|
 Rodriguez
licks Lally!
Another 1st round kayo for unbeaten heavyweight
hopeful
Ringside
report by Chris Cozzone and Ricardo Trujillo
photos by cozzone
After a
two-year absence, professional fighting made a hearty return to
Las Cruces last night with Southwest Fight Promotions’ debut
card at the Pan American Center. With 15 bouts split between
professional and amateur, boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA),
“Saturday Night at the Fights” gave the estimated 950 fans
plenty of bang for their buck.
In the main
event, unbeaten heavyweight hopeful David “Nino” Rodriguez added
the New Mexico state heavyweight belt to his Texas version with
yet another first round knockout.
This time,
the victim was “Irish” Jeff Lally. The older, smaller shopworn
veteran could do little but inconvenience the El Paso giant with
having to pound him to the canvas not once, not twice, but
three times before the official end at 2:02.
For
Rodriguez, there was little lollygagging (just Lallygagging)
who methodically went to the work when the bell rang, moving in
on his ill-fated foe. The unsound ring, which had been giving
everyone headaches all night, was swaying like an ocean liner
when Rodriguez unleashed his first combination, flooring Lally
with his first good left hook.
In the next
minute, while Lally tried to gather his wits, he’d kiss the
canvas two more times before the official end.
“David
Rodriguez hits just as hard as anyone I’ve ever fought in my
life,” Lally said after the fight. “David Tua, Briggs, Jeremy
Williams . . . he hits as hard as any of them. I think he’s got
the potential to make some money and be a contender.”
The
Louisville opponent falls to 23-22-1 (10 KOs). While most of
those losses are to quality contenders and near-contenders (like
David Tua, Lou Savarese and Larry Donald), Lally has now fallen
eight times in row.
Rodriguez,
on the other hand, continues his Joe Mesi-like rise while,
earning his 15th win—14th by 1st
round knockout.
“I was real
happy with my performance,” he said. “I was real patient, even
though it ended in the first round. I worked my jab and I caught
him with both hands tonight. I did everything I needed to do in
there.”
Rodriguez
appears to be the real deal—he has David Tua punching power,
speed that belies his size, with both the personality and looks
to be a superstar. But, on the other hand, his critics want to
see him up against better opposition—something better than the
Lally’s of the world.
“It’s all
part of the building process,” says Rodriguez’s manager, Bob
Spagnola of Houston. “In our last fight, he fought a solid kid
who was 14-3. We’re just plugging along trying to mature the
fighter, nurture the fighter.”
Rodriguez
is looking at his next fight in San Francisco come June, and
possibly a July match in El Paso.
 Vela
& Villa battle age
The pro
portion of the card opened up with a rousing “Battle of the
Ancients”, Ronnie Villa and Sergio “Raging Bull” Vela, who
replaced Eric Holland on short notice due to his indefinite
suspension resulting from pulling out of a main event fight in
Juarez without notice.
Both Villa
and Vela were coming off retirement. Villa had been out of the
ring for five and Vela, eight years. On paper, this bout looked
as if it was going to be a battle of sloths, but it actually
turned out something akin to going to a Rolling Stones
concert—these guys could still bang.
In the
first, the southpaw Vela had a hard time getting uncorked while
Villa unloaded on him, throwing, sharper, snappier punches for
an easy round win. Vela ended the round looking like a washed-up
fighter—but started the 2nd like the young and hungry
fighter he once was.
Vela forced
Villa to fight close quarters, unleashing left hands and hooks
at a defense-minded Villa. Vela finished the round with a flurry
while Villa, breathing hard already, covered up and waited for
the bell.
After a
slow start in the third frame, Vela went back to outworking his
opponent while Villa conserved his energy with one punch at a
time. Ripping shots to the body, the pugnacious Vela showed
mettle to win yet another round.
Bleeding
from the mouth, bruised and battered, Villa summoned up the
strength to withstand Vela’s fourth round onslaught. Vela sealed
what should’ve been his win by pushing the pace, forcing Villa
to weather it to the end.
At the end
of four, it was a no-brainer: three rounds to one in favor of
the busier Vela.
“Not bad
for a washed up fighter,” a jovial Vela said after the
fight—until the scores were announced.
Unfortunately, only one judge had it right (Levi Martinez, with
39-37). The other two had it 38-38, making the fight a majority
draw.
Villa, the
local favorite, said this would be it for him.
“I’m just
going to stay training kids—I’m too damn old,” he said. “This
was a veteran I got in the ring with and I just wanted to
survive. This is it.”
Villa ends
his career at 6-10-4 while Vela, 14-6-4, will probably fight
again.
“La Parka” destroys
Stevens . . . again
The second
bout was a rematch between former Mexican light heavyweight
champion Gustavo "La Parka" Enriquez (12-4, 9 KOs) and El Paso’s
Frank Stevens (0-5).
Two years
ago, Stevens took a short-notice match against Enriquez in
Juarez, resulting in him getting flattened in the first frame,
retiring the El Paso pug.
