Uppercut Magazine.com - Riverside Connection

A strong Riverside connection led by Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Mikey Garcia and newcomer Saul “Neno” Rodriguez takes front stage on Saturday’s Top Rank card at the Staples Center.

The Riverside area will be showing off some of its talent.

Chavez Jr., the son of the great Mexican legends, fights current WBC middleweight titleholder Sebastian Zbik (30-0, 10 KOs) in the main event, and in the semi-main event Garcia tangles with Miguel Beltran Jr. and Rodriguez makes his pro debut.

Chavez, a former student at Ramona High, has been waiting for this moment since he became a pro in September 2003.

“I wasn’t in a hurry,” said Chavez, 25, who began training in Mira Loma when he was a young teen. “There were a lot of things I needed to learn. I’m excited to be fighting for the title.”

After 44 pro bouts Chavez (42-0-1, 30 KOs) remains undefeated and has moved up several weight divisions since he first laced up gloves as a pro at 130 pounds. Now he weighs a strapping 160 pounds and has grown several inches in eight years and stands one inch above six-feet tall.

The son of Mexico’s favorite fighter of the late 1980s and 1990s desperately seeks to capture the hearts of Mexico’s ardent fight fans.

“I want to win the championship for Mexico,” Chavez says.

Germany’s Zbik is also undefeated. The current titleholder also desires to make history but for another reason.

“I want to become the first German fighter since Max Schmeling to win a world championship fight in the United States,” said Zbik pointing toward Schmeling’s win over Joe Louis back in June 19, 1936. “I want to make history.”

Zbik acquired the title when Argentina’s Sergio Martinez took the middleweight crown and was relieved of the junior middleweight title.

“People say I didn’t really win the world title,” Zbik, 29, says. “That will all change when I beat Chavez. He’s strong but I’m stronger.”

In a featherweight battle between top contenders, Moreno Valley’s Garcia (25-0, 21 KOs) battles Mexico’s Beltran (24-1, 17 KOs) to decide who gets first crack at a world title.

“I haven’t seen him fight but he’s got to be a tough opponent, he’s going to come to win,” said Garcia who trains in Riverside under his father Eduardo Garcia’s guidance.

“Obviously he’s trying to make a step up and if he were to beat me he possibly gets a title shot in his next fight,” Garcia said. “So I expect a rugged fight.”

Garcia recently fought on a nationally televised broadcast and knocked out another undefeated fighter in Matt Remillard last March in New Jersey. Now he’s fighting in Los Angeles.

“I haven’t fought at Staples Center ever and it’s been a while since I fought here in California,” said Garcia whose family moved from Oxnard to Moreno Valley in early 2010. “We’ve been here for more than a year and it’s been good. I’m happy and my father is happy.”

Garcia is a stable mate of Saul Rodriguez who recently turned 18 and is about to graduate from Riverside Poly High on Wednesday June 1. Three days later he’ll make his pro debut at Staples Center after a successful amateur career.

“It’s pretty exciting,” said Rodriguez about graduating and turning pro and who lives in Riverside. “It’s a big opportunity to have that same memory in the same week.”

Rodriguez trains under Eduardo Garcia who helped his other son Robert Garcia become a junior lightweight world champion and also guided Fernando “El Feroz” Vargas to the junior middleweight world title.

Rodriguez has been a crowd pleasing amateur for many years with his fast hands and knockout power. After years of providing excitement to amateur boxing fans, he’s like a young gunslinger eager to move on to the pro crowds and show the stuff he’s learned under legendary trainer Eduardo Garcia. The man who guided his sons and “El Feroz” has a new potential champion and those at the Staples Center will see him do his work.

“It’s an honor to train with Mr. Garcia and you learn a lot. He has a lot of experience and he’s made it to the top with a lot of fighters,” said Rodriguez who was mulling different offers from various managers and ultimately signed with Cameron Dunkin. “Hopefully I’ll do good things.”

Other bouts

Glendale’s undefeated Vanes Martirosyan (29-0, 18 KOs) fights Saul Roman (34-8, 29 KOs) in a 12 round junior middleweight match. The winner could possibly fight the Chavez-Zbik winner later this year.

Female star Christy “The Coalminer’s Daughter” Martin (49-5-3, 31 KOs) fights Dakota Stone (9-8-5) in a six round junior middleweight bout. They previously fought in 2009 and Martin won by majority decision.

“She’s a tough girl I don’t expect an easy fight,” said Martin while training in West Hollywood.

Fights on television

Fri. 11:30 p.m., Leo Santa Cruz (15-0-1) vs. Jose Lopez (39-9-2).

Sat. 9 p.m., Carl Froch (27-1) vs. Glen Johnson (51-14-2).

Sat. HBO, 10 p.m., Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (42-0-1) vs. Sebastian Zbik (30-0).