Ava Knight and Aaron Coley Win Decisions in Mexico

By Ryan Maquiñana

Norcalboxing.net

Knight and trainer Ben Bautista celebrate title defense number two.

Chico's Ava Knight successfully defended her IBF flyweight title for the second time with a unanimous decision victory over Susana Vazquez at the Auditorio Centenario in Torreon, Mex.

Knight (NorCal No. 7; 9-1-3, 5 KOs) had a tougher time than expected with Vazquez (8-7-1, 2 KOs), who was coming in from the southern Mexican city of Toluca and will now have taken five current or future world champions the distance.

"Thank you to HG Boxing [Promotions] for this great fight," Knight said.  "Susana was tough, and I was fighting with a swollen, hurt right hand, but it was still not enough for me to give up my title.  And still!"

Knight's right hand showed swelling after the fight.

Official scores were 99-91 and 98-92 twice for Knight. 

Norcalboxing.net has also learned that her junior middleweight gym mate Aaron Coley (3-0, 1 KO) won by unanimous decision on the undercard over Josue Castaneda (0-4-1) of Gomez Palacio, Mex.  

"He won every round against a tough monster," trainer Ben Bautista said.  "Aaron hurt the guy several times in the fight but the dude wouldn't go down."

Norcalboxing.net's Ryan Maquiñana is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his weekly column for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, his archive for BoxingScene.com, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.

*This is a legal waiver. By copying and using the material from this article, you agree to give full credit to Norcalboxing.net or provide a link to the original article.

Watsonville's Godoy Wins Second Straight Bout

By Ryan Maquiñana
Norcalboxing.net

Junior middleweight Oscar Godoy (7-2, 3 KOs) of Watsonville utilized a strong left jab to set up his accurate combinations and win a unanimous decision over Riverside's Roberto Crespo (4-2) in Corona, Calif., Friday night.

Godoy outworked Crespo both in volume and in power shots, many of which came after the Watsonville native backed his foe into the ropes.

Official scores were 40-36 twice and 39-37.  Norcalboxing.net had it a 40-36 shutout for Godoy.

The bout was televised on ESPN2.  Godoy has now won two in a row.

Norcalboxing.net's Ryan Maquiñana is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his weekly column for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, his archive for BoxingScene.com, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.

*This is a legal waiver. By copying and using the material from this article, you agree to give full credit to Norcalboxing.net or provide a link to the original article.

Lopez No Longer London-Bound Due to Clerical Issues

By Ryan Maquiñana
Norcalboxing.net

Norcalboxing.net has been informed by San Jose PAL's Candy Lopez that he will no longer be heading to the 2012 London Olympics as an assistant coach for Team USA.  Although he was named to the staff on Wednesday, clerical issues will leave him sidelined for the Games.

“I was told by USA Boxing that I am not eligible because AIBA told them I am not qualified to get credentials for the Olympics," said Lopez, the longtime San Jose PAL head coach. "AIBA has coaching levels does like USA Boxing does, but I guess for this event, you needed to be credentialed through AIBA, and due to the limited time we had, I’m guessing they didn’t have time to check whether or not I would be eligible.”

With a new coaching staff selected just one month before the Games, Lopez stated that he would not have gone through the interview process on short notice if he knew he would be ineligible to make the team anyway.

“I’m obviously disappointed," he added. "I would’ve wanted to represent my country. USA Boxing should have been more upfront as far as the criteria needed, and if they didn’t know that, it was a big mistake on the administration’s part. Nevertheless, I wish the USA Boxing team the best of luck.”

Lopez was an assistant on the 2000 team that won four medals in Sydney.

Norcalboxing.net's Ryan Maquiñana is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his weekly column for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, his archive for BoxingScene.com, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.

*This is a legal waiver. By copying and using the material from this article, you agree to give full credit to Norcalboxing.net or provide a link to the original article.

Julaton Returns Aug. 3 in Mexico vs. Rodriguez, Wants Nava-Brown Winner

By Ryan Maquiñana 
Norcalboxing.net

Daly City's Ana "The Hurricane" Julaton (NorCal No. 10; 11-3-1, 1 KO) will return to the ring on Aug. 3 in Merida, Mex., against Magali "The Magician" Rodriguez (6-4-1, 3 KOs) of Monterrey, Mex.  The 10-round bout will be televised by GMA Pinoy TV and will take place at a contracted weight of 126 pounds.

The venue has yet to be determined but it will likely be the Kanasin Polifuncional.

"Magali is tougher than her record," said Angelo Reyes, Julaton's trainer/advisor.  "Two of her losses came at the hands of Janeth Perez, the current WBA 118-pound champion, and it was scored a draw even though many thought she won."

Julaton bounced back from her title loss to Yesica Marcos to post a dominant performance over a much heavier Yolanda Segura in the spring.  According to the Filipina-American's team, they still want a shot at WBA 122-pound champ Jackie Nava of Mexico.

