For the first time, something has been able to slow down energetic boxing hype man Repo Ric. The Fresno, California-based manager and matchmaker goes under the knife today to correct an enlarged prostate. 15rounds.com extends well wishes to Repo as he recovers from surgery. Surely it will not be long before Repo Ric is back dancing on the apron, pumping up fight crowds, while maneuvering the careers of his impressive stable of prospects.

“Makes fun of the Easter Bunny / Reunites with dad / Goes to pololoco for chick . . . plays basketball; crosstraining? Hungry again, narrator says: more fried chicken”

Those are the writer’s notes on Saturday night. It’s preliminary sketching for a piece he has to write for one of the wire services, about the marketing of boxing pay-per-view attractions. They were supposed to be out of this business of network advertising after the last one went so terribly, but then a reader used the word “hater” in an email to the editor, and now the writer has to redeem the service. Coincidences abound, thinks the writer, as he edits what he will record about what he is watching because his editor is a goaltender who doesn’t take to combat sports and holds it against every article that treats them, and so he’s going to have to shoot for the corners if any of this story will make it to print.

The writer sits on the opposite side of a couch from his girlfriend’s son, who is 15 and typical. He says he is a fan and an athlete; he attends the boxing gym – when his dad takes him – but mostly goes upstairs and plays basketball, as that is where the girls, and so the better athletes, congregate. His mom says he is a JV player on Mayweather’s “Money Team,” forgetting the captain for about half of each year.

“Floyd’s right, you know?” the kid says to the room. “The Easter Bunny laying eggs is dumb.”

The writer makes a note about Floyd’s grasp on the obvious, wondering if the obvious vulgarly expressed was as alluring when he was 15. He decides it was. Floyd’s primary appeal may lie in his saying things others won’t. It resonates with a teenager who sees conformists getting invited to parties that snub nonconformists.

“‘Floyd and I’s bond is unbreakable’?” the writer notes, transcribing what Mayweather’s fiancée says on the first of two HBO programs about Mayweather. “Loyalty?”

“Even women want to stay on the Money Team,” the kid says to the room. “Ms. Jackson knows she’s got it better with Floyd.”

“‘Ride-or-die’?” the writer notes with an asterisk, to remind himself to see what that means later, or maybe think of a gentle way to ask his girlfriend’s son.

“I’m still going strong!” Mayweather shouts at the camera. “I still look good and young. Feel strong. Still got big muscles. Still flamboyant. Still shit-talking. Fly whips, big mansions!”

The kid smiles at the television and thinks Floyd had to say that, cued by the producer. Like a switch. For the haters. It makes white people, the Republicans, buy fights to see Floyd get beat up. But Floyd never loses. He’s too smart.

“There’s 50!” the kid says to the room. “He’s a genius.”

The writer changes his posture, instantly defensive. This derelict “a genius”? Isn’t he the guy who got rich singing it was somebody’s birthday? “WTF?” the writer scribbles in large letters.

“That’s crazy,” the kid says. “I thought 50 was out, like, every night.”

The writer’s previous posture returns. “Curtis Jackson as an introvert and artist . . .” he writes. Actually hadn’t crossed his mind.

“Floyd’s got’em again,” the kid says. “How you gonna call yourself ‘loyal’ and fire your own uncle, Cotto? Floyd’s real. He can only act like he doesn’t care a little. Then he brings the truth.”

He’s not a good actor either, the writer thinks. A pro shouldn’t get tired while on set. “Half-assed villain,” the writer notes.

“Hey, it’s the nerdy dude from the Tupac movies!” the kid says. “I didn’t know they were doing two ‘24/7s’.”

“‘On Floyd Mayweather’,” the writer puts at the top of a new page in his notebook, and underlines it.

The kid watches Floyd yell at his father and throw his ass out of the gym. That’s what you get. You show up, now, when your boy is famous, and you try to take over his gym for the cameras, and you dis your own brother by saying you did everything? Throw his ass out.

“Mayweather’s dad / cussing him out / says he’s nothing / former drug dealer / comes back for control,” the writer notes, wondering how much of Floyd’s point, here, would be lost in exposition.

The kid checks his cell. He’s bored. The nerdy dude is making Floyd look weak.

“King and Malcolm X!” the writer says to the room. “You’re no civil rights hero for going to jail, Floyd!”

“Malcolm wasn’t what y’all would call a ‘civil rights hero’ when he went to jail, either,” the kid says. “Was he?”

“No one would never understand me,” Mayweather says to Michael Eric Dyson.

“I understand you,” the kid says. “Because nobody understands me.”

No 15 year-old thinks anyone understands him, the writer thinks. He gives others what Oscar Wilde called the benefit of his own inexperience. “‘Nobody understands me’ / same thing Tyson said,” the writer notes; “they capture the disconnectedness of the American teenager”

“Floyd’s making the professor the student,” the kid says. “The nerdy dude just said Floyd was intelligent and well-spoken. Put him on the Money Team, Floyd.”

“‘School will always be there’?” the writer notes. How can he say that to a college professor? how can he be so dismissive? how can the professor just sit there and take it, smiling? “wtf?” the writer scribbles again.

“That’s what a man does, dude,” the kid says. “Floyd had a family to take care of. He made the man’s choice.”

Mayweather leans over and shakes Dyson’s fingers, and the camera swoops upwards.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com.

The argument is that only a great American heavyweight can resurrect boxing in the United States. Good luck on that search. At the opposite end of the scale, however, there’s no debate. There’s reality. Given the Mexican and Mexican-American demographic at the heart of the game’s audience, the little guy is imperative. Abner Mares might be that guy, the latest in a line of little big men from 105 to 126 pounds who have helped sustain the business since Michael Carbajal and Humberto Gonzalez transformed it.

Mares carries a sense of poise, smarts and skill with him when he steps through the ropes. There’s also accountability. There was never any hesitation in his decision to fight a rematch with Joseph Agbeko after a controversial victory marred by low blows. The pragmatist might have moved on. But that would have left a mess. Mares cleaned up the questions with a victory, a unanimous decision, in a December rematch that allowed him to take the next step, from bantamweight to super-bantam, against Eric Morel Saturday night in El Paso, Tex.

Mares is trying on a heavier weight with the hope of generating momentum for a date with Nonito Donaire. In a conference call, Mares talked about five super-bantamweights he’d like to fight.

“Victor Terrazas, Fernando Montiel, Rafael Marquez, Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., Jorge Arce, and the big name that is up there is, no doubt, Nonito Donaire,’’ Mares said.

Much depends on how Mares (23-0-1, 13 KOs) looks against an experienced, yet aging Morel (46-2, 23 KOs), who is 11-0 since two years in prison for sexual assault. The jury is still out on Donaire since he made the jump from 118 to 122 for a split decision over Vazquez in February. Donaire, who in October won a dull and dominant decision over Omar Narvaez in his last fight at 118, hasn’t followed up on his spectacular knockout of Fernando Montiel in 2011. Then, his second-round stoppage put him into the pound-for-pound debate. But his show-stopping power hasn’t been there since his left hook struck down Montiel like a lightning bolt.

“Definitely a great fighter,’’ said Mares, who knows about Donaire’s knockout ratio, 18 in 28 bouts. “But I don’t think he’s knocked out anybody at 122 yet.’’

He’s fought only one, so we’ll wait-and-see.

Mares has been there before. He’s going back to where he began. In his first 10 bouts as a pro, he was between 120 and 122 pounds for nine of them, winning six by stoppage and three by unanimous decision. He should be comfortable at 120, the catch-weight for Morel. If Donaire makes the adjustment, Mares-Donaire emerges as a possibility that could be among the biggest in the lightest divisions since Carbajal and Gonzales met at 108 in a 1993 Fight of the Year that awakened promoters to a market for smaller fighters at a time when heavyweights were vanishing, or at least going Euro.

Top Rank-versus-Golden Boy stands in the way, if the promotional feud continues and, yawn, everything seems to say that it will, ad nauseam. Donaire is a Top Rank fighter; Mares is Golden Boy. Then there’s history. Even at the lightest weights, some fights never happen. Carbajal never fought Ricardo Lopez; Lopez never fought Gonzalez. But Mares is smart to foresee the rich possibility. Smart to talk about it, too. He’s taking care of business. Too many would kick a potential biggie down the road by saying they’d leave that job up to their promoters. But they forget that the promoters work for them, not the other way around.

Mares seems to know what he wants and, thus far, he has shown that he’ll do what he has to. The promotional fracas, a cold war without apparent end, is suffocating possibilities. Maybe, it’s too much to ask Mares for help. Then again, it wouldn’t be the first time a little guy has helped boxing recreate itself. They know how to fight their way out of tight places.

PROSPECT JR.
Jose Benavidez Jr.’s 15-year-old brother, David, will appear in an amateur bout on an Iron Boy Promotions card at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix Saturday night. A sign of Arizona’s interest in anything Benavidez was evident Tuesday at an open workout at Central Boxing in downtown Phoenix. The place was jammed for a glimpse at a fighter who might be the state’s next prospect.

At 190 pounds, David is bigger than his celebrated brother, an unbeaten junior-welterweight who is back in the gym and working to rehab his right wrist since undergoing surgery.

“He’s more of inside fighter than I am,’’ said Jose Jr., who says his wrist is about 45 percent healthy. “Basically, he has been boxing since he’s been about 3-years old. He’s always followed it. He watches it at home on television more than I do.’’

Yes, the brothers have sparred. But it hasn’t just been a sibling rivalry played out in the backyard or at the dinner table.

“No, we’ve sparred in the gym,’’ said the 19-year-old Jose, whose brother has sparred with Kelly Pavlik. “I wouldn’t go all out because he’s my little brother. But he tried to kill me. He was hitting me hard, hitting me low. I just had to grab him and talk some trash at him.’’

So what did he say?

“You know, just some brotherly love,’’ Jose Jr. said.

First bell is scheduled for 7 p.m. for a 10-fight card featuring Phoenix super-bantamweight Emilio Garcia (4-0-1) against Jesse Ruiz (0-1), also of Phoenix.

AZ NOTES
· Carbajal, of Phoenix, is scheduled to be a ringside Saturday night at Celebrity. Iron Boy Promotions plan to honor him for his Hall of Fame career.

· Former junior-middleweight champ Winky Wright (51-5-1, 20 KOs) began training in Phoenix a couple of weeks ago for his comeback attempt on June 2 against Peter Quillin (26-0. 20 KOs) in Oakland, Calif. Wright, 40, hasn’t fought since losing a decision to Paul Williams in March, 2009. He began his workouts at Athletes Performance, where well-known pros in all sports go for conditioning.

This Friday night boxing fans will watch former undisputed world beater Jermain Taylor(29-4-1) resume his quest for redemption on Showtime. Its chapter two in the Arkansas native’s comeback story, this time he’ll be taking on Caleb Truax (18-0-1) of Minnesota.

(record scratch) Who?

If you’re a boxing enthusiast, you’ll probably Google his name, skim his record, and gear up to see what Taylor has left in the tank. Unless you happen to be from Minnesota, in which case Friday night is “Caleb’s big fight”. Minnesota’s boxing community is a small, but fiercely loyal cluster, most of whom have watched Truax fight, train, and even shared a few post-fight beers with him over the years.

After covering Caleb Truax for three years I’ve developed a strong familiarity with him inside and outside of the ring. This is a much better fight than the general public may believe. While there are a small handful of people out there that give Truax a shot in this one, my reasoning will probably differ from most. If Caleb Truax is going to win this fight it will have to be because he is good enough, not because Taylor has fallen off far enough.

The Middleweight from Osseo, Minnesota has a window of opportunity Friday night. For fans unfamiliar with Caleb Truax, I’ve divided my insight on what to watch for into two themes, they are as follows…

Don’t bank on a knockout

The most repetitive mistake I come across in my conversations with other Minnesota fight fans/fans of Truax is looking to Taylor’s shortcomings for an opportunity. Yes Taylor has been knocked out in devastating fashion three times, but each time was at the hands of a current or former world champion. Truax has never been in with anyone even close to that class. That’s something Truax’s team won’t ignore, and neither should anyone making a prediction on this fight
“But isn’t Truax’s best hope to catch Jermain off guard, and hope for a flash knockout?”

Wrong. Caleb Truax doesn’t knock people out. He didn’t knock out Phil Williams, he didn’t knock out Andy Kolle , and he probably won’t start with Jermain Taylor, so it’s best to just throw that idea out the window. Taylor’s handlers probably wouldn’t have picked Truax if it weren’t for his modest KO%.

Regardless of Taylor’s decline, you can expect to see plenty of his jab, and you can expect it to be the best jab Caleb Truax has ever seen. To expect a guy who is taking a dramatic step up to plan around that jab, and find a way to land that perfect power shot isn’t realistic. It took Carl Froch, and Arthur Abraham twelve rounds to do it, and I just don’t see it being the Minnesotan’s best route to a victory.

Expect a thorough game plan

So, how can Truax beat Taylor? He isn’t a power puncher, and he’s not a particularly fast middleweight. What’s the saving grace I’m giving him? It’s that if Caleb Truax is one thing, in or out of the ring, he is a strategist.

Caleb is a college graduate, and one of the more articulate pro fighter’s I’ve ever shared a conversation with, and that trait follows him into the ring. I’ve watched close to every one of Caleb’s professional fights, and have almost never seen him overwhelm anyone. I have, however, seen him out-think almost everyone.

Truax has the patience to develop a game plan and stick with it from start to finish, and in this case it should center around Taylor’s stamina issues. One would have to expect Taylor will want to finish this one early, and make a statement. The longer Truax can survive Taylor’s power the better. I’ve come to know Caleb Truax as one of the more careful fighters I’ve watched, and don’t expect him to get caught early. If he can defend against a few of Taylor’s power presses he’ll benefit greatly in the middle and late rounds when the former champ’s stamina starts to falter.

Conclusion

Although Truax is 28 while Taylor is 33, and it’s entirely possible that he’ll be the superior athlete come fight night, I just wouldn’t bank on it if I’m team Truax. Truax needs to be ready for a brand of speed and power that he’s never seen before. He’s going to have to weather a storm of sorts, and wait for his opportunity. He’ll have to start with a defensive mindset that shifts in favor of offense as the fight wears on. If his offense is strengthening by the middle rounds we’ll know a lot more about his chances.

I’m giving Jermain Taylor a 60/40 tilt in the odds. It is absolutely his fight to lose, but if I know Caleb Truax, he isn’t thinking that way, and 40 percentage points worth of breathing room may just be more than enough for him.

You’re angry, angrier than you have been since March. Feed that rage a touch, then, before endeavoring to diffuse it. A catharsis might be in the offing.

When the receipts from the “Too Big for One Country” event get tallied – both at the box office and your local cable provider – there’s going to be a calculation made about what happened Saturday: Not enough people saw Brandon Rios get outclassed by an unknown Cuban to boycott Rios’ next fight. “Brandon Rios MD-12 Richard Abril” is the line that went in the books. Bring on Cowboys Stadium in July.

Outrageous! Yes, yes, but first, Saturday’s main event – Juan Manuel Marquez UD-12 Serhiy Fedchenko in Mexico City – and its good reminder: It was arranged that Marquez be the main event even before Rios missed weight for a second consecutive fight and lost nine rounds to Abril, because Marquez was the card’s draw because Marquez is exceptional. As he nears his 39th birthday he is still, if we’re being knowledgeable and truthful, among the last men in the world whom you should confront or show vulnerability to.

