14.11.05 – By Christine Maynard: A fifteen year old boy braved a 23 year old undefeated champion, and a forty-one year old opponent was KO’d in 20 seconds by a 32-2 superstar, 16 years his junior. Marco Antonio Rubio’s powerful uppercut opened an arroya a fist wide on his victim’s cheek. Anthony Ivory, 31-77, a housing contractor from Chicago, was championed by his disgruntled manager, Aalim Mohammad, who claimed irregularities contractually, weigh in anomalies, and the promotion of incorrect fight records for the event..
The fights were held in a municipal auditorium which looked like a high school gym, in front of a few hundred people. Yet it was televised by Fox Sports en Espanol. Commentators Yolanda Perez, a boxing savvy former fighter, and Carlos Avila, who, at 70 is still as dapper and as energized as he was in his dancing days, lent the event an air of sophistication.
Corona was the sponsor, but Modelas littered the floor. The snack man carried goods on his head. As the first fight commenced the announcer dug down as deeply for his “get ready to rumble” as if he were performing for a crowd of 10,000. Numerous fights ended early in the first round.
The headliner, the fight between Marco Antonio “Veneno” Rubio, 31-2, and Anthony Ivory, 31-77, was a mismatch. It lasted 20 seconds. A freight train upper cut from Marco knocked the opponent off of his feet and exploded Ivory’s cheek, leaving a fist size opening which caused the fight doctor, Dr. Barrios, to wisely call the fight. Marco , more than frustrated, sent a Coors can flying back at the audience with a kick. All dressed up and no where to go, Marco’s high voltage, juiced up energy and expectations were thwarted by the stoppage. If he can save and build on that energy, like roll over cell minutes, he’ll be able to bring even more to his December 8th fight in Albuquerque. Fight news had announced the bout between Marco Antonio Rubio vs. Robert Kanya, but the latest information is that he will face Aslanbek Kodzoev.
Fabian Gonzales from Torreon fought Gilberto Garcia…for a short while. The bouncy-trouncy Fabian ran around the ring, when not jumping in place. He landed one soft blow to Garcia’s jaw. He appeared to trip, Garcia caught him with a body shot, and Fabian took a seat and shook his head, “no mas.”
Victory to Garcia, round two.
Daniel “Chato” Noriega, 4-1, also from Torreon, easily defeated Carlos Diaz, 2-3, the second fight lasting no longer than the first.
And undefeated Raul Martinez, with Main Events, KO’d Ruben Badillo in the first round. Raul was disappointed by his last fight in Chicago, when his opponent didn’t get up after a first round blow which Raul thought was a warm up tap. This fight was a repeat, except the blows which stopped this fight were legitimate.
Raul is a clever fighter. He uses his mass to jump forward with accurate jabs, and pops Ruben in the face. Ruben replies with a wild, yet wilting left. It is apparent to all that Ruben can’t fight. Raul leans back on the ropes and puts his hands down, questioning, “Is that all you bring to the fight,” obviously disappointed.
Not wanting to toy with this boy fighter, Raul goes into action to end this affair. He moves, cobra like, slamming a left and a right to the body, and finishing with one big hit to the jaw. Round one KO victory to Raul Martinez.
The first good fight action was between Margarito Espinoza from Jarrel, Texas, and Alberto Marciano. (Margarito and Raul train together under the tutelage of Fernando Castrejon.)
Margarito begins aggressively. His gloves swing wildly with hooks that miss, but his uppercut connects, decidedly. Marciano is bleeding and breathing hard by the end of the first. Margarito settles into the action and becomes more methodical in his approach. He taps at Marciano, remembering his training, being the technician. Margarito pins Alberto on the ropes and effects 7 good hits in to the body.
The audience, the commentators and the fighters all appear happy that this match is, indeed, a match, rather than a lop-sided mis-match. Both men fight competently, and there are some good exchanges. Margarito picks up steam towards the final rounds, with fists flying and connecting with Marciano’s head. Margarito wins by unanimous decision, advancing to 4-0.
Nestor “Baby” Rosas, 1-0, from Eagle Pass, TX., fought Luis “el Terrible” Alonso in a slug fest. Nestor’s left hooks and jabs are like a jack hammer which could break through the most solid of defenses. He was able to get out of binds on the ropes with a vicious upper cut.
He only seemed vulnerable from his own footwork tripping him up, and after throwing errant right hooks; he always missed and almost always took a counterpunch from Alonso when he attempted a right hook.
Both fighters threw some wild punches that connected. The crowd was well pleased, as the fighters showed heart and determination, not backing down.
Chaos broke out in the audience in round four- a skirmish, but with so many smokers and the structure draped in deteriorating blue velvet curtains, I feared it was a fire. The fighters in the ring seemed to sense the diversion and picked up the pace even more, bringing the audience’s attention back to the match at hand.
Round six was explosive; Luis sent rights zinging though the air which landed just where he wanted them. Nestor responded with real punishment to Luis, disassembling him, leaving him stunned. Nestor continued the assault after the bell, and the ref had to physically restrain the angered Luis.
Luis received a cut over his left eye in the 8th, after 6 hard jabs from Nestor. He still managed to clock Nestor with two hard jabs of his own. The victory went to Nestor Rosas.
Antonio “Madasa” Garcia fought Juan “Chango” Hernandez in the best fight action of the evening. They fought a hard first round, but it appeared that Antonio was holding back slightly, not letting his fists fly. He also stood in front of his opponent and allowed himself to take hits that a better slipper would have avoided. Yet, Antonio is strong, and the punches didn’t faze him; if anything, they primed him to fight, as if the first round were a warm up.
Antonio’s father, his trainer, throws exaggerated upper cuts from the floor, imploring Antonio to do the same. Hernandez gets 5 hits in, but none had much force. Antonio took two more shots to the jaw and gave back with resounding slams to the body.
It was in the fifth that Antonio seemed to come alive. From this round on, his fists blasted away, nothing held back, and he seemed to really enjoy being on his power. Juan, on the other hand, appeared to be sapped of his power by Antonio’s well played out battle. Victory to Antonio “Madasa” Garcia.
*Antonio is the elder brother of Julio “Baby Face” Garcia, who recently signed with Luis De Cubas. De Cubas now manages two Julio Garcias, the other being Julio “the Cuban Lover” Garcia, from Miama.