Nov. 6th: Super Six Crossroads

Nov. 6th: Super Six Crossroads
Mark E. Ortega
UndisputedFightMag.com
November 4, 2010


This Saturday, on a weekend chock full of fun and important bouts, there is one fight that may get overlooked but could prove to be the most intriguing.

On Showtime, on the undercard of the potential Fight of the Year candidate between Juan Manuel Lopez and Rafael Marquez, the Super Six super middleweight tournament resumes when Allan Green [29-2, 20 KOs] and Glen Johnson [50-14-2, 34 KOs] lock horns.

For those who have been following the tournament, you know it has been a wild and rocky ride and that neither of these men was of the original six that Showtime put together almost a year and a half ago. Still, it provides the division with a meaningful bout between two fighters that are at a crossroads in their career.

TKOed?

TKOed?
by Mark Ortega
FightFanNation.com
July 11, 2010

July 2nd's broadcast of ESPN Friday Night Fights from Ontario, California was supposed to be the coming out party for a promotional company that had been around all of two years. The card was promoted by TKO Boxing Promotions, based out of Las Vegas, Nevada, and featured TKO fighter Demetrius Hopkins against Mike Arnaoutis in what figured to be a competitive fight that would elevate Hopkins back into the mix at the top of the 140 pound weight class. As far as the fight, everything went to plan.

It's what has happened since then [and in the leadup, as well] that has left a bitter taste in the mouths of many of the people involved, as well as swirling rumors that TKO Boxing's fifteen minutes of fame are up.

Adamek outlast Arreola, Angulo batters Julio

Adamek outlast Arreola, Angulo batters Julio
Mark E. Ortega
FightFanNation.com
April 24, 2010

Saturday night from the Citizens Bank Arena in Ontario, California, Tomasz Adamek [41-1, 27 KOs] won an impressive twelve-round majority decision over local hero Chris Arreola [28-2, 25 KOs] in front of a large crowd in the televised headliner of HBO's Boxing After Dark. Arreola started off quickly and for the first four or five rounds it was a firefight that favored the more than thirty pounds heavier fighter. Somewhere in the fifth round, Arreola hurt his left hand and the fight changed as Adamek began to outbox Arreola and move around the ring extremely well. Arreola would land a few big shots in nearly every round but Adamek was landing much more accurately. Adamek's body work in the middle rounds helped slow Arreola down and he enjoyed a surge in the eighth and ninth round. Arreola seized momentum in the tenth and eleventh but Adamek took the twelfth to earn the tight majority decision. One judge had it 114-114 even but was overruled by the 115-113 and a much too wide 117-111 in favor of Adamek.

Herrera back in the win column

Herrera back in the win column!

Mark E. Ortega

FightFanNation.com

April 23, 2010

On the eve of Chris Arreola against Tomasz Adamek, just a few blocks away at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, California, Mauricio Herrera [14-1, 7 KOs] of Riverside, California rebounded from his recent controversial defeat to Mike Anchondo by stopping Efren Hinojosa [30-8-1, 17 KOs] of Lakeside, California on a corner stoppage in the fifth round of a pretty close fight.

Herrera was hit far too often but he applied pressure for a majority of the bout and wore his opponent down. At the end of the fifth round, Hinojosa's corner called a halt to the bout. Herrera wasn't particularly impressive, but was the much more accurate fighter. Herrera languished against the ropes a bit too much and that could be trouble against a puncher at 140, which Hinojosa is not. Herrera is looking for a rematch with Anchondo later in the year.

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.

Miranda gets shot while Brinkley has to wait

Miranda gets shot while Brinkley has to wait

Mark E. Ortega

FightFanNation.com

February 18, 2010

When Jesse Brinkley gutted out a twelve round unanimous decision victory over Curtis Stevens a few weeks ago in an exciting headlining bout televised by ESPN's Friday Night Fights in Reno, Nevada, it was supposed to be enough to earn him a title shot against IBF 168-pound champion Lucian Bute in April.

And it should have been.

Instead, it will be world title retread Edison Miranda who will meet Bute in Montreal on April 17^th in a bout that will be televised by HBO, likely as the co-featured bout to a Kelly Pavlik-Sergio Martinez middleweight title fight that will take place in Youngstown as part of a split-site telecast.

