Hugo Ruiz stops Julio Ceja in first round to take 122-pound title; Ceja injures ankle

Hugo Ruiz stops Julio Ceja in first round to take 122-pound title; Ceja injures ankle
Mark E. Ortega
USA TODAY
February 27, 2016

ANAHEIM, Calif. — If Hugo Ruiz was hoping to redeem himself from last August’s fifth-round TKO loss at the hands of Julio Ceja, he did so in emphatic fashion.

Ruiz dropped Ceja with pretty much the first right hand he landed in the fight’s opening seconds. Ceja got back up but was clearly in trouble, and appeared to injure his ankle. This allowed Ruiz to finish him with a volley of punches on the ropes. Referee Tom Taylor halted the bout 51 seconds into the first round, setting up a potential rubber match between the two.

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Timothy Bradley gives thoughts on Cold War, Richard Schaefer leaving Golden Boy

Timothy Bradley gives thoughts on Cold War, Richard Schaefer leaving Golden Boy
Mark E. Ortega
BehindTheGloves.com
June 2, 2014


When Timothy Bradley accepted his Fight of the Year Award at the BWAA Awards in Las Vegas for his March 2013 bout against Ruslan Provodnikov, he also gave a message to the assembled attendants. It is time for the Cold War to end and for the best fights available to be made.

With members from HBO, Showtime, Golden Boy Promotions, and Top Rank all under one roof for the dinner that took place a few days before Floyd Mayweather would face Marcos Maidana, it was as good a time as any for a top fighter to be vocal about boxing’s Cold War.

Monday afternoon, it was announced that Richard Schaefer has left Golden Boy, the company he was the CEO to and an integral part of the southern California company’s success in recent years. Behind The Gloves reached out to Bradley and spoke with him briefly on his thoughts about the development and whether or not he thinks it will be a building block to making fights with his promoter Top Rank in the future.

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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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J’Leon Love looks for a fresh start on ShoBox: The New Generation

J’Leon Love looks for a fresh start on ShoBox: The New Generation
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
February 27, 2013

Though he has already recorded one win in the books since dealing with a suspension for using a banned diuretic prior to his May fight against Gabriel Rosado, super middleweight J’Leon Love looks at 2014 as an opportunity to start fresh.

Love (16-0, 1 NC, 9 knockouts) meets lightly regarded Vladine Biosse (15-2, 7 KOs) in tonight’s 10-round main event at Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, N.Y. The bout tops a Mayweather Promotions tripleheader edition of Showtime's ShoBox: The New Generation and Love sees the fight as a step towards securing a world title later in the year.

“I’m looking to graduate from a prospect to a contender in the super middleweight division,” Love told RingTV.com in a phone interview on Thursday.

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Ten Best Things in Boxing in 2013

Ten Best Things in Boxing in 2013
Mark E. Ortega
January 3, 2013

 At the end of last year, I pessimistically counted down the list of ten of the worst things that happened in boxing during the calendar year. Here I take a more positive look at the sport and examine things that really worked out greatly for the sweet science.

Mayweather Jr. takes young Alvarez to school

Mayweather Jr. takes young Alvarez to school
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
September 17, 2013


LAS VEGAS – Floyd Mayweather Jr. was so dominant against Saul Alvarez on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena that he may have cost himself some money down the line.

Though the official verdict will be recorded as a majority decision, there’s no question that Mayweather (45-0, 26 knockouts) was masterful in his victory over Alvarez.

Billed as the biggest fight in a long time, Mayweather overcame the youthful Alvarez (42-1-1, 30 KOs) with much ease. That has erased a possible rematch from the immediate future, leaving a gaping question as to who will step up next when Mayweather elects to return, which could come as early as next May.

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Vegas insanity: Fans flock to Mayweather-Alvarez weigh-in

Vegas insanity: Fans flock to Mayweather-Alvarez weigh-in
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
September 13, 2013


Saturday’s pay-per-view card headlined by Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul Alvarez has been generating an unbelievable buzz in Las Vegas since early in fight week. The turnout for Friday’s weigh-in is something that had to be seen to be believed.

Passionate boxing fans camped out at the entrance to the MGM Grand Garden Arena as early as midnight and the line stretched well into where the food court sits, about half a football field away.

“We haven’t been asleep for 27 hours,” said a Mayweather fan named Tiffany, who was wearing shirt emblazoned with "The One." “It’s pure adrenaline that’s keeping us awake.”

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Arreola KOs Mitchell in one

Arreola KOs Mitchell in one
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
September 7, 2013

All throughout the buildup to their fight, Chris Arreola disparaged Seth Mitchell as not being in his league.

Saturday night in their Showtime headlining bout in Indio, Calif., Arreola followed through on those statements, serving up his most impressive victory to date with a first-round knockout.

Arreola (35-3, 31 knockouts), of Riverside, Calif., had Mitchell badly hurt in the first 30 seconds, but the former Michigan State linebacker used his old tackling skills to stay in it as the two hit the mat. Mitchell didn't have the benefit of a timeout, though, and Arreola took advantage, scoring an official knockdown soon after.

