By: William Holmes
The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of October 15th to October 22nd, covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.
Locked ‘N Loaded Results
Super bantamweight Enrique Quevedo cruised to a unanimous decision upset victory over San Diego-native Christopher Martin in the 8-round main event of Friday’s Thompson Boxing Promotions fight card at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.
Quevedo handedly outpointed Martin by applying steady pressure, landing consistent combinations and never taking his foot off the gas, all the while making Martin look uncomfortable and unhinged.
“I came in with an excellent game plan and I executed it perfectly,” said Quevedo, who lives and trains out of the Southern California port city of San Pedro. “Everything went well for me.”
Official scoring came in at 79-73 through the three scorecards. Quevedo improves to 15-6-1, 9 KOs, while Martin moves to 27-3-3, 9 KOs.
The co-main event was an all-action slugfest between super bantamweights Juan Ramon Reyes of Riverside, Calif. and Daniel Roman of Los Angeles. Both boxers had their moments, but it was Reyes that managed to control the pace of the fight through his high punch output and savvy counterpunching. Reyes scored a unanimous decision win, 77-75 across all three judges scorecards. Roman moved well throughout the fight and landed consistent combinations, but Reyes stringed together more quality punches and dictated the rhythm of the fight from start to finish.
“I tried to wear him out and keep him off balance by not letting him rest between punches,” said Reyes, promoted by Thompson Boxing Promotions and a Doubletree fan favorite. “I caught him gasping for air a few times and that’s when I managed to land cleaner punches.”
Reyes’ record improves to 10-1-2, 1 KO, while Roman drops to 8-2-1, 3 KOs.
Alejandro Luna Remains Undefeated
Alejandro Luna (16-0, 12 KOs) won by way of TKO after his opponent Daniel Attah (28-17-1, 11 KOs) could not continue after round six. Luna, switching back and forth from southpaw to orthodox, used a vicious body attack to control the action. Attah never landed any hard punches that could keep Luna off of him as Alejandro applied pressure throughout the fight. The fans were thrilled to see the referee stop the bout and raise the hand of their local hero.
“This was a good test to see how I could fair against a crafty veteran,” said Luna. “I applied a tremendous amount of pressure and eventually got him out of there. I knew my body shots were slowing him down so I continued to go to the body. I want to thank all my fans who came to see me fight tonight and especially my promoter Gary Shaw for giving me this opportunity.”
Braehmer Gets Home Advantage in World Title Bid
Fantastic news for Juergen Braehmer (41-2, 31 KOs): When the current European Light Heavyweight Champion tries to become a world champion again, he will do so with the crowd standing behind him. On December 14, the 35-year-old southpaw from Germany will meet American Marcus Oliveira (25-1, 20 KOs) for the WBA World Title at the Jahnsportforum Neubrandenburg, Germany.
“That’s great,” Braehmer stated happily, when he got confirmation on the location. “Although, I have never stepped inside the ring in Neubrandenburg as a pro before, I heard about the times when Sebastian Sylvester fought here. The people are very enthusiastic and it is well known that there is always a chance of a sold-out house. I hope to get the same kind of support as Sylvester and that the crowd will push me to another world title.”
Kalle Sauerland is also delighted to present another highlight in Germany after having tough negotiations with veteran promoter Don King. “2013 has been a great year for Juergen Braehmer, he has made a great comeback and become European Champion,” said the 37-year-old promoter. “This will be a tough challenge against an undefeated KO puncher in Oliveira. Still, our goal was to guide Juergen to another world championship and we are confident he will make Germany proud!”
Irish Imports McLaughlin & Hutchinson to be Showcased on October 26th
Irish-born boxers who have relocated in the Boston area have included Stevie Collins and Kevin McBride. A pair of relatively new Bostonians from Ireland, prospects Michael McLaughlin and John “Bancara Banger” Hutchinson, are following in their footsteps.
Collins, of course, became a world middleweight and super middleweight champion and McBride is best known as the Irishman who knocked out “Iron” Mike Tyson into retirement. McLaughlin and Hutchinson may never match their fellow country-men’s accomplishments, but they will be showcased October 26 on a special Saturday afternoon (2 p.m. / ET start) Boxing Event Under The Tent card, presented by Big Six Entertainment in association with Danny Kelly Promotions.
