Ringside Boxing Report: Manuel Quezada vs. John Clark

Fight Night at the Tank keeps going strong with second show of 2008

Boxing was back in a big way on Thursday night in San Jose, California as Goosen-Tutor Promotions presented the second installment of their 2008 “Fight Night at the Tankʼ season, held at the San Jose Pavilion. Heavyweights headlined the show as California contender Manuel Quezada, 23-4 (15), unanimously outpointed late replacement John Clark, 12-13-1 (7), over eight rounds.

Quezada, 30 years old fighting out of Wasco, CA, entered the ring looking to build on his 11 fight winning streak and the man put tasked to halt that was journeyman John Clark.

Clark, who served as a last minute replacement after prospect Teke Oruh pulled out, had lost his five bouts heading into this one but held a significant size advantage over Quezada.

The advantage did little to tip things in Clarkʼs favor though as he was never able to impose the physical difference on his smaller opponent until closing seconds of the last round.

Both men were tentative early on in the bout, with no one asserting themselves as they circled the ring. That changed in the second frame as it was the smaller Quezada who began to press forward, utilizing a stiff jab to moving Clark backwards.

A forward moving jab though was not enough to please the crowd of over 3,000 as they voiced their displeasure at the slow, plodding action in the ring.

Round five brought some renewed life into the building as Clark, a former San Francisco 49er football player, landed a jarring right hand to the top of Quezada’s head that sent the Mexican heavyweight backwards. Yet the opportunity to pounce was squandered by Clark and was again put at bay with the jab and straight right hand of Quezada.

Perhaps spurred on by the crowds dissatisfaction in round seven, Quezada looked to stop the fight as he forced Clark to a neutral corner and unloaded with his best combinations of the evening, landing with a barrage of left hooks and right hands and opened up a cut under the right eye of Clark. Despite the cut and the new found aggressiveness of Quezada, Clark managed to survive the scare.

While Quezada dominated the better part of the action, it would be Clark who had the final word. In the midst of yet another round where Quezada was controlling the pace with his jab, Clark landed a thunderous right hand that sent Quezada reeling against the ropes.

With only 10 seconds to squeeze a victory from the jaws of defeat, Clark pounced forward throwing every punch in his arsenal to try to close the show but it was not to be, Quezada gamely fought back and gave the crowd something to cheer about after a fairly lackluster eight rounds prior.

When the scores were announced, it was Manuel Quezada who was awarded the victory, by the scores of 80-72, 80-72 and 79-73. Quezada moves to 23-4 with 15 KO’s while Clark’s record drops below .500 at 12-13-1 with 7 KO’s.

While it was Quezada and Clark that headlined the bill, it was the undercard that had the fans buzzing.

Super featherweights Eloy Perez, 11-0-2 (2), and Jorge Pimental, 13-7 (11), capped off the undercard with their eight round affair that saw Perez keep his undefeated record in tact with a decision victory over his fellow Mexican Jorge Pimental.

The pace was fast right from the very beginning in this one as both looked to trade right from the opening bell. After coming out sporting a short, snapping jab, Perez quickly engaged Pimental on the inside where Pimental more then obliged.

They traded left hooks in the middle of the first round and never stopped. The old boxing adage “never hook with a hooker” rang true in this one as Perez, from the very beginning, had the faster and shorter punches and was able to get the better of most of the exchanges.

While both men traded off providing the pressure, it was Perez who proved more apt and was able to score consistently with a nice mix of hooks and uppercuts. When the action was over and the scores were tallied, it was Perez who walked away with a unanimous decision by the scores of 77-75,79-73 and 80-72. Perez sees his record go to 11-0-2 with 2 KO’s while Pimatel drops to 12-6 with 10 KO’s.

With the return of boxing came the return of the popular “You Be The Judge” competition. The competition lets the fans decide by way of applause on who their favorite fighter from the undercard action was.

On hand to present the prize was the last installment’s winner and Ring Magazines 2007 Women Fighter of the Year, Carina Moreno, as well as former WBO heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison.

After a close vote, it was decided that San Francisco’s Jason “JP” Peterson would walk away with the cash bonus and the AMI Cup.

Peterson entered his pro debut with much fanfare. The Hells Angels were on hand to wish their fellow member Peterson all the best as he garnered the most noise en route to his stoppage victory over Topeka, Kansas’ Steve Martin.

