Advertisement
image_pdfimage_print


SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA — On the cusp of world title contention, super featherweight contender Eloy Perez scored a comprehensive eight-round unanimous decision over veteran Roger “Speedy” Gonzalez in the main event at the Longshoremen’s Hall on Friday night. In the co-main event, Filipino prospect Mercito Gesta lit up journeyman Genaro Trazancos for the second time in six months.

Perez (20-0, 5 KOs) of Salinas, California showed his class as he failed to lose a round against the once-determined former contender Gonzalez (27-4, 18 KOs) of Indio, California. Perez, the WBO #2 ranked super featherweight, boxed intelligently throughout and Gonzalez had no answers.

Perez, 130, targeted Gonzalez’ soft body early in what was a feeling out first round. Gonzalez, 133, had come in three pounds over the contracted weight, thus forfeiting 20 percent of his purse at yesterday’s weigh-in, and Perez looked to capitalize on his opponent’s apparent lack of conditioning.

As the fight progressed, Perez applied pressure in spots, but boxed carefully for the most part. Though Perez opened up a bit late in rounds two and three, the difference in class between the two combatants became more readily apparent in round four. Gonzalez continually looked to land a counter, but it was impossible for him to win rounds in that style against a volume puncher such as Perez.

With the fight moving into the later rounds, Gonzalez continued to only offer up his offense once Perez had ceased firing. However, the active Perez left Gonzalez few openings to shoot for and simply kept piling up on points. With the fight well in hand in the eighth, Perez looked to close the show in style and sat down on a combination that rocked Gonzalez.

In the end, all three judges scored every round for Perez, for tallies of 80-72 across the board. Perez is penciled in for the April 29th edition of Telefutura Solo Boxeo, which is ticketed for Reno, Nevada. The fight could potentially be a WBO Super Featherweight title elimination bout.

“I want Vicente Escobedo now,” pronounced Perez’ manager Kathy Garcia after Friday’s fight. Escobedo recently announced plans to campaign at the 130-pound super featherweight class, and hails from Woodland, California. A Perez-Escobedo clash would be a hot ticket almost anywhere in Northern California. Also on the hit list for Team Perez: Rocky Martinez, Rocky Juarez and Jason Litzau.


Mercito Gesta (21-0-1, 11 KOs) of San Diego, California by way of Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines had no trouble dismantling the weathered Genaro Trazancos (22-14-1, 13 KOs) of Fort Myers, Florida by way of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico.

Gesta, 140, was landing freely by a minute into the bout. As was the case last August, Trazancos, 138 ½, could not find an answer for the speed or boxing ability of Gesta, and it was evident from the outset. By the last minute of the first, it was clear Gesta could land a flurry at any time of his choosing.

Gesta rocked Trazancos early in the second with two right hands, and then calmly went back to boxing. A two-handed Gesta flurry hurt the Mexican against the ropes seconds later. Still on shaky ground, Trazancos moved and covered up enough to make it out of the round.

With the end in sight, Gesta landed a straight left that stunned Trazancos early in the third. Gesta flurried to follow-up and appeared to have a stoppage on his mind. The slippery Trazancos moved and flailed, but eventually got caught again and looked to cover-up. Again, Gesta calmed down and began to pick his shots.

In between rounds three and four, Trazancos expressed that he did not want to continue, which forced referee Ray Balewicz to stop the bout. Trazancos left the ring favoring his ribs. It was the second stoppage of Trazancos for the Filipino prospect, the first coming in the seventh round six months ago. For Trazancos, it was his ninth loss in his last ten bouts. His only win during that stretch came against Waldo Vela, a reported 0-6-3 fighter.

For Gesta the future looks bright. The Filipino plans to make his stand in the 135-pound lightweight division, a weight he has not made since April 2008. Gesta, currently the WBO #12 ranked lightweight, had hoped to fight Hector Velazquez tonight, but that did not come together. Based on recent performances, Gesta appears ready for the next step up in competition.


In a bout where somebody’s ‘O’ had to go, nobody’s did as Adolfo Gonzalez (1-0-1) of Salinas and Jose Leon Jr. (1-0-1) of Visalia, California fought to a four-round draw. Gonzalez, 149, started the bout looking to touch gloves, but was met with an unsportsmanlike right hand from Leon, 150.

Both fighters had their moments in a difficult fight to score, as was evidenced by the final official scores. One judge had it 40-36 in favor of Gonzalez, while another had it 40-36 the other way. The third judge had it even, 38-38, thus forcing the draw. Though Leon showed poor sportsmanship in the opening, he very classily raised the arm of Gonzalez after the decision was read.


Making his professional debut, local favorite Joe Gumina (1-0, 1 KO) of San Bruno, California pleased his hometown crowd with a first-round stoppage of Jose Jesus Hurtado (3-3, 3 KOs) of San Ysidro, California.

It ended up being both a long and short night for the two fighters, who originally entered the ring as the first fight of the event. Shortly after their introductions, it was announced that required paramedic had not yet arrived at the building. After waiting in the ring for over twenty minutes, they were sent back to the dressing room.

The raucous pro-Gumina crowd stuck around until the night’s first walkout bout, and Gumina, 182, took little time giving them what they wanted. Gumina came out in his trademark free-swinging style, forcing Hurtado, 186, to quickly cover-up. The chubby Hurtado defended well before a right uppercut landed clean and sent him backing up. The following barrage sent him to the ropes and eventually down to a knee for the first knockdown. Two hard lefts and another right forced Hurtado down to a knee again, prompting referee Dan Stell to stop the fight at the 1:02 mark of the first.


Former amateur standout Richard Hargraves (2-0-1, 2 KOs) of San Francisco ended an eleven-month layoff in his hometown, but came up with a draw against a determined Clint Coronel (3-1-2, 1 KO) of San Jose, California.

Hargraves, 151, reportedly held two amateur wins over Coronel, 152 ½, who fought professionally as a mixed martial artist before returning to boxing in 2009. In rounds one and two, Hargraves boxed and moved, avoiding the swings of Coronel for the most part. When on the inside early in the bout, Hargraves was quick to tie up in shorter opponent.

Coronel came out more aggressively in the third and quickly caught Hargraves with two solid right hands. Hargraves fell out balance, but regained his footing as he stepped back towards the ropes. Coronel took more chances coming into range, which resulted in a bloodied right eye, but also gave him an opportunity to turn around the fight. An energetic Coronel remained standing for much of the rest period before the fourth.

Sensing he needed the round, Coronel game out guns blazing to start the final stanza. Hargraves weathered the early rush and began to settle back into his box from outside, tie up when on the inside game plan. However, Coronel may have caught the eye of the judges with the one or two hard right hands he landed later in the round. In the end, one judge had the fight for Hargraves, 39-37, while the other two had it even, 38-38.

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

Advertisement
Previous articlePAT “BAM BAM’’ HEALY DEALS LYLE “FANCY PANTS’’ BEERBOHM HIS FIRST LOSS IN MAIN EVENT ON STRIKEFORCE CHALLENGERS
Next articleDonaire stops Montiel in second-round stunner