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Avila Perspective Chap. 181: Southern California Heating Up and More News

Back to normal in Southern California.
Two boxing cards battle it out in the Los Angeles area with All Star Boxing in Commerce and MarvNation Promotions in Pomona, California.
MarvNation Promotions returns to the Derby Room at the Pomona Fairgrounds with another full stacked card on Saturday April 2. Doors open at 6 p.m.
All Star Boxing returns to the Commerce Casino in Commerce, California on Saturday April 2, doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Both boxing cards feature six undefeated fighters each among other expected bouts. Welcome to California.
Commerce
Ed Holmes and All Star Boxing returns to the boxing game after a brief retirement due to the pandemic. He assisted Red Boxing International in their recent effort and decided to get back in the fight game.
For more than 20 years All Star has brought boxing to the Los Angeles area and featured many fighters that became stars. Many are still competing like super lightweight contender Jose âChonâ Zepeda, heavyweight contender Murat Gassiev, and multi-division world titlist Mikey Garcia.
On Saturday, All Star presents super middleweights Raul Lizarraga (6-0) facing Emmanuel Sanchez (7-15-1) in the main event and undefeated lightweight Eric Mondragon in the co-main event at Commerce Casino.
Pomona
About 26 miles east, MarvNation has its own slew of undefeated fighters led by Chicagoâs Summer Lynn (6-0) meeting Jaica Pavilus (2-4-1) in a welterweight clash at the Derby Room on the Pomona Fairgrounds in Pomona.
Lynn is coached and managed by Rick Ramos and undisputed welterweight world champion Jessica McCaskill. All are currently in Southern California to participate on the MarvNation fight card.
Ramos said his protégé is ready to move up in competition and looks to this fight as important to gauge her abilities.
âSheâs tough,â Ramos said while in Pomona.
Itâs a large boxing card that usually draws a big crowd who will be anxious to meet undisputed welterweight world champion McCaskill and her manager/trainer Ramos. Others expected to appear at the boxing card are Adelaida Ruiz who won her fight last week by knockout.
Basically, MarvNation is a new promotion company that has also been staging boxing cards outside of the U.S. Last week they promoted a boxing card in Costa Rica that featured IBF minimumweight world titlist Yokasta Valle.
This is their third boxing card at the Derby Room in Pomona that was formerly known as the Finish Line. The outdoor venue has been used for boxing for over a decade. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Lightweight showdown â Kambosos vs Haney
Things are picking up in the boxing world as WBC lightweight titlist Devin Haney has agreed to face George Kambosos Jr. for undisputed status as the lightweight world champion on June 4, at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, announced Top Rank and DiBella entertainment on Thursday. ESPN will telecast the event.
âHe sought out the challenge of Vasiliy Lomachenko to give the people of Australia the biggest event possible. When duty to country (Ukraine) made âLomaâ unavailable, George demanded the biggest event possible and greatest challenge in Devin Haney,” said Lou DiBella, president of DiBella Entertainment. “June 4 will be epic. Credit goes to George for his unprecedented drive to greatness and to Devin Haney for being a man of his word and accepting the final lightweight unification for boxing fans worldwide.
Australiaâs Kambosos holds most of the belts after winning a split-decision over Teofimo Lopez last year in a fight where both were knocked down and battled until the end. He decided to defend his titles in his home country.
Haney, 23, has blazed to the top with victories over former world champions Jorge Linares and Jojo Diaz. In both wins he showcased the athleticism and skill not often seen. He also signed a three-fight contract with Top Rank and DiBella Entertainment to obtain this historic fight.
âGeorge Kambosos Jr. and Devin Haney demanded this fight, and it will be a historic night of boxing that will capture the attention of fans from around the world,â said Bob Arum of Top Rank.
Ryan Garcia
Lightweight contender Ryan Garcia (21-0, 18 Kos) heads to San Antonio next week to face Ghanaâs Emmanuel Tagoe (32-1, 15 Kos) in San Antonio, Texas on Saturday April 9, at the Alamodome. The fight will be streamed on DAZN.
