Golden Boy prospects shine in the desert

Sweet science took me all the way from Burbank to the desert, Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino in Indio, California where on Friday Night Golden Boy Promotions staged a professional night of boxing featuring several hot undefeated prospects.

By Ray Flores

 

In the main event of the evening, televised by TeleFutura’s Solo Boxeo, former amateur stand out from Cuba, Erislanda Lara (15-0,10KO’S) took very little time to destroy his overmatched opponent from Paris , Arizona, Delray Raines (18-9-1,13KO’S).

 Southpaw, light middleweight Lara attacked from the onset and finished the job at 2:59 of the very first round with a right hook left cross combination that deposited Raines on the canvass for the count. ” I was just warming up, getting my rhythm when I connected,” said Lara after the fight: ” This is my fourth first round knock out in a row.” Looks like even Lara himself could see that he needs to step up the level of competition.

By Ray Flores

In the opening bout East LA’s Ramon Valadez (5-1,2KO) stopped a lightweight from Ensenada, Mexico, Cesar Omar Garcia (3-6,1KO) at 2:32 of the third stanza scheduled four.

Valadez attacked with purpose from the onset putting together crisp combinations that hurt and drove Garcia back and got the crowd into the fight right away. Valadez continued to administer punishment in the second and third rounds. A huge gash on the left eye of Garcia that was caused by a punch stopped the action temporarily. Ringside physician allowed the fight to go on and Valadez continued his assault. Bleeding profusely as if in the Rocky movie, Garcia could not return fire forcing referee David Mendoza to end the night.

By Ray Flores

 

Rising light welterweight prospect from East Los Angeles, California, Frankie Gomez (8-0, 6KO’S) took care of business dominating a veteran from Los Mochis, Mexico, Luis Alfredo Lugo(11-15-1,6KO’S) over six one sided rounds. All three judges scored the fight 60-53 for Gomez.” I tried to knock him out, but he is a tough kid,” said Gomez immediately following the fight:” I had him hurt, but I couldn’t get him down.”

In contrast to his previous seven fights Gomez started slow concentrating on accuracy rather than throwing a lot of punches.Huge overhand right in the second stanza ignited the crowd, but when follow up body shots deposited Lugo on the canvas referee Pat Russell called it a slip. Left hook in the third dropped Lugo again. This time referee administered the count. Gomez tried to finish the job, but veteran from Mexico made it through the round. Another right cross left hook combination had Lugo in trouble in the fourth, but in spite of being on shaky legs trial horse from Los Mochis continued to fight back with vigor. Being true to his nick name Frankie went on a furious attack, but could not end the fight early.

By Ray Flores

Despite his best efforts crowd favorite Randy Caballero (7-0,4KO) had to go all four rounds to win his seventh professional fight over rugged Manuel Ortega (1-4) from Seattle, Washington. All three judges scored the fight the same: 40-35 for the feather weight from Coachella, California.

Caballero wasted no time for introductions assaulting Ortega from all angles and throwing punches in bunches getting the crowd involved. Right hand to the temple dropped Ortega, but he got up and fought back bravely, but with little success. Crowd chanted “Randy, Randy!” inspiring a fighter from Coachella to open up even more in the third and fourth frames. Outgunned but valiant Ortega fought back thus earning the right to hear the final bell.

By Ray Flores

Las Vegas based middleweight Bastie Samir (8-0,8KO’S) stopped Greg Hackett (2-5) from Philadelphia at 2:48 of the very first round. Samir unleashed a barrage of punches, most of which landed on the elbows of his adversary, forcing the referee Pat Russell to end the night. Hackett complained about the stoppage, but he was not fighting back off the ropes thus leaving referee no other option.

By Ray Flores

Chino’s Ava Knight (6-1-2,3KO’S) overwhelmed Gloria Salas (3-6-1) from Palm Springs with speed, power and precision. Left right combination dropped Gloria for good at 1:55 of the first round.

 

Weigh in results from Fantasy Springs.

By Ray Flores

By Ray Flores

Later on today Fanatsy Springs Casino will play host to a Golden Boy promoted professional night of boxing that will be televised by Solo Boxeo. In the main even former amateur standout from Cuba, Erislandy Lara who weighed in 152.2 pounds, will take on Delray Raines from Arizona who weighed in at 155.6 pounds.

By Ray Flores

 

Exciting local prospect Randy Caballero weighed in at 122.4 pounds while his opponent Manuel ortega from Seattle weighed in at 125.4 pounds.

