Fort Worth Native Eddie Vazquez inks deal with Hall of Fame Promoter

Fort Worth native Edward "Kid" Vazquez is coming off perhaps the best win of his career. A 10-round decision victory over Misael Lopez. The fight was promoted by Hall of Fame promoter Lou DiBella and aired live on Showtime. Lopez was the house fighter and has been promoted by Dibella since 2020. Vazquez's performance was so impressive the legendary promoter decided to sign Vazquez. The news became official on Thursday.

Vazquez sports an impressive record of 14-1 (3) and has won three consecutive bouts since the lone blemish on his record. In addition to outpointing Lopez, Vazquez outpointed Viktor Slavinskyi at the "Punch Bowl" in Carson, California, on the undercard of Sebastian Fundora vs Carlos Ocampo. The lone defeat on Vazquez's resume is a points loss to Raymond Ford in early 2022. A decision so bad Ford's promoter Eddie Hearn acknowledged his fighter loss and the scorecards were "quite poor." Vazquez trains at FHG gym with coach Ray Barerra in his home city of Fort Worth.

Sammy Castaneda: "This kid don't break"

Mercedes Texas, native Sammy "El Gallo Fino" Castaneda will headline Saturday night's Reyna Promotions card in Corpus Christi. He will put his undefeated record of 10-0-1 (7) on the line against Mexican junior welterweight Julio Chavez in a six-round affair. The 24-year-old prospect has come a long way in a relatively short time. From cheating death and "disappearing from the face of the earth" as his coach James Payton puts it, to being on the verge of something massive.

The Texas boxing community was first introduced to Castaneda in the Texas Golden Gloves when he battled Vergil Ortiz. Ortiz was in the midst of destroying everyone and was having his way with the Rio Grande Valley native. Ortiz dropped him, and it looked like Castaneda was going to be just another man down. However, "El Gallo Fino" got off the canvas and took the fight to Ortiz. He came up just short but gained the respect of everyone and showed the world "he has that dog in him." as Coach Payton says of his fighter. As an amateur the trainer and fighter first met when Payton was training with former world title heavyweight challanger Eric Molina. Castaneda introduced himself and told the coach he was a fighter. Payton said, "he was a polite kid."

The pair met up two years later when Castaneda made his pro debut in Brownsville. Payton encountered Castaneda, who was by himself getting ready for his pro debut and gave him some last-minute encouragement. Castaneda went out there and scored a third-round knockout. The win was overturned by the Texas Commission, and according to Coach Payton Castaneda "fell off the face of the Earth."

That's when the real fight for Castaneda began. He was battling personal demons that nearly ended the fighter for good. "I was out of boxing for 2.5 years, making bad choices, getting arrested, doing drugs, partying a lot, doing stupid things. It's similar to the Tyson Fury thing; he's actually the reason I got back into boxing." Castaneda recalled. Things got out of control for the fighter who cheated death twice. Once he was dead and brought back. Castaneda explains, "I took some stuff the night before. I was going to church with my family, and I ended up collapsing. I hit a brick, my head hit the brick, and I was completely out. An ambulance came, and I woke up in the hospital. I was out for 40 minutes. If I would have hit my head one centimeter in the other direction, I would have been paralyzed from the waist down." He was given a second chance at life, and as Castaneda says, "No one trains harder than someone who should be six feet under" This second chance has served as his motivation.

Castaneda weighed 225 pounds at this time and was going to use his second chance to pursue his passion and get back in the ring. He told his friend and undefeated lightweight prospect Cristian Roman that he was "coming back" Roman passed the message to Coach Payton, and the coach agreed but gave the 225-pound Castaneda an ultimatum. Payton explained, "I knew his past. I told him I had rules here if he missed a day without a valid excuse, don't come back! If you do drugs, don't come back! If you drink, dont come back! If you don't put in the work, dont come back!" The fighter agreed with his trainer's terms and was immediately put to the test. Payton said he was going to "push him to his limits.'' Castaneda was pushed to his outermost limits and began projectile vomiting while hitting the heavy bag for 30 minutes straight. When coach told him he could quit. Castaneda rejected the invitation and started screaming, "I am not gonna quit!! I'm never gonna quit! I'll die for this!" "El Gallo Fino" was going to make the most of his second chance at life. Payton recalls his pupil finished the workout, and the coach thought to himself, "This kid don't break." It was at that point he knew his fighter "had that dog in him." What shocked the coach is the next day, Castaneda beat him to the gym and was waiting for him. Payton jokes, "There must be something wrong with this kid" Castaneda completed an even more daunting workout on day two, and coach knew he was for real and had something special. Payton describes Castaneda as "first in and last out of the gym." The Mercedes native success can be credited to his pressure, volume punching, solid power, surprising hand speed, and athleticism, but it is his hard work that separates him from the pack. The RGV fighter explained his work ethic " If I'm going to die, I'm going to die here [in the gym]. People think I'm crazy. I'll hit the bag 50-60 minutes straight with the weighted vest on....I have the mamba mentality like Kobe" he added.

Castaneda walked into the gym that day at 225 pounds. 50 days later, he weighed 145 and was back in the ring on December 4th, 2020. "El Gallo Fino'' scored a first-round KO in Matamoros, Mexico. He fought four times in 2021, all in Mexico, going 4-0 (3) and running his record to 5-0 (4). Castaneda faced his toughest challenge in Julio Sanchez in December of 2022. The RGV native lost the first round and got dropped in the second on what appeared to be a slip but was ruled a knockdown. Castaneda found himself three points down after two rounds. Three points down with four rounds to go. Castaneda needed to win every single round to get a decision. With his undefeated record very much on the line, there was no panic. "I'm super calm. I told Sammy we were down. We just need to win every round in fashion." Payton explained, "I told Sammy, Close the distance and change lanes." The hard work and determination paid off, and Castaneda dominated the final four rounds to take a unanimous decision. He followed up that points victory with a masterclass performance against Bryan Springs in February, also on a Reyna Promotions card. The kid that was 225 pounds and cheated death twice just two years earlier is now 10-0-1 (7). While there is still work to do, the kid from Mercedes, who isn't supposed to be here, is on the verge of something special. Coach Payton opened up about his fighter's future "I was just talking with his agent Kerry [Daigle]. I truly believe sometime next year, in April or May he will be fighting for something big. We got three more fights lined up for this year. Middle of next year, he'll be fighting for something big." The next stop for Castaneda is The Robstown Fairgrounds in the Corpus Christi area on June 10th against Chavez, a much different opponent than Castaneda has fought in the past. A rugged pressure fighter from Mexico that will look to bring the fight to the Texan. It's another sizeable test for Castaneda. However, as coach Payton says "Hard work beats talent 10 out of 10." Fortunately for Payton and the rest of team Castaneda, their man is not only loaded with talent but a ruggedness and work ethic that is unmatched.

