El Paso card set for Saturday

Zeferino Entertainment’s first installment of the “Battle at the Ballpark” series, at El Paso’s Cohen Stadium, is set for Saturday, Oct. 15, after a rocky start with the main event. After heavyweight David Rodriguez refused a series of opponents by his promoter and the WBC nixed a Fecombox title defense against journeyman Byron Polley, who’d dropped four of his last five bouts, the unbeaten, still-unproven-as-a-contender heavyweight was replaced by Hector Camacho, Jr., who was, in turn, replaced with El Paso’s Jennifer Han.

Han, 4-1-1, moved up from co-main to main, but against an opponent who’s lost five straight bouts. In a sixer not likely to go the distance, Han will face DJ Morrison, 2-10, 2 KOs.

“I’m ready for anything but I’m not taking Morrison lightly,” says Han. “She has faced some tough competition and I know this will be a tough fight. I will not let my El Paso fans down.”

The six-bout undercard, after several fall-outs and injuries, has now been patched together.

Replacing a bantamweight showdown between border veteran Evaristo Primero and Raymond “Hollywood” Montes, of Albuquerque, whom has gone MIA, is a sixer at welter between John Ryan Grimaldo (6-1, 5 KOs), of Fort Collins, Texas, and Bernardo Guereca (16-12-1, 3 KOs), originally from El Paso and now training in Albuquerque.

Grimaldo, recently signed with Zeferino, is coming off his first loss, to Alan Sanchez in February while Guereca has dropped five of his last six fights, three by KO.

In a four-round heavyweight bout, El Paso’s Eric Reza will debut against MMA veteran Darrill Schoonover.

Flyweight prospect Joel Garcia (3-0, 1 KO), of El Paso, takes on unwon Reymundo Torres (0-3), of Laredo, Texas, for what will most likely be his fourth win.

Bouncing back from a five-year layoff, El Paso ligtweight Jo Jo Galazara (2-1, 1 KO) takes on crosstown rival Raul Carillo (1-2, 1 KO), who was TKO’d in his last bout after a nine-year layoff.

Welter debuter Josea Garcia, of El Paso, will debut against unwon Michael Gallegos (0-9) in a four-rounder and, in the opener, 46-year-old heavyweight Joe Sullivan (3-4, 3 KOs) returns against unknown debuter Thomas Drake.

“Battle at the Ballpark” Tickets start at only $5 for General Admission and $25 for Ringside. Tickets can be purchased on line at www.diablos.com or Cohen Stadium box office.

October 10th, 2011

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