Results from USA Boxing Show at the Compound
Saturday's event was dedicated to the memory of Hector Gil who was tragically taken from us last April.
Saturday’s inaugural USA Boxing Show at The Compound in Oceanside, Ca. went off without a hitch. I’m certain the large crowd had to be impressed by the expanse of space, (11,000 square foot). Their building is so big, it reminded me of an airplane hangar.
They had ample parking, seating for 250 people, delicious food, a fun raffle, great music, and I’m sure more than a few of Boxing’s Who’s Who in the audience; of that I was certain after reading over the names of the day’s contestants.
In Bout #11 they had the nephew of boxing legends Gabriel and Rafael Ruelas. In 2006, the Ruelas brothers, both world champions, were inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame. Also, the matchmaker must have gone out of his way to pit two of the biggest names in the sport – De La Hoya was scheduled to face Mayorga in Bout #11.
Of the people I recognized, there were former champions: California State featherweight champ, Bobby Valdez, former WBO and IBF World heavyweight champ, Chris Byrd, former super featherweight champ, Priest Tiger Smalls, undefeated welterweight Anthony Martinez, and in-house they have their own crew of MMA standouts. At one time the sorely missed Hector Gil was on their training staff helping boxers.
At the Compound, the people are ultra friendly, with a twist. Not one of them has a last name. They must be some unwritten rule that requires you to check your ego at the door. For the sake of clarity, I will mention both the first and last names of the boxers who competed on Saturday.
Referee Will White (center) raises the arm of Jose Vigil (left) after he defeated Alfredo Rodriguez (right). Photo credit: Jim Wyatt
Bout #1 featured 18 year-old Alfredo Rodriguez of the Alliance Training Center of Chula Vista weighing in at 123.8 pounds going up against 20 year-old Jose Vigil of North County Boxing who weighed 130.6 pounds.
Vigil, being a veteran, knew exactly what to do. When Rodriguez hit him two or three times, he returned fire with four or five of his own. It didn’t matter how hard the punches were or where he placed them, he just made sure the punch stats were in his favor. USA Amateur boxing has no tolerance for inactivity or worrying about your stamina.
Giovanni Ortiz (left) has his hand raised in victory after defeating Ricky Hood (right). Photo: Jim Wyatt
Bout #2 featured 21 year-old Ricky Hood of Tiger Smalls’ new San Diego Combat Academy located on Mission Gorge Rd. in San Diego. He weighed in at 141.8 pounds. His opponent, 21 year-old Giovanni Ortiz of the host gym, The Compound Mixed Martial Arts & Fitness weighed 137.6 pounds.
Ortiz did just enough to win round one by countering each time Hood was off target. By round two, Ortiz had his opponent measured and started throwing beautiful combinations, enough to register an eight count and have Hood trying to box while backing up.
Down two rounds on the scorecards, Hood realized his need to come out firing in the third and he did. Throwing caution to the wind, he lunged at Ortiz and landed more than few good shots to the head to win the final round. Unfortunately for Hood, it wasn’t enough to negate the poor performance in the earlier rounds.
Cliff Hoberman (right) has his arm raised in victory by referee Rick Ley after he defeats Rob Allison (left) in Bout #3. Photo credit: Jim Wyatt
Bout #3 featured 53 year-old Cliff Hoberman of Encinitas weighing in at 169 pounds going up against 50 year-old Rob Allison of LA Boxing, Costa Mesa who weighed 174.6 pounds. Even though Allison was in-your-face effective in the first round, Hoberman did manage to catch him with a few sneaky counters. Both men pressed the action in round two, and then suddenly Allison got the best of an exchange and the referee stopped the bout to issue Hoberman an eight count. That eight count was followed by a second that had Hoberman protesting. When Allison slowed down in round three, Hoberman came on strong and landed several good head shots. With so much back and forth action, the outcome was left to the judges and they decided the close match in Hoberman’s favor.
Luis Enriquez (right) has his arm raised by referee Dana Kaplan after he defeats Oscar Hernandez (left) in Bout #4. Photo credit: Jim Wyatt
Bout #4 featured 13 year-old Luis “Bones of Gold” Enriguez of the National City CYAC weighing 106 lbs. going up against 12 year-old Oscar “Pit Bull” Hernandez of Rhino Boxing in Vista, CA. weighing 104 lbs. The Rhino boxing team wanted me to mention the nicknames since Pit Bulls can do a lot of damage to a bone, gold or otherwise.
This was your classic match-up of the taller, thinner, master boxer (Enriguez) landing his punches at will on the smaller, hard hitting fireplug (Hernandez) who needed to get in close to work the body. Try as he did, it took Hernandez until the late stages of round three to figure out the best strategy and it still wasn’t enough. Enriqez was far too elusive.
After Edward Woodruff (left) defeats Jarrett White (right) in Bout #5, the two gentlemen meet up to pose for photos. Photo credit: Jim Wyatt
Bout #5 featured the debut of 32 year-old Edward Woodruff of the San Diego Combat Academy weighing in at 187 lbs. going up against 28 year-old Jarrett White of Encinitas weighing 179 lbs.
White made it his plan to wait for Woodruff to throw first and then he’d counter. The only problem with his strategy, Woodruff started doubling up on his punches and White’s counters kept coming later and later. Soon White was on his bicycle doing an impression of Mohammad Ali. After only throwing the head snapping jab, it became obvious, that his jabs while circling about would not win over the judges.
After defeating Roman Gonzalez (left), Jesus Reyes (right) has his arm raised in victory by referee Will White. Photo credit: Jim Wyatt
Bout #6 featured 12 year-old Jesus Reyes of Pride & Glory in Lemon Grove, CA. weighing 78.2 lbs. going up against 11 year-old Roman Gonzalez of Pacific Coast Boxing in Vista, CA. weighing 74.4 lbs.