It is indecent, however, to laud Marquez for what he does at his advanced age – Bernard Hopkins in a lower weight class, fighting three minutes of every round, clinching no one – without making an observation about his physique. It is transformed. Or half of it is. Marquez, helpfully, has left his lower body at 126 pounds while making his upper body, delts and traps specifically, into something a 170-pound man would proudly wear on any beach. It is impossible that this has been done by an adult Homo sapiens nearing the end of his fourth decade, with just a little more attention to diet and some hours in the gym. Juan Manuel Marquez now ingests chemicals he did not previously ingest, and they enhance his performance.

Are they banned substances or “PEDs”? No, evidently they are not. Today’s arbitrary restrictions and their arbitrary tests applied by arbitrarily lionized experts detect nothing. It’s a little reminiscent of what President Barack Obama said about passing the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act a few years ago: Turns out most of the actions that brought the world to the precipice of financial insolvency on Sept. 18, 2008 were legal.

What is written above applies equally to Sergio Martinez, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, to pick the only three men in the world who might currently be better at prizefighting than Marquez. All are performing better in their 30s than they did in their 20s. And none of us is gullible as he pretends to be.

Stay your rage, though. Save it for the day somebody’s scorned personal trainer publishes a tell-all book. And don’t give us that lame “But by then I’ll be tired-out from being outraged so many times before!” line, either. Nobody believes that, not after this, the year of outrage.

Saturday, the new worst decision in history favored the favored fighter, again. Richard Abril decisioned Brandon Rios on every scorecard that did not count (including mine) while never, not for one moment, trying to render his opponent unconscious – once the object of prizefighting. Will we never see the day some manager or trainer or fighter tells himself and others: “The judges are every bad thing people say, and so I’ll be damned if I trust my career to their discernment”?

Rios remains what he is, which is three parts aggressiveness and self-promotion for every one part talent. Against Abril, he did not get his aggressiveness on the side of the ledger that reads Effective more than a handful of times. He did something, too, that betrays a misunderstanding of the physics of punching: He repeatedly set his head behind his opponent’s left shoulder and threw a left hook. This was not the seeing-eye overhand right that no-hopers throw in gyms across the fruited plain. It was much worse. You doubt it? The next time you’re in a gym, set your left ear against the heavybag and throw a left hook, and then ask yourself how an undefeated professional could turn such a contortionist’s trick so many times in a half hour.

Marquez-Rios in Cowboys Stadium in July has not been canceled yet, though, has it? Promoter Bob Arum loves a challenge. This will be two. First, sell the Rios mess to Jerry Jones, and second, sell it to the public.

Count me out! I’m at the end of my tether! I’ve had it!

Arum doesn’t believe you, and frankly, experience says he shouldn’t. But before all is lost, before the contracts get signed in the next month or so, why not be imaginative?

Keep the summer date and the colossal venue, but instead of Marquez-Rios, let’s have Juan Manuel Marquez versus Erik Morales, with Brandon Rios in the co-main against Mike Alvarado. It’s doubtful Morales is under some long-term obligation to his current promoter that can’t be circumnavigated. The people under Bob Arum still love Morales, and he likes them right back. Marquez would be favored, sure, but the fight would be compelling, as neither Mexican would be disrespectful or ignorant enough to employ physical force alone. If you’re trying to attract Mexicans, can you think of two better names? And for the aficionados among us, there’s still Rios-Alvarado, a fight that has less chance of missing than Cotto-Margarito did in 2008.

There. From outrage, an outrageously good idea.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA — Though he did not make it look pretty, huge underdog Richard Abril appeared to be on his way to claiming the vacant WBA Lightweight title over a lackluster Brandon Rios after twelve rounds at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on Saturday night. But then the judges’ scores were read.

After a feeling out first round, Abril’s plan became readily apparent in the second. The WBA’s interim titleholder looked to place one or two hard shots at range and smother Rios any time the fight came in close. Rios landed one right uppercut inside, but Abril caught the former champion coming in several times and looked to have taken the round.

Rios (30-0-1, 22 KOs) of Oxnard, California began to try and rough up Abril on the inside in the third, but his punches were vastly ineffective. Abril (17-3-1, 8 KOs) of Miami, Florida by way of Isla de la Juventud, Cuba had a solid fourth, as he began measuring the shorter Rios with his left and landing solid rights. The lead right became a weapon as well for Abril, 135.

Rios, 137, may have deserved the fifth as Abril became too defensive. Rios did not land anything to great affect either, but he carried the action for most of the three minutes. Abril, the WBA #1 ranked lightweight, took the sixth on all three cards with an early offensive rally. Rios, the WBA #3 ranked lightweight, took to his jab for the only time in the fight late in the frame, but it was not enough to win back the round.

The seventh seemed to be another clear round for Abril, however two judges ended up giving it to Rios. Abril landed a lead right twice in the early going and kept good distance, tying up Rios when he got in close. Abril was warned for holding by referee Vic Drakulich, before landing another solid combination to close out the round.

By the eighth the fight had fallen into a familiar pattern. Rios would fall in and lean on Abril, throwing tired shots over his own shoulders. Abril blocked most of the blows inside, before stepping out and throwing one or two of his own as Rios looked to lean in again.

Despite all the trash talk and press conference shoving matches, neither fighter ever showed any desire to really hurt their adversary. Round after round, Rios’ winging shots looked drained of any power. Despite Abril’s effective punch selection throughout frames eight thru eleven, there was not a consensus round scored for the Cuban import by the three judges during that third of the fight. When Abril closed up shop a bit in the final round all three judges did agree to score it for Rios.

Both fighters did show good sportsmanship in the immediate aftermath of the final bell, as Abril offered his glove and Rios gave him a hug. Much to the dismay of everyone on press row, two veteran judges, Jerry Roth and Glenn Trowbridge, had the fight for Rios, 117-112 and 115-113 respectively. Judge Adalaide Byrd scored it right, 117-111 for Abril.

The post-fight press conference, which was held back until after the conclusion of the Juan Manuel Marquez-Serhiy Fedchenko fight broadcast from Mexico, never really took place. Top Rank execs explained that Rios was too drained to take the podium and instead a brief question and answer session took place at a media table.

It remains to be answered if Rios is still on the dance card for Marquez in July.

Making his case for a Marquez meeting, rising junior welterweight contender Mike Alvarado (33-0, 23 KOs) of Thornton, Colorado turned back a determined effort from Mauricio Herrera (18-2, 7 KOs) of Lake Elsinore, California en route to a ten-round unanimous decision.

Herrera, 140, opened well as his apparent plan was to smother the power of Alvarado, 140, while placing his own shots when the openings were presented. Herrera, the IBF #7 ranked 140-pounder, evaded enough of Alvarado’s attack to perhaps take the round. However it was apparent that Alvarado, the WBO #3/IBF #9/WBA #11 ranked light welterweight, held a decided edge in power.

Alvarado began to take over the fight in the second as Herrera could not keep the range he needed to stay out of harm’s way. Herrera was constantly throwing his shots, even while backed against the ropes. However, when Alvarado would land the effect on Herrera was much greater.

And so the fight went. Herrera bravely throwing, and gaining fans, but Alvarado landing the blows that win rounds. After a seventh round in which Alvarado was more selective with his output, Herrera’s face began to resemble hamburger meat, prompting a post-round look-in from the ringside physician.

In the eighth, a two-punch combination rattled Herrera into the ropes. Just when a stoppage looked eminent, the Lake Elsinore resident again offered back to close out the round. After another in between round visit from the doctor, Alvarado let off the gas a bit in the ninth, giving Herrera a brief reprieve.

Incredibly Herrera had a solid tenth, fighting on instinct perhaps more than anything else. Alvarado appeared to be a bit punched out as Herrera persevered through another two or three hard head shots to outwork him in the final round.

In the end, Alvarado deservedly took all three cards by scores of 99-91, 97-93 and 96-94. “I want Marquez,” pronounced Alvarado after the fight. “I deserve Marquez, I’m ready for Marquez and I have no weight issues.” Alvarado’s last line was an obvious knock on Rios, who has been mentioned as the leading candidate for a July meeting with Juan Manuel Marquez.

In the opening bout of the pay-per-view broadcast, Mercito Gesta (25-0-1, 13 KOs) of San Diego, California by way of Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines worked his way to an eighth-round stoppage of awkward Oscar Cuero (15-8, 12 KOs) of Cartagena, Colombia.

Gesta, the WBA #7 ranked lightweight and WBO #8 ranked 140-pounder, was forced to chase Cuero, 138, around the ring for much of the early rounds. When Gesta, 137, did manage to pin Cuero against the ropes or in a corner, the Colombian quickly wrapped his long arms around the Filipino contender, leading to a point deduction in fifth.

As the sixth opened, Cuero decided to fight and had a fairly decent round pressuring Gesta, who only landed in spots. Cuero’s momentum was fleeting, as a rising right body shot gave Gesta his first knockdown in the bout in the seventh. Cuero got up slow and tackled an onrushing Gesta to the canvas. The extra time helped Cuero come on for a moment. But after taking a few clean head shots, Gesta smiled and nodded at his tiring foe.

Early in the eighth, a cuffing right near Cuero’s ear put him back on the mat. Cuero got up slow, prompting referee Robert Byrd to wave it off at the 1:38 mark.

Well regarded former amateur standout Eric Flores (1-0, 1 KO) of Inglewood, California topped his brother’s performance from earlier in the night with a 40-second technical knockout of Wilbert Mitchell (1-3) of Lake Dallas, Texas.

Flores, 139, came out fast, eventually landing a straight right hand, which he soon followed with a short left in close. Mitchell, 137, fell back into a neutral corner, where Flores followed and flurried him to the mat. When Mitchell got up, referee Tony Weeks saw something in his eyes he did not like and quickly waved off the bout.

Light welterweight prospect Terence Crawford (16-0, 12 KOs) of Omaha, Nebraska took an apparent step-up in class and impressively met the challenge as he dismantled Andre Gorges (11-3, 6 KOs) of Windsor, Ontario, Canada by way of Baghdad, Iraq inside of five rounds.

Crawford, 142, was clearly just too quick for Gorges, 141, from the early going. Gorges was game, but was countered at nearly every opportunity throughout the bout. After wearing Gorges down to the body, Crawford began to punish the Canadian resident upstairs in the fourth. A left hook on the inside wobbled Gorges’ legs and forced him down to a knee late in the round. With just seconds left in the round, Gorges survived to the bell, but returned to his corner on very shaky footing.

Early in the fifth, Crawford set up a vicious overhand right with Gorges against the ropes. Gorges was out even before the follow up left landed, which aided his slow fall to the mat. Referee Kenny Bayless stopped the bout 44 seconds into the fifth. Crawford’s win is especially impressive considering Gorges had gone twelve in a majority decision loss to soon to be ranked contender Albert Mensah last time out.

Light middleweight prospect Mikael Zewski (14-0, 10 KOs) of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada capped a patient, but effective offensive display with a sixth-round stoppage of Brandon Baue (12-6, 10 KOs) of Troy, Missouri.

Zewski, 153, mixed his attack well to both the body and head of Baue throughout the fight. The hook to the body as well as some well placed left uppercuts did damage from the early going, as Baue, 153 ½, became less willing to offer up as the fight wore on.

Finally in the sixth, a two-handed combination bothered Baue enough to bring him down to one knee in his own corner. Baue returned to his feet at the count of nine, but apparently looked dejected enough for referee Tony Weeks to stop the bout after a short series of unanswered blows at 2:46 of the sixth.

Anthony Flores (1-0, 1 KO) of Inglewood impressed in his professional debut with a scary first-round knockout of Gabriel Medina (1-1) of Hemet, California. Flores, 140, pressured Medina, 141, from the early going, ultimately using a left jab to set up a thunderous overhand right. Medina was out even before the back of his head bounced off the canvas. Referee Vic Drakulich rightly stopped the bout without a count at the 2:41 mark.

Former National Golden Gloves Champion Tremaine Williams (1-0, 1 KO) of New Haven, Connecticut put in a quick night’s work in his professional debut with a first-round stoppage of Jesse Anguiano (0-2) of San Antonio, Texas. Williams, 123, sent Anguiano, 121 ½, into a corner with a fast combination and the ensuing flurry sent Anguiano’s head through the ropes. Shortly after referee Robert Byrd separated the two fighters, Williams rushed in an put together a series of punches that prompted Byrd to rescue the stunned Anguiano from further punishment. Official time was 2:21 of the first.

Photos by Chris Farina/Top Rank

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

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA — Former WBA Lightweight title holder Brandon Rios forfeited an opportunity to regain his title as he again failed to make the lightweight limit of 135-pounds for his bout against Richard Abril tonight at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. However, the grudge match will go on as scheduled, with the title on the line for Abril only. Fighters weighed in Friday afternoon at the casino’s Mizuya Lounge.

Rios (29-0-1, 22 KOs) of Oxnard, California of course was originally scheduled to fight Yuriorkis Gamboa tonight, before the Cuban’s unexpected pullout during the beginning of the promotion’s press tour. Before that tantalizing match-up began to materialize, Rios and his team had publicly declared he was going to move up to 140-pounds. Rios had failed to make the 135-pound limit for a title defense against John Murray last November, and even before that weigh-in the talk was he was done at lightweight.

Abril (17-2-1, 8 KOs) of Miami, Florida by way of Isla de la Juventud, Cuba entered into the mix after getting into a shoving match with Rios at a Florida press conference that Gamboa opted to no-show. Abril, the WBA #1 ranked lightweight and reigning interim belt holder, felt he should have been fighting for the vacant title from the start and voiced that opinion at the presser. Abril claimed that title with a twelve-round decision over former champion Miguel Acosta in Panama last October.

Rios, the WBA #3 ranked lightweight, scaled 137-pounds on his first attempt Friday. When Rios returned to give it a second try he ended up being a little heavier than the first time around. Abril, who only loses have come by split decision to Hank Lundy and Breidis Prescott, came in at the division limit of 135-pounds.

Due to the fact that Rios did not make the lightweight limit, it is not clear whether or not Abril will lose his interim title should he not win tonight. In correspondence through e-mail, WBA Executive Vice President Gilberto Mendoza Jr. informed 15rounds.com that the status of the interim title in the event of an Abril loss would decided in a meeting of the WBA’s directors.

Highlighting the undercard, light welterweight contender Mike Alvarado (32-0, 23 KOs) of Thornton, Colorado will take on once-beaten Mauricio Herrera (18-1, 7 KOs) of Lake Elsinore, California in a ten-round affair.

Alvarado comes in off of one of his better wins as he became the first to take down 140-pound contender Breidis Precott inside the distance last November. Alvarado, the WBO #3/IBF #9/WBA #11ranked light welterweight, has been taken to the final bell just once in his last six outings. Alvarado weighed in at 140-pounds Friday.

Herrera, the IBF #7 ranked 140-pounder, last saw action in June of last year. In that fight, Herrera took a controversial majority decision over prospect Mike Dallas Jr. However, the last time Herrera was in Las Vegas, he scored the most impressive win of his career. In January of 2011, Herrera stunned the crowd at the Cox Pavilion to take a decisive ten-round decision over previously unbeaten Ruslan Provodnikov. Herrera weighed in at 140-pounds.

