Ringside Report: Both Gabriels Win Big at B.B. King’s

Last Wednesday at B.B. King’s Blues Club & Grill in New York City in a card promoted by DiBella Promotions, Gabriel ‘Tito’ Bracero pounded out an eight round unanimous decision over rough tough Hector Alatorre in a junior welterweight matchup. Bracero, now 13-0 (1), won every round, but the bout was closer than the scoring indicated. Alatorre presented danger at every turn, and as promoter Lou DiBella noted “The kid (Alatorre) is a true professional. He came to fight.”

Bracero threw mostly straight left and right jabs, but lacked the power to hurt the rugged Alatorre, who had a solid chin and gave a solid effort. Alatorre missed with most of his counter punches. He leaned with his head and elbows, and hit off the break for most of the bout.

Alatorre tried to counterpunch coming forward, but Bracero was moving side to side with as fast jab, making sure not to offer Alatorre a target he could find. Alatorre continued swinging aggressively in the final round, but he missed, and could not match Bracero’s consistent aggressive punch output by volume in every round.

Alatorre 16-13 (5), has now fought in nineteen consecutive decisions, but has won only two of his last fourteen bouts on the scorecards, due to top quality junior welterweight opposition.

“I’m chasing my dream (to be world champion). I need to learn to stick and move better. I need more on power punches. We need to work on that,” explained Bracero afterwards.

Gabriel Tito Bracero W8 Hector Alatorre

Scoring: 80-72 from all three judges

Argentinian trainer Gabriel Sarmiento of Argentina is at it again. Less than ten days after guiding world middleweight champion Sergio Gabriel Martinez to an impressive second round knockout over Paul Williams at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, Sarmiento reappeared in dramatic fashion at BB King Blues Club & Grill with another fighter he trains, junior lightweight Javier Fortuna of La Romana, Dominican Republic.

Fortuna, an unbeaten top prospect at 11-0 (9), was matched against another unbeaten pro prospect, Victor Valenzuela 8-0 (1), of Passaic, New Jersey. Valenzuela had only one knockout on his record, making the clash of prospects suspect, especially when Fortuna’s trainer, Sarmiento, appeared in his corner.

In an identical repeat of Martinez-Williams (with Sarmiento in the Martinez corner), Sarmiento looked on as Fortuna opened the bout with lightning fast incredible hand and foot speed, forcing a world class tempo. Valenzuela tried to match Fortuna blow for blow as a slugfest quickly ensued. Fortuna threw the same overhand left that Sergio Martinez threw to knock out Paul Williams, landing over Valenzuela’s low right while he was trying to throw a left which did not arrive in time. Fortuna’s power left sent a stunned Valenzuela face first to the canvas where he was counted out at 1:10 of the first round.

There was a brief moment of fright in the capacity crowd at B.B. King’s in attendance, as Valenzuela lay motionless on the canvas for several touch and go moments. Valenzuela eventually was able to leave the ring on his own power, and appeared more disappointed by the loss than anything else. He was simply outclassed. Valenzuela, a technical fighter, lacked the ability to throw power shots, and was doomed on the ropes the moment the power punching and faster Fortuna lured him into a brief but lethal power punch slugfest.

Result: Javier Fortuna KO1 Victor Valenzuela
Time: 1:10 of the first round

In the post fight interview, Sarmiento responded in Spanish to rumors Sergio Gabriel Martinez would defending his world middleweight title next against Andy Lee.

“The next bout for Martinez will be in March 2011, and it could be Andy Lee, but we don’t know yet what’s going to happen,” said Sarmiento. “So nothing is verified yet. After the March bout, we might fight again in July 2011 maybe against Sugar Shane Mosley.”

Sarmiento continued, “For the end of the year, in November 2011, we would like to fight Miguel Cotto or Floyd Mayweather. It won’t be Manny Pacquiao. This is because Bob Arum, Manny Pacquiao’s manager, doesn’t want Pacquiao to go up to 154 pounds. He wants a fight with Sergio Gabriel Martinez to go off at 150 pounds. We are not able to reach that low a weight.”