Spence- Crawford! Finally!! It's Officially, Official

We have not reported on rumors and played it low-key until everything was officially, official. That time is now. DeSoto native and WBA-WBC-IBF Welterweight champ will battle WBO title holder Terence Crawford on July 29th in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena. The fight has long been anticipated. Additionally its was very close to being made last summer, allegedly. Crawford told the mostly Dallas-based media during the lead-up to Virgil Ortiz-Michael McKinson to, "wait till November." November came and went, and nothing happened, and so did about six more months. However, a deal is now in place, and the fight looks like it will finally happen. It has an official date and venue. “The wait is over...It’s game time. Errol Spence-Terence Crawford, July 29th, Las Vegas, Nevada. Everybody come out, show support and watch me fry this fish.” Crawford said on Social Media, and the North Texan clapped back writing, “Finally giving the fans what they want!.. This one a throwback fight on paper, but it could be a one-sided ass-whooping."

Both fighters are undefeated. Terence Crawford, 35, is 39-0 (3) and has held the WBO welterweight title since knocking out Jeff Horn in June of 2018. Spence captured the IBF Welterweight title by stopping Kell Brook all the way back in May of 2017. He added the WBC belt in 2019 by outpointing Shawn Porter. He added the WBA strap by stopping Yordenis Ugas last year at AT&T Stadium. Spence has not fought since stopping Ugas. Crawford last fought in December and stopped Avanesyan in six rounds.

Ryan Garcia Jones Coach Derrick James in Dallas

Dallas native and "Trainer of the Year" is growing perhaps the most prolific stable in the boxing world. He has recently added former unified heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua to his gym. Now he's adding a Pay-Per-View star and one of boxing's most recognizable faces to his World Class Boxing Gym in Dallas. Ryan Garcia, a Victorville, California, native will embark on his run to a world title run in the incredibly deep and talented 140-pound division alongside Coach James. Garcia has made a habit of changing camps. He split ties with Joe Goosen following his seventh-round stoppage loss to Tank Davis in their pay Per View blockbuster that generated well over a million PPV purchases. The southern California native, who is just 24, took to Instagram and posted a picture with his new trainer. "I'm searching for greatness, I'm looking to improve. I'm looking to be a champion with Derrick James. I feel he can guide me and mentor me." the fighter said. 

Garcia previously was trained by his father and had worked with Goosen as an amateur. In 2018 he began working with Canelo Alvarez's trainer Eddy Reynoso and his team. Garcia went 5-0 and had all five wins by knockout. He then switched camps and began working with Goosen following a long layoff due to mental health concerns that kept the 24-year-old out of the ring. Garcia returned in April of 2022 and fought Emmanuel Tagoe in the Alamodome and scored a lopsided 12-round unanimous decision.

James's incredibly deep stable includes Joshua, as well as unified welterweight champ and DeSoto native Errol Spence, as well as Houstonian Jermell Charlo, who has all the belts in the division north of Spence. James also works with undefeated, blue chip lightweight Frank Martin who is coming off the best win of his career against Michel Rivera. Now adding Garcia, puts James in a position were he could, in the relatively near future, control world titles at every weight class from 135 to 154. James was a solid professional and compiled a professional record of 21-7-1 (12), competing mainly between the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. 

Charlo spoke to Andrade for an hour, will bypass tune-up, won't be stripped by WBC due to a Serious mental health episode.

Long-reigning WBC Middleweight champion Jermall Charlo of Houston has been inactive for nearly two years but won't be stripped of his title, according to WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman. Sulaiman disclosed that the Houstonian suffered a "serious mental health episode" The president continued on explaining what he would like to see from his middleweight champ in the future, "We want him to come back, or a 10-round fight. We will support him. And then we hope that a fight can be made with Adames (WBC interim champion) to unify the title. Or a fight with Munguia would be amazing. We would approve it, without a doubt.”

In 2021 Charlo was preparing for a title defense when he suffered an injury during training. This is when the wheels came off, according to Sulaiman, “When Charlo was recovering from his injury, he suffered a mental health episode, a serious, important one according to WBC President" 'If people want to be yelling and kicking because we didn’t strip him of his title for not fighting, that is the reason. We will be supporting him unconditionally. That is why there is an interim title, so there can be activity in the division. But we will always support our champion, and the good ones, and even more in the bad ones,” Sulaiman explained.

Charlo, however, plans on comeback sooner rather than later, and PBC has penciled in a date of July 1. That date was confirmed by trainer Ronnie Shields last month. Originally the plan was to put the WBC champ in a tune-up fight at the Toyota Center in his home city. However, Charlo may be open to taking the biggest challenge of his career, arguably, and forging a tune-up altogether. According to the champ, he is willing "to get straight into it [an Andrade fight]." According to Charlo “He [Andrade] called me the other day. We talked for like an hour, just trying to get this shi*t done.” Both men have been looking for a career-defining legacy fight for years but have not been able to secure one for any number of reasons. A showdown between the pair is long overdue and has been discussed for years at different weight classes.  Andrade has recently vacated his WBO version of the middleweight title to campaign at 168. It is unclear if a possible Charlo-Andrade fight would take place at the middleweight or super middleweight limit. The WBC would approve a non-title fight, according to its president. 

Three Texans Look to Shine in Vegas on PBC Card

On Saturday, May 13th, three Texans will take to Las Vegas and look to take a major step forward in their respective careers. In the evening's co-main event, Omar "El Relampago" Juarez, 14-1 (5), of Brownsville, takes the biggest fight of his career as he battles former two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy, 29-2-1 (15), of Havana, Cuba. Juarez is now 23 years old and has scored three highly impressive victories since his lone career defeat to All Rivera in the Summer of 2021. A win here gets the Rio Grande Valley native into the title picture. The 23-year-old has brought in the help of world-famous strength and conditioning coach Tony Brady to prepare for the biggest fight of his professional career.

On the undercard portion of the card is PBC's 2022 Prospect of the Year, Michael Angeletti, 7-0 (6), of Spring, Texas. Angelletti will battle rugged Venezuelan contender Michell Banquez 20-3 (14), in a Super Bantamweight bout. Banquez recently fought San Antonio native Ramon Cardenas in San Antonio and gave the touted prospect a competitive 10-round scrap. Angeletti, who is also nearing a world title shot, last fought in October and blew away fellow undefeated prospect Jeremy Adorno in just five rounds. Angeletti dominated his outmatched opponent in every single round and made Adorno quit on the stool following the fifth round.