Brinkley, promoter roll the dice in Reno

Brinkley, promoter roll the dice in Reno

Mark E. Ortega

FightFanNation.com

January 23, 2010

One week from today, Yerington, Nevada's Jesse Brinkley steps in the ring against arguably the toughest and most dangerous opponent of his career when he faces Curtis Stevens. The bout will headline ESPN's Friday Night Fights and is an eliminator for the #2 spot in the IBF and could lead to a world title shot later in the year.

The fight will take place in nearby Reno, the adopted home of Brinkley, who has become quite a draw as their main event under the banner of Let's Get It On Promotions since signing with them just over two years ago.

“The Big O” suffers a devastating L

“The Big O” suffers a devastating L

Mark E. Ortega

FightFanNation.com

December 11, 2009

For the second time in two weeks, a veteran fighter on the verge of a nice payday was destroyed in a supposed tune-up bout at the hands of a much less regarded fighter as #2 WBC heavyweight Oleg Maskaev [36-7, 27 KOs] was dispatched 1:54 into the opening round at the hands of Newburgh, New York native Nagy Aguilera [15-2, 10 KOs] in front of a near capacity crowd at the Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento, California, the adopted hometown of Maskaev. The loss will cause Maskaev, nicknamed “The Big O”, to miss out on a title eliminator in 2010 for the right to fight WBC champion Vitali Klitschko.

Maskaev, Aguilera weigh-in

Maskaev, Aguilera weigh-in

Mark E. Ortega

FightFanNation.com

December 10, 2009

Thursday afternoon at the Red Lion Hotel in Sacramento, California, Oleg Maskaev [36-6, 27 KOs], the adopted son of Sacramento weighed in at 243 pounds for his ten-round heavyweight bout against Nagy Aguilera [14-2, 9 KOs], 229, of Newburgh, New York. The bout headlines a six-fight card that will take place at Sacramento's Memorial Auditorium tomorrow. If Maskaev is victorious, he will likely move forward with a final WBC eliminator against Ray Austin, a fight that could take place in Sacramento if the crowd turnout for this fight is respectable.

Maskaev trying to relive the American dream

Maskaev trying to relive the American dream

Mark E. Ortega

FightFanNation.com

December 9, 2009

When Oleg Maskaev gets into the ring this coming Saturday night at the Memorial Auditorium in his adopted home of Sacramento, California, he will be doing so as the heavy favorite. For Maskaev [36-6, 27 KOs], this is something new to him, as throughout his personal life and professional career he has walked into things as the overwhelming underdog, which is something he will have to do again against Vitali Klitschko in a heavyweight title fight should he be victorious against the much younger Nagy Aguilera [14-2, 9 KOs] this weekend.

Julaton cruises to second world title

Julaton cruises to second world title

Mark E. Ortega

FightFanNation.com

December 4, 2009

Friday night, in front of 3,943 people at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, Daly City, California's Ana Julaton [6-1-1, KO] added the WBO female super bantamweight title to her IBA belt by thoroughly dominating Donna Biggers [19-9-1, 16 KOs] of Boiling Springs, Colorado over ten lopsided rounds. Julaton enjoyed her victory in front of an even bigger crowd than her previous fight at the Tank against Kelsey Jeffries on September 12^th.

Green bashed Jones in one: a 1950's experience

Green bashes Roy in one! A 1950's experience

Mark E. Ortega

FightFanNation.com

December 2, 2009

It was like turning back the clock to the 1950's. To think that I stayed up until three in the morning Pacific time to listen to a live stream of Danny Green's IBO cruiserweight title defense against a 40-year old Roy Jones, Jr. proves either I need to enter a boxing rehabilitation clinic; or that even at the end of his illustrious career, Jones was able to remain relevant to the sport even though his place among today's top fighters prove otherwise. Danny Green virtually ended Jones' last moments as a relevant fighter by stopping Jones in the very first round of their much-anticipated clash, much of the damage being done on the first power shot he landed about a minute and a half into the round.

Brinkley-Stevens for ESPN!

Brinkley-Stevens for ESPN!

