Cruz fits the mold for slick Cuban boxer with an extensive amateur pedigree that includes winning gold at Tokyo Olympics. He defeated Keyshawn Davis in a match that was very close and could have gone the other way with no argument. Like most Cuban amateur fighters he tends to hold when in close. That will be the difference when he meets Muratalla.

Fontana’s Muratalla does not fit the mold of most Mexican fighters. He has a slick boxing style and is defensive minded. He trains with Robert Garcia so that alone gives him top sparring against monsters on an everyday basis. But he can crack too.

This title fight is a chess match. Cruz has extensive amateur experience and Muratalla has extensive pro-style experience. And the world title is at stake.

Also on the same boxing card will be former super welterweight world champion Israil Madrimov (10-2-1) who seeks to turn things around when he faces Luis David Salazar (20-1) in a middleweight fight set for 10 rounds.

Madrimov has lost back-to-back fights but to a couple of the best fighters at any weight in Terence Crawford and Vergil Ortiz Jr. No shame in those losses. The former champ needs a statement win to prove he still has the championship pedigree.

Others on the Matchroom card include Khalil Coe, Omari Jones and undefeated Cuban middleweight Ronny Alvarez.

Las Vegas is back in the boxing business this weekend.

For decades boxing has brought fans to Las Vegas as far back as 1955 when the great Archie “the Mongoose” Moore fought Nino Valdes for a heavyweight title at Cashman Field on May 2, 1955. Moore won by decision after 15 rounds.

Others like Sugar Ray Robinson performed in Las Vegas too. Robinson fought Gene Fuller on March 5, 1961 His fight was soon followed by the great Muhammad Ali who met Duke Sabedong at the Convention Center on June 26, 1961. From that point on Las Vegas soon became the casino city’s solution to increased patronage.

Lately, the past two years have seen other areas lure fans to different destinations in Monaco, Dubai, and Riyadh. But somehow for American fans at least, Las Vegas remains a preferred destination when it comes to boxing.

Commerce Casino fights

Also on Saturday, a boxing card takes place by G-1 Promotions that features a number of hot prospects including undefeated middleweight Isaiah Carr, lightweight Lorenzo Powell and feather Fidencio Hernandez at Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif.

Bash TV will stream the G-1 Promotions card.

A female bout pits Elvina White (6-1) versus Celene Roman (6-4-1) in a super feather contest.

Fights to Watch (all times Pacific Time)

Fri. Paramount 3 p.m. Callum Walsh (15-0) vs Carlos Ocampo (38-3)

Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. Andy Cruz (6-0) vs Raymond Muratalla (23-0).

Sat. BashTV 5 p.m. Lorenzo Powell (5-0) vs Alejandro Medina (3-7).