Also on the card is hard-hitting, fan-favorite, knockout artist Javi Vargas 3-1 (3), of McAllen. Vargas suffered the lone defeat of his career back in December. The McAllen native has bounced back nicely and, in April scored a sensational first-round TKO of Milton Banks in San Antonio on a P4P Promotions card. He will enter as the B-side, but as a very live dog as he battles undefeated 154-pound prospect David Whitmire, 1-0 (1) of Washington DC. Whitmire made his pro debut in February in San Antonio and scored a brutal first-round TKO of fellow Rio Grande Valley native Keith Foreman.

"More Than a Champion" Omar Juarez to be Subject of Upcoming Documentary

After a long week of school, therapies, and other strenuous activities, there's a boxing gym filled with excited youngsters of all abilities having fun, relieving stress, and sharpening their skills, not exactly a typical scene in most boxing gyms. However, there's nothing typical about what's going on at the RVG Elite Boxing Gym, and there's nothing typical about WBC International Welterweight title holder Omar "El Relampago" Juarez and his father Rudy, who call that gym home. The pair spend their Friday evenings dedicating their time and knowledge to helping special needs kids in their home gym. Giving their time to those who are often ignored and overlooked. The Juarez family is giving these kids a fighting chance. Not exactly how the typical 23-year-old, who has achieved fame and success, spends their Friday nights, but again there's nothing typical about Juarez "My parents told me to love one another...my Dad's always been like that. He told my stories when he was in high school, he used to hang out with [special needs kids] because no one would listen to them or pay attention to them. My siblings are the exact same way. We have always been extra nice to them." A humbled Juarez explained. 

The 23-year-old has served as Master of Ceremonies for The Tim Tebow Foundation's Night to Shine multiple times. The Night to Shine is an unforgettable prom night experience centered on God's love for people with special needs. Juarez has always had a heart for special needs children "I see what you guys go through [special needs parents], and it makes me feel so grateful for what I have... Honestly, since I've grown up as a little kid, I've had a soft spot for special needs kids. They need more attention, they need a voice." The boxer has served not just as their voice but as a source of motivation and inspiration for so many in the special needs community. 

That motivation is a two-way street. As Juarez prepares for the biggest fight of his career, a May 13th date in Las Vegas against two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy originally from Arroyo Naranjo, Cuba. Juarez cites the kids he works with as the source of his motivation "The kids are the motivation. When I feel like giving up, that's what I remember the most, that I'm representing a lot of kids. I have to show them it's not just talent that gets you here. It's the discipline, the hard work. It's the grind. I always preach you have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable", the 23-year-old explained. 

Juarez is the subject of an upcoming Documentary directed by Marie J. Magdaleno, which will be released in the Fall and is titled "More Than a Champion". It's a personal and in-depth look at Juarez as he trains for his upcoming battle. Magdaleno, also a Brownsville native, will get to tell the incredible and inspiring real-life story of a fighter, an inspiration to the voiceless, and a philanthropist, from Brownsville to the world. The director was presented with other possible candidates but was moved and inspired by the story of Juarez. She knew that she had to tell his story, "There were other candidates on the table that I was going to move forward with to document, and then Omar got brought to me. I did some research on him, and we are very similar. We're both very hard-working, driven, and determined, yet we care about our community and want to give back, so when I saw Omar was like that, I said this is the gentleman that I want to tell the story of. I want people to know hes more than a champion."

Having spent several days with the WBC title holder at his fight camp, Magdaleno was amazed by the work ethic and determination of the champ. The acclaimed director described the experience "It was quite an experience. I went in with no expectations, I have always followed boxing, but I have never seen how a boxer prepares for a big fight... Seeing Omar on the verge of tears at one point, the workout is so intense and so hard, and he follows through! It's pretty amazing and impressive to see that type of ethic. I can't wait for the fight. I've seen already what he has done to prepare for it."

What amazed the decorated film director the most was the ability the fighter showed to "hit the switch" and go from dangerous world-class fighter to gentle monster, "Omar is soo dangerous inside the ring, and then he switches the switch, and he's this gentle monster. That's Omar! He's so kind in person."

The gentleness and kindheartedness seem to be the exact opposite of what we see from the dangerous, body-snatching warrior in the ring. He hits the switch and transforms from a warrior to a genuinely loving person with a heart as big as Texas for kids who are often marginalized and forgotten about. The Texan describes his connection with the kids "The reaction and the connection that I get from them all it's beautiful, and its extra motivation."

Motivation is another reoccurring theme in the boxer's life. In addition to his work in the special needs community, the championship boxer volunteers as a motivational speaker, having worked with and inspired the kids in Brownsville since he was 16 years old. In the Summer of 2021, Juarez needed to "practice what he preaches", as he says, after suffering a controversial and disputed loss to All Rivera. Juarez recalls the immediate aftermath of the verdict "I cried like a baby, but it was time to practice what I preach." He decided to record a video telling the kids, "You can never give up on your dreams, and I'm not going to give up on mine. No matter what happens, I'm going to be great, no matter what happens. I'm going to keep pushing." The kid from Brownsville did just that he bit down, put it behind him, and got back to work. 

That loss has been used by detractors to try and get under the skin of Juarez. It's been used to try and irritate him. However, it has not sidetracked him at all "No matter what knockdowns, or what losses, you can still make your dreams come true if you're persistent and disciplined and most importantly if you are faithful with yourself and the man upstairs." Juarez said. He's been able to focus through the distractions and get back on track. His laser-like focus is something he credits both his wife and his faith in Jesus Christ for "God always gives me strength, through the dark times." Juarez said. "Through the storm, I'm holding His hand, and we are pushing through. I just got to keep pushing through that storm, and after that storm is the beautiful sunshine." He explained.

That beautiful sunshine is now on the horizon for the 23-year-old. He has put together three consecutive wins since the 2021 loss, including his most recent win back in December against Austin Dulay. Juarez has been patient and, through hard work, discipline, and determination, has gotten himself back into the world title picture. It has also taken a lot of patience to get back into this position. Juarez credits his patience as the most important thing he has learned from the countless hours working with the special needs kids, " I've learned patience, being patient with yourself, and being patient with others," Juarez explained.

With a win on the 13th, all the patience and perseverance may very well pay off. A win would put Juarez in position for a world title fight. A dream come true for the Brownsvillian that would mark the culmination of his relentless hard work, determination, and his blood, sweat, and tears. All the elements that took the humble, polite kid from Brownsville to the top of the boxing world. When Juarez does get to a world title, it is something he said he would give full credit to the kids for, "they have served as motivation and kept me going through all the difficulties and distractions." Juarez said of the kids.

Ben Gurment Wins Again, Moves to 8-0 on Made Men Promotions Card!