Opening the pay-per-view telecast, touted Mercito Gesta (24-0-1, 12 KOs) of San Diego, California by way of Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines takes on journeyman Oscar Cuero (15-7, 12 KOs) of Cartagena, Colombia in a ten-round light welterweight bout.

Gesta, the WBA #7 ranked lightweight and WBO #8 ranked 140-pounder, is coming off of a ten-round decision over former title challenger Ricardo Dominguez back in November. Though Cuero does not sport a very impressive record, he has not been stopped in almost four years, having gone the distance against notables Dannie Williams and Monty Meza Clay. Gesta weighed in at 138-pounds, while Cuero scaled 137.

Light middleweight prospect Mikael Zewski (13-0, 9 KOs) of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada looks to keep busy against Midwest journeyman Brandon Baue (12-5, 10 KOs) of Troy, Missouri in a bout slated for six or eight rounds. Zewski, a former amateur star, has been matched incredibly safe despite his credentials. The Canadian fought less than a month ago, scoring a first-round knockout of a 3-5 fighter in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Baue, who scaled 153 ½-pounds, has lost every time he has gone up against a remotely familiar name.

Terence Crawford (15-0, 11 KOs) of Omaha, Nebraska will take on Andre Gorges (11-2, 6 KOs) of Windsor, Ontario, Canada by way of Baghdad, Iraq in the most competitively matched bout off the off-television undercard. Their light welterweight bout is scheduled for six or eight rounds, depending on the distance of the other preliminary bouts. Crawford, who scaled 142-pounds, has been out of action since a September eight-round decision over Angel Rios in Atlantic City. Gorges, who scaled 141-pounds, is coming in off of a twelve-round decision loss to Albert Mensah last July.

Former amateur standout Eric Flores of Inglewood, California will make his professional debut against Wilbert Mitchell (1-2) of Lake Dallas, Texas in a four-round light welterweight bout. Flores, a top amateur and former member of the Los Angeles Matadors World Series of Boxing team, weighed in at 139-pounds. Mitchell, coming in off of his lone pro win, weighed in at 137-pounds.

Ingelwood’s Anthony Flores, Eric’s brother, will also be making his pro debut against Gabriel Medina (1-0) of Hemet, California in a four-round light welterweight bout. Flores, the slightly older of the two brothers, weighed in at 140-pounds. Medina weighed in at 141-pounds. Both Flores brothers are managed by Cameron Dunkin.

In the opener, 19-year-old former amateur star Tremaine Williams of New Haven, Connecticut will turn pro against Jesse Anguiano (0-1) of San Antonio, Texas in a four-round super bantamweight bout. Williams, the 2011 National Golden Gloves Champion at 123-pounds, came in at 123 on Friday. Anguiano, who lost his debut on March 24th via decision, weighed in at 121 ½-pounds.

HBO Pay-Per-View will broadcast the three main bouts followed by the WBO Interim Light Welterweight title bout between Juan Manuel Marquez and Serhiy Fedchenko from New Mexico City Arena in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. TopRank.com will stream the preliminary bouts from Las Vegas live.

Tickets for the event, promoted by Top Rank, are available online at Ticketmaster.com

Quick Weigh-in Results:

WBA Lightweight Championship, 12 Rounds
Rios 137*
Abril 135

Light Welterweights, 10 Rounds
Alvarado 140
Herrera 140

Light Welterweights, 10 Rounds
Gesta 137
Cuero 138

Light Middleweights, 6 or 8 Rounds
Baue 153 ½
Zewski 153

Light Welterweights, 6 or 8 Rounds
Crawford 142
Gorges 141

Light Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Mitchell 137
Eric Flores 139

Light Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Medina 141
Anthony Flores 140

Super Bantamweights, 4 Rounds
Anguiano 121 ½
Williams 123

*Rios overweight, vacant title on the line for Abril only

Photos courtesy Top Rank
Alvarado-Herrera & Gesta-Cuero Photos by Chris Farina/Top Rank

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

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Previously unknown Albert Mensah is unknown no longer after a hard-earned ten-round unanimous decision over proud warrior Michael Katsidis at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Friday night. With the ESPN2-televised win, Mensah vaults into the world rankings, while the future of Katsidis’ career becomes uncertain.

Katsidis (28-6, 23 KOs) of Hollywood, California by way of Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia began the fight well. Moving up to junior welterweight from lightweight did not slow the always offense-minded Katsidis down one bit. Though his punches may not have had the same effect on a natural 140-pounder as they did on lightweights, on sheer output alone Katsidis controlled most of the first three rounds.

After finding his jab in the third, Mensah (25-3-1, 10 KOs) of Joliet, Illinois by way of Accra, Ghana came out of his defensive shell for a big fourth round. With each clean shot landed, Mensah, 140, seemed to gain confidence. Several shots snapped Katsidis’ head back and drew gasps from the crowd. Despite taking some really clean blows, Katsidis, 138, rarely took a step back.

Katsidis, who entered the bout as the WBO #8 ranked lightweight, bounced back midway through the fifth to again outwork Mensah, who had let off the gas pedal after a strong start to the stanza.

The sixth round provided a quandary for ringside scorers. Katsidis outworked Mensah by a wide margin, but not one of his shots stood out as something that really hurt his opponent. Mensah, despite languishing on the ropes the entire round, deserved the nod as he caught Katsidis with several hard head shots.

Mensah loaded up and landed several bombs in an action-packed seventh round. Just when Katsidis seemed to be in danger of going down, and with Mensah a bit punched out, the former interim champion rallied. Katsidis took Mensah to the ropes and placed some hard shots, before Mensah regrouped and landed one of his own.

After a solid eighth for Katsidis, Mensah came out determined in the ninth and landed well to the body. Mensah followed up with a series of head shots that seemed to bother Katsidis, who still refused to go into retreat. Mensah closed out a great fight with more solid blows upstairs in the tenth. The fight had opened eyes to Mensah’s ability, but only reaffirmed what everyone has known about Katsidis. One would be hard pressed to think of an active fighter with an ounce more heart than the Australian.

One judge had the fight even, 95-95, but was overruled by scores of 98-92 and 96-94 for Mensah. With the win Mensah successfully defended his IBF International Light Welterweight title, and will now find himself ranked when the sanctioning body releases their next world rankings.

Mensah had just one previous fight in the Unites States, a July win over once-beaten Andre Gorges in Illinois. “Not many people have known about him, but he was well known in his home country of Ghana, where he had held many titles,” explained Mensah’s promoter Cynthia Tolaymat of Chicago Fight Clubs Promotion. “But now after this exposure, I am sure everyone will know about him. We want to move him next, and as fast as possible, into world title position.”

In a jaw-dropping performance, Alan Sanchez (10-2-1, 4 KOs) of Fairfield, California ran through prospect Artemio Reyes (15-2, 10 KOs) of Colton, California via first-round knockout.

Sanchez, 147, hurt Reyes, 146, with a clean right early in the round and chased him about the ring, landing a right uppercut and several straight rights in succession. Finally the dazed Reyes succumbed and fell into the ropes, as referee Joe Cortez came in to stop the contest at 2:08 of the first round. Sanchez had dropped a highly competitive six-round decision to Reyes back in June of 2010.

In a rematch of an October 2011 draw, Cameron Kreal (1-1-2) of Las Vegas moved into the win column with a hard-fought four-round majority nod over Tyler Lawson (0-2-1) of Las Vegas. Lawson, 141, took as good as he gave much of the way, especially over the first two rounds. However, Kreal, 140, deservedly got the nod as he outworked Lawson in a solid scrap. Scores read 38-38 and 39-37 twice for Kreal.

In the last fight before the televised card, Alexis Hernandez (1-1) of Las Vegas by way of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico scored three knockdowns over the first three rounds to score a four-round unanimous decision over determined Sergio Lopez (0-1) of Las Vegas.

Hernandez, 123, rocked Lopez, 122, into the ropes to score a knockdown late in the first round. Lopez managed to quickly regroup and fought well in spots off the ropes, most notably uncorking a hard left hook that momentarily stopped Hernandez in his tracks. The following exchanged carried past the bell, with Hernandez’ late shots the most flagrant.

Lopez carried some momentum into the second, which he controlled in the opening moments. Just as the fight began turning his way, Lopez was caught in an exchange and dropped for the second straight round. Again, Lopez regrouped and returned fire to close out the round.

The third looked much like the second round, with Lopez doing well early before finding himself again on the mat. This time it was a Hernandez left hook that put Lopez on the canvas. After a strong fourth round for Hernandez, all three judges had the fight for him by scores of 40-35, 40-34 and 39-38.

In an entertaining welterweight bout, Yusmani Abreu (2-2-1) of Las Vegas survived some scary moments in the first en route to a four-round split decision draw with Brent Rodriguez (1-3-2) of Venice, California.

Rodriguez, 146, caught Abreu, 146, with a wide right hook that sent the local fighter across the ring and against the ropes. Rodriguez either felt referee Jay Nady was going to call a knockdown or decided to admire his work, because he failed to follow-up on the stunned Abreu. With seconds left, Rodriguez swung away, but did not land a punch as Abreu fell to the mat. Even though the earlier landed punches had something to do with the fall, Nady waved it off as a slip.

To his credit, Abreu shook out the cobwebs and battled back in the second and third rounds. Each fighter had their moments in the fourth and ultimately the official scorers were split on who they liked. Each fighter took one card 38-37, with the third card coming in even, 38-38.

In a free-swinging four-rounder, Edwin Reyes (0-0-1) of Nashville, Tennessee battled back over the second half of the fight to force a unanimous draw with Yosigey Ramirez (0-0-1) of Las Vegas.

Ramirez, 104, appeared to be the stronger puncher through two, as he and Reyes, 104, exchanged at close quarters. However, Reyes came on in the third, landing hard shots inside some of Ramirez’ looping swings. Reyes completely dominated the fourth, nearly dropping Ramirez with a well-timed combination. In the following minute, Ramirez evaded just enough shots to remain on his feet, and even landed some as Reyes momentarily punched himself out.

By the time the fourth was coming to a close, Reyes was again getting the better of the action. In the end, all three judges had the fight a 38-38 draw.

Before the ring lights had a chance to warm-up, Richard Quesada (1-0, 1 KO) of Havana, Cuba stopped Luis Monda (0-1) of Miami, Florida in the night’s opening bout. The southpaw Monda, 140, quickly found himself against the ropes on the receiving end of a straight right hand, which apparently had him second-guessing his chosen profession.

Quesada, 141, followed up with a right to the body that put Monda down to a knee. Before reaching his count of ten, referee Russell Mora decided call off the contest at 50 seconds of the first.

Copyright Photos by Mary Ann Owen

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

There’s only one safe pick for Saturday night’s fight at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay between Brandon Rios and Richard Abril, unknown a month ago and known today only for not being shy. The fight won’t be as good as the news conferences.

How Abril walked into this fight is a matter of conjecture. Believe what you want, but there he was, in a tux and with more trash talk than Floyd Mayweather Jr., in Miami last month on the very day when promoters knew they needed a stand-in for Yuriorkis Gamboa, a no-show then and seen since about as often as somebody in the witness-protection program.

“I was supposed to be with Gamboa, and all of a sudden this guy came in, and he started talking smack,” Rios said a couple of weeks ago in a conference call. “He came up to me and said, ‘I want to fight you.’

“I said, ‘Who are you? You look like an average guy with a tuxedo on.’

“He kept running his mouth saying, ‘I’m the champion, and you are nothing.’ I said, ‘You are the champion, and you want to fight me? There’s my manager, right there. Go talk to him.’ ”

Abril has done nothing but talk ever since in a series of circus-like news conferences. Other than the mouth, we know he has an interim 135-pound title, the World Boxing Association’s version. These days, you can get one of those belts off-the-rack. He’s lanky. He has one common opponent with Rios. Both beat Venezuelan lightweight Miguel Acosta. Rios stopped Acosta in the 10th round in February, 2011. Abril scored a 12-round decision over Acosta in October.

Maybe, it was just coincidence that Abril showed up in Miami. Nevertheless, he has played the only role he could to create interest in a fight that had generated widespread interest before Gamboa went missing. Gamboa –Rios had Fight of the Year potential. If the Rios-Abril and Juan Manuel Marquez-Sergey Fedchenko doubleheader does pay-per-view business, it will be the Save of the Year.

Abril, a Cuban, has been saying all of the things usually said in an attempt to generate sales, especially among Mexican and Mexican-American fans. At times, it sounds as if he is reading from a script, one used by promoters for decades.

“I’m here and not afraid of you,’’ Abril said to Rios Wednesday at the final news conference. “I’m the one who wanted this fight. You are not 100% Mexican. You talk a lot of smack.”

“I ride horses, listen to Mexican music and speak the language. I am more Mexican than Rios. He doesn’t even understand me when I yell at him in Spanish.”

Maybe not, but Rios (29-0-1, 22 KOs) probably understands this: All of the pressure is on him. He can’t afford to look anything but sensational against Abril (17-2-1, 8 KOs), who has never fought on a stage as big as the one he will step on to Saturday night in a telecast produced by Top Rank and distributed by HBO.

A misstep of any kind against Abril would put a hold on Rios’ quest to become one of the game’s major stars. At stake, there is a possible fight on July 14 at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas against Marquez, if Marquez beats Fedchenko in Mexico City.

Rios, who has never been shy either, has shoved Abril and slapped Abril’s trainer, Osmiri Fernandez. He has said an unknown will never beat him. Abril, he said, is in the darkness.

“And I will keep him there,’’ said Rios, who doesn’t plan on a rematch, not even at a news conference.

LOS ANGELES, CA (April 11). . . Golden Boy Promotions and Golden Boy Enterprises announced today their Chief Executive Officer Richard Schaefer has agreed to a long-term contract extension with the companies that will ensure the continued success of the thriving sports and entertainment enterprise. Schaefer, along with company President Oscar de la Hoya, has been greatly responsible for growing the business into the leading boxing promotional company in the world.

“I am thrilled to have Richard commit to a long-term contract extension with Golden Boy, as he is not only my trusted Chief Executive Officer but he is one of my closest friends,” said President Oscar de la Hoya. “This is a very important day for the company and another, and very exciting, chapter in our storied path. We have achieved so much already and I can’t wait to announce the many endeavors Richard and I have been working on over the past months to ensure our continued growth and success.”

Schaefer was hired in 2000 by De La Hoya to run Golden Boy Enterprises. In 2003 he and De La Hoya formed Golden Boy Promotions with Schaefer being named CEO. Over the past ten years, theLos Angeles-based business has become a premier promotions company increasing their revenue and events base yearly.

“I am excited to extend my contract and look forward to working with the company for many years to come,” said Schaefer. “Oscar is a visionary leader who has inspired millions as a fighter in the ring and now he is doing the same thing outside of the ring with his “yes we can” attitude. I am proud of him, our Golden Boy staff, our partners and shareholders and most importantly our fighters, who make the company what it is.”