The only way for a judge to decide the winner of this match-up was to use his or her counter to keep track of the many rapid fire punches. Overall it appeared Reyes did land the cleaner shots and more of them.
After finishing their very competitive bout, Dana Kaplan raises the arms of both Jorge Ruiz (left), the eventual winner, and Jacob Sanchez (right).
Bout #7 featured 25 year-old Jacob Sanchez of Rhino Boxing who’s ambidextrous and weighs 130.2 lbs. His opponent, 19 year-old Jorge Ruiz of the Alliance Training Center, is much taller but weighs less, 126 lbs. From a distance, you would think Ruiz had an unfair advantage. How could Sanchez possibly beat the taller boxer? Sanchez tried to do what he was supposed to do, that being, to get inside. The even more astute Ruiz did exactly what he was supposed to do. He stayed out of the corners, moved quickly side to side and went in and out with his lightning fast combinations. As a result, Sanchez got hit and Ruiz didn’t and one standing eight count was followed by a second. The third and final round was exciting as both boxers threw hands like it was the last round of a world championship.
Referee Dana Kaplan raises the arm of Carlos Adams (right) after he defeated Jorgey Spencer (left) in Bout #8. Photo credit: Jim Wyatt
Bout #8 featured 17 year-old Carlos Adams of the Alliance Training Center of Chula Vista weighing in at 159.8 lbs. going up against 23 year-old Jorgey Spencer of LA Boxing who weighed 154 lbs.
For a second time the matchmakers matched Adams up with an older gent. In his last fight, his debut, he caught his opponent with a shot just seconds into the round. He didn’t even work up a sweat. This time around, he had an opponent who was in his face and answering back.
Adam’s salvation was his use of the jab, a jab that effectively neutralized his opponent. Plus his quicker hands and accuracy won over the judges.
Nico Cortez (right) has his arm raised in victory after defeating Julian Way in Bout #9. Photo credit: Jim Wyatt
Bout #9 featured 18 year-old Nico Cortez of Rhino Boxing weighing in at 148 lbs. going up against 20 year-old Julian Way of the Alliance Training Center weighing 147.8 lbs. The first round went to Way who landed the cleaner blows. In the second round, it was his opponent who landed the cleaner shots. In the final round, it appeared Cortez wanted it more and his superior hand speed took over.
After defeating Javier De La Hoya (right) in Bout #10, Luis Mayorga (left) has his hand raised in victory by referee Dana Kaplan. Photo credit: Jim Wyatt
Bout #10 featuring the biggest names in the sport – De La Hoya and Mayorga, had 18 year-old Javier De La Hoya of City Boxing in San Diego’s Downtown, weighing in at 168.4 lbs. going up against 19 year-old Luis Mayorga of Old School Boxing who weighed 171.8 lbs.
Last year, De La Hoya went through an amazing transformation. When he first came to the gym to learn how to box, he weighed 229 pounds. He went on to lose over 60 pounds. His next transformation should deal with his footwork and how to be grounded more before throwing a punch. While they both threw a lot of punches it seemed Mayorga’s punches had a lot more power behind them.
Both Hassan Fakhreddine (right) and Byran Ruelas (left) await the judges decision for the winner of Bout #11. Photo credit: Jim Wyatt
Bout #11 featured 17 year-old Hassan Fakhreddine of Old School Boxing weighing in at 177 lbs. going up against 19 year-old Bryan Ruelas of GTOS Boxing in Burbank, CA. who weighed 185.4 lbs. Ruelas not only had an edge in age and experience, he was taller, had a reach advantage and out weighed his opponent by 8.4 pounds.
Although frustrated by the pounding he was receiving, Fakhreddine showed a lot of heart by remaining aggressive and never taking a step backwards. That’s a hard thing to do when the other guy is landing his punches at will.
There were so many eight counts, you knew it was only a matter of time before the referee stopped the bout.
Referee Will White raises the arm of Oscar Cuevas (right) after he defeats Alepio Quillopo. Photo credit: Jim Wyatt
Bout #12 featured 26 year-old Oscar Cuevas of Escondido weighing in at 190 lbs. going up against 22 year-old Alepio Quillopo of The Compound who weighed in at 178.2 lbs.
After trading blows early on, it became clear Cuevas had more oomph behind his punches, especially the uppercuts in close. He also had more stamina. As soon as Qillopo started running on empty, slowing down, the bout was basically over. One eight count followed the other.
After defeating Max Ornelas (right), Felix Verdin (left) has his arm raised by referee Will White. Photo credit: Jim Wyatt
Bout #13 featured 12 year-old Max Ornelas of Las Vegas Boxing weighing in at 86.8 lbs. going up against 13 year-old Felix Verdin of Pacific Coast Boxing who weighed 88 lbs.
Verdin and Ornelas went at each other like it was a cat fight. This was a second match that had to be decided by using the clickers that count the punches landed. At one point Ornelas did start to run low on petrol, and that’s when Verdin put it in an even higher gear. The way he kept slugging away, he must be mainlining one of those five-hour energy drinks.
Both Mohammed Fakhreddine (left) and John Burns (right) have their arms raised by referee Rick Ley after their well contested match in Bout #14.
Bout #14 featured 30 year-old John Burns of LA Boxing weighing in at 204.8 lbs. going up against 26 year-old Mohammed Fakhreddine of Old School Boxing who weighed 200.4 lbs. While waiting to counter, Burns took far too much punishment and kept waiting for that opening to throw his knockout punch. The time never presented itself as his backers kept yelling, “More punches, John!!”
