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[Previous entry: "David Diaz Breaks Camp, Flies to Las Vegas for Bout vs. Montano"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "CBZ Message Board Staying Put"] 03/12/2008 Archived Entry: "The Washington State Jr. Welterweight Title Changes Hands at Silver Reef Casino!" The Washington State Jr. Welterweight Title Changes Hands at Silver Reef Casino! Photos and ringside report by Ricardo Ibarra Lucero (right) presses the fight In a match-up of battle tested journeyman, Michael Lucero of Portland, Oregon lifted the Washington State Jr. welterweight title from defending champion Rafael Ortiz this past Saturday, March 8th at the Silver Reef Hotel Casino & Spa in Ferndale, Washington. The bout headlined a six bout card promoted by Patrick Ortiz’s Ringside Tickets Inc. Rafael Ortiz (14-14-2 13KOs 139 ½ lbs.) and Michael Lucero (12-12-1 4KOs 139 lbs.) had fought once before, late last year, in a fight that ended in a controversial second round stoppage after a cut developed over the right eye of Ortiz. While many in the crowd felt the cut had been caused by a head butt, the referee ruled it had been caused from a legal blow and awarded the TKO victory to Lucero. The controversial nature of the bout and the fact that it produced some fierce action in only two rounds led to the demand for a rematch. Even before the first bell rang for the rematch the differences could be seen. Lucero looked to be in much better shape, weighing in at his lowest weight in over a year. He showed his improved conditioning from the outset of the bout as he quickly set a fast tempo, working behind his jab and firing off three and four punch combinations. Ortiz, a notoriously slow starter, was forced to engage early and had trouble landing as the quicker Lucero moved in and out of the pocket, covering up well in close and landing with hard hooks to the head and body. {{popup Lucerothrowsaright[1]..jpg Lucerothrowsaright[1]. 751x563}} Lucero (left) throws the right Ortiz raised his output as the fight wore on and gave the sold out crowd some great moments of back and forth action. However, Lucero was the quicker and surprisingly stronger fighter in this fight. He picked Ortiz apart with snapping jabs and solid combinations down the stretch. By the sixth round Lucero was backing his opponent up and landing almost at will. In between the sixth and seventh rounds Ortiz complained of chest pains and trouble controlling his breathing. His head trainer Jesse Ramos made the decision to stop the fight, awarding Lucero a sixth round TKO. The win gives Lucero the Washington State title, but more importantly it gives his career a renewed momentum. After losses to Norberto Bravo and Dewey Welliver last year, Lucero appeared to be finished with the sport. But, after two straight wins over Ortiz he’s now shown that he still has something left to give to boxing and to Northwest fight fans. As for Ortiz, his future in the sport seems to be up in the air. Talk of retirement surfaced among his team after the loss. He has now lost four in a row to Lovemore N’Dou, Tyrone Harris and twice to Lucero. The tough brawler from Lebanon, Oregon has given fans some great fights. Retirement at this point seems like the right move. {{popup Nunez(right)Getssettothrow1.jpg Nunez(right)Getssettothrow1 751x563}} Nunez (right) gets set to attack The semi-main event featured a four round bout for the vacant women’s Washington State featherweight title between local prospect Merced Nunez (7-1 2KOs 125 lbs.) and Louisville, Kentucky’s Caitlin Dance (2-1 1KO 122 lbs.). Nunez easily out-boxed Dance over four rounds using good lateral movement and precise combinations. Dance seemed to lack the motivation to go after Nunez and only found mild success with her right when Nunez pressed late in the fight, looking of the KO, leaving herself open for counter shots. Still, even then Nunez closed out the fight strong, tagging her opponent repeatedly with solid right hands. The judges’ scores read 40-36 all around, awarding the unanimous decision, and the Washington title to Nunez. Kevin Hand (172 ½ lbs) of Portland, Oregon made quite an entrance into the professional boxing ranks. The former MMA cage fighter scored a vicious third round KO over Denver, Colorado’s Pablo Gomez (173 lbs.), who was also making his pro debut. Hand took control of the bout early, easily picking Gomez apart with his jab and countering well with his right as Gomez stepped forward. Hand doubled up with his right hand and finished up the round hurting Gomez. He would hurt him again in the second, landing with a solid left-right combination. Early in the third round a left hook followed by a right hand buckled the knees of Gomez, sending him reeling back to the ropes. Hand stepped in and fired off a barrage of right hands, knocking Gomez senseless, but the ropes held him up allowing Hand to land three unnecessary rights before the referee stepped in to stop the bout as Gomez slouched to the matt unconscious. The end came at 25 seconds of the third round. {{popup Darby(left)blocksjab.jpg Darby(left)blocksjab 751x563}} Darby (left) blocks the jab Escondido, California’s Dashon Johnson (145 lbs.) came into his professional debut obviously expecting to walk away with an easy first win. His opponent, Canadian Darren Darby (3-6-2 1KO 143 lbs.), only had two wins in 10 fights and seemed to look, at least on paper, like an easy mark for the beginning of a good career. Unfortunately for Johnson, fights are not fought on paper and he received quite a surprise as he lost a four round unanimous decision. Johnson came out pressing the fight early, cornering Darby and letting his hands go with wild hooks. Darby remained calm, and while he did take some punishment in the corner, he was able to block a lot of what was being thrown. Darby made it out of the round by maintaining his distance and covering up when his opponent opened up. By the second round Johnson seemed very tired. Darby began to box, using his jab and stepping in with an occasional one-two. Both fighters began the third at a measured pace, jabbing and picking their spots. But, midway through the round Darby opened up, landing a big right uppercut that seemed to stun Johnson. Darby pressed forward and connected with a thudding left hook to the body, dropping Johnson for an eight count. It was all Darby for the remainder of the bout as he pressed forward, landing with effective combinations. The final scores read 39-36, 38-37, 39-36, all for Darby. In a close four round back and forth brawl, Tammie Johnson (3-0 138 lbs.) of Lynwood, Washington won a unanimous decision over Henderson, Colorado’s Tana Gallegos (4-8 2KOs 138 lbs.). Both fighters opened up early in the bout, letting their hands go, trading wildly. Johnson controlled the early portion of the bout, landing at a higher rate and dropping Gallegos in the second round with an overhand right. Gallegos took over in the third and forth rounds, using her right jab and landing effectively on the tiring Johnson. But, by the end of the bout the difference in the fight would be the second round knockdown. The judges scored the bout 38-37, 39-36, 38-37 all for Johnson. In the evenings opener, Vancouver B.C.’s Jason Saunders (129 lbs.) scored an impressive third round TKO over Seattle, Washington’s Napoleon Mathews (1-0 1KO 131 lbs.). Matthews came out swinging wildly early in the first round and was quickly deposited on the canvass by a Saunders jab. Unfortunately the referee ruled it a slip. Saunders patiently went back to work, moving in and out behind his jab, landing with solid left hooks. Matthews fired back and forced some solid exchanges, but, Saunders was much more effective. In the third round Saunders kept his output steady, moving in and out with quick combinations, landing repeatedly. A left hook from Saunders stunned Mathews, a follow up right pushed him back to the ropes. Matthews was taking heavy punishment on the ropes when his corner made the decision to mercifully step in and stop the fight. The end came at 2:49 of the third round. The Silver Reef Hotel Casino & Spa will host its next boxing event July 8th. For tickets contact the Casino box office.