NorCal boxing in disarray in 2014

NorCal boxing in disarray in 2014
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
January 19, 2014

2004 Olympic gold medalist and undefeated super middleweight king Andre Ward of Oakland fought just one time, battling a myriad of injury woes and contractual issues with promoter Goossen-Tutor Promotions. Ward earned a lopsided unanimous decision over unbeaten Edwin Rodriguez, but enters 2014 with his promotional situation still unsettled as he battles his promoter in the courts.

Gilroy’s Robert Guerrero got the chance of a lifetime, fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr., in a Showtime pay-per-view televised event back in May at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Prior to the bout, Guerrero dealt with legal issues stemming from a gun charge he faced in New York. Guerrero was later soundly defeated by Mayweather in their welterweight contest and went dark for the remainder of the year. As 2014 opens, Guerrero is also trying to get out of his contract with his promoter, Golden Boy Promotions.

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2013 Comeback Fighter of the Year - Kiko Martinez

2013 Comeback of the Year: Kiko Martinez

Mark E. Ortega

December 23, 2013

2013 saw a number of fighters being their careers back from the brink of irrelevance, making it more difficult than in other years to determine who had the biggest comeback.

Ironically, my choice for 2013's Comeback Fighter of the Year is a man who began the year in the losing column, and by knockout no less. Where he ended the year made it an intriguing and improbable run worthy of recognition.

Donaire returns to the ring

Donaire returns to the ring
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
November 7, 2013


San Leandro, Calif., boxer Nonito Donaire returns to the ring on Saturday in a new weight division, but will look across the ring at a familiar foe while doing so.

Donaire (31-2, 20 knockouts) is coming off an April defeat to Guillermo Rigondeaux, his first loss in almost a decade. Donaire was dealing with a slew of personal matters, including his wife Rachel being pregnant with their first child, who was born a few months ago.

Now refocused, Donaire will face Vic Darchinyan (39-5-1, 28 KOs) in a 126-pound fight that will be part of a triple header televised by HBO. These two last met in July of 2007, where the five-to-one underdog Donaire knocked out Darchinyan in the fifth round with a wicked check hook. That victory launched Donaire, who won 13 straight across four weight divisions prior to the loss to Rigondeaux.

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Did HBO's 'Champions Dinner' snub Rigondeaux?

Did HBO's 'Champions Dinner' snub Rigondeaux?
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
August 8, 2013


This past weekend in Los Angeles, HBO Sports had a private dinner that they called the "Dinner of Champions."

Fighters in attendance were Adonis Stevenson, Ruslan Provodnikov, Mike Alvarado, Gennady Golovkin, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Nonito Donaire, Juan Manuel Marquez, Terence Crawford, and Mikey Garcia, based on a picture tweeted by Provodnikov.

When reached by e-mail for a list of those in attendance, HBO informed RingTV.com that it was a private dinner and that the guest list was not available.

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Donaire contemplated retirement, talks comeback, Rigondeaux, HBO

Donaire contemplated retirement, talks comeback, Rigondeaux, HBO
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
July 16, 2013


You wouldn't have guessed it based on the fact that it was easily the most important year of his professional career, but Nonito Donaire was at one point contemplating retirement during 2012. Last year, Donaire fought four times on the way to earning Fighter of the Year honors from the Boxing Writers Assoc. of America.

"Honestly, after the [Toshiaki] Nishioka fight, I was really thinking about retiring," Donaire told RingTV.com on Friday as he took in ESPN2's Friday Night Fights in Las Vegas.

"I felt like I had accomplished everything I set out to. I had won titles in multiple divisions, had made it onto pound-for-pound lists. I was ready to quit, and then I got the [Jorge] Arce fight [in December] and just decided to get back in the gym."

During 2012, Donaire conquered the 122-pound division, and his four-fight year was a rarity for a top fighter.

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A banner year for NorCal boxing in 2012

A banner year for NorCal boxing in 2012
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
January 3, 2013

After being dormant for many years, the boxing scene in Northern California turned the heat up in 2012 as over 20 different shows took place in the region with the area's biggest stars all scoring signature wins that could setup major fights as we begin a new calendar.

Oakland's Andre Ward only fought once in 2011, but he made the most of it, scoring a stoppage of light heavyweight king Chad Dawson at the Oracle Arena in early September in his first appearance as an HBO headliner. The bout was for Ward's bevy of titles at 168 pounds with Dawson moving down, and Ward dropped Dawson twice early in the bout before finishing him in the 10th.

Mares stakes claim to Donaire, tops Moreno

Mares stakes claim to Donaire, tops Moreno
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
November 13, 2012

LOS ANGELES--Saturday night at Los Angeles' famed Staples Center, Abner Mares added another impressive name to his resume as he outpointed Panamanian slickster Anselmo Moreno over twelve rounds in their super bantamweight scrap.

The victory helps make a case for Mares being the most likely opponent to give San Leandro's Nonito Donaire his most difficult fight to date. Though Mares is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Donaire by Top Rank, some are optimistic the fight can now be made.

