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It was
more than a crosstown rivalry—it was a battle between two of
Mexico’s biggest champions. WBC Mexican middleweight champ
Kirino Garcia was jumping up a weight class while WBC Mexican
light heavy champ Arturo “Licenciado” Rivera was slimming down a
division to meet at 167 for a non-title ten-rounder.
While
there was no official title at stake, the winner would earn the
right to call himself the city’s true champion.
The city
was abuzz with this fight. Posters were affixed to windows and
poles across the city, and everyone, from street vendors, cab
drivers and massage parlor hookers, was talking about it.
While
Kirino seemed the favored to win—at least those we talked to
were confident that the seasoned veteran would beat out beefy
brawler Rivera—most questioned had no plans to attend the
colossal match-up, for ticket prices starting at $20 were too
steep for the average city dweller (who makes, on the average,
$40 a week.)
The Plaza
de los Toros could easily hold 20,000, but only half that came
out to watch the battle of champions.
After a
late, late start—the 7 PM start time turned into 9:15—Garcia and
Rivera did not enter the ring until after one in the morning.
Built like
a Sherman tank, Rivera displayed more cuts and abs than seen
before at 167 while Garcia, optimally a jr. middleweight who’d
only recently made the jump to 160, was clearly the outsized man
fighting out of his division. A prediction based on size would
probably not give Garcia more than three rounds.
But Kirino,
a 68-fight veteran with a chin like granite, would not only take
the best the hard-hitting Rivera had the offer through the
scheduled ten rounds, he would give the bigger man a fight he’d
remember.
Usually a
slow starter, Garcia came out for the 1st like a
cyclone, keeping Rivera off his accustomed forward attack plan
with a variety of punches from a safe distance. In the 2nd,
though, Rivera closed the gap and took the round with harder,
cleaner shots that had Garcia fighting with more defense.
The 3rd
was a tough one to score, with Rivera landing the better shots
but Garcia throwing more punches. Garcia transferred his focus
downstairs in the 4th, and his body attack slowed
down Rivera enough to give him the round.
Usually
content to slug, Rivera was actually boxing more than normal,
and landing his power shots behind a jab. But Garcia was still
outhustling. In what was the best exchange so far, the two
traded blows about 20 seconds before the end of the 5th,
with Garcia trying stealing the round with a solid left-right.
Content to
fight at close quarters, Garcia and Rivera tried to go to the
body, and both fighters were warned for fouling.
Garcia
picked up the pace and worked Rivera’s midsection in the 7th
while the bigger man slowed down. Rivera returned in the 8th
and, once again, it was Garcia’s work rate vs. Rivera’s better
punches.
Garcia had
his best round in the 9th when he took on Rivera on
the inside, landing his best punches and clearly showing
superior boxing skills and experience. While Rivera tried to
close the show with significant punches, Garcia continued to
land hard shots to Rivera’s body.
At the end
of ten, Cozzone had it even, 95-95; Trujillo had it for Garcia,
97-94.
The
scorecards, however, held a majority decision draw: 95-95, 96-96
and 96-94.
“It was a
very tough fight,” Garcia said afterward. “I thought it was
close.
“I was
never hurt but this will be my last fight at this weight. I
fought good inside and tried not to let him throw a lot of
punches. I landed some good rights and body shots.”
Garcia is
now 44-23-2 (30 KOs) while Rivera ends his two-fight losing
streak with his first draw—18-3-1 (15 KO’s).
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photos by chris cozzone
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While the
crowd, for the most part, was content with the outcome of the
main event between Kirino Garcia and Arturo Rivera, there did
not seem to be a satisfied soul in the bullring, if the
torrential downpour of beer, boos, plastic cups, sunflower seeds
and bottle caps were any indication.
It wasn’t
supposed to be an easy fight, but it was supposed to be a
winnable one for Juan Carlos “Ranchero” Ramirez, who was
rematching Hector “Chocolate” Marquez for the NABF featherweight
belt.
In 1999,
Ramirez had won a 12-round decision over Marquez for the WBC
Mexican featherweight belt. With Marquez returning to Juarez
earlier this year, to clobber Ramirez’s stablemate David
“Tacubayo” Murillo for the vacant NABF belt, Ranchero wasted no
time playing big brother to Murillo and challenging Marquez for
his pretty green belt. Marquez, anxious to erase that loss years
ago, accepted.
But
Ranchero learned that the Hector Marquez of 1999 was a much
different, much improved fighter than the one he fought Friday
fight.
Ranchero
went right to work in the 1st, landing a powerful
blow to Marquez’s head with his right in the opening segments.
Unhurt, Marquez took it, regrouped, and began to initiate his
own attack on Ramirez that would set the pace of the entire
fight. Playing effective aggressor, Marquez came at Ramirez and,
for the most part, drove him back and continually manhandled him
against the ropes.
