Chavez edges Ortiz for IFBA belt
Females finish out Sky Ute’s  boxing year with ‘Fall Fury II”

Ringside report & photos by Chris Cozzone

It was “Ladies’ Night” in Ignacio, Colo. last night when, in their final show of the year, the Sky Ute Casino hosted a women’s world title bout to a near-capacity crowd.

In a battle of world-rated New Mexican contenders, Los Lunas’ Jackie Chavez edged out Santa Fean Jayla Ortiz for the vacant IFBA World Super Bantamweight title.

It was a fight that wavered between tactical and explosive—and not one without its share of controversy.

The questions of the night was whether Chavez would be able to chase down the ever-elusive Ortiz and let her have it; or whether the more experienced Ortiz would outslick Chavez.

The answer was ‘yes’ and ‘yes,’ making a very close fight.

The first round was tentative and fairly close, with Chavez’s right hands on a par with Ortiz’s slightly busier counter-punching, until the closing moments when Chavez pinned Ortiz against the ropes and let loose with a volley of punches that gave her the round.

Round Two could’ve gone either way, depending on whether  you liked Ortiz’s quicker combos, albeit of the pitter-pat variety, or Chavez’s more authoritative right hands. Chavez, though, was still waiting too long and a couple right hands were not enough to give her the nod.

In the 3rd, Chavez started to work, landing right hands more often and closing the round in explosive fashion by trapping her opponent in her own corner, unloading several power shots and forcing Ortiz to tie up until the bell.

Chavez continued to pull ahead in the fourth, pressuring Ortiz who showed heart but spent the round on her bike. It looked as if the bigger, stronger Chavez was starting to dominate.

But Ortiz turned the fight around in Rounds Five, Six and Seven.

Chavez took the 5th off, letting Ortiz outhustle her, and in the 6th and 7th, Ortiz simply counterpunched her way back into the fight, avoiding the less-busy Chavez’s right hands while dictating the pace by outhustling.

Chavez had a better round in the 10th but Ortiz was proving too slippery for her. Instead of applying pressure, Chavez simply let Ortiz control the action.

With the 8th round 10-10, I had the fight dead even going into the ninth round.

The 9th was, once again, very close but I thought Chavez eked the round out with her right hands—usually  thrown in predictable three-punch combos—although Ortiz was showing grit by coming at Chavez with her own furious flurries.

Chavez closed the show, however, finally taking the fight to Ortiz in a way that would’ve close d the show early if she’d done it this way from the start.

At the end of ten, I had it 97-95 for Chavez.

Judge Rosales and Martinez had it close, at 96-94 for Chavez while Judge Garcia had a preposterous shutout  score of 100-90 for Chavez.

Even Chavez was surprised at the score of 100-90.

“I felt Ortiz won some of the middle rounds and thought it was even before the last two rounds,” Chavez admitted. “But I was confident I’d won after the tenth.

“She was difficult to fight. She moved a lot and although I thought I hurt her a couple times, I couldn’t finish her off.”

With the unanimous win, Chavez, now 8-0, 3 KOs, becomes the new IFBA Super Bantamweight world champion.

“It’s awesome to be a world champion,” said Chavez. “It’s the best feeling in the world.”

Chavez hopes to stay busy even if it means fighting out of state, but will grant Denver’s Terri Cruz a shot at the title.

Chavez replaced Cruz a few weeks out after Cruz pulled out due to a dog bite sustained while running.

Cruz’s manager, Steve Maestas, however, is wary about fighting in New Mexico or Ignacio, where New Mexican judges are used by the Southern Ute Athletic Commission.

“I don’t think Terri would get a fair chance to win,” he said.

Ortiz also complained about the officials used in her fight against Chavez.

“I gave the fight all I had and I know it was a close fight,” said Ortiz, who slips to 11-6-4, 3 KOs.

“But ‘100-90?’ C’mon! I wasn’t going to win with Albuquerque judges—one of the judges was her ex-trainer. Another relation was sitting next to another one of the judges.”

Ortiz had voiced her concerns before the fight, but says her pleas fell on deaf ears.

Actually, one judge—Cordelia Sanchez—who  normally works the Sky Ute cards, had sat the fight out because she is related to Chavez.

The “another relation” Ortiz referred to is Stan Gallup, who is related to Sanchez by marriage—but Gallup, a coordinator for the commission, did not judge or ref the Chavez-Ortiz bout.