Under Schaefer’s leadership, Golden Boy has grown from an upstart West Coast promoter to the most dominant promoter in the world today. Golden Boy’s stable currently includes over 50 fighters, including 20 current and former world champions and many others ranked in the top 10 of their respective weight divisions.The Company was involved in an amazing 103 boxing promotions in 2011, which translates into an average of nearly two fights per week. Golden Boy regularly schedules its fights on nearly every major boxing network in the United States and Mexico, including HBO, Showtime, Fox Sports Net, Televisa, and Telefutura. Schaefer’s efforts have also resulted in Golden Boy promoting some of the largest grossing boxing events in history, including De La Hoya vs. Mayweather (2007), De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao (2008), Margarito vs. Mosley (2009), Mayweather vs. Mosley (2010), Mayweathervs Ortiz (2011) and the upcoming Mayweather vs. Cotto bout set for Saturday, May 5.

De La Hoya vs. Mayweather broke all pay-per-view and box office records with 2.5 million buys and over $17 million in gate proceeds. Both records still hold today. Golden Boy’s track record of signing young talent is unsurpassed, having signed ESPN.com’s Prospect of the Year winners from 2007 through 2011. The results of these efforts can be seen in the Company’s regular receipt of industry awards, including the Boxing Writers Association of America 2010 and 2011 Fight of the Year Awards.

Schaefer concluded, “Our success speaks for itself. Together we have built the company into a global promotions powerhouse and we will continue to make history every day. We have a great team of young, energetic and creative people working for and with us. I am looking forward to breaking new records together with them.”

Miguel Alonso was a dear friend of the 15rounds.com family, and it brings me sad news to report he passed away in his sleep on Friday, April 6th, 2012, due to complications of the heart.

The Hispanic boxing community may remember Alonso from covering Forum fights back in the 70’s and 80’s, but he was better known for his extensive coverage of Pro Wrestling.

And that’s how I will remember him.

He was a friend of the family; and ever since my brother’s and I were kids, he would always get us comped at any major wrestling events here in Los Angeles, and a boxing event on occasion. But we were wrestling fans way before we became boxing fanatics, and Miguel Alonso would get us into the Sports Arena anytime the WWF was in town.

Thanks, Miguel. We’ll never forget your generosity, and definitely not the memories my brothers and I share.

R.I.P.

Raygoza-Molina Family

LULING, Texas – Here is a town that is home to 5,000 souls and represents the southernmost point of a golden corridor of Lone Star State cuisine. Luling to Lockhart to Spicewood, a 76-mile stretch that cuts through Austin and whose three towns’ populations total merely 26,000 people, somehow hosts six of the 50 best barbecue joints – according to Texas Monthly magazine – in all 268,580 square miles of the Republic.

Quite a feat, that. Smoked brisket, ribs and sausage are three things Texans know at least as well as their sports. “Good barbecue don’t need sauce,” they say down here, and it’s a fine way to keep straight the difference between Texas barbecue and its cousins in Memphis and Kansas City. El Paso, on this Republic’s western wing, does not have an entry on the cherished Top 50 list – the closest finalist is in Monahans, 250 miles away – but it has a whole lot of boxing fans.

Tuesday those fans learned they will be hosting an important event on June 16. Mexican middleweight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. will face Andy Lee, an Englishman of Irish stock and Detroit residence, in a Sun Bowl fight that will decide both a title and the second-best man in the middleweight division.

The best man in the division remains Sergio Martinez. Much was made, Wednesday, of Martinez’s signing a one-signature rebuttal contract to make a match with the winner of Chavez-Lee in September. September, of course, is a decade away in boxing years.

Chavez will make his fight with Lee in June because Chavez’s promotional handlers at Top Rank believe he is ready. Ready as he’s going to be, anyway. A day quickly nears when Chavez will no longer be able to make the middleweight limit – that day, in fact, may have passed weeks ago, uncommemorated – and before Chavez can be steered away from Andre Ward at 168 pounds, the thinking goes, he’ll have to honor a few obligations in a middleweight division where he has already made six fights.

Chavez’s middleweight title is a gift from the WBC, a way of celebrating the legacy of Chavez’s dad, many argue, and once Junior gets in the ring with a real middleweight in his prime, a man like Lee, the end of this fraud will attain an exclamation point. Possibly. But Andy Lee has not quite raced through the sport’s best 160-pounders either.

Lee is the charge of celebrated trainer Manny Steward, and therefore, in the star system television makes of boxing, credited with recent wins over Troy Lowry (27-10) and Alex Bunema (31-7-2) and Saul Duran (40-19-2) in a somewhat exaggerated way.

Chavez’s trainer, too, is a star-system story that now feels overworked. Freddie Roach, who took on Chavez as part of a 2010 post-diuretic rehabilitation tour Junior’s people launched, has not altered Chavez’s fighting style in any permanent-looking way. But he has added the thorny Alex Ariza to Team Chavez. And somewhere between the potential drama of Chavez getting his coddled ass beaten and the palpable suspense of Chavez’s every trip to the scale, boxing fans have been enticed out of hiding.

Chavez, steadily becoming the most interesting man in the boxing world, doesn’t always fight in the United States, but when he does he prefers Texas (stay angry, my friends). Chavez is favored here and will be in June. Boxing has a rich history of hometown favoritism that television recently rediscovered in time to feign shock over it, because shock is entertaining.

Reporters have begun likening Texas to Germany, where crowd favorites enjoy spectacular advantages. Coincidentally, Texas and Germany are just about the last places on earth 40,000 boxing fans still congregate from time to time. All soliloquies to fairness aside, boxing is an often-filthy place that does not work as the branded and sanitized thing airless television studios endeavor to make of whatever their medium touches. Television wants known unknowns; boxing, bless its heart, gives them unknown unknowns.

Chavez will probably sell as many tickets on June 16 in El Paso as Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao combine to sell in Las Vegas, on May 5 and June 9 respectively, whatever television says about it. That used to be the measure of a star in prizefighting.

How did the rise of Chavez come to this? More naturally than anticipated, actually. Freddie Roach, speaking after his first abbreviated training camp with Chavez, which culminated in Chavez handling Irishman John Duddy, said Chavez came to him already understanding the geometry of the ring – from Chavez’s watching his father master it, and other men, as a boy. In a sport of time and space, Chavez’s geometric astuteness brought him into boxing 50 percent farther along than most.

Boxing is Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.’s native language. Roach may polish the grammar of some Chavez flourishes, but his primary function lies in discovering opponents’ sentence patterns, and then having Chavez recite them a few hundred times in training camp.

Andy Lee speaks boxing fluently, too. Immersion in Manny Steward’s curriculum ensured that. Lee does things with a technical proficiency Chavez usually lacks. But Lee also appears to remember learning the language of boxing, where Chavez could not if he wanted to. That’s a difference.

A palate for Texas barbecue is an acquired quality. Brisket can seem dry and sausage too spicy. And the absence of sauce on ribs can be, to the uninitiated, a touch unsettling. Texans, raised on brisket tacos and such, need no curriculum on barbecue, though, and as connoisseurs, need no directions to this city, Lockhart or Spicewood.

Texas fight aficionados will need no directions to El Paso in June. They know Chavez-Lee will be a good fight because Chavez does not make bad ones.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

The good news is that Juan Manuel Marquez will forego retirement. His tactical skill is an ongoing example of how a master craftsman never lets his attention stray from detail. He counters chaos with smarts. Marquez is a lesson for young prospects, old writers and just about anybody else with a job to do.

The bad news is that Marquez’ decision to fight on is more perilous than promising in his quest for a fourth fight with Manny Pacquiao.

“The main reason for me to continue is that I want a rematch with Manny,’’ Marquez said Wednesday in conference call for his April 14 fight with Sergey Fedchenko in Mexico City. “…I think I won the last fight.’’

So do a lot of other people, including the one seated in this corner. Marquez was a 115-113 winner here and on many other unofficial scorecards last November at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand. But the crowd that argued for Marquez and against Pacquiao’s escape with a majority decision has moved on, or back to where it has been all along.

Talk about Pacquiao-versus-Floyd Mayweather Jr. covers the sport like perpetual smog. It just won’t clear. Leave it to someone else to condemn the speculative pollution or decide whether the fight will ever happen. While you’re at it, leave me some nausea medicine. It’s sickening, but it’s there, nonetheless. It was there all over again Wednesday.

“I have to be realistic about this,’’ said Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum, who has the Filipino Congressman in tough on June 9 against Tim Bradley. “I don’t think that Mayweather will be available in the fall to fight Manny. He certainly doesn’t indicate that he wants to fight Manny. I think everyone would be better off if we thought about that fight for next year. But everything is open. First of all, Manny has a really tough fight with Bradley and secondly, everybody would certainly agree that Juan Manuel deserves a rematch.’’

But it is a rematch that Marquez deserves now, not at some speculated date that hinges on him overcoming a presumed tune-up against Fedchenko in his hometown and then a very dangerous Brandon Rios, who faces Yuriorkis Gamboa stand-in Richard Abril at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay, also on April 14, in a pay-per-view doubleheader produced by Top Rank and distributed by HBO.

“Everybody knows I was looking for the rematch with Manny but I don’t know what happened,’’ Marquez said. “The most important thing is I like to fight and I will fight on April 14. I am very happy about that. But I don’t know what happened with the rematch.’’

What happened is this: The public and media interest in Pacquiao-Mayweather suffered, yet remained at the top of the agenda despite a second rematch in which Marquez again showed he can beat Pacquiao. Despite a very good argument that Marquez beat the Filipino twice after a draw in the first bout, there is still a bigger market for Pacquiao-Mayweather than there is for Marquez-Pacquiao IV.

Now, here’s what could happen: As expected Marquez beats Fedchenko and Rios overwhelms Abril, an unknown Cuban. Then, Marquez and Rios fight.

“We are holding Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, for the match if we make it,’’ Arum said. “But one step at a time. July 14 is the date we are holding it for.’’

Manager Cameron Dunkin looks at Rios and thinks of Johnny Tapia.

“I love what I do,’’ Rios said. “A lot of fighters do it for a job. I do it because I love it. It’s my high. It’s like my Ritalin. I am very hyper and it calms me down a lot. If I didn’t do this I don’t know where I would be right now. I think I’d be locked up.’’

Translation: Beware.

The 25-year-old Rios has dangerous energy and enough larceny in his heart to end the Marquez pursuit of a rematch. Marquez, 38, could go the way Erik Morales, 35, did on March 24 against 24-year-old Danny Garcia in Houston.

Despite being three years younger, Morales has suffered more wear, tear and scarring in his career than Marquez ever did. Also, Rios, who is poised to move up in weight to 140 pounds after losing his lightweight title for failing to make the 135-pound limit in December, possesses more explosive skill than Garcia. But Garcia-Morales serves as a road sign, a warning for Marquez, if he were to face Rios in another bout between the best of an aging generation and the cutting edge of a new one.

AZ NOTES
· Junior-welterweight prospect Jose Benavidez Jr. plans to test his right hand in limited work Monday at Central Boxing in downtown Phoenix. Benavidez underwent surgery on his right wrist, which was injured in November on the undercard of Pacquiao’s victory over Marquez. The cast was removed about two weeks ago. He has been undergoing rehab. “We’ll just do some light stuff to see how the right hand feels,’’ dad-and-trainer Jose Benavidez Sr. said.

· Antonio Margarito’s comeback at Tucson’s Casino del Sol on May 26 is close to a formal announcement. An opponent has yet to be found, but the casino and Margarito’s manager, Showdown Promotions, have agreed to the date and terms. TV Azteca also plans to televise. The bout, Margarito’s first since a rematch loss to Miguel Cotto in December, is scheduled for Casino del Sol’s outdoor arena. A Margarito bout at the southern Arizona venue promises to be the biggest draw there since Fernando Vargas attracted an overflow crowd of more than 5,000 in 2003 for a seventh-round stoppage of Tony Marshall.

· The Margarito bout figures to cap off a busy Arizona spring, including two cards in Phoenix and two in southern Arizona. On April 12, Phoenix super-bantamweight Alexis Santiago will be featured at El Zaribah Shrine on 40th Street in east Phoenix on a card (7:30 p.m. first bell) put together by Alma Canez of Estrella Promotions. Iron Boy Promotions follows on April 21 at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix with a hybrid card that will include an amateur bout featuring 15-year-old David Benavidez, who – yes — has sparred with his older brother, Jose Jr. On May 4, boxing is back at Desert Diamond Casino south of Tucson on a card put together by Michelle Rosado of Face II Face Promotions. Who said boxing was dead in Arizona?

Photo by Chris Farina /Top Rank

SAN ANTONIO – The Illusions Theatre made its debut as a boxing venue here Saturday. Named in a nod to irony, Illusions is not a theater at all. Rather, it is a northern edge of Alamodome festooned with pastel-lighted bunting and a perimeter of dark sheets, in a cavernous oaf’s loveable attempt at intimacy.

Two miles north of Alamodome and eight hours before Illusions Theatre opened for boxing, the Pearl Farmers Market made its weekly appearance on the grounds of a renovated complex of shops and restaurants that stand where J. B. Behloradsky Brewery was founded in 1881 along the banks of San Antonio River. On Saturday mornings, there is a booth hosted by Restaurant Gwendolyn – a concept dining spot with food prepared from 19th century recipes and only with 19th century implements – whose owner and executive chef, Michael Sohocki, also created the menu for a quirky and teeming eatery called The Cove, which features organic foods and is bookended by a carwash and a landromat.

All four downtown spots – Alamodome, Pearl Farmers Market, Restaurant Gwendolyn, and The Cove – are, in their own ways, about sustainability. And in some part, so was Saturday’s boxing card.

People unfamiliar with South Texas might be surprised to learn of its outstanding commitment to sustainability. John Mackey and Rene Lawson founded Whole Foods just 80 miles from here. Texas politics may be unpalatable to many Americans, but they have exceedingly little to do with the people who reside in these hundreds of miles between Austin and Mexico.

Agricultural sustainability, as an idea, is, like most things worth considering, more complicated than advertised. Eating locally grown foods is the wisest dietary course, yes, but the popularity of Pearl Farmers Market and The Cove raises an interesting question: Will a revolution of local organic eating not cannibalize itself eventually? As an urban area grows, and its consumption of healthy foods grows with it, is it not fated to become another victim of capitalism’s creative destruction – with demand outpacing supply while farmland is overworked even as its acreage contracts to accommodate an expanding metropolis?

Texas boxing remains sustainable because of its fanbase. Most of the last decade, as show after show moved to desert casinos where sellouts to scalpers happened before tickets went on sale, our sport’s intelligent commentators begged for a more sustainable model of putting local draws in their hometown settings, reducing ticket prices and allowing our sport to play to full houses. Texas answered that call.

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), whose officials supervise boxing, has its flaws. It has a reputation for appointing judges that favor local fighters. It employs referees whose collective discretion attracts scrutiny. But many of its recent controversies – such as the scorecards for Tavoris Cloud versus Gabriel Campillo – are disagreements on subjective matters that only appear objective because television invents a form of populist outrage then reports it. Much of the discontent with Texas boxing is discontent with the moment – Great Recession, social media, uncertainty – projected on boxing, never at a loss for outrageous happenings, and subsequently projected on Texas, where more boxing happens than in other states.

Would that those who regularly malign the TDLR had been ringside immediately after Saturday’s main event between Evgeny “Mexican Russian” Gradovich and Frankie “Little Soldier” Leal. Twenty-nine brutal minutes of combat, minutes in which Gradovich often got the better of Leal but not by much, found Leal vulnerable to a crisp left hook from Gradovich. Leal hit the blue mat. He rose well before referee Rafael Ramos’ 10-count was through. Then Leal stumbled a step rightwards.

