gallegos001 Gallegos conquers game Gomez

Ringside report by Ricardo Trujillo
Photos by Gabe Hernandez

A sparse but boisterous crowd was witness to four professional fights last night at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, NM. Good matchmaking made for an exciting evening of fisticuffs that did not end until after midnight.

In the main event, Shawn “The Educator” Gallegos outpointed El Paso’s Jacob Gomez to win a ten-rounder for the Budweiser version of the state belt.

On paper, this should have been a washout for the bigger Gallegos, who was coming down to 135 against the smaller Gomez, really, a featherweight who had to lose two pounds after initially weighing in at 137.

In the first round, Gallegos got close to Gomez, committing to the body and trying to take his legs away, but Gomez fired back showing his wares, not permitting Gallegos to get into gear. It was the southpaw Gomez who pressed the action and pinned Gallegos against the ropes ripping two shots to one to win the round on my card.

By the second, a pattern was developing with the sluggish Gallegos feeling the effects of not eating to make weight, counter-punching and letting Gomez fight with a head of steam. A right hook to the body just before the bell by Gomez did damage, as Gallegos winced when he returned to his corner. But the round went to Gallegos who was able to split the guard of Gomez early. Still, it was not the same Shawn Gallegos we normally see, dancing, moving, hitting. This Gallegos was flatfooted and looking to save energy for a distance fight.

In the third and fourth, it was obvious the left-handed style of Gomez was giving Gallegos fits. But Gallegos was finding the range, popping Gomez with his jab, drawing blood from his nose.

In the fifth, Gallegos was finally letting both his guns go and to good effect. But Gomez wasn’t going anywhere, he remained gutsy and had come to fight.

On the downhill side of this ten-rounder, Gallegos knew he had a fight on his hands. Gomez repeatedly drove Gallegos to the ropes, pulling the trigger and wailing away with both hands. The sixth round was his best round since the first although he caught a head butt that caused his already bleeding nose to gush even more.

The 7th was the most action-packed round of the fight, with both men sensing victory. Gallegos was in close, flurrying with hooks, crosses and uppercuts. But the undaunted Gomez cracked Gallegos with a right hook to the face and the suspect chin of Gallegos came into play as he covered up at the bell.

The last three rounds belonged to Gallegos as he battled fatigue, an unrelenting opponent and a pro-Gomez crowd. Although fighting outside his normal envelope, by the end of the eighth, you could sense that Gallegos had more pop on his punches because he was backing up Gomez who was relegated to hitting on the break and rushing his opponent from the outside. Gomez doesn’t know the path of the punches, but he’s a come-at-you guy and near the end of the final round, a right hook slightly buckled the knees of Gallegos.

In the end, it was a unanimous decision for Gallegos 98-92 twice and 96-94. I had it 97-93.

When asked to evaluate his performance Gallegos said, “I give myself a two out of ten. I wasn’t happy with my performance, but I’m happy I won.

“His left-handed style really bothered me. I felt off balance and sluggish. Dropping all that weight affected my performance and I will never fight at 135 again.”

Gallegos ups his mark to 14-1, 6 KOs and will now campaign at 140.

For his part, Gomez was disappointed, to say the least.

“Shawn Gallegos knows I won this fight. 98-92? Come on!

“I’m retiring tonight. I don’t have anything more to prove. I’ve got a kid on the way and a good career as a correctional officer, that’s it for me.”

Gomez leaves the ring at 9-13-3 with no KOs.

Villa Wins Controversial Decision Over Vela . . . again

In a six-rounder, Las Crucen Ronnie Villa looked and showed all his 42 years as he won a majority decision over Sergio Vela in a rematch of their bout last April in the same venue.

In the first, Vela, the southpaw came out strong, showing his mettle and pounding Villa to the ropes, frustrating the veteran. Villa’s reflexes were gone as he looked for cover from the straight lefts and right hooks of Vela who poured it on at the bell.

Villa continued to punch after the bell, and Ref Rocky Burke had a hell of a time separating the combatants near Vela’s corner. Vela’s trainer, Joe Hidalgo, jumped on to the apron and pushed Villa back to his corner, when, suddenly and without provocation, Villa smacked Hidalgo in the chops.

All hell broke loose.

The Deputy Inspectors for the State Athletic Commission rushed into the ring and onto the apron as both corners filled the squared circle. A fracas broke out as fans rushed the ring but were held back by police and event staff. Finally, after about 30 seconds, order was restored.

With all the commotion, Ref Rocky Burke had not picked up the scorecards between rounds and had to gather them after the bell sounded.

The second round began with more of the same, as the plodding Villa languished on the ropes permitting the pugnacious Vela to do more of the same. Villa was starting to puff up already as Vela was there first with his punches. But to Villa’s credit, he stood in there and began to get his counter punches going.

