Tough hombres!
Luevano roughed up by Honorio in big upset!
Segura & Jensen survive Garcias

Ringside report by Chris Cozzone and Abraham Gallegos
Photos by Chris Cozzone

Last night’s card might not be remembered for clever boxing and fancy dancing.

It might’ve reduced the sweet science to a pre-Flintstone era sort of sport, and had the Marquis of Queensbury tossing and turning in his grave . . .

But the blood and guts action of the six-bout show at Santa Ana Star Casino did not disappoint—and had 900 fight fans screaming for more.

The card, promoted by Top Rank in association with Peter McKinn Productions, and televised by Telefutura, marked the first pro show at Santa Ana in a year—and the first Top Rank card since the days when Johnny Tapia and Danny Romero were both world champions.

Highly-ranked southpaw featherweight Steven Luevano, of La Puente, Calif., unbeaten in 29 contests, was on the road to a world championship title. Tagged No. 4, 7, 9 & 10 by the various alphabets, Luevano was a fight or two away from a shot at a belt.

Along came tough hombre Martin Honorio.

Sparring partner to Humberto Soto who, upset unbeaten former Olympian Rocky Juarez for the WBC featherweight belt earlier this year, Honorio was able to rough up, and cut up, Luevano for the upset win.

Nacho Huizar, trainer of both pugs, Honorio and Soto, must be doing something right down in Mexico City, while, in contrast, Luevano’s team, headed by Miguel Diaz, could not get their fighter on the right track, despite an early knockdown that misled most in thinking this was going to be an early night.

Honorio’s sheer aggression, his relentless attack and refusal to step back, his brutal battering ram of a head, and borderline body blows, sometimes below, sometimes above the beltline, proved too much for the much-more skilled Luevano.

Skills, at least last night, had to take a back seat to heart and guts—of which Luevano showed plenty. But it was a bitter lesson to be learned, thanks to the tough hombres on the other side of the border.

In round one, Luevano endured a solid shot to his right eye that reddened the area, as Honorio charged in. It was a wake-up call for Luevano, who, with each passing moment, started to warm-up and move, all the while landing many shots to Honorio’s body.

In the second stanza, while Honorio started to charge in, Luevano was skillfully slipping shots and showing the mugging Mexican who had the class. More body shots from Luevano kept him ahead—until a big left hand dropped Honorio, giving him the 10-8 round. The Mexican recovered, and in the round’s remainder, started to go to Luevano’s body—and below. 

After more low blows, and cautions from Referee Russell Mora—in the reffing job of his life, he’d soon find out—Honorio was given a final warning. Luevano continued to dance and move, picking his shots and staggering Honorio with another straight left, then another, making it look easy while the Mexican clumsily barreled his way in. Unheeding the earlier warning by the ref, Honorio threw low again; this time, he lost a point, giving Luevano another 10-8 round.

It had all the appearance of a typical Luevano fight on Telefutura; the hot contender outclassing tough opponents who lacked the right moves, thus, another ‘W.’ But Honorio started to get at Luevano in the fourth frame, which opened with a smashing left hook that had Luevano bleeding from his nose. Luevano came back with a big straight left, once again staggering Honorio, who refused to let up. He continued his ever-forward attack while Luevano showed guts by going toe-to-toe, winning yet another round with more solid lefts.

The fight fell apart for Luevano in round five, when he started to concern himself with fending off Honorio’s head-led bum-rushes, and body blows, rather than stick to his plan and outbox his man. With his nose still gushing blood, Luevano let loose on Honorio in the opening segment of the 5th, but Honorio continued to push, and started landing big uppercuts while bombing away at Luevano, who was spending more time holding than fighting, and letting Honorio dictate the action. A last-second flurry might’ve stolen the round for Luevano but it was clear that Honorio, despite the early knockdown, was growing in strength, while sapping Luevano’s.

Honorio was all over Luevano in the sixth round, pushing him into the ropes, landing left hooks and uppercuts while the unbeaten feather clinched, bled and bruised, saving his energy for the closing 30 seconds when he tried to steal the round with a big-hearted retaliation.