"The statement we're trying to make is that we think Magali is the type of girl who can beat Nava, and we're going to show all the Mexican media why Nava doesn't want a fight with Julaton."

Nava faces former Julaton conqueror Lisa Brown of Canada in her next clash on Aug. 18, one that Reyes and his fighter will be watching intently.

"Whoever wins the Nava-Lisa Brown fight is who we want next," Reyes said.  "We know Lisa Brown's not scared.  She's stated she'd go to the Philippines and fight Ana.  But if Nava wins, we hope she'll stop being scared and fight Julaton."

Norcalboxing.net's Ryan Maquiñana is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his weekly column for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, his archive for BoxingScene.com, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.


*This is a legal waiver. By copying and using the material from this article, you agree to give full credit to Norcalboxing.net or provide a link to the original article.

NorCal Pound-for-Pound Top 10 Rankings (June 2012)

By Ryan Maquiñana

CSNBayArea.com

The new CSNBayArea.com Northern California Pound-for-Pound Top 10 list is out for June.  Andre Ward...Nonito Donaire...Karim Mayfield...Ava Knight...where's YOUR favorite fighter?

LINK: http://www.csnbayarea.com/fight-sports/news/NorCal-Boxing-Pound-for-Pound-Top-10-Jun?blockID=732852&feedID=8306

Correa vs. Ayala Off July 7 Amateur Show in San Leandro

By Ryan Maquiñana
Norcalboxing.net

 

Correa (right) will no longer make his bantamweight debut July 7. (AP)

The Kennel Boxing Club in San Leandro was scheduled to play host to a tantalizing main event July 7 that featured two of the best fighters in Region 11 exchanging leather in the main event between Eros Correa and Mario Ayala.  However, Correa informed Norcalboxing.net Tuesday that he would be unable to make the fight due to prior commitments.

The card will still go on as planned, as tournament organizer Arvin Jugarap has done an outstanding job putting together the rest of the event and will undoubtedly find another intriguing matchup to fill the now-vacant headline spot.

PHOTOS: Donaire Gears up for Mathebula on July 7

By Ryan Maquiñana
Norcalboxing.net

WBO junior featherweight champ Nonito Donaire of San Leandro gets ready for his July 7 unification bout against IBF 122-pound boss Jeffrey Mathebula of South Africa at Carson's Home Depot Center.  The action will be televised on HBO's Boxing After Dark.  PHOTOS: Chris Farina/Top Rank.

S.F.'s Hargraves Victorious in Minnesota

By Ryan Maquiñana
Norcalboxing.net

Hargraves and trainer Ben Bautista savor the win.

Richard "The Ruler" Hargraves (3-0-1, 2 KOs) will return home to San Francisco with a unanimous decision triumph over Michael Faulk (2-2) at the Black Bear Casino in Carlton, Minn., Saturday night.

Scores were 58-56, 58-57, and 59-55, all for Hargraves.  The Bayview native was fighting in his first six-rounder, which was televised by GoFightLive TV.

"Time to celebrate the win, and then back to work," said Hargraves, who was featured in my CSNBayArea.com Boxing Notes this week.

Norcalboxing.net's Ryan Maquiñana is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his weekly column for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, his archive for BoxingScene.com, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.

*This is a legal waiver. By copying and using the material from this article, you agree to give full credit to Norcalboxing.net or provide a link to the original article.

San Jose-Based Henry Cruises to Unanimous Nod over Selders

By Ryan Maquiñana
Norcalboxing.net

Junior middleweight prospect Omar Henry (12-0-1, 9 KOs) remained unbeaten with a 10-round unanimous decision over Tyrone Selders (8-3, 6 KOs) at the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Fla., Saturday night.

Henry, a Chicago native now based in San Jose, cruised to the win with a dominant performance in his first 10-rounder, displaying a varied arsenal and even the ability to fight off the backfoot.

Scores were 100-88 and 100-90 twice.

Norcalboxing.net's Ryan Maquiñana is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his weekly column for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, his archive for BoxingScene.com, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.

*This is a legal waiver. By copying and using the material from this article, you agree to give full credit to Norcalboxing.net or provide a link to the original article.

Iron-Chinned Escalante Drops Decision to Villanueva

By Ryan Maquiñana
Norcalboxing.net

Escalante (white trunks) was lured into a war with Villanueva. (Jan Sanders/Goossen Tutor)

In a battle of unbeaten prospects, San Carlos junior bantamweight Bruno Escalante displayed an iron chin, but ultimately lost a unanimous decision to Palmdale's Matthew Villanueva.

Escalante (5-1-1, 3 KOs) captured the first two rounds by utilizing his footspeed and outboxing his much taller foe, but gave away the middle rounds as Villanueva (8-0-1, 7 KOs) outmuscled him on the ropes and scored with a hellacious attack.  Although Villanueva landed some crushing blows, Escalante was never noticeably hurt but was still outhustled in terms of volume.

