For Whom the Bell Tolled: 2020 Boxing Obituaries PART ONE

Published

3 years ago

December 28, 2020

For-Whom-the-Bell-Tolled-2020-Boxing-Obituaries-PART-ONE

The Grim Reaper appeared on the boxing scene on the very first day of what would be a grim year, taking the life of former long-reigning cruiserweight champion Carlos “Sugar” DeLeon on Jan. 1. Not a month was spared and in our annual year-end report, we pay our respects to those that left their mark on this noble but too-often unforgiving sport. The decedents are listed chronologically according to the date of their passing. PART ONE covers January through June.

January

1 – Carlos “Sugar” DeLeon

No one told DeLeon that the cruiserweight class was a mere way station for soon-to-be heavyweights. The Puerto Rico-born cutie appeared in 16 cruiserweight title fights, going 11-4-1. He retired with a 53-8-1 record and kept his hand in the sport as a trainer in his adopted hometown of Buffalo, NY, where he succumbed to a heart attack at age 60.

5 – Dick Turner

A welterweight who took up boxing in the Navy, Turner suffered a detached retina in a bout with Philadelphia intra-city rival Stanley “Kitten” Hayward and never fought again, finishing 19-2-1. He returned to boxing as a trainer when his nephews, the fighting Fletcher brothers, took up the sport. At age 82 in Philadelphia.

12 – Jackie Brown

From Edinburgh Scotland, Brown won the British and then the British Empire flyweight titles in 1962 and fought on the undercard of Muhammad Ali’s 1966 fight in London with Brian London. He migrated to Australia in 2009 and was diagnosed with dementia shortly thereafter. At age 84 in Sydney.

18 – Peter Mathebula

Mathebula became South Africa’s first black boxing champion when he won a narrow 15-round decision over Tae-Shik Kim at LA’s Olympic Auditorium in 1980. He surrendered the belt in his first defense and quit the sport two years later, finishing 36-9. At age 67 after a lengthy illness at a hospital in Gauteng Province, RSA.

30 – Dwight Davison

A lanky middleweight during Detroit’s golden era, Davison came oh-so-close to earning a title shot against Marvin Hagler but could never get past the final hurdle. He finished 44-8 (33) in a career that began in 1977. At age 64 in Detroit of unidentified causes.

31 – Johnny Bumphus

A decorated amateur, Bumphus was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that was marooned by President Jimmy Carter’s boycott. He won the WBA 140-pound title in 1984, lost it to Gene Hatcher in his first defense in a massive upset and retired at age 26 with equilibrium issues, leaving the sport with a 29-2 record. At age 59 of heart disease in his hometown of Tacoma, Washington, where he battled a cocaine addiction.

February

7 – Bill Miley

An inveterate compiler of boxing records, amateur and pro, Miley turned his hobby into an avocation, cranking out an annual record book and the monthly newsletter “Midwest Boxing News.” A U.S. postal carrier by day, he also moonlighted as a judge and inspector and dabbled as a matchmaker. At age 85 in Burton, Michigan.

11 – Sammy McCarthy

“Smiling Sammy” compiled a 44-8-1 record during a seven-year career that began in 1951 and briefly held the British Featherweight Title. In 1957, at age 25, he was the youngest subject of the popular British TV program “This Is Your Life.” After boxing, he became a serial bank robber, serving three separate stints in prison. In an East London retirement home at age 88.

23 – Jimmy Thunder

Born Ti’a James Senio Peau in Samoa and raised in New Zealand, his signature moment came in 1997 when he knocked out Crawford Grimsley in 13 seconds. He defeated former title-holders Tony Tubbs, Trevor Berbick, and Tim Witherspoon and was recognized as the heavyweight champion by two fringe organizations, but left the sport financially destitute. At age 54 in Auckland, NZ, following surgery for a brain tumor.

March

8 – DeAndrey Abron

During his Army days, Abron was a U.S. Olympic Team alternate and a National Golden Gloves champion. As a pro, he won his first 15 fights and lost his last 10. He fought Zsolt Erdel for the WBO world light heavyweight title, losing on points, and was knocked out in the second round by Deontay Wilder. At age 47 from injuries suffered in a car accident in Youngstown, Ohio.

