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Will Machismo Help or Hurt Josesito Lopez & Alfredo Angulo?

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Machismo is part of professional boxing, especially among prizefighters of Mexican heritage.

Every so often, a prizefighter has to fight the urge to bang it out.

When Josesito Lopez (30-5, 18 Kos) meets Marcos Maidana (pictured, in Showtime photo; 33-3, 30 Kos) in a welterweight clash and Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo (22-2, 18 Kos) meets Erislandy Lara (17-1-2, 11 Kos) in a junior middleweight fight on Saturday June 8, at the Home Depot Center, on Showtime, it’s a perfect time to calm the blood rush of machismo. Otherwise two fighters might be wondering what happened.

Riverside’s Lopez, a Mexican-American, has never been called a pure boxer and has never tried to be a nimble-footed boxing dandy. The best way to describe the lanky welterweight is a prizefighter with a lot of heart. He has some pop, he has a good chin and he will not ever quit.

“He has a lot of heart,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions who consented to match Lopez with Victor Ortiz and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez last year. “Even when he was knocked down by Canelo he didn’t quit.”

That’s Lopez.

Argentina’s Maidana is almost cartoonish in appearance. The hard-punching South American visibly looks like a human-shaped anvil ready to squash anyone that dares match him punch for punch. When opponents try to slug it out, a sly devilish smile appears on his face. That alone should scare foes from trying that tact.

“I’m going to do whatever it takes to win,” said Maidana and hopefully that doesn’t include head butts from that squarish-looking head. He doesn’t need anything but those large balloon fists that look inflated with helium.

Lopez has to fight the machismo and utilize his long reach and height advantage much like Erik Morales did a couple of years ago when he fought Maidana. Can he do it? Will he do it?

“I think really the grounds are even and really the best fighter, the smarter fighter is going to win,” Lopez conceded.

But once he gets hit can Lopez refrain from slugging it out?

Machismo plays a big part in his boxing style.

Cuban stylist vs. Mexican stalker

Cuba’s fighting system will literally be at center court when southpaw Erislandy Lara confronts Mexico’s Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo for the interim WBA junior middleweight title.

The swift moving Lara meets the irresistible force of Angulo on Saturday June 8, at the Home Depot tennis stadium.

Since the 1960s the Cuban boxing system has churned out fighting machines on a yearly basis in the amateurs. An endless list of eye-popping talent like the late Teofilo Stevenson emanated from the island nation with their technical precision punching honed to a shiny glow.

Lara has that smooth buttery style of movement and efficiency like a man trained to handle potentially deadly bottles of explosive nitroglycerine. He moves with grace and confidence around the ring despite facing foes with mind sapping power. He credits the Cuban boxing program for his technical prowess.

“I was part of the best system in the world,” said Lara, who won multiple gold medals in boxing as an amateur before defecting to the U.S. “I’ve seen Angulo and I know how he fights. I know what to do.”

Machismo is a major part of Angulo’s Mexican stalker style. When he enters the ring he looks to destroy whoever is in front of him.

Raised in the hard streets of Mexicali, a border town known for violence and mayhem, Angulo was reared from an early age to be able to defend himself with his fists. His straight-forward, full steam-ahead style has brought him thousands of fans who love his penchant for knockouts.

“Erislandy is a good fighter and I am good fighter too.  I think this would be a good fight for the belt,” said Angulo, who is now being trained by Virgil Hunter, who also trains Andre Ward. “I’m working on my plan for Lara.”

Training with Hunter in Northern California has its benefits for Angulo, especially if it includes working with speedsters and proficient boxers like Ward and Amir Khan. Though Angulo loves to stalk Mexican style he can box as seen in some of his fights.

Machismo is part of Angulo’s game but will it help or hurt?

Lara expects machismo from the Mexican power slugger.

“I’m a technical fighter and he’s a brawler, and we’ll see who has the longer career,” said Lara. “The Cuban fighters are the best technical fighters in the world.”

Angulo doesn’t fight with words.

“I’ll see you in the ring,” said Angulo during a recent telephone press conference.

Can machismo beat technique on Saturday?

Other bouts of interest

Undefeated Ronny Rios (20-0, 9 Kos) of Southern California fights Leonilo Miranda (32-5, 30 Kos) in a featherweight clash. Earlier this year Rios defeated former world champion Rico Ramos.

