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Outgunned!
WBC Superbantamweight champ Oscar Larios decisions game Ivan Alvarez in non-title rematch
Ringside report by Ricardo Trujillo and
Chris Cozzone
Photos by
Chris Cozzone
With a crowd just shy of a thousand, Isleta Casino & Resort in Albuquerque, New Mexico returned to boxing with their first fight in 18 months with a Telefutura-televised card promoted by Don Chargin Productions and Fresquez Productions.
After several last-minute fallouts, Chargin and Fresquez pieced together a solid six-fight card that had all but one fight going the distance.
In the main event, WBC Superbantamweight champion Oscar “Chololo” Larios picked apart a game Ivan Alvarez over ten rounds in a non-title tune-up. Alvarez had replaced Angel Chacon, who had replaced local contender Frankie Archuleta, who’d pulled out due to illness.
It was left hook on overload for Larios who punished—but could not finish—the wily Columbian.
For the first three rounds, Larios loaded up on left hooks to the body, while his telephone pole jab kept Alvarez off track, and unable to get in the game.
In the 4th, however, Alvarez started to come around. In between sneering and jeering at Larios, Alvarez started to close the gap and make this a fight.
Round Five had the best action—inside and outside the ring. Early on in the round, a fight broke out on the floor, causing the audience to howl. Inside the ring, Larios and Alvarez, perhaps reacting from the crowd’s misguided encouragement, fought close quarter, with Larios landing the best of it.
Larios and Alvarez continued to lock horns through the sixth round, but in the 7th, the champ picked up the pace, jabbing and moving his opponent well. Alvarez began to slow, apparently drained dry by Larios’ onslaught of left hooks.
In the 8th, a solid left hook to the liver dropped Alvarez. Amazingly, Alvarez was not only able to spring back up at the count of nine, but fought the remainder of the round showboating, inviting Larios to, c’mon, take another shot.
Trying to close with conviction, Larios kept the pressure on Alvarez for the remaining two rounds, but could not repeat his success in Round Eight.
If it’d been a sneering contest, Alvarez would’ve won a shutout decision; but, unfortunately, for him, it was a boxing match and presenting a polished, professional performance, Larios won a lop-sided unanimous decision with scores of 100-89 x2 and 99-90.
Fightnews.com / NewMexicoBoxing.com had it 99-90.
“When we changed the fight from Archuleta to Chacon, I knew I had to be ready for anyone,” Larios said after the fight. “But then they changed to Alvarez, and he presented a good fight tonight.”
Larios, now 53-3-1 (35 KOs), is looking hard at the featherweight division, where big name fight await him.
“I’m having trouble making weight,” he said. “But, at feather, I’d like to fight Pacquiao, Morales, Barrera—the strongest one in the featherweight division. But especially Manny Pacquiao. I know I can defeat him.”
Alvarez drops to 19-14 (8 KOs).
“I feel okay,” he said. “I lost to a great champion, but I’ll continue my career.”
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Outclassed!
Former world title challenger Adan Vargas back on track with shutout decision over Julio Coronell
In a fight thrown together on four days notice, former world title challenger Adan Vargas easily outhustled Columbian Julio Coronell.
Vargas stepped in for his ailing cousin, Cuauhtemoc Vargas, who’d been scheduled to fight for the vacant WBC Superbantamweight Youth title against Eduardo Escobedo.
Even in a last-minute fight, Vargas made it look easy. The slick southpaw dictated at range, stepping into the gap and bouncing his punches off the head and body of the rugged Columbian. Trying to make this into a brawl, Coronell kept the pressure on Vargas, but only gave him a target due to his wide punches.
It was the same ol’, same ol’ in the 5th, but by now, a wicked mouse had appeared over Coronell’s right eye.
In the 6th, the fighters started to close the gap, with Coronell working his jab—but he was continually countered by Vargas’ one-two’s.
Coronell started to steal a little momentum—but not the round—in the 7th by timing Vargas coming in. But in the 8th, double right hooks by Vargas rocked Coronell back. The Columbian was further hampered with a one point deduction for intentional headbutting, as well as a right hook knockdown with 10 seconds left to make it a 10-7 round.
Rounds Nine and Ten had Vargas hooking off the jab, looking for another knockdown, if not a finish—but tight angles and accuracy was not enough to catch the wily survivor again.
Vargas had to settle for a shutout win, with scores of 100-88 x3.
“It’s good to go the distance,” Vargas said afterward. “I needed the work.
“I’m preparing myself for another title shot.”
Vargas runs his record to 38-4-1 (23 KOs) while Coronell drops to 21-20-1 (16 KOs).
# # #
Chavez mauls Flores
In the opening bout of the night, brawler Yvonne Chavez outmauled San Antonian Valeria Flores for a three-rounds-to-one unanimous decision.
In a sizzling start, Chavez came out swinging for the fences, abandoning the jab and slinging shots against a defense-minded Flores.
Flores bounced back in the 2nd, but Chavez turned it around in the last minute, forcing Flores against the ropes with wide ‘Hail, Mary’ shots.
The all-brawling, no-boxing continued in the third round with Flores beginning to catch Chavez coming in.
Chavez was visibly tired and pushing her punches, but was able to outwork a less busy, less effective Flores in the fourth frame.
After four, the scorecards read 39-37 x 3.
“I came out like a ball of fire because I had to,” Chavez said post-fight. “She was undefeated so I was nervous, but I didn’t let her get off.”
“I want Leanne Villareal. I want Jayla Ortiz. I want Adriana Delgado next.”
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Bonus Pic:
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Outrageous!
Heyman forces Brady to quit and picks up vacant NM State Supermiddleweight title
Ringside report by Ricardo Trujillo and
Chris Cozzone
Photos by
Chris Cozzone
In a much-anticipated New Mexico showdown, Joseph “the Assassin” Brady sought to end a long lay-off by taking on “Mad” Max Heyman for the vacant state supermiddleweight belt.
