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(FEB 26) MAYWOOD-Despite a vast experience and weight disadvantage,
Mariana
Juárez
tore through Philadelphia's
Shakurah
Witherspoon in quick
fashion for a knockout victory.
Southern California fight fans got their first glimpse of Mexico's Juarez in
two years at Las Trancas banquet hall before a sold out crowd on Friday.
Juarez wasted little time in launching a calculated attack that forced
Witherspoon into a toe-to-toe battle. Witherspoon was dropped with a barrage
of body shots in the first round. She held on.
"I knew she had a lot of experience and had fought some very good fighters,"
said Juarez (18-2-3, 11 KOs). "I wanted to box more but she kept holding so
I fought my way out of it."
Witherspoon (11-40-1), who had won her last fight by decision, opened up the
fight with sharp jabs and some movement. But Juarez's tight defense and
pin-point combinations made Witherspoon back up quickly.
"Our plan all along was to force the issue," said Ben Lira, who trains
Juarez. "Carla has too much experience to allow her to do what she wants."
In the second round, Juarez walked through Witherspoon's punches blocking
and slipping, then opened up with combinations to the head and body. A
flurry of punches to the body forced referee Cantu to stop the fight at 1:41
in the round.
"I was careful with her because I didn't want to get a head butt when she
was holding," said Juarez, 25, who is scheduled to defend her IFBA junior
bantamweight in late March in China. "I know I have to defend my title so i
didn't want to get injured."
Most of the crowd were there to cheer the Mexico City fighter who now lives
and fights out of Southern California.
"I was so happy to fight in front of my fans," said Juarez. "It was a nice
feeling."
Lira said Juarez is ready for any fighter in three different weight
divisions including flyweight or bantamweight.
The petite Juarez spent hours after the fight signing autographs and taking
photos. She just might be the next super star.
Juan Figueroa (4-1, 3 KOs) needed only 1:23 to land a right hand on Mira
Loma's Alvaro Morales (3-4) who walked into the punch. Referee Vince Delgado
counted out Morales.
Mika Gergen (8-1-1, 7 KOs) scored a unanimous decision victory, but David
Johnson used his speed to counteract the Samoan's power and stopped Gergen's
knockout streak. The judges scored it 39-37 twice and 40-36 for Gergen.
In a featherweight bout, Armando Dorantes (2-0) used his accuracy to
out-point debuting Hector Roman (0-1) in a battle between two East L.A.
fighters. Switchng from a left handed stance to right hand, the taller
Dorantes won by unanimous decision 40-36 on all judges score cards.
Fontana's Heather Percival (5-1) is much too good for any pro
debuting professional as Bell's Amber Alvarez discovered. Percival
landed punches at will and forced referee Jerry Cantu to stop the
fight at 1:37 of the first round. Percival fought at 123 pounds to
Alvarez's 128. |
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"She was very tall," said Percival who may not have been hit with a punch.
"Larry Ramirez told me to throw uppercuts and left hooks so I did."
Percival almost didn't make the fight card. Numerous opponents dropped out
until Azteca Gym's Ricardo Mota suggested Alvarez.
"I was just happy to fight," said Percival who had several previous matches
evaporate in other fight cards.
Trainer Larry Ramirez said Percival has improved dramatically in the last
few months.
"Sparring with Mariana Juarez really helps Heather," Ramirez said. "Heather
is really learning quickly."
In an amateur fight, Maywood's Sarah Garcia and Los Angeles-based Lizette
Medel showed excellent boxing skills in a rousing three-round exhibition.
Garcia displayed some heavy hands and Medel's combinations were fluid and
fast. |
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