SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA — Competing for the fourth time since ending a nine-year absence from the sport, Paul Nave will take on Daniel Schlienz for the second time in a row in the welterweight main event of a four-bout card at the Marin Center Exhibit Hall in San Rafael tonight. Fighters weighed in on Thursday afternoon at the Embassy Suites San Rafael – Marin County.
Earlier this week, it appeared as though Nave would be taking on local journeyman Dario Castillo instead of entering into a rematch against Schlienz, over whom he had scored a six-round unanimous decision last November. In his two bouts since meeting Nave, Schlienz (7-19-1, 4 KOs) of Duluth, Minnesota has gone 0-2, with both losses coming inside the distance. After first approving Schlienz, the California State Athletic Commission asked Nave to find a new opponent. At the eleventh hour, the Commission relented and approved Schlienz, who arrived yesterday morning.
Nave (18-8-2, 7 KOs) of San Anselmo, California has been out of the ring since the November bout, but hopes that tonight’s fight marks the beginning of a busier schedule. Nave, who is also the promoter of tonight’s event, is the co-producer and subject of the reality television series Paul Nave: Goin’ The Distance which is currently airing on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. Tonight’s main event will be filmed and portions will air as part of a later broadcast of the show. Nave scaled 146 ½-pounds, while Schlienz weighed in at 145.
In the co-feature Friday night, Jaime Rodriguez (5-6-3, 2 KOs) of Reno, Nevada will fight Jose Alfredo Lugo (9-13-1, 5 KOs) of Richmond, California by way of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico in a six-round lightweight rematch. Their first encounter, which took place on the Nave-Schlienz undercard, was an exciting toe-to-toe battle that could have gone either way. Rodriguez weighed in at 132 ½, while Lugo scaled 133-pounds.
Ulyses Caballero (4-0-1, 3 KOs) of San Pablo, California will end an eight-year layoff and take on Jason Montgomery (1-0-1) of San Leandro, California in a four-round light middleweight fight. In an interesting side note, Caballero is trained by Robert Salinas, who trained Montgomery for a time as an amateur. Montgomery, who currently trains out of the Kennel Boxing Gym in San Leandro, weighed in at 153-pounds. Caballero, whose last fight was a decision over then 10-1 Jesse Gonzalez in May of 2002, scaled 150.
Also slated for the card is debuting Herman Bacho of Santa Rosa, California who will take on John Dunham (0-5-1) of Stockton, California in a four-round welterweight fight. Bacho and Dunham both weighed in at 144-pounds.
Promising local super bantamweight Jonathan Alcantara (4-1-1) of Novato, California was slated to take on Danny Pantoja (0-3-2) of Fairfield, California in a four-round bout. However Pantoja was a late scratch from the card and a new opponent was not found in time.
Tickets for the event, promoted by Liberty Boxing Enterprises, are available online at Ticketmaster.com.
Quick Weigh-in Results:
Welterweights, 6 Rounds
Nave 146 ½
Schlienz 145
Lightweights, 6 Rounds
Rodriguez 132 ½
Lugo 133
Light Middleweights, 4 Rounds
Montgomery 153
Caballero 150
Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Bacho 144
Dunham 144
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com
