By Roy Marquez
Photos: Marlene Marquez
“The
Contender” season one winner Sergio Mora and 2004 Olympian
Vicente Escobedo headlined a sold out seven-bout fight card
presented by Golden Boy and showcased on Telefutura’s Solo
Boxeo. Mora, the slick middleweight from East Los Angeles
squared off against Tijuana based Mexican Rito Ruvalcaba.
Rising lightweight Escobedo faced a stern challenge in
Puerto Rico’s Pascali Adorno.
When Rito
Ruvalcaba stepped between the ropes at the Morongo Casino
Resort & Spa it was the first time he entered a boxing ring
in over three years. In fact, his last fight was a first
round knockout loss to Jose Luis Zertuche in September,
2004. Yet, in the opening round he managed to open a cut on
the left check of his more heralded opponent. Sergio “The
Latin Snake” Mora entered the ring needing a dominant
performance. In his October bout against Elvin Ayala, Mora
gave a lackluster performance that ended in a disappointing
draw. It took Mora the better part of two rounds but by the
end of the second he found the right distance and his
target. Over the next three rounds Mora landed lunging lead
rights at an alarming rate.
The
ring rust was still apparent in Ruvalcaba as he was
unable to avoid or counter Mora’s pot shots. In the
sixth round Mora staggered Ruvalcaba with a right hand
and then jumped on him in the neutral corner. In the
midst of the barrage that ensued, Mora landed a
devastating left hand prompting referee Ray Corona to
waive off the contest. The crowd loudly booed the
stoppage, believing it was premature. For his part
Ruvalcaba also looked surprised. The end came
officially at 1:22 of the sixth. Mora improved to
20-0-1 with the TKO victory.
Vicente
Escobedo, the 2004 Olympian from Woodland, CA walked into
the ring adorned with a shiner on his right eye and a mouse
under his left. His opponent, lightweight Pascali Adorno
(10-7-2), entered the ring looking focused and fit.
In
this righty-lefty match up, Escobedo circled left
working behind a crisp jab, right hand combination.
Adorno seemed content to walk straight ahead, willing to
eat two punches to land one. When the fighters engaged
in the middle of the ring Escobedo’s faster hands
enabled him to land first and land often. Adorno did
his best work when he pressed Escobedo against the ropes
and dug hard lefts and rights to the body. In the
fourth round Escobedo began to sit down on his punches,
apparently upset by a verbal exchange that occurred at
the end of the third.
By
the end of the fourth Adorno had a mouse under his left
eye to match Escobedo’s. Escobedo continued his
two-handed attack and fanciful footwork to dominate the
middle and late rounds. No longer able to pin Escobedo
against the ropes, Adorno grew increasingly
ineffective. By round eight Adorno’s face was busted
up, a consequence of the punishment he was taking at the
hands of Escobedo. In the tenth and final round an
obviously frustrated Adorno challenged Escobedo to the
middle of the ring. For his trouble Adorno nearly had
his head knocked off. The final scorecards tallied
identical scores of 100-90 all in favor of Escobedo
(16-1).
Marlo Cortez, (2-4-1) was unable to deal with the heavy
hands of “Young Slick” Danny Garcia in their scheduled four
round welterweight tussle.
Garcia, of Philadelphia, PA, assaulted Cortez with
rights and lefts until a left hook floored Cortez in the
second round. Referee Tony Crebs waived off the bout at
1:07 of the second.
Garcia improved to 3-0 with the TKO victory.
Off TV
bouts
In the
upset of the evening, journeyman Javier Cintron (14-2-2)
stopped previously undefeated Mexican prospect Jonathan
Arias (15-1) in the third round of their bantamweight fight.
Both
fighters landed a multitude of damaging hooks in the
opening round. The offensive firepower continued in the
second as neither fighter displayed much defense. A
Cintron over-hand right dropped Arias seconds before the
bell.
The
fight ended at 1:05 of the third when Arias staggered
backwards having absorbed a Cintron right hand, left
hook, right hand combination. Referee Tony Crebs
stepped between the fighters and called a halt to the
bout.
Jose “Bazukita” Magallon (6-5) won a spirited six round
junior lightweight bout over Jonathan Bobadilla (4-2) by
identical scores of 60-52.
Magallon, used his height and superior reach to keep the
hard charging Bobadilla at bay.
The
sharp punching Magallon dropped Bobadilla twice in the
second en route to the unanimous decision victory.
In just his second professional fight welterweight Michael
Nyjohn Anderson outclassed Chris Montoya (2-3) to earn a TKO
victory. In the first and only round, Anderson landed a
three punch combination that drove Montoya to the canvas.
And
though Montoya rose to his feet, his corner decided he
had enough and threw in the towel. The time of the
stoppage was 1:52 of the first round. Anderson, from
New York, NY improved to 2-0 with the win.
In the final fight of the evening, heavyweight Ashanti
Jordan (2-0) knocked out Fritz DeJean with a solitary left
hook at 1:06 of the first round.
DeJean rose to his feet but was unable to continue in
his professional debut.
