By Andy Rivera
Jose Armando Santa Cruz halted Lozado in the fifth to capture the NABF lightweight title. The co-main event saw Victor Ortiz halting Leroy Fountain on Friday night at the Santa Ana Star Casino. Local hopeful Ray Sanchez III had an easy time with Brad Jensen in route to a lopsided 6 round unanimous decision, raising his record to 15-1, while another Albuquerque prospect Vicente Garcia captured his 10th win against 3 losses. Garcia halted Fernando Chacon in the third round. In a women's bout Yvonne Chavez and Tonia Cravens had the fight of the night with a hard fought draw, both fought their hearts out and neither fighter deserved to lose.
In the main event; Jose Armando Cruz halted Miguel Lozada in the fourth round to capture the NABF upper-featherweight championship at Santa Ana Star Casino, in Bernalillo, New Mexico. Cruz started slow in round one, but was able to pick up the pace in winning for the 21st time in 22 bouts. Lozado, who is a tough cookie, fell to 16-3-1.
The taller Santa Cruz used his lanky jab to keep Lozada off him early, but Lozada would pin Santa Cruz on the ropes in the middle part of the round, landing hard left hooks to the head and body. The round was to close to call as both had their moments.
Lozado controlled the early part second by keeping Santa Cruz on the ropes most of the round, going to the head and body with the left hand, Santa Cruz things around in the final minute as he would hurt Lozado with a hard right hand the sent Lozado to the ropes. Lozado looked a little hurt as the bell ended the round.
Santa Cruz started to take control in the third by keeping Lozado in the center of the ring landing hard right hands, as the round was coming to a close Santa Cruz landed a huge right hand that had Lozado badly hurt as the bell sounded. Lozado staggered to his corner slightly.
Lozado didn’t recover in between rounds, as Santa Cruz pinned Lozado on the ropes landing two hard rights to the head of Lozado. Santa Cruz would then throw a three punch combination that prompted referee Russ Mora to halt the bout and give Santa Cruz the NABF belt.
Victor Ortiz halted Leroy Fountain in the fourth round in a scheduled six round jr. middleweight bout, in the co-main event.
Ortiz from La Colonia gym in Oxnard, California, started early going patiently with right jabs, followed with lefts to the body and head of Fountain, Fountain wouldn’t back down countering with right uppercuts, when Ortiz would trap him on the ropes. When Fountain would get Ortiz in the center of the ring he was able to use his jab. Ortiz finished the round strong with a flurry to the head and body that may have won him the round.
Ortiz ha a big second round as he was able to stun fountain several times with straight lefts to the head, bring the crowd to its feet as it looked as if Ortiz would halt Fountain. Fountain would attempt to land right hands to try to keep Ortiz off, but Ortiz would keep Fountain on the ropes most of the round.
Fountain started to show the effects of Ortiz’s damage, with his left eye starting to swell, plus he started to slow down as the rounds progressed. Ortiz kept the pressure on and continued to keep Fountain on the ropes doing his damage with his left hook.
Ortiz put Fountain is huge trouble in the fourth, putting Fountain down with a left to the head; fountain was in a heap of trouble. Ortiz went in for the kill as Fountain was in huge trouble. Ortiz was able to finish off Fountain with another vicious left hand to the head that promoted referee Al Martinez to halt the action.
Ortiz who looked impressive as he has looked in his pro career, raises his record to 11-1, while Fountain to 9-2.
Sanchez looked good in round one taking his time landing hard right jabs followed by lefts to the head. Sanchez looked calm in winning the round, Jensen was cut by a left hand to the head, the cut wasn’t bleeding much, but showed the damage that Sanchez III had put on Jensen.
Sanchez would pick Jensen apart with his jab in the second round, controlling the first two minutes with jabs to the body and head, Jensen had no answer for Sanchez, as he was wild on several occasions missing with right hands.
Round three had Sanchez open up more, landing power-shots to the body of Jensen, getting a few warnings from referee Russ Mora for low blows but most were legal. Sanchez hurt Jensen at the end of the round with a hard left hand. At this point it didn’t look as if Jensen had an answer for Sanchez.
