Mikey Garcia Joins Elite Company, Buy a Fight & More

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By Don Smith: Boxing Fans, A reported 7,805 spectators at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio Texas watched Mikey Garcia (38-0) outpoint Sergey Lipinets (13-1) on Saturday March 10th to capture the IBF Junior Welterweight title. In winning, the 30 year old Garcia joins Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez as the only pugilists in boxing history to win titles at 126, 130, 135 and 140 pounds.

Garcia was a 20-1 betting favorite going into the contest against Lipinets the defending IBF champion who turned professional in 2014 after a brief but successful amateur career.

It was a very enjoyable 12 round bout. Garcia, fighting out of California, caught the Kazakhstan born fighter with a left hook that sent the 28 year old on his backside in the 1st round. Lipinets got up quickly and tried to attack the body of Garcia but the majority of his body shots fell short as Garcia anticipated the champion’s punches and countered beautifully.

To his credit, Lipinets landed some hard punches but Garcia threw more and landed more. In the later rounds, Garcia played it smart with the use of an effective jab that kept the gritty Lipinets outside. My scorecard had Lipinets winning 2-3 rounds at best; but, the three judges at ringside scored the bout 117-110×2 and 116-111 and their cards are the ones that matter.

I talked to Garcia at the final press conference before the fight and he told me the idea of going after 4 different divisional came to him after winning the 130 pound crown.

So what is next? Mikey said he might consider fighting as a lightweight one more time before possibly pursuing a 147 pound title. Errol Spence’s name was mentioned. According a member of Garcia’s team, Spence is more of a puncher than boxer and his M.O. feeds into Mikey’s strength.

Spence’s trainer (Derrick James) attended the fight but the 2017 trainer of the year was anxious to get home so our conversation was too short to be meaty. In addition to training IBF Champ Spence, James also trains WBC super welterweight champion Jermell Charlo. He said he could take on another fighter but it would have to be the right fighter. I asked him if he had turned down anyone and he said yes but he didn’t mention anyone by name. I tried to get him to rate trainers and he politely changed the subject.

In his defense, he just finished a lengthy interview with a reporter he knew and looked tired; so I wished him a safe trip and said goodbye. A good journalist should never strong arms an interviewee.

Garcia told me he won’t be fighting WBO lightweight champion Ray Beltran because it doesn’t fit into his plan to pursue the best fights. He took a short hard verbal jab at Vasyl Lomachenko when he suggested that the Ukrainian fighter (10-1-8 knockouts) was following in his footsteps by moving up in weight to pursue other titles. And he predicted that Lomachenko would fight Beltran. He finished his thought by saying “I have already done that.” Most fans and scribes feel that Garcia will eventually fight Lomachenko and the matchup will sellout in record time.

I asked the Champ if he knew the Benavidez brothers (David & Jose Jr) and he said quite well. He went on to applaud junior for his remarkable recovery from his widely reported 2016 shooting incident in Phoenix and described the brothers as good guys.

I was very impressed with the fighter’s demeanor and he told me his separation from Top Rank has given him new life and motivation to become the best fighter he can be. In his post-fight press conference address he told journalists and members of the media that he was very proud of his family’s contribution to boxing.

I talked to his brother/trainer Robert Garcia and told him that Bob Arum (Top Rank CEO) is on record of predicting his fighter (Lomachenko) would easily defeat Garcia, and Robert said “oh, yeah, I haven’t heard that.”

After his smile disappeared, I asked him to clarify what happened in November 2017 at Casino del Sol in Tucson, Arizona when he was escorted out of the boxing event after working the corner of one of his fighters.

According to the former trainer of the year (2011) he wasn’t charged and the altercation was initiated by a rowdy fan and he denies punching a fan. One witness claims the fan was given a push and shoved by a member of Garcia’s entourage. The matter is closed according to Garcia who has the reputation of having a short fuse.

