Baja Boxing Club hosts first USA Amateur Boxing Event
On Saturday evening, May 31, 2015, the Baja Boxing Club of El Centro, California, along with their many sponsors went overboard to stage a very entertaining first show inside the charming Crummett Park in Calexico, Calf. The host gym’s owner, head coach and now show promoter, Raul Lau, added many additional touches which you don’t normally see at a USA Amateur Boxing Show. He included a Lowrider Car Show, a popular local band to perform during intermission, the food was delicious and yet inexpensive and he even offered an all-time low as far as the admission price. The ticket price was only $5.
Of course you can’t have a good show without the proper matchmaking and Mr. Lau together with the head of officials Willie Kuhn made certain the matches were going to be competitive. As an additional fan friendly bonus, you got to figure the 32 boxers must have gotten together and made a pact to go the distance without the use of a single jab. In other words, the 32 boxers went for broke from the opening bell.
Without further ado, here are the results:
In Bout #1, it was 9 year-old Brandon Angviano (60.2 pounds) of Baja Boxing coming away with an unanimous decision victory over 8-year-old Kaleb Ailes (58 pounds) of Palm Springs. In this one, Ailes would not give up despite being beaten to the punch and having the referee call three separate stoppages to issue him an 8-count.
(bottom right) The winner of Bout #1, Brandon Angviano (l) has his arm raised in victory by referee Will White (c) after he defeated Kaleb Ailes (r). Photos: J. Wyatt
In Bout #2, it was the more experienced, 11 year-old Daniel Morales (83.4 pounds) of the San Diego Bomber’s Squad getting the victory over 10 year-old (87.6 pounds) Victor Castro from La Gente Boxing. Despite having two 8-counts called on him, Castro refused to back down.
(bottom, left) At the conclusion of bout #2, the victorious Daniel Morales (r) has his arm raised in victory by referee Will White. All photos: J. Wyatt
Bout #3 featured the ladies, 14-year-old Lizzette Corvales (103.8 pounds) from the ABC Mongoose Gym in San Diego going up against year-old Roxana Ortiz of the Calexico Boxing Academy. Following the male lead, the young ladies went toe to toe from the opening bell until Ortiz finally started to get the upper hand on Corvales. Being taller and having a ton of confidence, she was willing to stand tall, take that first punch, then deliver even more of her own to get the win.
(below) At the conclusion of their bout, both the victorious Roxana Ortiz (l) and Lizzette Corvales were joined by their coaches (rear, left to right) Billy Moore of the ABC Mongoose Gym and of the Calexico Boxing Academy.
In Bout #4, it was 15 year-old Jose Cordero (132 pounds) from the San Luis PAL getting the victory over 15-year-old Cristian Recendiz (131.2 pounds) from the Palm Springs Boxing Club. In this one, Cordero found himself up against a flashy boxer with extremely quick hands but at the same time a boxer who would often forget about defense and drop his hands. Each time those hands dropped, Cordero was there to cash in for the ultimate victory.
In Bout #4 it was Jose Cordero (l) of the San Luis PAL getting the victory over 15-year-old Cristian Recendiz (r) from the Palm Springs Boxing Club.
Bout #5 featured a slugfest between 14 year-old Isael Quirate (112.6 pounds) of La Gente eventually gaining the victory over 13 year-old Phillip Romero (111.8 pounds) from Palm Springs Boxing.
After an all or nothing first round, the two rivals who were firing off salvos as if each were operating a machine gun, touched gloves to show their mutual respect. Round two and three were more of the same and the judges must have had a very difficult time deciphering the winner which turned out to be Mr. Quirate who exhibited better defense.
(bottom, right) Bout #5 was a slugfest between Isael Quirate of La Gente, the eventual winner and Phillip Romero (r) from Palm Springs Boxing.
In Bout #6, another hotly contested match, you had 13 year-old Leonardo Juarez (99.4 pounds) from Yuma, Arizona going up against 14 year-old Aeron Lapuz (95 pounds) of Palm Springs. Even though Lapuz appeared to be the slicker puncher/defender, Juarez hung tough to get the nod from the judges in a bout which several judges claimed was almost too close to call.
In Bout #6, another hotly contested match, it was Leonardo Juarez (arm being raised) from Yuma, Arizona getting the win over Aeron Lapuz of Palm Springs.
