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SAN DIEGO – Super middleweight prospect Diego Pacheco remained unbeaten Saturday night, dropping Genc Pllana twice en route to a second-round knockout victory on the undercard of the Roman Gonzalez-Julio Cesar Martinez main event.

The taller Pacheco (14-0, 11 KOs) was the aggressor from the opening bell, putting Pllana on the defensive. Midway through the first round, Pacheco dropped Pllana with a combination to the head, delighting the partisan crowd at the Pechanga Arena, who made the drive from Los Angeles, Pacheco’s hometown.

Pacheco brutally dispatched Genc Pllana in two rounds on the Roman Gonzlaez-Julio Cesar Martinez undercard. Photo by German Villasenor

Pacheco continued fighting on his front foot, initiating exchanges while forcing Pllana to fight off his back foot. About midway through the second round, a left hook to the head followed by a right-left combination dropped Pllana to the canvas. Referee Jerry Cantu immediately stopped the bout at 1:29.

Pllana, who is originally from Kosovo and now resides in Hagerstown, Maryland, drops to 9-4-1, 5 KOs.

Lightweight prospect Marc Castro overcame a knockdown in the second round to defeat Julio Madera (3-2, 2 KOs) by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the bout 58-55 in favor of Castro, who improves to (6-0, 5 KOs).

After a competitive opening round, Castro was dropped early in second round from a check hook to the head. He got up on wobbly legs, and took vicious punches flush to the head. Despite leaving himself open to getting countered, he stood in the pocket and connected on his own series of punches.

Castro was the more-effective fighter during the second half of the fight, moving in and out of Madera’s range to land lead and counter lefts and rights to the head.

Madera, who resides in Mexico City, drops to 3-2 (2 KOs).

Junior lightweight Skye Nicolson, who represented Australia at the 2020 Olympic Games, was successful in her pro debut, defeating San Diego’s Jessica Juarez (3-1, 1 KO) by unanimous decision.

Scores were 60-54, 60-54 & 59-55 for the southpaw Nicolson, who utilized solid ring generalship to outbox Juarez throughout most of the fight.

In the opening bout of the Matchroom Boxing card, bantamweight Anthony Herrera of Los Angeles improved to 2-0 (2 KOs) by knocking out San Diego’s Jose Toribio (7-5, 1 KO) at 24 seconds of the fourth round. A left hook to the body dropped Toribio to the canvas, prompting referee Ray Corona to immediately stop the bout.

Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing

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Saturday night sees the rare occasion where a replacement opponent can make an even better fight than the originally planned main event at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, as Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez meets Julio Cesar Martinez over twelve rounds at super flyweight.

The contest can be seen live on DAZN, and is promoted by Matchroom.

Originally, Gonzalez was due to face Juan Francisco Estrada in a trilogy match, but the Mexican contracted COVID, meaning that WBC flyweight king Martinez steps in for his countryman at a higher weight.

Gonzalez (50-3, KO41) was king of the lower weights in the early part of his career, winning world titles at minimum weight, light flyweight, and flyweight, and once word spread of his ferocious power, he was appearing high up HBO cards in America, further enhancing his credentials and also winning the WBC belt at super flyweight. His bubble surprisingly burst in 2017 though, when first, he lost a majority decision to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, and was then shockingly knocked out in four in a rematch. The Nicaraguan rebuilt though, and three fights later, he was world champion again, taking the WBA crown with a superb ninth round stoppage of Kal Yafai.

After a first defence in Mexico, he lost his last contest while attempting to unify, edged out by split decision to the aforementioned Estrada. It’s a dangerous replacement he faces in this non-title contest in Martinez (18-1, KO14), who has built a reputation of his own. ‘El Rey’ came to prominence in 2019, with a knockout of Andrew Selby, but should have won the WBC flyweight belt in his next fight, but he hit Charlie Edwards while Edwards was down, and a knockout win became a no contest. Martinez won the vacant belt left behind by Edwards with a ninth round stoppage of Cristofer Rosales, and made three defences before his last outing, where he was on the floor and knocked down McWilliams Arroyo twice before the fight was halted after two rounds due to an accidental headbutt.

