Hollywood Fights 2

Photo by Carlos Angel

Another Look at Hollywood Fight Night 2

By Tarrah Zael

HOLLYWOOD-Boxing fans were pulled in from all over the world for a great night of boxing in an eight-bout card at the Avalon Hollywood for Hollywood Fight Nights.

360 Promotions featured upcoming prospects, whom boxing fans should keep their eyes on, two- female fights back to back, and boxing trainer Abel Sanchez showcased two of his fighters whom are no secret to those paying attention.

Sanchez, who also trains Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, watched from the corner as Denis Shafikov (39-4-1, 6 KOs) walked down his opponent Hector Ambriz Suarez (12-7-1, 6 KOs). Southpaw Shafikov threw wide but landing punches on Suarez who exchanged solid hard punches and good combinations. Both fighters came to fight as they worked toe-to-toe in the ring, making the fight definitely one to watch.

The damage to Shafikov’s face was quickly visible from a cut in the 4^th round, but this didn’t stop the Russian fighter as his one goal for the night was to maintain his defense against Mexico’s tough fighter. With IBF and WBA cruiserweight world champion, Murat Gassiev yelling instructions to Shafikov ringside and after an eight-round battle between the two, Shafikov won the unanimous decision with the judges scoring the bout at 80-72, 77-75, 79-73.

Boxing will be seeing more of Shafikov in the future, “I definitely want to fight for a title fight or a mandatory”.

Also training with Abel Sanchez in Big Bear, California, Ukraine fighter Serhi Bohachuk (9-0, 9 KOs). In a scheduled six-round middleweight combat, Bohachuk knocked down Mexico’s Cesar Berumen (26-38-3, 16 KO) twice in the first round. The fight didn’t go past 1:56 of the second round as a hook to the body forced Berumen to take a knee and receive the KO loss. There must be something in the Big Bear air as both fighters went home with victories.

In a four-round welterweight fight, Brooklyn’s Brian Ceballo (3-0, 1 KO) “went for the kill” against Adan Ahumada (3-5-2, 2 KO). Both fighters had strong punches but Ceballo’s ability to push Ahumada against the ropes with his classic jab and good defense caused him to win the fight. Not to mention the over-hand right and left hook to the body causing Ahumada to get knocked down. The knock down and unanimous decision win for Ceballo was correctly ruled, making Ceballo undefeated as he looks for his next challenge.

Women Fights

An exciting first female fight of the night was a super lightweight battle between Mexico’s Anette Pabello (0-2) against Austria’s, Elvina White (2-0). White, whom is currently training in Los Angeles, CA with trainer Buddy McGirt, came upon a challenge against Pabello, who gave her some work and wouldn’t lead up. Although Pabello was able to move in and connect her shots on White, it wasn’t enough against the fighter who out boxed with her nice footwork and combinations. At the end of the four rounds, all judges ruled in favor of White with the scores of 40-36.

The fourth bout set the tone of the audience and you couldn’t help but smile and laugh along with Australia’s pugilist Louisa Hawton. Hawton (8-1) came out of her corner smiling at Mexico’s Elvia Trevino (2-4), because she didn’t come to fight without having a little fun. “It was fun, I was having fun”, says Hawton after her fourth-round stoppage, giving her the win by knockout. Hawton’s ability to show her dominance against her opponent by walking her down and throwing her nice combinations all while smiling and dancing around in the ring was captivating.

Other bouts

I’m not too sure if Sergio Lucio Gonzalez (6-6, 2 KO) knew what sport he was in that night because his head first in-football rushes to Anaheim’s Jonathan Esquivel (6-0, 6 KO) was rather confusing. The middleweight bout was scheduled for six-rounds but the no-good technique from Gonzalez was easily dominated. Gonzalez was knocked down in the first round by strong and hard body shots from Esquivel. Then, knocked down two more times in the second and third round with a stoppage of the fight at 1:12 in the third round. I don’t believe the football rushes were a good plan to get around Esquivel’s intelligence and power.

The first and second rounds had both Mexican featherweight fighters going toe to toe with their exchange of punches. With Luis Rosales (8-1-1) using his distance and power to put Roberto Puncheta (10-14-1) on the ropes and Puncheta throwing combinations and connecting, the fight could have gone either way. However, it was Rosales’ ability to counter and angle out of the ropes against Puncheta that scored him the unanimous decision win, with two judges scoring the fight at 58-56 and 59-55.

Two Southern Californian boxers opened the night with a scheduled six-round super featherweight bout that ended with a TKO stoppage in the sixth round at 1:36. San Diego’s Mario Ramos (5-0, 5 KO) left Hollywood fight night with his still undefeated and all knockouts against Huntington Beach’s Guadalupe Arroyo (3-12).

Not to take away from Arroyo’s determination to dominate Ramos with his wild and hard punches. But, it didn’t matter how many hooks to the face Ramos embraced, Ramos kept walking Arroyo down and kept his southpaw composure as stayed in the center of the ring carefully choosing his punches. Ramos used his longer arm reach and got comfortable to hit his angles slashing Arroyo with his uppercuts. With and easy turn of Arroyo’s body and quick but hard blows to the body, being heard from the stands, it’s no question the fight was stopped.