The Irish Cultural Centre of New England, located just outside of Boston in Canton (MA), will be hosting its first professional boxing event, headlined by unbeaten welterweight Diego Periera (8-0-1, 6 KOs), of Providence, and Norwalk (CT) veteran Shaka Moore (11-19-3, 2 KOs) in the eight-round main event.
McLaughlin (4-0-2, 1 KO), a junior middleweight from Donegal, and middleweight Bancara’s Hutchinson (4-0-2, 1 KO) will be fighting in against, respectively, Sergio Carera (0-1), of Somerville (MA), and Hyannis’ (MA) Robert Hunt (0-3).
Ares Promotions Announces Card for Fight Night XII
Ares Promotions, upstate New York’s premier boxing promoters, today announced the card for Ares Fight Night XII. The main event will be the NYS Middleweight Title fight between WBC Silver Belt Champion Nick Brinson 15-1-2 and Chris Chatman 11-2. The card will also feature the WIBA Women’s IBA Featherwieght Title fight between area favorite Jaci Trivilino 9-5-3 and Lindsay Garbatt 7-6-2.
“This is without a doubt the best non-televised fight card in years,” said Brian Cody, Ares Promotions Director of Marketing. “It has been a while since the Capital Region had a fighter of the caliber and skill of Nick Brison. This is the chance to see him locally as he put his NYS Middleweight title belt on the line verse a tough opponent in Chris Chatman.”
“When Brinson beat up heavily favored Jorge Melendez for 9 and 1/2 rounds back in June in front of a Showtime audience, he only confirmed what we knew for a while, that he’s a legit top contender in the middleweight division! Albany fans need to catch this rising star in their backyard while they still can! 20 bucks to see this future champ is ridiculous, but we at Ares Promotions made sure to keep prices down so that we could pack the place and create an awesome, electric atmosphere for the fights,” said Cody.
Santana, Hernandez-Harrison, Guerrero on Card for November 22nd in Dover
Friday Night Fights returns Nov. 22 to the Rollins Center®at 7:30 p.m., with a headline bout featuring Edgar “El Chamaco” Santana, of Spanish Harlem, N.Y., which is expected to be for a Light Welterweight Championship Title, currently awaiting final sanctioning.
Undefeated Washington, DC, welterweight sensation Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (17-0, 10 KOs) will be featured in the co-feature of the night. Now 19 years of age, Hernandez-Harrison turned pro at 17, and is ranked No. 19 by the NABF and No. 40 by the WBC. His notable success was recently praised in an open letter to USA Boxing by none other than Mike Tyson, the youngest man to win the Heavyweight Championship of the World. Tyson stated that Hernandez-Harrison is an “inspiration to young amateurs looking to turn pro.”
Unbeaten cruiserweight Alex Guerrero (9-0-1, 5 KOs) of Salisbury, Md., will make his first appearance at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino. Guerrero, the older brother of popular middleweight contender Fernando Guerrero, took an 8-round unanimous decision over Terrance Smith in April, and scored a big win by knockout to Harvey Jolly of Michigan in Atlanta, Ga., last year.
The undercard features undefeated super featherweight Omar “Super O” Douglas (10-0, 8 KOs) of Wilmington, Del. Boxing since age 8, the 22-year-old Douglas is a two-time Olympic Junior Champion with a record of 142-21 in the amateurs who now mentors younger, developing fighters. Douglas stopped his last five opponents early with a hard-charging, offensive approach.
Super middleweight “Mighty” Mike Tiberi (20-1, KOs 7) of Smyrna, Del., and Dan “Bada Bing” Biddle (9-2, 5 KOs), Hockessin, Del., are eager to join the card, both following a brief hiatus since summer 2012. Tiberi has not lost a fight in five years.
Lightweight “Jolt’n” Joey Tiberi (11-1, 5 KOs) of Newark, Del., and undefeated Dover favorites, super middleweight John “Church Boy” Bowman (7-0-1, 1 KO) and Lamont “Problem Solver” Singletary (6-0, 4 KOs), are also featured.
