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Avila Perspective, Chap. 46: Tragedy After Big Fight, Ruben Villa and More

It’s with great sadness that I report the loss of 13 people who departed from Las Vegas and apparently died when the private chartered jet they boarded went down over Mexico on Sunday. Most of them reportedly had attended the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez fight with Daniel Jacobs at T-Mobile Arena last Saturday.
Canelo issued a statement via Twitter about the victims of the tragedy expressing his sorrow.
Boxing fans are unique in my opinion. They save their money, plan trips or events around the sport of prizefighting, and gleefully share the moments with anyone who cares.
Just recently I’ve come to realize that I love people who love boxing. Whether it’s the fighters, trainers, managers, promoters, matchmakers, condition coaches or the millions of men and women who love watching prizefighting, I truly consider all of them my people.
From Australia to Zimbabwe the sport of boxing exists and the people involved or who support it, well they’re my kind of people. They are usually passionate, understanding, and open-minded of all races, religions and nationalities.
Join me in giving a toast to those fans who journeyed to Las Vegas to see an epic fight not knowing they would never return home. We will remember you.
Another day of remembrance occurred on May 7th when Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo set the sports world on fire with their classic encounter in 2005. It remains my favorite fight of all time. I will never forget being in the audience as a journalist and watching these two warriors give their heart and soul inside the prize ring that night at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
Sadly, two years later on the exact same day, May 7th, Corrales passed away after crashing on his motorcycle. It remains a heartbreaking moment for me. I had shared chats and broken bread with Corrales on occasion. He was warm, unpretentious and always willing to sit down and talk about boxing. He also loved his sweets. I had never met anyone who liked desserts more than “Chico.” He would down eight pieces of cake in 10 minutes and then go back for more.
Boxing people are the best.
Thompson Boxing
Those fans living outside of Southern California may not be familiar with Thompson Boxing Promotions, but they are the pocket-size battleship of the boxing industry. They aren’t very big, but they do pack a wallop.
Two weeks ago their fighter Danny “Baby Face Assassin” Roman unified the WBA and IBF super bantamweight titles with a fantastic battle against Ireland’s outstanding TJ Doheny. Check that fight out on DAZN.
On Friday May 10, Thompson Boxing unravels two more of its young stars at Corona, Calif. on a boxing card that will be televised on Showtime.
Ruben Villa (14-0, 5 KOs) meets Luis Alberto Lopez (17-1, 8 KOs) of Mexicali, Mexico in the main event at Omega Products International. It’s the Salinas, California featherweight’s second appearance on Showtime.
Villa (pictured) has a flashy southpaw style that allowed him to run right through Ruben Cervera and hand the undefeated fighter his first loss this past January. Now he gets Lopez who won the WBO International featherweight title this past February.
It’s a tough fight on paper.
“I want to be able to say I fought the best and beat the best,” said Villa, 22, a two-time national Golden Gloves champion as an amateur.
Also on the same card, Michael Dutchover (12-0, 9 KOs) meets Chile’s Ramon Mascarena Jr. (10-0, 5 KOs) in a battle between undefeated lightweights.
Dutchover, 21, trains in Santa Fe Springs, Calif. but is actually from Texas. This is a big test for the lightweight in facing Mascarena who has never fought outside of Chile. No one knows what he brings to the table but he is the Chilean National champion. But with Dutchover, fans know he’s aggressive and willing to engage. It should be action-packed.
Another on the same card will be Petr Petrov (39-6-2) who fights Ruben Tamayo (27-12-4) in a lightweight clash.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For tickets and information call (714) 935-0900.
Top Rank in Tucson, Arizona
A heavy duty fight card showcases two world title fights that are doozies. You can watch both on ESPN on Saturday May 11.
First, WBC super featherweight titlist Miguel Berchelt (35-1) fights former champion Francisco Vargas (25-1-2) in a rematch. The last time they met Berchelt took the title from Vargas who had been involved in numerous bloody battles.
Their first encounter took place two years ago. Now, Berchelt, 27, is a heavy favorite to repeat the bloody beating he gave Vargas back in January 2017. Since that fight the Cancun, Mexico fighter has battered four opponents with three not going the distance. He seems to be getting better.
Vargas, 34, only has that loss to Berchelt on his resume. He was involved in the Fight of the Year against Japan’s Takashi Miura in 2015. The Mexico City prizefighter has never been in a boring fight. He’s like the Red Cross, he always gives blood when he fights. Usually, it’s his own blood. But he loves to throw punches and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Another world title fight pits Isaac Dogboe against the guy who took his WBO super bantamweight world title away from him – Mexico’s Emanuel Navarrete.