Prediction: This is a tough one to call, but it’s a big step up for Martinez at a new weight and against a force such as Gonzalez. It could well be yet another small weight classic, and I think that Gonzalez can take it in the later rounds.

Mauricio Lara (23-2-1, KO16) was one of the stories of 2021, with a stunning stoppage win over Josh Warrington, but he was cut in the rematch after two rounds, having to settle for a technical draw. He returns here with a ten round assignment at featherweight against Emilio Sanchez (19-1, KO12).

Prediction: Lara is heavy handed, and Sanchez’s only loss came by knockout, so I expect Lara to score a stoppage around halfway.

Souleymane Cissokho (14-0, KO9) made three appearances in 2021, and he has his first contest of the new year in a ten rounder at super welterweight against Roberto Valenzuela Jr (19-2, KO19). Cissokho’s WBA Intercontinental belt is on the line.

Prediction: Valenzuela is a banger, but hasn’t been past eight rounds, so Cissokho can take this one inside schedule.

Mexican lightweight Angel Fierro (19-1-1, KO15) defends his WBO NABO belt against faded former world title challenger Juan Carlos Burgos (34-6-2, KO21). Fierro is only 23, but this is a good test for him, and Burgos has only really lost in good company, and has never been stopped.

Prediction: Fierro can take a points win.

In an eight rounder at middleweight, Diego Pacheco (13-0, KO10) should be able to outscore Genc Pllana (9-3-1, KO5), and over six rounds, Marc Castro (5-0, KO5) can continue his knockout streak against Mexico’s Julio Madera (3-1, KO2).

Skye Nicholson makes her professional debut, and the Aussie featherweight should come through on the cards over six against the unbeaten Jessica Juarez (3-0, KO1). in a four rounder at bantamweight, Anthony Christopher Herrera (1-0, KO1) can halt Jose Toribio (7-4, KO1).

The post Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez vs Julio Cesar Martinez – Big Fight Preview & Prediction appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.

J. Dollins

The girls’ team takes a quick moment to pose together.

Riverside, CA—Colton’s “small, but mighty” swim team traveled to La Sierra High School yesterday to take on the Eagles in their first swim meet of the 2022 season. With a squad packed with first time swimmers, both boys and girls varsity teams took the loss, but showed tons of promise.

Boys varsity lost 57-45, and the girls lost 101-41.

Varsity girls’ co-captain Mariah Perez was excited by what she saw from her teammates in the water. “I am proud of our team, and I think we can push ourselves even more for our next meet.”

Head coach Elise Thomas, agreed. “They did pretty good. There are some things they need to improve on. All we can go is up.” Then she added, “A lot of them really brought it. Their first times are decent.”

The Yellowjacket swimmers put up some quality times for the first meet of the season. For the girls, their 4×50 freestyle relay team, featuring La’Niece Pacheco, August Castillo, Mariah Perez, and Brooke Carlson, took first place with a time of 2:20.94.

Individual standouts for Colton included junior Larissa Lopez, who, in her first meet placed second in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:56. August Castillo and Kaila Garcia raced neck-and-neck in the 100 breaststroke, both earning times of 1:39.12 and 1:39.92 respectively. And in the 50 freestyle, Jasmin Almazan placed second with a time of 39:06.

The boys, with a much smaller team, fought hard against the Eagles. Both freestyle relay teams finished second, but the 4×50 team of Isaiah Ramirez, Raul Alvarado, Adrian Luna, and Xavier Rocha, finished with an admirable time of 2:21.82.

Individually, the boys were led by Xavier Rocha, who placed first in 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke with times of 2:39.75 and 1:22.12. Isaiah Ramirez also placed first in both his individual events, 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke, coming in at 1:05.94 and 1:22.69. Raul Alvarado placed first in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:54.62.

“I felt like I did pretty well, but I could have done better,” Xavier Rocha said, noting that he improved in the 200 medley by more than 12 seconds from last season.

Also of note for this meet was junior Katrina Olivas, who raced as JV in the 50 freestyle and 50 backstroke. “She’s a work in progress,” said coach Thomas. “She did really well for her first meet.”

The next meet for the Yellowjackets is on March 10 at Carter High School. Start time is 3:15 p.m.