Boxing
Gabriela Fundora Continues Making Boxing History Saturday
Entering the boxing ring at the Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California, accompanied by a U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard from MCI-West, H&S Battalion from nearby Camp Pendleton, undisputed female world flyweight champion Gabriela Fundora went to war against opponent Marilyn Badillo.
Fundora of Coachella, California (16-0, 8 KOs) scored her fourth knockout win in her last five fights, successfully defending her titles to remain undefeated. Badillo of Cuautitlan, Mexico (19-1-1, 3 KOs) suffered her first pro loss. The time of the victory was 1:44 of the seventh round.
Gabriela Fundora was accompanied on her ringwalk by a U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard from nearby Camp Pendleton. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing
“I’m maturing. I knew the knockout was going to come, it was just how I wanted to place it,” said Fundora.
It was Fundora’s first appearance in a main event and the first female headline fight for Golden Boy Boxing.
Gabriela Fundora Overpowers Badillo
The damage done by Gabriela Fundora to Marilyn Badillo began to show up early. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing
Badillo is skilled, but she has the same problem every opponent facing a Fundora has to try and overcome: a significant height and reach disadvantage. Fundora is 5-foot-9, Badillo 5-foot 4.
Badillo was game, working to make herself a hard-to-reach target. Fundora fired power shots at will from the opening bell. Her left hook couldn’t miss. When Badillo tried to smother the champion’s offense, Fundora dug hard into Badillo’s body. There was no escape.
Badillo quickly sported a worsening swelling high on her forehead. Badillo showed plenty of courage, but she was outgunned and outworked by the champion, losing every passing round.
Gabriela Fundora scored her fourth knockout in five fights with a left hook. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing
Going into the seventh round, Fundora’s trainer and father, Freddy Fundora, told her to go for the knockout. Fundora caught Badillo with a vicious left hook to the head. Badillo fell to her knees. She managed to stand up, but Badillo’s corner wisely asked referee Rudy Barragan to stop the fight, giving Fundora the victory.
Fundora landed 99 of 217 punches thrown (46%), against 21 of 97 punches for Badillo.
Fundora: We Train For Knockouts
Gabriela Fundora celebrates her win. She is boxing’s youngest undisputed champion. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing
“We train every round for knockouts,” said Fundora, who understands the value of entertaining fans. “If we don’t get you with the first one, we try second, third, all the way through ten.”
Turning to the Frontwave crowd, Fundora asked, “How you guys like it today? This is amazing.”
Watching with interest from ringside, WBC World Minimumweight champion Yokasta Valle of Costa Rica has been named as a potential opponent for Fundora, who says she can make 105 pounds.
“I think we’re going to go back and talk with the team. It’s not just up to me. We’ll see what we’ve got going forward,” said Fundora.
Fundora thanked Camp Pendleton for providing the Marine Corps color guard. “I want to thank all the troops who are serving and did serve. Thank you for your service and all you’ve done to protect us.”
Chino Perez Upsets Charles Conwell in Co-Main
Jorge “Chino” Perez took the fight to Charles Conwell and won the biggest victory of his career. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing
In the co-main event, it was good news for Jorge “Chino” Perez of Sinaloa, Mexico (33-4, 26 KOs), who won a hard-fought split decision over Charles “Bad News” Conwell of Cleveland (21-1, 16 KOs). Scores were 115-113 twice for Perez, and 115-113 for Conwell. Conwell suffers his first loss.
Perez isn’t a big name in a crowded and competitive super welterweight division, but he is ranked among the top 15 by three of the four sanctioning organizations and third by the WBC. Like many other Mexican fighters, Perez delivered a tougher test than oddsmakers expected.
“My team, they kept reinforcing round after round, ‘we’re winning, keep going!’” said Perez.
Perez worked Conwell hard to the body in the early rounds and was the more accurate puncher through the middle rounds. Conwell had to tie up Perez, which left him without room to work.
While Conwell landed several solid right and left hooks to the head, he couldn’t find the needed adjustments. The two fighters threw and landed virtually the same number of punches, but Perez delivered a flashier performance. He credited his conditioning and a solid camp for the win.
Chino Perez celebrates his upset win over Charles Conwell. Is a title fight with Sebastian Fundora in his future? Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing
“Every fight, we get better and better,” said Perez after his victory. “I worked really, really hard. I knew winning this fight something big could happen. If I keep working, something big’s going to come my way.”
Conwell hoped a win would land him a title fight with unified champion Sebastian Fundora. Now that opportunity could be open for Perez. “Of course … Chino is here for anyone,” said Perez.
