Jose Pech vs Rey Russell, one extraordinary fight

Prior to their battle on Wednesday evening, November 6, 2013, at Salon Las Pulgas in Tijuana, boxers Reynaldo Russell (l) and Jose Pech (r) gather in the center of the ring to hear last minute instructions from referee Juan Morales Lee. Photo: J. Wyatt

Wednesday evening at the Salon Las Pulgas in Tijuana, Mayén Promotions in cooperation with Gonzalez Promotions featured another entertaining night of boxing. The Main Event, Bout #8 on the fight card, featured super bantamweight sensation Reynaldo “Rey” Russell (10-2-1, 5 KOs) battling Jose “Bull” Pech (4-2-0, 1 KO).

With both fighters being in excellent shape and on the top of their game, it was one of those matches where you wished you had the foresight to record it, so you could watch it over and over again.

There is so much to talk about. With Russell, he showcased his cunning, superb defense, speed of hands and the timely uppercuts.

Pech was both elusive and in your face. His feints, footwork and especially his survival tactics in the closing rounds demonstrated the heart of a champion. Both were masterful as they employed every strategy.

The difference in this match was the power Russell was able to generate by being better grounded and maximizing his leverage. By Round #4, his earlier success had given him the utmost confidence to withstand Pech’s constant pressure and hard shots to the body.

(left & center) Reynaldo Russell (red trunks) unloads the heavy artillery on his opponent Jose Pech. Russell did most of his damaged when he had Pech pinned against the ropes.

In the Co-main event, Bout #7, they had four year veteran, super featherweight Cesar “Cajon” De La Mora (3-5-1, 2 KOs) taking on eight year veteran, 26 year-old AngelLuis “Bofo” Viedas (8-8-1, 3 KOs).

In this one, Viedas surprised everyone by coming out firing with these wild haymakers. Of the many looping shots two landed on the money and twice the durable De La Mora went down. Late in round one, Viedas caught him with an overhand right on the chin. Then at 1:16 of Round #2, still feeling the affects of the earlier cobwebs, De La Mora was clobbered again. This time, referee Juan Manuel Morales Lee decided De La Mora had suffered enough abuse.

In the Co-main event, Bout #7, Cesar De La Mora (blue trunks) had a most difficult time dealing with the relentless pressure tactics of Angel Viedas (white trunks, red trim).

On the undercard

Bout #6 featured super featherweights Victor Capaceta (2-4-2, 1 KO) and Miguel “El Mimo” Mendoza (0-5).

In this one, Mendoza, a righty, went :57 seconds into Round #2 before being stopped by the southpaw. In all but one of his previous matches he didn’t even get out of the first round.

Victor Capaceta (yellow trunks, blue trim) had very little problem disposing of his opponent Miguel Mendoza. (above) Capaceta is shown listening to his coach.

At the conclusion of his super featherweight bout versus Miguel Mendoza, the victorious Victor Capaceta (bottom, right) is joined by his most loyal supporter.

In Bout #5, it was Alvaro “Jaguarcito” Diaz (0-1) of Tijuana challenging Christian “El Coralillo”Nieto Ayala (3-0-0, KOs) of Tijuana.

In Round #1, Ayala hit Diaz at a three to one clip. By Round #2, Ayala upped his advantage to five to one. By Round #3, his striking advantage had reached seven to one. As a consequence, Diaz was advised to stay seated on his stool and not answer the bell for Round #4.

Prior to his bout versus Alvaro Diaz, Christian Nieto Ayala, accompanied by his coaches Emilio Bojorquez (l), Emilio Bojorquez Jr. (r), goes through his normal stretching exercises.

(bottom, left) At the end of his contest versus Alvaro Diaz, Christian Nieto Ayala has his arm raised in victory by referee Juan Morales Lee and one of the lovely ring card gals.

In Bout #4, it was super bantamweights 19 year-old Jonathan “Fenix” Aguilar of Tijuana (3-1-0, 1 KO) taking on Artemio “Norteño” Garcia of Tijuana (1-4-1). 

In the competitive first round, there were several momentum swings which in the end saw Aguilar finishing the strongest. In Round #2, Garcia got himself in trouble by walking right into three blows to the head. In order to finish out the round, Garcia began to hold on for dear life.

With a cut above his left eye, the game but badly beaten Garcia was convinced by his coach to throw in the towel.

In Bout #4, it was super bantamweight Jonathan “Fenix” Aguilar (bottom, green trunks, black trim) getting the TKO win over Artemio “Norteño” Garcia (top right).

In Bout #3, it was light welterweight Adrian Gonzalez (0-7-0) of Tijuana taking a ton of abuse from Jorge “Chucky” Gonzalez, also from Tijuana, who was making his pro-debut.

From the git-go Jorge held the advantage as it pertains to the hard blows to the head. Referee Juan Manuel Morales Lee ended the embarrassment at 1:21 of Round #2. With the loss, Adrian G., with his six straight losses by way of knockout, drops to 0-8.

In Bout #3, it was Adrian Gonzalez (dark brown trunks, gold trim) getting the worst of it from Jorge “Chucky” Gonzalez (red trunks) who was making in his pro-debut.

Bout #2 featured 39 year-old middleweight Gabriel “Black Mamba” Ojeda (0-1-0) taking on Felipe Molina. After a few rapid fire exchanges, Ojeda got caught off guard by a two punch combo and down he went. Referee Lee wasted little time and called for an immediate stoppage. The result was almost an exact replica of his fight against Felipe Diosabot, the 36 year-old, ex-Muay Thai fighter who stopped Ojeda early in Round #2 in a fight which took place at Imdete Gymnasium in Tecate, B. C., Mexico on July 28, 2012.

In Bout #2, it was Felipe Molina (top, black trunks) getting the TKO victory over 39 year-old Gabriel “Black Mamba” Ojeda. (bottom) Ojeda is joined by his supporters.

In the opener, Bout #1, it was Fidel Bautista (0-1-0) of Tijuana taking on the debutant, 21 year-old Jessie Resendiz of the Undisputed Fitness & Training Center in North Park, a neighborhood of San Diego.

Both fighters were making a comeback of sorts. Bautista, who last fought a year ago, on the very same date, an unsuccessful, unanimous decision loss in his debut, was in search of his first win.

Resendiz, the much taller southpaw, had been away from boxing for four years and only recently resumed training. He had the well respected trainer Juan Estrada and his son, ex-boxer Angel Estrada in his corner.

For all four rounds, Resendiz, with his snapping jab, was in attack mode. His control of the fight, each exchange, had him far out in front as far as the scoring. To his credit Bautista did take Resendiz’s best shots and on occasion landed several hard counters.

Then came the odd scoring. Judge Jocelyne Ortiz scored the bout an inexplicable 38-38, while fellow confreres, Sergio Lechuga and Juan Jose De La Mora, had Resendiz winning every round, 40-36.

In Bout #1, it was Fidel Bautista (top, left) taking on Jessie Resendiz (bottom, right).

At the conclusion of Bout #1, Jessie Resendiz (center) has his arm raised in victory by referee Juan Morales Lee. All photos: Jim Wyatt

At the conclusion of Bout #1, the victorious Jessie Resendiz is joined by his trainer Juan Estrada (r) and the rest of his support group.