Chavez’s former trainer, Tony Rosales, however, did work the fight as a judge, but scored the bout a very believable 96-94.

The oddball score of 100-90, ironically, came from the out-of-state judge, Ruben Garcia, who was brought in from Texas as an impartial voice.

Ortiz’s camp is expected to launch a protest.

Cisneros punishes Poe, tarnishes Poe's fight with Holm

In the opening bout of the evening, Albuquerque’s Victoria Cisneros surprised the crowd  by not only beating tough Angie Poe of Denver, but punishing her through four tough rounds.

Round One went to Poe, who won it by throwing more punches. Cisneros was kept on the defensive while Poe unloaded sloppy, wide shots.

Having figured out Poe, Cisneros took over in the 2nd, winning the next four rounds.

In the 2nd, Cisneros put the pressure on Poe, landing dozens of short left hooks on a defense-less Poe. In the 3rd, Poe was bombarded by right hands as Cisneros outmuscled her, staggering her at the end of the round. In the 4th, Cisneros mixed it up with uppercuts, battering Poe on the inside; and in the final round, she put it all together, winning the round  convincingly when Poe tried to make a last stand.

At the end of five, it was a no-brainer on everyone’s scorecard: 49-46.

Cisneros continues to improve, rising to 3-1 while Poe drops to 3-4.

Ironically, Poe has signed to fight Holly Holm (7-1-2, 3 KOs) on December 11th in Albuquerque for the vacant step-up Women’s IBA jr. welterweight belt—a fight that, with this loss, appears hopeless.

Babydoll’ spanks Chavez

In Bout Two, #1 Contender Elena “Babydoll” Reid (15-1-5, 4 KOs) outclassed brawler Yvonne Chavez (3-4, 2 KOs), dropping her in the second and punishing her for five hard-to-watch rounds.

Reid wasted no time taking control, picking her shots in the 1st with well-timed counter punches  as Chavez recklessly charged in. After several attempts to land windmills, and getting popped in the process, Chavez showed respect as the round progressed, backing off.

Reid not only outsmarted Chavez in the 2nd, but outbrawled the brawler, coming in with her jab and landing hard straight lefts, one of which dropped Chavez to the canvas after the first minute. Chavez made the count on shaky legs.

While Chavez never gave up, showing a huge heart, she was hopelessly outclassed here against Reid, who sidestepped and slipped with ease, answering back with hard lefts that staggered Chavez.

It was more of the same in the 4th, although Chavez was finally able to land a few of her bombs—all of which were well taken by Reid.

In the last round, Chavez had her best round, but was still outsmoked by Reid who picked up the unanimous with scores of 50-44 on all three scorecards.

Gomez finishes off night, but unable to finish off Pedraza

In the final bout of the evening, local  favorite Joseph Gomez improved to 4-0, 1 KO, with a hard fought decision over veteran opponent Edgar Pedraza (2-11-3).

Round One was a sparring session, with Gomez following Pedraza around the ring, hitting him with hooks to the body. Pedraza proved game, however, and got in a few licks.

It was more of the same in the 2nd, but, in the 3rd, Pedraza turned the fight around for the first 60 seconds, taking the fight to Gomez, who went on the defense. In the second half of the round, Gomez took back the fight, staggering Pedraza several times.

Round Four was back to sparring, with Pedraza playing game but Gomez proving too young and strong for the aging veteran.

After four, all three judges had it 40-36 for Gomez.

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In amateur action:

Thomas Partado of 11th Street won by 2nd round RSC over Ivan Palmer of GIBC.

Badoni’s Talu Hogue won by walkover over Shiprock’s Talu Hogue.

Badoni’s Jazzma Hogue decisioned Gilbert Perez of Rob’s Boxing.

Andre Harrison of 11th Street won by TKO when the corner of Cody Dobbins (GIBC) stopped the fight in the 3rd.

Marlon Begay of Badoni’s decisioned GIBC’s Zachary Bartley.

Bloomfield’s Anthony Jacquez was impressive with his decision over Badoni’s Dietrich Daukai.

11th Street’s David Hernandez put the pressure on GIBC’s Emerson Griffith, proving too strong with a decision.

Telluride’s Lionel Star decisioned Darrell Yazzi of Shiprock.

Shiprock’s Grant John decisioned Kurt Daukai of Badoni’s.

Las Vegas’ Dan Dan Solano outhustled Badoni’s Suanitu Hogue with a decision in a close match.

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The Sky Ute Casino returns in the spring with their first card of ’05.

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