Dogboe (20-1, 14 KOs) was confidently enjoying his world title belt when he met long-armed Navarrete (26-1, 22 KOs) who specializes in beating up the shorter guys. That was last December in New York City. This time both are fighting in Tucson, Arizona were Navarrete will have a sort of hometown advantage. It’s a mere two hours away from the Mexican border.
Whoever wins this fight will probably get a crack at Danny Roman who holds the WBA and IBF versions.
Both title fights take place at the Convention Center in Tucson, Arizona on Saturday.
Super Welters
Now that Canelo Alvarez has left the premises, the search for the next super welterweight kingpin begins.
Jarrett Hurd (23-0, 16 KOs) defends the IBF and WBA super welterweight titles against Julian “J-Rock” Williams (26-1-1, 16 KOs) on Saturday May 11, in Fairfax, Virginia. FOX will televise the encounter and several other notable fights.
The last time Hurd entered the boxing ring was in a supporting role in Los Angeles on the undercard of Deontay Wilder versus Tyson Fury. On that December night at the Staples Center, the tall and awkward fighting Hurd allowed Britain’s Jason Welborn to take the initiative and coolly assessed his skills. Then he lowered the boom with a body shot and that was that.
Williams fights out of Philadelphia and only has a loss to one of the Charlo brothers, Jermall. He never saw the punch coming. Since that loss he’s racked up several wins to get back a shot at a title.
Another bout on the card features super lightweights Mario Barrios (23-0, 15 KOs) meeting Argentina’s Juan Jose Velasco (20-1, 12 KOs) in a 10 round affair.
It’s a very tough match for Barrios who has slowly been passing all the tests one by one. Velasco was last seen providing WBA and WBC titlist Regis Prograis a tough time for eight rounds until he succumbed to the pounding given by the New Orleans slugger.
If Velasco, 32, still has something left, he could give Barrios a struggle.
Barrios, 23, not only has power but good speed. The San Antonio fighter could be headed for an eventual showdown with Prograis. Saturday will shed some light on his abilities.
Check out more boxing news on video at The Boxing Channel
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A Conversation About Boxing with Author and Journalist Rick Marantz

If you ask former sportswriter Steve Marantz when was boxing’s Golden Age, he’s quick with a response.
His answer just so happens to coincide with the period when he was on the beat as a boxing columnist for the Boston Globe (1979-1987).
“You could argue that boxing has had a few Golden Ages, but yes, that was an exciting and memorable era,” said Marantz, who sat ringside for many legendary matches. “The round-robin bouts amongst [Ray] Leonard, [Marvin] Hagler, [Thomas] Hearns and [Roberto] Duran, certainly was a major element.”
Those four legends are important but other weight division kings also played an integral role in boxing’s global popularity.
“Let’s not forget [Aaron] Pryor, [Alexis] Arguello, [Julio Cesar] Chavez, [Salvador] Sanchez, [Hector] Camacho, [Wilfredo] Gomez, Michael Spinks, [Dwight Muhammad] Qawi, [Donald] Curry, [Mike] Tyson and [Evander] Holyfield,” Marantz offered. “The key was competitive balance in most of the divisions.”
Marantz began his journalism career in 1973 at the Kansas City Star after graduating from the University of Missouri. After leaving the Globe, he worked for the Boston Herald (1999-2004) and ESPN (2004-2016). Nowadays, in addition to freelance writing for publications such as the Jewish Journal of Greater Boston, he produces the podcast “Championship Stories.”
Marantz recalled one particular moment that stood out while covering boxing and it happened at Aaron Pryor’s training camp.
“I have a vivid memory of his workout before he fought Arguello in Miami, November 1982. He had a hot funk song on the speakers, “You Dropped A Bomb On Me,” and as it played, loudly, he shadow-boxed to its beat and lyrics,” he recalled. “A rope was stretched across the gym, four feet off the floor, and Pryor moved along the rope, ducking under and back, gloves flashing. He was hypnotized by the music, in a trance. Hypnotized me, too. A moment that made boxing so cool to cover.”
That classic matchup at the famed Orange Bowl was halted in the 14th round with Pryor winning by technical knockout.
Anyone at Caesars Palace on April 15, 1985, knows what happened over roughly eight minutes of hot action when Hagler and Hearns tangled. It was nonstop punches from both participants.
“Hagler and Hearns fought as if possessed,” recalled Marantz of that showdown. “The stark final image [for me] was that of Hearns, now helpless, semiconscious, looking very like a black Christ taken from the cross, in the arms of a solemn aide.
