(AUGUST 15) Yesterday I arrived in Costa Mesa, California to cover
the weigh-in for the Rhonda Luna vs. Crystal Morales IFBA World
Title fight that will take place TONIGHT at the Orange County
Fair & Event Center, at the Hangar. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and
the show starts at 7:30 p.m. There will be five boxing matches
and two MMA Bouts.
I arrived for the weigh-in at 5:00 p.m.
and met up with Rhonda
Luna, who was waiting to get on the scales. To my surprise
I found out that her opponent Crystal Morales had not shown up
yet.
When Morales had still not shown up
to the weigh-in due to being stuck in traffic, I couldn't resist
snapping a shot of Luna's niece on the scales---and joked that
she could be Luna's replacement opponent....Luna bent down and
took a weigh-in shot with her!
To the relief of
everyone at the weigh-in, Morales and her team finally showed
up, and things quickly got underway....[underway
AFTER the commission told her she was fined 10% for coming in
late to the weigh-in!]
At the scales, Luna weighed in at an even 133 lbs., and Morales
133.8. Both had no problem making weight for their title fight
that is set for 135 lbs, lightweight division.
In a pre-fight interview....Luna told WBAN that she is excited to have a rematch with
Morales. She said that in her last fight with Morales, she
was coming off of a two year break, and felt that her timing was
off, and was having some ring rust. She felt that in their first
fight that was six rounds, she relied mostly on the veteran
skill that she had in that fight.
“You can’t fake
your way through 10 rounds,” added Luna. She said that she feels that she
is well-prepared in this fight tonight
Luna told WBAN that she has dedicated this fight to her
sister-in-law who is going through cancer at this time. She said
that she had requested the fight gloves to be pink in regards to
the special dedication.
In addition, in a special
tribute,
Luna has placed the initials of a 13-year old
girl, VG-G. (Victoria Guzman Gonzalez), on her trunks.
Gonzalez was tragically killed in an ATV Accident.
I also got an opportunity to talk
with Crystal Morales. Morales said that
she felt that in their first fight that she tended to brawl, and
that she did not fight her game plan. Morales feels that this
fight will be different, and that she has prepared herself well
for this title bout.
Also present that the weigh-in was Judy Kulis of the IFBA, who
is supervising the Luna-Morales fight, Shannon Torres Gilman,
amateur boxer and part of team Morales. In addition multi-world
champion WBC/WBAN and former WIBA Diana Prazak attended the
weigh-in.
We have been told that Mia “The Knockout” St. John, Diane Prazak,
and Krysti Rosario, will be at the fights tonight!
More Photos from the weigh-in:
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