Ramos immediately stopped the match. Other TDLR officials climbed through the ropes and signaled for cornernmen and hangers-on to remain off the canvas while they conducted an evaluation of Leal’s lucidity. Although Leal was conscious and able to answer questions, TDLR officials removed him from the ring on a gurney and immediately transported him and his team to a local hospital, where Leal was able to respond to doctors.

It was a timely reminder that TDLR’s primary obligation is not to tackling cornermen, overruling referees or concurring with made-for-television scorecards. It is to fighter safety. If you keep fighters safe, most other offenses are forgivable.

Former lineal middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik, for whom the majority of ringside personnel gathered at Illusions Theatre, has not been a picture of sustainability lately. Saturday marked Pavlik’s second appearance in a prizefighting ring in 23 months. He wore Miami Dolphins teal and orange, and even more tattoos. He also stretched his Florida opponent with a left-hook lead in the second round.

Acreage and sustainability: Pavlik now nears the logical end of his body-art project, a project whose expansion has been inversely proportionate to his success as a prizefighter. Pavlik’s body will never again resemble that of the man who stopped Jermain Taylor, a single tattoo on each shoulder, but there is near-universal hope that his form someday approximates it.

That hope is prevalent among those Top Rank people who, Saturday, composed their typical picture of professionalism. Men like publicist Ricardo Jimenez – who often handles his employer’s underdogs and invariably becomes their friend and loyal fan – are why Top Rank shows are a model of organization.

Top Rank’s people gathered on the south side of the ring, Saturday, with the media. Behind them was a black curtain and behind that a few hundred yards of empty Alamodome floorspace. Since it failed at its first purpose – attracting an NFL franchise – Alamodome has been quite a few things. Illusions Theatre is a latest try at making something sustainable of the Alamodome idea.

Someday, this city’s planners sagaciously might choose to employ Alamodome’s enormous and usually empty lots as the landing for a downtown-shuttle service. In the meantime, Illusions Theatre and Texas boxing deserve plaudits for their Saturday efforts.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

Staying in line means staying busy and that’s all Antonio Margarito can do in a dogged, controversial pursuit of another big payday.

Margarito told 15Rounds.com in Tucson last week that he wants to fight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in September. But speculation, fueled by Bob Arum’s comments to RingTV.com. has Chavez fighting Sergio Martinez instead. Nobody has to tell Margarito that Chavez-Martinez is the bigger fight. Nobody has to tell him that big fights don’t get made for more reasons than anybody wants to recount, either. Without mentioning the oh-so-familiar suspects, let’s just say that bouts between fighters represented by rival promoters these days qualify as a minor miracle.

If Arum, Chavez’ promoter, can’t make a deal with Martinez promoter Lou DiBella, it would be easy for him to stay in-house. Arum promotes Margarito, too. As the first alternate, Margarito gives Arum a marketable option, especially among Mexican and Mexican-American fans.

Many might still dislike Jr. for suspicions that he was allowed to sidestep the game’s bruising dues because of his legendary dad, Julio Cesar Chavez, Sr. Many more dislike Margarito for the hand-wrap scandal that will be with him for as long as those scars surrounding his surgically-repaired right-eye. But the complaints are free advertising. Margarito’s reputation is notorious. The Chavez rep is pampered. Mix the two and you’ve got a formula for strong sales and big television ratings.

That’s why Margarito intends to fight a tune-up on May 26 or June 15 in southern Arizona at Casino Del Sol, where his brother-in-law, super-flyweight Hanzel Martinez, won a first-round stoppage on March 23 on a ShoBox-televised card. In a sure sign of interest among Mexican and Mexican-American fans, TV Azteca plans to televise Margarito’s next bout. But against whom?

One of the names mentioned on March 23 was Jesus Gonzales, popular in Phoenix, his hometown.

“Absolutely,’’ Gonzales said when asked if he would be interested. “That would be great opportunity.’’

But Gonzales’ chances at the bout aren’t great. He is coming off a loss in Montreal to Adonis Stevenson, who knocked him out in the first round. According to people who represent Margarito and Gonzales, Gonzales has been medically cleared to fight since the devastating loss. His promoter had asked him to undergo an MRI for head trauma.

Gonzales also plans to go down in weight — from super middle (168 pounds) to middle (160). Margarito said on March 23 that he is training and weighs about 165 pounds. He wants to fight for the 160-pound title held by Chavez, the World Boxing Council champion who has reportedly been at least 180 at opening bell for his last few fights.

Neither the weight nor Gonzales’ stunning loss in his last outing, however, appears to be the issue. Gonzales’ southpaw stance against the orthodox Margarito might be. The left-handed Gonzales has a better chance at hitting Margarito’s right eye, which was badly-bloodied in his December loss to Miguel Cotto in a rematch stopped after the 10th round.

Repeated blows have degraded the skin around the eye, which was badly damaged in 2010 by Manny Pacquiao, who fractured the orbital bone. It quickly tears and ruptures into the bloody mess that led to the ringside physician in New York to call a halt to the fight against Cotto, despite Margarito’s protestations. Cotto targeted an eye that will be target for as long as Margarito continues to fight.

Margarito might have to become more defensive, says his manager, Sergio Diaz. At best, a change in style is problematic for an iron-chinned fighter known best for moving forward. Against a natural left-hander aiming for a problematic right eye, chances at pulling off that one get complicated, if not dangerous.

Dangerous enough to lose that valuable place in line for one more trip to the pay window.

BROOKLYN, NY (MARCH 28, 2012)—On Saturday night, June 2nd history will be made as 2008 U.S. Olympian and undefeated Welterweight Sadam “World Kid” Ali will make his promotional debut as he unveils World Kid Promotions which will stage a big night of boxing at the Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn.

Not only will Ali be promoting this action packed card but will be featured in the ten round main event.

Ali of Brooklyn is perfect in his professional career as he has a record 14-0 with eight knockouts and that combined with his fan friendly style, is establishing himself as one of the best Welterweight prospects in the world.

“I am truly excited to start my own promotion and give some great boxers an opportunity to display their skills on June 2nd”, said Ali

“I have a great team behind me and I believe that our company will not only be beneficial to my career but other boxers in the area”

He made a splashing pro debut on January 17th, 2009 with a first round destruction over Ricky Thompson in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Ali has appeared on major shows at Foxwoods in Connecticut and the Prudential Center in Newark where he was co-featured on ESPN and has been highlighted on HBO

In his last bout, Ali traveled to Poland where scored a fifth round stoppage over Boris Berg as a chief supporting bout to the Vitali Klitschko – Tomasz Adamek world heavyweight title bout in front of over 45,000 fans.

This will be Ali’s first bout in his hometown of Brooklyn.

“This is a dream come true to not only fight in Brooklyn but to do it on a card that I am promoting and it’s something I can’t wait for”

Ali’s opponent plus a full undercard will be announced shortly

Tickets Prices for this historic night are $150. $100, $75 & $50 and can be purchased at the Following Phone Numbers

In Brooklyn: 917-807-3630; 347-645-6640; 917-655-5254
In Queens: 631-492-0041
In Manhattan: 718-744-8855
Staten Island: 646-261-0066; 718-600-3205
New Jersey: 201-914-9392

The first bout begins at 7pm with the doors opening at 6pm

For more information on Sadam Ali click: www.sadamaliboxing.com

The Aviator Sports Complex is located at 3159 Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn.

HOUSTON – Here is the largest city in the state that comprises the world’s most corrupt athletic commission, a beast of two backs that screws prizefighters and fans alike – to hear and read accounts of those outsiders who compose what member Paulie once called “the unsilent majority.” To walk this city’s streets and visit its museums and ride its METRORail, though, you’d never know its residents strain under the burden of such a facinorous bureaucracy. It’s almost like they’re oblivious of it.

But fear not, dear reader, Saturday’s postfight umbrage was thick in Reliant Arena, spread the way it usually is in boxing: Proportionate to one’s distance from the ring itself. Managers, writers, and – heaven help us – television viewers, were more outraged by how things unfolded in the co-main event than its participants, Carlos Molina and James Kirkland, who both seemed happy with their fine efforts and ready to make a rematch.

Ban this, investigate that, and so on. Saturday’s officials enforced the rules objectively: Molina’s cornerman was on the apron before the 10th round and its ref’s 10-count concluded – and that count does not conclude the moment Molina returns to his feet – and the rules say that disqualifies his charge, even if it has no effect on the action, as explained at every prefight rules meeting in every jurisdiction in the land, even the corrupt ones. Molina was leading on every scorecard save Gale Van Hoy’s, of course, and that made his necessary disqualification unfortunate.

“Use common sense!” the masses then chanted, voices hoarse and necks rippled white with indignation.

Be subjective, in other words. In Texas. Enough.

There is an exhibit currently at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston – “Elegance and Refinement” – that treats the works of an old master named Willem van Aelst and features one work in particular, “Still Life with Fruits and a Wineglass,” in which Van Aelst uses the reflection of a glass goblet to paint a silver plate and its contents, windows, the light from those windows, the way the goblet’s white wine refracts that light, the city beyond, and the artist within. He solves many technical puzzles of light and its behavior in a successful attempt to make what his Dutch contemporaries called “reflexy-konst” and considered “an effective demonstration of (the artist’s) mastery over nature.”

Erik Morales, an old Mexican master of a different canvas, the rigid and bloody blue one, failed in his attempt during Saturday’s main event to dominate a subject some three miles from MFAH. Ah, but he came close. He solved most of Danny Garcia’s technical puzzles by the end of round 10 and endeavored to impose his mastery on the much younger Philadelphian, to make a suspenseful ending to their junior welterweight title match while erroneously discounting Garcia’s limited power.

Morales’ derring-do took him a step too far in the 11th, possessing him to throw a right uppercut from distance – a technical mistake of a punch when thrown by anyone but that other Mexican master, Juan Manuel Marquez – and Morales suffered a fate different from what he anticipated. Danny “Swift” Garcia justified his moniker, clipped Morales with a proper counter left hook, dropped him on the blue mat and ended Morales’ comeback.

On the MFAH wall opposite Van Aelst’s “Still Life with Fruits and a Wineglass” hangs his “Hunt Still Life with a Velvet Bag on a Marble Ledge” – a masterwork coincidentally created one year before another Delft painter, Jan Vermeer, completed “Painter in His Studio,” the pound-for-pound champion of its era. Van Aelst’s velvet bag is now a brilliant blue, a curious color for a hunting satchel. When Van Aelst painted it 347 years ago, however, the velvet bag was green, a color Van Aelst made by mixing ultramarine with a yellow-lake pigment. Time and light have taken all the yellow from the canvas, revealing a gorgeous sort of hue that is nevertheless different from what its artist intended.

So it has gone with “El Terrible.” Taken are most of his refining hues of quickness and conditioning. Friday, he effectively showed up at the weighin and said: “The WBC what? No, no, tomorrow’s fight is for the Morales Championship of the World. It will be contested within three pounds of whatever I weigh right now. And give me a pull on that sportsdrink, will you?” And nobody argued.

With faded reflexes and conditioning, Morales’ underlayers – technique and wiliness – now shine through in a way they did not when he was in his prime, when he was an ass-stubborn antagonist who forewent convention, advice and even his orthodox stance to beat on men he wrongfully held in contempt. A prime Morales stops Danny Garcia in seven rounds. Saturday’s Morales, the master who took away Garcia’s right hand after the fourth round saw the young man celebrate its success just a little too much, knew what had to be done to win but waited too long to do it and was vulnerable when he hustled to catch up.

Will El Terrible retire? Nobody knows anything about that but this: Morales will do whatever the hell he wants.

Just like Texas. Great scorn will continue to be heaped on this state and its maddening officials – and the farther one is from Texas, the greater the scorn. Indeed. But it says here Texas will have the richest vengeance of all: Living well. See you next week in San Antonio.

***
Author’s note: Special thanks to Skira Rizzoli Publications, whose excellent collection of essays in the “Elegance and Refinement” catalog provided whatever insights on painting happened above.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com.

TUCSON, Ariz – Home is where the victories are. As long as there is a 0 on the right side of the record, Las Vegas super-featherweight Diego Magdaleno will be happy in any zip code.

Magdaleno (21-0, KOs) hits the road and travels outside of Nevada for only the second time in his career Friday night at Casino del Sol against an opponent who has changed twice since the ShoBox-televised card was announced.

Magdaleno has fought 18 times in Las Vegas, his hometown. Two fights have been in Primm, Nevada. He went out-of-state once for a bout in Maywood, Calif., in 2009.

For his Tucson trip, he was initially scheduled to fight Miguel Beltran. But Beltran failed a physical conducted by the Pascua Yaqui for a bout subject to regulation by the Tribe, which owns the southern Arizona casino. Then, he was supposed to face Eduardo Lazcano. But Lazcano injured a rib in training.

Finally, journeyman Fernando Beltran (36-7-1, 20 KOs) of Tijuana got the call on Wednesday.

No matter who or where he fights, Magdaleno, the North American Boxing Federation’s 130-pound champion has to win to stay in line for an eventual shot at a major title.

“I feel right at home here,’’ said Magdaleno, who has family in Tucson and expects his Las Vegas fans to be at ringside. “I’m ready to put on a show.’’

First bell is scheduled for 6 p.m. (PST) on a card scheduled to include welterweight Yordenis Ugas (11-0, 5 KOs), a 2008 bronze medalist for Cuba at the Beijing Olympics, against Juan Garcia (11-0, 8 KOs) of Holland, Mich.

Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank

Danny Garcia’s greatest challenge Saturday night at Houston’s Reliant Arena might be one of the biggest intangibles of all. Awe is dangerous. Tough to control, too. But that’s what Garcia faces in Erik Morales, a fighter he watched when he wasn’t watching cartoons. Morales won his first major title when Garcia was a restless nine-year-old.

Until he reached his mid-teens, Garcia witnessed Morales’ skillful tenacity throughout his epic series against Marco Antonio Barrera and the trilogy against Manny Pacquiao. No doubt, there’s much to admire. Morales is a good example for any young fighter. From this corner, he also provides a look, scars and all, at what separates the Mexican fighter from the American.

North of the border, only victory matters. To wit: Floyd Mayweather, Jr., whose career seems to start and end with a plan to stay unbeaten. South of the border, performance is often as important as victory. Some of Mexico’s legends are created in defiant battles that happen to end in defeat. Morales has won many more than he’s lost, but he was applauded for the way he fought in defeat by majority decision last April to Marcos Maidana. He has always been willing to take as much punishment as he delivers. It’s an exchange that is dangerous, dramatic and bloody well worth the price of admission.

Garcia (22-0, 14 KOs), an emerging junior-welterweight from Philadelphia, has seen enough of Morales (52-7, 36 KOs) to know he will encounter the resilience that is there now just as surely as it before the comeback. Dealing with it, I suspect, will prove to be as daunting as adjusting to Morales’ tactical expertise, especially in the early rounds. At 47, light-heavyweight Bernard Hopkins has said that his age is one of his prime advantages. It’s simple: The younger fighter is afraid of losing to an old man, Hopkins says.

