Antillon, Hopkins and a pair of local lefties
Another Isleta sellout expected Friday for Top Rank card

Story & photos by Chris Cozzone

There were no harsh words, no macho stare-downs and, pretty much, nada for drama, at today’s final press conference for “Southpaw Brawl,” the card promoted by Top Rank and Prime Time, slated for Friday at Isleta Casino & Resort.

From main eventer Urbano Antillon (23-0, 16 KOs) to his foe, Daniel Attah (24-4-1, 8 KOs), to Demetrius Hopkins (28-0-1, 11 KOs) and the pair of local lefties who are paired off, the promises at the podium were about as thrilling to hear as watching paint dry.

“Just want to thank God . . . .”

“I’m ready.”

“I’ve prepared well.”

“It’s gonna be a good fight.”

The same-ol’-same-ol’ mini-speeches at the stand, however, are not expected to mirror the action lined up for Friday night.

Top lightweight and jr. lightweight contender Antillon, of Mayfield, Calif., headlines the card in a 12-round bout for a pair of belts (NABF & NABO) at super featherweight. He’ll be taking on “The Prophet,” Nigerian Daniel Attah who will be ending a 19-month disappearance from the ring.

Though it is the co-main event on Telefutura’s “Solo Boxeo Tecate,” the 10-round welterweight showdown between New Mexican southpaws Ray Sanchez III (21-2, 15 KOs), of Albuquerque, and Joaquin Zamora (15-2-1, 10 KOs), of Luna and Pecos, is what the local fight fans have been talking about lately.

In fact, for years, a local showdown for Sanchez has been in demand. Against Zamora, fans are flipping a coin to predict a winner.

Both have been on the canvas, both have been stopped—and both can punch.

Chavez was last defeated by Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., last December when, ahead on the cards, he was downed for the count in round six.

Zamora hasn’t lost since November 2004, when he, too, was stopped in six, by 154-pound journeyman Elco Garcia. Since then, Zamora has battled his way up the ranks and into top ten contention—though a year of inactivity has forced the WBC to drop him from his No. 8 spot, just last month.

At today’s press conference, neither fighter had anything bad to say about the other. Both, however, said they were in peak condition. Sanchez has recently returned from three weeks of sparring top guys at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas, Nev., while Zamora stayed home, but put in rounds with Las Cruces jr. middleweight southpaw Austin Trout—seen by many as the No. 1 prospect in the state.

Demetrius Hopkins (center) and team.

A notable feature bout on the card is the 10-round super lightweight bout with Philly’s Demetrius Hopkins (28-0, 11 KOs), who will be fighting for the first time under the Top Rank banner. Formerly a Golden Boy fighter, allied with “Uncle” Bernard, Hopkins will take on Joaquin Gallardo (18-7-2, 5 KOs), of San Leonardo, Calif., in an off-TV bout.

Hopkins is coming off a ten-month lull (he is one of five fighters on the card to be ending a layoff) while Gallardo is coming off a decision loss in June.

Four bouts cover the undercard.

In another local showdown, between banties, Albuquerque’s Marcos Acosta (2-0) will take on former rival Ricky Vasquez (2-1-1, 1 KO), of Las Cruces. Both fighters are coming off lengthy layoffs.

In the amateurs, Acosta is 2-1 over Vasquez.

From left to right: Attah, Zamora, Hopkins, Acosta, DiPace, Antillon, Sanchez, Vasquez.

Las Cruces’ bantam Sammy DiPace (3-0, 3 KOs), former 13-time national amateur champion and, potentially, a contender-in-the-making along with stablemate Trout, will look for his fourth win by taking on San Antonio undefeated Julio Valadez (2-0).

Dallas super bantam Roberto Marroquin (3-0, 3 KOs) will take on tough Gino Escamilla (5-3-1, 2 KOs), of Laredo, Tex., in a six-rounder; and, in a four-round jr. welter bout, Houston’s Gerardo Ibarra (1-0, 1 KO) will fight Ricard Baldo (1-2, 1 KO), of Sheridan, Wyom.

First bell is at 5:30 with Sanchez-Zamora going live at 6 p.m. Should either main or co-main fall short of their scheduled rounds, The four-round DiPace-Valadez bout will act as swing.