Main Events Gambles Big

Main Events Gambles Big
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
March 23, 2012

Immediately following this Saturday’s telecast of the NCAA men’s basketball regional finals will be the second round of Main Events' NBC Sports “Fight Night” aired simultaneously with a solid HBO doubleheader.

Despite this, both NBC and Main Events nurse high hopes as their card, featuring former two-division champion Zab Judah against the unbeaten Vernon Paris in an intriguing junior welterweight scrap, capitalizes on both the former’s star power and the sports fanaticism of a captive audience.

“What we are trying to take advantage of is two things -- Zab's name recognition and being right after the quarter-finals of the NCAA Tournament,” explained Main Events CEO Kathy Duva, who spoke with TQBR earlier this month.

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Vicente Escobedo Makes Quick Work of Lonnie Smith

Vicente Escobedo Makes Quick Work of Lonnie Smith
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
March 3, 2012

WOODLAND, Calif. -- Saturday night, from the Woodland Community Senior Center, 2004 U.S. Olympian Vicente Escobedo fought in his hometown for the first time in his 28-bout career, as he met Lonnie Smith of Las Vegas in the ten-round main event of TeleFutura's Solo Boxeo.

Escobedo made it a successful homecoming, dismantling Smith in the 1st round, dropping him three times before the fight was waved off.

Escobedo (24-3, 14 KOs) came into the fight at 129 pounds, which marks the lightest he had ever weighed for a fight in his run as a professional. It marked his second fight in a row in the junior lightweight division, where Escobedo hoped to bring new life to his career after previous failed attempts at breaking through at the world level in the lightweight division.

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Lonnie Smith: See You at the Crossroads

Lonnie Smith: See You at the Crossroads
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
March 2, 2012

On a weekend devoid of a marquee matchup, Lonnie Smith has an opportunity to steal the spotlight as he meets fellow junior lightweight and former U.S. Olympian Vicente Escobedo in a 10-round crossroads bout in the latter’s hometown of Woodland, Calif. The fight, scheduled for Saturday, (Smith's 25th birthday), will be aired on TeleFutura's Solo Boxeo.

 Though Wladimir Klitschko is slated to defend his two alphabet straps earlier that day against former cruiserweight champion Jean Marc Mormeck, the preservation of his titles seems predetermined; Mormeck, pushing 40, is five years senior to and nearly a foot shorter than the reigning heavyweight king.

 That the weekend's most competitive card – on paper, anyway – will air on Solo Boxeo is surprising. Since Golden Boy Promotions and Telefutura announced their partnership in April 2010, the matchmaking has been lukewarm at best.

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Eloy Perez: "The Prince" vies for his crown

Eloy Perez: "The Prince" vies for his crown
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
February 23, 2012

Though they both share Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions as their promoter, junior lightweights Adrien Broner and Eloy Perez have taken considerably different routes to Saturday night's destination: a 12-round HBO-televised co-feature slot from St. Louis, Mo. underneath the welterweight clash between Devon Alexander and Marcos Maidana.

 Broner, 22, of Cincinnati, Ohio, has been the focus of attention in the United States when it comes to the 130-pound division; his last three bouts have all been televised by HBO and he has been well-favored to win all three of those contests. Against Perez, Broner is currently a 5-to-1 favorite to defend the WBO belt he won against overmatched Argentine Vicente Rodriguez in November. Perez was actually considered to fill that slot, but his team decided to wait for a better opportunity, a smart move in hindsight.

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Famous Fight Fan: Mark Kozelek

Famous Fight Fan: Mark Kozelek
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
February 11, 2012

It's not often that boxing appears a central theme in music, but recording artist Mark Kozelek has given the combat sport a starring role in his work since disbanding alternative rock band, Red House Painters, on the eve of the millennium.

 The frontman for a nearly twelve-year stint (which saw their biggest selling U.S. album “Songs for a Blue Guitar” in 1996, as well as contributions on film soundtracks such as that of Cameron Crowe’s “Vanilla Sky”), Kozelek laid the Red House Painters to rest in 2001 in order to focus on his solo career. Two years later, he and the other founding members of RHP resurrected the band under the moniker Sun Kil Moon, inspired by former South Korean two-division world champion and namesake, Sung-Kil Moon. According to Kozelek, he considered Sun Kil Moon a continuation of the Red House Painters but changed its name to pique the interest of critics who got bored with, or stopped paying attention to, SKM’s previous incarnation.

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Wayne Kelly (1948-2012): No Gimmick Necessary

Wayne Kelly (1948-2012): No Gimmick Necessary
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
February 7, 2012

He needed no gimmick and drew no attention to himself. It was modesty, perhaps, that overshadowed his merits, as his name was oft overlooked in casual discussions of the United States’ best officials.

For veteran referee Wayne Kelly, who passed away last Wednesday due to heart attack at age 63, this mattered none. Of his peers in the fight community, Kelly commanded great respect.

Twenty years playing the third man inevitably saw his involvement with some major incidents, yet the grace with which he handled them elicited little -- if any -- contention. Though I missed the opportunity to meet Mr. Kelly in my five brief years covering the sport, I have always admired his work from afar. With the announcement of his name during pre-fight introductions came the reassurance that I could focus on the in-ring action, rather than the competency (or lack thereof) of the calls.

