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Ready to rumble! Pro boxing’s debut a total knockout in Garden

Published 11/7/2009 in Sports

By BRETT MARSHALL

bmarshall@gctelegram.com

In more ways than one, Friday night's Boxing in the Garden was a knockout for the Garden City fighters, promoters and more than an estimated 1,500 fans who showed up to root on their three local boxers to victories.

First, it was Letiza Guerrero of Garden City claiming a unanimous decision over Clara De La Torre of Taos, N.M.

Then it was 18-year-old Herbert Acevedo who scored a knockout of Jose Rodriguez at the 2:25 mark of the second round of his scheduled four-round bout.

Finally, it was the return home of Brandon "Bam Bam" Rios, who now resides in Oxnard, Calif. And it didn't take long for Rios to make quick work of Loerenzo Estrada of Las Cruces, N.M., when a hard body punch by Rios sent Estrada to the floor at the 2:06 mark of the first round and Estrada was unable to respond and the judge halted the match for a technical knockout.

All in all, local Bad Boyz Boxing Club owner and trainer Robert Gonzalez was all smiles as local boxing fans poured out of the Exhibition Building at the Finney County Fairgrounds after nearly two and a half hours of seven different bouts.

"I'm very, very happy with everything," Gonzalez said. "I think people were excited, the boxers were excited and we put on a good show for everyone."

Guerrero and Acevedo were making their professional debuts and they did so in impressive fashion.

Despite giving away about four inches in height and reach to De La Torre, Guerrero used a combination of punches to effectively negate what otherwise would have been an advantage for De La Torre.

"I had fought her when we were amateurs, so I knew which punches would work," Guerrero said. "It was an awesome feeling tonight. I've been used to fighting with headgear and tonight I didn't have that and I was a little nervous. I'm sure I got hit a few times but the adrenaline was pumping and I really didn't notice it."

In the first round of her three-round bout, Guerrero used a steady right-left combination of punches and then in the second round connected on several rights and one good body shot.

"I was just able to keep her out of reach," Guerrero said. "I think the best punch I had tonight was the overhead left. Winning in front of my family and friends means everything to me."

Late in the third and through the fourth round, Guerrero said she could feel herself tiring.

"I just pushed that adrenaline and kept telling myself to push myself harder and harder," Guerrero said.

For the teenager Acevedo, he was able to utilize his lightning-quick punches and footwork to outmaneuver Rodriguez. In the first round, he dominated with two strong body punches and then followed with a flurry of left and right jabs and put Rodriguez on his knees twice.

He continued the pounding of Rodriguez into the second round before a hard jab to the face put Rodriguez down for good with 2:25 remaining.

"This feels so good, it's my beginning," Acevedo said. "After I hit him the first time, I thought he looked a little weak so I really tried to keep after him. I was definitely looking for the KO by then."

Acevedo said it was a hook to the body followed by an upper cut straight to the face that put Rodriguez down for good.

"I really like the smaller gloves, it lets me use my power more," Acevedo said. "I was just trying to keep my left elbows down and keep jabbing at him and it all worked."

The return home for Rios was sweet and short. Having grown up in Garden City and started his career here, it was his first time in front of the home crowd as a pro. And the home folks welcomed him with ringing cheers as he entered the main event area.

"I got a little anxious at first and then tried to calm down," Rios said. "He gave me some shots but I was able to take them and then I got some good punches in."

While Rios had never seen Estrada fight, he had heard about him and said that Estrada had fought a couple of very good boxers and gone the distance in those matches.

"I was surprised when he couldn't get back up," Rios said. "I'm hoping that we can bring more boxing back to Garden City. It would be great to come back to fight for a title. I'll talk to my manager and see what we might be able to get worked out."

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Boxing in the Garden

Friday at Finney County Fairgrounds

Garden City

118 -- Raymond Montez, New Mexico, def. Brandon Sanchez, 3rd round technical knockout.

140 -- Chris Russell, Woodward, Okla. def. Leonard Leal, Colorado, by unanimous decision.

145 -- Joel Vargas, Dodge City def. Derek Lopez, Las Cruces, N.M., 2nd round technical knockout.

135 -- Letiza Guerrero, Garden City def. Clara De La Torre, Taos, N.M., by unanimous decision.

135 -- Herbert Acevedo, Garden City def. Jose Rodriguez, Colo., by 2nd round knockout, 2:25.

147 -- Joseph Gomez, Farmington, N.M. def. Bernardo Guereca, El Paso, Texas, by split decision.

135 -- Brandon Rios, Oxnard, Calif. (by way of Garden City) def. Loerenzo Estrada, Las Cruces, N.M. by 1st round technical knockout, 2:06.

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