Eloy Perez: "The Prince" vies for his crown

Eloy Perez: "The Prince" vies for his crown
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
February 23, 2012

Though they both share Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions as their promoter, junior lightweights Adrien Broner and Eloy Perez have taken considerably different routes to Saturday night's destination: a 12-round HBO-televised co-feature slot from St. Louis, Mo. underneath the welterweight clash between Devon Alexander and Marcos Maidana.

 Broner, 22, of Cincinnati, Ohio, has been the focus of attention in the United States when it comes to the 130-pound division; his last three bouts have all been televised by HBO and he has been well-favored to win all three of those contests. Against Perez, Broner is currently a 5-to-1 favorite to defend the WBO belt he won against overmatched Argentine Vicente Rodriguez in November. Perez was actually considered to fill that slot, but his team decided to wait for a better opportunity, a smart move in hindsight.

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Famous Fight Fan: Mark Kozelek

Famous Fight Fan: Mark Kozelek
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
February 11, 2012

It's not often that boxing appears a central theme in music, but recording artist Mark Kozelek has given the combat sport a starring role in his work since disbanding alternative rock band, Red House Painters, on the eve of the millennium.

 The frontman for a nearly twelve-year stint (which saw their biggest selling U.S. album “Songs for a Blue Guitar” in 1996, as well as contributions on film soundtracks such as that of Cameron Crowe’s “Vanilla Sky”), Kozelek laid the Red House Painters to rest in 2001 in order to focus on his solo career. Two years later, he and the other founding members of RHP resurrected the band under the moniker Sun Kil Moon, inspired by former South Korean two-division world champion and namesake, Sung-Kil Moon. According to Kozelek, he considered Sun Kil Moon a continuation of the Red House Painters but changed its name to pique the interest of critics who got bored with, or stopped paying attention to, SKM’s previous incarnation.

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Wayne Kelly (1948-2012): No Gimmick Necessary

Wayne Kelly (1948-2012): No Gimmick Necessary
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
February 7, 2012

He needed no gimmick and drew no attention to himself. It was modesty, perhaps, that overshadowed his merits, as his name was oft overlooked in casual discussions of the United States’ best officials.

For veteran referee Wayne Kelly, who passed away last Wednesday due to heart attack at age 63, this mattered none. Of his peers in the fight community, Kelly commanded great respect.

Twenty years playing the third man inevitably saw his involvement with some major incidents, yet the grace with which he handled them elicited little -- if any -- contention. Though I missed the opportunity to meet Mr. Kelly in my five brief years covering the sport, I have always admired his work from afar. With the announcement of his name during pre-fight introductions came the reassurance that I could focus on the in-ring action, rather than the competency (or lack thereof) of the calls.

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NorCal Boxing Report, Feb. 4

NorCal Boxing Report, Feb. 4
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
February 4, 2012

Team Eloy Perez Moves Camp To SoCal In Prep For Adrien Broner 

With just three weeks to go before they make their arrival on the big stage, Team Eloy Perez has relocated their training camp to Oxnard from Oakland, Calif., according to assistant trainer Sam Garcia. The move is in preparation for his HBO debut against WBO 130-pound beltholder Adrien Broner, set for Feb 25 in St. Louis, Mo. in the co-feature to the intriguing welterweight scrap between Devon Alexander and Marcos Maidana. Perez and company have been working at King's Gym in Oakland for the past few weeks with Virgil Hunter and his growing stable of fighters, including junior welterweight Mike Dallas Jr. and lightweight Stan Martyniouk. Perez will now be down in Oxnard at Robert Garcia's gym to spar with undefeated former WBA 135-pound titlist Brandon Rios as well as fellow junior lightweight Argenis Mendez.

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Ringside Report: Mares-Agbeko 2

In the January 2012 edition if American boxing publication RING Magazine, I contributed a Ringside Report on the December 2011 rematch between Abner Mares and Joseph Agbeko. This was my first appearance in RING Magazine.

Jose Miguel Aguiniga Takes Two

Jose Miguel Aguiniga Takes Two
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
February 1, 2012

The early aughts saw champions-in-the-making Victor Ortiz, Steven Luevano, and Brandon Rios all begin their ascent up the pro ranks, yet it was fellow southern Californian Jose Miguel Aguiniga who many experts predicted would first reach the peak. In boxing, a fighter is not always the sum of his physical parts. Such was the case of Aguiniga.

 Though he ran his record to an impressive 31-0, Aguiniga never managed to earn notoriety, nor a lucrative bout before deciding to step away from boxing in 2007. Now returning to the ring for the first time in five years as he fights veteran gatekeeper Juan Ruiz on Feb. 25 in Port Hueneme, California, Aguiniga is hoping to revise his story from a cautionary tale to an inspirational one.

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