Quiroz, Fonseca, Hoskins shine at latest Bobby D Presents show

Emmanuel Robles has his arm raised in victory on Thursday evening, February 21, 2013 in the Main Ballroom of the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in San Diego by referee Jose Cobian after easily defeating Adolfo Landeros in a Super Lightweight match to remain undefeated at 7-0-1.

On Thursday’s Bobby D Presents boxing card at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in San Diego it was Emmanuel “Renegade” Robles (7-0-1, 2 KOs) of Imperial Beach, CA, appropriating a one-sided six round unanimous decision from the natural featherweight Adolfo “Terror” Landeros (22-30-2, 10 KOs). It ended up being a big man, Robles, versus the little man, Landeros, after a late switch of opponents.

Emmanuel Robles (L) has the veteran Adolfo Landeros pinned against the ropes.

As the bout progressed, Robles, with his quick hands, was in full command and twice had Landeros in trouble with the referee close by contemplating a stoppage.

After the six rounds, identical scores of 60-54 were read off awarding every round to Robles.

After the big win, Kevin Hoskins (C) is shown with his support group.

The Co-main event featuring Kevin “Hostile One” Hoskins (6-1, 2 KOs) of Los Angles and Eduardo “Lobito” Rivera (9-0-1, 3 KOs) reminded many of the night Danny Garcia of Philadelphia, the current light welterweight champion, came West to fight Amir Kahn at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas Nevada. Early in that fight, Garcia caught the slick Khan square and down he went.

On Thursday evening a similar tussle occurred at the Four Points, between Hoskins and Rivera. In the first round, the two fighters squared off in the center of the ring and began throwing these H-bombs at each other. One of Hoskins’ powerful right-hands landed flush on the left side of Rivera’s face sending him backwards to take a seat on the canvas.

Still feeling the effects of the knockout, Eduardo Rivera remains on the stool.

As referee Tony Crebs began his count, you could see Rivera was glassy-eyed and having trouble finding his bearings. However, by the count of nine, there he was back on his feet. Then looking eyeball to eyeball with Crebs, the referee could see he was still too foggy to continue and called a halt to the action. Official time was 1:14 of the first round.

Thursday’s undercard

You talk about your local favorites, David Barragan (3-0-1, 2 KOs), co-owner of the House of Boxing Training Center in San Diego, should consider running for mayor. When his name was announced his boisterous cheering section raised the roof. The needle on the applause meter remained at the maximum level.

Barragan’s opponent on Thursday night could have been a pastor of a nearby church and still he would have been booed. As it turns out, Jose Martell (2-6, 1 KO) came in from Phoenix, Arizona. He became a late sub on Tuesday, just 24 hours before the weigh-ins on Wednesday.

From the outset, Martell heard the boo-birds and became almost a steady recipient of these punches to the midsection from Barragan.

Early in the second round, Martell caught his opponent with a straight left catching Barragan off balance and back he went falling to the canvas. The flash knockdown got Barragan’s attention and he was soon back to work pounding Martell upstairs and downstairs.

Despite scoring that knockdown, Martell spent 90% of the fight in survival mode. At the end of the match, all three judges had it an identical 38-37 for Barragan.

David Barragan has his arm raised in victory after soundly defeating Jose Martell at the four Points By Sheraton Hotel on Thursday, February 21, 2013.

In an international flyweight match, the lightning fast Basilio “Chocolate” Nieves (10-1-0, 3 KOs) from the Dominican Republic was easily out-boxing the veteran southpaw Juanito Rubillar (48-18-7, 23 KOs) of Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines for four straight rounds.

After the fifth round began, the oddest turn of events occurred to give Rubillar the victory. The Filipino fighter hit Nieves with an illegal blow to the back, left side, just above the foul-proof cup protector that boxers wear. The punch was devastating and severely injured his hip. In much pain, Nieves went to his corner and cried foul.

At first, onlookers thought he was having a malfunction with his cup protector. The Spanish speaking fighter was in pain and he was continually pointing to his back. When the referee and representative of the California Athletic Commission came over, looked at the boxer’s equipment, they mis-interpreted Nieves’ pleas. They believed he wanted to throw in the towel.

While Basilio Nieves’ career is put on hold with the injury to his back, Juanito Robillar becomes the recipient of a win he doesn’t deserve.

In this reporter’s eyes, I feel yes, the fight should have been stopped but then since the foul had created the stoppage and they had already completed four rounds, they should then have gone to the scorecards to declare their winner. Since Nieves was well ahead on the three scorecards, that would have made him the winner and not Rubillar. With the injury being caused by the Rubillar foul, how can they award the victory to the boxer making the foul. 

It was discovered later that Rubillar’s punch did in fact pinch Nieves’ sciatic nerve. Sciatica is pain, tingling, or numbness produced by an irritation of the nerve roots that lead to the sciatic nerve. Nieves couldn’t continue with such excruciating pain. As mentioned, the bout was ruled a TKO victory for Rubillar at the 1:00 mark of the fifth round.

Now for the most exciting bouts of the evening: 

Welterweight Victor Fonseca (3-1-1, 2 KOs) of Tijuana, B. C., Mexico, coached by the likes of Luis Lorenzo, Gabriel Quinones and Vince Parra at the new Main Street Boxing Gym in South San Diego surprised everyone, including his opponent, local favorite James “jHollywoood” Taylor (2-1) on the way to his unanimous decision victory.

As reported, Taylor was quicker and moved well. Fonseca could care less and wasted little time cornering Taylor and making him fight his fight. Fonseca clearly hit harder and hurt the Vernon Lee, City Boxing trained fighter, hitting him repeatedly with big overhand rights. After cornering Taylor, Fonseca was relentless with his hammer-like strikes.

Taylor found himself in trouble, both in the second and third rounds, but somehow weathered the blasts from the heavy-handed Fonseca. Late in that third round, blood started to trickle down and into Taylor’s left eye. Somehow, the man with the granite like chin, managed to stay on his feet.

Victor Fonseca surprised the in-house favorite James Taylor. All photos: Jim Wyatt

Scores ended up being 40-36 from both judges Fritz Werner and Tony Crebs while Alejandro Rochin seeing it 39-37, all for Fonseca.

In the opener, two more Californians went full bore for four rounds. Flyweight Jonathan “Johnny Boy” Quiroz (2-1-0) of Oceanside, CA, was being challenged by Jesus Sandoval, a first timer from San Bernardino, CA.

The well schooled Sandoval had the credentials which included 30 amateur bouts plus he’s being trained by Alex Cadiz at Sports University in San Bernardino.

When we check Quiroz’s credentials, you’ll likely see even more impressive honors.

Jonathan “Johnny Boy” Quiroz (L) stood toe to toe against the formidable Jesus Sandoval.

In Thursday’s match, Quiroz countered beautifully, kept pushing forward to land his money-maker left hooks and never seemed to miss the side of the southpaw’s head.

At times, it appeared Sandoval was dictating the action but in reality, it was Quiroz setting him up to land the more telling blows on each counter.

Veteran judges Fritz Werner and Jose Cobian had identical scores of 40-36 while Alejandro Rochin gave one round to Sandoval to score the match 39-37.