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 News from Around Banderas Bay | December 2005 
Tepic's Sierra Wins Main Event at Vallarta Collage Club Boxing
 Bob Cohen - PVNN
| | Puerto Vallarta boxer Marco "Texano" Nazareth poses after being declared the winner of his bout with a 1st round TKO. | 
| | The referee scoops up the hundreds of pesos that the crowd threw in appreciation to the young fighters. Does this make them professionals now? | 
| | The two eight year olds embrace after their crowd pleasing draw. | 
| | Main event champion Franciso "Panchito" Sierra of Tepic is congratulated by his opponent Iran Rodriguez of Puerto Vallarta in a show of good sportsmanship. |
Puerto Vallarta - On Saturday night the Collage Club presented a 13 match boxing card, which included eight amateur fights and five professional bouts. In the main event, an eight round cruiserweight contest, Francisco "Panchito" Sierra won a majority decision over Puerto Vallarta's Iran Rodriguez.
The cruiserweight division is not the norm for most Mexican fighters, as anything over 160 pounds, or above the middleweight division is where more American and European boxers seem to excel. In fact all of the other 12 fight were at lightweight and below, with only one middleweight bout.
Sierra and Rodriguez fought a very even fight with no knockdowns, although their styles were in contrast. Iran was more of the aggressor with Sierra more of a counter puncher. The first four rounds didn't see any big exchanges, but in the 5th round the explosive punches began. The 5th round showed that Sierra could take what Rodriguez was throwing and still punch back effectively.
The scorecards were almost even going into the final round, when some Sierra punches began to bloody Rodriguez and were what caught the scorers' eyes, as the decision went to Sierra in a well fought match and although the local fighter was disappointed with the loss, he displayed tremendous sportsmanship in his praise of the victor.
The first eight fights were all amateur three round bouts with headgear worn, as is traditional in amateur boxing. Even the potential professionals put on a good show for the large crowd in attendance. The highlight of the amateur card was a battle between two eight year old fighters; Puerto Vallarta's Fabian "Huracan" Diaz versus Juan "El Archie" Fonseca of Tepic. The kids showed amazing style and ring presence for such a young age and Diaz's mom was at ringside cheering madly, bringing more audience response than much of the bout itself.
The fight was called a draw, which is traditional when two youngsters get into the ring together, but the real fun was after the fight as the kids strutted around the ring and the crowd began to shower them with money, first coins and then bills of 20, 50 and 100 pesos flew into the ring. After a few moments of scooping up the dinero, the kids wound up with a better pay day than the professionals.
The four professional undercard fights were four rounds each and sported a local Puerto Vallarta fighter against one from Tepic or Guadalajara. The first lightweight fight saw Tepic's Ricardo "Chicago" Cisneros take some hard shots from PV boxer Jesus "El Cholo" Orozco, then batter him late in the 2nd round as the referee stepped in to stop the bout by way of TKO.
The following bout was also a lightweight match up as Victor "Carita" Guzman of Tepic fought Puerto Vallarta's Ubaldo "Tachido" Alejo who appeared to be in control of the fight when a phantom uppercut sent him flat to the canvas in the second round. Not moving at all, the ring doctors were at his side seconds after the fighter crumpled to the canvas and his corner, the referee and other attended to the motionless fighter, as the crowd was silenced. After ten minutes and the application of a neck brace, Alejo was carried out on a stretcher and taken to the emergency room. Happily, we later found that after an hour in the hospital, Alejo was released and was fine.
Marco "Texano" Nazareth of Puerto Vallarta entered the ring amid cheering fans against Abraham Gonzalez of Guadalajara in a super lightweight fight. The popular Nazareth dominated the first round; not missing on a punch and at the round end the referee called the fight a TKO victory for the PV fighter.
The final undercard event was a middleweight fight between another very popular Vallarta fighter, Christian Valverde against Victor Marquez of Guadalajara. Interestingly, after the first round of the fight, time was called as both fighters were required to change gloves. The reason for this was that with the previous knockout and the TKO that followed, it was determined to use larger gloves in order to help prevent injury.
The larger the boxing glove, the softer the blow and the crowd applaud the decision to make the change. The bout continued and went the distance as the decision was awarded to Valverde, a smooth fighter, who landed punches in flurries and had a tremendous double jab that set up combinations.
The fights at the Collage were well promoted and presented and the crowd even was able to interact as a local dance club had their dancers carrying the ring cards and then giving selected audience attendees free entrance to their club for promotions. |
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