Chris Martin gets win #25 with KO of Robert Guillen
Only seconds before his entrance to fight Robert Guillen on Friday night, Chris Martin (C) and his nonchalant support staff posed for this photo. (L to R) manager and coach Sergio Melendrez, advisor Lou Messina, gym owner Ted Johnson, cutman Joe Delgadillo, brother Guillermo Martin and trainer Joe Vargas. Photo: Jim Wyatt
Friday, November 16, 2012
On Friday evening, Thompson Boxing Promotions of Orange, California returned to the Empire Ballroom of the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA to close out their schedule for the year 2012. Their final show, labeled “Locked and Loaded” featured fireworks inside the ring and a host of celebrities just outside it.
Among the many notables present for the final show of the year were legendary ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr., flyweight Cindy Amador, junior welterweights Josesito Lopez and Mauricio Herrera, lightweight Daniel Hernandez, Hall of Famers Bobby “School Boy” Chacon and Dr. Joseph Noriega, undefeated boxer Christian Bojorquez plus top ranked heavyweight Chris Arreola.
As if he were conducting an orchestra, the Thompson Boxing Promotions’ photographer had these boxing celebrities lining up for a group photo. All photos: Jim Wyatt
In the night’s main event Thompson Boxing Promotions featured featherweight Christopher Martin of San Diego, (24-2-3, 7 KOs) taking on Robert “Big Bob” Guillen (6-9-3, 1 KO) of Glendale, Arizona. Since the city of Glendale has only 226,000 residents, among them country and western singer Marty Robbins and pop singer Justin Bieber, it was no surprise that Martin’s fan base overshadowed Guillen’s. Incidentally, neither Robbins nor Bieber were present for Big Bob’s fight. In Guillen’s last outing he defeated Rafael Valenzuela, a top prospect who had only two losses in 15 fights.
Weigh-in photo of Robert Guillen of Glendale, Arizona.
Weigh-in photo of Chris “the San Diego Kid” Martin.
Robert “Big Bob” Guillen and Christopher “Marvelous” Martin have their photos taken just minutes before their meeting in the ring, Friday evening, November 16, 2012 at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA. All photos: Jim Wyatt
On top we see Robert Guillen (red trunks) making his presence known in the first round by pounding Chris Martin in the midsection. Once that feeling out process concluded (bottom panels), you can see Chris Martin beginning to assert himself. In the panels below, the end is near as Christopher Martin starts landing the heavy artillery in Round #2.
In Friday’s contest, it appeared Guillen’s plan involved getting inside to pound Martin’s stomach. The strategy was employed so that Martin’s hands would drop but they didn’t. When Guillen tired, Martin came out of his protective shell and unloaded some major payback.
After a fairly even round one of measuring distance and feeling each other’s power, Martin began round two by pressing forward with a no nonsense approach. A short time later, he threw a hard left hook and quickly followed with a straight right. The punches were so powerful they sent Guillen flying backwards into the ropes. Martin’s recollection, “my right hand felt like it went right through him.”
Robert Guillen (rear, right side in the three photos) tries but he just can’t get back on his feet. Meanwhile, Chris Martin (bottom right) discusses the knockout with one of his trainers, Joe Vargas of the Undisputed Fitness & Training Center in San Diego’s Downtown.
The more the wobbly Arizonian tried to regain his footing, the more it appeared he was finished. The defenseless, glassy eyed Guillen was spared further punishment by referee Raul Caiz Sr. who quickly called for a halt to the match at 1:27 of the second round. With the win Martin’s record goes to 25-2-3 with 8 KOs.
Artemo Reyes (L) and Gerardo Cuevas Jr. pose for a photo after their weigh-in on Thursday, November 15, 2012 at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA. Photo: Jim Wyatt
The Co-main event, between Colton, CA’s Artemio Reyes Jr. (17-2, 13 KOs) and Gerardo “Pipino” Cuevas Jr. (15-8, 13 KOs) of Chihuahua, Mexico was almost identical to Martin’s destruction of Guillen.
Blow from Artemio Reyes (R) ends Gerardo Cuevas Jr.’s night.
Collage features Artemio Reyes’ destruction of Gerardo Cuevas Jr. who goes down for the count in Round #2. The top photo shows referee Zack Young raising Reyes’ arm after the knockout. Photos: Jim Wyatt
From the opening bell, both Reyes and Cuevas went non-stop throwing leather. Then halfway through round two, Reyes landed a left hook to the body that took the stuffing out of Cuevas. Moments later a powerful right hand sent Cuevas to the canvas. Even though referee Zach Young began his count, you just knew Cuevas was finished. Young waved the bout off at 1:51 of the second round. With the bout lasting 24 seconds longer than the Martin/Guillen bout, we can’t claim it was an exact replica but it was close to it.
The entire undercard
Isaac Zarate (L) and Abel Gomez (R) pose for a photo at their weigh-in on Thursday, November 15, 2012 at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA.
Isaac Zarate (R) has his arm raised in victory by referee Zack Young after he defeat Abel Gomez on Friday night at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA.