Morales is 35, yet much older in terms of wear, tear and stitches. Surgery for gall stones forced a postponement of the HBO-televised bout, which had been scheduled for Jan. 28. Morales says he has recovered from the procedure. But 12 rounds aren’t exactly ordinary rehab. Then again, Morales has never been ordinary.

There’s a temptation to pick Morales, because of his extraordinary career. But that would be a mistake, not unlike the one Garcia would make if he succumbed to hero-worship. Before opening bell, Garcia seems to understand.

“Erik Morales is a great fighter,’’ Garcia said in a conference call on Tuesday, also his birthday – he’s 24. “He did a lot for the sport. He had great fights with Barrera and Pacquiao. He had his time to shine. Now it’s my time.’’

If Morales were working Garcia’s corner against another legend, he might tell him about his first title. It was 1997 in El Paso. Morales was 21, facing World Boxing Council super-bantamweight champion Daniel Zaragoza, then 39 and with a Morales-like record of 55-7-3 with 28 KOs. Like Garcia is today, Morales was unbeaten then at 26-0. Any awe of Zaragosa was conquered. Morales knocked out the Hall of Famer in the 11th round. Zaragosa never fought again.

Garcia’s blend of power, speed and youth is enough for him to do the same. The guess here is that experience and knowhow will allow Morales to endure the full 12 rounds. Garcia will win a unanimous decision. Then, he can ask Morales for an autograph.

AZ Notes
Phoenix junior-welterweight prospect Jose Benavidez is back in the gym and undergoing conditioning drills after having a cast removed from his right hand on March 14. Benavidez underwent surgery for a troublesome injury to his right wrist. The procedure forced him off a ShoBox televised card Friday night in Tucson at Casino del Sol.

“It’s cool to be back in the gym,’’ Benavidez said Wednesday from Los Angeles where he resumed workouts at trainer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym. “There’s some stiffness. But we’ll let it heal.’’

Benavidez is scheduled to see doctors for a routine check on April 2. His dad and trainer, Jose Benavidez Sr., said there’s a chance his son’s next bout could be on the Manny Pacquiao-Tim Bradley undercard on June 9 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.

“We’ll just see how it goes,’’ the senior Benavidez said.

Meanwhile, another Benavidez prospect might be on the horizon. David Benavidez, who fights at between 185 and 190 pounds, is scheduled for an amateur bout on April 21 at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix on hybrid — pro-and-amateur — card staged by Iron Boy Promotions. David, a 15-year-old student at Hollywood High School, has done some sparring with former middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik, who has been training for a comeback against Aaron Jaco on March 31 in San Antonio.

“It’s hard to compare the two,’’ their dad said. “In terms of style, they’re just a little bit different.’’

Long one of cable television’s most exciting fighters, light middleweight contender Delvin Rodriguez and his team feel he is deserving of the big fight that has eluded him to this point in his thirteen-year pro career. Just last month, one such fight came close to coming to fruition, but evaporated in deflating fashion. Undeterred, and with the options plentiful in his weight class, Rodriguez has his sights sight on the rest of the division’s big names.

Back on February 10^th, Rodriguez (26-5-3, 14 KOs) of Danbury, Connecticut sat down for an interview with ESPN’s Bernardo Osuna during a live Friday Night Fights telecast. As Rodriguez, also a commentator for ESPN Deportes, sat there he believed he was close to signing for a fight with Mexican superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. When asked what was next for him, Rodriguez cracked a smile, hinting that such a big fight was coming close. Unfortunately for Rodriguez, about 30 minutes later, Osuna would come on air to report that Alvarez had signed on for a May 5^th bout with Shane Mosley instead.

For Rodriguez the Alvarez fight represented not only the largest payday of his career and a chance to become a world champion, but also the opportunity to prove himself to the skeptical boxing public. “It was very disappointing because it was a fight where I would have been able to show the boxing world what I’m all about,” says Rodriguez. “At 147, I wasn’t 100 percent every time I stepped in the ring. I was feeling weak and I didn’t belong in the division because I was struggling with the weight class. I believe there is still a little bit of doubt in some people’s mind. Fighting “Canelo” would have been great. He is a star right now and it would have been the opportunity of a lifetime. So it was very disappointing.”

Perhaps making lost opportunity even harder to swallow was how close it came to becoming a reality. “From what I was being told, it was down to us and Mosley,” explained Rodriguez’ manager A.J. Galante. “There was nothing set in stone we were told. Obviously it would have been a huge opportunity and we were under the impression we were going to get the match. We were down to the final two and we were very excited for it. It would have been a great challenge.”

With Alvarez’ fight taking place as the co-feature to the Floyd Mayweather-Miguel Cotto main event on pay-per-view, the decision on his opponent likely came down to whose name would sell more buys and not necessarily which was the better fight. Mosley’s is a name recognizable to more casual fans than that of Rodriguez, who offered his opinion on the match-up when asked to put on his analyst cap.

“I think it is a fight that people are not really interested to see,” says Roriguez of Alvarez-Mosley. “This boxing world is all about the last fight. Whatever you do last is what people remember. Shane Mosley’s last fight, he was pretty much trying to survive. So I think people aren’t really interested in that fight and I think people would have liked to see me and “Canelo.” Unfortunately it didn’t go that way. It is just the politics of boxing.”

There is a stark contrast in the shaping of Rodriguez’ and Alvarez’ careers. As a welterweight, Rodriguez played the game the way it is supposed to be played. He gradually moved up in the rankings, fighting stiffer and stiffer competition until he was in position to fight in a title eliminator. He won his title eliminator and fought for a world title, losing a controversial decision. He was rightfully granted another eliminator, which he won, to get another crack a world title, which ended in a controversial draw. Again he fought in an eliminator, losing yet another controversial decision. On the other hand, Alvarez had a carefully managed run lead to a vacant WBC Light Middleweight title bout against a natural welterweight in Matthew Hatton last year. In his three defenses since, Alvarez has yet to meet a capable challenger still in the prime of his career.

“He’s definitely been the golden boy pretty much,” says Rodriguez of Alvarez. “They brought him up the right way, babying him. Everything he wanted he’s had come real easy, put right in his hand. There’s no doubt in my mind, the kid has talent. He’s a very strong kid. He’s very dedicated to the sport at this moment. He has the youth and the power, but honestly he hasn’t been tested. Shane Mosley is not on top of his game right now and he’s not in his best years, but he will test him. Shane does still have speed and Shane could hurt him. The kid has talent, but he just hasn’t been tested yet. We don’t know how he is going to react in a real fight and that’s what makes a fighter. A fighter that knows how to adapt in a fight and come back and we haven’t seen that from him yet.”

With Alvarez in the rearview for the moment, Rodriguez and his team are looking for a fight with one of the division’s other title holders or leading contenders. “I talk to our promoter Joe DeGuardia almost every day and I tell him we want the best guys out there,” says Galante. “In all four sanctioning bodies were are number five, so there are just four guys ahead of us to get to one of those [champions]. We will take on whoever, we are just looking forward. If a title eliminator is there, that is no problem. We are willing to do whatever it takes. We are definitely looking for a championship, and however we have to do it, that’s what we will do.”

Having paid his dues and never having had anything handed to him, Rodriguez remains determined for another chance to prove that he belongs with the top guys in his division. “We want to fight guys that are on top of us that are going to put us on the next step,” explains Rodriguez. “We don’t want to fight anybody underneath. I believe I have done my job already. I have been through the bad decisions, bad management, bad promotion. I have been through everything you can name in this career. I put in my work and I think I have proven myself. So I just want to go forward. I want to fight somebody that is going to take me to the next level and get me to that world title.”

Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank

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

I started to write about boxing because of Erik “El Terrible” Morales, whose face, along with those of Israel Vazquez and Juan Manuel Marquez, is the first my mind associates with the word “prizefighter.” Morales was not my first favorite fighter. He wasn’t even my favorite fighter in his first two matches with fellow Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera. Morales’ charms were not immediate or obvious as other prizefighters’. But they were lasting.

Morales’ third match with Barrera was the first time I wrote about prizefighting – in an email exhaustive enough for a friend to post on his website. Columns followed. My seventh treated El Terrible’s victory over Manny Pacquiao. Morales UD-12 Pacquiao induced a euphoria, even through television’s bastardizing lens, that I innocently assumed would be a regular compensation for journalizing the sport. How naïve. I’ve revisited that euphoria scarcely more often since March 2005 than Morales has visited the indomitable form he showed against Pacquiao seven years ago.

And yet. Saturday I will cover El Terrible from ringside for the first time. It is an honor I did not believe would happen, a privilege for which, had you presented me a contract 380,000 words ago, I would have gladly written volumes about prizefighting. Morales will fight undefeated Philadelphian Danny Garcia for something called the WBC light welterweight title, in Houston’s Reliant Arena in a fight HBO will televise, though the fight itself is mostly beside the point. That point, championship-level violence, will be lent support by a 10-round undercard scrap between Texan James Kirkland and Mexican Carlos Molina. The main event needs help because nobody should follow any sport in which a 35-year-old Erik Morales is the greatest 140-pound practitioner.

We didn’t grow up together though we’re close in age. The first time I wrote seriously about El Terrible, he was at the apogee of his prime, already the bloated, dehydrated/rehydrated victim of a fair and unfavorable decision in his rubber match with Barrera. What Morales presented was an initial catalyst, a first promise that struggling to describe boxing holds a private reward of its own, independent of others’ affirmation. That late-prime Morales remains a standard against which I judge prizefighters and find most deeply wanting.

Morales was an unlikely standard. He was not eloquent as Barrera. He was not thrilling or durable as Pacquiao. He was steered wide of Marquez. He didn’t throw the hook like a Mexican but used instead a deceptive and jarring right uppercut triggered by the touch of a glove on his elbow, a punch to dissuade his countrymen’s voracious, liver-feeding left hands. He was awkwardly skinny, too, a gawky, rib-tallied Tijuananense with a big nose.

Good God, but he made the masculine choice every time.

Masculine, macho, entertaining – Morales was all of these words, not one a synonym for “prudent.” His finest moment was imprudent as hell. Ahead on official scorecards after 11 rounds against Manny Pacquiao, Morales fought the 12th as a southpaw, several times realizing his folly before willing himself back in an awkward stance that assured Pacquiao every chance to hurt him. This, just after his father pleaded with him not to do anything crazy – y nada estupido. Before you compare your favorite fighter to Morales, ask first: Would my guy offer his head to Pacquiao for three minutes of a fight he is winning, just to entertain someone like me?

Six months after such unforgettable boldness, Morales moved up to lightweight to fight Zahir Raheem and proved, definitively, that a man who cannot make super featherweight is by no means a lightweight. Then Pacquiao blew him out, twice, and the David Diaz match came nine months after Pacquiao KO-3 Morales. By then I’d published enough to be credentialed for Chicago, but see, El Terrible had said goodbye thrice against Pacquiao – once when he winked at his dad from the canvas and twice in an interview bungled by HBO’s former interpreter – and I took him at his word.

Morales’ comeback, after 2 1/2 years of retirement, has a whiff of boredom to it, as if El Terrible were sitting at home one night, tired of domesticity and grown fluffy, and saw Amir Khan hightailing from Marcos Maidana while being called great, and said “¡Ya basta!” to his television set. Morales has a Twitter account for combating boredom, too, one he uses to retweet wife jokes and regularly post, of his training regimen, “The mouse likes cheese.” There has been no reason to board a plane for a Morales fight since 2007, as any aficionado knows, but Houston is within driving distance.

Morales’ comeback also feels a little like Julio Cesar Chavez’s “Adios” tour. Chavez was 12 years and pounds beyond his prime, at age 42, further beyond his prime, by far, than Morales is at 35, and came back in pursuit of money. A few tilts in, Chavez found himself a patron to pay for the tour and promote his son. In a fine show of incremental audacity, Chavez’s one “Adios” fight became “Adios Los Angeles” then “Adios Arizona” then “Adios Phoenix” – with “Adios Tucson” and “Adios Flagstaff” lurking – before someone named Grover Wiley put an end to the silliness in America West Arena.

Danny Garcia should decision Morales, Saturday – and what ever happened to Grover Wiley, anyway? So long as Morales acquits himself nobly, though, he’ll be presented a WBC silver or diamond belt before April Fools’ Day, and his comeback will go on till he tires of training or being beaten on. Or maybe Morales will win Saturday like he did in September, in a fight you probably watched, even if you can’t now remember Morales’ opponent or its official outcome.

It will be an honor to sit ringside at a Morales fight, regardless. A feeling of pride, a certain personal indulgence, will wash over me when the name “El Terrible” rings through Reliant Arena. We made it, kid.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

Yuriorkis Gamboa looks like a pawn in a standoff perilous to his own future and bad for a divisive business populated by more lawyers and fewer potential stars.

Start with Gamboa, if you can find him. The Cuban has displayed potential enough to become part of a generation that will succeed Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr, Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez.

But at 30, Gamboa is not exactly a prospect. He has no time to waste. But waste is what he’ll do if a Top Rank lawsuit against him gets buried in the legal swamp. Throw in an injunction into a lot of legalese, and suddenly Gamboa is 32, mostly forgotten and remembered only as an obscure answer to a trivia question: Hey, whatever happened to that promising lightweight who was supposed to fight Brandon Rios?

The answer to that one apparently was not anywhere on the agenda held by whoever advised Gamboa to be MIA for news conferences in Miami and then Los Angeles. The story is that Gamboa is unhappy with his Top Rank contract. OK, but shouldn’t he have expressed that dissatisfaction in the public arena, like say at a news conference?

Instead, he acts like a kid cutting class. That doesn’t say much for his maturity, his reliability and, above all, his independence. If he can think and speak for himself, where is he? Despite his evident skill, Gamboa has yet to prove he can draw a crowd. Now, I’m not sure he’ll get that chance.

Top Rank’s lawsuit alleges that an unidentified crowd, “John Does 1 through 10,” have been orchestrating Gamboa’s every move. It doesn’t take much imagination to guess who Top Rank’s Bob Arum thinks that John Doe family happens to be. There’s been plenty of speculation that Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s promotional company has been telling Gamboa what to do and where not to appear.

Mayweather’s name is never mentioned. But the lawsuit’s language, already reported, looks like a warning intended for Mayweather. If he is in fact involved with Gamboa, I’m betting he won’t back down. Neither will Arum. Instead, there will be just an escalation of a feud that means the biggest fights will only involve more lawyers.

AZ NOTES
I got a call from Michael Carbajal last Tuesday. The Hall of Fame junior-flyweight asked me if I knew what that day meant to him. Not sure, I said.

“It’s a 19-year anniversary,’’ he said.

So it was.

On March 13, 1993, Carbajal and Humberto “Chiquita” Gonzalez made some history with an epic fight that saw Carbajal get up twice and win by a seventh-round KO.

Carbajal is now 45. Gonzalez will be 46 on March 25. Some of us who were at ringside are just getting old.

Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin will take on former Jr. Middleweight champion Winky Wright on May 26th on Showtime as the co-feature of the Antonio Tarver – Lateef Kayode Cruiserweight battle according to espn.com’s Dan Rafael.

Wright will be coming back after a three year layoff

“They’re both in. I don’t have it signed yet but both sides have agreed to it,” said Golden Boy Promotions Richard Schaefer.