9 – Barney Eastwood

He built his betting shop into the largest bookmaking chain in Northern Ireland before making his mark in the sweet science, earning the title Mr. Boxing in Belfast. A hands-on manager/promoter who was frequently found working as a cornerman, Eastwood guided the careers of five world champions, most notably Barry McGuigan with whom he had a bitter falling-out. At age 88 of natural causes.

17 – Roger Mayweather

The second of three fighting brothers from Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the original Black Mamba, Mayweather was a world title-holder at 130 and 140 pounds and finished 59-13 despite the handicap of a soft beard. Pictured below with his famous nephew, he was already making his mark as a trainer before his prize pupil fell into his lap. They were together for almost all of Floyd Jr’s 50 fights. At age 59 in Las Vegas where he was suffering from dementia.

roger

23 – Ron Ross

The Brooklyn native dabbled in boxing as a manager and promoter, but earned his spurs as a writer. His 2003 book, “Bummy Davis vs. Murder Incorporated: The Rise and Fall of an Ill-Fated Prizefighter,” earned critical praise and he would subsequently author a biography of Emile Griffith. At age 87 of COVID-19 in Boca, Raton, Florida, where he had retired after selling his Long Island real estate firm.

27 – Nelson Cuevas

Born in Puerto Rico and a longtime resident of the Bronx, Cuevas was a boxing lifer, devoting parts of six decades to the sport as a fighter (6-10-4), cut man, coach, and gym operator. Mentored by Cus D’Amato and renowned cut man Chickie Ferrara, Cuevas worked with such notables as Buddy McGirt, Vinny Pazienza, and a very young Mike Tyson. At age 80 of COVID-19.

29 – Angelo Rottoli

Rottoli was 23-0-2 when he challenged WBC cruiserweight champion Carlos DeLeon in 1987. He lost (TKO by 5) but went on to gather in the European cruiserweight title, finishing 29-3-2 (15). At age 61 in his hometown of Bergamo, Italy, of COVID-19. The pandemic also claimed his mother and brother.

30 – Hedgemon Lewis

A National Golden Gloves champion in two weight divisions, Lewis came up short in two cracks at the world welterweight title held by Jose Napoles, but won the New York version of the diadem with a 15-round decision over Billy Backus. Trained as a pro by the legendary Eddie Futch, he sported a 53-7-2 mark when he left the sport to look after his real estate investments. At age 74 in Detroit where he was raised, yet another victim of COVID-19.

April

7 – Leonard “Nipper” Reed

Reed boxed as an amateur and returned to the sport in an administrative capacity, advancing to the post of Chairman of the British Boxing Board of Control and serving as an executive with the WBA and WBC. He made his name, however, as a Scotland Yard gumshoe whose dogged detective work brought the notorious Kray twins to justice. At age 95 of COVID-19 in a London-area hospital where he was being treated for a foot infection.

16 — Dickie DiVeronica

A protege of Carmen Basilio, DiVeronica graduated from Canastota High School and represented that community in a career that ran from 1958 to 1972. Fighting primarily as a junior welterweight, he compiled a record of 44-13-1. In retirement he co-owned a construction company. At age 82 from complications of Alzheimer’s.

17 – Eddie Cotton

A pillar of the community in Paterson, New Jersey, where he was the first man of color to be named Chairman of the City Council, Cotton was a big man, carrying about 240 pounds on six-foot-five frame, which was an asset when a good ref was needed to work a fight between big men who were prone to mauling. He was the third man in the ring for more than 30 title fights including the Lewis-Tyson mega-fight of 2002. At age 72 in a Paterson nursing home of COVID-19.

25 – Les Stevens

A heavyweight (a cruiserweight by today’s standards), Stevens represented England in the 1970 Commonwealth Games and was 23-5 as a pro. A member of the Traveler community, “Big Les” was no nomad. In retirement he spent 40 years mentoring boys at an amateur boxing club in Berkshire County, near London. At age 69 after a three-week hospital stay.

