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11/06/2004 Archived Entry: "'Latin Warriors' Entertain as Luevano and Nahr Win at Hawthorne Race Course"
'Latin Warriors' Entertain as Luevano and Nahr Win at Hawthorne Race Course!
By Juan C. Ayllon at Ringside
Steven Luevano (R) bounces a hard, hybrid right hook/uppercut off of
grimacing Aldo Valtierra (L) as the referee looks on
(Chicago, Illinois): The “City with the Broad Shoulders,” inbound traffic was snarled for miles. Priding itself on a hardy work ethic, Chicagoans prize their weekends with equal gusto, as witnessed by their world class dining and entertainment industries. Keeping with that tradition, Dominic Pesoli’s Eight Count Productions in cooperation with Bob Arum’s Top Rank and Telefutura’s SOLO BOXEO provided top rate entertainment this evening.
In the main event, super featherweight Steven Luevano (129, 25-0-0, 12 KOs) dominated Aldo Valtierra (129, 21-6-0, 11 KOs) in a somewhat tactical and gritty fight characterized by a series of heated skirmishes rhythmically interspersed with bouts of feinting at rings center and about the ring. Using an economy of movement, Luevano often pivoted from rings center and initiated controlled attacks, driving his opponent into the ropes, then returning and resetting.
In the co-main event, tall and lanky Raymond “Sugar Ray” Nahr (138, 10-1-0, 9 KOs) outclassed, out fought gutsy but overmatched and shorter Rogelio Barron (140, 9-3-0, 3 KOs) in six rounds.
For the first minute or two of the main event, southpaw Luevano and righty Valtierra mirrored each other--their lead feet almost touching--as they feinted and threw mainly inconsequential blows. Luevano landed a right to the head and a low uppercut for which he was warned. A big straight left to the body knocked Valtierra into the corner. Luevano continued to pursue, but Valtierra sought to counter while maintaining a respectful distance.
Round two began at long distance, Luevano pumping a right jab and landing a straight left. Coming in close, Valtierra landed a brief flurry of lefts and rights to the body. Valtierra landed some potent lefts and rights in speedy succession drawing cheers and driving Luevano back. Countering, Luevano pursued in earnest with crisp two fisted salvos. Valtierra countered crisply in spots. The exchanges came in frenzied bursts. However, Luevano appeared to have a slight upper hand in terms of effectiveness and power.
In round three, Luevano dumped Valtierra with a big right hook, resulting in a close look from the referee. Upon his rising, Luevano pressed his advantage, but caught some heavy return hooks to head and body. Sporting a cut on forehead, a grim Valtierra retreated, but sought to counter his man coming in. Valtierra drove Luevano to the ropes behind a two fisted body attack, then hit him with a low blow, drawing a warning from the ref.
In round four, Luevano landed a heavy shotgun rigt jab that sent sweat flying from Valtierra's head. A brief exchange followed. Then Luevano pursued behind a high guard, a steely jab and lead lefts. Valtierra landed a big smacking right hook to the body, which Luevano countered by a four punch volley. Resetting, Luevano drove Valtierra hard into the ropes with heavy rights and lefts. The two exchanged fiercely. Valtierra fired a series of hard right and left hooks, mostly blocked. Luevano pressed as the bell rang out.
In round five, the two began with lots of feints, Luevano blocking a right hook to the head and charging in. Luevano nailed Valtierra in a corner. Surging from ring center, Luevano pivoted and drove Valtierra to two different corners. Valtierra winged heavy rights and lefts on the inside. Luevano countered in close, reset, and drove Valtiera into the ropes again. More feinting. A brief skirmish ensued. Valtierra landed a flagrantly low blow which clearly pained Luevano. He walked it off momentarily, then re-engaged. The two banged away in furious spurts. A buzz came across the crowd as it grew somewhat restless.