“Hagler’s pent-up bitterness found release in a violent attack, even as each crack of Hearns’ gloves reinforced a lifetime of slights. In the end, Hearns was martyred to absolve Hagler of victimization. The first round is legendary, among the most vicious and splendid ever fought on the big fight stage. Action accelerated so quickly that spectators were left breathless. Punches windmilled into a blur, though the actual count was 82 punches for Hagler and 83 for Hearns, about three times that of a typical round.”
While that fight has blended into boxing folklore, a 1976 Olympic gold medal winner from Palmer Park, Maryland, was the epitome of true greatness for Steve Marantz.
“The way Sugar Ray Leonard maneuvered [Roberto] Duran to ‘No Mas’ in their rematch was brilliant. His grit and toughness beat Hearns, one of the great fights of the 1980s. And he beat Hagler with brains and psychology. Not to overlook his win over [Wilfred] Benitez in 1979. He was gorgeous to watch, stylish and rhythmic. His combinations were a blur. And he strategized like a chess master. Smooth and cooperative in interviews, always aware of the marketing and promotional necessities. Leonard was the gold standard.”
Marantz re-visited the Hagler-Leonard fight and the drama that surrounded it in “Sorcery at Caesars: Sugar Ray’s Marvelous Fight,” first released in 2008 and now available as an eBook.
Boxing’s been called the cruelest and the most unforgiving sport, but it’s also filled with high drama.
“It’s a test of athleticism, intelligence, grit and character. At its best, it’s dramatic and unpredictable, exciting,” Marantz said of the fight game. “A rich history of iconic personalities and events. Joe Louis and Max Schmeling, for example. A window into history bigger than just sport, a window into popular culture and politics.”
Marantz fondly recalls some of the characters he met while covering the sweet science: “Promoters Don King and Bob Arum, both conniving quotable snakes. Trainer Ray Arcel, in his 80s, a pillar of honesty and integrity. Emanuel Steward and Prentiss Byrd, running the Kronk Gym as a beacon of light and hope in Detroit’s blighted inner city. In Brockton, Massachusetts, two Italian-American brothers, Goody and Pat Petronelli, formed a sacred trust with an African- American boxer, Marvin Hagler.”
Marantz went on: “On my first newspaper job with the Kansas City Times/Star, I met a kindly trainer, Peyton Sher, who welcomed me into his gym and taught me the basics,” he said. “Never will forget Daeshik Seo, the Korean therapist for Larry Holmes who two weeks before the Holmes-[Gerry] Cooney fight in June 1982, tipped me to a story that a member of Holmes’ entourage pulled a pistol on Cooney’s entourage at Caesars Palace. Caesars top brass had to call Holmes on the carpet to get his people under control. Holmes was incensed at the story. In his media session after he won, he said I wrote it because I was [expletive] … and that I worked in a racist city, Boston.”
Marantz has never been put off by the seedy elements of the sport. “I don’t feel polarized by it.,” he says. Nobody is forced to box. Nobody is forced to watch it. The world has bigger problems than boxing.”
Marantz has fond memories of the people he met and the friendships he made while covering boxing. Does he miss not being rinigside? “Not really,” he says. “My time came and went. Journalism and life took me in other directions. I do have some nostalgia for that era, and for the people who were part of it.”
Having been around the sweet science for a spell, Marantz offered sage advice to anyone inclined to mix it up: “Be disciplined, work hard, find a good trainer, learn the subtleties, read the tea leaves and don’t be pig-headed.”
Actually, all of those traits are always handy, even if one doesn’t step into the ring
You can read more about Steve Marantz at his website: www.stevemarantz.com
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Mercito Gesta Victorious Over Jojo Diaz at the Long Beach Pyramid

LONG BEACH, CA.-Those in the know knew Mercito Gesta and Jojo Diaz would be a fight to watch and they delivered.
Gesta emerged the winner in a super lightweight clash between southpaws that saw the judges favor his busier style over Diaz’s body attack and bigger shots and win by split decision on Saturday.
Despite losing the main event because the star was overweight, Gesta (34-3-3, 17 KOs) used an outside method of tactic to edge past former world champion Diaz (32-4-1, 15 KOs) in front of more than 5,000 fans at the Pyramid.
The speedy Gesta opened up the fight with combination punching up and down against the peek-a-boo style of Diaz. For the first two rounds the San Diego fighter overwhelmed Diaz though none of the blows were impactful.
In the third round Diaz finally began unloading his own combinations and displaying the fast hands that helped him win world titles in two divisions. Gesta seemed stunned by the blows, but his chin held up. The counter right hook was Diaz’s best weapon and snapped Gesta’s head back several times.
