By Francisco Salazar

Back by popular demand (and actually being able to sleep in after teaching summer school that started at 7:40AM), another edition of Southern California Fight Scene is here for fight fans to digest. Lots of upcoming cards and news regarding fighters here in Southern California.

While Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz meet inside the ring again in Las Vegas this Saturday night, Thompson Boxing Promotions presents a solid card at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario. In a battle of unbeaten junior middleweights, Alberto Herrera (7-0, 5 KO’s) will take on Sammy Gonzalez (7-0, 3 KO’s) in a six round bout. Local bragging rights in the Inland Empire will be up for grabs between Herrera (Riverside) and Gonzalez (Chino). Herrera has been the busier fighter since making his professional debut in March of last year. Gonzalez has not fought in almost two years. Also on the card will be unbeaten super bantamweight Efrain Esquivias (8-0, 5 KO’s) of Carson, taking on Jonathan Alcantara (4-2-1) in a six round bout. Three more scheduled bouts round out the card. For tickets and information, contact Thompson Boxing Promotions at (714) 935-0900.

Speaking of the Inland Empire, respected Riverside Press-Enterprise boxing writer David Avila told me that there are over 30 gyms in this area of Southern California. Add one more to the mix as unbeaten Featherweight Michael Franco (16-0, 11 KO’s) recently opened up a gym in Rancho Cucamonga. Warrior Combat Academy, where Franco also trains, boasts a membership over 110 people. Super flyweight Anthony Villareal recently trained there a short time. Franco will face veteran Adolfo Landeros on Friday, August 20th at the Sol Casino in Tucson, AZ. Telefutura will televise. Also on the Don Chargin/ Jorge Marron Promotions card will be San Diego-based Filipino Mercito Gesta, as he takes on Genaro Trazancos in a 10 round Lightweight bout.

On the undercard of the Timothy Bradley-Luis Carlos Abregu fight on July 17th, unbeaten Art Hovhannesyan made his debut under the Gary Shaw Productions banner, winning an eight round unanimous decision over Cristian Favela. Hovhannesyan (12-0-1, 6 KO’s) is a talented fighter who has fought numerous times in Southern California after a stellar amateur career in his native Armenia. Now based out of Glendale, Hovhannesyan hopes to remain active and can fight at the Lightweight or Super Lightweight limit. His countryman, super featherweight Gabriel Tolmajyan (9-1, 3 KO’s), also fights for Gary Shaw and for Banner Promotions. Tolmajyan might fight as soon as Saturday, August 14th on a Banner Promotions card in Laredo, TX.

Speaking of Laredo, TX, unbeaten featherweight Miguel Angel Garcia will face his most difficult opponent to date in his next fight, crafty southpaw Cornelius Lock in a 12 round bout. Garcia (22-0, 18 KO’s) has looked impressive thus far in his young career and a victory over Lock will be an impressive notch on his belt. Although Garcia lives in Oxnard, he has trained at Warrior Combat Academy and in Riverside. Garcia trains with his father, Eduardo, while older brother Robert runs his boxing academy in South Oxnard. Fox Sports Net will televise the bout including the world title bout between Lightweights Miguel Vazquez and Ji Hoon Kim.

Promoter Roy Englebrecht presents another installment of the popular “Battle in the Ballroom” series on Thursday, August 5th at the Marriott in Irvine. It is no secret that Englebrecht is a creative genius on top of having a keen eye for talent. Englebrecht will feature a Heavyweight main event as unbeaten Joe Hanks (13-0, 9 KO’s) will take on Johnnie White (22-2, 18 KO’s), while unbeaten Scott Alexander (5-0-1, 3 KO’s) squares off against Charles Tucker (3-2, 3 KO’s). Three six round bouts will round out the card. The Battle in the Ballroom series has the distinction of being the longest running club show in the country, now in its 26th year of entertaining fights fans in Orange County. Tickets are priced at $40 and $32. For tickets and information, contact Roy Englebrecht Promotions at 949-760-3131.

The Inland Empire will be rocking on Friday, August 13th at the beautiful Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario. Popular Heavyweight contender Chris Arreola returns to the same venue from his 12 round majority decision loss against Tomas Adamek to face Heavyweight Manny Quezada in a 10 round bout. Arreola has lost two if his last three bouts and desperately needs a victory to maintain his status as one of the top American Heavyweights. Like Arreola, Quezada lost his last fight, a 10 round split-decision to Jason Gavern. Also on the card will be an attractive 10 round junior welterweight bout featuring Riverside’s Josesito Lopez taking on Marvin Cordova. For tickets, call the Citizens Business Bank Arena box office at (800) 745-3000. ESPN2 will televise the card on Friday Night Fights.

Bantamweight contender Abner Mares told Fightnews.com that he might fight on the Shane Mosley-Sergio Mora undercard on Saturday, September 18th at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. Nothing is concrete as to an opponent or if he would actually fight on the card. Mares, who resides in Hawaiian Gardens, would be fighting in the same venue where he challenged for a world title against Yonnhy Perez on May 22nd. After 12 grueling and exciting rounds, the bout ended in a 12 round majority draw.

Lightweight contender Urbano Antillon of Maywood told Fightnews.com that he hopes to return to the ring this fall. Antillon said that a possible fight with Humberto Soto was discussed, but nothing has been inked. There is talk of Antillon possibly fighting on the Top Rank card in Las Vegas on Saturday, September 11th. Stay tuned to see if that takes place.

If you were not in attendance at Club Nokia last Thursday or missed watching the fight card on ringtv.com, and if you call yourself a fight fan, shame on you as Golden Boy Promotions presented a solid card that night. After discussing with fellow writers, fans, and even the Golden Boy himself, the four round war between Oscar Andrade and Ramon Valadez could possibly be the best four round bout in Southern California or even a candidate for fight of the year. Both fighters went back and forth, landing vicious head shots before Andrade took the nod by unanimous decision. Kudos to Golden Boy Promotions matchmaker Robert Diaz for putting together the fight. However, showing his true character, Diaz was humble upon hearing the compliments. “It’s a team effort,” said Diaz to Fightnews.com.

Short jabs:

- Aside from Heavyweight Manny Quezada, numerous contenders and champions are currently using the Robert Garcia’s Boxing Academy. Located conveniently about a mile from the school I teach at (Channel Islands High School), the gym has seen the likes of Brian Viloria, Steven Luevano, Alfonso Gomez, Antonio Margarito, Brandon Rios, and Miguel Angel Garcia. I should and will make it a good habit to visit.

- It’s always a treat for me as a writer to shake hands and say hello to my fellow colleagues, fighters, promoters, and fight fans. Despite driving hundreds of miles, sometimes in the dead of night, I feel very grateful to have done this for FightNews for 10 years. I appreciate the compliments that all whom I have come across have given to me over the years. They keep me grounded and humbled.

- Like I told Golden Boy Promotions publicist Monica Sears, I would have liked to have gone to the awesome card in Vegas this coming weekend. However, I already made plans in April to go to San Francisco to see the Dodgers take on the Giants. Unless someone owns a machine that could clone me. However, the thought of two Francisco Salazars might freak out a lot of people. Even my students.

Keep your hands up and come say hi to me at ringside.