While Escalante would take the eighth and final round by getting the fight to return to the center of the ring, being lured into a war from the third through seventh rounds ended up hurting him on the cards.

The official scores were 79-73, 78-74, and 77-75 for Villanueva.  Norcalboxing.net had it 77-75 for the winner.

Norcalboxing.net's Ryan Maquiñana is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his weekly column for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, his archive for BoxingScene.com, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.

*This is a legal waiver. By copying and using the material from this article, you agree to give full credit to Norcalboxing.net or provide a link to the original article.

Local Pros Go 3-0 on ESPN2 Friday Night Fights Card

By Ryan Maquiñana

Norcalboxing.net

Dallas, seen here in a previous fight, was on point Friday in a stoppage win. (Goossen Tutor)

A trio of local pros won their respective matchups at the Soboba Casino in San Jacinto on a card televised by ESPN2 Friday Nights.

In the main event, Bakersfield junior welterweight Mike Dallas Jr. (19-2-1, 8 KOs), who has been training in Hayward and Oakland with Virgil Hunter, overwhelmed Mexico's Javier Castro (27-5, 22 KOs) in the sixth round with speed and power en route to a referee stoppage.  Dallas annexed the WBO Latino 140-pound regional title.

The co-feature saw Sacramento middleweight and 2011 CSNBayArea.com NorCal Prospect of the Year Brandon Gonzales (16-0, 10 KOs) remain unbeaten with an eight-round shutout of Elie Augustama (6-5, 3 KOs) of Haiti.  Scores were 80-72 across the board.  After the bout, Gonzales, who also trains with Hunter, had 11 stitches applied to two cuts near his left eye.  Earlier in camp, Gonzales had actually opened the cut in sparring with unified super middleweight champion Andre Ward, but glued it shut and fought anyway.

Brandon was actually the subject of our CSN Spotlight this week: Click HERE to read how boxing is a love story in more ways than one for him.

Off-TV, Sacramento's Guy Robb (8-1, 4 KOs) made a successful transition from 130 to 126 pounds in a fifth-round stoppage of Las Vegas-based Rodrigo Aranda (8-18, 2 KOs).  Robb, who participated in the 2011 CSNBayArea.com NorCal Fight and Round of the Year, finished the job with a body shot.

Special thanks to all three fighters for taking out the time to talk to Norcalboxing.net immediately after their victories.

J.O. WRAP-UP: Region 11 Goes 6-0 in Finals, 12 Medalists in All

By Ryan Maquiñana

Norcalboxing.net

Region 11 celebrates a perfect Friday night in Mobile. (Lydia Martinez Razo)

Region 11 left its mark on the Junior Olympic National Championships in Mobile, Alabama, going a perfect 6-0 in Friday's finals and landing a dozen fighters on the podium overall.

As a result of their respective performances, the girls won the overall team title and the boys took home third-place honors.

Gutierrez (right) and Florida's Erickson Lubin after winning Best Boxer honors. (USA Boxing)

Among the six newly crowned champions, four local fighters--Main Event B.C.'s Efren Lopez (119-pound boys) of Fresno, Marisol Lopez (106-pound girls) of Avenal's King's Gym, Ruben "Dracula" Villa IV (114-pound boys) of Salinas, and Caballero B.C.'s Nancy Gutierrez (132-pound girls) of Sacramento--distinguished themselves by taking home Best Boxer awards for their weight classes.

In addition, Lydia Martinez Razo won Most Outstanding Judge honors, indicative of the quality representation that Region 11 enjoyed as a whole.

Special thanks to team manager Rudy Valdez of Arvin B.C. for the final results; he was quick to recognize the efforts of the coaches on Friday as well, which include Felipe Martinez (Felipe's B.C., Lathrop), Marcus Caballero (Caballero B.C., Sacramento), Anna Murrieta (Velarde T.C., Fresno), Sergio Lopez (King's Gym, Avenal), Pablo Lopez (Main Event, Fresno), Rudy Puga Sr. (Back Yard B.C., Salinas), and Ralph Gomez (Left to Right B.C., Gilroy).

The Region 11 team takes time to pose. (Lydia Martinez Razo)

I would like to take the time out to congratulate all the coaches and fighters who fought under the Region 11 banner!

Here are the results for Friday's finals.  For the previous results, click on the appropriate day:

Novato Boxing Club Holding 15-Year Anniversary Fundraiser Saturday

By Ryan Maquiñana
Norcalboxing.net

 Macedo, second from right, has benefited from his time at Novato B.C. (Suzie Howard)

The Novato Boxing Club will be holding their 15-year anniversary celebration fundraiser today from 5-8 p.m.  According to owner Suzie Howard, there will be live boxing, kickboxing, a potluck, and a 50/50 raffle.  For admission, please bring a dish to share or any donations will be accepted. 