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NorCal Boxing Report, Feb. 4

NorCal Boxing Report, Feb. 4
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
February 4, 2012

Team Eloy Perez Moves Camp To SoCal In Prep For Adrien Broner 

With just three weeks to go before they make their arrival on the big stage, Team Eloy Perez has relocated their training camp to Oxnard from Oakland, Calif., according to assistant trainer Sam Garcia. The move is in preparation for his HBO debut against WBO 130-pound beltholder Adrien Broner, set for Feb 25 in St. Louis, Mo. in the co-feature to the intriguing welterweight scrap between Devon Alexander and Marcos Maidana. Perez and company have been working at King's Gym in Oakland for the past few weeks with Virgil Hunter and his growing stable of fighters, including junior welterweight Mike Dallas Jr. and lightweight Stan Martyniouk. Perez will now be down in Oxnard at Robert Garcia's gym to spar with undefeated former WBA 135-pound titlist Brandon Rios as well as fellow junior lightweight Argenis Mendez.

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Ringside Report: Mares-Agbeko 2

In the January 2012 edition if American boxing publication RING Magazine, I contributed a Ringside Report on the December 2011 rematch between Abner Mares and Joseph Agbeko. This was my first appearance in RING Magazine.

Jose Miguel Aguiniga Takes Two

Jose Miguel Aguiniga Takes Two
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
February 1, 2012

The early aughts saw champions-in-the-making Victor Ortiz, Steven Luevano, and Brandon Rios all begin their ascent up the pro ranks, yet it was fellow southern Californian Jose Miguel Aguiniga who many experts predicted would first reach the peak. In boxing, a fighter is not always the sum of his physical parts. Such was the case of Aguiniga.

 Though he ran his record to an impressive 31-0, Aguiniga never managed to earn notoriety, nor a lucrative bout before deciding to step away from boxing in 2007. Now returning to the ring for the first time in five years as he fights veteran gatekeeper Juan Ruiz on Feb. 25 in Port Hueneme, California, Aguiniga is hoping to revise his story from a cautionary tale to an inspirational one.

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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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Twenty-Five Favorites for the Future, Part II

Twenty-Five Favorites for the Future, Part II
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
January 5, 2012

(Continued from part I.)

Joe Hanks, heavyweight, 28, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.A. [18-0, 12 KOs] 
Though not as well known as American heavyweights of the future Seth Mitchell and Deontay Wilder, Hanks has quietly put together a respectable career in four years as an American heavyweight hopeful. Hanks scored an improbable one-sided win over then-unbeaten Golden Boy prospect Ashanti Jordan a few years ago and has stayed the course, though not with much fanfare. Hanks has yet to fight on television despite being one of the better kept secrets in American heavyweight boxing. With Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing backing him, Hanks should at least be able to break the barrier and make it on television moving forward. Despite being from the East Coast, Hanks established himself in the banquet halls and small houses in Southern California, fighting twelve times in all there. At one point, this writer recalls then-manager Prentiss Byrd offering to pay for Hanks’ spot on cards, yet he still had problems finding him fights. At 6’4” Hanks has good size and has good power that he has learned to utilize better recently; he’s scored six stoppages in eight fights since the opening of 2010. In a particularly shallow time in U.S. heavyweight boxing, Hanks is near the top of the class.

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Twenty-Five Favorites For the Future, Part I

Twenty-Five Favorites For the Future, Part I
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
January 4, 2012

Don't mistake this list as one to bank future successes of any of these fighters on, though I have faith that more than a handful of them will break through to the top level of the sport. No, what this list serves as is my 25 favorite prospects that I will be keeping an eye on in 2012 and beyond. What this means is the rubric is more than just in-ring ability. It takes into account whether or not they likely will emerge as big time ticket sellers, as determined by their fighting styles and personalities, among other things. One thing you can count on is this list features quite a number of names you won’t see elsewhere.

Sadam Ali, welterweight, 23 years old, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A. [14-0, 8 KOs] 
The quick-fisted Ali was the first Arab-American fighter to box in the Olympics when he made the U.S. team in 2008. Since turning pro in January of 2009, the sharp punching Ali has yet to face a real test. He may be a bit undersized at welterweight and would probably find more success at 140 when he steps up his level of competition. After encountering managerial problems early in his career, Ali has begun to guide his own career. It will be interesting to see how Ali’s plans of getting to the top will work out without a major guiding influence. At 23 years old, Ali has a fair amount of time to get there.

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Inside the Super Six: Predictions from Within

Inside the Super Six: Predictions from Within
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
December 16, 2011

Tomorrow night, the historic, groundbreaking Super Six World Boxing Classic wraps up after beginning more than two years ago when Andre Ward and Carl Froch meet in Atlantic City for the Super Six cup, vacant Ring Magazine 168-pound title, as well as their respective alphabet soup titles.

We were able to speak to a majority of the fighters, promoters, and trainers who took part in the Super Six experience on a variety of subjects related to the tournament, most importantly who they feel will win tomorrow night.

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SoloBoxeo in Woodland

SoloBoxeo in Woodland
Mark E. Ortega
UndisputedFightMag.com
December 16, 2011


For the first time in history, live televised boxing will take place in Woodland, California as Telefutura’s SoloBoxeo comes to town. The card is topped by local attraction Alan Sanchez, who meets Alberto Herrera in an eight-round welterweight bout.

Sanchez [8-2-1, 3 KOs], of nearby Fairfield, California, is riding a three-bout winning streak. All three of those wins took place in Fairfield and were televised on SoloBoxeo. Herrera [8-3-1, 5 KOs], whose brother Mauricio will fight Pier Cote on Showtime in February, is coming off a dominant decision victory over unbeaten Marcus Robinson in October. Prior to that, Herrera lost three fights in a row to fighters with a combined ledger of 31-2-1.