Brinkley on the ropes

Brinkley on the ropes

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 27, 2011

Friday night, Jesse Brinkley will be an underdog for the third straight bout as he takes on Golden Boy Promotions prospect Peter Quillin in the main event of Telefutura's Solo Boxeo. For the second time in as many years, Brinkley will be enjoying a home-field advantage against his favored opponent as he fights Quillin at the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nevada on a card co-promoted by Golden Boy and Brinkley's Reno-based promoters Terry and Tommy Lane of Let's Get It On Promotions.

From marinated to overcooked: Lopez-Gamboa, Kirkland-Angulo, & Ortiz-Berto

From marinated to overcooked? Lopez-Gamboa, Kirkland-Angulo, & Ortiz-Berto

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 18, 2011

In this midweek piece, Leave-it-in-the-ring's Mark Ortega discusses the overcooked bout between Juan Manuel Lopez and Yuriorkis Gamboa that fell to shambles following Lopez' shock loss to Orlando Salido this weekend, and why promoters should put their fighters in tough more often as was the case with Andre Berto and Victor Ortiz the same night, where the loser gained just as much in defeat as he had in winning his first 27 pro fights. As was the case with Tua-Ibeabuchi in '97, no career will be derailed from the great welterweight bout between Berto-Ortiz.

The month of April has already seen its fair share of upsets in big time bouts as well as the vanquishing of quite a few future paydays for many fighters on the losing end of them.

Perez dominates Rodriguez

Perez dominates Rodriguez!

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 15, 2011

WBO #2 Salinas, Calif.-based super featherweight Eloy “The Prince” Perez [21-0-2, 5 KOs] continued his winning ways, outboxing Alejandro Rodriguez [12-2, 6 KOs] of Guadalajara, Mexico to a unanimous shutout over ten lopsided rounds in defense of his WBO NABO 130-pound title in the televised main event Friday night of Telefutura's Solo Boxeo from Longshoremen's Hall in San Francisco, California. The bout marked the second straight for Perez at the location as he awaits a world title opportunity that based on his recent performances should be around the corner.

Morales a source of dependency for boxing

Morales provides boxing a source of dependency

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 12, 2011

It was a fight that, once over, rendered the official verdict meaningless if you were fortunate enough to catch the action and see it for what it was. Sure, ten years down the line, someone who may not know any better might check out Boxrec, see “Marcos Maidana MD12 Erik Morales,” and think nothing of it, but to those lucky enough to count themselves as one of the more than 7,000 in attendance or one of the few hundred thousand that tuned in live, it was an epic night in the storied career of one of boxing's great warriors.

It's entirely possible that Marcos Maidana may never reach the elite level of the sport, but that won't diminish what Morales was able to do against him at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas this past weekend.

Maidana's record improves, Morales' all-time status soars

Maidana's record improves, Morales' all-time great status soars

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 9, 2011

In what can be considered one of the more impressive performances by a fighter who is long past his best, Mexican hero Erik “El Terrible” Morales silenced all of his critics as he made it to the finish line against Argentinian heavy hitter Marcos Maidana, losing a hard fought twelve-round unanimous decision victory at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada in a bout that many will tab as a candidate for Fight of the Year.

Morales 140, Maidana 140

Morales, 140, Maidana 140

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 8, 2011

The last time Erik “El Terrible” Morales stepped foot into the MGM Grand for a professional prizefight, he scored the most illustrious win of his storied career, a clear cut twelve round unanimous decision victory over Manny Pacquiao, which serves as the last time the Filipino icon suffered defeat.

That bout took place little more than six years ago, and although Morales has slipped a peg or three since, he is obviously still a big enough draw to be headlining tonight's star studded HBO pay-per-view card from Las Vegas and has seen much of the same amount of people show up in support of him than in his heyday.

Harris swan songed by Vargas

Harris swan songed by Vargas

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 8, 2011

In the main event of Telefutura's Solo Boxeo Friday night at Buffalo Bill's Casino in Primm, Nevada, undefeated Jessie Vargas [15-0, 8 KOs] may have written the final chapter of former WBA junior welterweight champion Vivian Harris's once promising career, scoring a one-round stoppage when Harris decided he could not come out for the second round after taking a sustained beating over the full three minutes. Harris [29-6-1, 19 KOs], of Brooklyn, New York by way of Guyana, was buzzed more than a handful of times and a knockdown could have been ruled against him at the very end as his knee brushed the ground following a vicious flurry on the ropes. Referee Joe Cortez called off the bout at 3:00 of round one and Vargas, born and raised in Las Vegas, earns the biggest win of his young career.