By Ray Flores

exciting ladies six round flyweight bout will take place when Ava Knight at 110 pounds will take on Glorai Salas at 108.8 pounds.

By Ray Flores

 Middleweight Bastie Samir weighed in 162 pounds while his opponent, Greg Hackett came in at 161.6 pounds.

By Ray Flores

 

Stay tuned for the results and post fight comments.

 

Donaire Montiel press conference in LA

 

2011 starts out with a bang – Glendale Sports | Examiner.com

If the opening event of this year is any indication of what’s to come, 2011 is sure to bring exciting and competitive match ups that will have fans buzzing throughout. ESPN will kick off its season from COX pavilion in Las Vegas on Friday, January 7th with a live transmission of a junior welterweight showdown between two hot prospects Mauricio Herrera and Ruslan Provodnikov.

2011 starts out with a bang – Glendale Sports | Examiner.com.

 

Top ten fighters that would make Burbank Boxing Trailer move.

Photo by Ray Flores

“Not another bogus list,” said a journalist from Las Vegas, Paul Hernandez;” What the heck are you talking about?”

Let me explain. For the past several years I have been approached to participate in several pound for pound lists and each time I respectfully declined. Finally one of my colleagues asked me why? “I just don’t care about that,” I said. I think pound for pound list is a good subject for a conversation at the barber shop. Other than that how could we decide who is better, Pacquiao or Mayweather unless they actually fight. Or who is better Manny Pacquiao of today or Aaron Pryor during his prime? These are all very interesting questions, but they are based strictly on opinions and feelings.
So I decided to make a top ten list of the most exciting fighters that would make me get on the road and travel far to cover their fights. What about Burbank Boxing trailer? Burbank Boxing trailer is my personal shrine to the sweet science that is stationary. But these ten warriors stand a chance of making it move. While subjective this list is based on how fans react to fighters. So here they are.

1. Manny Pacquiao (59-3-2,38KO). Aside from winning the hearts of ninety million Filipinos, Pacman transcended the sport and gained popularity all over the world with an all out assault style in the ring. Humble man from humble beginnings, Pacquiao walks to the ring with his patented smile as if he is enjoying a walk in the park with the family, but once inside the squared circle, opponents beware, Pacman is hazardous to your health. With top trainer Freddie Roach in his corner Manny has been able to add a lot of skills to his speed and power, but despite his ability to out box most of his opponents in the ring, he chooses to engage them. “That is what fans want!” exclaimed Pacquiao after destroying Antonio Margarito last month in Texas.

2. Alfredo Angulo (19-1,16KO’S) Former Mexican Olympian Alfredo El Perro Angulo inspires adulation of fans with relentless aggression and dogged determination in the ring. Even though his people insist that a nickname El Perro came from him helping an organization to protect pit bulls from discrimination, the collar fits perfect. Like a pit bull once El Perro sinks sharp teeth into his prey he will not let go. Just ask his last victim, Joachim Alcine, who made a mistake of holding Angulo, but giving him one free hand. Angulo kept punching and destroyed a former champion in the very first round.

3. Juan Manuel Marquez (52-5-1,38KO’S). Well known earlier in his career as a ring technician and a master boxer, with age and experience Juan Manuel Marquez understood the need for combat. The man also known as El Dynamita has treated his fans to some of the most thrilling ring wars in recent boxing history. Last year’s fight of the year with Juan Diaz where Marquez had to endure an incredible firestorm to stop the younger fighter in the later rounds was followed by my favorite fight of this year with Michael Katsidis. Heavy handed Aussie banger dropped the Mexican champion with a left hook in the third round that would end the night for most humans, but it only inspired Marquez to engage in dramatic blood bath that ended with him stopping Katsidis late. In both instances, realizing that they witnessed boxing history, fans did not want to go home talking about their hero till wee hours in the morning.

4. Miguel Cotto (35-2,28KO’S). Even though Puerto Rican super star has suffered several brutal defeats, one to Margarito in 2008 and another to Manny Pacquiao in 2009, Miguel Cotto have never been in a bad fight. He cuts easily, he bleeds, he gets hurt, but he always comes back and fights his heart out leaving everything in the ring for the fans. And fans do respond to the stoic demeanor of Puerto Rican warrior who sells out Madison Square Garden every time he fights there. Even fighting lesser known opponent Yuri Forman, three division champion Cotto sold a lot of tickets at the new Yankee Stadium in Bronx and no one had asked for a refund after the fight.