26 – Stan Ward

Turning pro after graduating from Sacramento State, Ward reached his peak in 1978 when he out-pointed Mike Weaver across 12 rounds in a fight billed for the California Heavyweight Title. He also fought such notables as Greg Page, Gerrie Coetzee, and Ron Lyle to whom he lost a razor-thin decision, finishing 21-7-2. At age 70 of unidentified causes.

May

7 – Jimmy Glenn

Few people in the fight game were as respected as Glenn, a fixture on the New York boxing scene for decades as a trainer, cornerman, and gym operator. Glenn’s Times Square dive bar, which he opened in 1971, was a must-stop for many out-of-town writers covering the fights at nearby Madison Square Garden. Pictured below with the late Bert Sugar, Glenn died at age 89 after a month-long battle with COVID-19.

glenn

20 – Hector Thompson

Holder of numerous regional belts during an 11-year career that began in 1970, Thompson, an indigenous Australian, had two cracks at a world title, coming up short in Panama City engagements with Roberto Duran and Antonio Cervantes. He finished 73-12-2. At age 70 in Brisbane after a lengthy battle with diabetes.

29 – Curtis Cokes

A 2003 IBHOF inductee, Cokes vitalized boxing in his native Dallas where he had 19 of his first 27 pro fights. He won the vacant WBA welterweight title in 1966 and made five successful defenses before running afoul of all-time great Jose Napoles. He could have pursued a career in Hollywood after earning high marks for his portrayal of a non-boxing character in the movie “Fat City,” but opted to remain in Dallas where he became a prominent trainer and gym operator. At age 82 of heart failure.

June

2 – Donald “Biff” Cline

A light heavyweight and Viet Nam veteran, active from 1971 to 1981, Cline finished 16-4-1 with 16 KOs, but never defeated a fighter with a winning record. In 1974, after fighting on national television, he got caught up in a scandal when it was revealed that three of his wins in The Ring Record Book were fictional. At age 72 at a nursing home in Pensacola, Florida, where he was suffering from dementia.

4 – Pete Rademacher

A former college football player, the Grandview, Washington, native represented the U.S. Army at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, winning a gold medal, and then challenged heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson in his very first pro fight. He was no match for Patterson, who stopped him in the sixth, but stayed in the game through 1962, finishing 14-7-1. At age 91 at a veteran’s home in Sandusky, Ohio, where he was suffering from dementia.

9 – Vince Shomo

Raised in Harlem, Shomo won a then-unprecedented four New York City Golden Gloves titles, finished first in his class at the 1959 Pan-American Games, and compiled a 12-10-2 mark as a pro. In retirement he had a career in finance and worked for a time as a boxing official. In East Stroudsburg, PA, at age 79.

14 – William Gildea

The Baltimore native covered many sports during his 50-plus years with the Washington Post, but was partial to boxing. Honored by the BWAA with the Nat Fleischer Award for career excellence in boxing journalism, Gildea authored or co-authored six books, the last of which examined the life of the great lightweight champion Joe Gans. At age 81 from the effects of Parkinson’s.

29 – Ernesto Marcel

A borderline Hall of Famer, the Colon, Panama native won the WBA world featherweight title in 1972 and made four successful defenses. He retired as champion after conquering Alexis Arguello (UD 15), leaving the sport with a record of 40-4-2. At age 72 in Panama City where he was suffering from Alzheimer’s.

30 – Alfred Kotey

The fifth fighter from Ghana to win a world title, Kotey captured the WBA bantamweight belt in his 19^th pro fight. His career turned south after two successful defenses and he lost 13 of his last 17 to finish 26-16-1. At age 52 in the Bronx where he was on life support after suffering a stroke.

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Arne K. Lang

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For Whom The Bell Tolled: 2020 Boxing Obituaries PART TWO

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A Closer Look at the Weslaco ‘Heartbreaker’ and an Early Peek at Inoue-Nery

Published

1 day ago

April 30, 2024

Arne K. Lang

A-Closer-look-at-the-Weslaco-Heartbreaker-and-an-Early-Peek-at-Inoue-Nery

Brandon Figueroa returns to the ring on Saturday after a 14-month absence. He meets Jessie Magdaleno in a 12-round featherweight affair at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with the winner potentially headed to a match with Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue. Figueroa vs. Magdaleno will be part of the four-fight pay-per-view telecast topped by Canelo Alvarez’s super middleweight title defense against Jaime Munguia.