The two went toe-to-toe in the first minute of round seven, until Luevano lost his mouthpiece. When the fight resumed, it was all Honorio, who outworked Luevano, who was focused on keeping Honorio’s head from clashing into his, despite the Mexican scoring punch after punch to his midsection.

A big mouse was growing under Luevano’s right eye by the eighth round, and his face was scraped up and bruised from countless head-butts, some of which could be attributed to a rushing rightie vs. leftie conflict of styles; others that might’ve been intentional. Despite countless warnings from the ref, clashing heads did not seem avoidable—then again, the rough tactics, from head-ramming rush-ins to borderline belt blows, displayed by Honorio was working. Luevano, holding more and more, and risking a deduction for doing so, was out of his element and the chance of an upset was very real.

Luevano lost his mouthpiece again in round nine, when Honorio battered him with a left hook. Although looking tired and battered now, Luevano found the strength to turn the tables on Honorio more than once, but the Mexican’s relentless work rate and better shots won him another round.

Both fighters landed solid shots in the opening minute of round ten, but Honorio, showing no wear, gave better than he got. Once again, Luevano’s mouthpiece was out, and bleeding badly, he tried to pick it off the dirty canvas and put it back in his mouth before the ref could take action, but he was caught and a time-out was called. This time, he lost a badly-needed point. When the action resumed, Honorio was all over Luevano, who, despite his weariness, and a huge right hand that wobbled him, showed a big heart by refusing to back down until the bell signaled the end of the fight.

After several long, nervous minutes—prompted by commercials on Telefutura, no doubt—the scores were read:

All three had it for Honorio, 95-92 (Levi Martinez); 94-93 (Jim Bagshaw); and 96-93 (Al Martinez).

Fightnews/NewMexicoBoxing writers ranged from 95-92 to 94-93, also for Honorio.

“It was close—real close,” Luevano, now 29-1, 14 KOs, admitted backstage, icing his battered, bruised face.

“He came in with his head, and got in so many head butts and low blows. I’ve never fought a dirty fighter like that before, so this has been a great lesson for me. It’s the stuff you don’t learn in the gym—that’s how some of these Mexicans fight.”

Trainer Miguel Diaz criticized the referee, saying he’d allowed Honorio to get away with way too many fouls.

"i wanted to let them decide the outcome of the fight," Referee Mora said in defense. "They both could've lost more points--Honorio for low blows and head butts, Luevano for holding so much--but it was best if their fighting dictated who the winner was."

“We want a rematch,” Diaz said, “but in Nevada. I’m not saying we lost because of the referee, but he wasn’t strict enough.”

Luevano, too, mentioned a rematch.

“I’ll come back from this,” he said. “I’ll fight him again—and next time, I’ll prepared for his type of fighter.”

Honorio attributed his win to trainer Nacho Huizar, who said he’d like to get Honorio a little more experience before matching him tough again.

“He already beat a top contender,” said Huizar. “He’ll be ready for a title fight soon.”

Honorio, now 20-3-1, 12 KOs, picks up the most significant win of his career.

“This is what happens when you come in very good condition,” he said.

Segura survives Garcia!

In the co-main event, unbeaten California flyweight claimant Giovanni Segura managed to keep his record clean by dusting off his shorts after a first round knockdown to tough Guadalajaran Benjie Garcia.

It was the third time the two had fought. In back-to-back fights in 2003, Segura had, first drawn, then KO’d Garcia. While Segura started to climb the ranks, building his record, Garcia built his reputation instead, taking on all comers, and managing to upset unbeaten Jose Albuquerque earlier this year.

Last night, he nearly managed another upset, against Segura.

Garcia came out like a tornado in the first round, dropping lefts, dropping rights, and, finally, dropping Segura in the second minute. Segura was up at seven and while Garcia tried, unsuccessfully, to put him back down.

Sheer aggression from Garcia won him the second round, as well, although Segura was, by now, beginning to wake up and keep his gloves up. As round three began, the storm was weathered, and Segura started to get to work. Garcia continued to press forward, but was missing big haymakers while Segura started to pick his shots while avoiding Garcia’s Hail Marys.