Referee Jack Reiss took a close look at Washington, D.C.'s Mitchell (26-2-1, 19 KOs) before letting the fight continue. Arreola jumped on Mitchell and battered him with an assortment of power shots, giving Reiss no choice but to stop it.

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Commentary: Boxing is dead? Again?

Boxing is dead? Again?
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
September 6, 2013


Boxing fans who tuned in Thursday afternoon to ESPN’s debate show Pardon the Interruption collectively shuddered when hosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon declared the sport one fight away from being dead.

It should come as no surprise, though. Whenever a big fight looms the way next Saturday’s bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez does, casual followers of the sport kick in their two cents on the state of the game.

“He’s the last headliner out there in professional boxing,” stated Wilbon about Mayweather.

“What other names do you know? You know the Klitschko name, that’s it. Who else do you know,” said Kornheiser.

“He’s the last guy out there for a sport that’s all but dead,” said Wilbon. “This is it. It’s over for boxing after this.”

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Arreola ready for do-or-die fight against Mitchell

Arreola ready for do-or-die fight against Mitchell
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
September 5, 2013


An intriguing heavyweight crossroads bout takes place on Saturday as former title challenger Chris Arreola meets once-beaten but less experienced standout Seth Mitchell in a Showtime-televised main event at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif.

For Arreola, it is the final opportunity to break through in a career that has had many squandered opportunities.

Over what will amount to a 10-year career on Sept. 5, Arreola has yet to notch a victory over a top-10 heavyweight. Despite this fact, he fought on HBO seven times after scoring a TKO against Damian Wills on the November 2006 pay-per-view undercard of Floyd Mayweather-Carlos Baldomir.

A loss for Arreola would undoubtedly cast him into the discard pile of American heavyweight hype jobs, as well as force Southern Californian to consider another line of work, in his own words.

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No problem with judges selected for Mayweather-Canelo

No problem with judges selected for Mayweather-Canelo
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
September 4, 2013


The Nevada State Athletic Commission announced the officials for next Saturday’s junior middleweight championship between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul Alvarez.

The referee will be respected veteran Kenny Bayless, a selection the boxing public responded to positively.

The three judges will be Dave Moretti, CJ Ross and Craig Metcalfe. Moretti and Ross both hail from Las Vegas while Metcalfe is the neutral judge from Alberta, Canada.

When asked about the appointed officials on Wednesday’s conference call, Mayweather seemed fine with the selection.

“Kenny Bayless is a great referee who’s going to let us fight,” said Mayweather. “He’s not for the bulls__t. He treats every fighter fair.”

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Santa Cruz blitzes Terrazas to take WBC title

Santa Cruz blitzes Terrazas to take WBC title
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
August 24, 2013


It took less than three rounds for Leo Santa Cruz to add a second title in as many divisions to his résumé on Saturday night as he demolished WBC junior featherweight beltholder Victor Terrazas at the Stub Hub Center in the evening's co-feature.

Terrazas (37-3-1, 21 KOs), of Guadalajara, was expected to give the 25-year old Santa Cruz some trouble, but Santa Cruz walked through his punches in order to batter his more experienced opponent.

The two traded uppercuts and body punches like they were baseball cards, but Santa Cruz proved the harder puncher. By the end of the second round, Terrazas' face was a grotesque and swollen mess, particularly his right eye.

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Undercard report: Orozco, Breazeale win by KOs

Undercard report: Orozco, Breazeale win by KOs
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
August 24, 2013


CARSON, Calif. – San Diego-based junior welterweight Antonio Orozco (18-0, 14 KOs) had few issues getting rid of Colombia's Ivan Hernandez (29-4, 22 KOs), putting him down three times before stopping him in the third round. Orozco's ruthless body work helped get the job done. He is now being targeted for a future date on ShoBox, according to series producer Gordon Hall. Hernandez had previously campaigned at 130 pounds and has been largely inactive the past five years.

2012 Olympic heavyweight Dominic Breazeale (6-0, 6 KOs) scored a fourth-round knockout of the experienced Lenroy Thomas (16-3, 8 KOs). Breazeale took some shots in the process of grinding down his opponent. He then buckled Thomas in the fourth, and a follow-up barrage ending with a body shot put him down. The end came at 2:29 when Thomas was counted out.

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Bits and Pieces: Aug. 24 Sho-Extreme card set

Bits and Pieces: Aug. 24 Sho-Extreme card set
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
August 15, 2013


Aug. 24 Sho-Extreme set

Golden Boy Promotions matchmaker Robert Diaz confirmed to RingTV earlier this week the lineup for the Sho-Extreme portion of next Saturday’s card taking place at the Stub Hub Center in Carson, Calif. The Showtime Championship Boxing telecast features intriguing matchups Abner Mares against Jhonny Gonzalez and Leo Santa Cruz against Victor Terrazas.