Tristan Kalkrueth Outpoints Felix Valera
Tristan Kalkrueth won his first pro fight in the heavyweight division over veteran Felix Valera. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing
Tristan Kalkreuth of Las Vegas (15-1, 10 KOs) won his first fight in the heavyweight division against the veteran Felix Valera of the Dominican Republic (23-8, 20 KOs) by unanimous decision. Scores were 99-91, 99-91, and 97-93. Valera, who faced Sullivan Barrera and Dmitriy Bivol, but is well past his best days at age 37, and is small as a heavyweight.
It was a rough, messy fight. Barrera has an impressive chin, taking hard shots from Kalkrueth without flinching, but he had little else to offer.
Ruslan Abdullaev Wins Second Pro Bout
Ruslan Abduellaev joins a stable of talented Uzbek fighters trained by Joel Diaz. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing
Super lightweight Ruslan Abdullaev of Uzbekistan (2-0, 1 KO) remained undefeated as a pro with a unanimous decision over Jino Rodrigo of Manila, Philippines (13-5-2, 11 KOs). Scores were all 80-71.
Abdullaev joins the Uzbek pros trained by Joel Diaz in Indio, including Murodjon Akhmadaliev, Israel Madrimov, and Bektimir Melikuziev. Diaz said Abdullaev is still working on his transition to the pro ranks, but has good power in both hands and is among the strongest of his Uzbek pros.
Joel Iriarte Blasts Out Marcos Jimenez in One
Joel Iriarte hoped to go more rounds against Marcos Jimenez, but said when he saw this opening for the knockout, he took it. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing
Welterweight knockout artist Joel Iriarte of Bakersfield (7-0, 7 KOs) kept his perfect record in place with a first-round knockout win over Marcos Jimenez of Puerto Rico (25-12, 17 KOs). The 21-year-old Iriate hoped to be matched against tougher opponents, but he hasn’t needed more than two rounds to finish off his pro fights.
Although fans only got to see Joel Iriarte for one round, they were happy with his knockout win. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing
Iriarte said after the fight he wasn’t looking for the early knockout but “when I saw the opening, I took it.” Iriarte told NY Fights he’s trying to balance his ambitions to fight the top names at welterweight with opportunities to continue developing his skills, while growing his fan following both in California and in Mexico.
Early Undercard Results In Oceanside
Jorge Chaves faced a determined Brandon Douglas, but settled for a solid decision win. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing Gabriela Fundora
Local fans cheered on San Diego’s undefeated super bantamweight prospect Jorge “El Niño Dorado” Chaves (14-0, 8 KOs), who put in eight rounds against durable Brandon Douglas of Salt Lake City, Utah (13-2, 11 KOs). Chaves had to settle for a complete shutout on all three scorecards for a unanimous decision. Scores were 80 – 71.
Chaves promised fans an early knockout, and when he rattled Douglas in the first round, it seemed he would deliver. But Douglas had serious intentions, a solid chin and was willing to trade shots with Chaves. Game on. Chaves caught Douglas with a check left hook, who bounced off the canvas, but wasn’t seriously hurt. Chaves continued to dominate Douglas and give his fans a show.
Olympian Edwards Wins Pro Debut
Heavyweight and US Olympian Joshua Edwards got a knockout win in his pro debut. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing
American Olympian Joshua Edwards of Houston (1-0, 1 KOs) won his pro debut with a second-round TKO over Larry Gonzalez of Clovis, California (0-1-1). The American heavyweight scene needs a solid contender. Edwards passes the eye test. Let’s hope for positive career progression.
Torres Makes It Two Wins
Samuel Torres will always remember his first knockout win as a pro in Oceanside, California. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing
Super welterweight Samuel Torres of Gilroy, California (2-0, 1 KO) had his fans in Oceanside cheering his first knockout win as a pro when opponent Marc Misuira of Scranton, Pennsylvania (3-8-1, 1 KO) retired in the corner after the first round.
Oleksandr Gvozdyk Looks Sharp
Former world champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk made quick work of Anthony Holloway. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing
Under the boxing radar, former light heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk of Kharkiv, Ukraine (21-2, 17 KOs) appeared in a stay busy fight against Anthony Holloway of Peoria, Illinois (9-8-3, 7 KOs). Gvozdyk got a solid third-round knockout, rocking Holloway with a hard right hook into the corner. Although Holloway beat the count, his night was over.
Lightweight Dalis Kaleiopu of Waianae, Hawaii (7-0, 5 KOs) delivered a knockout win in the first round against Jesus Ramon Perez of Culiacan, Mexico (14-21-1, 8 KOs).
