::Tijuana Fight Night 06.21.08!::

06/21/2008

Photos by Felipe Leon

 

On Saturday night, all eyes of the Mexican boxing scene were focused on Tijuana, MX's Municipal Auditorium "Fausto Gutierrez Moreno" as Mexican TV channel Canal Azteca set up shop within the hollowed confines of the building. As 2000+ enthusiastic fans took their seat to enjoy a long night of boxing with a Don King like output of thirteen bouts scheduled presented by Zanfer Promotions.  A night of fisticuffs, upsets and a near riot ensued.  In the main event, Navajoa, MX's tough guy Luis Ramon "Yory Boy" Campas came into enemy territory and completely annihilated Tijuana's former WBA super welterweight champion Alejandro "Terra" Garcia in just 1:48 of the first round of a scheduled ten round middleweight bout.

 

It seemed that it was going to be a quick night for Garcia (26-4, 24KO) as the IBF former light middleweight champ Campas (92-12, 74KO) dropped him with a quick stiff jab in the opening seconds of the round.  Garcia jumped up from the canvas pretty quickly but seemed visibly bothered by the punch.  The extremely experienced Campas smelled blood as he went after Garcia and gave him a taste of the famed left hook to the body.  Garcia crumbled to the canvas for the second time.

 

This time, Garcia took his time in reaching his feet but still able to beat the ten count with what could be described a very worried look on his face.  Campas knew the end was near as he stalked Garcia and landing several more body shots that forced Garcia to take a step back.  Garcia tried to fight back but it was futile as Campas had the momentum on his back.  As "Yory Boy" was walking down Garcia towards the corner, Campas landed a left hook to the head that sent "Terra" crashing down to the canvas.  Although he was able to beat the count, the official felt it was enough and waived the contest off.  With "Terra" Garcia losing three out of his last four fights all by knockout, Its expected for him to announce his retirement soon

 

 

 

 

In the semi main event, lightweight Humberto "Betillo" Gutierrez of Los Mochis, MX finished off last minute replacement Gerardo "Torito" Zayas in six rounds of a scheduled ten.  Originally Gutierrez was to rematch against Guadalupe Rosales who handed his him first defeat by split decision back in May.  Rosales suffered an injury near the end of his camp and Tijuana's Zayas was called in to fill in.

 

In the first, the southpaw Gutierrez quickly let his intentions known as he landed a stiff left hand to the chest of Zayas that sent the experienced veteran on his back foot.  Zayas was ready to trade and was successful in closing the gap on his taller opponent but "Betillo" was quicker in pulling the trigger on the inside.  In the first third of the fight, Gutierrez (23-1-1, 18KO) was successful in landing hooks from either hand to both the body and head as Zayas did all he could to keep up.  Although Gutierrez seemed to be having his way, Zayas' (18-16-2, 12KO) experience was apparent as nothing in Gutierrez's arsenal fazed him and it seemed as he was bidding his time for a quick opening.

 

"Betillo" in the fifth turned up the heat and began to pepper Zayas with quick left hand jabs as Zayas was a little more effective on bobbing and weaving his way into the inside and going after the body.  At the end of the round, "Torito" tries to steal the round with a flurry of power punches that seemed to tire him out more than cause any damage to Gutierrez.  The sixth round became a war of attrition as both fighters began to land bombs as they traded places leaning against the ropes. 

 

Although in close quarters Zayas was the busier fighter, Gutierrez was the more elusive as he was able to slip the majority of the punches.  Near the end of the round, "Betillo" turned up the heat and attacked with a barrage of punches that prompted Zayas to spit out his mouthpiece and the official to fight his way between them and stop the fight.  Official time was 2:56 of the sixth round.

 

 

 

Also on the televised card, the Son of a Legend lightweight Omar Chavez walked to the ring with his famous father Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. amidst loud cheers.  By the end of the four round bout against Miguel Hernandez of Veracruz, MX, the cheers turned to jeers as the rowdy crowd in attendance displayed their disapproval of the final tally of 39-37 for Hernandez and 38-38 twice which resulted in a majority draw.

 

In the first round, Chavez seemed well in control as he was able to box from the outside and land effective jab and right hand two punch combinations.  But halfway thru the round Chavez appeared visibly winded and began to breathe out of his mouth as Hernandez began to inch closer and cut off the ring.  Soon enough Chavez (10-0-1, 8KO) found himself in the toughest fight of his young career as Hernandez (8-10-1, 4KO) was relentless in trapping him against the ropes and landing with a body attack that would make Chavez Sr. proud if only it wasn't against his young son.  As the fight progressed, the Tijuana crowd began to egg on Hernandez as they believed that an upset was imminent.  In the third and fourth round, Hernandez clearly took the stanzas with a persistent if sometimes wild attack of body shots which Chavez had no answer but to try to slip and circle the round that intensified the ire of the frenzied mass in attendance.

