Northern California Notebook

Donaire Opponent Changed Again

Originally IBF Flyweight Champion Nonito Donaire Jr. (20-1, 13 KOs) of San Leandro, California was supposed to move up to 115-pounds to challenge Fernando Montiel for the WBO Jr. Bantamweight title on March 15th at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. However, it was soon announced that Montiel could no longer make the weight and was moving up to bantamweight to meet Eric Morel for the WBO Bantamweight title vacated by Gerry Penalosa.

The idea was to then have Donaire take on WBO #2 Jose Lopez (38-7-2, 32 KOs) for the title vacated by Morel on the March 15th card. However Lopez was already signed to fight WBO #1 Pramuansak Posuwan in an eliminator in Puerto Rico. Their bout will go on as scheduled for the vacant title, leaving Donaire and company searching for an opponent.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has announced that Donaire will delay moving up in weight, instead defending his 112-pound crown against former champion Eric Ortiz (30-8-2, 19 KOs) of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. Word out of the Donaire camp is that while the champion respected Ortiz as a fighter, he would much rather test himself against one of the other champions at flyweight.

Ortiz upset Jose Antonio Aguirre for the WBC Light Flyweight title in 2005. In his first defense, Ortiz was dispatched in the first round by Brian Viloria. Ortiz failed in an attempt to wrest the IBF Light Flyweight title from Ulises Solis in his next bout. The Mexico City native is unbeaten in his last four bouts, against mostly modest opposition.

“Ghost” Returns Against Ruiz Saturday, Bay Area in March

Two-time IBF Featherweight Champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero returns from an eleven month layoff on Saturday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Guerrero (22-1-1, 15 KOs) of Gilroy, California will take on journeyman Edel Ruiz (31-21-4, 22 KOs) Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico in a ten-round contest on the Antonio Margarito-Shane Mosley undercard. “I’m excited, I’m going crazy,” said Guerrero about ending his long sabbatical due to promotional problems.

Ruiz, loser of four straight prior to picking up two easy wins in Mexico over fighters with a combined record of 1-15, figures to be the perfect comeback opponent for the former champion making his entrance into the 130-pound ranks. Ruiz, whose twin brother Heriberto challenged for the IBF Bantamweight title, has met (and lost to) some notable names, including: Paulie Ayala, Jhonny Gonzalez, Juan Manuel Lopez and Joan Guzman. Most of his bouts have taken place between bantamweight and super bantamweight.

Should Guerrero make it past Ruiz without injury, it looks as though the Gilroy native will make his San Francico Bay Area return on March 7th. “I am excited to bring fights to the Bay Area…big fights, HBO fights,” said Guerrero earlier this week. Guerrero has not fought in the Bay Area since June 2006 at the Oakland Arena in Oakland, California. The HP Pavilion in San Jose, California appears to be the targeted venue for the March 7th event Guerrero briefly spoke of. San Jose is only about a half hour drive from Guerrero’s Gilroy home. HBO would televise.

Griffin Off of January 30th Card, Gonzales On

Light heavyweight contender Otis Griffin was scheduled to take on Robert Brue (5-0, 3 KOs) of Portland, Oregon in a six rounder on January 30th at the Red Lion Hotel in Sacramento, California. However Brue would not be approved by the state athletic commission due to his medicals and possibly his experience level. Griffin (19-4-2, 7 KOs) of Sacramento had also been in talks to fight world ranked cruiserweight B.J. Flores this coming tonight, but would prefer to fight at the 175-pound limit if the right fights can get lined up. Griffin, who is eyeing possible bouts with either Chris Byrd-conqueror Shaun George or prospect Ronald Johnson, will no longer appear on the upcoming Sacramento card.

One fighter that will appear on the upcoming card is fast-rising Sacramento middleweight prospect Brandon Gonzales (6-0, 5 KOs), who will be taking on. Gonzales last fought January 9th, winning a six-round decision over Andy Mavros in his first fight to last the distance. Gonzales will take on Jason Dietrich (9-18, 3 KOs) of Columbus, Nebraska in a six-round light heavyweight fight. Dietrich has fought just twice since 2005, having lost five out of his last seven fights.

In the main event, Michael Simms (20-10-1, 13 KOs) will take on former title challenger Derrick Harmon (25-7, 12 KOs) of Chicago, Illinois in an eight-round cruiserweight rematch. In their first meeting last year, Simms dropped Harmon in the first round, but failed to press the issue and allowed his opponent to get back into the fight. Simms took the six-round unanimous decision, but Harmon felt he was robbed. Simms has given Harmon a chance to prove the point by granting him the rematch.

Tickets for the event, promoted by Uppercut Promotions, are available by calling the Red Lion Hotel at 916-922-8041.

Martyniouk Branching Out

One fighter whose name is not on the January 30th Sacramento bout sheet is Red Lion Hotel regular Stan “The Man” Martyniouk, but that may change. The former #2 ranked U.S. amateur at 132 pounds Martyniouk (4-0, 1 KO) of Sacramento has fought at all three previous events at the venue. Martyniouk has two fights scheduled over the next several weeks. Tonight Martyniouk was slated to take on Luis Tapia (0-2) of Compton, California in a four-round lightweight fight at Quiet Cannon in Montebello, California. Earlier this week Tapia fell out as the opponent, but a new one was still being sought after the weigh-in yesterday. Should Martyniouk not land a fight on the Montebello card, he will likely be added to the January 30th event at the Red Lion Hotel.

In the scheduled main event on Friday, free-swinging super middleweight Fernando Zuniga (27-9, 20 KOs) of Downey, California will take on journeyman Daniel Stanislavjevic (8-14-3, 4 KOs) of Los Angeles, California in an eight-round contest. Stanislavjevic buzzed the aforementioned Brandon Gonzales during their one-round no decision this past September. Zuniga upset prospect Carlos DeLeon Jr. in his last bout this past February. Zuniga has given world class fighters Sam Soliman, Thomas Tate and Charles Brewer tough fights in the past. Tickets for the event, promoted by All Star Boxing, are available online at AllStarBoxing.net.

