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Arizona Boxing News & Notes with Don Smith: Alvarez Continues to Win, Iron Boy XV & More By Don Smith PhilBoxing.com Tue, 02 Sep 2014 Boxing Fans, Boxing News: Amateur cruiserweight Albert Alvarez (Red Nation Warriors Boxing Club out of Tucson) won his division finale at the recent San Carlos and Scrapyard Tournaments and is contemplating turning professional, but will ponder 2016 Olympic option before making final decision. Albert fought successfully as a heavyweight, but the weight drop is very smart considering all of the factors; including height and body type. Alvarez is scheduled to fight in the upcoming Silver and Copper Glove events. In my humble opinion the young Native American embodies the true spirit of amateur sports: excellent sportsmanship, true courage and a willingness to listen. Local boxing luminaries Rollin Williams, Tom Garcia, Alan Viers, Jerry Cheatham and Michael Carbajal were unable to attend the recent memorial of Kevin Hoskins Sr., son of USA Arizona Boxing stalwarts Walt and Lydia Hoskins. The small turnout from the boxing community is attributed to a lack of spreading the news, scheduling difficulty and a natural phobia to attending funerals and wakes. Death is tough! Loud Rumor: Veteran Rollin Williams is thinking about fighting Andrew ?Hurricane? Hernandez on the? Phoenix Fight Night? card at the Phoenix Convention Center, Friday September 26. Hernandez was rumored to have a broken hand, but confidant Jerry Cheatham described the injury as a fracture similar to the physical woe he suffered against Steve Franjic in Canada a few years back. Other fighters mentioned for the boxing show include: Super Featherweight Tim Riddell, Paul ?Ziggy? Romero, Keenan Carbajal, Fernando Samaniego, Emilio Garcia and Mario Esparza. No word on headliner, official press conference or weigh-in dates. It is the first scheduled fight for Ben Miranda Boxing Promotions. Brave Heart: It has been years since his boxing glory years, but Michael Carbajal continues to give back to the community, despite his unbelievable legal battles with former questionable allies. He was seen passing out food, prepared by him, to kids in the South Phoenix neighborhood. Michael doesn?t like to be mentioned for his many good deeds, but the boxing community knows how big his heart is. I hear the former 5 time world champion has several projects in the works. When he is ready to talk, his story will be filed. Michael is said to be working with highly regarded Terrell Donald at his Ninth Street Boxing Gym in Phoenix and other projects are in the works?stay tuned! Injury Report: Middleweight Joey ?The Boxer? Ruelas is still nursing injured right elbow. Joey should be ready for ring action 4-6 weeks. In the meantime, the 32 year old boxing veteran works out 3 days a week at Pro Edge Gym and 3 days a week in his home gym?we wish him the best during his recovery. His supporters say his recent knockout loss at the Celebrity Theater was predictable after he fell awkwardly the first time in round 1. Witnesses? claim Joey struck his head on the ring apron and the fall caused more damage than the actual punch. Ruelas was knocked down two more times before the contest was stopped by the referee in the first round. His family is supportive of his decision to continue his boxing quest. Ruelas is one of the nice guys in local boxing. Closed Doors: Topside Gym in Phoenix on 16th street closed their doors and left no forwarding address or new telephone number. Owner /Manager Pedro Medel works well with kids and we wish him well. I know, he will not leave abandon his members like former Gym owner Damien Stone did when the Stonehard Boxing in Chandler shut down abruptly. There are whispers that Damien?s college age son (Dante) would like to re-open the gym, but there might be an image problem. Short Notes: The Rodriguez Boxing Club in Phoenix is urging boxing fans to make a contribution to the Walt Hoskins family after the passing of Kevin Troy Hoskins Sr., ?.Francisco Chavez and William Northern, 2 excellent members of the elite amateur Rodriguez team are turning professional?..colorful kick boxer / boxer Rick Roufus, working out of Phoenix?s Busted Knuckle Gym, is challenging former boxing champion James Toney to a battle between two ancient veterans, Roufus is 48 and James Toney is a youthful 46. Hope springs eternal! Roufus may have to wait his turn. Rico Hoye issued his challenge to Toney; some time ago?.amateur standout Cynthia Moreno is back training after giving birth. Her modest mother said it wasn?t necessary to mention Cynthia?s return to boxing , but her hard work and talent deserves recognition?.South Mountain Boxing Club Coach Juan Varela is mentioned as a possible 2017-2018 candidate for USA Boxing Arizona President. I asked him if he would consider a genuine draft and he said he was flattered by the notion that the thought would come up. Juan?s Dad is quite ill and his health is Juan?s number one priority as it should be. Furthermore: I asked a ranking official with Top Rank Boxing if Top Rank had an exclusive Arizona deal with Iron Boy Promotions and the TR executive would only concede that Top Rank is co-producer of the Iron Boy XV show at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix on September 20. No long range announcement. Iron Boy XV1 will be staged in El Paso Texas?.Dan Goossen and his company is still the promoter of record for Heavyweight contender Chris Arreola?.Ralph G. Velez Jr. (entertainer & PPF promoter) is reporting that he will be the announcer for the 9/26 Phoenix Fight Night Card. Time to warm up the pipes and press the tuxedo. Mistake Admitted: One of my astute readers caught my reference to the Top Level Gym, run by controversial Joseph Diaz, as the original Top Level facility using the name. He pointed out that the first Top Level Gym was situated on 16th Street and Oak in Phoenix. Must be the cognac; it was located upstairs and I was there