A hard left hand early late in the fourth staggered Jensen, as he his knee hit the floor; Mora issued a standing eight count, which was correct, as Jensen was hurt. Sanchez once again didn’t rush, looking to pick the right shot to end the fight. Jensen to his credit survived.
Sanchez continued to dominate Jensen, landing his jab and lefts to the body, the only drama in the round came as Jensen and Sanchez clashed heads, prompting Sanchez to shake his head as the two broke apart, from there Mora deducted a point for using his head. Another 10-8 round for Sanchez.
Jensen would come out trying to put something that would keep Sanchez off him, but Jensen had no power to do damage, once he shot his load it was once again all Sanchez, as he would go the Jensen’s body and head. Jensen would get bold as the :10 warning came, sticking out his head to Sanchez, but didn’t fire anything to back it up.
In the end Sanchez dominated winning 60-52 twice and 59-53 on all three judges score cards, with Sanchez raising his record to 15-1, Jensen falls to 13-17-3.
Popular Vicente “Picosito” Garcia halted Fernando Chacon in the third round. Garcia put Chacon down three times in route to his 10th win.
Round one had Garcia taking his time in picking his shots, landing straight right hands to the left handed Chacon. Garcia being patient, finally was able to put Chacon on the seat of his pants in the: 30 of the opening stanza to give him a 10-8 round.
The pace would slow in the second with Garcia being patient again not rushing and possibly getting caught by a haymaker from Chacon. It seemed to be a matter of time before Garcia would end the night.
In the third Garcia ended matters by once again putting Chacon down with a right hand, this time the uppercut. Chacon was up at seven, but was on wobbly feet; Garcia would go in for the kill, once again landing another hard right hand that ended Chacon’s night.
Garcia, who is starting to get a large following in Albuquerque, raises his record to 10-3, while Chacon fell to 3-9-2, in an interesting side note, Garcia was challenged after the fight and at the weigh-in by local fighter Jeremiah Torres. Torres must still be unconscious as Garcia decapitated him in 2005, with Garcia getting better with each fight, the only thing good that would come from a rematch would be that the fight would be shorter and Torres would sustain less harm
In the fight of the night Yvonne Chavez and Tonia Cravens battled to a six round draw. It was a fight that neither fighter deserved to lose. Cravens was the quicker of the two, but Chavez was the hard puncher.
Both fighter came out winging as Craven was able to land hard right hands to Chavez head, bringing Chavez to come out fighting back, it was going to be a brawl, as neither fighter would take a step back. The round was close but Cravens could have had a slight edge due to being the busier of the two.
Chavez would come on strong in the second landing straight right hands to the head of the straight forward Cravens. Cravens would battle back to land left hands to Chavez head, both once again bringing the crowd to it’s feet as the two went toe to toe.
Cravens looked to tire in the third with Chavez landing the right hand more frequently, Cravens to her credit would fire back with straight left hands, the rounds were becoming hard to score as both would land hard shots, only to have the other fire back. Chavez had the edge in this round by landing the harder shots.
Rounds four and five had Chavez getting stronger as the fight progressed; she was following her corners instructions by throwing straight right hands over Cravens lazy left jab. Cravens would look good when firing with the left hand but Chavez would once again land the harder shots. The crowd was once again on its feet as both once again flurried at the end in order to get the edge in the judging.
Cravens would come out strong in the final round land quick flurries, but back would come Chavez with her right hand to the head. In the final minute of the round, Chavez was cut over her left eye by an elbow by Cravens. Blood would stream down Chavez eye, but she would show no effects, as she fired back bringing the crowd to its feet again. As the bell ended the fight the crowd gave the two a standing ovation.
The judges were split in calling it even with scores of 57- 57 58-57, a ridiculous 59-55 for Cravens from Judge Bill Gant. There was a bit of controversy, as the rounds were three minute rounds instead of the normal two minutes, the controversy stems over Cravens trainer Rocky Stapleton, whose girlfriend was the time keeper. None the less both Cravens and Chavez both received a 500.00 bonus for their efforts from the matchmaker, who stated both will be brought back for a rematch in three months.
Chavez’s record stands at 3-4-1, while Craven's is 1-1-1.
