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Ortiz-Molina is Off and Wilder-Fury is On
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Late Tuesday morning, Sept. 25, I received an e-mail from powerhouse PR firm Swanson Communications regarding Sunday’s TV fight at the Citizens Bank Center in Ontario, California, between Victor Ortiz and John Molina Jr. This was a generic press release informing boxing writers of the date, time, and location of the pre-fight press luncheon and the weigh-in, among other particulars.
Several hours later, Victor Ortiz was the subject of a story by Christian Martinez in the Ventura (CA) Daily Star. The timing was awkward.
Martinez informed his readers that Ortiz had turned himself in to authorities in Oxnard, California, where he was wanted on three counts of sexual assault. The charges related to an incident that happened in March. As reporter Martinez noted, this wasn’t Ortiz’s first brush with the law. He was on probation for a DUI offense. His bail was set at $100,000.
In the Internet Age, news spreads like wildfire, especially if the news is in regard to some scandal. Within hours, Martinez’s story was being rehashed on dozens of web sites.
As of Wednesday morning, Ortiz was free on bail and the fight was still on. All things considered, it shaped up as a doozy, notwithstanding the fact that Ortiz and Molina are friends and both are on the wrong side of the hill. Ortiz, a former WBC world welterweight champion, and Molina, a two-time world title challenger, were seldom in a dull fight. Ortiz’s 2011 rumble with Andre Berto was named the 2011 Fight of the Year by The Ring magazine. He would subsequently appear on “Dancing With the Stars” where his story of growing up in a dysfunctional home – he spent part of his youth in foster care – earned him legions of new fans.
It didn’t seem right that the fight would still happen, not in this day and age, not with the “Me Too” movement having gained so much traction and, predictably, it has now been cancelled. It was John Molina, not co-promoters Al Haymon or Richard Schaefer, or their spokespeople, who broke the news.
“All right guys,” said Molina in a video, “the fight has been officially cancelled obviously due to uncontrollable circumstances from Team Ortiz. Team Molina was ready. To all my friends, family and fans, that were ready to see me get down on Sunday, I’ll be in the house still, but I apologize.” (Odd that he would apologize when it wasn’t his fault.)
The show will go on without the Ortiz-Molina fight, and even without it, it’s an interesting show. The 10-round contest between undefeated Tex-Mex featherweight Brandon Figueroa and Columbia’s Oscar Escandon (25-4), a former world title challenger, shapes up as a very competitive scrap. Two hot heavyweight prospects, Joe Joyce and Efe Ajagba, and promising Philadelphia featherweight Stephen Fulton will be showcased on the undercard.
Joyce (5-0, 5 KOs) represented Great Britain in the 2016 Olympics and emerged with a bronze medal after losing a split decision to eventual champion Tony Yoka in the semifinals. He currently hangs his hat at Abel Sanchez’s compound in Big Bear where he will soon have a new sparring partner, Tyson Fury.
Joyce, who is on the fast track, is pitted against Iago Kiladze (26-3), an LA-based fighter from the Republic of Georgia.
Ajagba (6-0, 5 KOs) also participated in the Rio Olympics. An imposing physical specimen, he was the only boxer from Nigeria to qualify. He won his first pro fight in 25 seconds and his fifth pro fight in 35 seconds. His last bout entered the books as a win by disqualification when his opponent, Curtis Harper, returned to his dressing room at the sound of the opening bell.
Harper said he was making a statement about his purse. Co-promoter Schaefer had a different take on it. In Schaefer’s view, Harper took one look at Ajagba and wet his pants.
The 24-year-old Fulton (13-0, 6 KOs) is paired against Mexican trial horse German Meraz in an 8-round affair. This figures to go a few rounds. Meraz, who turned pro in 2005 at age 18, has been stopped only eight times in 112 bouts.
The Joyce, Ajagba, and Fulton bouts will be on TV along with Figueroa-Escandon. The Sunday night show will air on Fox Sports 1 and Fox Deportes.
WILDER-FURY
Unless someone gets injured in training, the highly-anticipated match between WBC heavyweight title holder Deontay Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs) and former lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (27-0, 19 KOs) will take place on Saturday, Dec. 1, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. This wasn’t the first choice of Fury’s promoter Frank Warren but the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas was unavailable. The bout will air on SHOWTIME PPV.
