Juan Carlos Martinez spoils Alejandro Perez’s plans in UniMas main event

Juan Carlos Martinez spoils Alejandro Perez’s plans in UniMas main event
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
March 30, 2013

LAS VEGAS — With a shot at top-10 featherweight contender Nicholas Walters looming on May 31, Alejandro Perez just had to fight a safe gameplan and stay out of harm's way in his main event Saturday night against Juan Carlos Martinez at Texas Station Hotel & Casino. Martinez, a compet journeyman used to taking fights on short notice, had other plans as he shocked Perez by winning a 10-round split decision over Perez.

Despite his bad looking record, Martinez (20-14-1, 7 KOs) came to fight, forcing Perez (19-4-1, 13 KOs) to brawl in an entertaining scrap that probably had his team uneasy with every exchange. Martinez came in off training with renowned trainer Joel Diaz while helping Timothy Bradley prepare for Manny Pacquiao. You don't get sparring much better than that.

"When you're used to fighting on a few weeks notice and you get a full training camp, it makes a world of difference," Joel Diaz told RingTV.com after the win.

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The Soft White Sixties bless Sin City with a sexy dose of rock n roll

The Soft White Sixties bless Sin City with a sexy dose of rock n roll
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
March 26, 2014


Thursday night in downtown Las Vegas, emerging San Francisco rock band The Soft White Sixties played through a 45-minute set to a crowd of people who most of which were unaware a show was going to take place.

In a nice backyard area of the Gold Spike Casino, only a handful of those gathered were aware of the band. Knowledgable fans got what they wanted as the band played through songs from their debut EP as well as their recent release Get Right. Those just looking to kill some time and relax after an eventful opening day of college basketball’s March Madness were pleasantly surprise by the charismatic foursome that have begun to make a good name for themselves in Northern California and are looking to further that following along the west coast.

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Bits & Pieces: Alejandro Perez stays busy, Chris Arreola trains in San Diego

Bits & Pieces: Alejandro Perez stays busy, Chris Arreola trains in San Diego
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
March 25, 2014

Featherweight veteran Alejandro Perez has earned his spot the hard way.

Lightly regarded through the early stages of his career, it wasn’t until the Salinas, Calif. native endured a few defeats before he began to find himself as a fighter.

A mesmerizing one-round knockout of former touted prospect Antonio Escalante in March of 2011 had him hopeful momentum was swinging his way. Instead, it forced a label of being a dangerous, high-risk, low-reward type fighter. That led to only getting offers to fight at 130 pounds despite Perez being at his best at 126 pounds.

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Boxing news around the Bay Area

Boxing news around the Bay Area - Mar. 25
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
March 25, 2014

Former Oakland boxer James Buggs shockingly passed away last Tuesday at the early age of 43 from an apparent heart attack.

Over the course of a 10-year professional career that ended in 2009, Buggs was a win some, lose some type of fighter. He compiled a record that consisted of eight wins, ten losses, and three draws, often taking fights on short notice and under unfavorable circumstances against a number of up and comers.

It is within the confines of Oakland’s famed King’s Gym that Buggs’ absence will be felt the most in the boxing community. It is there that Buggs worked with the city’s youth, teaching them the basics of the sweet science while also becoming a reliable figure in the gym for anyone to bounce their problems off.

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Oakland starter Jarrod Parker out for season, needs second Tommy John surgery

Oakland starter Jarrod Parker out for season, needs second Tommy John surgery
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
March 18, 2014


Bad news struck the Oakland Athletics organization as projected Opening Day starter Jarrod Parker will miss the entire 2014 season due to the need of Tommy John surgery.

This will be the second time that Parker will undergo the reconstructive ulnar collateral ligament replacement, as he had the procedure done in 2009.

Despite the fact that the A’s have a ton of pitching depth, the loss is still a huge blow. Parker was a large reason the A’s won the American League West for the second straight year in 2013. Parker went 9-0 over 19 starts from May 22 to Sept. 16, the longest unbeaten run from an A’s starter since Lefty Grove went 21 straight without a loss in 1931.

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Miguel Cotto-Sergio Martinez, it’s about respect

Miguel Cotto-Sergio Martinez, it’s about respect
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
March 13, 2014

LOS ANGELES – Both Sergio Martinez and Miguel Cotto seemed ready to the press tour behind them and begin training at Wednesday’s final press conference to promote their June 7 middleweight championship.

The theme of the bout, which takes place at Madison Square Garden and will be televised by HBO pay-per-view, appears to be about respect.

Martinez feels disrespected that he’s being billed second and had to make a number of concessions at the negotiation table when he’s the middleweight champion (the lineal champ recognized by THE RING magazine, not just a beltholder). Cotto feels as though he earned that position at the table having taken his lumps as the B-side to both Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

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Boxing Around the Bay

Boxing Around the Bay
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
March 9, 2014


Sacramento’s Robb signs with manager, fights Apr. 5

Sacramento featherweight Guy Robb has proven himself to be one of the most consistently exciting fighters in northern California since his professional debut in 2010. Due to the lack of pro shows in the region, Robb only fought twice in 2013. The inactivity will hopefully come to an end as Robb signed with local manager Herb Stone on Tuesday, the fighter told the Gazette. The 25-year old Robb (12-1, 5 KOs) put on a gutsy display for a nationally televised audience in his lone defeat, a January 2012 loss to fellow unbeaten Joel Diaz Jr.