Gesta regained control in the fifth round after absorbing big blows from Diaz. He seemed to get angry that he was hurt and opened up with even more blows to send Diaz backpedaling.
Diaz targeted his attack to Gesta’s body and that seemed to slow down Gesta. But only for a round.
From the seventh until the 10th each fighter tried to impose their style with Gesta opening up with fast flurries and Diaz using right hooks to connect with solid shots. They continued their method of attack until the final bell. All that mattered was what the judges preferred.
After 10 rounds one judge saw Diaz the winner 97-93 but two others saw Gesta the winner 99-91, 98-92. It was a close and interesting fight.
“I was expecting nothing. I was the victor in this fight and we gave a good fight,” said Gesta. “It’s not an easy fight and Jojo gave his best.”
Diaz was surprised by the outcome but accepted the verdict.
Everything was going good. I thought I was landing good body shots,” said Diaz. “I was pretty comfortable.”
Other Bouts
Mexico’s Oscar Duarte (25-1-1, 20 KOs) knocked out Chicago’s Alex Martin (18-5, 6 KOs) with a counter right hand after dropping him earlier in the fourth round. The super lightweight fight was stopped at 1:14 of the round.
A battle between undefeated super welterweights saw Florida’s Eric Tudor (8-0, 6 KOs) emerge the winner by unanimous decision after eight rounds versus Oakland’s Damoni Cato-Cain.
The taller Tudor showed polished skill and was not bothered by a large cut on his forehead caused by an accidental clash of heads. He used his jab and lead rights to defuse the attacks of the quick-fisted southpaw Cato-Cain. The judges scored the fight 80-72 and 78-74 twice for Tudor.
San Diego’s Jorge Chavez (5-0, 4 KOs) needed less than one round to figure out Nicaragua’s Bryan Perez (12-17-1, 11 KOs) and send him into dreamland with a three-punch combination. No need to count as referee Ray Corona waved the fight over. Perez shot a vicious right followed by another right and then a see-you-later left hook at 3.00 of the first round of the super featherweight match.
Photo credit: Al Applerose
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Jojo Diaz’s Slump Continues; Mercito Gesta Prevails on a Split Decision

At age 30, Jojo Diaz’s career is on the skids. The 2012 U.S. Olympian, a former world title holder at 126 and 130 pounds and an interim title holder at 135, Diaz suffered his third straight loss tonight, upset by Mercito Gesta who won a split decision at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, CA.. The scoring was strange with Gesta winning nine of the 10 rounds on one of the cards and only three rounds on another. The tie-breaker, as it were, was a 98-92 tally for Gesta and even that didn’t capture the flavor of what was a closely-contested fight.
Originally listed as a 12-rounder, the match was reduced to 10 and that, it turned out, did Diaz no favors. However, it’s hard to feel sorry for the former Olympian as he came in overweight once again, having lost his 130-pound title on the scales in February of 2021.
Diaz also has issues outside the ropes. Best elucidated by prominent boxing writer Jake Donovan, they include a cluster of legal problems stemming from an arrest for drunk driving on Feb. 27 in the LA suburb of Claremont.
With the defeat, Diaz’s ledger declined to 32-4-1. His prior losses came at the hands of Gary Russell Jr, Devin Haney, and William Zepeda, boxers who are collectively 83-2. Mercito Gesta, a 35-year-old San Diego-based Filipino, improved to 34-3-3.
Co-Feature
Chihuahua, Mexico super lightweight Oscar Duarte has now won nine straight inside the distance after stopping 33-year-old Chicago southpaw Alex Martin in the eighth frame. Duarte, the busier fighter, had Martin on the deck twice in round eight before the fight was waived off.
Duarte improved to 25-1-1 (20). Martin, who reportedly won six national titles as an amateur and was once looked upon as a promising prospect, declined to 18-5.
Other Bouts of Note
New Golden Boy signee Eric Tudor, a 21-year-old super welterweight from Fort Lauderdale, overcame a bad laceration over his right eye, the result of an accidental clash of heads in round four, to stay unbeaten, advancing to 8-0 (6) with a hard-fought unanimous 8-round decision over Oakland’s Damoni Cato-Cain. The judges had it 80-72 and 78-74 twice. It was the first pro loss for Cato-Cain (7-1-1) who had his first five fights in Tijuana.
In the DAZN opener, lanky Hawaian lightweight Dalis Kaleiopu went the distance for the first time in his young career, improving to 4-0 (3) with a unanimous decision over 36-year-old Colombian trial horse Jonathan Perez (40-35). The scores were 60-52 across the board. There were no knockdowns, but Perez, who gave up almost six inches in height, had a point deducted for a rabbit punch and another point for deducted for holding.
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