Mark E. Ortega

FightFanNation.com

November 24, 2009

Super middleweight Jesse Brinkley [34-5, IBF #6] of Yerington, Nevada will meet Curtis Stevens [21-2, IBF #10] January 29^th in an important super middleweight battle that could position the winner for a future IBF title shot. The bout will be televised on ESPN's Friday Night Fights, possibly at the Grand Sierra Resort in nearby Reno, Nevada, where Brinkley will enjoy a homefield advantage.

Ward takes title home, puts Oakland back on the map

Ward takes title home, puts Oakland back on the map

Mark E. Ortega

FightFanNation.com

November 21, 2009

In front of just over 10,200 fans, Oakland, California's very own Olympic Gold medalist Andre Ward reached the goal he and trainer Virgil Hunter set out to conquer more than fifteen years ago, totally dismantled veteran warrior Mikkel Kessler at the Oracle Arena Saturday night via eleventh round technical decision, earning the WBA super middleweight title as well as securing great position for himself in Showtime's Super Six World Boxing Classic.

Ward completely dominated from the outset, utilizing his jab and superior handspeed to totally befuddle the reigning champion. In the first round, Ward pushed the jab out and followed it with right hands, and as he grew more comfortable he began to throw lead right hands and hooks as well. Ward opted to switch to southpaw midway through the round and landed the left jab with regularity out of that stance. Ward was surprisingly comfortable on the inside against a fighter many considered the stronger man.

Kessler had some success going to the body early on in the fight but that was the furthest he would get offensively. Kessler had perhaps his best round in the second, but Ward was successful with right hooks and boxed beautifully around the ring.

In the fourth round, Kessler landed a good clubbing right midway through the round, but Ward came right back with three punches of his own. The referee signaled that there was a cut caused by a punch, but in between rounds the referee seemingly changed his mind and ruled it due to a headbutt, and that the cut was opened further by a punch.

Kessler was fighting Ward evenly for much of the fifth, but Ward was landing the more impressive punches, causing Kessler's head to snap back numerous occasions with crisp jabs and right hands. Ward turned southpaw at the end of the round again.

Ward started widening the gap in the sixth, as Kessler seemed more and more hesitant to engage with him. Ward continued his dominance in the seventh, as he began to lead with right hands as well as mix in some left uppercuts. Ward's hand speed had Kessler in trouble all throughout the bout, and Kessler was unable to close the gap in hand speed.

Kessler looked like a beaten fighter by the ninth round, seemingly going through the motions as the younger and fresher Ward pressed forward with his attack. Ward began fighting like a guy who was anything but weary of Kessler's power, firing off quick one-twos and circling around Kessler in the center of the ring.

Ward continued his dominance into the championship rounds, outboxing Kessler while staying out of the range of Kessler's right hand. Midway into the eleventh round, Kessler was deemed unable to continue due to a cut caused by a headbutt, forcing the fight to go to the scorecards. The official scorecards read 97-93, and 98-92 twice for the newly-crowned WBA champion out of Oakland, California. Ward walked away from the bout nearly unscathed, with nothing more than a mouse appearing outside of his right eye. Kessler was much more worse for the wear, having secured more than a few cuts throughout the bout.

With the win, Ward positions himself in the Super Six tournament as a favorite to advance to the semi-finals considering his next two opponents, Jermain Taylor and Andre Dirrell, both lost their “Stage One” bouts and were seen as the weaker links in the monumental tournament.

“He didn't like the inside work, the body shots, sometimes he'd be grunting,” said an ecstatic Ward in the post-fight press conference. “We knew that going in, so part of what I wanted to do was make it rough. I got a little overanxious sometimes and he would counter me sometimes, but honestly he never buzzed me, he never hurt me.”

Ward is a fighter who has been criticized throughout his career for numerous things, but few can look at this fight and take something away from Ward who thoroughly dominated a guy that many pegged as the favorite to win the tournament.

“They had questions about my chin early on. I fought Miranda, and he's as hard a hitter as they come and I got hit more in that fight than I wanted to, and came right back and still didn't get credit,” Ward said.

