SANTA YNEZ, CALIFORNIA — Touted rising welterweight Thomas Dulorme aims to impress in his West Coast debut as he takes on Aris Ambriz in the ten-round Showtime-televised main event emanating from the Chumash Casino Resort Friday night. Fighters weighed in Thursday evening for the six-bout card.
After turning professional in Florida in 2008, Dulorme (13-0, 10 KOs) of Carolina, Puerto Rico returned to the States for three fights in 2011, highlighted by a comprehensive decision over former titleholder DeMarcus Corley in June. Dulorme, the WBA #3/WBC #9/WBO #15 ranked welterweight, capped his year with a nine-round unanimous decision over former title challenger Charlie Jose Navarro in Panama in October.
“I feel I got tested and taken into deep, deep water in my last fight against Navarro, but I learned to swim that night,” Dulorme told Showtime on Friday. Dulorme, who scaled 143-pounds Thursday, had been scheduled to begin his 2012 campaign against Jose Reynoso, but a training injury forced a change in opponents just ten days ago.
In stepped Aris Ambriz (16-2-1, 8 KOs) of Azusa, California (who had gone 0-1-1 against Reynoso) for Friday’s vacant NABF Welterweight title bout. Ambriz, who has rarely fought above 140-pounds, rebounded from a loss to well regarded Pier Oliver Cote with a six-round decision over Juan Santiago last June. Ambriz weighed in at 144-pounds at Thursday’s weigh-in.
In the televised co-feature, 2008 Puerto Rican Olympian Jonathan Gonzalez (14-0, 13 KOs) of San Juan looks to add former title challenger Billy Lyell to his list of credentials in a ten-round light middleweight bout.
Lyell (24-10, 5 KOs) of Youngstown, Ohio has become a favorite opponent of matchmakers since his shocking 2009 upset of John Duddy. The win over the previously unbeaten Irishman eventually landed Lyell cracks at the IBF and WBC Silver Middleweight titles, which the Ohio native lost fairly one-sidedly in distance bouts to Sebastian Sylvester and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in 2010 and 2011 respectively.
Gonzalez, the WBO #8/WBA #9/WBC #13 ranked light middleweight, impressed as he stepped up in class last time out with a one-sided ten-round unanimous decision over former contender Richard Gutierrez in June. Gonzalez had been scheduled to fight in November, but an illness forced his lengthy hiatus. “I got very sick and was in bed for two days,” said Gonzalez. “I probably still could have fought in November and I wanted to fight, but my team said ‘no’.” Gonzalez weighed in at 156 after several attempts, while Lyell scaled 153-pounds on his first try.
Super bantamweight prospect Roman Morales (8-0, 5 KOs) of San Ardo, California will make his fifth appearance at the Chumash Casino Resort against late replacement Ernie Marquez (9-9-2, 3 KOs) of Fort Morgan, Colorado in a bout slated for either eight or six rounds, depending on how long previous bouts last.
After a decorated amateur career, Morales had a stellar rookie year in 2011, posting eight mostly dominate victories. Despite his professional inexperience, Morales has shown the poise of a veteran throughout his early career. Marquez, who scored an upset of previously unbeaten former Olympian Yan Barthelemy back in 2008, took the fight on Wednesday. Morales’ original opponent Jonathan Alcantara had withdrawn with a wrist injury. Morales weighed-in at 120 ½-pounds, while Marquez scaled 120.
Local favorite Rufino Serrano (11-3) of Santa Maria, California by way of Morelia, Michoacan de Ocampo, Mexico will take on journeyman Rodrigo Aranda (8-16-2, 2 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada by way of Tabasco, Zacatecas, Mexico in a six-round featherweight contest. Serrano, appearing in a Chumash ring for the tenth time, scaled 126-pounds. Aranda, a loser of nine straight, weighed-in at 128-pounds. In December of 2010, Serrano dropped Aranda in the first round en route to a six-round decision.
Roy Tapia (2-0, 1 KO) of East Los Angeles, California will meet Brice Yeniki (0-5) of North Las Vegas, Nevada in a four-round super bantamweight bout. Fighting at the Chumash Casino for the third straight time, Tapia, the 2007 National PAL Champion at 125-pounds, appears to be easing into his pro career. If there is something to shoot for in tonight’s bout for Tapia, perhaps becoming the first to stop Yeniki would be the goal. Yeniki has gone the distance in all five of his defeats, including one against a then 3-0 Christopher Martin back in 2006.
Hoping his second appearance in the States goes better than his first, Azat Hovhannesyan (1-1, 1 KO) of Glendale, California by way of Yerevan, Armenia will take on winless William Fisher (0-4) of Victorville, California in a four-round featherweight bout. Hovannesyan retuned to Armenia to stop a no-hoper last September, having had lost a unanimous decision in his debut on U.S. soil in April. Hovhannesyan weighed-in at 126-pounds, while Fisher came in at 128.
Tickets for tonight’s event, promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, are available online at StarTickets.com.
Quick Weigh-in Results:
NABF Welterweight Championship, 10 Rounds
Dulorme 143
Ambriz 144
Light Middleweights, 10 Rounds
Gonzalez 156
Lyell 153
Super Bantamweights, 6 or 8 Rounds
Morales 120 ½
Marquez 120
Featherweights, 6 Rounds
Serrano 126
Aranda 128
Super Bantamweights, 4 Rounds
Tapia 123
Yeniki 120 ½
Featherweights, 4 Rounds
Hovhannesyan 126
Fisher 128
Photos by Tom Casino/Showtime
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com