Valtierra (L) bounces a right hook off Luevano in a furious exchange
As round six began, the two engaged at rings center, Luevano pivoting off his left foot to engage a circling Valtierra and driving him back with ill intent. Valtiera pressed, but caught a heavy right hook for his efforts. Luevano landed a straight left down the middle. Luevano measured his man as he sought to underscore his advantage. In response, Valtierra landed a low blow which resulted in a points deduction. Resuming, Luevano drove Valtierra to a corner behind a flury of one-twos. As the two flailed away with Valtiera retreating towards the ropes, Luevano semed to land the heayer blows. Catching him with his hands down on a break, Valtierra landed a right hook to Luevanos head, drawing consternation from the ref at rounds end.
Round seven saw a rejuvenated Valtierra initiate behind jabs of his own. Luevano landed some effective counters. Valtierra landed a right to Luevanos head. Lueavno landed a heavy straight left and Valtierra countered with three body blows. Valtierra began to get rough on the inside, drawing a warning from the ref. Luevano drove Valtierra back behind a good one-two and caught a borderline low blow in return. Tustling in ring center, he came after Valtierra with leaden straight lefts and right hooks. Valtierra surged back with winging hooks to head and body.
Round eight saw Luevano land a series of short and potent rights as he pressed. He landed a hard right jab to the body, knocking Valtierra into the ropes. He pursued Valtierra with straight punches. Luevano landed a hard hook to Valtieras head, which were countered by furious hooking shots that were less effective. Valtierra landed a right hook to Luevanos hip, which drew another warning fom the ref. In charge, Luevano backed Valtierra up behind a tough two fisted attack, but Valtierra refused to fold or get hurt, for that matter.
Luevano (L) pressures Valtierra
In round nine, Luevano menacingly raised his left fist high and waved it in small circles, then waded in winging one-twos, while Valtierra covered and countered. Letting up, the two shifted and feinted punches at one another. Luevano landed a lard right jab. He followed up with a hard straight left to the abdomen. Valtierra launched a hard lead hook that landed on an elbow. Other efforts were similarly thwarted as Luevano returned to pumping his jab and pursuing. Valtierra landed his own one-two and a hook to the back of the head for good measure. As the two came in close, their heads appeared to clash. Luevano landed a heavy lead left to the body and a hard lead left to the head as the bell sounded.
In round ten, Bleeding from the nose, Valtierra pumped a jab and then another as the two exchanged a few punches. Luevano landed a hard left to the head. The two exchanged hooks to the body. Luevano landed another left to the head and Valtierra landed to the body. Driving Valtierra to the ropes, he landed a couple hooks ot the body. Valtierra launced a desperation assaut at rings center, banging away hard with both hands. However, Luevano countered and, following their furious exchange, resumed stalking his reluctant prey with sharp jabs. He landed a hard jab and a potent left in a corner. Valtierra landed a partially blocked right hook to the head. The final bell rang moments afterwards as Luevano began pressing again. The two embraced. Steven Luevano won a unanimous decision with scores of 99-89 twice and 100-88.
Nahr (L) sends Barron reeling with a heavy right uppercut
In round one of the co-main event, Barron started off effectively enough, landing a probing straight left at the beginning. About 30 seconds later, Nahr landed a straight right followed by a left hook. The two exchanged briskly. Coming in, Barron caught a couple stiff rights to the head as Nahr escaped the ropes to rings center. Nahr landed a lead right to the head. Barron landed a good right hook to Nahr’s ribs. Nahr appeared to be the more aggressive and busier of the two as Barron stalked and worked in more carefully.
Round two, Nahr initiated behind pawing left jabs and tried to catch Barron on the way in with a heavy right, but caught some heavy fire as the two exchanged at close quarters. Nahr jabbed well and landed a fair share of heavy rights. However, Barron landed well in spots. Nahr grazed with a heavy right on Barron along the ropes and landed another pair of heavy rights that had the crowd whistling. A heavy right uppercut to the body drew gasps from the crowd. Barron appeared to have his hands full as he sought to solve his taller rival’s style and heavy hands at rounds end.