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Draft of Who to See at Coachella 2014

Draft of Who to See at Coachella 2014
Mark E. Ortega
March 9, 2014

This is the first year that I will be attending the Coachella Valley Music Festival in Indio, Calif. I will be doing so as a writer for GrimyGoods.com, an LA-based music blog that I've contributed concert and album reviews to since October. This is basically a dream come true for me as music festivals are my number two favorite thing in the world behind boxing, which is what I cover for a living.

Friday night fights in Redwood City

Friday night fights in Redwood City
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
March 4, 2014

Friday night at the Fox Theater, local favorite Bruno Escalante scored an easy one round knockout of Mexican veteran Lorenzo Trejo in the ten-round main event.

Trejo is a 36-year old Mexican journeyman who had been stopped in the first round his previous two fights. He unsurprisingly met the same demise at the hands of his much younger foe. Trejo took one good left hand well and then it was all downhill from there. The end came when Escalante landed a crushing body shot followed by a right hook. Trejo was down in the corner and showed no interest to continue.

Escalante (12-1-1, 6 knockouts) is coming off an impressive 2013 where he gained valuable experience, going ten rounds for the first time in his career against a capable opponent. Trejo represented a major step back in terms of the level of opponent. If the fans were interested to see their guy get an easy knockout, the promoter ensured they’d get it.

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No better way to experience Mark Kozelek than in SF

No better way to experience Mark Kozelek than in SF

Mark E. Ortega

March 3, 2014

Saturday night, I ventured out to Great American Music Hall in San Francisco to see Mark Kozelek play a show ten blocks from where the former Red House Painters singer lives, according to some of his between song banter that evening.

I had interviewed Kozelek back in 2011 for Queensberry-Rules.com, not so much about music, but about boxing. Kozelek’s spin off from Red House Painters is named Sun Kil Moon, named for the South Korean boxer. On Sun Kil Moon’s first album Ghosts of a Great Highway exists a song “Salvador Sanchez”, named for the legendary Mexican fighter who died tragically at 23 years of age. 

Reddick robs SF newbie in spring opener

Reddick robs SF newbie in spring opener
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
March 2, 2014

Oakland Athletics outfielder Josh Reddick made two catches that robbed crosstown rival San Francisco Giants outfielder Michael Morse of home runs. They were two catches that would easily be contenders for the best of the year–weren’t it not Feb. 26 and more than a full month before Opening Day.

Twice, Reddick climbed the right field fence at Phoenix Municipal Stadium and reached up and grabbed long fly balls that should have resulted in a banner spring start for Morse. The first catch was the more spectacular, but the second one concluded with him doubling off a runner at second base.

Reddick is hands down one of the best defensive players in the game. His range gives him the ability to track down balls and turn them into routine plays and he has a cannon of an arm. And of course, he will make the occasional ridiculous catch like he did Wednesday.

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CSAC provides stance on TRTs

CSAC provides stance on TRTs
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
March 1, 2014


Thursday, the combat sports world was shaken by the news that the Nevada State Athletic Commission has banned testosterone-replacement-therapy (TRT) in all combat sports.

That ruling was passed by a unanimous vote, also eliminating the potential for fighters in the future to apply for an exemption for therapeutic use of testosterone.

The news left many wondering how commissions in other large and influential states would react.

Saturday afternoon, the California State Athletic Commission provided RingTV.com with their stance on TRT moving forward, through CSAC executive director Andy Foster.

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Omar Figueroa off Mar. 8 card with left wrist injury

Omar Figueroa off Mar. 8 card with left wrist injury
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
March 1, 2014

The Mar. 8 WBC lightweight title bout pitting champion Omar Figueroa against Ricardo Alvarez has been scrapped, according to Golden Boy Promotions matchmaker Eric Gomez.

Gomez told RingTV.com on Saturday afternoon via email that Figueroa suffered a injury that will take him off the Showtime PPV card.

Figueroa's trainer Joel Diaz informed RingTV.com that the injury was to the fighter's left wrist, which occured during sparring Friday. Alvarez will stay on the card, and Golden Boy currently is looking for a new opponent, per Gomez, but there is "no replacement yet."

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Hand injury delays ring return of Erik Morales

Hand injury delays ring return of Erik Morales
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
March 1, 2014


Mexican ring legend Erik Morales will have to wait a little bit longer to make his return to the ring.

Friday, it was confirmed that Morales (52-9, 36 knockouts) suffered a hand injury in preparation for his Mar. 22 bout against Jorge Paez Jr., which was supposed to take place in Monterrey and end a 17-month absence for the four-division titlist.

Instead, it is likely that Jose Miguel Cotto, the older brother of Miguel Cotto, will take the place of Morales against Paez Jr., according to a source at Zanfer Promotions, who handles Paez Jr. This is contrary to reports stating that Colombian slugger Breidis Prescott will be the replacement.

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