“I think it’s a fascinating matchup,” Schaefer said. “With Winky Wright, you have one of the biggest names in the sport and for him to come back and not take some sort of a tune-up fight, but to go into a fight with one of the top rated guys at 160 pounds in Peter Quillin, it just shows you Winky is serious about giving it another run.

“For Peter Quillin, it’s the most dangerous and biggest fight of his career. For both sides it’s a very intriguing and interesting matchup.”

“I’m super excited about the fight,” Quillin said. “I want to get closer to fighting good fighters and making some good paydays. I will put loads of leather on his ass, make sure every punch lands and that none are wasted. Or I will be the better boxer against Winky Wright. I don’t fight just one way. My job is to train to destroy him. No other way around it.”

“I think he’s a perfect opponent for Winky coming back after being off for a long time,” said Damian Ramirez, Wright’s adviser, who added that he was still waiting to see a draft of an agreement from Golden Boy. “I just feel that it’s a good opportunity for Winky to make a statement with because, with all due respect to ‘Kid Chocolate,’ his best opponent is not on the same level of Winky’s worst opponent. But I take nothing away from the kid. He’s young and strong.”

“This is not a tune-up fight,” Schaefer said. “It’s a serious fight. Winky knows what’s at stake. If he beats a guy like ‘Kid Chocolate,’ then he is back. And he is a big name and he basically wants to use this fight to start the final chapter of the Winky Wright story. He let his body rest, he’s been out for awhile and he is coming back in a meaningful fight.

“But if Peter Quillin can put Winky’s name on his resume that is a big win for him. I think whoever wins this fight will certainly come out as a bigger name in the 160-pound weight class. I really don’t know who is going to win.”

Said Quillin, “Richard was right about Winky being a name on my record. This fight right here gets me closer to a world title. I respect Winky Wright. He has not taken a lot of punishment in his career, but stepping into the ring with me, he will take a lot of punishment. I don’t have nothing to worry about other than to go in there and be the best I can be. If Winky thinks the same way then it will be a good fight for the fans and that’s what I want to give to the boxing fans.

“I’m just looking forward to getting in the ring with Winky Wright and it will be my pleasure to tangle with him. He’ll be a good name for my record.”

“If Winky Wright is the only guy right now to give me exposure, fine,” Quillin said. “That’s all I’m worried about. I want to make some money, I want to win the title, so what I want to do is when Golden Boy or (adviser) Al (Haymon) call me I just want to be ready. That’s my job.”

Juan Manuel Marquez will return to the ring and fight for a vacant 140 lb title when he takes on Cesar Rene Cuenca on April 14 in Mexico City according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“The fight is official. We will do the press conference on March 22 in Mexico City,” Zanfer Promotions’ Fernando Beltran, Marquez’s promoter, told ESPN.com on Tuesday.

“It’s important to keep him active. Juan Manuel wants to stay active,” Beltran said. “And he wants to definitely come back to Mexico City.”

“It’s been 18 years since he fought in Mexico City. This is his hometown. And he is very excited about it,” Beltran said. “He is excited to make a fight and what’s better for him than to be fighting in his hometown after all these years?”

Beltran said Marquez-Cuenca will be the first sports event to be held at the new $300 million Mexico City Arena, which seats 22,300 and opened in February.

“It opened a few weeks ago, but this fight will be the first sporting event and that is very exciting for us,” Beltran said.

“We’re talking to some networks. We don’t want to keep him away from his fans,” Beltran said.

“If everything goes good with Cuenca, we plan to do the pay-per-view with him in July and then try to get that fourth fight with Manny in November,” Beltran said.

“We’re looking at Mercito Gesta at the moment, but we won’t scratch anyone off (the list),” Beltran said. “Marquez would like to fight the best, so if Rios is out there we’d like to fight Rios at 140. Rios would be a big fight.”

All that is essential about our sport, in both amateur boxing and prizefighting, happens between its ropes and bells. What occurs during a match, the gravity of fists crashing against skulls, and how, is complicated enough to occupy a nimble mind for hours with conditional clauses. The rest of our sport comprises noise mostly, and the more oblivious of it one remains, the better.

What Mexican Orlando “Siri” Salido and Puerto Rican Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez did with each other Saturday on Showtime’s “Championship Boxing” in Puerto Rico’s Coliseo Roberto Clemente, the honesty with which they made their rematch for the WBO featherweight title, the way they contrasted and locked and made a gorgeous violence, was a celebration of what is true in boxing. Salido prevailed by technical knockout, as he did in their April match, felling Lopez in the 10th round with force enough to bounce the Puerto Rican’s right ear off his own shoulder and cause referee Roberto Ramirez Sr. to stop the match though Lopez was on his feet well before the count of 10, stumbling about.

Saturday’s match was a reminder of what is important in boxing and why it overwhelms the unimportant – erroneous descriptions, postfight happenings – with the enduring marks its violence carves in one’s memory.

Regardless of what television persuaded viewers to think, Salido-Lopez II was an even fight through four rounds. Orlando Salido, whose amateurishness – a grade-school jab and habit of touching his gloves before every surge – is offset by a faith in power and activity, was able to land seeing-eye rights over Lopez’s negligent guard.

How does Salido, his head down and weight too far forward, land such punches on an elite fighter?

He sets his eyes on an opponent’s chest and trusts a piece of anatomical geometry short fighters know well: The chin is one head above the chest. If you look at a man’s lower sternum and throw your fist a head’s length above, you’ll find a chin more times than not, and never worse than a jaw. Some fighters learn this through experimentation. Most learn it from an exasperated trainer in a monologue that goes: “Damn it, don’t get over your front knee! . . . Don’t throw that . . . Hey, if you’re going to do it, remember his chin is only a head above his chest, OK? Stop bouncing that punch off the top of his head.”

Juan Manuel Lopez, a southpaw whose left guard floats when he throws rights and whose chin floats generally and reliably, believes in his right hook nonetheless, whether using it as a lead or a check counter, and he nearly changed the trajectory of his career with it Saturday. Catching Salido at the end of a fifth round that was an even heat for 2 1/2 minutes till Salido opened up Lopez and had him retreating, Lopez checked Salido and sent him corkscrewing forward, into the ropes and onto the blue mat. Salido beat the count and wobbled towards his stool, grateful the knockdown happened in the round’s last 20 seconds, not its first.

Here it became plain Showtime’s play-by-play broadcaster, Gus Johnson, was capable of transcendent badness, embracing a sensationalistic impulse that would steer another wonderful fight towards the perilous territory of yet another scoring controversy and yet another made-by-television “disgrace” for boxing. It wasn’t so much that he mistook Lopez’s perfect right hook for a Salido slip but rather how his shouted messages collided with one another: The strongman Salido was beating down a shellshocked Lopez, outlanding him by a frightful margin, in the most competitive fight of 2012! Can a fight be both one-sided and competitive? Apparently so. Johnson preps to call the greatest fight in history or the greatest robbery in history each time his microphone goes live; all the better if both happen in the same fight.

The ninth round was a special one that saw Lopez plow obstinately forward, his mouth open and power undone and footwork a knot, in a distressed try to make Salido win by doing something even Salido’s gym mates probably didn’t know he could: counterpunch off the ropes. It was a round that was too good to score with conviction, though Lopez probably took it.

Which made the series of punches Salido landed in the first half minute of the 10th – a definitive set of combinations begun and ended with a right hand – so thrilling. Salido broke Lopez, ahead by majority-decision scores after nine rounds, as he did their first time and predicted he would again. Salido is every good thing people say about him.

Then came Lopez’s postfight comments, boldfaced assertions the referee who stopped the rematch, and his son who stopped the first fight, share a gambling addiction about which Lopez had warned the commission that appointed them. This was not a stunt by Lopez; he believed the veracity of the allegations he made. You want reality? There it is. We can fetishize people being real and celebrate Lopez’s candor, or we can say performers have a responsibility to maintain artistic distance, a barrier of insincerity. But we can’t have both – and especially not from concussed men still in the hot blood of a fight. The nature of Lopez’s allegation, and the appearance that Ramirez Sr.’s decision to stop the match was justified, mean Lopez now must produce evidence or a recantation very soon.

Whatever the outcome of that and however Showtime’s broadcasts lately compromise aficionados’ enjoyment of its product, nothing can be allowed to detract too much from the spectacle of Lopez’s heart or Salido’s desire to dominate it. The solace, as ever, is here: Only the 27 1/2 minutes Salido and Lopez made war on one another will be remembered.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

NORTH PHILADELPHIA – Upstart heavyweight Bryant Jennings, 12-0, 5 KOs, believes that when opportunity knocks, you have no choice but to answer. In January, Jennings stepped into the main event of the inaugural telecast of NBC Sports Network’s “Fight Night” boxing series by seizing one of those unlikely opportunities that sometimes come along. On one week’s notice, Jennings accepted a fight with another undefeated prospect and came away with a nationally televised 10-round victory, and for the first time in his career, left a fight with a little buzz surrounding his name. That buzz translated into yet another opportunity for Jennings on the very next NBC Sports Network “Fight Night” show, promoted by Main Events, March 24th. The fight will be part of fantastic night of boxing featuring Zab Judah vs. Vernon Paris. The broadcast begins at 10PM ET.

Photo Credits: John DiSanto http://www.phillyboxinghistory.com

On March 24th, Jennings will take on his stiffest test to date when he meets former WBO heavyweight champion Sergei Liakhovich, 25-4, 16 KOs, at the Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn, New York. Although Jennings impressed in his last bout, a unanimous decision over Maurice Byarm, some believe that with the worldly Liakhovich, he’s bitten off a little more than he can chew. But Jennings doesn’t agree.

“I know for sure that I’m ready,” Jennings said before his typically rigorous workout at the ABC Recreation Center in North Philly. “Everything I do is for a reason. It’s a pretty good step up for me, and I know it’s not going to be easy. But I got to move forward. Everything is going to get tougher now. I know that’s the way it has to be.”

The fact that Liakhovich has been to the top of the heavyweight division and has faced a level of opposition far deeper and more accomplished than the 27-year old Jennings, figures to be the former champ’s biggest edge in the fight. However, supporters of Jennings can’t help but wonder if Liakhovich still has enough gas left in his tank to fight off the challenge of a hungry and confident prospect like the Philadelphian.

“They say he’s been there, but in the last four years he’s had four fights. And he’s lost two of them,” said Jennings’ trainer Fred Jenkins, Sr. “You’ve got an old race horse going against a young race horse. So who you betting on?”

Photo Credits: John DiSanto http://www.phillyboxinghistory.co

Jennings knows what his opponent has done in the past, but realizes that now is time to make the most of his latest and biggest opportunity.

“He’s trying to work his way back to being a contender, and I’m here to step in his way,” said Jennings. “He’s also in my way, so that’s when we clash and collide.”

Jennings’ desire to win is palpable. Under the watchful eye of his trainer, Bryant sweats and grunts his way through a daily training regimen that emphasizes hard work and clear focus. This is one young man who does not look beyond the next step. He refuses to be seduced by the promise of his potentially bright future.

“What’s in front of me right now, this fight, is more important than my future,” Jennings said. “Tomorrow is not promised, so I’m working on what’s going on right now. My future lies within this fight.”

Photo Credits: John DiSanto http://www.phillyboxinghistory.com

Be sure to tune into NBCSN for all the action following the NCAA basketball tournament!

To find the location of the NBC Sports Network on your local cable, satellite or IPTV provider, click here:http://www.nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30092015/ns/sports/

Fight Info:
Tickets to the blockbuster triple-header, priced at $200, $100 and $75 and may be purchased by calling Main Events (973) 200-7050, Peltz Boxing (215) 765-0922, or online through www.peltzboxing.com. The non-televised undercard fights will begin at 7:30 p.m., the NBC Sports Network Fight Night broadcast will begin at 10 p.m. ET on Mar 24th.

The Aviator Sports and Events Center offers free parking. You can also take public transportation via the Q35 MTA bus from the Flatbush Avenue/Brooklyn College subway station.

NBC SPORTS NETWORK FIGHT NIGHT SCHEDULE (All Times ET)
Saturday March 24,10pm – Aviator Sports and Events Center, Brooklyn, NY
Friday, June 1, 9-11 pm – Sands Casino Resort, Bethlehem, PA
Saturday, June 16, 9-11 pm – Site TBA

Saturday, December 8, 9-11 pm – Site TBA

Tweet the link to NBC Sports Network Fight Night channel finder: bit.ly/175UuU

Twitter: #FightNight

Twitter: @main_events @NBCSN

CLICK TO ORDER THE FIGHT LIVE!!!
PHILADELPHIA, PA (March 8, 2012)—It was just a year ago when then undefeated Super Middleweight Farah “The Quiet Storm” Ennis was undefeated and carried the NABF Super Middleweight championship proud.

Fast forward to April 2, 2011, Ennis, who went into his bout with fellow undefeated Super Middleweight Alexander Johnson, with a fever, took a small step backwards as he dropped a ten round majority decision.

Ennis took about nine months off before stopping Grover Young on January 13th, thus becoming the first man to stop the ten fight veteran and Ennis feels he is back on track.

Ennis will return to the scene of his only loss at Ballys in Atlantic City as he takes on one-time fellow hot prospect Dion Savage (11-2, 6 KO’s) in a ten round bout.

The twenty-nine year old native of Philadelphia still sports an impressive mark of 18-1 with twelve knockouts knows that he is basically just one win away being back to where he was in early 2011.

“I am just focusing and ready to rumble”, said Ennis

“I don’t know much about Savage but I Know he is coming to win.”

“I know a win over him will hopefully get one of those big money or a quality television fight so the world can see me but the most important thing is winning this fight and moving forward”

The packed card is promoted by John Lynch’s Pound 4 Pound Promotions and can be seen LIVE all over the world on www.gfl.tv

In the eight round co-feature, Vitaliy Demyaneko (19-0, 12 KO’s) of Las Vegas via Kazakhstan will take on rugged Ayi Bruce (21-5, 13 KO’s) of Albany, NY via Ghana.

Glen Tapia (12-0, 6 KO’s) will take on Antonio Infante (6-2, 4 KO’s) of Miami, Florida in a six round Jr. Middleweight bout.

In six round Welterweight bout, Jose Peralta Alejo (7-1, 4 KO’s) of Jersey City, NJ will battle Sammy Santana (4-5-2) of Carolina, PR.

Dennis Hasson (12-0, 4 KO’s) of Philadelphia, PA will fight Eddie Caminero(7-6, 7 KO’s) of Lawrence, MA in a six round Light Heavyweight bout.

Hot shot prospect Mikael Zewski (12-0, 8 KO’s) of Trois Rivieres, Quebec Canada will take on an opponent to be named in a six round Jr. Middleweight bout.

Patrick Farrell (5-1-1, 3 KO’s) of Jersey City, NJ will tussle with Kelven Jenkins (0-0-2) of Troy, NY in a four round Heavyweight fight.

Brian Acaba (2-0, 1 KO) of Brooklyn, NY will see action in an four round Lightweight bout against an opponent to be named.

Andrew Bentley will make his pro debut in a four round Lightweight bout against Jose Rivera (0-3) of Ocala, FL

Joey Tiberi (7-1, 5 KO’s) of Newark, DE will fight an opponent to be named in a four round Lightweight bout.

