Quick thoughts on ESPN2 FNF season opener last night

Quick thoughts on ESPN2 FNF season opener last night
Mark E. Ortega
January 5, 2014

Fights like Ward-Sanchez prove you can't write a fighter off before a fight is over.

 Last night was the much anticipated 2014 season opener of ESPN2's Friday Night Fights. Just as there was controversy in the 2013 opening telecast, history repeated itself. Ironically, junior lightweight Rances Barthelemy was once again the beneficiary.

In the main event, Argenis Mendez (21-3-1, 11 knockouts) was defending his IBF 130-pound title against Barthelemy. Last year, Barthelemy won an unpopular decision over Arash Usmanee in ESPN2's opening broadcast (Usmanee fights in next week's main event against Juan Antonio Rodriguez).

Barthelemy got off to a great start as he fought from the proper range with Mendez unable to answer. In the second round, Mendez was floored in the final 30 seconds. Mendez was in big trouble but with very little time left, seemed a good bet to make it to his corner.

Ward dominates Rodriguez in return

Ward dominates Rodriguez in return
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
November 19, 2013


ONTARIO, Calif. – Despite more than a year away from the ring, Oakland super middleweight champion Andre Ward returned to his dominant self, nearly shutting out the previously unbeaten Edwin Rodriguez over twelve lopsided rounds on Saturday night at the Citizens Business Bank Arena.

The bout was televised live by HBO and saw Ward (27-0, 14 knockouts) prove yet again why he is one of the two or three best fighters in the world.

When the first bell rang, Rodriguez (24-1, 16 KOs) charged hard at Ward in an attempt to catch him off guard. Rodriguez was aggressive throughout the contest, but Ward was always able to use that aggression against him as he landed clean counter punches on a regular basis.

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April 12 FNF card gets an overhaul

April 12 FNF card gets an overhaul
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
March 21, 2013


News broke early Thursday that Andre Dirrell would no longer be in action in the April 12 edition of ESPN2's Friday Night Fights, which takes place in Shelton, Wash. Dirrell was slated to face tough gatekeeper Ossie Duran but was pulled from the card according to ESPN.com.

That isn't the only change that has been made. The middleweight bout between Brandon Gonzales and Will Rosinsky is now off the card as well. Goossen-Tutor Promotions matchmaker Tom Brown indicated to RingTV that Gonzales pulled a hamstring and had to be removed from the card.

Taking the main event slot is a featherweight ten-round bout between former 122-pound titleholder Rico Ramos, of East Los Angeles, and Oscar Gonzalez, of Mexico.

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[Mike] Dallas Does Soboba

[Mike] Dallas Does Soboba
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
June 23, 2012


SAN JACINTO, Calif. -- Friday night at the Soboba Casino, junior welterweight contender Mike Dallas, Jr. of Bakersfield, Calif. took another step up the rankings as he vanquished Javier Castro of Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico in the 6th round in perhaps his most impressive performance to date.

Dallas (19-2-1, 8 KOs) edged the opening round of the ESPN2-televised main event as he landed his jab consistently, though Castro got in some solid shots of his own. Castro (27-5, 22 KOs) suffered a cut near his right eye, but things would even out in the round 3 when Dallas' right eye was cut as well. Both cuts were the result of accidental clashes of heads.

The difference in handspeed was eye-opening, as Dallas was able to get in with his punches before Castro had a chance to respond. Castro did his best work when he had Dallas trapped on the ropes, which didn't occur often enough to sway the opinion of the judges prior to the stoppage.

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NorCal Boxing Report: Jan. 29

NorCal Boxing Report: Jan. 29
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
January 29, 2012

Trainer Hunter Begins Building Stable In The Bay Northern California 

Trainer of the Year Virgil Hunter had a banner year in 2011, leading Oakland, Calif.-based super middleweight champion Andre Ward to victory in the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic. Ward compiled wins against Arthur Abraham in the semifinals and followed it up with a victory over Englishman Carl Froch to unify both the WBA and WBC belts as well as earn the Super Six Trophy in the finals.

Hunter also helped raise the profile of middleweight hopeful Brandon Gonzales, who earned a narrow victory over venerable gatekeeper Ossie Duran in his ShoBox debut last October. Gonzales was set to fight on the Jan. 20 edition of ShoBox against Caleb Truax but suffered a torn hamstring just more than a week away from the fight. Hunter noted that Gonzales will likely begin work in the gym again in about three weeks from the time of this writing.

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Brandon Gonzales vs. Caleb Truax OFF

Brandon Gonzales vs. Caleb Truax OFF
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
January 9, 2012

Middleweight prospect Brandon Gonzales' year is not going to begin the way he would have liked it to.

Gonzales (15-0, 10 KOs), of Sacramento, Calif., was set to appear on Jan. 20th's edition of ShoBox: The New Generation against fellow unbeaten Caleb Truax (18-0-1, 10 KOs) of Osseo, Minn. at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

According to Gonzales trainer Virgil Hunter, that fight is now off as the Northern California based middleweight suffered a torn hamstring a few days ago, causing the fight to be called off.

"The fight is off, he tore his hamstring a few days ago," Hunter said in a phone conversation earlier Monday.

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Gonzales remains Flawless, outpoints Boone

Gonzales remains Flawless, outpoints Boone

Mark E. Ortega

FightFanNation.com

March 19, 2010

Friday night at the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino in front of a packed house, Brandon “Flawless” Gonzales [11-0] of Sacramento, California took a big step towards establishing himself as a top prospect at 160 pounds by easily outpointing rugged gatekeeper Darnell Boone [16-15] over eight rounds in the main event of Reno Xtreme Fights III.