Results from Second Annual National City Boxing Championships Part II

After intermission, Bouts 8 thru 15

The trophy presentation for Bout #8 between Alfredo Rodriguez (left) and the winner, Jose Jurado (right) was made by Anibal Solis (center), a former CYAC amateur boxer who turned professional, then gave it all up to become a San Diego police officer.

Bout #8 featured featherweights Alfredo Rodriguez of the Alliance Training Center going up against Jose Jurado of the National City CYAC. Since both boxers are seasoned pros this was another of the much anticipated bouts.

As expected both boxers came out swinging. The only real difference was the consistency of Jurado scoring in bunches and Rodriguez more content to pick his spots.

The one thing that disturbed the Rodriguez’s backers was the dropping of his left hand. It seemed every time he did this, Jurado was there to take advantage of the mistake and land a punishing overhand right. What ever the reason for the bad habit to reappear, it cost him the match.

Trophy presentation for Bout #9 between Brian Salomon (left) and the winner, Nico Cortez (second from right) was made by Hondo Fontaine (right) coach of the R. J. Donovan Correctional Facility's boxing team that won this year’s Battle of the Badges.

Since Bout #9 featured two welterweights from Vista, Ca., Brian Salomon, a brawler from Pacific Coast Boxing and Nico Cortez, a much taller, more disciplined standup boxer from Rhino Boxing, the match was billed as a battle for hometown bragging rights. Not to downplay the reference, but the principles, because of their difference in height, reminded me of the characters in Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky IV movie where Rocky was repeatedly flinging all these wild punches at the taller Russian, Captain Ivan Drago, played by Dolph Lundgren. Unlike Rocky in Rocky IV, Salomon did not get close enough to do any damage as Cortez kept him at bay with his stiff jab.

Bout #10 featured super-lightweights Edgar Armenta

The trophy presentation for Bout #10 between the winner Edgar Armenta (center) and Lucas Shackelford (right) was made by Chris Martin (left) of Chula Vista, the California State Super Bantamweight Champion who remains undefeated with 20 victories and no defeats.

of the Chula Vista Boxing Club going up against Lucas Shackelford, another Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton.

In the first round both Armenta and Shackelford seemed content to work only the midsection. In the second round, as if being released from that earlier mandate to work only the body, the boxers began mixing it up. After Armenta established his dominance, the referee twice stopped the action to issue a standing eight count.

Bout #11 featured middleweights Kevin Lau, another Marine from Camp Pendleton going up against Raul Jason Montano of CYAC, the host gym. Both boxers had weightlifter bodies and packed a punch that could puts holes in a wall. The way they started out, you just knew one or the other was going to have to give ground.

Awaiting the judges’ decision for Bout #11 are Kevin Lau (left) and the eventual winner, Raul Jason Montano (right).

After pounding each other for two rounds, I noticed Lau wasn’t resting between rounds. He stood in his corner while Montano sat on his stool. Be what it may, Lau ran out of gas in the final round and the eventual decision went to Montano who landed more of the cleaner shots.

Bout #12 featured Grant Heathcock, another Marine

Lightweight Grant Heathcock (left), a Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton, has his arm raised in victory after defeating Eric Cruz of Rhino Boxing in Bout #12.

from Camp Pendleton, facing Eric Cruz of Rhino Boxing. It was clear to all that Heathcock took round one by being more aggressive, but in rounds two and three it was Cruz who became the more dominate boxer. He landed these beautiful counters from every angle, counter punching that kept surprising Heathcock. Two judges decided in favor of Heathcock. The third judge had Cruz winning. When the crowd heard the questionable determination, there was silence.

Lightweight Gerardo Lopez (right) of Rhino Boxing, Vista, Ca. was presented a trophy after his victory over Rafael Gomez of Barrio Station in Bout #13.

Bout #13 had lightweights Gerardo Lopez of Rhino Boxing going up against Rafael Gomez of Barrio Station. Since both boxers knew their craft, it turned out to be a tactical scrap. What put Lopez in the win column was his patented uppercuts and an occasional overhand right. He was the sharper of the two on this day.

In Bout #14, Elvis Buenostro of the Mongoose Gym turned in the performance of the day against the power punching Ulises Zumaya of the Alliance Training Center of Chula Vista. Each time Zumaya got the least bit sloppy or went wide with a punch, Buenostro made him pay.

After Bout #14 ended, referee Rick Ley raised the arms of the two combatants, Ulises Zumaya of the Alliance Training Center (left) and the winner of the exciting match, Elvis Buenostro of the Mongoose Boxing Club in San Diego.

Bout #15 was for the Armed Forces bragging rights. Rodolfo Castillo of the Navy, who trains at the Alliance Training Center in Chula Vista, faced Joseph Nelson, a Marine from Camp Pendleton. Both men were heavyweights, 200+ and then some. The first round went to Castillo, who was content to work over Nelson’s midsection. Round two was more tightly contested and looked as though it might go Nelson’s way until Castillo pinned him in the corner and worked him over until the referee had to call for an eight count. The third round was more of the same, until Nelson’s corner threw in the towel.

In the final round of Bout #15, the Marine coach threw in the towel after sensing his boxer, Joseph Nelson (left), had taken too many unanswered blows.