Alvarado, Denver’s bronco, bucks Rosales
Sanchez outhustles Thompson in get-back fight

Ringside report by Chris Cozzone and Ricardo Trujillo
Photos by Chris Cozzone

What was a pick-‘em fight on paper, turned into a pick-‘em-apart fight for Denver hopeful Mike Alvarado, when he dispatched proven Mexican Michele Rosales in less than seven rounds last night at the Isleta Casino & Resort, outside Albuquerque, N.M.

With his pop, power and promise, the undefeated Alvarado made a bold statement to all top ten super lightweights, on last night’s Top Rank-promoted, Telefutura-televised card, held before a near sold-out crowd of 2,400.

Round one was close, with neither fighter having to chase down the other. Alvarado worked his jab while trying to land a big right behind it, while Rosales found a home for his left hook. Toward the end of the round, however, what was an even round edged toward Alvarado when he landed left hooks of his own.

In the second and third rounds, Alvarado’s superior defense and speed started to show. Coming right at Alvarado, Rosales had continued luck with his left hooks, but the faster Alvarado and his straight right hands found their target consistently.

Rosales opened up the fourth with a big right, but Alvarado countered with his best punch yet, another right, that sent his opponent to the ropes and a mouthpiece to the canvas. Sensing he’d hurt Rosales, Alvarado rushed in, only to be stopped by Referee Rocky Burke. After Rosales’ mouthpiece was reinserted, the action resumed, Alvarado jabbing overtime at Rosales.

Dipping and ducking, Alvarado had Rosales missing in the fifth. Taking a break from his successful right hands, Alvarado landed a crushing left that stunned Rosales, who tried to chop his way out of danger from the increasingly stronger, more confident Coloradoan.

With each round, Alvarado picked up pace, wearing down Rosales with each punch.By the sixth, Alvarado was forcing the Mexican backward, for the first time, landing rights and occasional lefts, though not disregarding his jab. When the bell finished the round, it was a disillusioned and damaged Rosales walking back to his corner.

The end was near.

Alvarado started out the round with a one-two, then relentlessly smashed into Rosales. Staggering back into the ropes, Ref Burke halted the action, possibly a bit premature, though there did not appear to be much protest from Rosales.

Official time was 1:28.

“He took the heat,” said Alvarado, now 21-1, 6 KOs. “He handled all my punches, except at the end. “He was tough, but I had the footwork. I switched up, body to head, chopped him down and made him bring up his hands. We had a good plan and I had good camp.

“Top Rank is bringing me up right. I want to stay at 140—I want the winner of Hatton-Lazcano. I’m ready for anyone.”

Suffering his second loss in 22 bouts, Michele Rosales-Hernandez falls to 20-2, 18 KOs.

Sanchez III outhustles Thompson in get-back fight

Coming off his loss to Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., in December, Albuquerque welterweight Ray Sanchez III, fighting at 154, took on, and defeated, his second toughest opponent to date in Patrick Thompson, of Lincoln, Neb.

Though not as sharp as he’s been in previous fights, Sanchez showed enough skill and stamina—not to mention chin—to weather Thompson’s relentless pressure for what should have been a no-brainer decision.

Round one set the tempo for the entire ten rounds: Thompson coming forward, Sanchez keeping the fight on the outside, popping at his foe with jabs and occasional straight lefts. A hard left cracked Thompson halfway through the round, but the iron-chinned Nebraskan answered back at 2:50 with a hard right.

Thompson evened the score in the second round, applying pressure and forcing Sanchez into a close quarter fight. Having difficulty tying up Thompson, Sanchez was on the defense for much of the round.

Sanchez was back on track in the third, jabbing away at Thompson’s puffy eye and timing hooks. With a cut now on the side of his right eye, Thompson poured it on, but Sanchez kept calm, boxing away while Thompson sought to brawl.

In and out of the pocket, Sanchez continued to outpoint Thompson, though he caught a few rights for his trouble. Unable to keep his opponent in front of him, and frustrated with, both, his cut and being tied up at the ropes, Thompson continued to come forward.

Slapping and moving away, Sanchez evaded Thompson’s chase in the fifth, jabbing and tying up when cornered. In the sixth, after being outworked for the first minute, Sanchez uncorked a hard left to Thompson’s body and continued to jab with his right, on the move. Flicking his jab into Thompson’s eye, in the seventh, Sanchez worked angles into his plan while connecting to the body.

Thompson came on strong in the eight, but faded quickly, letting Sanchez outhustle him around the ring. Having his best round since round two, Thompson fought desperately in the ninth, landing big rights on Sanchez. Circling away, Sanchez survived the assaults, then came back in the final round to outwork his opponent down the stretch. More clinches from an appearing-to-tire Sanchez lessened the action, but, frustrating Thompson, Sanchez picked up another round while sealing a decision.

Only two of three New Mexico judges, however, saw a clear decision for Sanchez: Judges Gant and Garcia saw Sanchez winning, 96-94 and 97-93 while Judge Perez somehow had it even 95-95.

The two reporters for Fightnews/NewMexicoBoxing (FN/NMB) differed slightly, Trujillo scoring it 96-94 for Sanchez and Cozzone, 97-93.

