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Avila Perspective, Chap. 71: Canelo, Berchelt, Nevada Hall of Fame and More

It’s difficult to imagine that 11 years ago the Mexican redhead Saul “Canelo” Alvarez arrived in Southern California with his trainers Eddy and Jose “Chepo” Reynoso and a handful of brown T-shirts that had a photo of him plastered on the front.
Few, if any, knew about the kid called Canelo when he was set to fight Larry Mosley at a desert casino in Riverside County.
It was October 24, 2008, and that same night another fight card was taking place in nearby Ontario. But I received a call from Ramiro Gonzalez the publicist for Golden Boy Promotions who I’ve known since 1993. He told me that Chepo Reynoso had someone who he claimed was the best fighter he ever had.
Chepo Reynoso had groomed a number of world champions and contenders including Javier Jauregui and Oscar Larios. If Canelo was better than those two world champions, I had to take a look.
Alvarez arrived with the Reynosos and publicist Gonzalez and we all met and shook hands. Chepo handed me a Canelo T-shirt and was asked by a few people standing in line for one of the T-shirts. He declined, explaining he did not have many. I still have that brown T-shirt hanging in my closet.
That night Canelo faced his first American style prizefighter and it proved puzzling to the 18-year-old Alvarez. First, Mosley was a southpaw and, second, he had a defensive style not common in Mexico. Below the border, a fighter that displays pronounced defense is equal to fighting with cowardice. It’s just the way Mexicanos perceive defense – a cowardly tactic.
After a few rounds it was clear that Alvarez was having problems figuring out why Mosley was not attacking. He realized he could be losing and stepped into another gear to hit whatever was available to hit and won by decision.
The Mexican redhead fought once more in Florida and did not return to America for two years.
Well, you know the rest of the story. Slowly but steadily Canelo fought better and better opponents and defeated a number of recognizable fighters and world champions — Carlos Baldomir, Kermit Cintron, Shane Mosley and others. When he fought Floyd Mayweather, he met the crème de la crème and from that single loss learned more about the art of boxing.
Canelo and defense
Just before Alvarez fought Gennadiy Golovkin in their first encounter, we met inside a Hollywood theater and he joyfully explained how much he learned from his encounter with Mayweather. It led him and his team to learn all they could about the defensive tactics disdained in Mexico, but applauded by many, especially in Midwestern states like Michigan. The fighter you see today in Alvarez is the result of that loss to Mayweather six years ago in Las Vegas.
Alvarez, now 29 years old, realizes a prizefighter only has so many years to utilize the abilities he’s acquired and built up, and he’s gunning for the most of it by challenging himself and daring to be great.
“This is going to be a big challenge that we have in front of us, and we’re happy to take it with a lot of responsibility and a lot of discipline,” said Alvarez of his upcoming fight. “We wanted to make history in boxing and leave a big legacy, so it looked like a good idea. It’s a risk that we’re taking, but that’s boxing.”
Earlier this year Mikey Garcia dared to be great too when he challenged the welterweight titlist Errol Spence Jr. Though he was not successful, you need to admire any athlete willing to test himself. You only have so much time as a super athlete.
When Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs) enters the ring to face WBO light heavyweight titlist Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 KOs) on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the MGM Grand, the size difference will be rather staggering. DAZN will stream the Golden Boy Promotions fight card.
The Mexican redhead is familiar with size disparities. Last December he met and defeated even taller Rocky Fielding for the WBA super middleweight title. But Kovalev presents an even bigger challenge as a more polished champion with deadly power.
Kovalev has no intention of underestimating Alvarez.
“This is the biggest fight of my career. I’ve never been in this situation, where someone is coming from middleweight. I’m not going to make a prediction, but I am going to go in there and defend my title,” said Kovalev. “This fight will be very interesting. It has a worldwide intrigue. I can’t wait.”
Dare to be great.
Top Rank in L.A.
For boxing fans unable to obtain tickets in Las Vegas, well there are tickets to watch another Mexican stalwart when WBC super featherweight titlist Miguel Berchelt (36-1, 32 KOs) defends against Jason Sosa (23-3-4, 16 KOs) at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday Nov. 2. ESPN will televise.
Many consider Berchelt to be one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world. He’s actually pretty big for a super featherweight and seems more like a super lightweight. The big question: how long can he continue making the weight?
The Top Rank fight card also features IBF super flyweight titlist Jerwin Ancajas (31-1-2, 21 KOs) making an eighth title defense, this time against Mexico’s Jonathan Rodriguez (21-1, 15 KOs).
The southpaw Filipino slugger Ancajas has endured a remarkable run in the super flyweight division. The division is filled with strong fighters. How long can he continue his run against so many good contenders?
Nevada Hall of Fame
If you are in Las Vegas don’t forget to visit the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. One of Mexico’s all-time greats Erik “El Terrible” Morales will be available for fans on Saturday Nov. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Morales was involved in many memorable clashes especially on February 2000 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. It was the first and most violent of his three encounters with fellow Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera. That night the two Mexican warriors lit up the night with blow after blow. The Tijuana prizefighter also had several other historic fights with Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao and later met Marcos Maidana and Danny “Swift” Garcia in other battles.
Just meeting the great three-division world champion would be enough, but the museum also has many exhibits worth taking a look.
The museum is located at 3542 S. Maryland Parkway inside the Boulevard Mall. The actual museum can be found in the eastern portion of the indoor mall at the Headzup store. Tickets at the door are $25.
For more information call (702) 368-2463 or email michelle@nvbhof.com
Prograis and Taylor
Last weekend’s super lightweight clash between Josh Taylor and Regis Prograis was one of the top fights of the year. If you haven’t seen it, go to DAZN and take a look.
The 12-round slugfest showcased just how deep and talented is the 140-pound super lightweight division. Taylor and Prograis matched blows evenly the entire fight and provided fans an eyeful into the talented division.
Think about it, the other champion Jose Carlos Ramirez has the WBC and WBO titles and he trains in the same Riverside, Calif. gym with Mikey Garcia who formerly held a super lightweight world title.
It’s definitely one of the most talented divisions in prizefighting today.
Fights to Watch
Fri. Showtime – 7 p.m. Xavier Martinez (14-0) vs Jessie Cris Rosales (22-3-1)
Sat. DAZN – 11 a.m. Katie Taylor (14-0) vs Christina Linartadou (12-1).
Sat. DAZN – 6 p.m. Saul Alvarez (52-1-2) vs Sergey Kovalev (34-3-1); Seniesa Estrada (17-0) vs Marlen Esparza (7-0); Ryan Garcia (18-0) vs Romero Duno (21-1).
Sat. ESPN – 7:30 p.m. Miguel Berchelt (36-1) vs Jason Sosa (23-3-4); Jerwin Ancajas (31-1-2) vs Jonathan Rodriguez (21-1).
Sat. Fox Sports1 – 7:30 p.m. Brian Castano (15-0-1) vs Wale Omotoso (28-4).
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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