Japan’s Yoshihiro Kamegai (22-0-1, 19 Kos) appears on American shores and faces Johan Perez (16-1-1, 12 Kos) in a battle of welterweight knockout artists.

Prized prospect Jermell Charlo (20-0, 10 Kos) tests Demetrius Hopkins (33-2-1, 13 Kos) in a junior middleweight fight.

Former U.S. Olympian Joseph Diaz (4-0, 2 Kos) of South El Monte, Ca. fights Rigoberto Casillas (8-11-1) in a junior featherweight six round match.

Ireland’s Jamie Kavanagh (13-0-1, 5 Kos), who is trained by Freddie Roach, fights Sergio Perez (28-14, 19 Kos) in a lightweight bout.

Former USC football star Gerald Washington (7-0, 5 Kos) fights rugged Sherman “The Tank” Williams (35-12-2) in a heavyweight collision set for eight rounds.

The first bout starts at 2:15 p.m. Pacific Coast time. Doors open at 2 p.m.

 

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Najee Lopez Steps up in Class and Wins Impressively at Plant City

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Garry Jonas’ ProBox series returned to its regular home in Plant City, Florida, tonight with a card topped by a 10-round light heavyweight match between fast-rising Najee Lopez and former world title challenger Lenin Castillo. This was considered a step-up fight for the 25-year-old Lopez, an Atlanta-born-fighter of Puerto Rican heritage. Although the 36-year-old Castillo had lost two of his least three heading in, he had gone the distance with Dimitry Bivol and Marcus Browne and been stopped only once (by Callum Smith).

Lopez landed the cleaner punches throughout. Although Castillo seemed unfazed during the first half of the fight, he returned to his corner at the end of round five exhibiting signs of a fractured jaw.

In the next round, Lopez cornered him against the ropes and knocked him through the ropes with a left-right combination. Referee Emil Lombardo could have stopped the fight right there, but he allowed the courageous Castillo to carry on for a bit longer, finally stopping the fight as Castillo’s corner and a Florida commissioner were signaling that it was over.

The official time was 2:36 of round six. Bigger fights await the talented Lopez who improved to 13-0 with his tenth win inside the distance. Castillo declined to 25-7-1.

Co-Feature

In a stinker of a heavyweight fight, Stanley Wright, a paunchy, 34-year-old North Carolina journeyman, scored a big upset with a 10-round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Jeremiah Milton.

Wright carried 280 pounds, 100 pounds more than in his pro debut 11 years ago. Although he was undefeated (13-0, 11 KOs), he had never defeated an opponent with a winning record and his last four opponents were a miserable 19-48-2. Moreover, he took the fight on short notice.

What Wright had going for him was fast hands and, in the opening round, he put Milton on the canvas with a straight right hand. From that point, Milton fought tentatively and Wright, looking fatigued as early as the fourth round, fought only in spurts. It seemed doubtful that he could last the distance, but Milton, the subject of a 2021 profile in these pages, was wary of Wright’s power and unable to capitalize. “It’s almost as if Milton is afraid to win,” said ringside commentator Chris Algieri during the ninth stanza when the bout had devolved into a hugfest.

The judges had it 96-93 and 97-92 twice for the victorious Wright who boosted his record to 14-0 without improving his stature.

Also

In the TV opener, a 10-round contest in the junior middleweight division, Najee Lopez stablemate Darrelle Valsaint (12-0, 10 KOs) scored his career-best win with a second-round knockout of 35-year-old Dutch globetrotter Stephen Danyo (23-7-3).

A native Floridian of Haitian descent, the 22-year-old Valsaint was making his eighth start in Plant City. He rocked Danyo with a chopping right hand high on the temple and then, as Danyo slumped forward, delivered the coup-de-gras, a short left uppercut. The official time was 2:17 of round two.

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Japanese Superstar Naoya Inoue is Headed to Vegas after KOing Ye Joon Kim

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Japan’s magnificent Naoya Inoue, appearing in his twenty-fourth title fight, scored his 11th straight stoppage tonight while successfully defending his unified super bantamweight title, advancing his record to 29-0 (26 KOs) at the expense of Ye Joon Kim. The match at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena came to an end at the 2:25 mark of round four when U.S. referee Mark Nelson tolled “10” over the brave but overmatched Korean.

