Another dream weekend for the local Boxing fan: two shows in Tijuana, four title fights Saturday from NY

Before getting too involved in our local shows, we have to mention that rare occurrence which comes along once a decade, that being a worthy Southern California heavyweight who gets a shot at the World Heavyweight Title. You might want to argue this point but the last time was in 2009 when Chris Arreola of Riverside, Calif. gave it his best against Vitali Klitschko for the WBC title. Prior to that, it was Ken Norton who competed from 1967 to 1981, and held the WBC Heavyweight title in 1978. He is best known for his trilogy with Muhammad Ali, in which he won the first fight by split decision, and controversially lost the latter two fights by split and unanimous decision. After breaking Mohammed Ali’s jaw, his nickname went from the Fighting Marine to The Jawbreaker. Then in 1955, it was Rocky Marciano begrudgingly giving the 39-year-old reigning light heavyweight champ Archie Moore (149-19-8) a shot at his title. The San Diego legend floored Marciano in round two but then suffered four knockdowns himself before being counted out in round nine. Now it’s Andy Ruiz Jr.’s turn and were certain he’ll be giving it his best.

For the 6’2″ tall Andy Ruiz Jr. (right) to be looking up at the 6’6″ tall Anthony Joshua, it has to be a bit unnerving.

Now we have another shot at the title with 29-year-old Andy Ruiz Jr. from Imperial, Calif. In our opinion, this will be a much tougher test for Anthony Joshua than Jarrell Miller. Ruiz punches harder and has much quicker hands. In addition, since Ruiz is from the Imperial Valley you know he’ll be bringing his giant Mexican heart against the best heavyweight in the world. Betting wise, be careful, it’s still a stretch to bet against a man of Joshua’s size and athleticism.

Also, on that same DAZN telecast, they have Ireland’s Katie Taylor (13-0, 6 KOs), the IBF, WBA, and WBO title holder taking on Belgium’s Delfine Persoon (43-1, 18 KOs) who holds the WBC belt, which she’s now had for five years. Also, they have Joshua Buatsi facing Marco Antonio Periban in a 10 rounder for the light heavyweight title and Callum Smith taking on Hassan N’Dam in a 12 round WBA super middleweight title fight. This lowly scribe got to meet two of these great people, when Persoon visited Tijuana and Periban fought at the Four Points by Sheraton in San Diego.

Now back to the results from Thursday’s weigh-ins in Tijuana.

In the Main Event, Bout#10, they have Rafael “Big Bang” Rivera (r) who in his last outing challenged Leo Santa Cruz for his WBA Super Featherweight Title. On Friday night, he’ll be facing David “Walking dead” Godinez (l).

In Bout #1, they have 27-year-old, 5’10” tall, super welterweight Steve “Manos de Oro” Villalobos, Global ID 775112 (10-0-1, 8 KOs) from Mount Vernon, Washington scheduled to go four rounds with 36-year-old Odilon “Odi” Rivera Meza (5-37-5, 3 KOs) Global ID 274524 from San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico and from the look on Meza’s face this could be a once-sided affair.

In Bout #8, scheduled for six rounds, they have super middleweights 22-year-old, 6′ tall Noe Larios Jr. (9-0, 4 KOs) Global ID 782409 from Escondido, Calif. who attended Thursday’s weigh-in going up against Rafael “Rafa” Ortiz (10-7-4, 5 KOs) Global ID 397742 from Mexicali, B. C., Mexico who was noticeably absent from Thursday’s weigh-in.

Notewell: Previously, this same Rafael “Rafa” Ortiz from Mexicali, B. C., Global ID 397742, Record 10-7-4, 5 KOs had been confused with another gentleman with the same name. That gentleman, Rafael “Chamaco” Ortiz, Global ID 029491 a super welterweight from Chicxulub, Yucatan, Mexico, retired from the sport on June 15, 2012. Of course only BoxRec.com can confirm this discovery and rectify the problem for the still active Rafael “Rafa” Ortiz, Global ID 397742 who is still scheduled to fight Noe Larios Jr. on Friday night after completing his official weigh-in.

In Bout #3, they have 23 year-old super featherweight Jose Alberto “As Negro” Guzman (19-2-3, 10 KOs) Global ID 629075 (top left) who hasn’t lost a fight in four years (going 9-0 with 2 draws), scheduled to go six rounds with the veteran of 57 fights, 40-year-old Jose Luis “Tapitas” Araiza (31-24-2, with 21 KOs) from Tecate, B. C., Mexico (below, bottom, left) Global ID 040902, who stands just 5’3″ tall. This amazing athlete, with the heart of a lion, made his debut back on February 21, 1998, over 21 years ago.