“I had difficulty with his southpaw style,” said Thompson, falling to 14-13-1, 5 KOs.

“I tried to make it an inside fight but he kept tying up and running. He’s not good—all he did was run. I thought I hurt him a couple times—I heard him wince. Still, I thought it was close by a couple rounds.”

Earning himself another shot at a name fighter in his get-back win, Sanchez raises his record to 21-1, 15 KOs.

“He was a tough fighter and I had to box him,” said Sanchez. “I had to work for the victory. My timing was off and I couldn’t get distance. My fans are accustomed to seeing me win in two rounds, but I couldn’t shake the rust.

“Still, it wasn’t close. A draw on one card? That’s ludicrous. I was blocking his shots. My shots were cleaner, and that’s why I got the win.”

Sanchez says he’ll fight again in July. A tentative July 11 date has been given for another Top Rank card in Albuquerque.

Lopez stops game Arellano

In the opening bout of the evening, Denver featherweight Ricky Lopez (1-0, 1 KO) finished off a very game Nick Arellano (1-4), of Chicago, in the closing moments of the fourth and final bout.

Lopez provided the pressure, but the much taller Arellano had the height and reach—what he didn’t have was enough resilience to weather the stocky Lopez’s consistent aggression.

Arellano set the tempo, jabbing at Lopez who sought to close the distance and gap by landing any possible overhand shot, be it jab, hook or right. Swinging for the fences—and Arellano’s head—Lopez kept up an impatient aggression, not always landing, but the occasional punch doing enough to wear the Chicago kid down.

As Arellano wore down, Lopez’s left hook found its mark. In the third, the pressure kept Arellano on defense—in the fourth, it broke him down. A solid left hook dropped Arellano flat on his back. He was up before the ref hit “nine,” but was in no shape to continue.

Official time of stoppage was 2:40.

Peralta upsets Garcia

In a six-round lightweight bout, Fernando Vargas-lookalike from Oxnard, Javier “El Pelos” Garcia (3-1-1, 3 KOs) lost his first pro fight to a very much prepared Mike Peralta (4-2, 1 KO), of Carson City, Nev.

In the first two heats, Garcia tried to fight patiently, hoping to catch Garcia coming in, but the Carson City fighter was too busy for the Vargas clone, rushing in with blazing combinations.

Garcia had a better third round, but Peralta continued to wind up his windmill combinations, keeping Garcia on defense. In his best round, Garcia upped his aggression in the fourth, catching Peralta with body shots.

Though he was momentarily staggered in the fifth, Peralta stole back the round by controlling space and distance, even when backing up. Catching another sneaky left from Garcia in the sixth, Peralta shook it off and continued to outgeneral the tiring, mystified Oxnard fighter.

All three judges scored it for Peralta: 58-57 and 58-56 twice.

FN/NMB had it 58-56, Peralta.

Soto destroys overmatched foe

In a four-round welterweight bout, top L.A. prospect Demetrio Soto (3-0, 3 KOs) had little difficulty with extremely overmatched George Garcia (1-2-1, 1 KO), of Cheyenne, Wyom.

Ill-equipped to deal with Soto’s height, or talent, Garcia was easy pickings, going down three times before Referee Lorenzo Saiz waved it off, at 1:19.

DiPace DiStroys Suarez

In a four-round bantam bout, Puerto Rico’s Wilmer Suarez (1-3, 1 KO) lacked the size and power to deal with hot Las Cruces prospect Sammy DiPace IV (3-0, 3 KOs).

Showing a bit of patience this time around, DiPace stalked Suarez around the ring, trapping his foe against the ropes and unleashing a barrage of punches. Suarez attempted to counter, but ended up on the canvas twice before the fight was stopped, at 2:01.

“I felt sloppy,” DiPace said afterward. “But I’m ready to step up competition.”

Lopez decisions Furney

In the walkout bout of the night, featherweight Marco Lopez (3-0, 1 KO), of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, had to settle for a decision over crafty, overblown flyweight Scott Furney (2-4-1, 1 KO), of Albuquerque.

The pudgy Furney, losing height, reach and size to Lopez, showed he could hang, but for much of the fight, it was a survival issue for the hometown opponent. For the first three rounds, Lopez was the aggressor, jabbing at Furney, who sought to tie up and neutralize the Mexican’s aggression and right hand.

Furney had a good round in the fourth, as Lopez started to tire. Coming straight at Lopez, he was able to sneak in left hooks and uppercuts.

After four, all three judges scored it for Lopez, 40-36 twice and 39-37.

FN/NMB agreed, giving Lopez three rounds, but the fourth to Furney, 39-37.

Marroquin foe gets cold feet

Highly-touted featherweight Roberto Marroquin (2-0, 2 KOs), of Dallas, had to deal with a last-minute sub at the weigh-in Thursday when his original foe, Allen Martinez (1-0-1, 1 KO), of Michoacan, Mexico, pulled out. An unknown-to-boxing debuter, Pete Silva, of Socorro, was somewhat secured, and, though weighing in, albeit late, he had second thoughts on the day of the fight, vanishing into thin air without a trace.

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