(SAN ANTONIO, TX) – I have to admit I did a double take when I read last Sunday’s itinerary during fight week in San Antonio culminating with Saturday night’s main event featuring Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. vs. “Irish” John Duddy from the downtown Alamodome.
At Tony Ayala, Sr.’s Zarzamora Street Gym, a no-nonsense gym if ever there were one in the country, free hot dogs and sodas were being offered to those braving the elements to watch a media-day workout by the local fighters making up the co-main event.
Raul Martinez, who has suffered only a single loss on his record to Filipino phenom Nonito Donaire (a top 10 pound for pound fighter) and former contender Gabriel Elizondo hope to settle local bragging rights for some time to come but they worked out for media and curious onlookers on this afternoon.
Bob Arum’s Top Rank footed the bill for the catered meal said coordinator Lester Bedford.
San Antonio Express News columnist John Whisler says Martinez – Elizondo is as big as the 1985 battle between Mike Ayala (Tony’s son) and slugger Aaron Lopez won by Ayala via split decision.
The Alamodome seems like a nice fit for this fight. The main event was talked about for a while back in early March when everybody had Jerry Jones and Cowboys Stadium on their mind right after 51,000 saw Manny Pacquiao dominate Joshua Clottey over 12 rounds March 13.
For whatever reason now Cowboys Stadium seems like an after thought for the iffy Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather fight while at one time is was a contender.