I talked to Andrew J Zak (Lipinets Manager) and he praised his fighters performance reminding fans that Lipinets entered the fight with a mere 13 professional fights and he vowed that Lipinets will be back and I agree, Sergey Lipinets is for real and we haven’t heard the last of him.

In the co-main, Kiryl Relikh (22-2-19 knockouts) had his way with Rances Barthelemy (26-1-13 knockouts) throughout the 12 round contests to fill the vacant WBA super lightweight championship. It was a great performance by Relikh! Barthelemy and Relikh didn’t attend the post-fight press conference; but Barthelemy issued a statement that summed up the result succinctly: “I have to admit defeat and Relikh deserved to win the fight.” His remark is an understatement.

3 Judges agreed unanimously 117-110×2 & 118-109. Relikh avenged his prior loss to the charismatic Cuban fighter in butt whipping fashion. His right hand is a lethal weapon and I was very impressed with his footwork and speed. Barthelemy was outclassed and from what I witnessed, a third fight would result in the same outcome. Relikh is a force to be reckoned with and in my opinion; he has the power and frame to move up to the weather weight division.

There were 11 other fights boxing menu. 25 year old super featherweight Joseph “Mongoose” Rodriguez (13-0-1-) from San Antonio disappointed his fans when he showed up 5 ½ pounds overweight and was bumped off the card. I sat by him before he hit the scale and he told me he never had a problem with making weight; he does now! He did make some money from T shirt sales. I bought one and gave it away; what an ugly Tee.

In a 12 round IBF Lightweight world Title Eliminator bout, Richard Commey (26-2-23 knockouts) was too big and too strong for a gutsy Alejandro Luna who suffered a broken jaw in a contest stopped in the 6th round. The much shorter Luna put up a scrappy fight but Commey’s 5-6” height advantage and awesome power was too much for the California fighter to overcome. I sat with his family before the fight and I know they must be heartbroken; but Commey is a beast in the ring and Luna has nothing to be ashamed of.

I first saw welterweight Yulian Tembotov (6-0-4 knockouts) fight in Tolleson Arizona 2-3 years ago. He hit Noe Lozano (2-3) with everything but the kitchen sink; but, the gritty Floridian refused to quit. Tembotov, a much improved fighter won with scores of 40-36×2 and 39-37. I see good things in his future. His foot work has improved and he is a much more polished performer than the boxer I saw in Tolleson.

Special praise goes out to Nigerian boxing prospects Efe Ajagba and Efetobor Apochi who scored impressive knockouts in their bouts; fights that few people saw because their performances were staged before 5 p.m. Most fans didn’t arrive until after 7 p.m. …too bad, the former African champions made a lasting impression on me and the few lucky fans that were on hand to witness their work in the ring.

READ Mikey Garcia a 20:1 favorite to beat Sergey Lipinets
The 29 year old Apochi ((3-0-3 knockouts) a very personable cruiser weight began boxing in 2007 and compiled an amateur record 55-6 with 54 knockouts. He is athletic and aggressive in the ring and those traits enabled to capture several boxing honors in Africa. We first met at the final press conferences on Thursday 3/8 and through the course of his stay in San Antonio before he returned to his residence in Houston, Texas.

At the weigh-in I apologized to him because I knew very little about him. Now I can’t make that statement. He was signed by renowned boxing manager Shelly Finkel who held a similar position with champions Mike Tyson, Manny Pacquiao and numerous other champions. His resume is very impressive.

Finkel arranged their migration to America and selected Ronnie Shields as their trainer and Ringstar as their official promoter. Efetobor admits his opponent Darrius Flowers (2-6-2 knockouts) wasn’t much of a test but a win is a win; Flowers night was over at the 2:16 mark of the second stanza. Efetobor is smart enough to know that he needs tougher fights and the sooner the better.

Ajagba is a 6 ‘3” heavyweight with a strong jab and a powerful right hand. He stopped 365 pound Anthony Woods in the middle of the first stanza. I didn’t have to tell him Woods was a tomato can, he knew. He promised that his next opponent will have more than a beating heart.

