Riverside vs. Ventura

Busy Weekend: Victor Ortiz, Josesito Lopez, Rico Ramos and more in Cali.

Riverside welterweight prospect Josesito Lopez culminates a busy weekend of fight cards to ignite the first week of summer prizefighting when he faces former welterweight world champion “Vicious” Victor Ortiz of Ventura. Even the respective mayors are getting into it. Riverside versus Ventura.

Starting on Friday, two boxing cards take place in different locations in the Inland area.

Junior featherweight prospect Jonathan Arellano (12-0-1, 3 KOs) faces Mexico’s ultra tough Jose Angel Beranza (35-23-2, 27 KOs) in the main event at Ontario Doubletree Hotel.

Arellano has steadily moved up the ranks as a prospect but has not faced an opponent with Beranza’s experience and know how. The Mexico City veteran has fought numerous world champions and is the only boxer to beat Puerto Rico’s rugged Jesus Rojas who fought Jorge Arce a couple of weeks ago. That fight was stopped for a no decision. Don’t expect an easy fight.

Also on the Ontario fight card will be welterweight contender Artemio Reyes Jr. (15-2, 11 KOs) matched against Enrique Gutierrez (10-4, 8 KOs) in an eight round fight. Both boxers have significant power. Another added attraction will be East L.A.’s hard fighting Ramon Valadez (11-1, 6 KOs) clashing with Mexico’s Aalan Martinez (10-1-1, 6 KOs) in a featherweight collision. Don’t blink on this fight.

Soboba Casino also has a loaded fight card on Friday with speedy welterweight contender Mike Dallas Jr. (18-2-1, 7 KOs) matched with Javier Castro (27-4, 22 KOs) in the 10 round main event.

Dallas returns to the Inland area after a solid win in Texas. He’s fought twice before but didn’t fare well against two Riverside boxers Josesito Lopez and Mauricio Herrera. But this time he faces Mexican slugger Castro who has a three-fight win streak all by knockout.

Also on the Soboba Casino fight card is former U.S. Olympian Javier Molina (10-1, 4 KOs) fighting Octavio Narvaez (7-11-1) in a junior middleweight contest.

Staples Center

This Saturday is the big day when Riverside’s Josesito Lopez (29-4, 17 KOs) meets Ventura’s Victor Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KOs)  in a 12-round welterweight main event bout at the Staples Center. Coachella’s undefeated Randy Caballero is also on the card.

“It’s always great to fight in a place like the Staples Center,” said Lopez, who was a replacement for former world champion Andre Berto to fight former world champion Ortiz. “(Ortiz) is a great fighter. An exceptional fighter, but we’re ready for it.”

Lopez had been scheduled to fight Kendall Holt on June 22. When the site changed from Morongo Casino to an outdoor venue Soboba Casino, the New Jersey-based Holt decided to pull out. Lopez was left without an opponent.

Ortiz was scheduled to face Berto but when that fighter tested positive for performance enhancement drugs, the fight was canceled. When Ortiz’s promoter Golden Boy Promotions looked for a suitable opponent they saw that Lopez was available. The Riverside prizefighter had almost beaten another Golden Boy fighter Jessie Vargas earlier in the year. Lopez was asked to face Ortiz and consented.

“It was a slam dunk,” said Lopez’s trainer and manager Henry Ramirez. “Not only is it a bigger fight against a more prestigious opponent, it’s for 10 times more money.”

Lopez said he’s not thinking about the money but more on lifting his own status.

“I’m a little bit on the quiet side. Not a lot of people hear from me, but those that have seen me, know I can fight. After this fight people will definitely know who I am.”

Canelo

Last week Golden Boy Promotions announced that Ortiz was signed to fight Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on Sept. 15, in Las Vegas. Basically many observers including Lopez took the announcement as a slap in the face. As if Ortiz is certain to defeat Lopez. 

“I took it as disrespectful,” said Lopez. “It pushes me that much harder to get in there and kick Victor’s butt.”

Around the Inland areas several fighters including Timothy Bradley Jr. and Julio Diaz believe that Lopez could upset Ortiz’s plans to fight Alvarez in September.

“Victor is fighting a real fighter,” said Diaz. “Josesito is the real deal, he’s not a pushover.”

Chris Arreola out

Riverside heavyweight Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola has pulled out of the fight at Staples Center due to a reported injury. He was set to fight Mike Mollo. The first bout at Staples Center begins at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Fights on television

Fri. ESPN2, Mike Dallas Jr, (18-2-1) vs. Javier Castro (27-4).

Sat. pay-per-view, 7 p.m., Wanderlie Silva (34-11-1) vs. Rich Franklin (28-6); Fabricio Werdum (15-5-1) vs. Mike Russow (15-1); Yuri Alcantara (26-3) vs. Hacran Dias.

Sat. Showtime, 9 p.m., Victor Ortiz (29-3-2) vs. Josesito Lopez (29-4).

Sat. Telefutura, 11 p.m., Rico Ramos (20-1) vs. Efrain Esquivias (16-0).