Akin to Magdaleno, Figueroa (24-1-1, 18 KOs) is a former super bantamweight (122-pound) champion. He won the WBA version of the world title with a 10^th-round stoppage of Damien Vazquez and added the WBC belt with a seventh-round KO of previously undefeated Luis Nery who fights Inoue this coming Monday at the “Big Egg” in Tokyo.

Throughout history, many prominent boxers have been identified with the place that hewed them. Students of boxing history can identify the Saginaw Kid, the Terror Haute Terror, the Cincinnati Cobra – the list is long – and even casual fans can name the Brockton Blockbuster, the immortal Rocky Marciano.

Brandon Figueroa hails from Weslaco, a small city in the southern tip of Texas. It is part of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, commonly abbreviated RGV, and the locals feel an emotional tie to the entire valley, a place where the unofficial language among the adult population is Spanglish, a melding of Spanish and English.

Brandon’s older brother Omar Figueroa Jr, who retired in 2022 with a record of 28-3-1 after losing his last three fights, became a local hero after becoming the first boxer from the Valley to win a world title, in his case the WBC lightweight diadem. Brandon, 27, has the opportunity to out-do him by becoming the first boxer from the Valley to win titles in two weight divisions.

The brothers were introduced to boxing by their father, Omar Figueroa Sr. A mailman now in his twenty-seventh year working for the U.S. Postal Service, the elder Figueroa never boxed but followed the sport closely and hoped that one of his sons would follow in the footsteps of his sporting heroes Julio Cesar Chavez and the late Salvador Sanchez. Brandon borrowed a page from the Chavez playbook when he scored his signature win over Luis Nery. A left to the solar plexus ended the match. Nery replied with a sweeping left hook, but it was all instinct. In a delayed reaction, he crumpled to the canvas after launching the errant punch and was counted out.

Although Omar Sr has a picture in his cell phone of Brandon in fighting togs when Brandon was two years old, he insists that he discouraged his younger son from pursuing a career in boxing. “He was too skinny and didn’t have Omar’s natural talent,” the elder Figueroa told this reporter when we chatted at Las Vegas’ Pound4Pound Boxing Gym. “Then, when Brandon was about 12 or 13, he started hurting bigger boys with punches to the body in sparring and I thought, hold on, maybe I have something here.”

Omar Sr. opened a gym, Pantera Boxing, to give his sons a leg up and eventually enough kids from the neighborhood started coming by to field an amateur boxing team.

Omar Figueroa Sr was born in Northern Mexico and came to the United States at age nine. Many of his siblings – he was one of nine children — reside in Mexico but close enough for family get-togethers. The Figueroa family has crossed the international bridge that connects the two countries on many occasions. Returning to Weslaco, they share the span with border-crossers seeking refuge in the United States.

“One of the things I’ve noticed,” says Brandon, “is that there are a lot more Europeans crossing over that bridge into the U.S. than we used to see, especially people from countries like Russia and Ukraine.”

About that nickname: Brandon acquired it while visiting relatives in Rio Bravo, Mexico, situated roughly 18 miles from Weslaco. He was just a boy, perhaps 11 or 12, and it was teenage or pre-teen girls who affixed the “Heartbreaker” label to him. Indeed, in the looks department, he could give Ryan Garcia a run for his money. (Back off, ladies, Brandon has a steady girlfriend.)

Brandon Figueroa doesn’t want boxing to define him. “I’m also a businessman,” he says, noting that he owns several parcels of Weslaco real estate and owns stock in one of his sponsors, LOCK’DIN, a start-up, high-performance beverage company whose Board of Directors includes Manny Pacquiao.

Brandon Pacquiao

In high school, Brandon took classes in theater. He has a role in a forthcoming Amazon Prime movie, “Find Me,” and a starring role in the first episode of the reconstituted “Tales from the Crypt” which will air on HBO Max.