With a
small mouse developing under Marquez’s left eye (it would not
get too much worse), he started to drive Ramirez against the
ropes while Ramirez would retaliate in spots. Marquez’s
aggression carried him into the 3rd.
A
frustrated Ramirez got his chance in the 4th and 5th
to land hard left hooks despite the clinching by Marquez. Still,
Marquez was beating Ranchero to the punch and controlling the
action.
The 6th
was close: Marquez was landed lead lefts but Ramirez stood his
ground and tried to counter. Marquez switched to rights in the 7th
and again, it was only Ramirez in spots.
By the 8th,
Ranchero had dug himself a hole by losing most of the rounds.
While he backed away from clinching with Marquez and landed some
of his best blows, Marquez was still dictating.
Ramirez
returned in the 9th and 10th, finally
outhustling Marquez on the outside and landing left hooks and a
powerful uppercut in the 10th.
Ramirez
appeared tired in the 11th after the previous two
rounds and Marquez was able to get back in the game. In the
final round, though, Ramirez unleashed his reserve, making it a
close round, while Marquez went to Ranchero’s body.
At the end
of 12, both Cozzone and Trujillo were in agreement: 116-114 for
Hector “El Chocolate” Marquez.
The judges
had seen a different fight, however.
It took
the officials nearly 15 minutes to tally up the scorecards
(there was a missing score card for one of the rounds)—while
promoter, trainers, and, eventually, fighters, looked on over
their shoulders, exchanging what appeared to be unkind remarks.
Then, the
scores were read and those ringside, or in the ring, covered up
for the expected reaction from a furious crowd:
“Scorecards read 116-113 Marquez, 118-116 Ramirez and . . .
115-113 for the new champion Ranchero Ramirez!”
It was all
boos and beer from then on, while Ramirez quickly held up his
new belt and then scuttled from the ring.
Disgusted,
Marquez left, too.
When
approached for his comments, all he could say was:
“I don’t
want to talk to anyone.”
New NABF
victor Ramirez comes off his devastating loss to Acelino Freitas
and ups his record to 30-5 (12 KO’s). Marquez, on the verge of
rekindling his career, gets thrown back to opponent status and
falls to 27-10 (20 KO’s).
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photos by chris cozzone
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GONZALEZ
BEATS UP LATE SUB FOR VACANT WBC BANTAMWEIGHT BELT
Like
Valdez, Mexico City’s top bantamweight contender Jhonny Gonzalez
was supposed to fight someone tough but had to settle for a
last-minute sub. Unlike Valdez’s soup can foe, however, at least
Gonzalez fought someone with a winning record.
Gonzalez
had been scheduled to fight top Mexican contender Julio Zarate
(17-2), who was the WBC Mexican Bantamweight champion. But when
Zarate failed to show for the weigh-in, another opponent was
secured, although the fight was still slated to be for the
Mexican Bantamweight championship—a belt now stripped from
Zarate for his failure to show. In for Zarate was 13-5 Ramon
Leyte.
Leyte was
no match for the young and hungry Jhonny Gonzalez.
Gonzalez
started out careful against the southpaw Leyte but when he saw
his openings, he unleashed his right hand, landing it several
times on Leyte’s head.
Early on,
a right hand dropped Leyte and with just ten seconds left, a
left hook dropped him yet again. Leyte made both counts but he
was starting to swell underneath his left eye.
Leyte
survived a dominating Gonzalez in the 3rd, but by the
end of the round, could not see much out of his eye. It was only
a matter of time.
Another
right hand floored Leyte at :55 of the 4th and this
time, he could not make the count.
“I am
ready for whoever wants to fight me,” Gonzalez said after the
fight. “I am ready to take the next step and I hope to fight for
a world title.”
The new
WBC Mexican bantam champ is hoping for a shot at either WBO
champ Cruz Carbajal or IBF champ Rafael Marquez.
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GALLERO
BEATS UP LATE SUB IN 10-ROUNDER
Newly-crowned WBC Mexican superbantamweight champion Adrian
“Gallero” Valdez was scheduled to defend his new belt against
Jorge “Coque” Munoz but the rugged, seasoned veteran had fought
the week before, ending up with yet another loss and a spot on
the suspension list.
Instead,
late sub Antonio Valencia (with an announced record of 15-5 that
is actually now 0-10) stepped in to last a couple rounds with
Gallero.
In fact,
the cockfight customarily presented before Gallero’s fight
lasted longer than did Valdez vs. Valencia.
Round One
was a cautious round, with the southpaw Valdez outworking
Valencia but taking his time.
The crowd
quickly grew impatient in the 2nd, encouraging Valdez
to pickup the pace, which he did. A right hook left Valencia
prone among the blood and feathers on the canvas where he was
counted out at 2:54.
Valdez
rises to 15-2-2, with 5 KO’s.
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Ring Chicks
and special guest
Mexican great Lupe Pintor
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