Undefeated jr welterweight contender Benjamin "Hill" Gourmet of Fort Worth returned from a neck injury and a 7.5-month layoff on Friday evening's main event at the Southern Junction, which was put on by Made Men Promotions, and picked up where he left off. The 30-year-old from Fort Worth showed no ring rust at all and actually looked slicker and more defensive-minded than we had seen in the past. Using his jab a bit more and behind slicker movement, the southpaw landed at will on his rugged opponent, Antonio Meija of Nuevo León, Mexico, who was last in the ring with Hector Tanjara. A patient Gurment stalked his opponent with a persistent jab, mixing up head and body shots to perfection. A straight left with about a minute left in the opening round rattled Meij's cage. The Fort Worthian stayed on the front foot and scored with his lead jab and mixed in straight lefts when Meija would try to counter Gurment consistently made him miss throughout the four-rounder and would score with a counter left that began to slow his opponent down in the second half of the fight. Gurment delivered a hard right hook to the body that backed Meija up late in the third round. The Fort Worthian kept the pressure on in the final stanza and scored with a double left early in the round. The Nuevo Leon native was showing signs of wear and tear however the rugged Mexican was able to survive to the final bell which proved to be a moral victory. The scores were academic and one-sided as Gurment rolled to a unanimous decision victory by scores 40-36x2 and 39-37. Gurment improved to 8-0-2 (5) and with the support of his team expressed an interest in fighting Tanajara down the road. 

Gurment's stablemate, 6'0 tall hard-hitting featherweight Joel "The Owl" Martinez of Fort Worth, was in action. Martinez, a southpaw worked behind a stiff jab. He doubled it up about and put a left hand behind it just moments into the fight. The combination caught the attention of his opponent Rensley Washington of Cincinnati, Ohio. Just moments later, the Fort Worth native scored with a short right hook that wobbled the Ohioan. The hook seemed to affect Washington, who appeared to lose his aggression. For the remainder of the four-round affair, Washington stayed mainly on the retreat as the Texan applied constant pressure and took what he was given. In the second, another straight left drove Washington into the ropes. The left hand sending Washington back seemed to be played on loop as Martinez could not miss with it, and it drove Washington back every time it scored. By the start of the fourth and final round, Martinez looked as sharp and fresh as in the opening round. A massive right hook snapped his opponets head back and sent him into retreat. "The Owl" stayed on the aggressive and landed a short left that rocked Washington, who appeared in serious trouble for the first time. The Ohio native was able to weather the storm and survived till the final bell. However, the decision was clear-cut, and Martinez moved to 3-0 (2). Post-fight the long, rangy featherweight expressed his intentions to "put on some muscle" and "move up to 130."  

On the undercard portion of the event, Two exciting youngsters made successful pro debuts. Fernando Solís of Fort Worth dropped his opponent, Rashard Robinson of Dallas twice. Including in the third round with a vicious right hand. Robinson was as tough as could be and fought back hard. He was able to score on the inside as well and stopped Solis in his track on a handful of occasions. However, Solis would not be discouraged and used angles to land with right hands from a variety of angles. The Fort Worthian scored with a big right hand that rocked his opponent to seal the deal in the final seconds of the fourth round. Solis won the lopsided unanimous decision by scores of 40-35x3 to move his record to 1-0 (0). 

Also on the card was Jaycob Ramos. The amateur standout from Plano, Texas, passed an incredibly difficult test and took a unanimous decision over Desmon White. White, who trains out of FHG in Fort Worth, scored with a clean left hook that rattled Ramos. However, the youngster from Plano ate it well and came back with a big right hand of his own late in the first. White fought hard and had moments on the inside. He began wearing Ramos down who became noticeably fatigues. The former amateur star was winning competitive rounds but was being tested and getting hit with clean shots. As he continued to fatigue, his jab disappeared, and Ramos relied on using really slick footwork to score with power shots on the inside. Ramos survived the tough test, picked up the win in his professional debut, moved to 1-0, and is now off to the races in what should be a superb professional career.

O'Shaquie Foster is a Promotional Free Agent, Wants Cordina Unification Bout.

Newly minted WBC Super Featherweight champion "Ice Water" O'shaquie Foster of Orange is a promotional free agent and wants to unify with newly minted IBF champ Joe Cordina of Cardiff, Wales. Cordina won the IBF belt that he was forced to vacate due to a broken hand in late 2022 when he outboxed Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in Cardiff back on April 22nd. The East Texas native has just informed Bad Left Hook that he is no longer signed with Probellum and is now a promotional free agent. He said he is free to sign with anyone and fight anyone of his choosing.

Foster, who captured his world title at the Alamodome back in February when he dominated Rey Vargas over 12 lopsided rounds, has been calling out the IBF champ for the past few days. Foster has expressed openness and interest in talking to both PBC and Matchroom in attempts to make unification bouts and the biggest fights in the division. Cordina fights under the Matchroom banner which is run by Eddie Hearn, who has not only had massive success in the Lone Star State but has also called the Texas Commission "the best in the united states" and "one of the best in the world" Making a Foster-Cordina unification bout for later this year in Texas a very, real possibility. The Orange native added he is willing to go over to the UK to make the fight as well. "I am ready to take over the division,” he told Bad Left Hook. “I am more than happy to travel to the UK to face Joe Cordina, but only if they pay me – the money has to be right.” The WBC champ said. 

Cordina expressed mutual interest in the fight. Cordina took to Twitter and replied to a Tweet from 3DBoxingblog and said "...I just fought a week ago let me have a little bit of time with my family. The fight will happen, just relax."

Zepeda, Morales Dominate on Golden Boy Card in Arlington

William “El Camaron” Zepeda of San Mateo Atenco, Mexico, is going to be a problem for anyone at 135. He destroyed Hector Tanajara, then Jo Jo Diaz, and last night on the grounds of UT Arlingtonn the undefeated Mexican KO artist absolutely annihilated Jaime “Jaimito” Arboleda in less than two rounds. The always-aggressive Zepeda came out as if he was shot out of a cannon, rocking Arboleda of Panama to the head and body and absolutely overwhelming him. Arbeloda was outmatched and dropped three times as Zepeda moved his perfect record to 28-0 (24). The end came abruptly in the second round. It started with the southpaw Zepeda rocking his outmatched Panamanian opponent with a short left hand to the jaw. He followed that up with a left hand downstairs, putting Arboleda to the canvas again. He was able to make it to his feet, but the writing was on the wall. Zepeda slammed on the gas and again nailed Arboleda to the body and then put a right-left combo to the head of Arboleda just for good measure to put him down for a final time as the fight was waved off. Giving Zepeda the successful defense of his WBA Continental Americas title. Post-fight Zepeda expressed his future plans, "I want to fight the best world champions out there. I signed up for boxing, not ballet.”