NorCal's Donaire eager to add to résumé

NorCal's Donaire eager to add to résumé

Mark E. Ortega

Martinez News-Gazette

October 18, 2013

CARSON, Calif.--Saturday night at the Home Depot Center, San Leandro's Nonito Donaire added another respectable name to his résumé as he stopped the durable Toshiaki Nishioka of Tokyo, Japan in the 9th round of their HBO televised junior featherweight title fight in front of more than 7,500 fans.

Donaire became the recognized #1 fighter in the division with the victory, though many boxing fans are now hopeful he meets fellow Top Rank promoted fighter Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba at some point in the near future. Signs point towards Donaire instead fighting the well-traveled Mexican Jorge Arce, who is years past his best, but would no doubt make it a fight for as long as it lasts.

Nonito Donaire gears up for Toshiaki Nishioka

Nonito Donaire gears up for Toshiaki Nishioka
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
August 24, 2012


Last Friday at the O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Nonito Donaire fired a pitch high but over the plate on Filipino Heritage Night prior to the hometown Athletics' game with the Cleveland Indians.

TQBR spoke to Donaire as he left the field on a variety of topics surrounding his compelling Oct. 13 HBO-televised scrap with longtime junior featherweight force Toshiaki Nishioka in Carson, Calif. at the Home Depot Center.

“It is very exciting for me,” Donaire said. “Like Nishioka said, it is not about the titles, it is not about anything, it is about fighting that guy. I believe that I have a lot to prove with Nishioka and we have great respect for each other. "

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Mares-Moreno tops full Saturday boxing schedule

Mares-Moreno tops full Saturday boxing schedule
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
November 9, 2012

Saturday night, an important junior featherweight clash takes place at the famed Staples Center as Abner Mares and Anselmo Moreno do battle to determine who might give San Leandro's Nonito Donaire the biggest trouble in a future fight.

It was announced last week that Donaire will return to the ring on Dec. 16 against Mexican fan favorite Jorge Arce, marking the fourth time Donaire will step in the ring in 2012, a remarkable feat in today's game. On that undercard, fellow 122 pounder Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba faces his stiffest test as he meets Thailand's Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym.

Robert Guerrero hopes to keep Golden Boy applecart from being overturned

Robert Guerrero hopes to keep Golden Boy applecart from being overturned
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
July 27, 2012


It has been more than a year and a half since a major fight took place in northern California. The region is home to arguably three of the sport's best fighters in the world, with Oakland's Andre Ward, San Leandro's Nonito Donaire and Gilroy's Robert Guerrero all winning their assortment of important bouts over their careers.

Ward returns to Oakland on Sept. 8 after fighting in southern California and Atlantic City in his last two contests. Donaire has not fought once in northern California since bursting on the scene following a devastating KO of Vic Darchinyan five years ago. Guerrero hasn't fought in the area since 2009.

The three fighters have a good rapport with each other and always seem to be trying to one-up each other with each fight. Guerrero has a chance to sway the locals in his favor with a victory over Selcuk Aydin in San Jose on Saturday, televised by Showtime.

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Nonito Donaire Wraps Up San Carlos Camp

Nonito Donaire Wraps Up San Carlos Camp
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
June 29, 2012


SAN CARLOS, Calif.--Thursday afternoon in San Carlos, Calif., multi-division titlist Nonito Donaire concluded his sparring in preparation for his fight with South African beltholder Jeffrey Mathebula, which takes place in southern California at the Home Depot Center in Carson on July 7, televised by HBO.

Working with Donaire in sparring at Undisputed were a pair of much larger fighters in veteran Gilberto Sanchez Leon and Robert Rodriguez, whom Donaire trainer Robert Garcia brought with him from Oxnard.

“We have good sparring partners. We couldn't find guys that tall at 122 so we had to look for guys that fight at 135,” Garcia told TQBR on Thursday afternoon.

“These guys are well over 140 but that is the best we can do. Gilberto Sanchez Leon is very experienced and has been in there against great names and the experience he brings, the style that he brings is similar to what we will see in our opponent. We also have Robert Rodriguez from Colorado who is also very tall and gives us a lot of pressure and good work.”

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Kirkland-Angulo: As hot as it is going to get?

Kirkland-Angulo: As hot as it is going to get?
Mark E. Ortega
Freelance
March 12, 2009


Also eight other matchups and whether they would come off better now or later

There are fights out there that quickly grasp the attention of the boxing public, sometimes a bit too early in time for it to be a realistic possibility based on where in their careers those two fighters are. That is one of the many things that make our sport intriguing, it is all in the timing. It isn’t like football or baseball, where they play basically the same set schedule with a few differences here and there. In boxing, you never can guess where you will be eight months from now; let alone two to five years from now.

With that said, in boxing, many times a fight will start building up heat and excitement even if it doesn’t make sense at that exact moment for that fight to come off. Promoters are always trying to build a fight up so much until both guys are at similar stages in their career, near their projected primes, so that it makes the most money. A lot of times, this has worked and many fights have come together that took years of build-up to produce. It seems that fights like Hagler-Hearns and Tyson-Holyfield, despite their numerous setbacks, were always meant to come together the way they did, and it served the winners in both of those fights much better based on the timing.