In front of 3,943 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California on Friday night, locally-based Ana Julaton and Eloy Perez each picked up title belts and took steps towards greater stardom in the process. Julaton claimed the WBO Super Bantamweight title, her second world title, with a decision over Donna Biggers. Perez claimed the WBO NABO Super Featherweight title, his second regional strap, with a technical knockout of Juan Santiago.
The action started quickly in the first round of the main event, as Julaton (6-1-1, 1 KO) of Daly City, California met Biggers (19-8-1, 16 KOs) of Boiling Springs, South Carolina at center ring. Julaton, 122, got off to a great start, popping Biggers, 120, with some crisp shots in the first minute. Despite Biggers’ inflated knockout numbers, it was apparent from the outset that Julaton possessed the strength advantage, aided by her sharper punching technique.
By the end of round two, blood began to run down Biggers’ face from near her right eye, although the cut would eventually be contained by her cutman. By the middle rounds, much of the steam had left Biggers’ punches. On full display were all the facets of the game that Julaton had worked tirelessly to improve, including elusiveness, hand speed and power-punching in combination.
Despite the best efforts of the incredibly durable Biggers, the bout was soon a one-sided affair, as Julaton routinely landed her punches at will. Biggers, perhaps to her greater detriment, proved to have a chin made of granite, as several clean shots violently snapped her head back, but never dropped her. Still, Biggers pressed on to take more punishment.
Late in the fight, Julaton switched up her tactics and turned boxer to cruise to the unanimous decision win. In the end, all three judges scored the bout for Julaton by the scores of 100-90 and 99-91 twice.
With the victory, Julaton claimed the inaugural WBO 122-pound title, her second world title in as many fights. Last time out, Julaton took home the vacant IBA Super Bantamweight title with her decision win over Kelsey Jeffries. The WBO had previously sanctioned just three female world championships.
While there are some attractive, and potentially lucrative, unification possibilities at 122-pounds, Julaton was not ready to call out any names just yet. “I unified two belts. I hope I can unify another belt,” said Julaton just after the bout. “It would be nice to unify all of the titles, but we will see what is best to set up big, exciting fights to get a lot more fans involved with female fighting. I just want to sit back, soak everything in for right now and see what’s next.”
Julaton’s chief goal in boxing goes beyond claiming title belts. Dating back to her amateur days, Julaton has beaten the drum for women’s athletics and boxing in particular. “There is a big movement and momentum with the women’s fight game,” says Julaton. “I feel we are close to bringing it to the mainstream here in America.”
In the co-main event, Eloy Perez (15-0-2, 4 KOs) of Salinas, California officially graduated from prospect to contender, completely outclassing Juan Santiago (11-3-1, 7 KOs) of Denver, Colorado en route to a stoppage victory. After boxing cautiously to start the bout, Perez, 130, completely took over the fight from the second round on.
Despite holding substantial numerical advantages in both height and reach, Santiago, 129 ½, did nothing to capitalize on those benefits. Instead, Santiago followed Perez around the ring, allowing himself to be picked apart, piece by piece. In other instances, Santiago gave up his height and reach completely, languishing on the inside to take some serious punishment at close quarters.
Known to be a classy boxer, Perez stood his ground for much of the fight, landing hard shots in combination with both hands. By the end of the third, the marks and abrasions on Santiago’s face told the story of the fight. Perez turned up the dial another notch in the fourth, pressing the action even further, eventually landing a right to the body that nearly doubled Santiago over to highlight the round.
Ironically, the bout was stopped by referee Dan Stell on the advice of the ringside doctor after the conclusion of the fifth round in which Santiago took the least amount of punishment since the first, and a case could be made that he in fact won the round. However, it did appear to be only a matter of time before Perez scored the stoppage anyway. Santiago, a game warrior, was disgusted by the decision to stop the contest.
Perez had originally been pegged to fight former San Jose prospect Arturo Quintero, but that fight was nixed by the California State Athletic Commission. Perez was obviously unbothered by the late switch. “I was ready either way, it did not matter who it was,” said Perez. “I had a great training camp. He was pretty taller than me, but it did not matter. I felt like I had control the whole time.” Perez’ trainer Max Garcia explained how they train for height. “We always train with taller guys, and we beat them to the jab. Our goal is to beat the taller guy to the jab. Like Coach [Don] Familton always said, ‘You beat them to the jab, you win the fight,’” said Garcia in reference to his mentor and co-trainer who passed away earlier this year.
With the win, Perez claimed the vacant WBO NABO Super Featherweight title, which could elevate him into a top fifteen world ranking with the WBO. Perez had previously claimed the WBC USNBC 130-pound title with a win over Dannie Williams in September and now has two credentials to use as bargaining chips for future bouts. “We recognize his ability and we match him tough, because we know he can do it,” explained the usually reserved Garcia. “Like I told Al Bernstein, he wants us to be on Shobox, we just put notice that we are ready for anybody. Anybody at 130-pounds; Golden Boy, you have somebody for us, bring it. Top Rank, you’ve got somebody for us, bring it. Give us a chance to make a little money. You will see what we got.” Next up for Perez may be a slot on the undercard of the Shane Mosley-Andre Berto fight at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 30th.
It looked as though Melissa McMorrow (3-1-2) of San Carlos, California had scored her second decision victory over skilled, but underpowered Gloria Salas (1-3-1, 1 KO of Cathedral City, California, but the crowd favorite had to settle for a majority draw. In Salas, 104 ½, McMorrow, 106, may have found the one naturally smaller female boxer in the state of California and it appeared her edge in power carried the day again. However, there was little other separation to go on in scoring each highly competitive round. In the end, Judge Kermit Bayless scored the bout a shutout, 40-36, for McMorrow. That score was overruled by the even tallies of 38-38 by judges Marty Sammon and Jack Campbell. McMorrow had previously scored a four-round unanimous decision over Salas last November.
In a well paired battle between two flat-footed cruiserweight sluggers, local favorite Tony Johnson (4-0, 1 KO) of San Jose scored a four-round unanimous decision over Ron Simmons (3-4, 2 KOs) of Lewiston, Idaho. Simmons, 187, provided Johnson, 186 ½, with his stiffest test to date, trading on even ground for much of the bout. Johnson had a decided edge in punching power, which reversed the momentum of the contest several times throughout the four rounds. Judges Kermit Bayless and Marty Sammon scored the bout 39-37, while Judge Jack Campbell gave Johnson every round, ending at a 40-36 tally.
In a competitively matched, back-and-forth bout, Jonathan Alcantara (2-1-1) of Novato, California scored a mild upset over former amateur star Aaron Alafa (3-2, 1 KO) of Visalia, California via four-round split decision. Most rounds were difficult to score, but the busier Alcantara, 120, earned the benefit of the doubt from the judges. Alafa, 119 ½, played the role of counter-puncher well, catching Alcantara coming forward, but may not have pressed enough to appease the official scorers. Judges Kermit Bayless and Marty Sammon both scored the bout 39-37 for Alcantara. The lone dissenting judge, Jack Campbell, scored the fight 39-37 for Alafa.
Although no dates are set, the long-running “Fight Night at the Tank” series is expected to return for its ninth season in 2010.
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com.
Source: 15rounds.com
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