Sport of Boxing update for matters affecting local fighters
Trainer Vince Parra, noted trainer of people like Mercito Gesta, poses for a photo with his latest protege, 29 year-old bantamweight Rolly Lunas.
Wednesday morning, August 7, 2013
Spring Valley’s Vince Parra, a former light middleweight boxer and now respected San Diego based trainer, sent word, its official, his 29 year-old bantamweight Rolly Lunas, alias Rolly Matsushita (38-8-1, 19 KOs) of San Diego by way of Tabaco City, Abay, Philippines, the WBC’s fifth ranked contender will be making his North American debut when he faces 27 year-old German “Panteonero” Meraz (44-26-1, 23 KOs) of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico in an eight rounder at Salon Las Pulgas in Tijuana’s downtown on August 21st.
It sounds like a great match-up until you look at Meraz’s padded record. Meraz’s last victory against a boxer with a winning record was on October 24, 2009, 32 fights ago, against former super bantamweight champion Cruz Carbajal. At that time Meraz was 23, Carbajal 35. At the tail end of his career, it was Carbajal’s fifth loss in his last six bouts.
Dating back to November 20, 2010, Lunas has won his last six bouts, all in Japan and each victory came by either a knockout or a TKO. His six opponents had a combined record of 88 wins and just 10 losses. Up until his recent move to the U. S. back in April of this year, Lunas owned the OPBF (Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation) Bantamweight Title which he won on July 31, 2011. At this juncture, Lunas wants to take his career to the next level and that’s why he moved to San Diego to train with Parra.
Also from Parra, comes news about his other charges. Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (10-0-0, 8 KOs) is back in town. The KO artist is preparing for an August 23rd date in Dallas, Texas with his next victim.
After Aaron “Gavilan” Garcia’s unanimous decision victory July 25 over Johnny Frazier, Garcia is set to return in late September. He’s looking good and on course to win at least two more fights before year’s end.
From the same WBC organization comes news their former Super Featherweight World champ, Gamaliel “El Plátano” Díaz (37-10-2, 17 KOs), will fight Dante Jardón (23-3-0, 19 KOs) in Mexico City on Saturday. This will be Diaz’s first fight since he was dethroned on April 8th by the Japanese southpaw Takashi Miura.
In that loss to Miura in Japan, the master of the rabbit punch knocked Diaz down four times, in the third, sixth, seventh and for good in the ninth.
Jardón, who will be in defense of his WBC Continental Americas Super Featherweight title, said he respects Gamaliel as a very dangerous opponent with a lot of experience who of course wants his title back. But it’s not going to come at his expense. “I train to win!”
Gamiliel Diaz (l), the former Super Featherweight World champion, poses for a photo with the gentleman he will be facing on Saturday night, Dante Jardon.
Tonight, starting at 8 p.m., at Salon Las Pulgas, just across the border on Avenida Revolucion in Tijuana’s downtown district, our own Araceli Tinoco (2-0) was scheduled to face Tijuana’s Black Pearl, Sandra Robles (3-1). This would have been one of those bouts where even the experts would be stumped as both are very good boxers. This morning we received news that the Tinoco match-up has been cancelled in lieu of bringing in Rosa Diaz (5-1-0, 3 KOs) from Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico.
Sandra Robles poses for a photo with her long time coach Ray Solis just before her bout against San Diego’s Kealoni Vanderleest back on October 25, 2012.
With continued attention on the ladies
WBC President Jose Suliman poses for a photo with WBC Super Flyweight World Champion Zulina “Loba” Muñoz.
Following her stunning first round victory on Saturday, August 3rd, 25 year-old, WBC world champion Super Flyweight Zulina “Loba” Muñoz (39-1-2, 26 KOs) made it known she wants to avenge her only defeat. Back on September 15, 2007, Alesia Graf (26-3, 11 KOs) handed Zulina her first and only career loss at Stadthalle, Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Only problem is, “The Tigress”, Graf’s nickname, has moved up in weight to fight at super bantamweight.
“It’s now time to put the record straight,” said Munoz. She also talked about having an opportunity to face Mariana “Barbie” Juarez (37-7-3) of Mexico City but first she wants to set things straight with Graf.
She stated all her hard work, and all out attack strategy worked perfectly against Maribel Ramirez. In November of last year, their fight went the distance when they fought for the vacant WBC super flyweight title with Zulina earning an unanimous decision. This time around, it was over in the blink of an eye after a pulverizing right hook. She’s now determined to remain the champion for a long time.