His story is similar to Apochi’s, born in Nigeria and brought to the United States by boxing guru Finkel to fight. Efe lives in Houston and is trained by Ronnie Shields and promoted by Ringstar Promotions. The obvious difference; Ajagba is 6 years younger at 23 and started boxing at age 16. Both fighters bear watching.

Theft of the Night: The judges who came to the conclusion that super featherweight Xavier Wilson ((8-0) earned a unanimous decision 39-37×2 & 39-36 over John Vanmeter (1-4) weren’t watching the same fight I did. Vanmeter knocked Wilson down in the first stanza and had the fighter from Baltimore on his heels the entire fight. I shared my opinion with Vanmeter after the fight and the 23 year old Californian laughed and said that’s boxing. I would like to see Vanmeter on an Iron Boy card in Phoenix; he is very entertaining.

In other bouts, undefeated super lightweight Mario Barrios (21-0 – 13 knockouts) scored a 2nd round TKO over mismatched Endy Bernardo (23-3-13 knockouts). After watching him fight, Bernarrdo’s record is suspect….Super bantamweight Brandon Figueroa (15-0) was capable of ending his fight earlier with Giovanni Delgado instead he fell asleep at times and didn’t end the contest until 1;55 into the 7th round. The Texan has skills but he needs to be more aggressive.

Texan Robert Rodriguez debut was a winner as he turned in a steady performance in defeating Giovanni Noriega (1-2). Rodriguez was a bit tentative; he should be more aggressive in his second outing.

Luis Coria (7-1) scored a unanimous decision over Nervy Garcia (1-3) in a bout that should have been a “W” via knockout for Coria; 2 levels better than Garcia (24-19) a veteran in the twilight of his career.

Lithuanian Olympian Emanates Stanionis (5-0-4 knockouts) wants to be the first fighter from his country to win a world title and to accomplish his mission; the 23 year old welterweight has 2 heavyweights in his corner, trainer Freddie Roach and Ringstar as his promoter. He was very impressive in San Antonio scoring a 4th round TKO over veteran Hector Munoz (24-20—1-16 knockouts). Stanionis has power, speed and good balance. With Roach in his corner, the kid is worth watching. A good indication of his talent is borne out by his early introduction to an 8 round bout.

Alejandro Guerrero (7-0-6 knockouts) used a vicious left hook at 1:36 in the first round to end the night for Phillip Apyaka whose record dropped to (7-11-4 knockouts ) in a lightweight battle scheduled for 6. Guerrero was one of many young fighters on the card who bear watching in the future.

In summation, it was a good afternoon, evening and night of boxing. I was particularly impressed with several of the young boxers and it will be interesting to see if Mikey Garcia continues to take aim on other divisional titles. One of his handlers told me he thought Garcia could win 2 more weight divisions before his career ends.

In addition to Garcia, my praise goes out to Relikh, Commey, Barrios, Stanionis, Tembotov, Guerrero, Ajagba and Apochi for entertaining and winning performances. I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge performances by Lipinets and Vanmeter even though both men lost; their performances deserve praise.

Also, I couldn’t have produced this column without the help from PBC, Swanson Communications, TGB Promotions and Leija-Battah Promotions. No one is an island and without a team of helpers, I would struggle to produce this column on a weekly basis. In the future months, I will travel to Las Vegas, California, Canada and the Philippines in an effort to continue Arizona Boxing News & Notes; special thanks to our readers.

Buy A Fight: On Thursday March 15 at 10 a.m., I received a call from an unidentified source (whistleblower) who wanted to know if I was aware that a number of boxers fighting out of Arizona were paying to fight in Mexico. I said yes and although I have reservations about the practice; there is nothing illegal about it and for years, boxers have taken advantage of the Mexican option when a fight in the states couldn’t be found.

He said he was motivated to call our assignment desk because he thought the buying of fights in Mexico had turned into a big business; unsanctioned and manipulated by five and dime con artists. I was intrigued by his call even though I didn’t recognize the voice and the phone number was blocked. It could have been El Choppo, I didn’t have a clue.