Now, if
Stevens is smart, he’ll retire for good.
The rematch
was a repeat of the first fight—only more devastating. The first
time, Stevens was battered down against the ropes in the first;
this time, a straight right hand flattened Stevens face down on
the canvas with the official time of 1:57.
Montoya gets his payback
Last
December, Rich Montoya made his pro MMA debut in Albuquerque
against Las Cruces’ Sean Bolen. While he was in control of the
fight, an unlucky cut resulting from an elbow gave Bolen the win
at just :42 of the first round.
Last night,
in less than half the time, Montoya had his vengeance.
After a
devastating takedown, crushing an already-hurt Bolen on the edge
of the ring, Montoya took time out to give a wink to the New
Mexico Athletic Commission members seated in front of him before
pulling back and unleashing a volley of hard punches to Bolen’s
head.
Bolen’s
legs stiffened while Montoya landed deadly shots before the ref
leapt in to stop the slaughter at :24.
While
Montoya was announced the winner, Bolen, still very shaky, was
assisted out of the ring.
Gomez-Gonzalez Fight of
the Night
The best
bout of the night was a 136-pound match between El Paso veteran
Jacob Gomez and Las Cruces’ Jaime Gonzalez. It proved an even
match-up, both in the ring and on paper: Gomez, somewhat pudgy
fighting ten pounds over his optimal, was giving up weight to
the bigger Gonzalez, who lacked Gomez’s experience and ring
savvy.
Both
fighters got off to an aggressive start, but the southpaw Gomez
was able to land the cleaner shots and by the end of the round,
had Gonzalez bleeding from the nose.
Both
fighters traded blow-for-blow in the second stanza, mostly
slugging it out close quarters. This time, Gonzalez eked the
round, throwing more punches.
An
incredible volume of punches from both fighters in the 3rd
had the crowd screaming, making it a toss-up round.
In the 4th,
Gomez pinned Gonzalez against the ropes, edging the win in a
very entertaining round.
At the end
of four, the judges were split: 40-36 for Gomez, 39-37 for
Gonzalez, and 39-37 for Gomez. Our cards read 38-even (Cozzone)
and 39-37 Gomez (Trujillo).
Amateur
results - Boxing
Luis
Borrego of Tucson decisions Jacob Nolan of Las Cruces
Very close fight with back-and-forth action. Even first round;
Borrego’s overhand punches winning him the 2nd; and
Nolan’s aggression giving him the 3rd round edge.
Nolan wins on our cards but judges have it for Borrego.
Sammy
DiPace of Las Cruces decisions Oscar Valenzuela
DiPace is a whirlwhind in the 1st, overwhelming
Valenzuela, who gets a bloody nose and 2 standing 8-counts. The
difference in speed and power is apparent and DiPace makes
Valenzuela a bloody mess, prompting a look-see by the ringside
physician. Another standing 8-count in the 2nd and 3rd
for Valenzuela, who manages to hang in there to lose a
shut-out decision.
Joseph
Guerra of Las Cruces decisions Adam Ochoa
Despite receiving a standing 8 in the 1st, Guerra
goes to war in the 2nd and 3rd, edging
Ochoa for the decision.
Rick
Vasquez of Las Cruces decisions Cisco Luna
Vasquez’s fight from the start – his outside attack has too much
hustle for Luna.
Amateur
results - MMA
Ed
Tomaselli wins by tapout over Joe Tarman
The end is quick. Tomaselli takes down Tarman and, on the edge
of the ring, he pummels him until ref stops contest.
Adam
Morales of Las Cruces decisions Albuquerque’s Freddy Ordunez
Aggravating fight—too much upright clinching, not enough
striking. Morales’ knee strikes win him the fight over Ordunez,
who gets a point off in the 2nd for hanging onto
Morales’ shorts.
Greg
Blackman TKOs Johnny Wilson in the 1st
Both fighters go down in a crash, but Blackman is quicker – he
leaps atop Wilson and pummels him until the ref stops the fight.
Chad
Lemoine wins by submission (armbar) over Jesse Dominguez
Dominguez comes out like he’s shot out of a cannon, but Lemaine
weathers the storm and, once on the canvas, slips into an armbar
to win by submission.
Greg
Polanco wins by walkover over Franklin Tubbs.
Darrell
Schoonover decisions Mike Parriquay
A dull grappling match for the duration; Schoonover’s strikes
make the difference for the win.
Quick
scorecard – pro fights
David Rodriguez (15-0, 15 KOs) KO 1 "Irish" Jeff Lally (23-22-1,
10 KOs)
Rodriguez wins vacant New Mexico state heavyweight title
Gustavo "La Parka" Enriquez (12-4, 9 KOs) KO 1Frank Stevens (0-5
Jacob Gomez (9-11-3) SD 4 Jaime Gonzalez (1-4)
Sergio Vela (14-6-4) MAJ. DRAW 4 Ronnie Villa (6-10-4)
(MMA bout) Richard Montoya KO 1 Sean Bolen |