Big body shots from Garcia opened up the fourth, but, now moving forward and taking over the role of aggressor, Segura carefully picked up speed and picked his shots on the still-dangerous Garcia, who never seemed to be where Segura wanted him to be.

Segura evened up the score in round five, despite hard shots to the head early on. Straight lefts and uppercuts from Segura, his first hard ones, and much cleaner than Garcia’s loopy throws, won him the round.

A great exchange marked round six, but Segura continued to land the cleaner blows while avoiding Garcia’s unorthodox bombs, most of which whistled through the air, above or alongside Segura. In the best round thus far, Segura crept ahead, initiating intent to Garcia’s body.

Garcia bounced back in round seven, taking Segura’s uppercuts and rights, but firing back with crazily-thrown flurries that had Segura on the defense.

In the final frame, Segura, still retaining his composure, stepped on the gas pedal and had his most dominating round yet, landing lefts to the body and rights upstairs while Garcia appeared to be fading.

At the end of eight, the judges were split:

Judge Al Martinez had it for Segura, 78-74; Judge Levi Martinez favored Garcia, 77-74; and Judge Bagshaw preferred the cleaner-hitting Segura, 74-73; making it a split decision victory for the still-unbeaten Segura.

Fightnews/NewMexicoBoxing had it 76-75 Segura, who moves to 11-0-1, 8 KOs.

“He was very tough, but was holding a lot,” he said afterward.

“He takes a lot of good punches, and can hit back. He hit me good when I dropped my left, but it was a flash knockdown. I was in good shape and wasn’t hurt.”

Garcia, now 0-2-1 with Segura, and 10-7-3, 1 KO, overall, said he thought the fight was close.

'Bad to the Bone' Jensen survives Garcia's temper!

In the only local bout of the night, and the walkout bout at that, Albuquerque welterweight Vicente “El Picosito” Garcia beat “Bad to the Bone” Brad Jensen, of Estes Park, Colo., almost by knockout, but ended up beating himself with a bad temper that enabled Jensen to survive four rounds.

Garcia came out boxing, taking his time, establishing his jab and landing big lefts, one of which buckled Jensen’s legs.

Working behind his jab, Garcia floored Jensen in round two. Barely making the count, for his wobbly legs, Jensen, wide-eyed and nearly out, looked doomed—but 32 fights in his pocket enabled him to survive Garcia’s attempts to finish him. Big straight rights from Garcia could not put Jensen down again.

A left hook staggered Jensen in the third, but rather than concentrate on fighting, Garcia got macho and the two started trading words in the ring, prompting ref Al Martinez, to “Shut up and fight.” Thrown out of his game plan, Garcia, despite winning another round, could not get his concentration back. The round finished in Garcia’s corner, with Garcia swearing at Jensen, and Jensen holding his glove up for reconciliation.

Jensen’s corner gave him the riot act: “What the *&#@ are you shaking hands with him for? You making friends or do you want to #$%! fight?”

Garcia went on the attack with the start of the fourth and final round, but Jensen, firing back in spots, and landing cleanly on a defense-forgetful Garcia, refused to go out on his back. When the bell rang, the hot-headed Garcia pushed his glove into Jensen’s face—maybe his cleanest punch that round.

The scores were all lop-sided for Garcia: 40-35 twice and 40-34.

“It was a disappointing end,” Garcia said in the ring after the fight. “he didn’t want to fight me. I was telling him to fight me, but he wouldn’t, and I lost my temper.”

Chacon survives Armijo

In a four-round junior lightweight bout, El Paso’s Rene “Lone Star” Armijo (5-2, 1 KO) plodded his way to a lop-sided win over game-but-tame Fernando Chacon (3-8-1, 1 KO), of Houston.

A stark contrast to the early Armijo we all witnessed in New Mexico two years ago—an Armijo who used his height and reach, dancing in and out of action but mixing it up when the moment called for it—the latest Armijo version was flat-footed and, oftentimes, clumsy.