Garcia, 23, is ranked number three by the WBC and holds the interim title. Few dispute his athletic talent and ability to dismantle opponents in seconds. What fans wonder mostly is whether he can do the same against top contenders like Teofimo Lopez, George Kambosos, Devin Haney and Vasyl Lomachenko?
Tagoe, 33, is ranked number nine by the WBC and his only loss occurred during his pro debut in his native Ghana back in 2004. Since then, no one has been able to defeat the fighter known as âGame Boyâ who fashions himself as a unorthodox style of fighter with power.
Both will be performing workouts at the Will Naylor Smith Riverwalk Plaza in San Antonio on Wednesday April 6, at noon Texas time.
On Thursday, a press conference open to the public takes place in front of the Alamodome south entrance at 12:30 p.m. Texas time.
On Friday, the weigh-in takes place at the Alamodome south entrance at 12:30 p.m.
The actual fight between Garcia and Tagoe takes place on Saturday April 9, at the Alamodome. First bout begins at 4:00 p.m.
Fights to Watch
Sat. Sky Sports 1 p.m. Savannah Marshall (11-0) vs Femke Hermans (12-3).
Sat. ESPN+ 6 p.m. Yulihan Luna (22-3-1) vs Mayeli Flores (8-0-1).
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Emanuel Navarrete Survives a Bloody Battle with Charly Suarez in San Diego

In a torrid battle Mexicoâs Emanuel âVaqueroâ Navarrete and his staccato attack staved off the herky-jerky non-stop assaults of Philippineâs Charly Suarez to win by technical decision and retain the WBO super feather world title on Saturday.
What do they feed these guys?
Navarrete (40-2-1, 32 KOs) and his elongated arms managed to connect enough to compensate against the surprising Suarez (18-1, 10 KOs) who wowed the crowd at Pechanga Arena in San Diego.
An accidental clash of heads opened a cut on the side of Navarreteâs left eye and forced a stoppage midway through the fight.
From the opening round Navarrete used his windmill style of attack with punches from different angles that caught Suarez multiple times early. It did not matter. Suarez fired back with impunity and was just as hungry to punch it out with the Mexican fighter.
It was savage.
Every time Navarrete connected solidly, he seemed to pause and check out the damage. Bad idea. Suarez would immediately counter with bombs of his own and surprise the champion with his resilience and tenacity.
Wherever they found Suarez they should look for more, because the Filipino fighter from Manila was ferocious and never out of his depth.
Around the sixth round the Mexican fighter seemed a little drained and puzzled at the tireless attacks coming from Suarez. During an exchange of blows a cut opened up on Navarrete and it was ruled an accidental clash of heads by the referee. Blood streamed down the side of Navarreteâs face and it was cleared by the ringside physician.
But at the opening of the eighth round, the fight was stopped and the ringside physician ruled the cut was too bad to continue. The California State Athletic Commission looked at tape of the round when the cut opened to decipher if it was an accidental butt or a punch that caused the cut. It was unclear so the refereeâs call of accidental clash of heads stood as the final ruling.
Score cards from the judges saw Navarrete the winner by scores of 78-75, 77-76 twice. He retains the WBO title.
Interim IBF Lightweight Title
The sharp-shooting Raymond âDangerâ Muratalla (23-0, 17 KOs) maneuvered past Russiaâs Zaur Abdullaev (20-2, 12 KOs) by unanimous decision to win the interim IBF lightweight title after 12 rounds.
Both fighters were strategic in their approach with Muratalla switching from orthodox to southpaw at various times of the fight. Neither fighter was ever able to dominant any round.
Defense proved the difference between the two lightweights. Muratalla was able to slip more blows than Abdullaev and that proved the difference. The fighter from Fontana, California was able to pierce Abdullaevâs guard more often than not, especially with counter punches.
Abdullaev was never out of the fight. The Russian fighter was able to change tactics and counter the counters midway through the fight. It proved effective especially to the body. But it was not enough to offset Muratallaâs accuracy.