In the co-main event, "El Tornado" Victor Morales walked in a 2:1 underdog, rolled through everything in his way like a Texas Twister, and walked out of the ring with the WBA Inter-Continental Featherweight strap. Morales, of Vancouver, Washington expressed extreme confidence in fighting Diego De La Hoya of Baja California, Mexico. Morales said he asked for the fight. The youngster from Vancouver, Washington got what he wanted. Morales absolutely demolished his promoter's cousin over two lopsided rounds. The Washington native came out confidently behind a snappy jab, setting up De La Hoya for things to come. Those things came in a big way in the very next round. Morales scored with a thudding left that hurt De La Hoya. Morales frantically followed up with a whirlwind of power shots that hurt his opponent. Morales kept the pressure on De La Hoya, dropping the veteran with a short left hook. De La Hoya got to his feet but never got his legs back. He stepped up and tried to exchange with Morales. However, that proved to be a fruitless endeavor as Morales caught him with several more power shots, including a left hook followed by a right hand that caught the wounded Mexican on the temple and again put him down. This time unable to get back to his feet in time. Giving the 25-year-old Morales the biggest win of his young career and moving his record to 18-0-1 (9).

Also on the card was Redding, Pennsylvania, native David Stevens who trains at the Plex Gym in Houston with Ronnie Shields following up his last round come from behind knockout over Sean Hemphill last January. Stevens outlasted 38-year-old and always durable Marco Periban, got up off the canvas in the third round, and controlled the fight with his jab and combination punching to otherwise dominate the affair and rill to a unanimous decision victory by scores of 78-73x2 and 77-74.

Kalkreuth & Rice, Go to War on Undercard Portion of Golden Boy Card

The untelevised portion of the Golden Boy card started with a bang and ended with an all-Texas heavyweight shootout. Killen Resident and Puerto Rican native Roberto Cruz moved his record to 9-0 (5) with a second-round destruction of Tyrone Selders of Houston. The Puerto Rican native was loading up on right hands that were putting a dent in Selders. Heavy-handed punches and thudding shots put Sleders into the retreat. That set up the kill shot that Cruz delivered a straight right hand a minute or so into the second that sent the Houstonian reeling across the ring. Cruz stayed aggressive and unleashed a barrage of power shots that brought referee Rosario Solis in to wave the bout off at 1:48 into the second round.

Next up was Houston native Darius Fulghum. Fulghum continued his knockout streak and moved to 4-0 (4). It was the second time the Houston native fought in Arlington in the past 12 months. Fulghum looked to make a quick night of it and scored with a right hand putting down an outmatched Jay Williams late in the opening stanza. Fulghum again had his man in trouble later in the round with a barrage of power shots. Fulghum effortlessly walked his man backward and scored with a whirlwind of power shots that again backed his outgunned opponent into the corner and put him down for a second time. After another short flurry of power shots dropped Williams for a third and final time as referee Reuben Perez put a stop to the onslaught at 58 seconds into round number two.

Austin native Caleb Suniga represented well for the 512. He scored what was the knockout of the night, and possibly the knockout of the year!! The youngster came out sharp with lightning-quick combinations that put his opponent Carlos Arroyo, a veteran of nearly 30 pro fights, on his back foot. Like a cobra, Suniga scored with a shovel hook putting his man down and out, unable to beat the count. In just 49 seconds suniga moved his record to 2-0. "Maivilla" has put the 130-pound division on notice.

In the final bout of the untelevised portion 21-year-old heavyweight/cruiserweight contender "Sweet T" Tristian Kalkreuth of Duncanville and Jonathan Rice of Cleburne went to war in an all-DFW shootout. After an intense weigh-in where the two combatants and their camps needed to be separated. Kalkreutand Rice kept up that energy in the ring. Rice, a massive underdog, accounted well for himself working behind a snappy jab. The two big men traded jabs in a somewhat cautious opening round. Rice had a 23-pound weight advantage and began to open up, firing left hooks and straight rights with some success. Kalkruth tagged the aggressive Rice with a counter-hook in the second round that seemed to catch the attention of Rice, and the war was on. Rice to his credit, was unafraid of the big punching Kalkreuth. He stayed on the front foot and came forward with heavy artillery throughout the six-round affair. Rice outworked "Sweet T". However the Duncanville native had success landing clean counter shots and had moments with the left hook that he would land in between Rice's shots. The two kept that up over the middle rounds. Kalkreuth put together his best round thru that point in the fourth. Rice came roaring back in the fifth with power shots that kept Kalkreuth from settling in. Rice backed his man into the corner and unloaded on the heavy favorite and appeared to have Kalkreuth buzzed and in a bit of trouble. Rice may have momentarily punched himself out late in the fifth. Kalkreuth marched forward in the final 30 seconds and scored with a right hand of his own. However, Rice bit down and immediately answered back. In a close and competitive fight that appeared to be in the balance in the final stanza, Rice struck first with an uppercut from the floor that snapped Sweet T's head back but Kalkreuth seemed to eat it well. After being warned for losing his mouthpiece Rice got back to work. However, Kalkreuth came roaring back with a left hook to the body that seemed to stop Rice in his tracks. In another competitive round, the two closed the show exactly as expected. They sat toe to toe and exchanged power shots as the final bell rang. All three judges favored the counterwork and clean shots of Kalkreuth and scored for him unanimously 59-55. Despite the debated decsion, Rice performed well on the big stage and establsihed himself on a high level.

Vergil Ortiz and Marlen Esparza Likely to Return July 8, Possibly in San Antonio

Saturday's Golden Boy Card on the grounds of UT Arlington was supposed to showcase world title fights, including Grand Prairie native Vergil Oritz plus unified women's Flyweight champ Marlen Esparza of Houston. However, both those fights have been axed. Ortiz's title fight with WBA 'regular' world title holder Eimantas Stanionis was called-off when Ortiz suffered a flare-up of Rhabdomyolysis, a serious medical condition he was diagnosed with last year before his original fight date with Michael McKinson in the first quarter of 2022.

Esparza, who holds the WBA and WBC Flyweight titles, was supposed to meet up with WBO champ "La Chucky '' Gabriela Celeste Alaniz of Argentina. That fight fell through as Alaniz's visa was not processed and approved in time. According to Golden Boy president Eric Gomez, there's nothing legally holding it up, and there's no reason to think the Visa won't be approved. It "just takes time," and it took more time than expected, and they ran out of time.

Both these fights will likely be rescheduled for July 8th and possibly in San Antonio at the AT&T Center. Golden Boy originally planned to keep the card in the DFW area but had trouble finding a venue according to Gomez. They have done well in San Antonio, and it's still in Ortiz's and Esparza's home state. The Alamo City has been particularly friendly to Esparza. She scored two consecutive wins in the Alamo City in 2021-22. She picked up two lopsided decisions. First over Anabel Ortiz at the AT&T Center in late 2021. The Houstonian then scored one of the most important wins of her impressive career by outpointing Naoko Fujioka in a unification bout in which Esparza also became the first ever Ring Magazine Women's Flyweight Champ at the Alamodome on the undercard of Ryan Garcia VS Emmanuel Tagoe in front of a crowd of nearly 15,000 fans.

