Using the highly charged Tijuana fight nights of the 80′s and 90′s as a template, Antonio “Cañas” Lozada’s Baja Boxing presented their inaugural “Monday Night Fights” showcase which featured up and coming local fighters in keep busy fights. In the main event of the night, the highly popular super bantamweight David “Morita” De La Mora replicated the fireworks produced by some of those local world champions who threw their first punches for pay twenty years ago in the border town such as five time lightweight champion Manuel “Mantecas” Medina, Juan Jose “Dinamita” Estrada and two-time divisional champion Raul “Jibaro” Perez when he forced the stoppage of late replacement Victoriano “Piraña” Nuñez (12-16-3, 4KOs) of Costa Rica, Mex, early in the fifth round.
De La Mora Victorious!
It was no contest from the beginning as the De La Mora did everything he wanted against the clearly over matched Nuñez. “Morita” was on cruise control as he was able to do whatever he wanted and he proceeded to do just that, scoring with every weapon in his arsenal, from jabs to hard hooks to the body and even rushing in with a straight right hand that hurt Nuñez more than once. De La Mora, whose family has traditionally either earned their living inside a ring or behind the wheel of a yellow taxi cab, had a large crowd of Tijuana cab drivers cheering him on as he stalked the slightly taller Nuñez around the ring and by the second round, began to exchange with the out-of-towner. Once De La Mora was confident that Nuñez could not hurt him, he amped up the pressure and began to go for the knock out with hard hooks to both the body and head. Nuñez was game as he stayed up close with the De La Mora and trading punches but after every exchange, Nuñez was worse for wear.
The invitable came at the onset of the fifth round when Nuñez’s corner asked him to take the ten count on the stool. At the last second Nuñez stood up as if he wanted to continue and took one look at his chief second as the trainer shook his head thus ending the contest. Official time was ten seconds into the fifth round.
“Fuerte” Badillo Does Quick Work of Garay
Tijuana favorite Arturo “Fuerte” Badillo (19-1, 17KOs) earned his second win since his disappointing loss to Colombian Ronald “Indio” Barrera in what would have been his coming out party last April as he crushed Rodolfo “Chapulin” Garay (27-19-1, 18KOs) at the 1:25 mark of the third round of a scheduled bantamweight eight.
Badillo Wins!
The experienced Garay looked cool as a cucumber as he circled the perimeter of the ring keeping the shorter Badillo off him with an educated jab from different angles. Badillo bided his time as he looked for the perfect opening to score with something meaningful. In the mean time, Badillo tried to pressure Garay against the ropes in hopes of slowing him down enough to score with something.
Badillo’s opportunity came in the beginning of the third as he scored with a crushing right uppercut that Garay never saw coming. Garay took a seat on the canvas but was able to beat the count on shaky legs. Those legs took him to the other side of the ring and unfortunately for him to a neutral corner where Badillo was able to pin him and score with a series of shots with the fatal one being a straight right as Garay bent down trying to avoid it. Garay crumbled down to his knees and was unable to beat the count.
“Jibarito Jr.” Makes Daddy Proud
In the much anticipated welterweight debut of Raul “Jibarito Jr” Quirarte (1-0, 1KO), son of two-tme divisional champion Raul “Jibaro” Perez, the Tijuana favorite did not disappoint as he did quick work of also first timer Luis Quintero (0-1) of Guasave, Mex. In the first round, both fighters were hesitant to do much until Quirarte began to stick out his stiff jab and touch up Quintero. Quintero had no choice but to attempt to force his way into the inside but most of the times ended up in a clinch.
Raul "Jibarito Jr." Quirarte
Quirarte came out much quicker and more sure of himself in the second, putting together combinations that began to find their mark. As Quirarte finished up a three punch combination, he scored a hard left hook to the body that sent Quirarte to the canvas, unable to beat the count.
Other Results:
It didn’t take much for jr. flyweight Julio Cesar “Gatito” Felix (14-3, 6KOs) of TIjuana, Mex, to earn his sixth KO as he landed a grazing right hook mid way through the first round that sent Guasave, Mex’s Patricio Camacho (3-2-1, 2KOs) crashing to the canvas. Referee Juan Morales Lee administered the ten count and waived off the bout when Camacho was unable to continue.
In a fast paced scramble, southpaw featherweight Edibaldo “Indio” Ortega (10-0-0, 4KOs) forced Jose “Chovi” Acosta (6-1-1, 5KOs) to quit on his stool at the onset of the fifth round. Ortega of Tijuana, had trouble with the cumbersome style of Acosta in the first round as the El Dorado, Sinaloa, native switched from southpaw to orthodox and threw punches from different angles but from the second on, Ortega was able to pressure his opponent and make Acosta take more and more risks. In the third, Acosta developed an ugly mouse under his right eye that bothered him until the end. Acosta did have his moments but there too few and far in between. The official time was ten seconds of the fifth round.
It only took 58 seconds of the first round for undefeated Jesus “Chino” Badillo (3-0-1, 2KOs) to stay perfect when he trapped Carlos “Artista” Novoa (0-2-1), both of Tijuana, and unleash a barrage of punches which Novoa had no answer for. Juan Morales Lee did not hesitate to waive off the featherweight clash.
Just as the action was heating up between Melchor “Mimo” Olvera (1-0-1) and Cesar De La Mora (1-1-1, 1KO), both of Tijuana, De La Mora suffered an accidental head butt which prompted the ringside physician to stop the action mid way through the first round of a scheduled super featherweight four.
In an even brawl, Tijuana super flyweights Jesus Alejandro Juarez (1-0-2, 1KO) and Ivan Ornelas (0-1-1) fought to a majority four round draw. Not much skills were displayed as both fighters threw punches in bunches but with not much accuracy. Two judges had it an even 38-38 while the third judge saw it 39-37 for Ornelas.