When Brandon quits boxing, will Hollywood beckon? “I can’t imagine settling down anywhere but in the Valley,” he says. “The Valley will always be a part of me.”

In his last outing, Figueroa won an interim WBC featherweight title with a lopsided decision over Mark Magsayo. In theory, that boosted him into a fight with Rey Vargas who was allowed to keep his WBC featherweight title after moving up to 130 where he suffered his first defeat at the hands of O’Shaquie Foster. But in boxing, “money” trumps “mandatory” and Vargas jumped at the chance to fight in Saudi Arabia where he was fortunate to retain his title when he received a draw in his match with Liverpool’s Nick Ball.

The most lucrative fight out there would be a match with four-belt super bantamweight champion and pound-for-pound king Naoya Inoue who has expressed an interest in moving up to featherweight after disposing of Luis Nery. Yes, that’s putting the cart before the horse, but Brandon Figueroa thinks the challenger from Tijuana, despite his impressive record (35-1-1, 27 KOs) has scant chance of winning. “I found a hole in Nery’s style,” he said, “and knew that once fatigue set in for him, he would be mine.”

Inoue vs. Nery is a very big deal in Japan in part because there’s a hero and a villain. Luis Nery is the only man to defeat the popular Shinsuke Yamanaka, a long-reigning title-holder who quit the sport after Nery knocked him out twice. After their first meeting, Nery’s “A” and “B” samples tested positive for a banned substance and he came in three pounds overweight for the rematch (a substantial edge in a small weight class), for which he was suspended and dropped from the WBC rankings. Nery, wrote TSS correspondent Tamas Pradarics, “repeatedly cheated on the Japanese in ugly and disgusting ways,” and the Japanese haven’t forgotten.

If Brandon Figueroa goes off to Japan some day to oppose Naoya Inoue, it will take some doing to contort him into a villain. “I love the Japanese people and the Japanese culture,” he says, “the whole Samurai thing which is so in tune with the warrior spirit of Mexicans.”

—

The pay-per-view portion of Saturday’s show is available for purchase on various cable and satellite platforms including Prime Video, DAZN.com, and PPV.com. First bell is slated for 8 pm ET/5 pm PT.

Brandon Figueroa vs. Jessie Magdaleno will be the second bout on the four-fight PPV program. It will follow the WBA world welterweight title fight between Eimantas Stanionis and Gabriel Maestre and will precede the WBC interim world welterweight title fight between Mario Barrios and Fabian Maidana.

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Ramirez Outpoints Barthelemy and Vergil Ortiz Scores Another Fast KO in Fresno

Published

4 days ago

April 27, 2024

David A. Avila

Ramirez-Outpoints-Barthelemy-and-Vergil-Ortiz-Scores-Another-Fast-KO-in-Fresno

Northern California favorite Jose Ramirez avoided an upset and knockout artist Vergil Ortiz destroyed his opponent on Saturday to set up a showdown with Australia’s power-punching Tim Tszyu.

After a 13-month layoff Ramirez (29-1, 18 KOs) shook off ring rust and avoided an upset by Cuba’s Rances Barthelemy (30-3-1, 15 KOs) in a battle between former world champions at Save Mart Center in Fresno.

It was Ramirez’s first bout under Golden Boy Promotions and he was nearly derailed by the slick counter-punching southpaw in the third and six rounds with laser left counters that connected every time. Though he was floored in the third round it was ruled a push down by referee Jack Reiss.

Fans gasped.

“He throws that left hand and I got hit with it in one round,” Ramirez said. “It motivated him.”

Once Ramirez figured out the remedy, he kept the fight inside and attacked the body and head. Barthelemy was unable to uncork one of his long lefts at close distance.

From the seventh round on the former super lightweight champion took control and kept the Cuban fighter against the ropes and unloaded shots to the body and head. He nearly forced a stoppage in the 11^th round.

Barthelemy survived but all three judges scored it big for Ramirez after 12 rounds: 119-109 twice and 118-110.