All proceeds benefit the club, which is a nonprofit that relies on the kindness of donors.  Travel expenses for national tournaments can be tough to keep up with, and ultimately limit gyms who can't afford to attend as many as they would like.

Novato B.C. has seen the rise of Rudy Macedo, who recently won the prestigious National Adidas Tournament at Oxnard PAL.

“A lot of programs got cut, but we had been saving money so [we] are O.K. for now,” Howard told the Novato Advance.

J.O. DAY 3 RESULTS: A Six-Pack of Region 11 Fighters Make Finals

By Ryan Maquiñana

Norcalboxing.net

 Trainer Armando Mancinas and his fighter, Marisol Lopez, celebrate after advancing to the finals.

Region 11 sent 12 fighters to the semifinals at the Junior Olympic National Championships in Mobile, Alabama, with six of them advancing to Friday's championship bouts.

J.O. DAY 2 RESULTS: Region 11 Sees Four Fighters Advance at Nationals

By Ryan Maquiñana

Norcalboxing.net

Ruben "Dracula" Villa advanced to Thursday's competition. (Rudy Puga Sr.)

The second day of results at the Junior Olympic National Championships in Mobile, Alabama, yielded four victories for Region 11 over seven bouts, all decisions.  Wednesday's winners moved on and the losers were eliminated, capping a successful run through local and regional J.O.'s.

Sacramento's Robb Facing Aranda on Dallas-Gonzales Twinbill Friday

By Ryan Maquiñana
Norcalboxing.net

According to Goossen Tutor matchmaker Tom Brown, Sacramento featherweight prospect Guy Robb will now face Rodrigo Aranda at Sodoba Casino in San Jacinto this Friday.  Boxrec.com has Robb taking on Leopoldo Gonzalez, but Brown has asserted it is not the case.

The 23-year-old Robb (7-1, 3 KOs), a Grant High alum and one of most exciting prospects in the sport, will attempt to bounce back from a Fight of the Year candidate against Joel Diaz Jr. in January where he floored his foe but was unable to put him away in a seventh-round defeat by technical knockout.

In CSNBayArea.com's 2011 Inaugural Northern California Boxing Awards, Robb won both Fight of the Year and Round of the Year for his war with Manuel Morales.

Meanwhile, the Las Vegas-based Aranda (8-17-2, 2 KOs) has lost 10 in a row but is known for his durability, having taken hot prospects like Ronny Rios, Diego Magdaleno, and San Ardo's Roman Morales the full distance.  Only Gary Russell Jr. has been able to stop him during that stretch.

In the featured bouts to be televised on ESPN2 and ESPN3 this Friday starting at 6 p.m., Sacramento's Brandon Gonzales faces Elie Augustama in a middleweight battle, while junior welterweight Mike Dallas Jr. of Bakersfield, who has been training with Gonzales in Hayward under the tutelage of 2011 BWAA/CSNBayArea.com Trainer of the Year Virgil Hunter, faces Javier Castro for a regional belt.

Look for my feature on Gonzales and sidebar on Robb tomorrow on csnbayarea.com/fightsports.

Norcalboxing.net's Ryan Maquiñana is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his weekly column for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, his archive for BoxingScene.com, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.

*This is a legal waiver. By copying and using the material from this article, you agree to give full credit to Norcalboxing.net or provide a link to the original article.

Dawson Unfazed by Weight Loss, Vows War with Ward

By Ryan Maquiñana

BoxingScene.com

Chad Dawson, seen here landing a jab against Bernard Hopkins, is coming to Oakland next to face Andre Ward. (AP)

This week in Northern California boxing was supposed to begin with a Tuesday press conference at Oakland’s Oracle Arena.  The principals were homegrown super middleweight champ Andre Ward and light heavyweight king Chad Dawson, who will descend to 168 pounds for a Sept. 8 HBO-televised main event.

However, Dawson (31-1-0-2 NC, 17 KOs) was unable to attend due to a family illness, causing the presser with Ward (25-0, 13 KOs) to be postponed until a later date.  Despite his absence, “Bad Chad” was still accessible for comment earlier in the week to start the wheels turning for a card titled “World Champions: Made in America.”

“That’s what boxing should be,” Dawson told BoxingScene.com/CSNBayArea.com about his upcoming contest.  “In the Ward-Dawson fight, you got two of the best guys, two world champions in their divisions fighting each other.  This right here should be the first step to bring boxing back to where it should be.”

J.O. DAY 1 RESULTS: Region 11 Fighters Go 4-2 in Junior Olympic Opening Round Action

By Ryan Maquiñana

Norcalboxing.net

Rosino Legan won his opener at the National J.O. tourney. (Lora Schraft/Gilroy Dispatch)

The first day of action at the Junior Olympic National Championships is complete, with Region 11 fighters going 4-2 in six bouts that all went the distance.

Fresno PAL 110-pounder Isidro Ochoa cruised to victory over Harvey, Illinois' Jose Solorio, 19-8.

