FIGHT GAME CHATTER….AVILA

UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre (21-2) of Canada defends his mixed martial arts title against California’s Jake Shields (26-4-1) on Saturday April 30 in Canada. Shields was the Strikeforce welterweight champion. Also on the UFC 129 fight card is Randy Couture facing Lyoto Machida and UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo fighting Mark Hominick. It will be televised on pay-per-view.

Author Araceli Martinez will be having a book signing for her new book “El Negocio de Dolor” on Thursday April 28 at the JW Marriott Hotel in LA Live. The proceedings begin at 7 p.m. and several prominent prizefighters such as new WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz are expected to attend and sign autographs.

Junior welterweight prospect Frankie Gomez headlines a Golden Boy Promotions fight card on Thursday April 28 at Club Nokia in downtown L.A. The undefeated East L.A. boxer already has eight fights and eight wins. The first bout begins at 7 p.m. For more information (877) 234-8425.

NABF junior welterweight titleholder Mauricio Herrera (16-1, 7 KOs) faces Mexico’s Cristian Favela (28-32-7) an experienced veteran who’s proven to be capable of beating anybody who takes him lightly. The Thompson Boxing Promotions fight card takes place on Friday April 29 at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario.

WBA featherweight titleholder Hyun Mi Choi (4-0) defends against Canada’s Sandy Tsagouris (10-1) on Friday April 29 in South Korea. This is Choi’s fourth world title defense. All have taken place in South Korea.

Oxnard’s David Rodela (15-3-3, 6 KOs) and Las Vegas boxer Lonnie Smith (12-2-2, 9 KOs) clash in a junior middleweight fight on Friday April 29, in Reno, Nevada. Smith is on a seven-fight winning streak. Rodela has only one win in four fights but has fought superior competition and trains with Manny Pacquiao.

Argentina’s Luis Lazarte (48-9-2, 18 KOs) defends the IBF junior flyweight world title against Mexico’s Ulises Solis (32-2-3, 21 KOs) on Saturday April 30 in Buenos Aires. Lazarte, 40, fought Solis to a draw last December.

Mexico’s Gilbert Keb Bass (35-20-4, 22 KOs) defends the WBC junior flyweight title against fellow Mexican Adrian Hernandez  (20-1-1, 12 KOs) on Saturday April 30 in Texcoco, Mexico. It’s Bass’s second title defense.

Colombia’s Jesus Geles (12-1-1, 5 KOs) fights for the vacant WBO junior flyweight world title against Mexico’s Raul Hirales (15-2-1, 8 KOs) on Saturday April 30 in Mexico City. Geles beat Hirales by majority decision in Colombia this past February.

Former mini-flyweight world champion Raul Garcia (29-1-1, 17 KOs) of La Paz, Mexico fights Rommel Asenjo (20-2, 16 KOs) of the Philippines on Saturday April 30 in Mexico City. The winner becomes the IBF mini-flyweight world titleholder.

IFBA mini-flyweight women’s titleholder Ji-Hyun Park (12-2, 4 KOs) defends against Hungary’s Krisztina Belinsky (27-6-2) on Sunday May 1 in Gimpo, South Korea. This is  Park’s seventh world title defense. Belinsky holds the WIBF and GBU world titles.

Riverside’s Juan Reyes (2-0-1) beat Glendale’s Azat Hovhannesyan (0-1) by unanimous decision on Saturday in Los Angeles. The junior lightweight bout was the best fight of the night on the under card of the Vic Darchinyan win over Yonnhy Perez in a battle of bantamweight world champions. Reyes is trained by Willy Silva.

Junior featherweight prospect Robert Marroquin (19-1, 14 KOs) was upset by Mexico’s Francisco Leal (15-5-3, 9 KOs) and lost by split decision on Friday in Oklahoma. In a heavyweight match Andy Ruiz (10-0, 6 KOs) remained undefeated by decision over Angel Herrera (6-5-3) after six rounds.

Monty Meza Clay (30-3, 20 KOs) won by split decision over Oscar Cuero (13-6, 10 KOs) after eight rounds of a junior lightweight match. The fight took place on Friday in Pittsburgh, PA.

Two Riverside contenders Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola  and Josesito Lopez are getting ready for televised fights. Arreola faces Nagi Aguilera on May 14 at the Home Depot Center. On the same card is WBA super middleweight titleholder Andre Ward facing Arthur Abraham. Lopez defends the NABF junior welterweight title against Steve Chambers on May 27 in Reno.

Brothers Librado Andrade (29-3, 22 KOs) and Enrique Ornelas (30-7, 20 KOs) are set to headline the Fantasy Springs Casino fight card on May 6 in Indio. Andrade is a highly ranked super middleweight contender and Ornelas is a middleweight contender. No opponents have been named. For tickets and information (800) 827-2946.

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