By Ernest Gabion


It was a raucous affair as AEG and Golden Boy Promotions kicked off its Fight Night Club series at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles


The series, intended to bring young local prospects to mainstream TV (airing live on Versus and also streaming live on RingTV.com), got off to a great start. Each fight was action packed, reminiscent of the days when Forum Boxing ran regularly televised shows in L.A. during the 80s and 90s.


In the opening bout we saw young prospect and Victor Ortiz roommate, Ricky Lopez improve his record to 4-0 (2 KOs) by simply being too much for Rufino "El Animal" Serrano outpointing him 40-36 on all three of the judge's scorecards.


The night's first stoppage came at the hands of local favorite, Charles "The Pride of Paramount" Huerta, turning back late replacement Noe Lopez (4-1 3 KOs) inside of three rounds.


Huerta (11-0 7 KOs) and most of the crowd thought he had a knockdown in the second round when a sharp left hook seemingly sent Lopez to the canvas but the ref ruled it a slip. The Paramount (CA)-based prospect made sure to make ‘em all count in the third, dropping Lopez three times before forcing a stoppage.


Expect the July 30th edition of Fight Night Club to include Huerta, a local attraction in every sense of the phrase.


The night's most celebrated prospect, Luis Ramos Jr., dispatched rugged journeyman Baudel Cardenas in five rounds.  A body shot sent Baudel to the canvas in the first but after that Cardenas seemed a game willing opponent vying for an upset but it was not to be as Ramos caught Cardenas with beautiful right to the jaw that sent Cardenas to the canvas for good.  Ramos improves to 11-0 (6 KOs) while Cardenas drops to 18-17-2 (6 KOs)


The main event proved to be the best fight of the night as Oxnard's David Rodela would take a spirited split decision over Phoenix's Juanito Garcia.  


After a feeling out first round, both fighters would engage in back and forth action that resulted in Rodela being rocked late in the third round and then returning the favor on Garcia in the fourth. Garcia's hand apparently touched the canvas but the ref did not see it and the action continued.  


The back and forth action continued in the final two rounds, with Garcia seemingly giving the better of it late in the fight. As the bell sounded for the 6th and final round most of the audience appeared please at the night's action.


In the end, it was Rodela barely escaping with a split decision. Two judges each had it 59-55 for the Oxnard product, while Garcia won 57-55 on the third card.


The walkout bout producted the knockout of the night, as undefeated super bantamweight newcomer Jose "Gato" Roman recovered from an opening round knockdown to lay out Ramon Flores in the second.  Flores stayed down for several minutes as doctors tended to him.  The audience gave him a rousing applause as he got up to his stool.


Roman, based out of Santa Ana (CA), improves to 5-0 (4 KOs); Flores drops to 3-6-1 (3 KOs)


After the card, the club show converted into a night club, opening up its floor to dancing with a DJ spinning a mix of the latest songs and classics. Not that the crowd particularly noticed; most of the Los Angelinos in the house were more focused on what was happening 2,500 miles away. Televisions screens throughout the club remained affixed on Game Four of the NBA Finals between the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers, whose Staples Center home is directly across the street from the club.


Being second fiddle to the Lakers, even when they are not in town, isn't such a bad thing; the crowd enjoyed the fast paced and action packed card, and stayed around to watch a great game (and comeback win by the Lakers) afterward.


Speaking of comebacks, Golden Boy Promotions hopes that many of the 1,500 or so in attendance will be enticed enough to come back for the next installment of Fight Night Club, which is set for July 30.