In the 125-pound division, Manteca native Matthew Guerrero of Felipe's Boxing Club in Lathrop fell to Jalonte Cole of Washington, D.C., 20-16.

Gilroy's Rosino Legan of San Jose PAL won his 132-pound opener over Tyjuan Townsend of St. Louis by a score of 20-12.

Las Vegas' Marco Magdaleno, the younger brother of promising pro prospects Diego and Jesse, edged Joseph Murrieta of Fresno's Velarde Training Center, 19-18, in a 145-pound battle.

Gilbert Alvarez of Oakland Boxing advanced with a 25-19 tally over fellow 165-pounder Kenneth Ursery of St. Louis.

Finally, North Highlands' David Gaitan, who fights out of Round 12 Boxing Club in Sacramento, captured a 21-7 decision over Jose Hurtado of Hazel Crest, Illinois, to win his 176-pound preliminary bout.

Norcalboxing.net's Ryan Maquiñana is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his weekly column for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, his archive for BoxingScene.com, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.

*This is a legal waiver. By copying and using the material from this article, you agree to give full credit to Norcalboxing.net or provide a link to the original article.

Region 11 Team Hits Mobile for National Junior Olympics

By Ryan Maquiñana

Norcalboxing.net

Region 11, which consists of Northern and Central California, has sent its contingent of young fighters to the National Junior Olympics in Mobile, Alabama, which will run from today through Friday at the Outlaw Convention Center.  Tickets are either $12 daily or $40 for a four-day unlimited general admission pass. Here’s the team:

FEMALE

106 LBS. – Marisol Lopez (King's Gym, Avenal)

114 LBS. – Neesha Khan (Golden Gate B.C., S.F.)

119 LBS. – Joselina Ortega (Velarde T.C., Fresno)

125 LBS. – Evelyn Borja (Velarde T.C., Fresno)

132 LBS. – Nancy Gutierrez (Caballero B.C., Sacramento)

138 LBS. – Jackie Gomez (Left to Right, B.C., Gilroy)

MALE

101 LBS. – Conrad Rendon (Aleman B.C., Fresno)

110 LBS. – Isidro Ochoa (Fresno PAL, Fresno)

114 LBS. – Ruben “Dracula” Villa IV (Back Yard B.C., Salinas)

119 LBS. – Efren Lopez (Main Event B.C., Fresno)

125 LBS. – Matthew Guerrero (Felipe's B.C., Lathrop)

132 LBS. – Rosino Egan (San Jose PAL, San Jose)

138 LBS. – Jose Gomez (CYC, Concord)

145 LBS. – Alberto “Joseph” Murrieta (Velarde T.C., Fresno)

165 LBS. – Gilbert Alvarez (Oakland Boxing, Oakland)

176 LBS. – David Gaitan (Round 12 B.C., Sacramento)

189 LBS. – Tiofilo Bueno III (Tulare A.C., Tulare)

Norcalboxing.net's Ryan Maquiñana is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his weekly column for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, his archive for BoxingScene.com, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.

*This is a legal waiver. By copying and using the material from this article, you agree to give full credit to Norcalboxing.net or provide a link to the original article.

Ward-Dawson Presser on Tuesday, Tickets on Sale Next Friday

By Ryan Maquiñana
Norcalboxing.net

Ward and Dawson will meet again in Oakland on Tuesday. (Stacey Verbeek)

The press conference for Andre Ward's super middleweight title fight against descending light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson will take place at the Oracle Arena Courtside Club in Oakland next Tuesday, June 19, at 11:30 a.m.  The event is media-only.

Tickets for the Sept. 8 fight at Oracle will range from $25-300 and will go on sale next Friday, June 22.

Norcalboxing.net's Ryan Maquiñana is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his weekly column for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, his archive for BoxingScene.com, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.

*This is a legal waiver. By copying and using the material from this article, you agree to give full credit to Norcalboxing.net or provide a link to the original article.

Martyniouk Earns Fourth-Round Stoppage of Castillo in Sacramento

By Ryan Maquiñana
BoxingScene.com

In a battle of Northern California natives, lightweight prospect Stan "The Man" Martyniouk returned to the win column after a 19-month layoff with a fourth-round stoppage of a game Dario Castillo at Sacramento's Woodlake Hotel Thursday night.

"I was very anxious because I hadn't been back in a long time and I was fighting near home in a main event," Martyniouk (11-1, 2 KOs) told BoxingScene.com/Norcalboxing.net. "It took a couple rounds but I was able to break him down and get the stoppage."

Martyniouk, from nearby Antelope, peppered his rugged foe with body work and left hooks, eventually opening up a cut over the right eye of Castillo (6-11), who was fighting out of Pittsburg.  By the end of the fourth, Castillo was ruled unable to continue amid his team's protests.

"I thought them stopping it was a little premature," said Karl Sharrock, who was in Castillo's corner.  "Dario was giving Stan a good run and we stopped the cut from flowing, but it is what it is.  Either way, congratulations to Stan on the win."