The way it works is very simple. A middle man, usually a promoter or boxing manager, approaches fighter(s) and tells him or her that for a nominal fee (around $800.00) a fight in Mexico can be arranged and the money will be used to pay the opponent and cover the fighters lodging, boxing license and other incidental expenses. Some fighters say no while others say yes. The “Buy a Fight” program has been a fixture in boxing for years.

In recent years, the number of Arizona boxers crossing the border to fight has increased dramatically. This list includes the following pugilists who claim the Grand Canyon State as their place of residence: Andrew Hernandez, Ryan Riddell, Mark Garcia, Eben Vargas, Keenan Carbajal and many more.

Majority of the time, Arizona boxers buying the service, return home with a victory. However, money doesn’t always buy a win and sometimes the quality of the opponent is mediocre or less.

Another concern over fighting in Mexico is the condition of venues, availability of medical services and security. And when these factors are added to occasional poor judging; there is trouble in River City.

In our investigation, we discovered that some of the top boxing promotional companies have availed their fighters to this service in past years but the number of fight buys in recent years has dwindled due to questionable opponents and fear of violence.

Americans still visit Rocky Point frequently; but, according to published reports the number of American tourists visiting the popular resort town is down considerably in recent years.

Our purpose of including this story in our weekly column is to protect American fighters from getting ripped off and perhaps hurt. And although we aren’t supporters of the buy a fight concept; we do support an open dialogue discussion on the subject and hope the industry, locally, nationally and internationally takes an objective look at the practice and deliver an opinion or policy that can be sent to all gyms in Arizona. The next Monthly Commission is scheduled for Wednesday March 21 and perhaps the commission could cover the subject at an upcoming meeting.

READ Mikey Garcia vs. Sergey Lipinets – Results
We know the rationale behind the “buy a fight” concept is to build a fighter’s record but there are drawbacks and those negative aspects need to be weighed and discussed. Editor’s Note: Arizona Boxing News & Notes encourages our readers around the world to comment on this story by emailing our assignment desk at: dswriter1928@gmail.com. I do wish the whistleblower would surrender his name. On the record I promise not to publish his name if given and I feel 99% sure it wasn’t El Choppo.

Boxing News: Phoenix boxing trainer Georgie Garcia (Hammer Boxing) was rooting for his friend Devin Vargas (20-5) to upset heavyweight contender Andy Ruiz (30-1) at the Stub Hub Center in California on March 10, but Ruiz scored a 1st round knockout and put himself in n position to challenge one of the reigning heavyweight kings; but, I can’t see him beating any of them…….Phoenix lightweight Mario Esparza (4-0-2) comeback fight versus highly regarded Blair Cobbs (7-0) in LA at Belasco Theater on Saturday /17 was declared a technical draw. According to Esparza, Cobbs head butted him repeatedly until the fight was halted and declared a technical draw saving Cobbs from suffering his first defeat… Mario hopes to fight next month and it would nice to see him on a future Iron Boy card.

……LATV Network television presents boxing and Phoenix fans can find the channel by calling your cable carrier….. Former Arizona resident Janks Trotter (10-4-2-10 knockouts) takes on undefeated middleweight protégé Patrice Volny (10-0-7 knockouts) at Danforth Music Hall in Toronto, Canada on April 18. At stake: the WBA-NABA Canadian Middleweight Title; don’t expect the contest to go the distance. Lee Baxter Promotions is the official promoter of the event ….Arizona amateur standout Tri Ochoa was scheduled to end his amateur status with his professional debut on the April 28 Iron Boy card; but, the two sides couldn’t agree on the details ; so, the debut is off for now.