Next week Wilder and Fury will embark on a whirlwind three day, three city tour. On Monday, Nov. 1, the two will face off in London. Then it’s off to New York and then Los Angeles. All three events will be open to the public.
The star of these sessions will be the colorful, bombastic Fury, the self-styled Gypsy King. In his view, the heavyweight division currently consists of himself and a bunch of bums.
Photo credit: Luis Mejia / Ringstar Sports
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L.A.’s Rudy Hernandez is the 2024 TSS Trainer of the Year
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L.A.’s Rudy Hernandez is the 2024 TSS Trainer of the Year
If asked to name a prominent boxing trainer who operates out of a gym in Los Angeles, the name Freddie Roach would jump immediately to mind. Best known for his work with Manny Pacquaio, Roach has been named the Trainer of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America a record seven times.
A mere seven miles from Roach’s iconic Wild Card Gym is the gym that Rudy Hernandez now calls home. Situated in the Little Tokyo neighborhood in downtown Los Angeles, the L.A. Boxing Gym – a relatively new addition to the SoCal boxing landscape — is as nondescript as its name. From the outside, one would not guess that two reigning world champions, Junto Nakatani and Anthony Olascuaga, were forged there.
As Freddie Roach will be forever linked with Manny Pacquiao, so will Rudy Hernandez be linked with Nakatani. The Japanese boxer was only 15 years old when his parents packed him off to the United States to be tutored by Hernandez. With Hernandez in his corner, the lanky southpaw won titles at 112 and 115 and currently holds the WBO bantamweight (118) belt. In his last start, he knocked out his Thai opponent, a 77-fight veteran who had never been stopped, advancing his record to 29-0 (22 KOs).
Nakatani’s name now appears on several pound-for-pound lists. A match with Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue is brewing. When that match comes to fruition, it will be the grandest domestic showdown in Japanese boxing history.
“Junto Nakatani is the greatest fighter I’ve ever trained. It’s easy to work with him because even when he came to me at age 15, his focus was only on boxing. It was to be a champion one day and nothing interfered with that dream,” Hernandez told sports journalist Manouk Akopyan writing for Boxing Scene.
Akin to Nakatani, Rudy Hernandez built Anthony Olascuaga from scratch. The LA native was rucked out of obscurity in April of 2023 when Jonathan Gonzalez contracted pneumonia and was forced to withdraw from his date in Tokyo with lineal light flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji. Olascuaga, with only five pro fights under his belt, filled the breach on 10 days’ notice and although he lost (TKO by 9), he earned kudos for his gritty performance against the man recognized as the best fighter in his weight class.
Two fights later, back in Tokyo, Olascuaga copped the WBO world flyweight title with a third-round stoppage of Riku Kano. His first defense came in October, again in Japan, and Olascuaga retained his belt with a first-round stoppage of the aforementioned Gonzalez. (This bout was originally ruled a no-contest as it ended after Gonzalez suffered a cut from an accidental clash of heads. But the referee ruled that Gonzalez was fit to continue before the Puerto Rican said “no mas,” alleging his vision was impaired, and the WBO upheld a protest from the Olascuaga camp and changed the result to a TKO. Regardless, Rudy Hernandez’s fighter would have kept his title.)
Hernandez, 62, is the brother of the late Genaro “Chicanito” Hernandez. A two-time world title-holder at 130 pounds who fought the likes of Azumah Nelson, Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr., Chicanito passed away in 2011, a cancer victim at age 45.
Genaro “Chicanito” Hernandez was one of the most popular fighters in the Hispanic communities of Southern California. Rudy Hernandez, a late bloomer of sorts – at least in terms of public recognition — has kept his brother’s flame alive with own achievements. He is a worthy honoree for the 2024 Trainer of the Year.
Note: This is the first in our series of annual awards. The others will arrive sporadically over the next two weeks.
Photo credit: Steve Kim
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A Shocker in Tijuana: Bruno Surace KOs Jaime Munguia !!
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It was a chilly night in Tijuana when Jaime Munguia entered the ring for his homecoming fight with Bruno Surace. The main event of a Zanfer/Top Rank co-promotion, Munguia vs. Surace was staged in the city’s 30,000-seat soccer stadium a stone’s throw from the U.S. border in the San Diego metroplex.