Vargas 143, Harris 145

Vargas 143, Harris 145

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 7, 2011

It took former WBA junior welterweight champion “Vicious” Vivian Harris four tries and an additional hour and a half to make 145 pounds for tonight's Telefutura Solo Boxeo main event, but he may be on his last opportunity to retain relevancy in the boxing landscape as he takes on young undefeated prospect Jessie Vargas in the ten round headliner.

Harris looks to right the Vicious Vivian Express

Harris looks to right the Vicious Vivian Express

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 6, 2011

It doesn't seem that long ago that “Vicious” Vivian Harris looked to be one of boxing's brightest young emerging talents, having lifted his first world title at just 24 years of age with a resounding second round stoppage of Diosbelys Hurtado to claim the WBA 140-pound championship back in October of 2002. Now Harris [29-5-1, 19 KOs] stands at the crossroads of his career against Golden Boy Promotions prospect Jessie Vargas [14-0, 7 KOs] in the headlining bout of a Telefutura Solo Boxeo televised card from Primm, Nevada this Friday.

Where would a win over Maidana rank for El Terrible?

Where would a win over Maidana rank for El Terrible?

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 4, 2011

When Erik “El Terrible” Morales steps into the ring on April 7^th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, he will do so against higher odds than the living legend has ever seen.

What Morales faces is the junior welterweight wrecking machine known as “Chino”, Marcos Rene Maidana of Argentina. Though never a legitimate world champion, Maidana is perhaps the stiffest test the Tijuana native has ever faced, and considering he has been in against names like Pacquiao and Barrera a combined six times, its not on account of a lack of names.

Coronel named as opponent for Zewski

Coronel named as opponent for Zewski

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 5, 2011

Undefeated Canadian junior middleweight prospect Mikael Zewski [8-0, 5 KOs] has found an opponent for his spot on the undercard of this Saturday's Erik Morales-Marcos Maidana HBO pay-per-view as he will fight Robert Guerrero sparring partner Clint Coronel [4-1-2, KO] of San Jose, California in a six-round bout.

Ghost Guerrero needs to be more lucid against Katsidis

Ghost Guerrero needs to be more lucid against Katsidis

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 4, 2011

He hasn't lost in almost five years, has claimed world titles three times in two different weight classes, has fought on HBO in three of his last four and, at 28 years old, he should be hitting his physical prime. With credentials like those, one must assume the fighter in question is a pound-for-pound entrant that the casual fan is likely aware of.

Unfortunately, the fighter in discussion is Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, who on April 9^th will meet the always tough Michael Katsidis for the vacant interim WBA and WBO lightweight titles on the undercard of Erik Morales' return to Las Vegas against Marcos Maidana on HBO-PPV. Yes, its a vacant interim unification bout.

The Brothers Morales

The Brothers Morales

Mark E. Ortega (translation done by George Jimenez)

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 1, 2011

On April 9^th, the partisan crowd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada will get a glimpse at the past, present, and future of one of Mexico's most favored fighting families.

Headlining the HBO pay-per-view televised card will be elder statesman Erik “El Terrible” Morales [51-6, 35 KOs] who returns to the big fight limelight for the first time in four years as he takes on Argentina's Marcos Rene Maidana [29-2, 27 KOs], quite possibly the heaviest hitter south of the welterweight division.

Pavlik on the outside looking in

Pavlik on the outside looking in

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 1, 2011

It was the middle of July of 2009 and Kelly Pavlik, despite two fights previously where he was battered by Bernard Hopkins, was sitting pretty atop the middleweight division as the unified champion and his sights set on a possible fight with fellow pound-for-pound ranked fighter Paul Williams.

Around the same time, Showtime announced their groundbreaking Super Six World Boxing Classic for the super middleweight division, a shortened round robin style tournament featuring six of the best 168 pounders in the world.