With 2011 BWAA Trainer of the Year Virgil Hunter now in his corner, Martyniouk hopes to use this win as a springboard for a career rebirth following his only defeat, a unanimous decision to Khadaphi Proctor in November 2010.

"Virgil kept me calm in there and gave me some good instructions," Martyniouk added.  "He pushed me hard in training and it showed.  It felt good to shake off my ring rust. Now that I'm back, Virgil's also co-managing me; he told me to be ready for my next one on August 25th."

Here are the rest of the results, courtesy of the Sacramento Bee's Jim Jenkins:

• Super middleweight Mike Guy (4-0-1, 3 KOs) of Sacramento, Calif., edged debuting Ruben Mendoza (0-1) of Tulare, Calif., in a four-round split decision.

• Heavyweight Rodney Hernandez (2-1, 1 KO) of Modesto, Calif., outpointed Las Vegas, Nev., resident Kourtney Boden (3-5, 2 KOs) in a four-round majority decision.

• Junior welterweight Max Becerra (6-0-1, 3 KOs) of Vacaville, Calif., stopped Danny Castillo (2-7-1, 1 KO) of Pittsburg, Calif., in the second round.

• Junior featherweight John Abella (1-0) of Sacramento, Calif., made his pro debut a successful one in a four-round unanimous decision over Johnny Mancilla (1-1-2) of Reno, Nev.

The card was promoted by Nasser Niavaroni's Uppercut Promotions.

LINK: http://www.boxingscene.com/martyniouk-returns-from-layoff-stops-castillo-four--54020

Norcalboxing.net's Ryan Maquiñana is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his weekly column for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, his archive for BoxingScene.com, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.

*This is a legal waiver. By copying and using the material from this article, you agree to give full credit to Norcalboxing.net or provide a link to the original article.

SFC Boxing to Hold Celebration BBQ in Oakland Saturday

By Ryan Maquiñana
Norcalboxing.net

SFC Boxing will travel across the Bay Bridge to Temescal Park in Oakland on Saturday for their annual barbecue in conjunction with the Communities in Harmony Advocating for Learning and Kids (CHALK).

"We do this every year to celebrate our successes and share the joy with everyone involved in making them happen," said SFC's Ben Bautista.  "We want to let them know we appreciate their efforts, and we plan to have some fun doing it."

The festivities will occur from 12:00-5:00 p.m. and entrance is free.

Norcalboxing.net's Ryan Maquiñana is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his weekly column for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, his archive for BoxingScene.com, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.

*This is a legal waiver. By copying and using the material from this article, you agree to give full credit to Norcalboxing.net or provide a link to the original article.

Woodland's Vicente Escobedo Guarantees Upset of Adrien Broner

By Jake Donovan

BoxingScene.com

It hasn’t been an easy transition to the pro ranks for Vicente Escobedo. High expectations came with his turning pro shortly after his stint on the 2004 U.S. Olympic boxing squad, but success has only come in small doses thus far. 

Escobedo has a chance to change all of that on July 21. Granted, a tall order awaits him as he’s set to challenge unbeaten 130 lb. titlist Adrien Broner. Not only is Escobedo facing one of the best young fighters in the sport today, but has to go to his Cincinnati backyard as they headline an HBO-televised card at the U.S. Bank Arena. 

"I'm going to take full advantage of this opportunity,” Escobedo insisted to the crowd on hand for Wednesday’s press conference in Cincinnati. “I'm hungry and I've been hungry."

The lesson that Escobedo has learned through seven years as a pro is that it doesn’t matter how you arrive on stage, but what you do once you are there. The Californian has struggled at times – dropping decisions to Michael Katsidis and Robert Guerrero while the HBO cameras were rolling – but has also shown glimpse of brilliance, such as his knocking out previously unbeaten Dominic Salcido.

He will need a lot of the latter in order to get past Broner (23-0, 19KO), who makes the second defense of the 130 lb. title he acquired last November. For Escobedo, it’s his first crack at a major title but perhaps his last chance to convince HBO to bring him back.

With that came his bold declaration that July 21 will be a night to remember.

“People say that he [Broner] has talent, power and speed. I've got talent. I've got speed and I've got power too. I'm gonna shock the world. I guarantee it."

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com. Follow Jake on Twitter: @JakeNDaBox or submit questions/comments via  e-mail.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pat Lovell/Hoganphotos

LINK: http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=53973#ixzz1xoovjzeZ

Return 2 BattleGround at Brentwood on Saturday

By Ryan Maquiñana
Norcalboxing.net

Battleground Fighter Promotions and LA Boxing will hold "Return 2 BattleGround" in Brentwood at 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon.  The amateur show will be sanctioned by USA Boxing and will take place at L.A. Boxing on 8650 Brentwood Blvd.  Contact Joseph Garcia at (925) 813-0382 or e-mail him at bgpromo73@gmail.com for more information.