Ortiz Possibly Returning July 8th

Some good news for North Texas fight fans. We reported last week, after speaking to trainer Manny Robles, that Vergil Ortiz of Grand Prairie was recovering well and doing great. Those reports are apparently true! The number WBA's number one-ranked welterweight could be back in the ring by July 8th.

Multiple sources reported that Ortiz, 19-0 (19), will finally meet up with WBA Regular champ Eimantas Stanionis on July 8th. The rumors have not been confirmed, and no location is attached to the date. However, the reports on Ortiz are positive. The showdown with Stanionis was originally scheduled for March 18th. However, the reigning champion had to back out due to emergency appendectomy surgery. The fight was rescheduled for April 29th but was again canceled, when Ortiz suffered a rhabdomyolysis flare-up.

Ortiz last fought back in August and stopped British opponent Micahel McKinson in the ninth round at the Dickie's Arena in Fort Worth!

Esparza's April 29th Unification Bout Is Off

Houston native and unified flyweight title Marlen Esparza has long prioritized becoming the undisputed flyweight champ and unifying all the belts. She ranked this achievement above avenging her lone defeat and settling the score with pound-for-pound elite Seniesa Estrada. Esparza was scheduled to get one step closer to that goal and attempt to add the WBO strap to the WBA and WBC belts she already owns. However, that dream will have to wait a bit longer. Esparaza was scheduled to face undefeated WBO champ, Gabriela Celeste Alaniz, 14-0 (6) of Argentina. Alaniz has not yet received the necessary documentation to travel to the U.S. This has forced Golden Boy Promotions to drop the bout, which was planned for April 29, at College Park Center on the grounds of the UT Arlington campus.

The unification showdown may still happen in the not-so-distant future. Golden Boy is potentially eyeing June or July. Possibly on the card that will feature the return of Grand Prairie native Vergil Ortiz, who was also forced off the card due to a flare-up of rhabdomyolysis. A condition he was diagnosed with last year.

Esparza currently sports a 13-1 (1) record and last fought in Fort Worth at the Dickies arena on the undercard of Vergil Ortiz VS Michael Mckinson. The Houstonian scored a unanimous decision victory over Eva Guzman back in August.

Two Texans Capture ABF Titles In San Antonio

It's been a roller coaster ride for Laredo native Jaime Jasso in his short but promising career. After starting off 2-0 and looking sensational, he dropped two in a row, two competitive decisions, including a loss on ESPN to "Cash Flow" Floyd Diaz in Las Vegas. The 21-year-old Laredoan relocated to San Antonio, got with a new team, signed with Pound 4 Pound Promotions, and has run off two more victories in a row. Including the biggest one of his young career Saturday night in San Antonio at the Hanger 9. A third-round KO of the year type stoppage of undefeated Timothy Longoria of Palacios to capture ABF Super Flyweight belt. The shorter Jasso was able to overcome a height and reach disadvantage and was sliding in using his jab. He was able to avoid Longoria's return fire. Jasso mixed up head and body shots brilliantly, not just winning rounds but winning the battle and setting his man up for something big. That something big came late in the third round. The end came abruptly. Jasso scored with a wide right hand that dropped Longoria like a building imploding on himself. The referee waved off the bout as soon as Longoria hit the canvas without a count. It was a spectacular ending for Jasso, who moved his record to 4-2 (1). The newly minted ABF title holder is onto bigger and better things. His team would like a showdown with 6-0 (6) Ephraim Bui.

Also on the card was an ABF title fight fighter between 13x National Champ Melissa Holguin of San Antonio and Carmen Vargas of Houston for the vacant ABF Featherweight title. The six-round affair took place mostly in a phone booth. The two combatants traded thudding power shots throughout the extremely competitive and entertaining scrap. Holguin did her best work in the second round, landing thudding body shots and forcing Vargas backward. However, Vargas responded in the middle rounds, working well from the mid-range and keeping the amateur stand-out at bay. She was scoring with a quick jab followed by solid right hands. Vargas was able to stand her ground when the aggressive Holguin worked her way onto the inside. The San Antonian responded nicely in the fifth round with hard body shots that took some steam out of Vargas. Holguin landed with short right hands on the inside that snapped the head back of her opponent the fight appeared to be too close to call going to the final round and the Houstonian got going in those final two minutes. It appeared Holguin was beginning to slow down which allowed Vargas to create the space she needed to land her jab and straight right hands. She was able to keep her swarming opponent off of her. Vargas seemed to get the best of the last stanza. She scored with a short uppercut late in the round that stopped Holguin's momentum. The pair stood toe to toe and traded power shots as the bell sounded to end the fight. The judges favored the mid-range work of Vargas unanimously by scores of 58-56x2 and a much too wide 60-54. In addition to picking up the ABF featherweight strap, Vargas moves to 4-1-1 and Holguin dropped to 3-1.

Two Top Texas Prospects Return on Davis VS Garcia Card in Las Vegas

The Tank Davis VS Ryan Garcia card is the biggest boxing event of the year, and the card will feature two of the brightest prospects from the Lone Star State. A pair of Future world champions will take the stage. 20-year-old phenom Floyd "Kid Austin '' Schofield will be in the ring for the second time this year as he puts his 13-0 (10) record on the line. He will battle with rugged Mexican veteran Jesus Valentin Leon 23-1-2 (19), a veteran of 26 pro bouts. Leon should offer a solid test for the 2022 Prospect of the Year. Leon has won seven fights in a row. Six of those wins came inside the distance, and in five of them, Leon stopped his opponent within two rounds. His one loss was back in 2018 when Leon was just 18 years old. He was stopped by Jesus Raul Hernandez Melgar, In the sixth round of a bout that took place in Corregidora, Queretaro, Mexico. Schofield last fought in January and scored a one-sided beatdown unanimous decision victory over Alberto Mercado at the YouTube Theatre in Inglewood, California. He dropped Mercado in the second round and won every single round in a spectacular performance.

Also on the card is 21-year-old KO artist Tristian "Sweet T" Kalkreuth of Duncanville. The North Texas native who has campaigned at heavyweight and cruiserweight will move back down to a more natural 175-pound limit and battle with Jaime Solorio 12-5-2 (9), of Mexico. Solorio went the distance with the likes of Niko Vladez and D'Mitrius Ballard. Sweet T is coming off more than a year layoff. He last fought on the Ryan Garcia-Emmauel Tagoe card at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Kalkreuth scored an unforgettable second knockout of seven-time Columbian national champ Santander Silgado. Kalkreuth sports a 9-1 (7) record and turned pro back in 2019 on the undercard of Vergil Ortiz-Antonio Oroaco card at the Verizon Theatre, in Grand Prairie, Kalkreuth scored a first-round knockout and celebrated the victory with his signature back flip.