Kim, raised in a Seoul orphanage, had a few good moments, but the “Monster” found his rhythm in the third round, leaving Kim with a purplish welt under his left eye. In the next frame, he brought the match to a conclusion, staggering the Korean with a left and then finishing matters with an overhand right that put Kim on the seat of his pants, dazed and wincing in pain.

Kim, who brought a 21-2-2 record, took the fight on 10 days’ notice, replacing Australia’s Sam Goodman who suffered an eye injury in sparring that never healed properly, forcing him to withdraw twice.

Co-promoter Bob Arum, who was in the building, announced that Inoue’s next fight would happen in Las Vegas in the Spring. Speculation centers on Mexico City’s Alan Picasso (31-0-1, 17 KOs) who is ranked #1 by the WBC. However, there’s also speculation that the 31-year-old Inoue may move up to featherweight and seek to win a title in a fifth weight class, in which case a potential opponent is the winner of the Feb. 2 match between Brandon Figueroa and Stephen Fulton. In “olden days,” this notion would have been dismissed as the Japanese superstar and Figueroa/Fulton have different promoters, but the arrival of Turki Alalshikh, the sport’s Daddy Warbucks, has changed the dynamic. Tonight, Naoya Inoue made his first start as a brand ambassador for Riyadh Season.

Simmering on the backburner is a megafight with countryman Junto Nakatani, an easy fight to make as Arum has ties to both. However, the powers-that-be would prefer more “marination.”

Inoue has appeared twice in Las Vegas, scoring a seventh-round stoppage of Jason Moloney in October of 2020 at the MGM Bubble and a third-round stoppage of Michael Dasmarinas at the Virgin Hotels in June of 2021.

Semi-wind-up

In a 12-round bout for a regional welterweight title, Jin Sasaki improved to 19-1-1 (17) with a unanimous decision over Shoki Sakai (29-15-3). The scores were 118-110, 117-111, and 116-112.

Also

In a bout in which both contestants were on the canvas, Toshiki Shimomachi (20-1-3) edged out Misaki Hirano (11-2), winning a majority decision. A 28-year-old Osaka southpaw with a fan-friendly style, the lanky Shimomachi, unbeaten in his last 22 starts, competes as a super bantamweight. A match with Inoue may be in his future.

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Eric Priest Wins Handily on Thursday’s Golden Boy card at the Commerce Casino

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Model turned fighter Eric Priest jabbed and jolted his way into the super middleweight rankings with a shutout decision win over veteran Tyler Howard on Thursday.

In his first main event Priest (15-0, 8 KOs) proved ready for contender status by defusing every attack Tennessee’s Howard (20-3, 11 KOs) could muster at Commerce Casino, the second fight in six days at the LA County venue.

All ticket monies collected on the Folden Boy Promotions card were contributed to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation as they battle wildfires sprouting all over Los Angeles County due to high winds.

Priest, 26, had never fought anyone near Howard’s caliber but used a ramrod jab to keep the veteran off-balance and unable to muster a forceful counter-attack. Round after round the Korean-American fighter pumped left jabs while circling his opposition.

Though hit with power shots, none seemed to faze Howard but his own blows were unable to put a dent in Priest. After 10 rounds of the same repetitive action all three judges scored the fight 100-90 for Priest who now wins a regional super middleweight title.

Priest also joins the top 15 rankings of the WBA organization.

In a fight between evenly matched middleweights, Jordan Panthen (11-0, 9 KOs) remained undefeated after 10 rounds versus DeAundre Pettus (12-4, 7 KOs). Though equally skilled, Panthen simply out-worked the South Caroliina fighter to win by unanimous decision. No knockdowns were scored.

Other Bouts

Grant Flores (8-0, 6 KOs) knocked out Costa Rica’s David Lobo Ramirez (17-4, 12 KOs) with two successive right uppercuts at 2:59 of the second round of the super welterweight fight.

Cayden Griffith (3-0, 3 KOs) used a left hook to the body to stop Mark Misiura at 1:43 of the second round in a super welterweight bout.

Jordan Fuentes (3-0) floored Brandon Badillo (0-3-1) in the third round and proceeded to win by decision after four rounds in a super bantamweight fight.

A super featherweight match saw Leonardo Sanchez (8-0) win by decision over Joseph Cruz Brown (10-12) after six rounds.

Photo credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

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