The main attraction on the Sho-Extreme portion of the card is junior welterweight Antonio Orozco, who will meet Colombian Ivan Hernandez in a ten-round bout.

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Wilder takes another big step in boxing career

Wilder takes another big step in boxing career
Mark E. Ortega
Special to The Tuscaloosa News
August 11, 2013

INDIO, Calif. | Deontay Wilder, the 2008 Olympic heavyweight boxing bronze medalist, barely broke a sweat Friday night en route to dispatching Sergei Liakhovich in less than two minutes at the Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino.

The former WBO heavyweight champion was supposed to provide Wilder, a Tuscaloosa native, solid work in extending him past the fourth round for the first time. Instead, Liakhovich didn’t make it through the first round. Previously, no opponent had been able to get rid of the Scottsdale, Ariz., resident in less than nine rounds.

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Wilder scores another first-round knockout

Wilder scores another first-round knockout
Mark E. Ortega
Special to The Tuscaloosa News
August 10, 2013

INDIO, Calif. | Tuscaloosa native and American heavyweight hopeful Deontay Wilder was expected to be in the ring with his toughest opponent Friday night when he met former WBO heavyweight champion Sergei Liakhovich.

Instead, the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Wilder delivered the most brutal knockout defeat of Liakhovich’s career, knocking him down just 43 seconds into the opening round with a combination that started with a short right hook.

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Wilder ready for step up with next fight

Wilder ready for step up with next fight
Mark E. Ortega
Special to The Tuscaloosa News
August 9, 2013

INDIO, Calif. | Tuscaloosa heavyweight boxer Deontay Wilder, the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist, takes his first big step up in class tonight when he meets former WBO heavyweight champion Sergei Liakhovich in a 10-round main event. The card will be televised on Showtime.

Wilder has a perfect 28-0 record with 28 knockouts since turning professional almost five years ago. None of those knockouts have come against a fighter in the class of Liakhovich, who in 2006 upset the odds by earning a decision victory over Lamon Brewster to win a version of the heavyweight title.

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Julaton readies for tune-up on brink of bigger things

Julaton readies for tune-up on brink of bigger things
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
August 1, 2013


There's a reason Ana Julaton's name is at the center of rumors about the appearance of women's boxing on one of boxing's premium networks.

A few reasons, actually.

Julaton, a former junior featherweight titleholder, has never ducked a fight. On many occasions, the Filipino-American boxer has traveled to her opponent's territory. She fought Kelsey Jeffries in San Jose, Calif. Lisa Brown in Canada. Jessica Villafranca in Mexico. Yesica Marcos in Argentina.

Julaton also draws. In San Jose, she outsold Jeffries, who was from Gilroy, Calif., about a 10-minute drive from where the fight took place. Julaton, from the nearby Bay Area, brought Filipino fans in droves. Her follow-up fight against Donna Biggers in San Jose also drew well. Those two cards each drew nearly 4,000 fans, which outdid shows that major promoter Goossen-Tutor put on at the HP Pavilion the year before.

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Espinoza talks Matthysse-Garcia, more

Espinoza talks Matthysse-Garcia, more
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
July 19, 2013


Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer made a major announcement at noon on Thursday, when during a conference call he made it public that the highly anticipated junior welterweight showdown between Lucas Matthysse and Danny Garcia would be the Sept. 14 Showtime pay-per-view co-feature to Floyd Mayweather-Saul Alvarez.

In attendance at Thursday's ShoBox weigh-in to discuss the fight as well as a few other items was Showtime Sports executive vice president Stephen Espinoza.

Rumors of the Matthysse-Garcia fight had been swirling for weeks, and Espinoza admitted to RingTV the fight had been done before Thursday's announcement.

"The fight had been done for a little bit," shared Espinoza. "We wanted to wait for the right timing. For one, Richard was in Europe at the time. This is one of the rare occasions in boxing where a secret couldn't be kept. It's a miracle one of us didn't let it out. We've all been dying to make the big announcement."

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Showtime beat HBO in April 27 boxing ratings

Showtime beat HBO in April 27 boxing ratings
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
May 2, 2013


Showtime had higher viewing numbers than HBO for last Saturday's boxing broadcasts, which went head to head, a Nielsen ratings source confirmed to RingTV.com.

Showtime's broadcast, which was headlined by 140-pound champ Danny Garcia's tough unanimous decision win over Zab Judah and opened with Peter Quillin's seventh-round stoppage of Fernando Guerrero, drew a 1.4 average rating during the broadcast. The peak point of their show drew a 2.1 rating. The live viewing drew 850,000 viewers and the two following broadcasts drew a combined 100,000 viewers, putting the number at 950,000.

"We knew that Garcia versus Judah and Quillin versus Guerrero were going to be two, compelling fights," said Stephen Espinoza, executive vice president and general manager of Showtime sports. "We're very happy that the audience agreed with us."

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