Should Martyniouk fight tonight or not, he has another bout already scheduled. Martyniouk will return to the ring on February 14th at the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nevada. Martyniouk does not have an opponent scheduled as of yet.

The main event of the February 14th event has been years in the making. The fight all Northern Nevada boxing fans have asked for will take place as former Contender participants Joey Gilbert (17-1, 13 KOs) of Reno, Nevada will challenge Jesse Brinkley (32-5, 22 KOs) of Yerington, Nevada in a twelve-round bout for the WBC USNBC Super Middleweight title.

Brinkley and Gilbert were both selected to participate in the first season of the popular reality show in 2004. In the years prior and especially in the years since, Reno fight fans have clamored for this fight to take place. While the fighters fought through the press, their meeting did not appear likely. For one reason Gilbert had managed his way to a top ten ranking at 160-pounds by both the WBO and WBC. Brinkley claimed he could no longer make that weight limit, having moved up to 168 since the Contender finished filming. Since Gilbert was suspended in 2007 and stripped of his world rankings for failing parts of a post-fight drug test, the lucrative match became more likely.

Both fighters have kept themselves busy against nondescript opposition in recent months. Gilbert returned from his one-year suspension in October, knocking out Dan Wallace in two rounds in the boxing hotbed of Cockeysville, Maryland. Three weeks later Gilbert just needed two rounds again, stopping William Johnson at Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Brinkley stayed busy, stopping James Johnson at the Howard U Burr Arena in Washington, DC.

Tickets for the event, promoted by Let’s Get It On Promotions and TKO Promotions, are available online at Ticketmaster.com.

Del Real Set for 2nd Bout

Promising welterweight Gabriel Del Real (1-0, 1 KO) of Fairfield, California will return to action tonight at the Plaza Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Del Real will take on Alejandro Balladares (0-1) of Fontana, California in a four-round bout. Balladares had the unenviable task of turning pro against former National PAL champion Mike Dallas Jr. last March and has not fought since.

Del Real turned pro last September, stopping Sean Dizay in the first round in Las Vegas. Del Real was originally stated to take on Joel Gonzalez on January 9th, but came down with strep throat and decided not to take any chances. Del Real is from Fairfield, but currently trains in Las Vegas under Mario L’Esperance with help from Jesse Reid.

In tonight’s main event, cruiserweight contender B.J. Flores (21-0, 13 KOs) of Chandler, Arizona will take on Larry Robinson (10-4, 7 KOs) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in an eight-round cruiserweight fight. Flores’ situation is a bit up in the air at the moment. Flores, ranked #2 by the IBF, decided against pursuing an eliminator with IBF #6 Wayne Braithwaite and may lose his world ranking with the organization. Flores, born in San Francisco, California, is currently ranked #9 by the WBO and #11 by the WBC.

Former title challenger Elvin Ayala (18-3-1, 8 KOs) will take on Anthony Bartinelli (20-10-2, 13 KOs) in an eight-round middleweight fight. Reno-based heavyweight Tyler Hinkey (4-0-1, 3 KOs) will take on Benjamin Lee (1-0) of Las Vegas in a four-round heavyweight fight. The card will also feature welterweight prospect Bayan Jargal and super featherweight Eric Hunter.

Tickets for the event, promoted by Lets Get It On Promotions and TKO Promotions, are available by calling 800-634-6575.

Molina Tabbed for Shobox Co-Feature

On Friday, Februray 6th, Andre Ward (17-0, 12 KOs) of Oakland, California will make the first defense of his WBO NABO Super Middleweight title against once-beaten Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan (17-1, 12 KOs) in the headlining bout of a Shobox telecast from the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, California.

The televised co-feature has been arranged. John Molina, recently signed by Goossen Tutor Promotions, will risk his unbeaten record against Marcos Leonardo Jimenez (15-1, 9 KOs) of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Jimenez’ lone loss was to the aforementioned Edel Ruiz, which he later avenged. The majority of Jimenez’ fights have taken place at the 126-pound featherweight limit. Molina (14-0, 10 KOs) of Covina, California will make his television debut against Jimenez in an eight-round lightweight bout. Molina, who has become an attraction in Southern California, would appear to be taking a small step up in class of opposition.

Originally the Shobox telecast was to have been a tripleheader. 2008 U.S. Olympian Shawn Estrada (2-0, 2 KOs) of East Los Angeles, California was to have opened the show, but underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder on Wednesday. The procedure will keep Estrada out of the gym for about 90 days, which forced the cancellation of the Lemoore bout as well as one that was scheduled for Saturday in Hinckley, Minnesota.

A local mixed martial artist will be making his professional boxing debut on the card. Lemoore’s Justin Wines will take on Chroyondray Johnson (1-6) of Fresno, California in a four-round super middleweight fight.

In addition to the ten boxing bouts scheduled for the card, six MMA bouts are also slated. Former boxer Erin Toughill (8-2-1) of Huntington Beach, California and former WWE wrestler Bobby Lashley (1-0, 1 KO) of Junction City, Kansas highlight the card. Toughill, who boxing record is (7-3-1), challenged Laila Ali for the WBC/WIBA Super Middleweight titles in 2005. Toughill will meet Adrienne Jenkins (10-2) of Honolulu, Hawaii in a three-round lightweight fight. Lashley, who made his MMA debut in December, will take on Mike Hayes (4-0) of Tacoma, Washington in a three-round heavyweight fight.

Tickets for the event, promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions, are available online at Tickets.com.

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com