World ranked heavyweight contender Oleg Maskaev takes on the comparatively inexperienced, but hungry Nagy Aguilera tonight at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento, California. Much is at stake for the 40-year-old Maskaev, who is pegged to fight Ray Austin in a WBC Heavyweight Elimination bout sometime next year. Fighters weighed in Thursday afternoon at the Red Lion Hotel in Sacramento.
Maskaev (36-6, 27 KOs) of West Sacramento, California by way of Abay, Kazakhstan dropped the WBC Heavyweight title to Samuel Peter in March of last year and has worked his way back to the WBC #2 heavyweight ranking with two nondescript victories in Russia over American journeymen. Out of action since March, Maskaev’s promoter Dennis Rappaport arranged the opportunity for the West Sacramento resident to sharpen his tools with a fight close to home.
In addition to getting Maskaev ready for an eventual elimination bout, the idea of brining him to his adopted hometown is to gauge the interest of local fans for future fights. “It’s a three fight step,” said Rappaport, always the pitchman. “We are not overlooking Aguilera. He is a good young fighter. He could easily be undefeated. That is why we are calling it, “The Mega Brawl, Winner Takes All.” Will it be a dream maker or a career breaker?” With a solid turnout, Rappaport hopes to bring the bright lights and television cameras (tonight’s fight is available online at nesportstv.com) to Sacramento for Maskaev’s next two fights.
Conceivably just two fights away from a big money title fight against WBC Heavyweight Champion Vitali Klitschko, it would be understandable if Maskaev had one eye on the future while preparing for Aguilera. However, Maskaev continues to say all the right things. “I did my homework,” said Maskaev, who claimed to have watched five of Aguilera’s previous fights on video. “Like every fight in my career, this is very important. If you lose one fight, it is going to push you back a long way. I am going to fight and do my best.”
Aguilera (14-2, 9 KOs) of Newburgh, New York turned professional in August of 2007, at a time when Maskaev was holding the WBC belt and enjoying his second life as a top heavyweight. While his two losses are debatable, a disqualification and a split decision defeat to once-beaten Darrel Madison, Aguilera is clearly taking a monumental leap in class tonight. While all the odds are against him, it is clear that Aguilera did not travel cross country to act as an easy stepping stone on Maskaev’s path to Vitali Klitschko. “I know I am coming in as the underdog, but there is no underdog inside the ring,” explained Aguilera. “There is just going to be two people, him and me, and the best man is going to win.”
Unbeaten Denis Grachev (8-0, 5 KOs) of San Diego, California takes a step-up in class in meeting Sacramento tough guy Ernesto Castaneda (11-8-1, 4 KOs) in a six-round super middleweight fight. Grachev, who scaled 170, and Castaneda, who came in at 169, have one common opponent in Ayodeji Fadeyi of Denver, Colorado. Fadeyi was knocked out by Grachev in the fourth round of an April bout, but took Castaneda the full six rounds in a losing effort three months later.
In a rematch of what was a welterweight fight just eleven months ago, Geraldo Lopez (4-0, 2 KOs) of Vacaville, California will take on converted mixed martial artist Kyle Dundas (0-1) of Rocklin, California in a four-round middleweight bout. Members of Dundas’ team had expected the fight to take place at 156-pounds, but Lopez weighed in at 158 ¼-pounds. After Dundas took the scale and came in at 155 ¼, an agreement was worked out to preserve the rematch. In January, when both fighters weighed in at 145-pounds, Lopez scored a decisive four-round decision over a game Dundas.
Lightweight prospect Maximilliano Becerra (2-0-1, 2 KOs) of Vacaville will look to remain unbeaten against Thomas Herrera (2-3-1) of Tucson, Arizona in a four-round bout. Herrera weighed in at 135-pounds, while Becerra weighed in at 134 ½.
Long touted amateur star Richard Hargraves of San Francisco, California will make his professional debut against John Dunham (0-4) of Stockton, California in a four-round light middleweight fight. Hargraves punctuated a decorated amateur run with a bronze medal at the 2009 USA Boxing National Championships this past June. Dunham weighed in at 155 ¼-pounds, while Hargraves scaled 151.
In a pairing of chiseled pro debuters, Mike Guy of Sacramento will take on Ayo Olorunsola of Oakland, California in a four-round super middleweight fight. Guy, who weighed in at 165 ½-pounds, trains alongside rising local prospect Brandon Gonzales. Olorunsola, who tipped the scales at 167 ½, trains out of the famed King’s Gym in Oakland.
Tickets for the event, promoted by Uppercut Promotions in association with Dennis Rappaport Promotions, are available online at Tickets.com.
Quick Weigh-in Results:
Heavyweights, 10 Rounds
Maskaev 243
Aguilera 229
Super middleweights, 6 Rounds
Castaneda 169
Grachev 170
Middleweights, 4 Rounds
Lopez 158 ¼
Dundas 155 ¼
Lightweights, 4 Rounds
Herrera 135
Becerra 134 ½
Light middleweights, 4 Rounds
Hargraves 151
Dunham 155 ¼
Super middleweights, 4 Rounds
Guy 165 ½
Olorunsola 167 ½
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com.