Cestus Boxing: Gomez, Nighthawk, Ferreryo Win In Laredo
Last Friday, December 5, 2008, two thousand excited fans once again packed the sold out arena at the Civic Center in the beautiful historical city of Laredo, Texas. Recon Garza Promotions in association with Los Dos Laredos Boxing Production and Cestus Management promoted the “Friday Nite Championship Boxing†event.
The card featured sensational prospects Rodolfo “Baby Cobra†Gomez, Robert “Nighthawk†Luna Jr. and IBA Latino Heavyweight Champion Hector “Hurricane†Ferreyro. Each fighter delivered dramatic performances and gave the fans action packed fights and brutal knockouts. The whole fight card will be shown on www.Gofightlive.tv
The excitement got underway immediately when Cestus’ junior welterweight powerhouse, Robert “Nighthawk†Luna Jr. from San Antonio TX, 2-0 (1), entered the ring and took on the heavily muscled Mike Hull, 0-4 (0). The “Nighthawk†dispensed with the customary “feel out†process typical of the opening minute of the first round as he went right to work, landing hard thudding shots to both the head and body of Hull.
The power of Luna Jr. was immediately apparent as Hull had no answers for the relentless assault. The “Nighthawk†continually smashed Hull, hurting him badly on multiple occasions, causing the referee to step in and call a halt to the proceedings within the first two minutes of the opening round.
As soon as the referee stopped the bout, the former Iraq and Afghanistan based US Air Force soldier bowed and gestured a victory salute to the crowd, as they cheered him for his dynamic performance.
The energy from the packed house continued at a high level when Midland, Texas resident, and former amateur standout Edgar “Invincible†Portillo, 3-0 (2), battered determined but outgunned Laredo man Gabriel Hernandez, 2-4-1 (0), over four rounds.
The massacre got underway with a little over a minute remaining in the opening stanza as Portillo, using his brute strength, began to hurt Hernandez; slamming hard uppercuts, crosses and hooks to the face and midsection of Hernandez.
By the end of the second round, Hernandez had swelling around both his eyes and welts on his body as Edgar savagely landed frightening combination. Hernandez, who was brave and game and was trying to win throughout the contest, fought as hard as he could but was ultimately beaten down and overpowered and stopped late in the fourth and final round. It was an impressive win for the young and talented Portillo; he definitely fights like he is invincible.
The crowd reached a crescendo when Cestus’ hometown fighter Rodolfo “Baby Cobra†Gomez of Laredo, 2-0 (2), made his way to the ring to take on tough Texan Alejandro Contreras in a four round bout.
From the first bell, the 6 foot 3 “Baby Cobra†immediately took control of the fight, using his amazing 80 inch reach to spear left jabs that popped Contreras’ head back. Gomez, looking extremely composed, used head and lateral movement to position Contreras and move him into striking distance. Midway through the opening round, Gomez feinted with a jab and followed with a powerful right uppercut, which sent Contreras to the floor.
Contreras beat the count but was quickly met with an onslaught of hard shots to the head and body as Gomez moved in for the kill. Gomez then set up Contreras with a hard fast snappy jab followed by a three punch combination that finished with a textbook left hook, catching Contreras flush on the point of the jaw, viciously dropping him to the canvas.
The referee saw no reason to even count as Contreras’ head violently hit the floor and he was knocked out cold. Time of the knockout was 2 minutes and 15 seconds of round one. Gomez physical attributes are phenomenal and at only 19 years of age, the sky is the limit for this fighter.
The final bout of the night featured local popular heavyweight Hector “Hurricane†Ferreyro, 17-7-1 (11), defending his IBA Latin Americas title against durable Conroe, Texas, native Robbie “Crazy†McClimans in a ten round bout.
The opening round was fast, furious and action packed. Both fighters came out with bad intentions, throwing bombs and testing each others chins, with Ferreyro utilizing a sharp jab and working combinations to the body of the tough McClimans, which would be an effective plan for Ferreyro for the rest of the fight.
This was the pattern of the fight for the next three rounds with Ferreyro doing great body work behind a good stiff hard jab and McClimans soaking up the shots. During the middle rounds, McClimans made his move to take over the fight by trying to lure Ferreyro into toe to toe exchanges as he went on the offense, trying to connect with big booming right hands over the top of Ferreyro’s defense.
Ferreyro wouldn’t take the bait and stayed on the outside, countering with sharp crisp punches that were snapping McCliman’s head back. It was evident as the fight went on that Ferreyro was getting stronger and the earlier body work that he did was starting to slow McClimans down.
The last three rounds were all Ferreyro as he hit the very game McClimans with some hard shots to the head and body, which McClimans absorbed and just kept coming forward trying to land the big shot that would turn the fight around.
To McClimans’ credit, he did have his moments and looked like he was going to come on, but was outworked and outclassed as Ferreyro cruised to a decision victory. With the first defense now safely under his belt, Ferreyro looks to get back into the ring as soon as possible in 2009.
In an entertaining first bout of the evening, Juan “Nacho” Lucio of McAllen, TX won a decision in a very competitive fight, against local fighter Eddie Ramirez of Laredo over four rounds.
Cestus CEO Gina Iacovou said, “The fights where exciting and the atmosphere was electric as again the local fans really supported the fighters. Robert Luna Jr. showed his power quality, strength and tremendous potential in the way that he finished his opponent. Rodolfo Gomez was simply amazing! The left hook that young Gomez knocked out his opponent with, was a perfect shot.
“Our company continues to show that the fighters in our stable are quality. I cannot wait for 2009 so that the rest of the boxing public can appreciate our young and talented crop of up and coming fighters.â€
Cestus Founder and President Mike Michael said, “Laredo was again exposed to a great night of boxing. Robert Luna completely destroyed his opponent with a brutal and vicious display of combination punching and is showing that he will be unstoppable. The punch precision executed by young Gomez and the picture perfect left hook that he knocked out his opponent with is what always excites fight fans and brings them back.
“Hector Ferreryo successfully defended his title in a great fight that had everybody standing on their feet, so what more can you ask for, from a boxing event? Next year will be a great year for our fighters as there are some major things happening for Cestus. So lock the doors and run for cover, because 2009 will be explosive!
“I would like to thank IBA President Dean Chance and Chief Supervisor Tom Vacca, Recon Garza Promotions, Los Dos Laredos Productions, Beto Garza of Variety Meats and Gofightlive.tv for the magnificent job that they all have done. I would also like to thank my good friend Anthony Velasquez of Gente Entertainment for his nonstop continued support.”
Cestus Management works with fighters of distinction from across the world. For more information about the company and its fighters log onto www.cestusmanagement.com