Last year, Tom Loeffler started a club show series called “Hollywood Fight Nights” which ran quarterly and was promoted as a special exclusive event.
The first show along with the others that year, saw much success in the form of good fights and sold out crowds.
On Sunday evening came the first event of 2019 for 360 Promotions and in keeping with the momentum that women in boxing had last year, the main event featured Maricela “LA Diva” Cornejo (12-3) and Erin Toughill (7-3-1).
After losing a majority decision in September for the WBC Super Middleweight title, Maricela decided to switch trainers and campaign at middleweight.
Her opponent, Erin Toughill, is originally from Chicago but fighting out of nearby Huntington Beach, California. Although she has eleven fights as a pro, her last professional fight was in August 2006.
Main Event: Maricela Cornejo vs Erin Toughill
It was clear that the game plan for Erin Toughill was to apply pressure and make things difficult for Cornejo. In round one, Cornejo landed the over-hand right effectively but it was Toughill that kept the pressure and landed a bit more. In the second, Cornejo was landing her combinations but Toughill was also landing some good combinations. Rounds three and four saw more back and forth exchanges that looked as though Toughill started to show fatigue. Rounds five and six, both women were fighting in a “phonebooth” which saw Cornejo land left hooks to the body while Toughill landed uppercuts and right hooks. Round six through eight seemed like Toughill did a little more to win the rounds with hard straight rights. The fight went to the scorecards and the judges had it 79-73, 79-73 and 78-74 for the winner Maricela “LA Diva” Cornejo.
Co-Main Event: Brian Ceballo (6-0) vs Randy Fuentes (8-7-1)
In what was supposed to be a “stay busy” fight for Brian Ceballo, it turned into a tough battle that tested his will. It seemed like Ceballo had difficulty getting his rhythm in this one as he was landing the overhand right but that was really it early on in the first. Ceballo landed some good combinations between the second and fourth round but in the fifth, Fuentes landed a huge left hook that sent Ceballo to the canvas.
Ceballo was hurt bad but weathered the storm and made it through the round. He regained his composure in the sixth round, applied pressure and landed some good combinations, shaking off the knockdown in the previous round. In the end, the judges saw the fight 58-55, 57-56 and 57-56 for the winner Brian Ceballo.
Christian Robles (1-0) vs. Joel Bermudez (0-2)
There was a feeling once you saw Christian Robles come into the ring that he was a guy that oozes with confidence. The first round, he was setting up some traps with the jab and landed the overhand right towards the end of the round which sent Bermudez down to the canvas. Bermudez was able to beat the ten count and make it into the second round.
In the second, it was the straight right which sent Bermudez to the canvas once again but this time, the referee jumped in and stopped the fight. Christian Robles won by knockout in the second round.
George “Fantasma” Navarro (3-0) vs. Anthony Torres (0-2)
George Navarro, who brought a crowd of people with him to the venue, impressed from the beginning of the first round. Navarro landed his left hook from a good distance which kept him out of harms way. Navarro was landing vicious left and right hooks to the body which made Torres’ skin bruises look like a cherry lemonade. In the second, it was a vicious left hook to the body that sent Torres to the canvas for the first time in the fight. Once Torres got up, he was caught coming in by a huge left hook from Navarro sending him to the canvas once again. This time, when Torres got up, he was met with combinations both to the head and body which led to the referee stopping the fight. George “Fantasma” Navarro earned a second round knockout victory.
Honorable Mention:
Alberto “Tito” Jr. Felix, who made his U.S. debut, was the smaller man and because of that, he was getting pushed around and getting hit with a over hand right by the bigger Cody Sessions in the first round. In the second, Tito made the adjustments and started to land a big left hook upstairs. Another left hook upstairs led to Tito throwing a barrage of punches while having Sessions in the corner. The referee jumped in and stopped the fight which resulted in a second round knockout victory for the young Jr. Felix.
With question marks surrounding the future of some of his fighters and which streaming services/network they are going to align themselves with, Tom Loeffler remains focused and continues to develop the young stable of fighters he has through these club shows. This evening featured a sold out crowd and good entertaining fights which will continue to bring fans to these Hollywood Fight Night cards in the future.
