April 22, 2000

The Jackman Long Building
Oregon State Fairgrounds
Salem, Oregon

Promoter: Sierra Promotions
Matchmaker: Bob Oleson
Referees: Jim Eriksen, Mike Fisher, Darryl Penn
Judges: Greg Baker, Joe Bonaventura, Bob Flamme

This club show was the first boxing event for dance and concert promoter Romero Rodriguez of Sierra Promotions. The crowd was smallish--a roughly estimated 500 or so--but enthusiastic. Oddly, the least consequential part of the show--a six round kickboxing exhibition--raises some interesting questions for the already beleaguered Oregon Commission. But first:

The main event was a scheduled 10 rounder for the vacant Canadian-American-Mexican (C.A.M.) Welterweight title. Tony Martinez,147 lbs (now 7-0), of Salem stopped over-matched Eugene Lopez, 147 lbs, (now 6-13) of Denver, CO in the first round. Martinez had planned a slow feelout process until Lopez butted him half way through the round. Martinez put him down and out quickly. A TKO 1 for Martinez, who collected the first C.A.M. title belt ever awarded by the new organization founder, Bob Oleson of Beaverton, Oregon.

In a scheduled 6 rounder, Adam Flores, 242 lbs, (now 8-3, 6 KO's) of California KO'd previously undefeated Greg Dial, 239 lbs, (now 4-1, 3 KO's) of Tacoma, WA in the first round of what began and ended as a toe-to-toe war.

Chris Huntwork, 147 lbs, of Portland, OR stopped Robert Howard, 148 1/4 lbs, of Kansas City, MO. by TKO in the third round of a scheduled 6. Huntwork started slow then caught Howard with a serious uppercut that put him on the ropes. Howard took six or seven solid, unanswered head shots and ref Daryl Penn called the halt. This was Howard's third straight stoppage in Oregon. He was knocked out in November, 1999 at the Rose Garden in Portland, and was knocked out again on January 15, 2000 in Portland.

Dominic Rivera, 162 3/4 lbs, (now 2-5) of Portland won a unanimous decision in four rounds over Amaury Bandera, 157 1/2 lbs, of Forest Grove, OR via Cuba. Bandera was making his pro debut and is now 0-1.

Robert Mansfield, 157 1/2 lbs,(now 1-1) of Port Orchard, WA. stopped Gunner Dominguez, 154 lbs, (now 0-2) of Hood River, OR in the third round of a scheduled four. TKO win for Mansfield.

Also on this show was a little tid-bit for the local fans--A six round kickboxing exhibition between Salem's John Olivera and one of his students, Tim Zirkle. Questions rise out of this non-event because Olivera was actually on the National Suspension List for boxing at the time. Olivera had lost a decision to Scott Lansdon of Baker City, OR on April 1 during a Bremerton, WA show.The matchmaker for the Bremerton event was the same busy Bob Oleson who made the matches for the April 22 Salem show. After the bremerton fight, the Professional Athletics Division of Washington's Department of Licensing had given Olivera a 45 day medical suspension.

Both Washington and Oregon rules and laws, as in many other states, define "kickboxing" as a form of boxing. This reporter asked Oregon's Executive Director, Jim Cassidy, if he was aware that Olivera was on suspension from Washington at the time of the Salem show. Cassidy said he was aware of the suspension, but that this was an exhibition, and it was kickboxing. "A different matter." This reporter asked Director Cassidy if he would have allowed a suspended fighter to participate in a boxing "exhibition." He said "NO."

The question--does a boxing suspension apply to participation in kickboxing? By the legal definition of "boxing" as including "kickboxing," it seems to this reporter that suspensions should apply to both activities.

Director Cassidy is currently a subject of an investigation by the Oregon State Police Professional Standards Division. The investigation was ordered by the office of Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber in response to allegations of multiple failures to enforce rules and laws over the past year. This may be another instance of a decision by Cassidy which should be assessed by the investigators.