In Bout #5, they have two super welterweights in a bout scheduled for six rounds with 23-year-old Romario “Little Boy” Ovalle (3-1, 3 KOs) Global ID 825244 from Tecate, B. C., Mexico taking on a gentleman by the name of Juan Manuel Rodriguez Chavez, “Juanito” (5-21, 4 KOs) who according to his Global ID #295428 is 39-years-old and turned Pro in 1999.

(bottom photo) Combatants in Bout #5, Romario “Little Boy” Ovalle (l) from Tecate and Juanito Rodriguez (r) from Tijuana.

In Bout #7, they have 5’10” tall, 25 year-old Elias “Ingles” Diaz Global ID 775459 (5-0, 3 KOs), a super lightweight, from National City, Calif. scheduled to go four rounds with 28-year-old Francisco Javier Lopez Chavez (13-19-2, 10 KOs) Global ID 605224 from Mexicali, B. C., Mexico who in the past has used three aliases (Coca, Kevin and Giro to possibly disguise his name). Diaz is leading by example, after being an awesome USA Amateur Boxer, he went and got his college degree first before entering the more challenging Professional Boxing career.

Francisco Javier Lopez Chavez, also from the town of Mexicali, did not attend the weigh-ins on Thursday.

In Bout #6, they have Sammy Almontes Aguilar scheduled to go four rounds against Luis Donaldo Parra. In Bout #1, they have 27-year-old, 5’10” tall, super welterweight Steve “Manos de Oro” Villalobos, Global ID 775112 (10-0-1, 8 KOs) from Mount Vernon, Washington scheduled to go four rounds with 36-year-old Odilon “Odi” Rivera Meza (5-37-5, 3 KOs) Global ID 274524 from San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico who had been listed as suspended indefinitely by the Boxing Commission of Mexicali, B. C., Mexico. From the look on Meza’s face this could be the most once-sided match ever.

Luis Parra Medina, (1-0) Global ID 845773, is a 24-year-old super flyweight from Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico.

In Bout #2, they have super lightweight, 23-year-old Diego “Zurdo” Rivas Ortega Global ID 791017 (0-2-1) from Tijuana, scheduled to go four rounds with 24-year-old, 5’9″ tall, southpaw Jessie “El Cuate” Nares from Oxnard, Calif. Nares, who is 25-years-old and born on June 16, 1994, is making his Professional Debut.

That worried look on the 36-year-old Odilon “Odi” Rivera Meza‘s face never changed.

Here we see Odi’s opponent on Friday night, Steve Villalobos.

Their weights may have been the same but everything else???

In #Bout #4, they have or had 24-year-old welterweight Jorge Alberto “El Chihuas” Brito (11-1, 7 KOs) Global ID 730255, from Tijuana scheduled to go six rounds against 36-year-old Miguel Villalobos Global ID 661404 (2-10, 2 KOs) from Tijuana who had previously been suspended by the Tijuana Boxing Commission until June 2, 2019.

Bout #4 has southpaw Jorge Alberto “El Chihuas” Brito (11-1, 7 KOs) from Tijuana by way of Chihuahua, who is the devastating puncher. He handed San Diego’s Kevin “Diamond Boy” Torres his first loss back on November 9, 2018. Brito’s opponent, Miguel Villalobos (2-10), a no show for the official weigh-in on Thursday, last fought on May 17th, against Andra McGowan who was making his Pro debut and that fight has yet to be posted.

In Bout #9, they have 18-year-old Carlos Efrain “El Stich” Flores (16-0, 9 KOs) Global ID 822469 from Tijuana facing the more experienced 23-year-old, orthodox boxer Jesus Manuel Sandoval (0-22-1) from Tijuana. Turning professional at the age of 17, Flores has been wiping up the floor with the competition.

Emmy Award Winning Sports Journalist Fernando Paramo of LATV’s World Class Boxing and his crew which includes his well-known co-hosts: interim WBC Female Atomweight title holder Brenda Flores and the equally charming Nayelita Franco will be covering every angle of this event.

In addition to the four title fights on DAZN on Saturday night which can be taped and watched at a later time, there is also a Boxing show at The Big Punch Arena where it was announced featherweight Prince Tiger Smalls (14-1-1), the head boxing coach at 10th Planet San Diego, plus well-known Cruiser weight/Muaythai coach Denis Grachev (17-7-1, 10 KOs) from San Diego’s City Boxing will be on that same fight card battling Julio Majors.