Ticket prices are $75.00 in Sections 101, 107,102 & $50.00 in Sections 104, 105, 111, 112 and can be purchased by calling 201-867-2008 and Ask for Kathy or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or online at ticketmaster.com.

Ballys Park Place Hotel Casino is located 1900 Pacific Ave., Atlantic City, NJ, 08401. Doors open at 7:00 p.m ET, first fight starts at 7:30 p.m

San Juan, P.R. – Juan Manuel López (31-1 y 28 KO’s) has a long road ahead mirziamov.ru of him. His loss to Orlando “Siri” Salido (37-11-2, 25 KOs) for the WBO Featherweight Title will be a blemish hard, if even possible, to overcome on a possible road to true boxing stardom. Unlike many of his Puerto Rican predecessors, JuanMa’s first loss came too early and against the wrong opponent.

Without resting merit to Salido’s career, when he beat López last year he was coming off a unanimous decision loss to former featherweight titlist Yuriorkis Gamboa which put the eleventh loss in Orlando’s record. With five of those losses being stoppages, and except for his losses to Juan Manuel Márquez and Cristobal Cruz, the rest being against unheralded opponents, Salido was rightfully a prohibitive underdog going into the fight. But there is more to boxing than simple records.

Against Cruz, it was a close fight. Versus reported Salido landing more punches than Cruz and at a better connect percentage. It must be said again, it was a close fight. Against Márquez, though not as close, Salido was there for the whole twelve rounds against a boxer who would go up in weight and knockout bigger opponents among which were Juan Díaz, Joel Casamayor and Michael Katsidis.

In addition, we had seen López in a life and death struggle against journeyman Rogers Mtagwa, a boxer who possessed a similar style to Salido if not as strong as the Mexican. There was reason to believe the constant aggression Salido would try to force on JuanMa could present problems for the young champion. And it did.

The former southpaw champion won the first rounds of the fight but was never able to control the pace. It was Salido forcing the action and even when he lost rounds he was forcing the Puerto Rican to fight on his terms. On top of that, López seemed unable to get rid of Salido’s right hand throughout the whole fight. The end came when referee Roberto Ramírez Jr. stopped the action in the eight round after JuanMa had gone down in the fifth. Still, the scorecards were even at the moment.

It was the Mexican’s heart and resilience that won him the fight along with his right hand. López did land good shots but was unable to deter the challenger. For a puncher like JuanMa, landing good punches and not seeing the affect you expect can be devastating. For a brawler like Salido, assimilating those punches will usually have the opposite effect. After a few rounds, the challenger knew it was just a matter of time and pressure.

There is no reason to believe Salido will bring anything new to the table this time around. It’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks and no reason to do it if his current bag is working. López, isn’t giving him any reason to do so either as he ate right hand after right hand in his last bout against Mike Oliver. True, he knocked out Oliver inside of two rounds, but “Machine Gun” had nothing in his arsenal that could really hurt the bigger, stronger ex-champ.

The upcoming rematch poses a big question for JuanMa. Should he try to outbox Salido round by round and aim for a decision or should he try to finish the fight as quickly as possible and not risk exhaustion coming into play? Interestingly enough both are feasible options.

There is no questioning his power (28 knockouts in 31 victories) but Salido, who was able to take quiet a few of it the first time around, was stopped several times early in his career. JuanMa also showed he can go long rounds at a strong pace against Gerry Peñalosa but that seems like a long time ago now. His technique being better than Salido’s, it is not completely unreasonable to think he could pull off a hard fought decision. Especially in Puerto Rico.

So it is reasonable to say that the outcome of the fight is mostly in López’s hands. It is certain though that he must bring his A game if he wants any chance at all of winning this fight. Conditioning, both mental an physical, will be a key aspect on Saturday. Regardless of which fight plan he chooses, a total commitment and excellent execution of it are going to be essential.

If he chooses to go for the early stoppage, he must go for it in a brutal fashion and end it during the first half of the fight. In doing so, he cannot let his opponent gain any sort of confidence be it by landing big shots early or by assimilating them. If he chooses to box he must avoid excessive punishment and use bodywork and uppercuts to soften and diminish his foe and avoid a late round scare.

JuanMa is slightly favored for most bookies but considering some of them had him a 10 to 1 favorite in the first fight it is my opinion they are not giving the Mexican warrior his due credit. True he didn’t look spectacular in his most recent outing against Weng Haya, but neither did JuanMa in his. They both won, showed their flaws and their strengths, and neither seemed to be a better or even different fighter than the first time they met. Salido was wild and aggressive while showing his heart and determination, and López was an offensive powerhouse who took as many right hands to the chin as his opponent had to offer.

I’m picking Salido to knock out López in the later rounds of what should be an interesting and action packed fight.

The under card includes Miguel Angel “Mikey” García (27-0, 23 KO’s) fighting Bernabe Concepcion (31-4-1, 17 KO’s) for the NABO and NABF featherweight titles. Also fighting will be former Puerto Rican amateur stars McJoe (9-0, 5 KO’s) and McWilliams (10-1, 9 KO’s)Arroyo, Jonathan “Bomba” González (8-0, 7 KOs) and Camilo Pérez (6-0, 4 KO’s). It is being presented by Top Rank and P.R. Best Boxing Promotions and transmitted by Showtime.

On the 41st anniversary Thursday of the first Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier fight, random reflections and recollections while wondering if there will be ever be a Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao anniversary:

· Sorry for wondering at all, but at least I didn’t have to wonder for long. Chances aren’t good that history will repeat itself with a fight remembered in the next century.

· Thursday’s anniversary of Frazier’s epic decision over Ali in 1971 at Madison Square Garden is the first since Frazier died in November. On the 25th anniversary, I sat with Frazier in Indianapolis at a luncheon sponsored by the U.S. Olympic Committee during 1996 swimming trials. Film of the bout played on screens in every corner of the room. I asked Frazier about Ali’s terrible fight with Parkinson’s. “You see that right hand, you see that left,’’ Frazier, a 1964 gold medallist, said as he pointed at the screen with the right he had landed that night. “That’s why he has problems.’’ Frazier never forgot. Rest in peace, Joe.

· Some Puerto Rican history is at stake Saturday night at Roberto Clemente Stadium in San Juan. For two decades, Puerto Rico’s proud boxing heritage has been sustained, first by Felix Trinidad and then by Miguel Cotto. Juan Manuel Lopez has been the designated successor. But that uninterrupted line of succession is in danger in a Showtime-televised rematch with Mexican Orlando Salido, who in April knocked out Lopez. Lopez has talked about distractions – marital strife and weight problems – before the loss. Safe to say, Puerto Ricans don’t want hear about any more distractions. At home, all of the pressure is on Lopez. The pick here: Lopez, in a late-round stoppage.

· Pacquiao is suing an Asian journalist for libel in a story that linked him to a carjacker, is thinking about running for the Filipino presidency and is facing a complaint from Filipino tax authorities, who have questions about his documentation. Those are the headlines, all within a couple of days and each with only passing reference to the Congressman’s June 9 fight against dangerous Timothy Bradley. Distractions have always followed Pacquiao. But these aren’t about singing, or basketball, or movie-making. They are the kind that dog and define prominent politicians. Fulltime ones, too.

· Just when I thought Missing was a new ABC series starring Ashley Judd as a mom searching for her son, Yuriokis Gamboa doesn’t show up. Gamboa went missing, not one but twice, first in Miami and then in Los Angeles for news conferences scheduled to hype what now appears to be a tentative – very tentative – bout with Brandon Rios on April 14. Rumor is that Gamboa is unhappy with Bob Arum’s Top Rank and wants to jump to Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s promotional company. If true, that will be another reason for Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, to detest Mayweather and just another reason to think that Pacquiao-Mayweather won’t happen.

AZ NOTES
Another chapter in Arizona’s comeback from the immigration controversy, SB 1070, will happen this spring, first on March 23 at Tucson’s Casino del Sol with a ShoBox-televised card featuring Las Vegas super-featherweight Diego Magdaleno.

It’s intriguing, in part because Antonio Margarito’s brother-in-law, bantamweight Hanzel Martinez, is scheduled for the undercard. Martinez got interested in boxing when he used to run with Margarito. The March 23 card might set the stage in May for a Margarito fight in Arizona, his first since his loss in a December rematch to Miguel Cotto.

On April 21, Iron Boy Promotions plans to be back in Phoenix for an encore of its Feb .17 debut in front of near capacity crowd at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix. On May 4, Michelle Rosado, who took the lead in re-opening the Phoenix boxing market, will promote in southern Arizona for the first time on May 4 with a card at Desert Diamond Casino, where Golden Boy Promotions had a good run before leaving because of the cost and license restrictions brought on by SB1070.

WOODLAND, CALIFORNIA – With a world title opportunity potentially looming right around the corner, Vicente Escobedo thrilled his hometown crowd by scoring three first-round knockdowns en route to a stoppage over Lonnie Smith at the Woodland Community & Senior Center in the Telefutura Solo Boxeo main event on Saturday night.

Smith (14-3-2, 10 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada started out strong, backing Escobedo to the ropes and placing a couple strong body shots. The fight quickly turned midway through the first round, as Escobedo (24-4, 15 KOs) of Woodland found a home for two right hands and walked through Smith’s retort.

Escobedo, 129, soon backed Smith, 130, into the blue corner with a one-two and dropped “El Negro Mexicano” with the jab-right hand combination that followed. Smith got up smiling, but was soon deposited on the canvas with a right from over the top. This time Smith got up without a smile. Escobedo rushed in when the action resumed, catching Smith with a right hand. Smith caught himself on the middle ropes, but was quickly flurried to the mat again as referee Dan Stell leaped in to stop the fight. Official time of the stoppage was 2:20 of round one.

With the win, Escobedo, who entered the ring as the WBO #10 ranked lightweight and IBF #10 ranked 130-pounder, claimed the vacant WBO NABO Super Featherweight title, his first as a professional. “By now I thought I would have had about two world titles, but better late than never,” said Escobedo just after his win. “That is the way I look at it. I think it is just my time. I was a late bloomer, but now that I have had the experience of fighting the top fighters, the best out there, I have learned a lot and that showed tonight.”

Escobedo had fought in nearby Sacramento before, lastly in 2009, but never in his hometown of Woodland. “It was a good homecoming,” said Escobedo. “I wanted to give the people that. I think this is the best gift I could have given Woodland. To actually come to Woodland, in front of my friends and family and the people that have never been able to see me live, that was really special for me.”

Escobedo’s name has been mentioned as a possible opponent for reigning WBO Super Featherweight titleholder Adrien Broner, who is likely to see action on the May 19th Lamont Peterson-Amir Khan card in Las Vegas. Escobedo’s manager Rolando Arrellano acknowledged there have been talks in regards to Broner, but nothing is set regarding his fighter’s next move.

In a rematch, Manuel Avila (7-0, 2 KOs) of Fairfield, California remained unbeaten with a six-round unanimous decision over a fleet-of-foot David Reyes (2-2) of Montebello, California.

Throughout the fight, Avila, 118, played the role of counter-puncher, even as his trainer Al LaGardo implored him to press the action from ringside. In the end, his clean counter shots were more than enough to win the rounds over the unorthodox Reyes, 120, but it is likely Avila could have been more impressive had he put his corner’s advice to use.

While his offense came in short bursts, Reyes’ conditioning could not be questioned as any time Avila landed anything of significance, the Montebello resident would be well out of range by the time the young prospect attempted a follow-up attack. One of the more heated two-way exchanges came just before the final bell, as Reyes was cornered against the ropes.

In the end, two judges had the shutout for Avila, 60-54, while the third found a round for Reyes, 59-55. In their initial October meeting on the Bernard Hopkins-Chad Dawson undercard in Los Angeles, California, Avila downed Reyes in the third round, but had to settle for a four-round split decision victory.

In an entertaining six-round affair, Paul Mendez (7-2-1, 2 KOs) of Delano, California and Dmitry Chudinov (6-0-1, 3 KOs) of Los Angeles, California by way Serpukhov, Moscow Oblast, Russia fought to a majority draw.

Chudinov, 159 ½, found Mendez, 166, first, with a couple solid left hooks in the opening round. The taller Mendez began the fight in close, but opted to get on his toes late in the first round. Mendez tried to keep Chudinov at distance again in the second, but the Russian continued to set the tone with a higher output and level of aggression.

Mendez had a better third round, as he began to place his jab to greater effect and connected with a cracking left hook that drew a reaction from the crowd. Still the most telling blow of the round was thrown by Chudinov, who rocked Mendez with a left hook late in the frame. Mendez, a bit wobbled, covered up well, as Chudinov failed to land anything punishing in his follow-up.

Each fighter had their moments in the fourth, as Chudinov scored well early, but Mendez came on late with a nice series of combinations. Chudinov came out strong in the fifth, but Mendez weathered the onrush and controlled the action over the second half of the round. Chudinov continued to press forward in the sixth, but Mendez out landed him for stretches and kept the fight at his distance for much of the round. In the end, one judge had the fight 58-56 for Chudinov, but was overruled by the other two official scorers, 57-57.

Jonathan Chicas (5-0, 3 KOs) of San Francisco, California kept his unbeaten record in tact with a four-round majority decision over an undersized, but extremely determined Ephraim Martinez (4-2, 1 KO) of Buttonwillow, California.

Chicas’ natural size advantage was readily apparent in the early going, as the San Francisco resident fired rights and walked through the returns from Martinez, 137, a super bantamweight moving way up the scale. However, Martinez, who took the fight on short notice, made it clear he was in the fight for the long haul, as he came back with a solid right late in the round.

To the surprise of many seated ringside, it was Martinez that pressed the fight in the second, forcing Chicas, 140, to backpedal for much of the round. Chicas’ corner must have said something to wake him up in between rounds, as he came out blazing in the third. However, after a strong first half, Chicas was giving ground again to close the round.

Chicas started the fourth well, before Martinez caught him in close and backed him up with combinations. When Martinez punched himself out for a moment, Chicas regained control of the round late. After withstanding Chicas’ attack, Martinez called his opponent in and fired back to end the fight. One judge had the fight even, 38-38, with the other wo judges scoring it 39-37 for Chicas.

In the opening bout of the night, Harry Gopaul (1-2, 1 KO) of Sacramento, California moved into the win column while spoiling the professional debut of former amateur standout Payton Boyea (0-1) also of Sacramento via second-round stoppage.

Action was frantic at the outset, as Gopaul, 174 ½, and Boyea, 172, exchanged shots at close range in the first round. Gopaul got the worst of it in the early going and was soon dropped by a right hand. Gopaul managed to regain his footing in short order and charged back at Boyea, who did well to catch his adversary on his way inside.

The Sacramento natives came right out at each other to start the second, but this time it would be Gopaul that landed hardest, as he backed Boyea against the ropes with a one-two. With Boyea leaning back on the upper stands, Gopaul connected with a sweeping left hook that put his opponent in trouble. With Gopaul unloading his arsenal against the ropes, Boyea would fall out of the ring onto a ringside table from an apparent right hand. However, referee Edward Collantes waved off the knockdown and signaled it was a push.

Shortly after making it back into the ring, the shaky-legged Boyea was in trouble taking shots along the ropes. The unanswered series of blows that followed gave Gopaul his first official knockdown of the night. When Boyea returned to his feet, Collantes took a look and waved off the fight at the 2:02 mark of the second.

Photos by Erik Killin

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