5. Marcos Maidana (29-2,27KO’S). Argentinean banger has entered the consciousness of American boxing fans last year in Los Angeles when he got off the canvass three times to stop highly regarded Victor Ortiz. His mind over matter determination and a right hand bomb has opened the hearts of fight fans from the onset. “I love this guy,” fans would exclaim: “When is he going to fight again?” This year Maidana provided more thrills for fight fans when he took on a British star, Amir Khan in light welterweight showdown that turned out to be a candidate for a fight of the year. Dropped hard in the first round with a liver shot that would end careers of most fighters, Maidana got up recovered and dominated the later rounds, having Khan in serious trouble and fans on their feet throughout round ten.
“I don’t feel like a looser,” said Maidana after the fight that he lost on the judge’s score cards.

6. Antonio Margarito (38-7,28KO’S). Antonio Margarito has lost a lot of loyal fans last year with the hand wrapping scandal that followed a dramatic knock out loss at the hands of Sugar Shane Mosley. That memorable night in Los Angeles, Staples Center had a record number of fans, twenty one thousand plus, to ever be assembled for any sporting event at the famous venue. Most of them were there to support Tijuana Tornado. This year proud Mexican warrior showed why fans continue to support him in a last month fight with Manny Pacquiao. Out gunned and outclassed and bludgeoned with barrage of punches in every round, Margarito never gave up trying to win the fight. Literally willing to die in the ring Margarito got his eye socket broken and ended up in the hospital. Would that be enough to win back all his fans?
http://www.examiner.com/sports-in-glendale-ca/top-ten-fighters-that-would-make-burbank-boxing-trailer-move

 

Timothy Bradley on his upcoming bout with Alexander

 

Strength and conditioning. Latest trend or is it here to stay? – Glendale Sports | Examiner.com

I have asked a veteran of sweet science what he thought about a new trend of boxers hiring strength and conditioning coaches and nutritionists to help them to get ready for a fight. ”I am old school,” said Tony Rivera who has been in the corner of such ring greats as Roberto Duran and recently, Marco Antonio Barrera:” To me it’s just a trainer and a fighter. It works best that way.”

Strength and conditioning. Latest trend or is it here to stay? – Glendale Sports | Examiner.com.

 

Amir Khan and coach Freddie Roach post fight comments

 

Ortiz and Peterson fight to a draw.

In the opening bout of the evening at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, televised live by HBO, contenders Victor Ortiz(28-2-2,22KO’S) and Lamont Peterson(28-1-1,14KO’S) fought to a highly disputed majority draw. Scores were 95-93 for Peterson and 94-94 twice. Ortiz was the aggressor and threw more punches, but Peterson was good defender who threw at a better connect rate.” I am not going to talk bad about anybody,” said Ortiz who thought he won the fight:” Thank you. I had a great time.”

After a tactical first round that was controlled by Ortiz he appeared to have a gash on the forehead that was most likely caused by a clash of heads. Ortiz continued to press the action in the second but he was having trouble landing punches and appeared to be reaching a little. Ortiz found his range in the third and hurt Peterson with a right hook then dropped him with a lethal combination. Victor scored one more knock down but was not able to finish the job. However, Peterson was not finished yet; he landed a monster right hand backing up in the fourth, but Ortiz just kept walking right through it. Lamont landed another hard overhand right to temporarily detract Ortiz, but the California fighter came back with a huge right hook to culminate a close round. Ortiz continued to press the action and walk through occasional sharp counters of Peterson whose confidence began to grow. Peterson opened up a seventh frame with a sharp flurry and controlled the early part of the action, but Ortiz turned it around late. Peterson was back in the fight.

Despite eating several hard counters Ortiz upped the pressure in the eighth, a close round that ended up in a toe to toe battle in the end that had crowd on their feet. Momentum was slowly shifting and Peterson had a good round nine landing hard counters and even pressing forward. Both prospects showed a lot of heart and determination in the final stanza; Peterson landed a huge right hand to ignite the crowd, but Ortiz answered with a flurry. It was a well fought well contested light welterweight bout with both warriors deserving credit for skills and will.

For coverage of main event between Amir Khan and Marcos Maidana check out my story at Glendale Examiner
http://www.examiner.com/sports-in-glendale-ca/khan-keeps-his-crown-a-thriller

 

My prediction on Khan vs Maidana fight