Crossroads Clash Tops the Bill in Woodland

WOODLAND, CALIFORNIA – Without undefeated records to cling to, middleweights Paul Mendez and DonYil Livingston meet in an eight-round bout that has huge implications on the rest of their careers in tonight’s Telefutura Solo Boxeo-televised main event emanating from the Woodland Community & Senior Center. Fighters for the five-bout card weighed-in Friday night at Las Islitas Ostioneria, just down the street from tonight’s fight venue.

Mendez (9-2-1, 3 KOs) of Delano, California has kept busy over the last year, but found mixed results both times he stepped up in competition during that stretch. Last September Mendez met James Parison, who coincidentally brings a similar style into the ring that Livingston does. In a close fight, Mendez dropped a six-round decision. Two fights later, Mendez came up in class again and was perhaps lucky to escape with a draw against unbeaten Dmitry Chudinov. Now after two wins against modest opposition, Mendez, who scaled 162-pounds Friday, attempts to prove he can succeed at the next level in a pick’em type fight.

Livingston (8-1-1, 4 KOs) of Palmdale, California enters tonight’s bout with something to prove himself. Last October, Livingston earned his prospect stripes by hanging the first ‘L’ on the record of previously unbeaten and heralded Gary Shaw Productions-promoted power-puncher Kurtiss Colvin via unanimous six-round decision. However, some of that luster was knocked off three fights later as unheralded Elie Augustama dropped Livingston en route to a six-round split decision this past March. Livingston, who also scaled 162-pounds, has been out of the ring since. If he can claim a victory over Mendez, Livingston would be right back on track. Tonight’s main event is the type of fight neither fighter can afford to lose and the winner becomes an attractive option for a meaningful opportunity not too far down the road.

In the co-feature, rising super bantamweight Manuel Avila (9-0, 3 KOs) of Fairfield, California will take on experienced journeyman John Alberto Molina (32-19-3, 20 KOs) of Fort Myers, Florida by way of Caucasia, Colombia in an eight-rounder. Avila, scheduled for the eight-round distance for the first time, is coming off one of his better outings – a third-round knockout of previously once-beaten Vicente Alfaro just four weeks ago.

Molina, who relocated to Florida just this year, was last in the ring in July. In that fight, Molina was disposed of by undefeated Juan Carlos Payano in nine rounds in a fight fought just over the 115-pound super flyweight limit. On Friday, Avila scaled 123-pounds, while Molina came in at 121.5-pounds. Avila was one pound over the contracted weight and had to forfeit 20 percent of his purse, ten of which will go to Molina.

In what will be surely be an entertaining fight, Guy Robb (8-1, 4 KOs) of Sacramento, California will take on the always tough Jonathan Alcantara (6-8-2, 1 KO) of Novato, California in a six-round super featherweight fight. Robb rebounded from his first pro loss with a fifth-round stoppage over Rodrigo Aranda in June and now returns to his home area for the first time since December, when he lit up the crowd at the Woodland Community & Senior Center with a fifth-round stoppage of Hugo Ramos. Alcantara, who had been scheduled to fight elsewhere tonight, but could not make the contracted weight, came in at the last minute to save Robb’s spot on the bill. Alcantara was last seen going the distance with mega prospect Roman Morales in August. Prior to that, Alcantara sprung an upset over former amateur standout Walter Sarnoi in May. Robb scaled 126.5-pounds Friday, while Alcantara came in at 128.

In a four-round light welterweight bout, Jonathan Chicas (6-0, 3 KOs) of San Francisco, California will look to outdo himself as he fights Jose Mendoza (7-6, 3 KOs) of Jalisco, Jalisco, Mexico for the second straight time. In their first meeting, which took place on August 25th, Chicas pounded his way to a shutout four-round decision. Mendoza, fighting for the fourth time in the U.S., weighed in at 139-pounds, while Chicas scaled 140.

Former amateur standout Andy Vences of San Jose, California will make his professional debut in a four-round super featherweight bout against Carlos Higuera Gonzalez (1-1) of Los Angeles, California. Vences, long one of the top ranked amateurs in the country, weighed-in at 129.5-pounds Friday. Sporting a bright blonde dye-job, Gonzalez weighed in at 130.

The evening’s festivities were supposed to be rounded out by the debut of another of the area’s top amateurs, as Ricardo Pinell of San Francisco was slated to take on Jerome Buchanon of Kalamazoo, Michigan in a four-rounder. Pinell weighed-in at 160-pounds. Unfortunately for Pinell, his opponent Buchanon came in a bit over at 174, and thus no fight.

Tickets for the event, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Don Chargin Productions, Paco Presents and Jorge Marron Productions, are available online at PacoPresentsBoxing.com.

Quick Weigh-in Results:

Middleweights, 8 Rounds
Mendez 162
Livingston 162

Super Bantamweights, 8 Rounds
Avila 123
Molina 121.5

Super Featherweights, 6 Rounds
Robb 126.5
Alcantara 128

Light Welterweights, 4 Rounds
Chicas 140
Mendoza 139

Super Featherweights, 4 Rounds
Vences 129.5
Higuera Gonzalez 130

Photos by Erik Killin

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com.