Surace, a Frenchman, brought a 25-0-2 record and a 22-fight winning streak, but a quick glance at his record showed that he had scant chance of holding his own with the house fighter. Only four of Surace’s 25 wins had come by stoppage and only eight of his wins had come against opponents with winning records. Munguia was making the first start in the city of his birth since February 2022. Surace had never fought outside Europe.
But hold the phone!
After losing every round heading into the sixth, Surace scored the Upset of the Year, ending the contest with a one-punch knockout.
It looked like a short and easy night for Munguia when he knocked Surace down with a left hook in the second stanza. From that point on, the Frenchman fought off his back foot, often with back to the ropes, throwing punches only in spurts. Munguia worked the body well and was seemingly on the way to wearing him down when he was struck by lightning in the form of an overhand right.
Down went Munguia, landing on his back. He struggled to get to his feet, but the referee waived it off a nano-second before reaching “10.” The official time was 2:36 of round six.
Munguia, who was 44-1 heading in with 35 KOs, was as high as a 35/1 favorite. In his only defeat, he had gone the distance with Canelo Alvarez. This was the biggest upset by a French fighter since Rene Jacquot outpointed Donald Curry in 1989 and Jacquot had the advantage of fighting in his homeland.
Co-Main
Mexico City’s Alan Picasso, ranked #1 by the WBC at 122 pounds, scored a third-round stoppage of last-minute sub Yehison Cuello in a scheduled 10-rounder contested at featherweight. Picaso (31-0-1, 17 KOs) is a solid technician. He ended the bout with a left to the rib cage, a punch that weaved around Cuello’s elbow and didn’t appear to be especially hard. The referee stopped his count at “nine” and waived the fight off.
A 29-year-old Colombian who reportedly had been training in Tijuana, the overmatched Cuello slumped to 13-3-1.
Other Bouts of Note
In a ho-hum affair, junior middleweight Jorge Garcia advanced to 32-4 (26) with a 10-round unanimous decision over Uzbekistan’s Kudratillo Abudukakhorov (20-4). The judges had it 97-92 and 99-90 twice. There were no knockdowns, but Garcia had a point deducted in round eight for low blows.
Garcia displayed none of the power that he showed in his most recent fight three months ago in Arizona and when he knocked out his German opponent in 46 seconds. Abudukakhorov, who has competed mostly as a welterweight, came in at 158 1/4 pounds and didn’t look in the best of shape. The Uzbek was purportedly 170-10 as an amateur (4-5 per boxrec).
Super bantamweight Sebastian Hernandez improved to 18-0 (17 KOs) with a seventh-round stoppage of Argentine import Sergio Martin (14-5). The end came at the 2:39 mark of round seven when Martin’s corner threw in the towel. Earlier in the round, Martin lost his mouthpiece and had a point deducted for holding.
Hernandez wasn’t all that impressive considering the high expectations born of his high knockout ratio, but appeared to have injured his right hand during the sixth round.
Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank
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Ringside in Ontario where Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel Battled to a Spirited Draw
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Ringside in Ontario where Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel Battled to a Spirited Draw
ONTARIO, CA -Two SoCal welterweights battled to a majority draw and Ohio’s Charles Conwell wowed the crowd with precision and power in his victory.
In the main event Alexis Rocha sought to prove his loss a year ago was a fluke and Raul Curiel sought to prove he belongs with the contenders.
Both got their wish.
After 12 rounds of back-and-forth exchanges, Rocha (25-2-1, 16 KOs) and Curiel (15-0-1, 13 KOs) battled to a stalemate in front of more than 5,000 fans at Toyota Arena. No oner seemed surprised by the majority decision draw.
“We got one for the people It was a Rocha landed impressive blows while Curiel just could not seem to get the motor running.
Things turned around in seventh round.
During the first half of the fight, it looked like Rocha’s experience in big events would be too much for Curiel to handle. Rocha landed impressive blows while Curiel just could not seem to get the motor running.
Things turned around in seventh round.
Maybe trainer Freddie Roach’s words got to Curiel. The Mexican Olympian who now lives in the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, suddenly planted his feet and ripped off five- and six-punch combinations. It was do or die.
The change of tactics forced Rocha to make changes too especially after absorbing several ripping uppercuts from Curiel.