Both Isaac Zarate (R), the eventual winner, and Abel Gomez (L) were presented a certificate to commemorate their participation in Friday’s show.
Even though San Pedro, CA’s Isaac Zarate (5-0) dominated Abel Gomez (3-6, 1 KO) of Los Angeles, CA while cruising to his fifth straight unanimous decision victory, there were more than a few times when the crowd cheered for his opponent.
How so? The gutsy Gomez was a decided underdog in this match-up and had to move up in weight just to get the fight. He had fought seven of his first eight fights as a flyweight. Of course that was before he went on a two year hiatus from the sport. It now appears if he doesn’t revert back to being a flyweight, he’s going to have to settle for second best and solely the admiration of the fans.
Joshua Conley (R) and Mike Noriega (L) pose for a photo after their weigh-ins on Thursday, November 15, 2012. Since Noriega weighed three pounds over the contracted weight, he was penalized 20% of his purse with 10% going to the other fighter and 10% going to the California State Athletic Commission.
In the second bout of the evening, it was Joshua “Whoop that Ass” Conley (3-0, with 3 KOs) going up against Mike Noriega (4-1, with 4 KOs). The man in the red jeff cap standing next to the well known ring announcer Jimmy Lennon, is Repo Man, Conley’s co-manager. Before the bout started, Repo Man danced about to a rap song claiming Noriega didn’t have a ghost of a chance against Conley and his prediction obviously came true.
Soon after the start of their match, Joshua Conley caught Mike Noriega (on the canvas) with a solid right hand to secure the KO victory.
After the knockout, Mike Noriega needs an assist to get back on his feet.
After the knockout, Joshua Conley (L) has his arm raised by referee Raul Caiz Sr.
Junior Middleweight Joshua Conley (4-0, 4 KOs) of San Bernardino, CA made quick work of Mike Noriega (4-2, 4 KOs) of Los Angeles, CA by way of Mexicali, B. C., Mexico after landing a devastating right hand, followed by a barrage of blows to the head. Once it got out of hand, referee Raul Caiz Sr. rushed in to halt the carnage at 2:19 of the first round.
From time to time Marlon Santizo (R) landed a big punch to stun Javier Torres (L).
Of course the majority of the blows came from the more polished boxer Javier Torres (R) seen here punishing his opponent, Marlon Santizo.
Javier Torres (R) has his arm raised in victory by referee Zack Young after he defeated Marlon Santizo, Friday night on the Thompson Boxing Card at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA.
At the conclusion of his bout against Javier Torres, Marlon Santizo appears to be looking directly at his coach and hoping he understands that he gave it everything he had.
In heavyweight action Javier “The Monster” Torres (5-0, 3 KOs) of Long Beach, CA returned to the Doubletree Hotel for the third time in three months to score another TKO victory, this time over Marlon “Diesel” Santizo (0-2) of Lake Elsinore, CA at 1:11 of the fourth round.
Torres landed a hard right in round one that floored the heavier Santizo. After digging to the body for most of round one and two, Torres began to tee off on Santizo’s dome at the end of round three. After witnessing the serious beat down for three straight rounds, then a solid left uppercut, followed by three straight blows to the head in round four, Santizo’s corner finally threw in the towel.
On Thursday, November 15, 2012, Derrick Murray (R) and Oscar Chinchilla (L) weighed in at the Doubletree Hotel for Friday night’s fight.
After his hard fought battle against Derrick Murray, Oscar Chinchilla appears to be pessimistic about his chances of getting the decision over Murray.
After Jimmy Lennon announced the judges’ scores, referee Raul Caiz Sr is shown raising the arm of the victorious Derrick Murray.
In a scheduled four round lightweight bout, Derrick “Whoop Dat Ass” Murray (5-0-1, 3 KOs) of St. Louis, Missouri won an unanimous decision over southpaw Oscar Chinchilla (2-3-1) of Pacoima, CA by way of Guatemala City, Guatemala.
In the opening round, Murray scored a flash knockdown after landing a straight right. In round two, Chinchilla came out swinging for the fences and landed a big left to slow the elusive, fast handed Murray. Over the course of four rounds, Murray proved to be the dominate boxer as he used his footwork and hand speed to outbox, outfox the tough Chinchilla. All three judges scored the bout the same, 40-35 for Murray.
At the conclusion of the show, Thompson Boxing Promotions announced they’re planning to make their triumphant return to the Doubletree Hotel in February to begin their 2013 season.
Bobby Chacon, one of the most exciting boxers in the history of the sport was also in attendance. In the top panel Chacon is joking around with his wife, the love of his life and one of the top heavyweights in boxing, Chris Arreola. Below is a photo of Bobby “School Boy” Chacon, the Hall of Famer and two division World Champion when he was in his prime. Bottom right, Chacon and Arreola are pretending to be challenging each other.
The unsung heroes of each and every show are the members of the stage crew which put up and take down the lighting, the ring and all it’s accoutrements. Photo: Jim Wyatt