Bout #7 featured two 15 year-olds Rene Martinez (148 pounds) from La Familia Boxing Club and Anthony Gonzalez (149.6 pounds) from Palm Springs, both of whom were making their debut. As in the previous match, only the judges could keep track of the constant pummeling. Martinez likely got the nod because of his work on the inside while the taller Martinez preferred to tap Gonzalez using his reach advantage.
(left) At the conclusion of Bout #7, it was Rene Martinez from La Familia Boxing Club getting the victory over Anthony Gonzalez from Palm Springs,
In Bout #8, it was 12 year-old Leonardo Sanchez (85.2 pounds) from Palm Springs, in only his second match, going up against 12 year-old Juan Hernandez (85.4 pounds) who was getting ready to face his fourth opponent. Like the previous bouts, the two young men went nonstop and somehow the judges selected Sanchez as their winner.
Bout #9 was another close match. In it 11 year-old Dominic Rodriguez (76.8 pounds) from the Indio Boys & Girls Club in Indio, Calif., came away with the ultra close, decision victory over 12 year-old Juan Medina III (75.4 pounds) from the Bound Boxing Academy in Chula Vista, Calif. If we combine their numbers, the two boxers have now been in 59 bouts. Despite being 15 months and 21 days younger than his rival, Rodriguez was right there trading blows in a match that was so close it should have been declared a draw.
In Bout #10, featuring two 15 year-olds, Martin Ramirez (125.2 pounds) of Bound Boxing lost by decision to the slicker 15-year-old Jimmy Reyes (127 pounds) who is currently unattached. As in the other bouts, this one had a lot of two way action.
Bout #11 featured two youngsters who were making their Amateur debuts, 14 year-old Diego DeMara (122.4 pounds) from Baja Boxing and 15 year-old Lee Jonathan (119 pounds) from the Calexico Boxing Academy. In the end it was DeMara with the quicker hands gaining the victory from the slightly taller Jonathan.
Bout #12 featured 10 year-old Luis Uribe Jr. (76.8 pounds) from La Gente in his debut against 11 year-old Miguel Gonzalez (73.8 pounds) who dominated until the referee finally stopped the bout. The difference in their age plus experience level was too much for Uribe to overcome.
Bout #13 had 8 year-old Jose Uribe (62.8 pounds, Luis Uribe’s younger brother and also from La Gente), going up against 8 year-old Jesus Bojorquez (63.4 pounds) from the San Luis PAL. With the constant barrage of punches coming from Bojorquez, a veteran of three bouts, it was only a matter of time before referee Will White stepped in to stop the bout after issuing multiple standing 8-counts.
Bout #14 featured 17 year-old Roberto Tapia (109.2 pounds, with nine bouts previously) from Mexicali, B. C., Mexico going up against the more experienced but two years younger, 15 year-old Anthony Clark (102.2 pounds) from the San Luis PAL who had been in 20 bouts.
As you might expect Clark did a masterful job of slipping punches and landing all sorts of blows from multiple angles to get the victory.
(bottom, right) In Bout #14, it was Anthony Clark (l) defeating Roberto Tapia.
Bout #15 featured 16 year-old Lucio Hirales (151.4 pounds) from Romos Boxing with four bouts, going up against 16 year-old Jose Angel Hernandez (158.4 pounds) from the Powerhouse Boxing Club in Somerton, Arizona. who was making his debut.
Hirales, with more experience got the victory in a match that featured a lot of brawling tactics from Hirales who’s plain involved maintaining the inside position.
In Bout #15 it was Lucio Hirales (r) getting the win over Jose Hernandez.
After Bout #16 was cancelled, Ctalli Ortiz, who waited all evening for her match, was declared the winner by way of a walk-over victory.
Ctalli Ortiz wins by default as her opponent ends up being a no show.
Bout #17 featured 10 year-old Josue Valenzuela (96.8 pounds) from La Familia Boxing Club in his debut going up against the taller and more experienced Nathan Huerta of Coachella Boxing (98.4 pounds) who had competed in four bouts. In this battle, Valenzuela showed a lot of grit by going toe to toe throughout albeit in a losing cause.
(bottom, left) In Bout #17 it was Nathan Huerta (r) getting the best of Jose Valenzuela.