Thank You: The Benavidez brothers (Jose & David) put a smile on a lot of kid’s faces when they showed up in Brooklyn New York on 3/3 at a Victory Outreach Center and passed out toys, posed for pictures and signed autographs. The event was arranged by Compton California City Council Isaac Galvin who lost a brother in a shooting (2-3 years ago) and almost lost his surviving brother when the two brothers were walking down a street in Compton, California. Councilman Galvan is well aware of gun violence and I am sure he supports the March 24th walk to the White House to champion sane gun control laws. The stranglehold the NRA has on the majority political party (GOP) is insane…… Popular Arizona welterweight Abel Ramos (18-2-2) takes on a tough challenge when he meets Jamal James (22-1) when the 2 pugilists fight at the Armory in Minneapolis on Friday April 13…..Congratulations to 37 year old Nigerian Albert Onolunose (24-1-1) for his 3/15 titled victory over dethroned WBO NABO Middleweight Champion Francis Lafreniere in Montreal. Albert’s career has been plagued by stupid personal mistakes that landed the Calgary resident in jail several times. He now fights under the Dekada Promotion Banner (in Calgary) and has conquered his demons to win a title by majority decision; once again, congratulations and the victory has netted the fighter a number 9 spot in the WBO rankings. More News: Local matchmaker Chris Vasquez thought his client 36 year old welterweight Norbert Gonzalez (23-11) was ready to pull a major upset against Frank Galarza (19-2-2) in MSG in New York on 3/3 but the veteran tired and lost a UD to Galarza, 4 years his junior….72 applicants have applied for departing Arizona Boxing/MMA Commission Executive Director Juan Estrada’s job and 102 people have submitted applications to succeed Estrada’s assistant Norma Rivero. Interviews to fill both positions are expected to begin in April. .. …Super middleweight Eduardo Ayala (2-0) suffered a broken nose during his recent bout at the Celebrity Theatre but according to his management team, Ayala (Madison Boxing) didn’t require surgery and the boxer/puncher may fight on the next Iron Boy Show (April 28). ….. 38 year old Phoenix super middleweight Derek Edwards (Old School Boxing Gym) lost his bid (unanimous decision) to win the WBC Intercontinental super middleweight title versus Turkish fighter Avni Yildirim in Cologne Germany. The win upped the newly crowned champion’s record to 18-1 while Edwards’s record dropped to 27-8-1. The loss could prompt Edwards to retire; it is his 3rd defeat in a row….Norma Rivero( Arizona Boxing/MMA Commission) seemed dumbfounded when I called her to ask what was her official job title; she paused and then proceeded tell me to call Caroline Oppleman, Arizona Gaming Department PIO. I thought her request was odd; Norma (Commission Assistant) is very unique, and everyone will miss her.

Amateur Shows: Madison boxing (9402 Central Avenue suite #1) is hosting a smoker on Saturday March 24th, 2 days before my birthday. Showtime set for 2 p.m. Further info can be obtained by calling Ricky at 602-434-7770….The Salvation Army, Kroc Center at 1375 E. Broadway Road in Phoenix, is hosting a smoker on 4/21. 1st bout commences at 2 p.m. Please call 602-425-5000 for price and other details….Details for the Arizona State Junior Olympic Championship are pending, stay tuned……3rd Annual Master’s Tournament is scheduled for 11/09-10-11/2018, returns to Sonny’s Gym at 108 E. Western Avenue in Goodyear, Arizona. Call Sonny at 623-806- 2421 for details; Good times were had last year…. 43rd Annual Gene Lewis Invitational commences on 11/09 and continues through 11/11. The venue is the Gene Lewis Boxing Club, located at 59 E. Broadway Road, Mesa Arizona 85210. Host Joshua Benjamin can be reached at 480-8341216 for all questions pertaining to the tournament. Boxing fans interested in volunteering to work any or all of the smokers should call Mr. Soto at 602-7053.

Mendoza Tribute: I didn’t know him but I knew of him! Hall of Fame boxing manager Rafael “La Cobra” Mendoza passed on March 8 after a fatal battle with cancer at the age of 80. He is credited with working with some of the great fighters in boxing history: Humberto “Chiquita” Gonzalez, Alexis Arguello, Pipino Cuevas and he worked with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez early in the superstar’s career. Mendoza wore many career hats during his 8 decades of life: sports writer, matchmaker, boxing historian and manager. Mendoza is survived by his spouse, Martha, daughters Macarena and Mariana, and two grandchildren. Our prayers go out to family members and friends in their time of mourning. At the time of his death, he was working California bantamweight sensation Joseph Landeros (12-0-12 knockouts). “La Cobra” is gone but he will never be forgotten by the world boxing community.