The super middleweights opened up slowly with the entire congregation of Hells Angels on hand on their feet. Martin was in trouble at the closing of the opening round as Peterson managed a left hook that put the Kansas man on shaky legs but he was saved by the bell.

He would have no such luck in the next round as Peterson scored with another left hook that put Martin on his heels and into the corner. Sensing the end, Peterson rushed forward with a barrage of punches that forced the stoppage early on in the second.

Peterson advances his record to 1-0 while Martin dips to 1-2 with 1 KO.

Peterson’s fellow Bay Area prospect, former Junior Olympian Anthony Chavez, would not have the same luck. Faced with the test of Carlos Herrera, the fight looked easy on paper for Chavez as Herrera entered the evening without a professional victory. Yet the bout did not take place on paper and instead in the ring, where Chavez was in for a rude awakening.

Chavez opened up early with a wide stance and a quick jab but was unable to handle the pressure of Herrera. The first right hand landed for Herrera put Chavez on the floor but was ultimately ruled a slip. Herrera then proceeded to remove any doubt in the mind of the referee in charge by landing another overhand right that sent Chavez stumbling backwards into the ropes.

Chavez quickly laughed off the threat but was then met with another overhand right that snapped his head back violently before sending Chavez crumbling to the canvas. Chavez was afforded the opportunity to try to beat the count but his legs were rightfully deemed to shaky to continue.

With the KO, Herrera notched his very first professional victory at 1-2 with 1 KO while handing Chavez goes to 1-1.

An attractive match up of young undefeated heavyweights found its way onto the card as Chicago’s Theron Johnson took on California native Keith Spencer.

While Johnson easily won the first round on the grace of his jab, Spencer was able to rebound in a big way in the second. Able to land a pair of stiff jabs early, Spencer opened up Johnson for a left hook that hurt Johnson on the ropes. Another left hook followed that had Johnson dancing on shaky lefts hand before a crushing overhand right propelled Johnson through the ropes and out of the ring.

The fight was immediately waved off and doctor’s immediately tended to Johnson who lay motionless on the mat for several minutes before regaining his senses and was able to congratulate Spencer in the center of the ring.

With the spectacular KO, Spencer was able to move his record to 4-0 with 3 coming by way of the knockout while Johnson fell to 1-1.

Opening up the evening were a pair of impressive prospects who both made their debut earlier in the year in the same building. Managed by famed manager Jackie Kallen, former top U.S. amateurs Rico Ramos and Mike Dallas Jr. both outclassed their opponents on the way to notching victories.

Across the ring from Mike Dallas was Marlo Cortez, a hard-nosed, forward charging welterweight with an iron chin.

Dallas opened up immediately on the offensive, with a double left hook that scored upstairs and downstairs to set the tone. Undeterred by the punches, Cortez remained in the pocket for Dallas to tee off on, landing combinations at will, landing best with the left hook.

With Cortez unable to get off many punches of his own, Dallas took the lead, spaced his punches nicely and showed off his fast hands and accurate punches, particularly the left hook in favor of his slippery defensive skills.

Yet despite being landed on seemingly at will and being rocked with several times throughout the bout, Cortez was able to last to the scorecards where Bakersfield’s own Mike Dallas Jr. notched a shut out unanimous decision moving his record to 2-0. The gritty Cortez saw his record drop to 2-5-2.

Opening up the proceedings was super bantamweight Rico Ramos, facing undefeated Jerry Mondragon from Fresno, CA.

While neither had a number in the loss column, it was clear from the beginning who was going to come out on top. Ramos utilized his fast feet and even faster hands to move in and out on Mondragon, digging both to the body and head throughout the round before the bell sounded.

The second round would prove even more problematic then the first for Mondragon as a right hand upstairs was followed with a left hook to the body that put Mondragon on his knees. Ramos immediately put the pressure back on, flurrying with punches that again knocked Mondragon to the canvas.

Mondragon again beat the count and was allowed to continue but his night would not last much longer, Ramos again moved Mondragon backwards and capped off the fight with a right hand that prompted a stoppage to the bout.

The sharp punching Ramos moved to 3-0 (2) and Mondragon suffered his first loss, his record now stands at 2-1 (1).

The third installment “Fight Night at the Tank” occurs on Thursday, September 11