Sacramento Boxing: Inactive ’08 Sign of the Times?
Of all the Northern California cities with a history of hosting boxing events, Sacramento’s history may be the richest. However in 2008 only five live events took place within the city limits of the state’s capitol. Longtime trainer, manager and promoter Nasser Niavaroni’s Uppercut Promotions held three events at the newly renovated Red Lion Hotel, which holds a little over 500 people. Former world champion, and Sacramento boxing legend, Tony “The Tiger” Lopez promoted his first event at Raley Field in August under the banner of Tony The Tiger Promotions. Legendary Hall of Fame promoter Don Chargin held one event at ARCO Arena, which was televised by ESPN2.
In comparison, eight events took place in Sacramento just three years prior in 2005. After holding one event, Lopez, who fought in his home city 39 times, has an idea as to why promoters have shied away from Sacramento. “Sacramento is really expensive,” explains Lopez. “It has about the highest market price in Northern California.” Although his event was well received by those in attendance, Lopez does not plan on returning to Sacramento. “We really didn’t really recoup what we wanted,” says Lopez. As was the case in his fighting career, Lopez will not let one setback deter him from his goals. “It is like getting dropped as a fighter,” says Lopez, “You get up and fight on.”
Lopez has designs on bringing his next live event to the city of Stockton. “I was talking to the old mayor of Stockton, which gave me the idea,” says Lopez. “[Former Oakland Raider] Ken Stabler and I are thinking about doing something in April or May,” says Lopez. “We would have a celebrity golf event on Friday, a meet and greet on Saturday afternoon and then the fight that night.”
One of the more active promoters in the city throughout his Hall of Fame career, Don Chargin plans on returning to Sacramento sometime in February. “This year we were just so darn busy at other places,” explains Chargin. “But we plan on being busier in Sacramento next year.” Woodland, California’s Vicente Escobedo headlined the event at ARCO Arena this past June and Chargin plans on bringing him back for the February card. “Escobedo had a good win [in June]. We plan on bringing him back, but against a big name.”
Escobedo is one local area fighter that can bring fans in to fill out the large ARCO Arena, but as Chargin explains it takes several to keep boxing active in Sacramento. “We have been promoting there since the ‘50s and it is a cyclical thing. You get some good local kids coming up together that can draw there.”
Two of the fighters that Don Chargin believes can develop into Sacramento boxing attractions are unbeatens Stan Martyniouk and Brandon Gonzales. Both Martyniouk (4-0, 1 KO) and Gonzales (5-0, 5 KOs) have been developed almost exclusively on Niavaroni’s Red Lion Hotel events. Niavaroni guided the career of the last Sacramento gate attraction, former IBA Continental Middleweight Champion Eric Regan, who retired after a knockout loss in 2007. However Niavaroni’s last event, originally scheduled for October 27th, was cancelled and it is unclear if boxing will return to the Red Lion Hotel in 2009.
For the sake of promising Sacramento-based fighters such as Martyniouk, Gonzales and four-time California Golden Gloves Champion Michael Ortega (1-0) among others, promoters can find a way to be successful in Sacramento so that they are afforded the benefit of developing a local following such as did Lopez and Regan.
Johnson – Nelson Added to Packed Inglewood Card on Saturday
After what could be a frustrating eleven months, Antonio Johnson (7-0, 3 KOs) of Oakland, California will finally have the opportunity to showcase his talents for the first time this year. Johnson, a St. Paul, Minnesota transplant, has had several fights fall out during the course of the year, but will lace them up this coming Saturday at the Hollywood Park Casino in Inglewood, California. Johnson does not have a soft touch in his return bout in taking on former amateur standout Willie Nelson (10-0, 6 KOs) of Cleveland, Ohio in a six-round welterweight fight.
The Jack Loew-managed Nelson debuted in New York in 2006, but has feasted mainly on Midwest fare since. Nelson stands as an imposing welterweight at six-foot-three. All things considered, each fighter is meeting the toughest challenge of their professional career on December 20th in a fight that would normally fit right in to a televised spot on Showtime’s prospect-oriented series Shobox.
Since Nelson has fought mainly on small cards, off television, not much is known about him. That fact does not seem to bother Johnson. “We know that he has a pretty good amateur background,” says Johnson. “He is 10-0 and we respect that he is a good a fighter.” Nelson’s height figures to give him an advantage in the fight, but Johnson sees it another way. “At welter, we can’t expect him to be super strong,” says Johnson. “I train with some of the strongest and best fighters in the world, such as Andre Ward and some of my other stablemates. In that sense I am six-feet tall.”
Over a year of inactivity could set back the development of some young prospects, but Johnson feels differently. “I believe God has a plan and that things happen for a reason,” explains Johnson. “I believe I have been doing everything to the best of my ability to be the best 147-pounder in the world. I am anything but under prepared for this fight.”
The Johnson-Nelson clash is one of eleven bouts slated for the December 20th event at the Hollywood Park Casino in Inglewood, California. The main event features a crossroads bout between two former world champions. Roman Karmazin (36-3-1, 23 KOs) will take on Bronco McKart (51-8-1, 31 KOs) for the vacant IBF Intercontinental and NABF Middleweight titles. Several top prospects highlight the stacked undercard.
Tickets for the event, promoted by Art of Boxing Promotions, are available online at ArtOfBoxingPromotions.com.
Julaton Goes For Belt of another Sort
WBC #11 ranked super bantamweight Ana “The Hurricane” Julaton is currently in training, but not for a professional boxing match. Julaton (4-1-1, 1 KO) of Daly City, California is currently preparing for her final exam to earn a Bok-Fu Black Belt. Bok-Fu is a style of Kenpo Karate which combines aspects of Chinese Kung Fu and Japanese Fu.
Julaton, who has an extensive Taekwondo background, gravitated to the Bok-Fu style because of its focus on aggressive self defense. “The whole idea is that you never want to start a fight, but if a fight finds you, you want to put your whole self forward,” says Julaton. While working late shifts and going to school, Julaton began learning Bok-Fu at the WestWind School in Berkeley, California. On December 31st Julaton will aim to become a member of the select fraternity to earn Bok-Fu Black Belts. “In the over forty-year history of Bok-Fu, there have been less than one hundred Black Belts,” says Julaton. According to calculations, a student testing for the Bok-Fu Black Belt must perform no less than 14,000 carefully orchestrated steps in a two-hour time period.
Learning Bok-Fu has given Julaton additional confidence in her boxing career. “Going through this whole format, I have learned how much I can actually do in the ring,” says Julaton. “You have to put out so much energy and be mentally awake. The mental focus has given me a new perspective on how I want to perform in the ring. I am a lot more aware of what I can do.”
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com
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