There were no knockdowns and after 12 rounds the judges scored it 118-110, 119-109 twice for Muratalla who now becomes the mandatory for the IBF lightweight title should Vasyl Lomachenko return to defend it.
Muratalla was brief.
âHe was a tough fighter,â said Muratalla. âMy defense is something I work on a lot.â
Perla Wins
Super flyweight Perla Bazaldua (2-0) eased past Mona Ward (0-2) with a polished display of fighting at length and inside.
Combination punching and defense allowed Bazaldua to punch in-between Wardâs attacks and force the St. Louis fighter to clinch repeatedly. But Ward hung in there despite taking a lot of blows. After four rounds the Los Angeles-based Bazaldua was scored the winner 40-36 on all three cards. Bazaldua signed a long term contract with Top Rank in March.
Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank
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Late Bloomer Anthony Cacace TKOs Hometown Favorite Leigh Wood in Nottingham

Frank Warrenâs Queensberry Promotions was at Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, England, tonight with a card featuring hometown favorite Leigh Wood against Irelandâs Anthony âApacheâ Cacace.
Wood, a former two-time WBA featherweight champion, known for dramatic comebacks in bouts he was losing, may have reached the end of the road at age 36. He had his moments tonight, rocking Cacace on several occasions and winning the eighth round, but he paid the price, returning to his corner after round eight with swelling around both of his eyes.
In the ninth, Cacace, an 11/5 favorite, hurt Wood twice with left hands, the second of which knocked Wood into the ropes, dictating a standing 8-count by referee John Latham. When the bout resumed, Cacace went for the kill and battered Wood around the ring, forcing Woodâs trainer Ben Davison to throw in the towel. The official time was 2:15 of round nine.
Akin to Wood, Northern Irelandâs Cacace (24-1, 9 KOs) is also 36 years old and known as a late bloomer. This was his ninth straight win going back to 2017 (he missed all of 2018 and 2020). He formerly held the IBF 130-pound world title, a diadem he won with a stoppage of then-undefeated and heavily favored Joe Cordina, but that belt wasnât at stake tonight as Cacace abandoned it rather than fulfill his less-lucrative mandatory. Wood falls to 28-4.
Semi-Wind-Up
Nottingham light heavyweight Ezra Taylor, fighting in his hometown for the first time since pro debut, delighted his fan base with a comprehensive 10-round decision over previously undefeated Troy Jones. Taylor, who improved to 12-0 (9) won by scores of 100-90, 99-91, and 98-92.
This was Taylorâs first fight with new trainer Malik Scott, best known for his work with Deontay Wilder. The victory may have earned him a match with Commonwealth title-holder Lewis Edmondson. Jones was 12-0 heading in.
Other Bouts of Note
In his first fight as a featherweight, Liam Davies rebounded from his first defeat with a 12-round unanimous decision over Northern Irelandâs previously undefeated Kurt Walker. Davies, who improved to 17-1 (8), staved off a late rally to prevail on scores of 115-113, 116-112, and 117-111. It was the first pro loss for the 30-year-old Walker (12-1), a Tokyo Olympian.
In a mild upset, Owen Cooper, a saucy Worcestershire man, won a 10-round decision over former Josh Taylor stablemate Chris Kongo. The refereeâs scorecard read 96-94.
Cooper improved to 11-1 (4). It was the third loss in 20 starts for Kongo.
A non-televised 8-rounder featured junior welterweight Sam Noakes in a stay-busy fight. A roofer by trade and the brother of British welterweight title-holder Sean Noakes, Sam improved to 17-0 (15 KOs) with a third-round stoppage of overmatched Czech import Patrik Balez (13-5-1).
Photo credit: Leigh Dawney / Queensberry
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Avila Perspective, Chap. 326: Top Rank and San Diego Smoke

Avila Perspective, Chap. 326: Top Rank and San Diego Smoke
Years ago, I worked at a newsstand in the Beverly Hills area. It was a 24-hour a day version and the people that dropped by were very colorful and unique.
One elderly woman Eva, who bordered on homeless but pridefully wore lipstick, would stop by the newsstand weekly to purchase a pack of menthol cigarettes. On one occasion, she asked if I had ever been to San Diego?
