Rhino’s USA Amateur Boxing Show quite a spectacle Part I
Team Rhino of Vista, California, Home of the Champions
Saturday, July 9, Rhino’s Boxing of Vista raised the bar as far as the accoutrements you’d normally see at a USA Amateur Boxing show. Along with the high number of evenly matched bouts (15), they offered a wide variety of food, drink plus live entertainment. The entertainment included a local guitarist plus three young ladies performing the traditional dance they learned as members of the North County Philippino American Association, the type of dance you see during Asian Pacific Heritage Month.
After their delightful performance, the three young ladies, (left to right) Annette Estrada, Mina Giles and Gloria Giles posed for a photo with the owner of Rhino’s Boxing Gym, Aram Yeterian. Photo: Jim Wyatt
Featured in Bout #1 was 17 year-old super welterweight Jorge Marron of the Marron Boxing Camp in Lakeside, CA. against 18 year-old Nick Carrico of Old School Boxing. Carrico was hoping to rebound after a loss in his last bout on April 9 to the extremely tough and more experienced Amador Ramirez of the Ocean’s Boxing Club.
The name Marron should sound familiar, his dad, in attendance for his son’s amateur debut, is one of the sport’s top matchmakers working with people like Golden Boy, Bobby D Presents, Don Chargin and Barron Entertainment.
The two way action in the first round went nonstop, with Marron, the shorter of the two, scoring masterfully by getting inside Carrico’s comfort zone and landing the more resounding, more forceful, left hooks. As the frantic pace continued into the second round, Carrico started to come on and land more punches, especially the big overhand rights.
In Bout #1 Nick Carrico (R) comes out victorious over the tough Jorge Marron (L).
Back and forth went the momentum swings making the bout a classic. Then everything went sour for Marron who was first issued an eight count after getting dazed by a two punch combination and then he committed an infraction by hitting Carrico well after the referee called for a stoppage. The two points added to Carrico’s count, made the unfavorable decision certain.
In Bout #2 Oscar Hernandez (L) defeated Noe Larios (R).
Bout #2 featured 13-year-old Oscar Hernandez of the host gym, Rhino, going up against 14 year-old Noe Larios of the Marron Boxing Camp.
Hernandez made his victory certain by out-punching his foe three and sometimes four punches to one. The key to his success was having Larios box while backing up or having him pinned in a corner or against the ropes.
In Bout #3, Jonathan Santos (R), the eventual winner, often found himself throwing punches at the same exact time as his opponent, Jesus Lopez (L).
Bout #3 featured 17 year-old Jonathan Santos of Golden Hands Boxing going up against the more experienced Jesus Lopez of Tano Boxing who is 24 years old. From the outset, Lopez, the more accomplished boxer was getting the better of the exchanges until Santos finally started to listen to his coach, Bobby Lopez, who kept insisting that Santos begin each exchange with the jab. After following his coaches instructions, the tide changed and eventually Lopez was issued two eight counts in Round #2. Santos’ advantage over Lopez came by way of the leverage he maintained when throwing his punches.
As they began Round #3, Lopez made a last ditch effort to swing things back in his favor. His beginning flurry had the referee issuing an eight count to Santos. The frantic pace and retaliatory blows had the boxing fans on the edge of their seats. In the end it was Santos getting the decision because he, unlike Lopez, worked smarter rather than harder. He was able to slip the punches and land more of the cleaner shots especially while countering with his left.
The winner of Bout #4, Chris Bautista (R) got pretty excited when hearing he had defeated Jaciel Ordaz (L).
Bout #4 featured 12 year-old Jaciel Ordaz of Team Temecula going up against 13 year-old Chris Bautista of Team Rhino. Last time out, Ordaz was selected “Boxer of the Show” at the June 4th Pacific Coast Boxing Show, the gym has since changed its name to Legacy Boxing.
Bautista took Round #1 by remaining the more disciplined of the two, being busier, out bullying his opponent and throwing the straighter punches.
Round #2 was more of a mixed bag but Bautista continued to press the action and kept leaning far forward, leaving himself open for an uppercut.
Ordaz’s coach saw the opening and kept yelling for his boxer to throw that uppercut but it never came.
Sitting on the stool between rounds, it appeared Ordaz was having trouble breathing through his nose, a nose that was now bloody. Between boxer and coach it was decided to answer the bell for Round #3. From an onlooker’s perspective, the better option may have been to throw in the towel.
Bout #5 saw Johnny Quiroz (L) defeat Carlos Geraldo (R). Photo: Jim Wyatt
Bout #5 featured 17 year-old Johnny Quiroz of Rhino Boxing going up against 16 year-old Carlos Geraldo of the National City CYAC. In this bout, Quiroz had the edge in weight and experience. In his last bout, a loss to 18 year-old Alfredo Rodriguez of the Alliance Training Center, it was the other way around. His mindset told him, ‘There’s no way I’m going to lose this bout.’
But, that’s why they play the game. In Round #1, a boxing clinic, Quiroz came out on top by landing the majority of the scoring blows. In Round #2, more of a dogfight, Geraldo came on and appeared to outscore Quiroz. In Round #3, you needed to look at the punch stats to be certain.
Referee Rick Ley raises the arm of Jose Gomez (L) after it was announced that he had defeated Johnny Ribera in Bout #6.
In Bout #6, the usually very entertaining Jose Gomez (23) of 1 on 1 Boxing in El Cajon, CA was going after his third straight win. In his first bout at The Compound in Oceanside, CA. he scored a knockout, and in his second outing, he won quite handily.
His opponent on Saturday was the 20 year-old Johnny Rivera of the San Diego Combat Academy. With all the trappings of another great matchup, this one turned into a real snoozer as the boxers spent the majority of the time holding. Take one wild punch and then hold. And worst of all, Gomez looked lethargic, like a guy who had been up all night partying or playing poker with his mates.
The bout became so wearisome, so humdrum, that one of the judges turned in his scorer’s card without adding up the points for one of the boxers. When asked about it, he said, “Since he never landed a punch, I had nothing to add up.”
After being knockdown by Joseph Hernandez in Bout #7, referee Will White decided Jorge Barragon had had enough. Photo: Jim Wyatt
Bout #7 featured 26 year-old Joseph Hernandez of the DOJO Americana Training Center of Oceanside, CA. going up against 20 year-old Jorge Barragon of 1 on 1 Boxing.
Joseph Hernandez (L), the eventual winner, and Jorge Barragon (R) have their arms raised by referee Will White after the conclusion of Bout #7.
In Round #1, with his coach shouting out easily heard instructions, it was uncanny how Hernandez followed these mandates and had such success. His success made you wonder if his opponent (Barragon) understood a word of English (which he did). “Listen to me, Joe! Wait for him to throw his right hand, then you counter over it. You missed that time, but wait a couple seconds, he’s going to throw it again.”
After the telegraphed punch led to a knockdown, the referee ruled the boxer (Jorge Barron) could not continue.
At the end of Bout #8 both Adrian Hernandez (L), the eventual winner, and Bryan Pinzon (R), his opponent in Bout #8 have their arms raised.
Bout #8 featured 12 year-old Adrian Hernandez of The Compound going up against 13 year-old Bryan Pinzon of Escondido. This was a rematch of a battle Hernandez lost in early April, almost exactly three months to the day since that loss. I guess you could say Hernandez was able to exact his revenge, especially after the referee had to issue an eight count to Pinzon in each of the three rounds.
Intermission Part II to follow
