By Ryan Maquiñana
Maqdown.com
An estimated 1,200 filled the Longshoremen’s Hall in Fisherman’s Wharf on Friday night to send a message to the city of San Francisco that the sweet science is alive and kicking.
The communion shared was the Boxing Union's S.F. Amateur Winter Championships, and the fans were treated to 14 entertaining bouts that were well-matched throughout the evening.
“It was amazing to have this kind of support from the local fans,” said middleweight Ricardo Pinell, who defeated Keynoe Fenner in the main event. “It felt like I was fighting in the pros with the atmosphere.”
Entering the venue, the fight experience echoed something one would see at a professional show, with a cordoned-off VIP section, taco and beer lines, a live DJ, and even ring card girls. With last night’s sellout marking the third successful boxing show at the venue this year, it’s safe to say that The City has the infrastructure in place to support an even bigger event in 2012.
During an intermission between bouts, the amateurs got a glimpse at what they aspire to be one day, with past Bay Area greats like Johnny Nava, Andy Nance, and Paris Alexander sharing the ring with the new wave of stars that included prospects Jonathan Chicas and Joe Gumina, NABO jr. welterweight titlist Karim Mayfield, new IBF flyweight champ Ava Knight, and five-time world title beltholder Robert Guerrero.
RESULTS
In the headlining bout, Pinell (B Street Boxing, San Mateo) defeated fellow 165-pound middleweight Fenner (BabyFace Boxing, Pacifica), coming out ahead on all five judges’ cards, 5-0. However, the fight was closely contested, with the margin of victory hanging in the balance until the final round. While Fenner had early success pinning Pinell on the ropes, his southpaw foe ultimately proved elusive, counterpunching and keeping the fight in the middle of the ring where he boxed his way to victory.
Junior welterweight Jesus Reyes (3rd St. Gym, S.F.) took a 3-2 decision over Miguel DeLeon (E. Palo Alto Boxing Club). The early moments were marked by both fighters trading of left hooks with bad intentions. As the bout wore on, DeLeon looked to set a foundation for his offense with a left hook to the body, while Reyes tried to sit back and set traps for his opponent. Eventually, Reyes’ punches emerged as the more effective ones in the eyes of the judges in a very close bout.
In the only four-round bout of the night, Tatiana Almaraz (Old School Boxing, Concord) pulled away in the last frame to capture a 5-0 decision over Casey Morton (B Street Boxing, San Mateo). Virtually tied after the third, Almaraz opened up an assault that caused Morton to pause ever so briefly and induce the referee to give her a standing eight. But Morton's pressure gave the boxer-puncher Almaraz all she could handle, especially in the second round when she cut off the ring and scored off a four-punch combination.
Nationally-ranked lightweight Eric Altamirano (Concord Youth Center) outlanded Abraham Morones (Multi-Choices, Alameda) en route to the 4-1 decision. The taller Altamirano kept the rugged Morones at bay at the end of his long jab and some solid body work.
The knockout of the night came at the hands of middleweight Francisco Madrigal (Bad to the Bonez, Modesto), who sent Paulo Amparado (Univ. of San Francisco) reeling into his own corner with a screamer of an overhand right in the second round. Official time was 1:51.
Lightweight Eduardo Alvarado (3rd St. Gym, S.F.), only 15 years old, continued to impress with a 3-2 decision over Christopher Vazquez (Unattached, San Jose). Most of the bout was fought in close quarters, and Alvarado’s shots were slightly cleaner.
In a matchup of southpaws, Brandon “Dino” Adams (3rd St. Gym, S.F.) blasted his way to a 5-0 decision over Marcelo Nazarian (Novato Boxing Club). Adams scored three standing eight counts, with a short left hand being his prime weapon.
The fight of the night occurred between middleweights Terry Fernandez (Phight Club, Oakland) and Vince Hernandez (B Street Boxing, San Mateo). Fernandez might have earned the judges’ nod by a 5-0 decision by being a little busier, but both fighters had their moments in an all-out brawl. Fernandez scored a standing eight in the second round off a couple stinging right hands, while Hernandez pressed throughout, landing some punishing shots of his own on the inside.
Junior welterweight Alex Berrios (U.S. Kick-Boxing & Karate, Hayward) utilized his southpaw stance and right hook to outslug pressure fighter Carmelo Diaz (The Park Gym, S.F.) by a narrow 3-2 decision.
Featherweight Jessi Lopez (B Street Boxing, San Mateo) took a hard-earned 5-0 decision over tough southpaw Andrew Moy (445 Boxing, S.F.). While Moy had arguably been on the wrong end of the cards in his last two Boxing Union shows, this time the judges got it right, as his pro style caused him to be too dependent on his accurate counter-punching. Meanwhile, Lopez took the fight to Moy, and was rewarded by the judges by pushing him to the ropes and landing upstairs with overhand rights.
Stelacia Leggett (Multi-Choices, Alameda) stopped fellow lightweight Nargis Shagasi (Univ. of San Francisco) with a barrage of power shots at 0:26 in the second round.
In the first of two youth bouts, 85-pounder Khalid Mahasin (BabyFace, Pacifica) was the aggressor throughout and held off a tough challenge from Ernesto Cuellar (Richmond PAL) to take a 5-0 decision.
The second youth fight, a clash between 75-pounders, was cut short when a punch from Paris Wallace (Unattached) caused blood to stream from the nose of Joseph Santos (San Jose & Boxing Fitness) at 0:35 of the second round. While Santos was fine to continue, his corner was unable to stop the crimson flow, and the referee stopped the fight.
Opening the night’s action, Jessie Henderson (E. Palo Alto Boxing Club) employed a quick left hook and smoothly put his punches together in bunches to capture a 5-0 decision over Humberto Otoya (U.S. Kick-Boxing & Karate, Hayward).
A bantamweight scrap between Bobby Santos (San Jose Boxing & Fitness) and Juan Benitez (Richmond PAL) was cancelled when the latter pulled out of the fight.
Ryan Maquiñana is the boxing correspondent at Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Advisory Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his blog at www.maqdown.com or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.
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