Yet, his sheer aggression was more than enough for him to pound his way to an easy decision over Chacon.

Chacon was game, however, and landed cleanly in the first round on Armijo—maybe it’s the extra ounces in the gloves, jumping from 147 to 154 or heavier that keeps them at his side—but the El Pasoan, the bigger and stronger of the two, landed far more often, and harder, on the human punching bag Chacon.

For a brief time, Armijo fought from the outside in round two, but rest assured that Chacon wasn’t going to daze him with any thrown punch, Armijo stepped into the pocket and bombed away with rights and uppercuts, trying like hell for the knockout that wasn’t going to come.

Bouncing shots off Chacon, Armijo let loose with punch after punch in round three, putting another round in the bag but shaking his left at the round’s end as if he’d injured it. Keeping away from hard lefts, Armijo loaded up on rights in the final round, while Chacon fought back in spots.

All three judges had it for Armijo: 40-37, 40-36 and 39-37.

Armijo bounces back from a loss, rising to 5-2, 1 KO while Chacon drops his sixth loss in a row, to 3-8-1, 1 KO.

Pare survives Rios!

In a four-round featherweight bout, Oxnard prospect Brandon Rios showed great promise against a very game Canadian, Michael Pare. Depsite winning the round, and flooring Pares twice, he had to settle for a unanimous decision victory.

Rios used his jab to set up the straight right in the first—and it worked. Down went Pare. He made the count on shaky legs only to go down again soon after, this time, by a left hook followed by a right. Pare went into survival mode but it was just a matter of time.

Actually, it wasn’t a matter of time, for Pare proved tough as nails. He not only survived the two knockdowns by a clearly superior foe, but he took the fight to Rios and showed tremendous heart by taking everything Rios threw at him for the next three rounds.

Pare pinned up Rios against the ropes in round two, and banged away at him, until Rios had had enough and quickly changed angles, turned the tables, and went to work on the Canadian, landing clean hard rights and big uppercuts, clearly winning the round.

Rios moved in on Pare in the third, dominating him with powerful rights and lefts, all of which were taken. Undaunted by the superior Rios, Pare fought back, through the third and final fourth round, despite digging left hooks to his ribs that nearly put him down again. Left hooks up and down had Pares’ mouthpiece sailing through the air, but, still, he refused to go down again.

Chacon survives Nevarez!

In the opening bout of the night, a four-round welterweight bout between Colorado fighters, Carlos Nevarez, of Denver, ended a three-fight losing streak by pitching a shutout against Jason Chacon, of Alamosa.

Despite a game effort, Chacon was, simply, outmatched by the smaller, shorter Nevarez, who blasted him with uppercuts and right hands. Chacon spent the rounds giving apologetic shrugs every time he was hit by Nevarez, more to himself or to his corner, but, once in a while, when he was actually throwing punches, he landed cleanly on the elder veteran. Body shots, body shots, and more body shots, and avoiding the occasional right hand from above, enabled Nevarez to put each round in his pocket.

In the closing moments of the last round, however, the bout saw its best action when Chacon threw caution to the wind and let loose on Nevarez—something he should’ve done in the first round. By then, it was too late and Nevarez goes home with the unanimous decision, 40-36 on all three cards.

Chacon slips to 1-8 while Nevarez goes to 11-15-1, 4 KOs.

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Look for more Santa Ana Star Casino action next year! As for Top Rank, they return on December 9th at Tingley with an all-local card headlining Johnny Tapia, (possibly) Frankie Archuleta, Ray Sanchez III, Austin Trout, Max Heyman and Tonia Craven. Tickets go on sale next week.
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Faces in the crowd: Former world champ Bones Adams was in attendance last night, as was Layla McCarter of Las Vegas; Elco Garcia of Durango, Ray Sanchez III, Shawn Gallegos, Monica Lovato, "Hurricane" Hector Munoz, and Albuquerque's "Bad Boy," Rudy Lovato, who sure would like a fight in his hometown. Lovato called out the "Hurricane," calling him the "Water Spout."

Bonus shots!

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