Vergil KOs Number 21

Knowing a win sets up a massive showdown against Aussie slugger Tim Tszyu, the Texas slugger Vergil Ortiz (21-0, 21 KOs) wasted no time in blasting out Puerto Rico’s Thomas Dulorme (26-7-1, 17 KOs) with a perfectly placed left hook to the body. Dulorme collapsed to the ground in agony.

Referee Tom Taylor stopped counting at 2:39 of the first round.

“It was a very calculated punch,” Ortiz said.

It was a commanding one round performance that sets up the showdown against the equally powerful Tszyu who despite losing a split decision to Sebastian Fundora last month by split decision, retains his reputation as a dangerous puncher.

Ortiz, who has 21 knockouts in 21 fights, will probably be fighting Tszyu in Los Angeles on June 1 if all negotiations go smoothly.

“Tim (Tszyu) I know you are watching the fight,” said Ortiz. “I’m ready. Let’s put on a great performance.”

Other Bouts

Oscar Duarte (27-2-1, 22 KOs) proved his knockout loss against Ryan Garcia would not stop him from improving as he defeated Jojo Diaz (33-6-1) by knockout at 2:32 of the ninth round in a super lightweight match. Referee Michael Margado wisely stopped the bludgeoning as a towel came flying in almost simultaneously.

It was the first time Diaz was ever defeated by knockout, though he never touched the canvas. It was also the first time Duarte trained with Robert Garcia and the difference was notable as he repeatedly walked through incoming fire and attacked the smaller fighter continuously.

“I want to fight the best in the world,” Duarte said.

Female Title Fight

A rematch battle for the flyweight championship saw Argentina’s Gabriela Alaniz (15-1) defeat Marlen Esparza (14-2) this time with a two-fisted attack to win by split decision after 10 rounds.

Esparza failed to make weight and walked in three pounds overweight and Alaniz took advantage to win the WBA, WBC, and WBO flyweight titles in the rematch. Once again the scores were puzzling but this time in favor of Alaniz 97-93, 96-94, and 92-98.

Alaniz now holds the WBO, WBA, WBC flyweight world titles.

Welterweights

Mexico’s Raul Curiel (15-0, 13 KOs) busted body shots on Jorge Marron Jr. (20-5-2) and floored him twice in the first round. The second body blow left Marron paralyzed and unable to continue at 1:31 of the first round as referee Thomas Taylor counted him out.

Curiel, who is managed by Frank Espinoza and son, proved he’s ready for the upper levels of the welterweight division.

“I think I’m ready for the bigger names,” Curiel said. “You see the results.”

Photo credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 282: Ryan’s Song, Golden Boy in Fresno and More

Published

6 days ago

April 26, 2024

David A. Avila

Avila Perspective, Chap. 282: Ryan’s Song, Golden Boy in Fresno and More

Don’t call it an upset.

Days after Ryan Garcia proved the experts wrong, those same experts are re-tooling their evaluation processes.

It’s mind-boggling to me that 95 percent thought Garcia had no chance. Hear me out.

First, Garcia and Haney fought six times as amateurs with each winning three. But this time with no head gear and smaller gloves, Garcia had to have at least a 50/50 chance of winning. He is faster and a more powerful puncher.

Facts.

Haney is a wonderful boxer with smooth, almost artistic movements. But history has taught us power and speed like Garcia’s can’t be discounted. Think way back to legendary fighters like Willie Pep and Sandy Sadler. All that excellent defensive skill could not prevent Sadler from beating Pep in three of their four meetings.

Power has always been an equalizer against boxing skill.

Ben Lira, one of the wisest and most experienced trainers in Southern California, always professed knockout power was the greatest equalizer in a fight. “You can be behind for nine rounds and one punch can change the outcome,” he said.

Another weird theory spreading before the fight was that Garcia would quit in the fight. That was a puzzling one. Getting stopped by a perfect body shot is not quitting. And that punch came from Gervonta “Tank” Davis who can really crack.

So how did Garcia do it?

In the opening round Ryan Garcia timed Devin Haney’s jab and countered with a snapping left hook that rattled and wobbled the super lightweight champion. After that, Garcia forced Haney to find another game plan.