I answered âyes, many times.â
She countered âyou need to watch out for San Diego Smoke.â
This Saturday, Top Rank brings its brand of prizefighting to San Diego or what could be called San Diego Smoke. Leading the fight card is Mexicoâs Emanuel Navarrete (39-2-1, 32 KOs) defending the WBO super feather title against undefeated Filipino Charly Suarez (18-0, 10 KOs) at Pechanga Arena. ESPN will televise.
This is Navarreteâs fourth defense of the super feather title.
The last time Navarrete stepped in the boxing ring he needed six rounds to dismantle the very capable Oscar Valdez in their rematch. One thing about Mexico Cityâs Navarrete is he always brings âthe smoke.â
Also, on the same card is Fontana, Californiaâs Raymond Muratalla (22-0, 17 KOs) vying for the interim IBF lightweight title against Russiaâs Zaur Abdullaev (20-1, 12 KOs) on the co-main event.
Abdullaev has only fought once before in the USA and was handily defeated by Devin Haney back in 2019. But that was six years ago and since then he has knocked off various contenders.
Muratalla is a slick fighting lightweight who trains at the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy now in Moreno Valley, Calif. Itâs a virtual boot camp with many of the top fighters on the West Coast available to spar on a daily basis. If you need someone bigger or smaller, stronger or faster someone can match those needs.
When you have that kind of preparation available, itâs tough to beat. Still, you have to fight the fight. You never know what can happen inside the prize ring.
Another fighter to watch is Perla Bazaldua, 19, a young and very talented female fighter out of the Los Angeles area. She is trained by Manny Robles who is building a small army of top female fighters.
Bazaldua (1-0, 1 KO) meets Mona Ward (0-1) in a super flyweight match on the preliminary portion of the Top Rank card. Top Rank does not sign many female fighters so you know that they believe in her talent.
Others on the Top Rank card in San Diego include Giovani Santillan, Andres Cortes, Albert Gonzalez, Sebastian Gonzalez and others.
They all will bring a lot of smoke to San Diego.
Probox TV
A strong card led by Erickson âThe Hammerâ Lubin (26-2, 18 KOs) facing Ardreal Holmes Jr. (17-0, 6 KOs) in a super welterweight clash between southpaws takes place on Saturday at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Florida. PROBOX TV will stream the fight card.
Ardreal has rocketed up the standings and now faces veteran Lubin whose only losses came against world titlists Sebastian Fundora and Jermell Charlo. Itâs a great match to decide who deserves a world title fight next.
Another juicy match pits Argentinaâs Nazarena Romero (14-0-2) against Mexicoâs Mayelli Flores (12-1-1) in a female super bantamweight contest.
Nottingham, England
Anthony Cacace (23-1, 8 KOs) defends the IBO super featherweight title against Leigh Wood (28-3, 17 KOs) in Woodâs hometown on Saturday at Nottingham Arena in Nottingham, England. DAZN will stream the Queensberry Promotions card.
Irelandâs Cacace seems to have the odds against him. But he is no stranger to dancing in the enemyâs lair or on foreign territory. He formerly defeated Josh Warrington in London and Joe Cordina in Riyadh in IBO title defenses.
Lampley at Wild Card
Boxing telecaster Jim Lampley will be signing his new book It Happened! at the Wild Card Boxing gym in Hollywood, Calif. on Saturday, May 10, beginning at 2 p.m. Lampley has been a large part of many of the greatest boxing events in the past 40 years. He and Freddie Roach will be at the signing.
Fights to Watch (All times Pacific Time)
Sat. DAZN 11 a.m. Anthony Cacace (23-1) vs Leigh Wood (28-3).
Sat. PROBOX.tv 3 p.m. Erickson Lubin (26-2) vs Ardreal Holmes Jr. (17-0).
Sat. ESPN 7 p.m. Emanuel Navarrete (39-2-1) vs Charly Suarez (18-0); Raymond Muratalla (22-0) vs Zaur Abdullaev (20-1).
Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank
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