Rising Talent to be Showcased on Showtime Extreme for Hopkins Undercard
Before the legendary Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins defends his IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship against top contender Karo Murat on Saturday, Oct. 26 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ, top talent from the East Coast and Puerto Rico will open the event on Showtime Extreme and put their stellar records on the line against hungry opponents looking to make a name for themselves.
Taking to the ring in undercard action will be unbeatens Zachary Ochoa, Robert Easter, Dominic Wade and Bryan Cruz, as well as Puerto Rican prospect Braulio Santos.
With a perfect 4-0 (3 KO’s) record thus far as a pro, Brooklyn’s Zachary Ochoa is making plenty of noise in the area. Returning to the site of his first-round knockout of Michael Salcido last November, Ochoa recently scored a shutout four-round decision over Calvin Smith in April. He will face York, Alabama’s Michael J. Doyle (2-5, 1 KO) in a four-round junior welterweight bout.
In a six-round contest, it’s a clash of featherweight prospects when Carolina, Puerto Rico’s Braulio Santos (10-1, 9 KO’s) faces San Diego’s David “Thunder” Clark (6-2, 4 KO’s). The 23-year-old Santos is looking to rebound from the first loss of his career against Derrick Wilson in June, while two-time U.S. Olympic team alternate Clark has won four straight dating back to 2011.
One of the most highly anticipated bouts on the undercard will pit Toledo, Ohio’s Robert Easter (7-0, 7 KO’s) against 22-year-old Noel Echevarria (11-1, 6 KO’s), who hails from Winston-Salem, North Carolina by way of Guayama, Puerto Rico, in an eight-round lightweight bout. The 22-year-old Easter has made short work of his professional opposition, only entering the third round once. The southpaw Echevarria gave unbeaten Emanuel Gonzalez a tough go in his last bout on September 30, earning him another big fight against Easter.
The only thing that kept Largo, MD’s Dominic Wade (12-0, 9 KO’s) from participating in the 2008 Olympics was his age. The four-time Golden Gloves champion was undeterred and turned pro in 2009. Now the 23-year-old is one of the top super middleweight prospects in the game. On Oct. 26, he will face Tabasco, Mexico’s Roberto Ventura in an eight-round bout.
Opening the event, will be two up and comers, as Port Chester, NY junior lightweight Bryant Cruz (7-0, 5 KO’s) and Newburgh, New York’s junior welterweight Wellington Romero, who will make his professional debut, will face opponents to be named in six and four round contests, respectively.
Sergio Martinez Meets with Pope Francis
On Wednesday, Middleweight Champion and pound-for-pounder Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez had the opportunity to meet and sit down one-on-one with Pope Francis. The meeting between the two Argentineans took place at the Vatican, and marked the first time a professional fighter has had a one-on-one closed session meeting with the Pope since Muhammad Ali did so.
Devon Alexander to Face Shawn Porter in San Antonio
Showtime Sports will present a world championship doubleheader on Saturday, Nov. 30, as Devon Alexander “The Great” defends his IBF Welterweight World Championship against Shawn “Showtime” Porter in a 12-round bout at Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas. In the co-main event, also scheduled for 12-rounds, the WBC Super Bantamweight Championship is on the line as Leo “Teremoto” Santa Cruz defends his title against Cesar Seda.
In a preliminary bout, junior welterweight contender Ricardo “Dinamita” Alvarez will face an opponent to be named in a 10-round matchup.
“I’ve heard great things about the fans in Texas and I’m looking forward to defending my title in San Antonio,” said Alexander. “I promise I won’t disappoint the fight fans and they’re going to see a show on November 30.”
“It’s been a long road to get here and ever since I first stepped into the gym, I wanted to become a world champion,” said Porter. “Now my chance is here and I’m ready to step into that ring and take the title from Alexander.”
Jose Angel Cota Steps in for Jose Siliera Against Manuel Avila
With Jose Silveira forced to withdraw from his Monday, Oct. 28 bout against undefeated Fairfield, Calif. prospect Manuel “Tino” Avila (12-0, 4 KO’s) due to illness, tough Mexican prospect Jose Angel Cota (15-9-1, 11 KO’s) will step up to face “Tino” in a 10-round featherweight bout at the Sports House in Redwood City, Calif. in a Golden Boy Live! featured event on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes.