The middle rounds saw Villa fighting in spurts with Vela dominating in volume and connects. The shorter Vela threw right down the pike—nothing but fastballs. Fifteen unanswered punches from Vela drove Villa to the ropes and it was a miracle Villa even made it out of the fourth.

As round five began, as Villa went to touch gloves, Vela ripped a straight left to Villa’s nose, which was now beginning to look like purple plum. Villa was bone tired but tapped into a reservoir of strength to have a good round as Vela faded towards the end of the round.

By the sixth, both were flatfooted and pushing slow punches, looking for some advantage. Villa got low and uncorked an uppercut but Vela countered with a straight left that popped blood all over my notes and my new sports jacket that will now have to go to the dry cleaners.

The fight went to the scorecards. Vela’s corner moved towards the center of the ring and, without rhyme or reason, Villa smacked trainer Hidalgo again—he later explained that he did not know Hidalgo’s intention when approached.

In my book, it was still a cheap shot—and Villa was rewarded for his behavior with an unbelievable majority decision win.

The cards read 58-56 twice and 57-57 for a majority decision win for Villa. I had it 58-56 for Vela.

“He was making girlie noises every time I hit him to the body. I was robbed again,” said a disconsolate Vela, meaning the loss last night and the draw last April. “It’s not right. I beat the guy.”

As for Hidalgo, he described Villa’s behavior as a “cheap shot.”

When asked about his future plans he said, “The loss didn’t do me no good, but I will fight if the money is right.” Vela drops his record to 14-9-1, 8 KOs.

Villa was, of course, happy in his dressing room. “I did what I wanted to do, I felt better tonight.”

When asked to explain his behavior after rounds one and six he stated, “I blame it on him (Vela). He kept fighting after the bell in round one. I was just protecting myself. Hidalgo held me back so his guy could hit me.”

And after the fight?

“Hidalgo charged me. I didn’t know what his intentions were.”

New Mexico State Athletic Commission member Martin Narro said, “I recommend a suspension for Ronnie Villa, I must protect the integrity of the sport.”

But it is all academic because Ronnie Villa retired once again, finishing his career with a record of 7-10-4, 1 KO.

The Pittbull retires Castillo

Sporting pictures of his deceased sister Nellie on his shoes, Colbert “Pit Bull” Losoya pounded out a unanimous decision win over El Pasoan Oscar “Xicanito” Castillo.

Castillo pawed with his jab most of the night while Losoya did what he did last June of 2003 in Roswell: rumble his way to a unanimous decision.

Castillo had good moments, but he could not keep the hard charging “Pit Bull” off him long enough to sustain an attack. A flash knockdown in the second round by Losoya spelled the beginning of the end for Castillo. “Pit Bull” looked his moniker and got under most of Castillo’s punches.

In the third, Losoya went unmuzzled and went to town on Castillo. “Pit Bull” was warned for a low blow as Castillo grimaced in pain. Losoya cracked a left hook to the jaw of Castillo close to the end of the round and was winning going away.

In the fourth, Castillo came alive and landed the best punch of the fight, a short crisp right that has Losoya holding on. But his attack was short-lived as they wrestled the remainder of the round.

Castillo still could not get untracked in the fifth. Fighting out of the clinches, Losoya ripped shots to the body of Castillo that slowed him down.

In the sixth and final round Castillo, warmed to the task and landed a wicked left hook to the eye of Losoya. Blood started to stream from a cut that required a butterfly. Losoya also has a small cut underneath his left eye. He looked the worst for wear, but in the end, he was declared the winner by all three judges 59-54. I saw it 58-55 for Losoya.

“This for Nellie and my baby boy.” Losoya now has reeled off two straight wins and evens up at 4-4, 1 KO.

Castillo remarked, “I’m not a sore loser, I did what I could in this sport and it didn’t happen.”

“This is it, I’m through.” Castillo retires with a record of 1-4.

ponce022 Ponce pounces on Gonzalez!

In the most entertaining fight of the night, Alamogordo’s Ric Ponce dominated a game but hapless Jaime Gonzalez. From the opening bell, it was action-packed toe to toe banging with Ponce getting the best of it, although Gonzalez did have moments, especially in round three.

Ponce dropped Gonzalez with a left and a right in Round Four and it looked like curtains for Gonzalez, but somehow he managed to get up to fight evenly for the remainder of the round.

But by Round Six, a barrage of lefts and rights by Ponce forced Ref Burke to call a halt to the proceedings at 1:44 of the last round. Scorecards at the time of the stoppage were 50-44 twice and 49-45, I saw it also at 49-45.

Ponce said after the fight, “I stayed to my coach’s plan, pressure, pressure and keep my jab in his face.

“Jaime is a good sport, he had good wind.”

And when asked who he wants next, “Let’s go Losoya and me.”

Ponce moves to 2-1, 2 KOs.

Jaime Gonzalez was unavailable for comment because of medical attention that was being rendered. He is now 1-7, 1 KO.