LEMOORE, CALIFORNIA — Fresh off of his career-best win, light welterweight prospect Mike Dallas Jr. finds his name at the top of the marquee for the first time in his career as he takes on venerable journeyman Lenin Arroyo in an eight-rounder at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino tonight. Fighters weighed in at the casino’s Den Sports Bar on Wednesday.
In his last time out, Dallas (15-0-1, 5 KOs) of Bakersfield, California burst onto the national scene with a decisive eight-round decision over fellow unbeaten Lanard Lane in a Showtime-televised bout in July. Dallas has fought at the Tachi Palace seven times in his pro career, but never before as the headliner. The Central Valley’s brightest young star will look to inch closer to a world ranking with a victory tonight. Dallas scaled 142.2-pounds at Wednesday’s weigh-in.
Arroyo (20-13-1, 4 KOs) of Miami, Florida by way of San Jose, Costa Rica has seen his career take a downturn, as he has dropped his last six fights. The previously solid chin of Arroyo failed to hold up in his two most recent fights, knockout losses to contender Mike Alvarado and prospect Sadam Ali. Prior to those two outings, Arroyo lasted the distance against power-punching prospects Mike Jones and James De La Rosa. Should Dallas outdo any of Arroyo’s recent opposition it will be quite the statement. Arroyo, once a fringe contender, came in at 143-pounds.
2008 U.S. Olympian and former resident of nearby Hanford, Shawn Estrada will appear in a featured bout on the undercard. In his third outing since returning from a year-long layoff, Estrada (8-0, 8 KOs) of East Los Angeles, California takes on Nathan Bedwell (3-4, 2 KOs) of Jackson, Tennessee in a four-round super middleweight fight. Estrada, who weighed in at 164.8, used attempted a little intimidation by going nose-to-nose with his opponent on Wednesday. The baby-faced Bedwell, grinning at Estrada’s bravado, came in at 165.2-pounds.
Estrada’s Olympic teammate Javier Molina (3-0, 3 KOs) of Norwalk, California has experienced similar injury-induced setbacks, but will look to get his career rolling again against Marco Antonio Arauz (3-6-2, 1 KO) of Palmdale, California in a four-round light middleweight fight. Molina, 154.8, has not been in the ring since last November. For his part, Arauz, 149.2, has not seen action since September of 2008, and had previously been inactive since early 2003.
Promising prospect Michael Ruiz Jr. (5-0, 2 KOs) of Fresno, California will move back down to super flyweight to take on Frank Gutierrez (2-7-2, 1 KO) of Highland, California in a six-round bout. Already competing for the sixth time as a professional having turned pro just in April, Ruiz came in at 115.8-pounds. Gutierrez, making his 2010 debut, weighed in at 114.8-pounds.
Joe Goossen-trained super flyweight Matt Villanueva (2-0, 2 KOs) of Van Nuys, California will look to remain unbeaten against Christian Salgado (1-1) of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico in a four-round contest. Villanueva came in at 114.8-pounds, while Salgado, fighting in the United States for the first time, weighed in at 114.4.
Jonathan Arrellano (5-0-1, 1 KO) of Ontario, California will take on Abel Gomez (3-3, 1 KO) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico in a four-round bantamweight fight. Arrellano weighed in at 118.2, while Gomez scaled 117.4-pounds.
The seventh undefeated fighter on the card, Kevin Hoskins (2-0, 2 KOs) of Moreno Valley, California will meet Rene Torres (0-3-1) of Pomona, California in a four-round super featherweight fight. Hoskins came in at 129.8-pounds, while Torres scaled 128.6.
Tickets for the event, promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions, are available online at Tickets.com.
Quick Weigh-in Results:
Light Welterweights, 8 Rounds
Dallas Jr. 142.2
Arroyo 143
Super Middleweights, 4 Rounds
Estrada 164.8
Bedwell 165.2
Bantamweights, 6 Rounds
Ruiz Jr. 115.8
Gutierrez 114.8
Light Middleweights, 4 Rounds
Molina 154.8
Arauz 149.2
Super Flyweights, 4 Rounds
Villanueva 114.8
Salgado 114.4
Bantamweights, 4 Rounds
Arellano 118.2
Gomez 117.4
Super Featherweights, 4 Rounds
Hoskins 129.8
Torres 128.6
Photos by Jan Sanders/Goossen Tutor Promotions
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com