Garcia and trainer Derrick James must have worked hours on that move.

I must confess that I first saw Garcia’s ability many years ago when he was around 11 or 12. So I do have an advantage regarding his talent. A few things I noticed even back then were his speed and power. Also, that others resented his talent but respected him. He was the guy with everything: talent and looks.

And that brings resentment.

Recently I saw him and his crew rapping a song on social media. Now he’s got a song. Next thing you know Hollywood will be calling and he’ll be in the movies. It’s happened before with fighters such as Art Aragon, the first Golden Boy in the 50s. He was dating movie stars and getting involved with starlets all over Hollywood.

Is history repeating itself or is Garcia creating a new era for boxing?

Since 2016 people claimed he was just a social media creation. Now, after his win over Devin Haney a former undisputed lightweight champion and the WBC super lightweight titleholder, the boxer from the high desert area of Victorville has become one of the highest paid fighters in the world.

Ryan Garcia has entered a new dimension.

Golden Boy Season

After several down years the Los Angeles-based company Golden Boy Promotions suddenly is cracking the whip in 2024.

Avila

Vergil Ortiz Jr. (20-0, 20 KOs) returns to the ring and faces Puerto Rico’s Thomas Dulorme (26-6-1, 17 KOs) a welterweight gatekeeper who lost to Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Eimantas Stanionis. They meet as super welterweights in the co-main event at Save Mart Arena in Fresno, Calif. on Saturday, April 27. DAZN will stream the Golden Boy Promotions card live.

It’s a quick return to action for Ortiz who is still adjusting to the new weight division. His last fight three months ago ended in less than one round in Las Vegas. It was cut short by an antsy referee and left Ortiz wanting more after more than a year of inactivity in the prize ring.

Ortiz has all the weapons.

Also, Northern California’s Jose Carlos Ramirez (28-1, 18 KOs) meets Cuba’s Rances Barthelemy (30-2-1, 15 KOs) in a welterweight affair set for 12 rounds.

It’s difficult to believe that former super lightweight titlist Ramirez has been written off by fans after only one loss. That was several years ago against Scotland’s Josh Taylor. One loss does not mean the end of a career.

“My goal is to get back on top and to get all those belts back. I still feel like I am one of the best 140-pounders in the division,” said Ramirez who lives in nearby Avenal, Calif.

An added major attraction features Marlen Esparza in a unification rematch against Gabriela “La Chucky” Alaniz for the WBA, WBC, WBO flyweight titles. Their first fight was

a controversial win by Esparza that saw one judge give her nine of 10 rounds in a very close fight. Those Texas judges.

In a match that could steal the show, Oscar Duarte (26-2-1, 21 KOs) faces former world champion Jojo Diaz (33-5-1, 15 KOs) in a lightweight match.

Munguia and Canelo

Don’t sleep on this match.

Its current Golden Boy fighter Jaime Munguia facing former Golden Boy fighter Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in a battle between Mexico’s greatest sluggers next week at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on May 4.

“I think Jaime Munguia is going to do something special in the ring,” said Oscar De La Hoya, the CEO for Golden Boy.

Tijuana’s Munguia showed up at the Wild Card Boxing gym in Hollywood where a throng of media from Mexico and the US met him.

Munguia looked confident and happy about his opportunity to fight great Canelo.

“It’s a hard fight,” said Munguia. “Truth is, its big for Mexico and not only for Mexicans but for boxing.”

Fights to Watch

Fri. DAZN 6 p.m. Yoeniz Tellez (7-0) vs Joseph Jackson (19-0).

Sat. DAZN 9:30 a.m. Peter McGrail (8-1) vs Marc Leach (18-3-1); Beatriz Ferreira (4-0) vs Yanina Del Carmen 14-3).

Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. Vergil Ortiz (20-0) vs Thomas Dulorme (26-6-1); Jose Carlos Ramirez (28-1) vs Rances Barthelemy (30-2-1); Marlen Esparza (14-1) vs Gabriela Alaniz (14-1).

Photo credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy Promotions

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