more than once or twice. His input deserves a toast and a salute. Diaz is living in Montana and he was amused to find out that he is still listed as a voting member in the USA Boxing Arizona Organization. Mr. Diaz has been away from boxing in Arizona for several years due to health concerns. I humbly apologize for my factual misstep. Ring News: Fledgling boxing promoter Karla Schmick is in Las Vegas looking at fighters for a boxing show in California. Her intentions are to become a licensed promoter and eventually put on a show in her home state of Arizona. For now, she is doing her homework and starting with a smaller show. Karla brings a lot of personal talent to the sport of boxing and she is determined to succeed. Good luck to her and her staff. Promoting is a tough business?.Middleweight Pohran Costello (4-1) is looking for ring action in Arizona or anywhere. The 36 year old veteran hopes to work off some ring rust. Costello is trained by Coach George, Unattached Boxing Club. Phoenix Fight Night: On 8/29 I called the Phoenix Convention Center Box office to check on prices for Phoenix Fight Night scheduled on 9/26 and was politely told (by the box office attendant) that tickets for the show weren?t on sale. Did the response mean that the show was a sellout? No, replied the courteous PCC representative, it simply means tickets for the show aren?t on sale. It isn?t a good omen for the event, but Phoenix is a walk up at the last minute type of boxing fan, so anything is possible. The promoter (BMBP) could postpone the show for a later date. My call in to the public relations firm promoting the event weren?t returned. The Arizona Boxing Commission is on top of the situation and representative of BMBP were at the venue going over show plans. A boxing birdie did call moments before we went to press to report tickets to the 9/26 show are available online. On advice, I punched in the website info and saw, in red lettering, these alarming words: ticket sales stopped. I don?t know what to tell the boxing public at this point. Plans were to open event doors at 6 PM and first bell was set for 7 PM. This column will keep fans posted of additional information. Fan Question: Emory Parnell wants to how Danny Carbajal can serve as match maker for the BMBP show (Phoenix Fight Night) on September 26 at the Phoenix Convention Center if he is a convicted felon. For the record, Danny Carbajal isn?t the match maker of record for the 9/26 show. He is a trainer and felons can work as registered trainers. It is my understanding that felons aren?t allowed to manage fighters or become promoters. Mr. Carbajal completed his court ordered sentence and is free to continue his career as a boxing trainer; it is his livelihood. Iron Boy XV: Iron Boy and Top Rank (co-promoters) have tweaked the lineup for the forthcoming Iron Boy XV show at the Celebrity Theater on September 20 in Phoenix. Andy Ruiz isn?t mentioned in the latest press release but WBC USNBC Bantamweight Champion Alexis Santiago (Phoenix) is on the card and will make his second title defense. Ruiz is still under consideration as the headliner. Light heavyweight Trevor McCumby (16-0 12 knockouts) will face Martin Verdin (20-18-2, 11 knockouts). McCumby appears to be on a fast track to compete for a second tier title but Verdin would like nothing better than to upset the Glendale, Arizona resident. Local favorite Manny Nieves was under consideration for Iron Boy XV, but will appear on Iron Boy XVI (El Paso Texas) instead. Shane Mosley Jr. is on the card and will be accompanied by his famous father. Two-Time Lithuanian Olympian Egidjus Kavallauskas (7-0-6 knockouts), 2012, 2 Olympic Bronze Medal winner Oleksandr Gvozdyk (2-0) battles Lamont Williams (5-5) in a light heavyweight contest. Another Top Rank prospect, Russian welterweight Konstonin, 24-0-12 knockouts will be featured on the Phoenix Card. Other Arizona based talent on the card includes Victor ?El Nino? Castro (11-0), Francisco C De Vaca (7-0), Carlos ?The Chosen One? Castro (5-0), Edgar Brito (2-0-1), Daniel Garcia (debut) and Alexis Zazueta who boasts a record of 3-0. Garcia faces Albuquerque?s Michael Quezada (0-2). Check www.ironboypromotions.com. Ticket prices range from $30.00-$100.00 and are available at the Celebrity Box office. Private Screening: Little Books Little Films presents ?Red Carpet? private screening of My Name is Nobody, Sunday, September 14, 2014 inside the Ardrey Auditorium on the campus of Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff at 2 PM. Little Books (office in Phoenix, Arizona) has a link to click on for an invitation: https://mynameisnobody.eventbrite.ca The film is the brainchild of motivational speaker, author, director and entrepreneur Phillip Penza who is expected to attend the private screening along with his family. The independent film was partially shot in Phoenix and Flagstaff Arizona. I was present briefly at Phoenix?s Central Boxing Gym during the shooting of boxing scenes for the feature film. I wasn?t allowed to enter the set nor was I invited to the red carpet private screening at NAU on September 14. Tom Garcia, manager of Central Boxing Gym, playa small role in the film. As a former film critic, I can appreciate the effort of Mr. Penza and his crew. Making movies is tough and less than glamorous. Special Feature Incomplete: Former Boxing Champion Rico Hoye is a frequent reader of this column, so I asked him to take time and answer 10 questions. We talked about his new gym in Scottsdale (with partners Vasily Jirov and Rick Griffith) and a variety of topics including a fighter from Michigan that he is planning to train in Arizona. Unfortunately he was unable to return all of his answers (via email) before my deadline, so be eager to hear what he has to say in next week? edition. In all fairness, I sent him the questions late?..Until Next Time! Click here to view a list of other articles written by Don Smith.  |
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