Short Jabs: Arizona super bantamweight prospect Edward Ceballos (7-2-1-3 knockouts) fought Ryan Allen (5-1-1-3 knockouts) in Commerce California on 3/17 and the result was a knockout loss. Ceballos was scheduled to fight in Phoenix on the Iron Boy #44 card, 4/28 in Phoenix; but, his knockout loss in California has removed him from consideration to be on the Iron Boy # 44 card in Phoenix on April 28….. The 21 year old Ceballos trains at Funtes Boxing Gym in Phoenix, Arizona.

READ Mikey Garcia defeats Sergey Lipinets to capture 4th division world title
I talked to Andrew Zak, Journeyman Management, while he was traveling with Ceballos to California and he told me that the show in Commerce marked the debut of Russian super middleweight Petr Khamukov, a highly decorated amateur boxer, and Zack feels the 26 year old 2016 Olympian has a chance to become a star. Other Journeyman fighters on the card included: Lisa Porter (1-1) and Ernst Muhammad 5-1. We can report that Muhammad won his contest as did Khamukov; the result from Porter’s fight couldn’t be confirmed.

Before we ended our brief chat, the affable but cocky boxing manager wanted to make sure that I knew that his fighter, bantamweight Joseph “Don’t Blink” Greer Jr. (16-1-1-8 knockouts) has challenged WBC USNBC super Bantamweight Champion Carlos Castro (20-0) of Phoenix for his belt. Zak predicts that if the two boxers were to meet; Castro would be an easy foe for the flamboyant contender from Chicago. I told him the boastful challenge would be issued in our column and now he waits for Castro’s reply. In my opinion, it would be one heck of a fight and one that boxing fans would pay to see. Iron Boy Promotions; are you listening?

Outside the Ring: More legal troubles for Phoenix boxing trainer Danny Carbajal. He has been issued an arraignment hearing date for a DUI he was charged with last year. According to a knowledgeable source; his alcohol intake reached “extreme” level and he could serve time and face a severe fine if convicted.
I don’t know if a conviction means the boxing commission will suspend or revoke his trainer’s license. The elder Carbajal trains his grandson Keenan Carbajal (14-2-1-8 knockouts), the reigning WBF Mexican Regional Featherweight Champion. Grandpa Carbajal joins a growing list of members in the boxing Industry who are fighting alcohol abuse and we hope anyone combatting any type of addiction; seeks professional help.

Canelo vs. GGG Update: After hearing Saul Alvarez failed a randomly administered drug test recently, I sent an email to Bob Bennett, Nevada Athletic Commission Executive Director Bob Bennett to check on the status of the Canelo vs. GGG May 5 fight at T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas; here is his statement: “We have no comment at this time, as the investigation is pending.”… Bob Bennett /sent on March 15, 2018 at 3:42 a.m.

I suspect Arizona light heavyweight Trevor McCumby (23-0-18 knockouts-1 NC) is anxiously awaiting Mr. Bennett’s ruling on the Alvarez case. In 2016, Trevor tested positive for a banned substance and was summarily suspended and fined. The Arizona fighter appealed on the grounds that he had consumed a contaminated vitamin supplement; therefore, he should be exonerated. The Nevada official rejected the claim. Alvarez is claiming he failed the test after eating contaminated met in Mexico.

I talked to an established official anti-doping agency that thought his claim was credible based on research and the history of the supplement. Bennett wanted proof of purchase (receipt) and product information that McCumby was unable to provide. He remains on suspension until May of this year and disappointed over what he considers a miscarriage of justice. ABNN has called for a review of testing methods and the banned substance list; but, our calls haven’t been answered.