In the co-main event, Salinas, Calif. native Paul “El Gallo Negro” Mendez will battle Los Angeles’ Louis Rose in a 10-round middleweight showdown. In the opening televised bout, Bay Area sensation Jonathan “El Carismatico” Chicas, the top young prospect from the Golden State fight scene, will be in action against Los Angeles’ Joaquin Chavez in a six-round junior welterweight bout.
Power punching Jose Angel Cota (15-9-1, 11 KO’s) is always ready for a slugfest, making him a tough foe for anyone who faces him in the ring. A former Mexican Pacific Coast Champion, this aggressive warrior expects to give Avila the fight of his life on Oct. 28.
Paul “El Gallo Negro” Mendez (14-2-1, 6 KO’s) is a four-year professional with growing popularity amongst California fight fans, which isn’t surprising given his talent and stirring style. Unbeaten in eight straight bouts since 2011, the 24-year-old middleweight has scored consecutive wins over Alfredo Contreras, Dashon Johnson and Rahman Yusubov this year. He wants to make it four for four when he faces Louis Rose on Oct. 28.
2 Days: Andre Ward Premieres November 5th
HBO Sports debuts an all-new installment of 2 Days when the feature segment returns Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 10:15 p.m. (ET/PT) with a behind-the-scenes look at super middleweight sensation Andre Ward, one of boxing’s elite pound-for-pound fighters.
2 Days is a revealing and intimate look at a 48-hour span in the life of a boxer in the lead-up to one of his fights and the next edition will focus on super middleweight champ Andre Ward. HBO cameras followed the engaging and compelling fighter prior to his showdown with 175-pound champ Chad Dawson in Oakland.
HBO air times include: Nov. 7 (12:30 p.m.), 9, (12:45 a.m.), 10 (12:15 a.m.), 11 (11:45 p.m.), 14, (1:15 p.m.), 15 (4:00 p.m.) and 16 (8:15 a.m.).
No ‘Boo Boo’ for Demetrius Andrade November 9th vs. Vanes Martirosyan
Undefeated light middleweight Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade (19-0, 13 KOs), a 2008 U.S. Olympian, is on a mission to complete a rare “boxing double” November 9, when he fights 2004 U.S. Olympian Vanes “Nightmare” Martirosyan (33-0-1, 21 KOs) for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) 154-pound title.
Andrade vs. Martirosyan will be part of an HBO tripleheader, airing live from Corpus Christi, Texas, headlined by WBO junior lightweight Roman Martinez’ title defense against Mikey Garcia, in addition to a rematch between former world champions Nonito Donaire and Vic Darchinyan.
In 2007, Andrade captured a gold medal as an amateur at the AIBA World Championships in Chicago. A Nov. 9th victory over Martirosyan would make Andrade one of the few contemporary world champions as both a professional and amateur.
The gifted southpaw can become the first native New Englander to be world champion of a major governing body since Massachusetts-born heavyweight John “The Quietman” Ruiz in 2005, as well as the first Rhode Islander to do the same since Cranston’s light middleweight Vinny “The Pazmanian Devil” in 1991.
“I honestly don’t pay attention to anything other than working hard to reach my goal of becoming world champion,” the 25-year-old said from his Atlanta training camp. “Everything else is irrelevant, at least for right now, as I train for my first world title fight. New England has had a lot of good fighters.
“I do know I am going to be the first (pro) world champion from the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. I just want to show the boxing world that I am the No. 1 light welterweight in the world and why I will be for years to come. I’m just beginning my legacy. I’m growing in stature and a lot more people are going to know me after November 9th.”
Andrade credits his amateur boxing experience as the primary reason why fighting HBO for the first time won’t be a problem, as well as his 300+ amateur fights giving him an advantage in the ring against any opponent.
“HBO is a big stage and I’m grateful to be fighting on HBO for the first time,” Andrade noted, “but there’s no bigger stage in boxing, world-wide, than The Olympics. I’ve fought under the bright lights, so fighting on HBO won’t be anything new for me, or a distraction in any way.“
“I’ve seen and beaten every style, fighting amateur opponents from all over the world, but nobody in the pros has fought anybody like me. I’m going into this fight with a lot of confidence. I’ve prepared for this moment my entire life. This is my time!”