“Then they said, 'Kessler, he's a big puncher...if he hits Ward, he's going to be in trouble.' Well I got hit a few times tonight, I felt that we showed ourselves strong, we came right back, and I just think over time people are going to have to give us our just due. I'm not going to demand it with my words, I'm just going to keep proving it in the ring.”

Ward's promoter, Dan Goossen, elaborated further. “Tonight, I think he won America over and I don't think there are going to be too many naysayers. I think he is a new star that people are going to believe in.”

It only took twenty-one professional fights and two world championships [one in Athens in 2004 and the super middleweight crown he lifted on Saturday], but Ward will assuredly be getting his proper credit after delivering a virtuoso performance over a tough opponent.

UNDERCARD RESULTS:

In a scheduled eight-round junior middleweight bout, Daly City, California's Karim “Hard Hitta” Mayfield [11-0-1, 7 KOs] started out slowly before laying a beating on Santa Barbara, California's Francisco Santana [11-2, 5 KOs] via fifth round technical knockout in a rematch of a March 2008 bout that Mayfield won by razor-thin split decision.

The first round saw both guys fight tentatively with Karim landing the only two meaningful punches of the round, two clubbing overhand rights. In the second round, Mayfield worked his jab and followed up with left hooks. Both fighters held a lot throughout the fight until they opened up in the fifth round. Mayfield started the action with a sweeping right hook that landed on the chin of Santana. Mayfield followed with a flurry against the ropes that featured hooks to the body and clubbing overhand rights that eventually dropped Santana. After his opponent returned to his feet, Mayfield went in for the kill and landed a wicked left hook to the body that setup another right hook and a follow-up overhand right that put Santana down a second time and prompted referee Dan Stell to wave off the fight at 2:27 of the fifth round.

In a four-round super middleweight bout, Oakland, California's Tony Hirsch [10-3-1, 5 KOs] notched the biggest win of his career in outgunning former #1 rated welterweight contender and Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. opponent Jose Celaya via a unanimous decision victory.

In an over-the-weight four-round lightweight affair, Antelope, California's Stan Martyniouk [8-0, KO] outboxed Anthony Martinez [21-33-3, 9 KOs] of Turrialba, Costa Rica. Martyniouk fought at a measured pace in the opening round, moving beautifully while mixing in varied punch combinations. Martyniouk stuck to his game plan in the second, moving around the ring before planting his feet and firing off left hook and left uppercuts at will.

Martinez had a few moments in the round where he trapped Stan in the corner and fired off a few good body shots. The third round saw Martyniouk fairly dominate the round behind his jab and superior handspeed. In the final round, Martyniouk trapped Martinez against the ropes and unleash a flurry of punches before Martinez postured against the ropes. All three judges scored the bout a shutout for Martyniouk, 40-36. UBR scored the bout 40-36 as well.

In the opening fight of the night, Mel Crossty [4-0-1, KO] of Cincinnati, Ohio scored an early knockdown in round one en route to a unanimous decision victory over the game but outmatched Carlos Herrera [2-3, KO] of Oxnard, California in a super featherweight attraction. Crossty's knockdown of Herrera in the opening round was more of a glancing blow that caused the glove of Herrera to touch the canvas, prompting the referee to issue a count. The two fighters opened up in the third with both guys landing vicious shots. Crossty boxed a little more in the final stanza but Herrera landed a big overhand right every so often. The official scores of the bout were 39-36 and 40-35 twice. UBR scored the bout 39-36 for Crossty.

Saturday night's card was promoted by Goossen-Tutor Promotions in association with Sauerland Event and Antonio Leonard Productions. The main event was televised on Showtime Championship Boxing as part of their Super Six World Boxing Classic as well as internationally.

Bay Area title tilt generating buzz

Bay Area title tilt generating buzz

Kessler, Ward weigh-in for tomorrow's Super Six bout

Mark E. Ortega

FightFanNation.com

November 20, 2009

When Oakland, California's Andre Ward vies for his first world title against WBA super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler tomorrow night, it will mark the first major world title fight in the Bay Area in just over eight years. That November 10^th, 2001 card that took place at San Francisco's Bill Graham Civic Auditorium featured two somewhat recognizable names in separate title fights both televised by HBO's Boxing After Dark.