Manny Rumors: Every week, readers hit me with a plethora of questions about the future of Manny Pacquiao and my inquiries to Top Rank haven’t returned any meaningful hints to what the legendary pugilist will do.

The headlines are full of speculation. The latest rumor has the 8 time world champion fighting WBA Welterweight Champion Lucas Mathysse in June without help from longtime trainer Freddie Roach whom, according to rumors, is being kicked to the curb in favor of a fresh team of handlers headed by Buboy Fernandez.

We also hear that “Pac-Man” will soon announce his retirement and concentrate on promoting boxers continue serving in Philippine Senate and the Philippine Military as a Colonel.
The 39 year old former world Champion has plenty of options and here is our take: ABNN believes s his rumored fight with Mathysse (June 24) will officially be announced in a few days it will be jointly promoted by Pacquiao and Top Rank. And there is a better than 99.9% chance that trainer Freddie Roach ended his working relationship with Pacquiao after the Horn fight.

His replacement is Buboy Fernandez and he will be formally announced soon. In previous columns, we reported that Manny would fight 2 more times after his defeat in Australia on July 2, 2017 and we have no evidence that Top Rank and Pacquiao will alter that plan. . If he does retire after 1 or 2 more fights, he will be missed by fans around the world. We wish him good luck!

Iron Boy 44: Mark April 28th as the “due” date for the Iron Boy 44 show at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. It is safe to say that Iron Boy is the established ring leader of Arizona boxing. If it weren’t for their shows at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, I would have to cover another beat.

Matchmaker Mike Sanchez is currently working on their April show and the Main & Co-Main Event bouts on the show are still a mystery but I have names of boxers who are either signed or ready to put a pen to paper.

Local favorites, Carlos Castro and Francisco C de Vaca and Edward Ceballos won’t appear on Iron Boy #44. Ceballos is a scratch because of his recent knockout loss to Ryan Allen in California. Castro and Vaca are reportedly working on future deals and may be in the audience as spectators. Heavyweight Dante Stone was offered a bout but he turned it down; scratch him also.

Here are the tentative names we have for the 4/28 show, tickets are available at the Celebrity Theatre box-office and online. Flyweight Luis Espinoza 8-0-3 knockouts vs. Francisco Chavez 2-1, Flyweight Adrian Servin 5-0-1 vs. TBA, Light Heavyweight Fidel Hernandez 18-4-10 knockouts vs. TBA, Super Bantamweight Edgar Ortiz Edgar Ortiz 5-1-1-3 knockouts vs. TBA, Super Middleweight Lenny Correa 0-1 vs. Adolfo Ramos debut, Heavyweight Adam Stewart 4-0-1-2 knockouts vs. Dan Charles 4-2, Heavyweight Waldo Cortes Acosta 2-1-1 knockout vs. vs. TBA, 118 lbs. Chris Sullivan vs. TBA, Middleweight Eduardo Ayala vs. TBA, Super Bantamweight Daron “Sweet Tay” Williams 6-0- 3 knockouts vs. TBA, Featherweight David Courtney 1-6 vs. Jesus Ibarra 3-0-2 knockouts, Super Lightweight Christopher Gonzalez 1-0vs. TBA.** location of 4/27 weigh-in to be determined. Doors at the Celebrity open at 5 p.m. and 1st first commences at 6 p.m. Ticket prices start at $25.00 + service charge.

Benavidez Update: WBC Super Middleweight David Benavidez’s right hand is 100 % healed and he is training in Oregon with a plan to fight in July; no world on possible opponent. David would like to fight in Arizona; but, a source close to PBC thinks David won’t be fighting in Arizona because PBC thinks the Arizona Market is weak. They brought a show to Glendale, Arizona in 2015 and PBC gave away more tickets than they sold. Too bad, Phoenix is David’s birthplace and he has a fan base here. Brother Jose was shot in Phoenix two years ago; so, family safety may be another factor in staying away from Arizona if the report is true…….Until Next Time!

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