 

"Betillo" in the fifth turned up the heat and began to pepper Zayas with quick left hand jabs as Zayas was a little more effective on bobbing and weaving his way into the inside and going after the body.  At the end of the round, "Torito" tries to steal the round with a flurry of power punches that seemed to tire him out more than cause any damage to Gutierrez.  The sixth round became a war of attrition as both fighters began to land bombs as they traded places leaning against the ropes.

 

Once the final bell was rung and the scores read awarding the fighters a majority draw, the jeers turned into boos directed towards Omar Chavez of Los Mochis, MX.  As is customary in Mexico when a decision is announced that doesn't reflect what transpired in the ring the various beverages that have been sold such as beer, soda and water began to rain down on the ring and all those near it.  The deluge of liquid continued for a good five minutes.

 

 

 

In a six round super flyweight bout of local of undefeated fighters, Arturo Badillo stopped Javier Gallo at the 1:33 mark of the final round.  The much anticipated fight began with plenty of action as both hard hitting fighters tried to finish the fight early going toe to toe for the majority of the first three minutes.  In the second, Badillo (11-0, 10KO) dropped his opponent with a right cross.  Gallo (10-1, 8KO) seemed hurt even though beating the count.  Badillo kept up his attack not afraid to allow the much shorter Gallo on the inside.  Badillo took advantage of the inside fighting as he landed a terrific right hand uppercut to end the second round.  The third saw more of the Badillo uppercut attack but Gallo was able to defend against it and even start to land lead right hands that Badillo had no answer for.  Gallo had his best round in the fourth as he tried to turn the tide by landing multiple three and four punch combinations concentrating on the body.  Badillo comes out stronger in the fifth landing a telling left hook and right hand combination that hurts Gallo.  Badillo wanting to finish his night early lands bombs from either hand while Gallo holds on for dear life.  Badillo in the sixth begins to land left and right hand hooks to the head as Gallo looks for the KO punch that never comes as Badillo lands a final left hook that prompts the referee to stop the fight at the 1:33 mark of the sixth round.

 

Middleweight Jovan Munoz (8-0, 5KO) sends Jorge Juarez (6-10, 2KO), both of Tijuana, out of the ring in the first and stops him at the 1:30 mark of the second of a four rounder.

 

LA's super flyweight David "La Flecha" Gaspar (3-0-1, 3KO) KO Humberto Arizmendi (3-10, 1KO) of Tijuana in the second of a four round bout.

 

Tijuana's Rafael Cobos (8-1-1, 3KO) wins a unanimous decision with scores of 58-57 and 58-56 twice over Jose Ramos (10-6, 5KO), also of Tijuana, in a super lightweight fight.

 

Alain Hernandez (11-5, 7KO) of Tijuana earns a tough unanimous decision over Ensenada's Pedro Espinoza (5-8-3, 2KO) with scores of 60-54 three times in a light weight bout

 

In a rare super middleweight bout fought on Mexican soil, Javier De La Rosa (11-10, 6KO) of Monterrey, MX, did not respond to the bell a the onset of the third round after falling against the ropes at the end of the second from a stiff right hand from Francisco Sierra (17-1, 16KO) of Tepic, MX.  The bout was scheduled for eight rounds.

 

Ensenada's Oscar Gonzalez (4-0, 3KO) wins a majority decision over Monterey's Luis Echeverria (2-1-2, 2KO) with scores of 38-38 and 39-37 twice in a featherweight fight.

 

Tijuana's Omar Estrella (5-1-1, 3KO) stopped Adan Gamboa (4-4, 2KO) of Puerto Vallarta in the second round of a four round super featherweight bout.

 

Guadalajara's Jonathan Coronado (4-0-1, 2KO) and Ivan Garcia (1-4-1, 1KO) of Tijuana battled to a majority draw in a lightweight bout.  Scores were 38-38 twice and 39-37 for Garcia.

 

Misael Castillo of Ensenada made his pro debut a good one as he stops Martin Valdez of Tijuana with a a right hook in the first round of a scheduled 4 round lightweight bout.  Valdez drops to 2-3, 2KO.

 

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