With both fighters coming off losses, it was a must-win for both fighters.
Fighting for the first time without long-time trainer Jake Valencia, and looking pudgy two weight classes over his norm of 154, Brady was no match for a solid, experienced (and prepared) supermiddleweight like Heyman.
Shocking the crowd that appeared to be behind him, Brady—a far cry from the warrior who refused to quit last year against Andres Pacheco—called it quits after four rounds.
In the first round, the two circled one another for much of the round, but in the first minute, the fight was delayed for several minutes when dangling microphones fell from the sky. Technicians stumbled around trying to fix the dilemma.
When the fight resumed, Heyman fell into action, falling into plan by going at Brady from the outside. The bigger Heyman sealed the first round by landing the first solid blow of the fight: a hard left hook to the body and a lead right at the ten second warning.
With Brady waiting to counter, and slower of foot than the Brady of Olde, Heyman started to hammer away. Unable to get into the game, Brady let loose after the bell sounded.
Heyman was having none of that—showing Brady he would not going to stand for such tactics, Heyman picked Brady up and body slammed him onto the canvas. The ref broke up the mess and warned the fighters, who went back to their respective corners.
Except for a rare counter now and then, Round Four was all Max Heyman.
Beginning to enjoy himself and put on a show by jeering at his opponent, Heyman went to work on the ‘Assassin,’ landing left hooks to the body and occasional shots upstairs. Three hard right hands punctuated the round for Heyman before the bell sounded.
In what would be the final round, Heyman repeated his tactics of the third, bloodying Brady’s face.
Brady simply had no answer for Heyman, and in between rounds, told his corner ‘no mas.’
Defeated and discouraged, Brady stood by while Heyman was announced the winner and awarded the state belt.
“Absolutely no comment,” was all Brady offered backstage.
Heyman had much to say:
“It would’ve been a lot better to fight someone who came to fight,” he said.
“But I guess I showed him my power and used my jab from the get-go. I guess I took the fight out of him.”
Heyman, trained by former world champ Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, is looking to keep busy and step up the competition, although he says he would like a rematch with Lee Montoya.
After two straight wins, Heyman rises to 19-6-3, 11 KOs; Brady falls further to 13-2, 6 KOs.
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Cordova-Jardine a draw
Stepping up from his optimal weight at 168, undefeated Jason Cordova leapt up three weight classes to challenge also-undefeated Keith Jardine for the vacant state belt.
A snag at the last minute had promoters changing the stakes from the ‘New Mexico State Heavyweight title” to the newly-created “Miller Lite New Mexico State Heavyweight title,” when it was discovered that El Paso’s David Rodriguez (16-0, 16 KOs) still owned the belt from a fight in April.
But, no matter, the nonexistent Miller Lite version remains in obscurity after a six-round draw that might’ve been the best fight of the night.
A fearless Cordova came out strong, committing to Jardine’s body early and rocking him not once but twice, with a lead right and a left hook. The gigantic Jardine kept his distance for the round’s remainder, suddenly respectful.
Jardine inched his way back and the two traded heavy blows for much of Round Two; and it was a solid right hand at the bell that sealed the round for him. By the end of the round, a mouse was developing under Jardine’s right eye and Cordova’s nose was bleeding.
Round Three had Cordova dictating the pace, keeping a less-active Jardine against the ropes; but in the 4th, Jardine, now nearly one-eyed, came out with more resolve, trying to press the action and finding a home for his right hand. In the final moments of the round, Jardine scored big by flurrying ten unanswered punches on Cordova, who was trapped against the ropes with his gloves up.
While the end of the 4th looked like the end for Cordova, the beginning of the 5th looked like he’d gotten a second wind. Cordova painted Jardine with hooks while the bigger man, with his eye nearly closed, continued to land his rights, making it a hard round to score.
The final round was all Cordova, who dished out punishment to Jardine who looked more Cyclops or gargoyle than anything human. In the first minute, time-out was called for the ringside physician to check out Jardine’s completely swollen eye—and surprisingly, the fight was allowed to continue.
Showing inhuman resolve, Jardine fought on instinct, when he wasn’t tying up to survive the round, while Cordova stormed away, hammering him with well-placed blows until the sound of the bell.
The judges were split: 58-58, 58-56 for Cordova, and 58-56 for Jardine, making it a three-way draw.
While neither fighter won, the stock of both Cordova and Jardine should go way up from this fight.
“Everyone knew who won this fight,” Cordova’s trainer, ring legend Bob Foster, said afterward.
Naturally, Jackson’s team felt the win should’ve gone to their man, who was taken to the hospital after the fight. A scheduled fight at next week’s King of the Cage tournament will be nixed for Jardine.
“I learned a lot from this fight,” Cordova said. “He hit me, I hit him … he stunned me and I wanted to be quicker. I wanted to win that belt, I wanted to do my best but the weight difference was too much, especially when he leaned on me against the ropes.”
‘Hurricane’ returns with win over uninspired Salinas
Anxious for a return to the ring after his sole loss in June to Bernardo Guereca, “Hurricane” Hector Munoz came to fight last night against fellow Albuquerque fighter Al Salinas.
Unfortunately, Salinas did not come to fight.
For six rounds, Munoz chased an unwilling Salinas around the ring, peppering him when he wasn’t being hugged for safety.
Every round was a repeat affair until the 6th round, when Salinas finally snapped to. While it was still a far cry from winning a round, Salinas’ moments of activity was too little, way too late.
As expected, Munoz won a near-shutout decision: 60-54 x 2 and 59-55.
Munoz had few words:
“The Hurricane is back.”
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