Antelope's Martyniouk Returns Tonight in Sacramento

By Ryan Maquiñana
Norcalboxing.net

Stan "The Man" Martyniouk (10-1, 1 KO) of Antelope will return from a 19-month layoff tonight against Dario Castillo (6-10-1) at the Woodlake Hotel in Sacramento.  The bout will be fought at a limit at 138 pounds, three over the regular lightweight limit.

Martyniouk will attempt to bounce back from an upset loss to Khadaphi Proctor in 2010.  With 2011 BWAA Trainer of the Year Virgil Hunter in his corner, "The Man" thinks 2012 will bring forth a career renaissance.

The card will be held by Nasser Niavaroni's Uppercut Promotions, and will have a distinct local flavor.  On the undercard, Sacramento super middleweight Mike Guy (3-0-1, 3 KOs) takes on debuting Ruben Mendoza of Tulare, Modesto heavyweight Rodney Hernandez (1-1, 1 KO) fights Las Vegas resident Kourtney Boden (3-4, 2 KOs), Vacaville's Max Becerra (5-0-1, 2 KOs) moves up two weight classes to welterweight to meet Pittsburg's Danny Castillo (2-6-1, 1 KO), and Sacramento junior featherweight John Abella makes his pro debut against Reno's Johnny Mancilla (1-0-2).

All are four-rounders except for the Martyniouk-Castillo main event, which will be six frames. Here are the weights, courtesy of the Sacramento Bee's Jim Jenkins:

Stan Martyniouk 138 vs. Dario Castillo 136
Mike Guy 167.75 vs. Ruben Mendoza 165
Rodney Hernandez 230 vs. Kourtney Boden 218
Max Becerra 144 vs. Danny Castillo 145
John Abella 122 vs. Johnny Mancilla 122

Tickets start at $40.  First fight is at 7:30 p.m.  Call (888) 695-7802 for more details.

Norcalboxing.net's Ryan Maquiñana is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his weekly column for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, his archive for BoxingScene.com, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.

*This is a legal waiver. By copying and using the material from this article, you agree to give full credit to Norcalboxing.net or provide a link to the original article.

VIDEO: Breaking Down Pacquiao-Bradley

By Ryan Maquiñana
CSNBayArea.com


I was on Chronicle Live to break down the controversial decision last Saturday in Las Vegas that awarded Timothy Bradley the win over erstwhile pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao.  Was it a robbery?  Where does boxing go from here?

VIDEO: Donaire Agrees to Year-Round Testing

By Ryan Maquiñana
CSNBayArea.com


San Leandro's Nonito Donaire and his nutritionist Victor Conte went on the air with us and announced that he will be the first athlete to enroll in the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) program and submit to year-round random drug testing.

Donaire will unify his WBO 122-pound title belt with South African Jeffrey Mathebula's IBF diadem on July 7 in Carson.

Selcuk Aydin Promises to Put Robert Guerrero to Sleep

Arena-Box Promotions

Press Release

WBC Silver world welterweight champion Selcuk Aydin held a press conference at the Ciragan Palace Kempinski hotel in Istanbul, Turkey, to talk about his July 28th world championship bout against Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero at San Jose's HP Pavilion.

"I have waited for three years for a big fight and I am very happy that I finally get the chance to show the world what I’m made of on July 28th", said Aydin. "I always said that I would fight anybody. Unfortunately, that doesn’t count for a lot of fighters these days which is the main reason why I couldn’t get a big fight over the past years.

"I give props to Robert Guerrero for accepting to fight me. He is a three-division world champion and very obviously an excellent boxer. But he has just no idea what’s coming for him. He has never been in the ring with anybody as determined, powerful and heavy-handed as me. I will do what I have to do to take the world championship belt home to Turkey."

Added promoter Ahmet Oner: "We have been working very hard to get this fight on the way. Now it’s all in Selcuk’s hands. This is a very special moment and a once in a lifetime opportunity. No Turkish boxer has ever had such an important and big fight in the USA. It’s Selcuk’s chance to make himself a big name all over the world.

"Of course, especially after last weekend I am a little bit worried about the scoring of the bout. I just hope that we will have neutral officials. But then again Selcuk knows exactly that it’s always hard to win a decision in your opponent’s backyard. I am pretty sure that he will not try to steal rounds – he will go for the KO because the only thing on his mind is winning this fight!"

Aydin already started training camp in Stuttgart (Germany) five weeks ago where he is working with champion coach Conny Mittermeier. At the end of June he will move camp to California to get adjusted to the time change and weather conditions.

"This fight is so important that we cannot take any chances or make any mistakes", says Oner. "We have to make sure that Selcuk has the best training camp and preparation possible because he needs to be in the best possible shape when he steps into the ring."