Back and forth the welterweights exchanged and neither fighter could take charge. And neither fighter was knocked down though each both connected with sweat-tossing blows.
The two fighters battled until the final seconds of the fight. After 12 blistering rounds, one judge saw Rocha the winner 116-112, while the two other judges scored it 114-114 for a majority draw.
“I respect this guy. It was 12 rounds of war,” said Santa Ana’s Rocha.
Curiel felt the same.
“I respect Rocha. He is a good southpaw,” Curiel repeated. “Let’s do it again.”
Battle of Undefeated Super Welterweights
Few knew what to expect with undefeated Charles Conwell (21-0, 16 KOs) facing undefeated Argentine Gerardo Vergara (20-1, 13 KOs). You never what to expect with Argentine fighters.
Conwell, a U.S. Olympian, showed why many consider him the best kept secret in boxing with a steady attack behind impressive defense. He needed it against Vergara, a very strong southpaw.
Vergara seemed a little puzzled by Conwell’s constant pressure. He might have expected a hit-and-run kind of fighter instead of a steamroller like the Ohio warrior.
Once the two fighters got heated up in the cold arena, the blows began to come more often and more powerfully. Conwell in particular stood right in front of the Argentine and bobbed and weaved through the South American fighter’s attack. And suddenly unleashed rocket rights and left hooks off Vergara’s chin.
Nothing happened expect blood from his nose for several rounds.
For six rounds Conwell blasted away at Vergara’s chin and jaw and nothing seemed to faze the Argentine. Then, Conwell targeted the body and suddenly things opened up. Vergara was caught trying to decide what to protect when a left hook jolted the Argentine. Suddenly Conwell erupted with a stream of left hooks and rights with almost everything connecting with power.
Referee Thomas Taylor jumped in to stop the fight at 2:51 of the seventh round. Conwell finally chopped down the Argentine tree for the knockout win. The fans gasped at the suddenness of the victory.
“We broke him down,” Conwell said.
It was impressive.
Other Bouts
Popular John “Scrappy” Ramirez (14-1, 9 KOs) started slowly against Texas left-hander Ephraim Bui (10-1, 8 KOs) but gained momentum behind accurate right uppercuts to swing the momentum and win a regional super flyweight title by unanimous decision after 10 rounds
Bui opened the fight behind some accurate lead lefts, but once Ramirez found the solution he took the fight inside and repeatedly jolted the taller Texas fighter with that blow.
Ramirez, who is based in Los Angeles, gained momentum and confidence and kept control with movements left and right that kept Bui unable to regain the advantage. No knockdowns were scored as all three judges scored the fight 97-93 for Ramirez.
A battle between former flyweight world champions saw Marlen Esparza (15-2, 1 KO) pull away after several early contentious rounds against Mexico’s Arely Mucino (32-5-2, 11 KOs). Left hooks staggered Esparza early in the fight.
Esparza always could take a punch and after figuring out what not to do, she began rolling up points behind pinpoint punching and pot shots. Soon, it was evident she could hit and move and took over the last three rounds of the fight.
Mucino never stopped attacking and was successful with long left hooks and shots to the body, but once Esparza began launching impressive pot shots, the Mexican fighter never could figure out a solution.
After 10 rounds two judges scored it 98-92 and a third judge saw it 97-93 all for Esparza.
Victor Morales (20-0-1, 10 KOs) won by technical knockout over Mexico’s Juan Guardado (16-3-1, 6 KOs) due to a bad cut above the right eye. It was a learning experience for Morales who hails from Washington.
Left hooks were the problem for Morales who could not avoid a left hook throughout the super featherweight fight. Guardado staggered Morales at least three times with counter left hooks. But Morales turned things around by controlling the last three rounds behind a jolting left jab that controlled the distance.
At one second of the eighth round, referee Ray Corona stopped the fight to allow the ringside physician to examine the swelling and cut. It was decided that the fight should stop. Morales was awarded the win by technical knockout.
A super bantamweight fight saw Jorge Chavez (13-0, 8 KOs) score two knockdowns on way to a unanimous decision over Uruguay’s Ruben Casero (12-4, 4 KOs) after eight rounds. Chavez fights out of Tijuana, Mexico.
Photo credit: Al Applerose
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