According to event promoter Lou DiBella, “Andy Lee? No, who we really want is Sergio Gabriel Martinez versus Miguel Angel Cotto for the middleweight championship at a catch weight of 155 pounds. This would be a middleweight championship bout.”

Undercard Results

Tor Hamer W8 Demetrice King, Heavyweights

Scoring: 80-72 from all three judges

Hamer, 13-1 (9), New York, New York, fought a smart fight at 221 pounds. King, 15-19, (13), was a muscular 277 pound super heavyweight. Hamer threw jabs and body shots for eight rounds, never trying to overpower King and punch himself out. King beckoned Hamer to try for all eight rounds, but never pursued Hamer, who was content to smartly outbox King and never fell for the trap. Hamer respected King’s power.

Sonya Lamonakis W6 Tiffany Woodard, Female Heavyweights

Scoring: 58-56 twice and 58-57

In a crowd pleasing entertaining bout, Lamonakis, 3-0 (1), New York, New York, Came in at 221 pounds against the taller 198 pound Woodard, now 3-4 (2), Wilson, North Carolina. Lamonakis fought like a tiger, though. Both fighters threw power shots all night, and took them too. Lamonakis landed more shots to both the head and body. Woodard countered to the head decently , but got outworked all night. The scoring was closer than the bout appeared, as Lamonakis was the clear aggressor.

Lamonakis has challenged UNBC female heavyweight champion Carlette Ewell, who won the vacant title by decision over Woodard earlier this year. “I’ve emailed Carlette Ewell, but she won’t fight me, claiming I weigh too much. What’s the big deal? We’re both heavyweights,” explained Lamonakis in making the title challenge.

However, Lamonakis was unaware Ewell had dropped back in weight from 215 to 175 to defend her WIBA Women’s international Boxing Association Light Heavyweight title against Bonnie Mann on December 10, 2010, in Raleigh, North Carolina. The UNBC title will become vacant.

Alex Perez W8 Doel Carrasquillo, Welterweights

Scoring: 78-72 twice and 78-73

Prospect Perez, 13-0 (7), Newark, New Jersey, got ‘taken to school’ by the short but tough Carrasquillo, 14-17 (12), Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who came forward all night in small steps and took Perez’ best shots without blinking. Perez threw straight jabs and power punches to the head all night, moving side to side, but couldn’t shake the professional trial horse Carrasquillo, a dangerous counter threat. In the fifth round, the veteran Carrasquillo decked Perez with a counter right to the chin over Perez’ low left.

Steven Martinez W6 David Lopez, Junior Middleweights

Scoring: 60-54 from all three judges

Martinez, Bronx, New York, 7-0 (6), got taken the distance for the first time by the rugged Lopez, now 3-3-3, Caldwell, Idaho, who took a good shot all night and tried to counter. Martinez landed straight jabs to the head. Lopez, who gave a good accounting of himself, behind on points, aggressively tried for the knockout in the sixth and final round.

Lopez intentionally hit off the break during this bout but was never penalized. Martinez was warned for a low blow in round two.

DeLeon Parsley W4 Eberto Medina, Junior Middleweights

Scoring: 39-37 from all three judges

Parsley 3-0 (2) moved side to side with good straight jabs to the head and good left hooks. Medina 5-5 (1), threw bombs in the second round and won it, his best round, but spit out his blue mouthpiece a number of times during this contest and did not make a good impression because of it. Medina would up in the floor while wrestling Parsley at the final bell.

Angel Gonzalez TKO1 Borngod Washington, Light Heavyweights

Time 0:43 of the first round

Gonzalez, 2-2, Yonkers, New York, appeared in top condition and battered Washington, 0-7, Astoria, New York, senseless on the ropes until Mercante stopped the brief contest.