Southern California Fight Scene!

August 6, 2008

By Francisco Salazar

Southern California is one of the world's great boxing "hotbeds." This column focuses on the latest and greatest involving the Southern California fight scene:

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On September 27, Sugar Shane Mosley (44-5, 37 KOs) will return home to fight for the first time in eight years at The Home Depot Center in suburban Carson, California, to face Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga (28-6-1, 22 KOs). Mosley vs. Mayorga, who will be fighting in the junior middleweight division, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Don King Productions and will be televised live by HBO’s World Championship Boxing. The bout will be officially announced Thursday.

The card was originally planned for Saturday, October 11th up the 110 Freeway at the STAPLES Center in Downtown Los Angeles, but was moved due to scheduling conflicts.

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Current Lightweight contender Julio Diaz (35-4, 26 KO’s) will be fighting on November 8th at Madison Square Garden in New York City against Ray Narh in an IBF Elimination bout. The Coachella resident is coming off a fifth round stoppage victory over previously-unbeaten David Torres in June at the Playboy Mansion. Diaz, who fights under the Sycuan Ringside Promotions banner, is a former two-time world champion.

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Popular 154 pound fighter Alfredo Angulo (13-0, 10 KO’s) told Fightnews.com last Wednesday that he will be fighting on Saturday, October 4th at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, CA. ESPN confirms that Angulo will be stepping in against Russian contender Andrey Tsurkan in a 10 round bout. Angulo, who lives in the Los Angeles suburb of Downey, enjoys going to big and small cards in Southern California. He has stopped his last nine opponents and is promoted by Gary Shaw.

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Unbeaten Featherweight prospect Miguel Angel Garcia (13-0, 11 KO’s) of Oxnard is coming off an eight round stoppage victory over Jose Hernandez on Saturday night in Las Vegas. The bout was on the non-televised undercard of the Joshua Clottey-Zab Judah card. Garcia knew he was going up against a tough hombre in Hernandez, who was unbeaten in his four bouts, two of which were technical knockout victories over unbeaten fighters in Tyrell Samuel and Rashiem Jefferson.

“I knew he was coming to win and was not there for a paycheck,” said Garcia, who was at the Ventura County Fair in Ventura on Sunday afternoon, less than 24 hours after the bout. “He was a tough fighter, but I just put my punches together and came out on top.”

Next up is another scheduled eight round bout on Saturday, October 18th in Atlantic City, NJ on the undercard of the Bernard Hopkins - Kelly Pavlik bout.

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Lightweight David Rodela of Oxnard scored a third round stoppage on Saturday over Arnel Porras after Porras did not want to continue after being dropped with a body punch. The bout against Porras was held in Cebu City, in the Philippines. Rodela (10-1-2, 6 KO’s) has told Fightnews.com that he hopes to fight at 130 pounds or even lighter in future bouts.

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Looks like Super Lightweight Edner Cherry will emerge as the fighter to face WBC Super Lightweight champion Timothy Bradley on Saturday, September 13th. The bout will take place on the undercard of the Nate Campbell-Joan Guzman bout. Former world champion Vivian Harris was also a possible opponent for Bradley.

Bradley, who lives in Palm Springs, is promoted by Gary Shaw and Thompson Boxing. He captured the title in May with a split decision victory over Junior Witter.

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Super Featherweight Dominic Salcido (16-0, 8 KO’s) of Rialto will have his hands full next month as he faces his toughest opponent to date in Vicente Escobedo on Friday, September 26th. The bout, which will be aired on the Spanish-language Telefutura network, will take place at the Morongo Casino Resort and Spa in Cabazon, CA and will be promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.

Salcido, who is promoted by Thompson Boxing Promotions, defeated one-time prospect Luis Arceo in June by an eight round unanimous decision.

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Speaking of Thompson Boxing Promotions, the Southern California-based promotional company will present another card outdoors at the Omega Products International on Friday, August 29th. In the last Thompson Boxing card that took place on Friday, July 25th, unbeaten Featherweight Juan Carlos Burgos scored the most important victory to date with a hard-fought eight round unanimous decision over Andres Ledezma.

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Upcoming cards:
- All Star Boxing at the Quiet Cannon in Montebello on Friday, September 5th.

- Crossroads Boxing Promotions at the Activity Center in Maywood on Friday, September 12th.

- Art of Boxing Promotions at the Warner Center in Woodland Hills on Friday, September 19th.

- Two female world title bouts and a strong undercard at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore (San Joaquin Valley) on Thursday, August 21st.

- Roy Englebrecht Events at the Marriott in Irvine on Thursday, August 27th. The Battle in the Ballroom series has the distinction of being the longest running club show in the country.