SALINAS, CALIFORNIA — World ranked super featherweight Eloy Perez defends his home turf, WBO NABO 130-pound title and standing among the leading contenders at super featherweight in the ten-round main event against potential spoiler Daniel Jimenez tonight at the Salinas Sports Complex. Fighters weighed in for the Telefutura Solo Boxeo-televised card at a jam-packed Chapala Mexican Restaurant & Bistro on Thursday evening.
Perez (21-0-2, 5 KOs) of Salinas is coming off of a one-sided ten-round decision over an unwilling Alejandro Rodriguez in April. Perez, the WBO #4 ranked super featherweight, finds every fight he’s in from here on out a must-win if he hopes to force one of the champions at 130-pounds into a title fight.
Perez is largely responsible for boxing returning to Salinas for the first time in years, as with the help of the Garcia Boxing team that trains and manages him, the unbeaten fighter managed to draw an impressive crowd out to San Francisco in his two most recent fights. “Their people are so loyal to them to follow them up to San Francisco, where they have to get a hotel room,” said promoter Don Chargin, celebrating his 60th year of promoting this weekend. “I talked to Kathy about it, we came up here and looked at a few locations and decided to do it.”
Jimenez (20-3-1, 12 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico had been tabbed to fight Perez back in April, but pulled out weeks before the fight. Jimenez has not been terribly active in recent years, but could provide to stern test for Perez. Jimenez has a few upsets on his ledger, including one that Northern California fight fans should remember. “I wanted to get a strong opponent, so I thought of Daniel Jimenez, who fought for me at ARCO Arena and gave Vicente Escobedo his first loss,” recalls Chargin of the 2006 upset. Perez and Jimenez both weighed in at 130-pounds, though the challenger did have to make three attempts.
Perez has really caught the eye of Chargin, who promoted his last two fights. “He reminds me of Jackie McCoy, who fought in the ‘50’s,” says Chargin. “I saw Jackie fight in San Jose. Eddie Chavez was 26-0 and Jackie came and beat him in a big upset. He had a style, the style that Eloy is getting now. Eloy used to be strictly a boxer, but he has started to sit down on his punches and he is going to start hurting people. I am very high on Eloy now. I’ve noticed the improvement in each fight.”
In the televised co-feature, James Parison (14-1, 4 KOs) of San Diego, California takes on fellow once-beaten Paul Mendez (6-1, 2 KOs) of Delano, California in an intriguing six-round middleweight bout. Parison, who scaled 163-pounds, has long been an under the radar prospect, losing only one bout to touted Craig McEwan. Much the same could be said for Mendez, who also scaled 163, who has won four straight since a closely contested loss to former European amateur standout David Tabatadze in only his third pro bout. The winner tonight figures to fly under the radar no more.
Super bantamweight prospect Roman Morales (6-0, 4 KOs) of San Ardo, California gets to fight near home for the first time as a professional as he takes on Cain Garcia (0-4) of Bakersfield, California in a four-round bout. Morales, who scaled 124, is coming off of a shutout decision over veteran Rodrigo Aranda last month. Garcia, who also came in at 124, took the fight on short notice after countless others turned the fight down.
Bruno Escalante Jr. (3-0-1, 2 KOs) of San Carlos, California by way of Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines returns to the ring against journeyman Frank Gutierrez (2-10-2, 1 KO) of Highland, California in a four-round super bantamweight bout. Escalante, a former National PAL champion, has had to deal with several cancellations since his last appearance, an impressive second-round stoppage of Shaun Solomon in April. Escalante scaled 121 ½-pounds, while Gutierrez came in at 123.
In a fight that has many associated with the card buzzing, Joe Gumina (2-0, 2 KOs) of San Bruno, California will take on Tony Johnson (4-0, 1 KO) of San Jose, California in a four-round cruiserweight bout. Gumina, who has a bus load of supporters coming in from the Bay Area, has impressed with two brutal knockouts since turning pro in February. Johnson may have only one knockout on his ledger, but it was devastating enough that it won him a trophy and fighter of the night honors on a card in 2009. Gumina and Johnson both weighed in at 182-pounds.
Making his professional debut, the latest Garcia Boxing protégé Rudy Puga Jr. will take on Raul Talamontes (0-4) of Stockton, California in a four-round super middleweight bout. Puga, coming off of an impressive amateur career, scaled 165-pounds. Talamontes, who has been up and down the scale in his career, came in at 163 ½-pounds Thursday.
In the opener, Jonathan Chicas (2-0, 1 KO) of San Francisco, California takes on Davis Kamara (4-2) of Audenshaw, Lancashire, England in a four-round light welterweight fight. Chicas is coming in off of a four-round unanimous decision over former amateur standout Michael Islas in June. Chicas scaled 142, while Kamara came in at 138 ½-pounds.
Tickets for the event, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Don Chargin Productions and Paco Presents are available online at Tickets.com.
Quick Weigh-in Results:
WBO NABO Super Featherweight Championship, 10 Rounds
Perez 130
Jimenez 130
Middleweights, 6 Rounds
Mendez 163
Parison 163
Super Bantamweights, 4 Rounds
Morales 124
Garcia 124
Super Bantamweights, 4 Rounds
Escalante Jr. 121 ½
Gutierrez 123
Super Middleweights, 4 Rounds
Puga Jr. 165
Talamontes 163 ½
Cruiserweights, 4 Rounds
Gumina 182
Johnson 182
Light Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Chicas 142
Kamara 138 ½
Photos by Stephanie Trapp/trappfotos@gmail.com
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com.