Aydin himself, a former WBC international and European champion, is sure that he will take home the victory: "So far training camp is excellent. I feel that I am already in great shape and I will clearly have no weight issues whatsoever. I heard that Robert Guerrero already talks about possible fights with Juan Manuel Marquez and Floyd Mayweather.

"He can dream about all these big fights as long as he wants to – I will even help him by sending him to sleep so he can dream a little more. I respect Guerrero for all he has done and achieved so far but his way ends on July 28th in San Jose. I suggest he goes back to light- or featherweight and leaves the big guys to someone who can actually handle them."

Tickets, priced at $252, $127, $62 and $26, are available for purchase at the HP Pavilion box office, by calling 1-800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. 

LINK: http://www.boxingscene.com/aydin-promises-i-put-robert-guerrero-sleep--53981

CSN Spotlight: 50 of 53 Journalists Score Bout for Pacquiao

By Ryan Maquiñana 
CSNBayArea.com 

I compiled a list of scorecards from 53 (YES, 53!) boxing print and broadcast journalists who watched the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley fight either at ringside or on TV.  An astounding 50 out of 53 had Pacquiao ahead at the time of the final bell.  Click the link below to see their tallies.

LINK: http://www.csnbayarea.com/fight-sports/news/Bradley-beats-Pacquiao-media-disagrees-i?blockID=722544&feedID=2539

CSN Spotlight: Oakland Sends Message by Landing Ward-Dawson on Sept. 8

By Ryan Maquiñana
CSNBayArea.com

My latest for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area: Oakland sends a message by landing Andre Ward's next fight against Chad Dawson on Sept. 8! Tickets range from $25-300.


LINK: http://www.csnbayarea.com/fight-sports/news/Oakland-sends-message-by-landing-Ward-fi?blockID=722196&feedID=2539&awid=7588179823683570145-766

Ava Knight to Defend Title Against Susana Vazquez on June 30 in Mexico

By Ryan Maquiñana
Norcalboxing.net

BoxingScene.com/Norcalboxing.net have been advised that reigning IBF flyweight champ Ava “The Lady of Boxing” Knight will make the second defense of her world title on June 30 in Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico, against rugged veteran Susana Vazquez.

Knight (8-1-3, 5 KOs), who fights out of Chico, Calif., but trains in San Francisco, is coming off a 10^th-round stoppage of Thailand’s Hongfah Tor Buamas in March.  Having been the first woman to defeat current titleholders Arely Mucino and Kaliesha West, Knight is one of the more talented fighters in the sport. 

Recently, “The Lady of Boxing” was nominated for Chico Sportsperson of the Year, an honor that ended up going to NFL Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Aaron Rodgers.

Meanwhile, Vazquez (8-6-1, 2 KOs) may hover close to .500, but her résumé speaks for itself.  Out of her six losses, the challenger from Toluca, Mexico, has fallen to five world champions, taking reigning titleholders Ana Maria Torres, Jackie Nava, Mariana Juarez, and Mucino the distance (Juarez stopped her in their first fight).

“Vazquez is a tough fighter even if her record doesn’t say so,” said Knight’s trainer Ben Bautista.  “She’s fought everyone.  The plan is to win this fight, and then go after Juarez to unify the belts.”

Any talk of Knight negotiating a 112-pound unification bout with newly crowned WBO/WIBF boss Melissa McMorrow—who trains a half-hour south in San Mateo—will be on hold for now.  According to McMorrow’s trainer/manager, former three-time world title challenger Eddie Croft, they are headed back to Germany for an immediate rematch with Susi Kentikian in the fall.

Ryan Maquiñana writes a weekly boxing column for CSNBayArea.com.  He is a full member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the Ratings Panel for Ring Magazine. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his blog at Norcalboxing.net, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.

CSN Spotlight: Perfect Storm for Bradley Against Pacquiao

Ryan Maquiñana

CSNBayArea.com

 

Like a master poker player on the Las Vegas Strip, Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley isn’t short on confidence heading into his Saturday showdown with Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao, boxing’s current pound-for-pound king.

Last week, the Palm Springs native brazenly passed out faux credentials to the media in advance of “Pacquiao-Bradley II” at at the MGM Grand, an inference that his Filipino opponent would exercise an immediate rematch clause following an upset loss.

“I'm ready to shock the world,” Bradley (28-0, 12 KOs) said.  “I'm ready to do whatever it takes to win this fight. It's going to be a great fight. Let's get it on, baby.”

Bradley has been so sure of a return bout that at yesterday’s final press conference, he held aloft an oversized ticket for the fight, drawing chuckles from an amused Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KOs).

“When I saw that, I’m just smiling and laughing,” said Pacquiao, the reigning WBO 147-pound champion, in an interview with ESPN.  “He doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

LINK (includes rest of article along with undercard preview, where to watch the fight in NorCal, and a video interview with Tim Bradley): http://www.csnbayarea.com/fight-sports/news/Perfect-storm-for-Bradley-against-Pacqui?blockID=721658&feedID=5474