In round three, Barron pressed early on, driving Nahr to the ropes, but with no effect. Shortly after, Nahr began landing heavy rights to Baron driving him about the ring’s periphery. The action settled down at rings center for a few moments as the two took a momentary breather. However, Narhr began banging away with spearing jabs, rights and hooks as Barron sought to circle and find a way in. Nahr knocked Barron into the ropes with one right. As Barron bounced on his toes and circled, he mostly covered and bled heavily from the nose. Someone suggested that Nahr broke his nose during this round. At rounds end, Barron surged, banging away with both hands at Nahr, whose back were on the ropes.
In round four, Barron pressured, but quickly retreated as Nahr landed crisp combinations. Pursuing Barron, he wound up his right as in a bolo punch, which momentarily roused Barron's ire. However, it was clear that Nahr was trying to close out the show impressively, launching into a furious flury of punches that battered his recalcitrant opponent about the ring. Bloodied, Barron spit up some blood, threw some punches and circled. Trapping Nahr on the ropes momentarily, he roused the crowd as he unleashed a furious fusillade of his own. However, the glory was short lived as Nahr escaped and resumed jabbing and crossing countermeasures as the round ended.
In between rounds, Barron was warned by his corner to start fighting or they’d stop the fight.
Round five saw Barron initiate behind a snapping right jab, then retreat and circle. Again, he fired a couple jabs and a straight left. Bleeding freely from the mouth and nose, he circled and landed a smacking right hook to the body, only to be hammered with heavy rights and lefts. His head torqued violently from a smashing right hand, yet he still pursued. Nahr resumed a disciplined one-two press, stalking his opponent in workmanlike fashion. Barron closed out the round with a heavy right hook that knocked Nahr back into the ropes and followed with a brief and hard fusillade of blows.
The end is near as Nahr (R) pummels Barron along the ropes
In round six, a large contingent of the crowd began cheering “Mehico, Mehico,” and Barron responded, driving Nahr to the ropes. However, his success was short lived, as Nahr circled out and began teeing off on Barron. Shortly after, Nahr nailed Barron with a heavy right hand and deposited him on his trunks, his back against the ropes. Exhausted and bleeding, the outclassed Barron sat his arms crossed over his knees as the referee tolled the count of ten. Time of the knockout was at 1:06 into round six.
The undercard more than held its own in terms of sheer entertainment value, as witnessed by the cheering and appreciative audience and the high level fighters in attendance. Undefeated junior welterweight David Diaz, who recently served as Kostya Tszyu's sparring partner in preparation for tonight's junior welterweight world championship bout versus Sharmba Mitchell and is also on the cusp of making a run at a title soon, often stood at ringside yelling out instructions to fellow Chicagoans alternatively in Spanish and English. Murderous punching welterweight sensation Luciano "El Gallo Bravo" Perez and his younger, fighting brother Noe Perez viewed approvingly in the front row. Middleweight local sensation "Macho" Miguel Hernandez was seen chatting with Diaz. Exciting middleweight prospect Michael "The Midnight Stalker" Walker sat smiling in the second row, enjoying the festivities from this side of the ropes, as a cut suffered in his win over David Estrada healed. Retired fighter turned manager Rocky Martinez shouted at his charge, Trinidad Garcia in his undercard bout from the first row. Exciting Junior lightweight Jimmy Sandoval, younger brother of former lightweight champion, Jesus Chavez, visited with this writer in between bouts and looked on as his former stablemate, Oscar Bravo won impressively. The atmosphere buzzed with a certain electricity as it was apparent that everyone was clearly happy to be there.
As the reader shall see in Ben Torres' forthcoming report, the undercard was immensely satisfying and and more than held their own when stacked up against their main event counterparts. It was first rate entertainment Chicago-style typified, pure and simple!
David Diaz (R) visits with Juan C. Ayllon
at ringside
A victorious Oscar Bravo (R) greets the Cyber
Boxing Zone after his thrilling performance
Photos by Tom Glunz