Also on the card is Jose Charles, who hails from Tamaulipas, Mexico, but has trained with famed trainer James Payton in the Rio Grande Valley and now trains in San Antonio with Chato Martinez. Charles, 20-3-1(12) last fought at the Payne Arena in Hidalgo and dropped a decision to former world champion Austin Trout. He will battle touted PBC prospect Vito Mielnicki Jr 14-1 (9) in 10 round Jr Middleweight affair.

"Corpus Christi Kid" Jerry Belmontes Set to Make Return to Ring in June

Corpus Christi has a well-documented and deep-rooted boxing history. It has been home to many world-class fighters and memorable big-time fights. Despite this rich history, the coastal city has produced just one world champion, Jesse Benevides. However, in 2014, the city got incredibly close to being called home to another world champion. Jerry Belmontes fought tooth and nail with fan-favorite and Rio Grande Valley native Omar Figueroa. Figueroa was awarded a narrow split decision victory in a fight the majority of fight fans thought Belmontes deserved the nod in. That was nearly a decade ago, and Belmontes never got another title shot before hanging it up after a loss to "Hammer Hands" Julian Rodriguez in late 2016. However "The Corpus Christi Kid'' is going to give it one last shot, one more run at a world title.

"The Corpus Kid" and former world title challenger Jerry Belmontes has officially announced his return to the ring. The Corpus Christi native will make a return to the ring in his hometown on June 10th at the Robstown Fair Grounds on June 10th on a Reyan Promotions card. Belmontes is still just 34 years old and is ending his 6.5-year retirement. He will fight at 155 pounds and then return to his more natural weight of either 135 or 140. The 34-year-old cites his older son's desire to see his dad fight again as the motivation behind his return to the ring saying "I've always missed boxing every weekend watching boxing. I was like man, I want to go back. I wanted to fight here in Corpus, my youngest. I've always heard about you, my friends and their dads know you. I wanna see you fight. I don't remember you fighting. So I wanna come back and show 'em what their dad has" He will get that shot on June 10th.

Belmontes is confident. He feels good and is getting back to the level he was at when he was fighting for a world title. "the skills are all there a little slower, but we are working on it. Everything is still there, the footwork, head movement, the speed, the jab, it's all there." The former world title challenger said. It has been a sensational career for the Corpus Christi native, who turned pro back in 2008 after just missing the Olympic team and taking home the bronze medal in the trials. He made his pro debut in Brownsville and scored a dazzling four-round UD victory over the unbeaten Olvin Mejia. The fight was taken on short notice and was on a Top Rank card. The performance was so spectacular it impressed the top brass at Top Rank, and Belmontes was signed. He spent the next few years building up his record. He was fighting in Las Vegas and the Staples Center in Los Angeles and built up a 17-0 record fighting on major cards in big venues. Belmontes spoke of the experience saying "It was a great experience to see what top-level boxers go through in the same hotel, the same room, the same arena, the atmosphere is great." He ran into future world champion Eric Hunter of Philadelphia, PA. He was preparing for a fight with Teon Kennedy when he got offered the fight with the future world champ on two weeks' notice, and Belmontes agreed to it. The Texan fought valiantly, got off the canvas, and boxed well. He came up short on the cards, but it was a good learning experience. He would go on just a year and a half later to score the biggest win of his career at the point, a one-sided beatdown of top-ranked contender Will Tomlinson of Australia. Following the upsert victory for Belmontes, he got a phone call that he would fight for a world title. "A week later, I took my family out to eat, and I got a phone call. My manager tells me we got that fight, I said what fight he said Omar Figueroa, but it's in three weeks. I said let's do it." Belomntes recalls.

It was a familiar foe for Belmontes, he had fought Figueroa, a Rio Grande Valley native, five times as an amateur and beat him all five times. Now the two kids from south Texas who had fought so many times in the amateurs were fighting on the biggest stage for a world title. Things were going well for the Corpus Christi native early; he was popping his jab and out-boxing Figueroa. The Corpus Christi native appeared to be building up a lead on the cards in the first half. Belmontes recollects, "I thought I was winning rounds... every round my brother was telling me to keep doing what you're doing, just throw a little more... Through the middle rounds I didn't want to get tired so I'm thinking just pot shot him, just pot shot him." Figueroa kept up the pressure and tightened up the fight. However, after the final bell rang the majority of observers felt the Belmontes had done enough." I honestly thought I won by two rounds. I went to my corner and told them we got this! No worries! I heard a split decision and I said 'dont do this to me, and sure enough, yep." [they awarded the decision to Omar Figueroa]'

There was no rematch for "The Corpus Christi Kid", but he had bigger plans. Get a big win in his net fight back in Corpus Christi, and then he was off to Japan to fight for a world title. Belmontes headlined a card at the American Bank Center and battled Abner Cotto. A really close decision that again went against the tough-luck Corpus Christi native. "I took that fight really hard...my mindset was maybe this isn't for me." Belmontes said he continued in the gym but was not working as hard as he had in the past "I was still in the gym but not training as hard as I am supposed to, and after that, whatever call I got for a fight. I just took it." It began a spiral downwards that saw Belmontes drop three more fights in a row. Until he picked up a win back in Corpus Christi. A win that set up one more big shot for Belmontes. He got a call to fight Lou DiBellas's prized prospect Valentyn Golovko in New York City. "I told myself I'm going to eat right and go up to 140." He was motivated and game-planning for the challenge "I started studying fighters, I started studying him.. me and my dad were very confident going into that fight. He was really slow. I wasn't the fastest I had ever been, I wasn't in the best shaper I've ever been, but we went in there and handled business and it felt wonderful!" That set up another big fight back in the big apple with former world title challenger Richar Abril. Another highly competitive fight that most observe was that he won, however, the judges again went against Belmontes and awarded Abril a close decision victory. " I thought I won that fight by three rounds. I just outboxed him, outboxed the guy that was supposed to be a boxer."

He got one more big shot against "Hammer Hands" Julian Rodriguez. However, this fight had a twist, Belmonts got a good job with FedEx and he told his wife at the time that if he lost, he would stop. " I came back with the L and just started living life" Belmontes explained.

Although Belmontes hasn't had a fight in over six years, he hasn't totally abandoned the sport. He hasn't trained, but he still sparred and sparred with some pretty big names. Names that include highly touted 140-pound prospect Omar Juarez, " He would call me... and we would have a chess match in the ring. This was probably three years ago. It was good. It was really good sparring. A good boxer VS another good boxer, just throwing it down." Belmontes said.

After the controversial Figueroa loss, Belmontes never got another shot at a world title. He plans on making one more run at that goal. This is not a swansong for Belmonte, who plans on getting down to his ideal fight weight (135-140) again and becoming a world champion. He said he is just a little bit slower but getting closer to where he was a decade ago. If he can get all the way back to that level, he will be a threat to anyone at the 135 and 140-pound divisions.

"Yea, absolutley" Hearn will bring Conor Benn to Texas

Famed Promoter and Chairman of Matchroom Promotions has just wrapped up a sensational card at the Tech Port Arena in San Antonio's westside. A card that saw Alamo City's favorite son Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez scored a lopsided unanimous decision to become the 210s first-ever two-division world champion. Cards in the Lone Star State have gone quite well for Hearn, including breaking the all-time attendance record back in May 2021, when his countryman, Billy Joe Saunders, was stopped in eight one-sided rounds by Canelo Alvarez to unify three-quarters of the super middleweight gold at AT&T Stadium in front of 73,126 fans. The British promoter has enjoyed his time, and his business has thrived in Texas. He is now considering bringing his prized welterweight, undefeated Conor Benn, to Texas as well.

Benn has not fought since he failed a PED test and showed traces of clomifene in October of 2022 prior to fighting Chris Eubank Jr. Benn was removed from WBC welterweight rankings, a title currently held by Desoto's Errol Spence. Benn has, as of April, been reinserted into the sanctioning bodies' world rankings. The World Boxing Council has now accepted his argument explaining that he returned positive drug tests, which were conducted between July and September, due to high egg consumption. Benn currently sits at the six-spot in their rankings.

However, this is where things get interesting for Benn, who has not cooperated with the BBBofC, which is responsible for licensing British boxers, their equivalent to the TDLR in Texas. Benn voluntarily relinquished his British boxing license and allegedly intends to sue the BBBofC, and his tests were mishandled. Meaning, currently, he is without a British Boxing License. He can however, apply for a license to fight in the US. Commissions in Nevada, New York, and California have all expressed they will not license Benn to box. That leaves only one of the "major commissions" in the US for the undefeated welterweight. Hearn spoke favorably of the Texas Commission. When asked if he would bring his prized welterweight to the Lone Star State, the promoter emphatically answered, "Yea, absolutely. Texas, for me is one of the best commissions in the boxing world and definitely in America." He noted that he had worked here many times, including twice with Canelo. Hearn went onto say of the Texas Commission, "They've been fair, but they've been strict." He added, when looking for a license for Benn, Texas, "Would be a credible commission to apply."

Charlo Not in Danger of Being Stripped By WBC

WBC World middleweight champion and Houston native Jermall Charlo, 32-0 (22) has not fought in nearly two years and has fought just twice since the start of the pandemic. The last time he was in the ring was in June of 2021. He scored a wide unanimous decision victory over Juan Macias Montiel in front of his home crowd at the Toyota Center. Despite the rampant inactivity, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has assured the boxing community that "Big Charlo" is in no danger of having his belt stripped. Sulaiman expressed his full support for his organization's middleweight title holder.

The WBC president met with Charlo and said of the meeting, “It was a wonderful meeting, very nice...He has been through complicated personal issues. He thanked the WBC for the support that we have given to him." He reaffirmed, “He is our champion, and he is coming forward." Charlo had multiple run-ins with the law, including assault charges following a dispute with his family. Those charges will not be pursued after The State of Texas submitted a Motion to Dismiss. He also had a 2021 incident at Privat Martini Bar on UTSA Blvd that led to three felony robbery warrants.

In recent days Youtube videos have surfaced of Charlo resuming training with legendary trainer Ronnie Shields at the famous Plex Gym. However, no return date or opponent has been mentioned.

Relentless! Bam Makes History in San Antonio!

Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez made history at the Boeing Center at Tech Port Arena in his hometown of San Antonio. Rodriguez made an epic ring walk as the capacity crowd chanted, "210! 210! 210!" The hometown hero did not disappoint. The tempo of the fight was established early as Rodriguez was relentless in his attack. Firing off a jab that landed like a power shot and mixed in straight lefts and right hooks that he mixed up to the head and body. Cristian Gonzalez, a long-rangy flyweight, was on his back foot and determined to use the entire ring to keep the pressuring Rodriguez at bay. The first punch of consequence was landed by the San Antonian, to the delight of the crowd. A straight left found its mark just past the midway point of the opening stanza. Bam continued on the front foot and would keep his opponents back to the ropes. Straight lefts poured in for Rodriguez, but it was largely one shot at a time. However, a double jab stunned Gonzalez in the second round. As Bam got off to another strong start in the second round. A straight left from the Texan had Gonzalez in real trouble for the first time with about 30 seconds left in the round. The third picked up, where the second ended with Bam on the attack. He received a warning for a low blow but then had his most dominant round of the bout. The only question that remained while going into the middle rounds became whether could Gonzlaez withstand the relentlessness of the San Antonian and make it to the final bell. Rodriguez suffered what is perhaps a broken jaw in the sixth but fought through it and continued to break down his Mexican opponent.

As the rounds progressed and the action moved into the second round of the fight it became evident the straight left from Rodriguez could not miss as he cut off the ring and kept his opponent against the ropes it's amazing at this point Gonzalez is still on his feet ba had him cornered late in the 8th but he again slipped out. Going into the championship round the fight was completely one-sided as Gonzalez is strictly looking to survive. It was also obvious that he was content with not winning, not engaging, and surviving till the end and that's exactly what Gonzalez did. He made it to the final bell but the lopsided scores came in, 118-110, and much too close scores of 116-112 and 117-111 all in favor of the San Antonionian. Making Bam the first two-division world champ from Alamo City. He also apparently suffered a fractured jaw.

Two other Texans were featured on the card. Houston-based middleweight Raphael Igbokwe challenged unbeaten boogeyman of the 154-pound division, Israil Madrimov of Uzbekistan, Igbokwe, a southpaw, moved well early and landed his jab and quick counter shots that kept Madrimov honest. However the Uzbek's pressure and skill on the inside were just too much. The Houstonian continued battling valiantly and fighting to win, scoring with straight lefts and right hooks on the inside. The battle moved to the middle of the ring, which favored the pressure fighter, and Madrimov rolled to a hard-earned and competitive unanimous decision victory.

In the night's opening bout was 18-Year-old phenom and 14x national champion Jesus "Panterita" Martinez of Del Rio in a major step-up bout. Martinez battled Queens, NY, resident Jose Lopez. After a sensational first round that Panterita was able to dominate from the outside and put together lightning-quick combinations. Lopez, bigger, older, and more experienced at the professional level, was able to impose his will to a degree and get on the inside and make the fight happen at close range. It appeared Martinez was landing the cleaner, flusher, shots. However, he Panterita was beginning to fade, and Lopez rallied in the fourth. The judges saw that as enough to award the bout a three-way draw. With one judge scoring it 39-37 each way, and the third had it 38-38 even.