“Brawl at the Hall” TONIGHT in Reseda

Seven bouts featured in new boxing show!

New promoter Fred McCurry is a longtime boxing aficionado who has always wanted to become more involved in the fight game. Tonight he’s getting his chance as he and matchmaker Hervi Estrada showcase seven bouts of boxing, offering something for everyone including a heavyweight bout, a female fight and pro debuts from some of the area’s best young prospects. “I’ve wanted to promote for a long, long time–and the timing is right for this,” the brand new promoter said about his exciting inaugural show.

Presented by Fulton Street Fight Club the “Brawl at the Hall 1” will take place tonight in the town Reseda, a San Fernando Valley city bordering Los Angeles. The weigh-in was held last night at the nearby Van Nuys Airtel Plaza and I went to check out all the action. The room was packed with fighters and trainers, who all listened intently as CSAC’s Sid Segovia went over all the rules and regulations. From the concise and organized manner conducted at the weigh-in, you would’ve never known that this was Fred’s very first show ever.

“I’m glad he’s doing shows in the Valley; I grew up here,” Estrada told me about working with McCurry in their opening collaboration together. The pair have 32 rounds of boxing scheduled and are both looking forward to beginning a successful series of fight nights.

“Fred’s handled it all so damn well,” Hervi enthuses. “Everything’s going’s so smooth. I love it!” Estrada, of AV Boxing Academy, is a friendly fixture in the L.A. boxing circle and is always passionate about the sport. He always stays busy as the go-to guy for fights. Noting that there’s a female match on the card our talk turns to women’s boxing. Apparently, Hervi’s love of pugilism has rubbed off on his own daughter too. He mentions his young daughter, Paula, will be fighting in an amateur card this Sunday in Canoga Park. Paula and other female sluggers will also be able to watch a “chick fight” at tonight’s show too.

Getting a lot of attention at the weigh-in was a little six-month old baby–the daughter of female fighter Katarina De La Cruz, who will be taking part in this “Brawl at the Hall.” Kat continued to train just two weeks before giving birth, resumed working out two weeks after birth (light swimming) and got back in the gym exactly 30 days after the baby was born. Tonight will be her first time fighting in over two years. As a mom and a boxer, she keeps a hectic schedule balancing family and career.

And she definitely had her baby in mind while having boxing on the brain! “I’d fall asleep and be throwing punches in the air, practicing my combinations,” the pretty boxer/model laughed. “But being a mom, it’s keeping me grounded just knowing I have to stay extra disciplined being ‘the nurturer’ and then becoming ‘the hunter.'”

“I’m looking forward to applying the skills that I’ve been working really hard to master,” the tough mother of four says. “It’s been two years since I’ve been in the ring, so I’m ready!” At the weigh-in, she had her own “Kat Krew” in tow with her kids, trainers and friends adding support with her baby girl Rafa’ella wearing a tiny “Team De La Cruz” T-shirt. This may be another first–breast-feeding and boxing? As Katarina went to step on the scale, she joked, “Well, if I come in overweight, I’ll just go feed the baby!”

While training at Wild Card with Lalo Castro and Juan Manuel Jimenez, De La Cruz has also been working steadily with Ben Lira. “Ben took a team of boxers over to Nicaragua, so for this fight I have a great team behind me with Lalo and ‘Superman.'”

Her “Kat Fight” will be against another tough female warrior, Gloria Salas, from Cathedral City. The petite slugger has been working with trainer Ron Garcia for three years. Salas said she’s looking forward to stepping on the canvas and is also very encouraging in the sport of women’s boxing.

One young girl watched on as the pro female fighters faced off for a classic stare down. Joana Pereyda, age 17, has been boxing since she was eight. She’ll be competing in the Golden Gloves this weekend and her goal is to make the Olympic team. For the first time ever, women’s boxing will be included in the Olympic Games beginning in 2012 and in the next couple of years, look for more girls involved in the sport. She was looking forward to seeing the two pro female fighters square off.

Besides this one female bout, there are six other matches on tap at tonight’s show too.

“The Brawl at the Hall” promises to be a fun night of boxing–if you’re in the area be sure to stop by.

See you at the fights!

Weigh-in Results:

Anthony Hirsch 154 3/4 (at time of first weigh-in) vs. Mario Evangelista 153 (MAIN EVENT)
Juan A. Figueroa 138 3/4 vs. Manuel Delcid 135 (CO-MAIN)
Enrique Lobatos 286 vs. Ethan Cox 251
Katarina De La Cruz 108 1/2 vs. Gloria Salas 108 3/4
Ernesto Ocon 146 vs. David Garcia 146 3/4
Matthew Villanueva 114 3/4 vs. Ludwin Mondragon 113 3/4
Oscar Chinchilla 130 1/2 vs. Rene Torres 129

TONIGHT! Friday, March 12

American Legion Hall
7338 Canby Avenue
Reseda, CA 91335
Doors: 6:30 p.m.
First Bout: 7:30 p.m.
Ticket information: $30 and $40/*Available at the door
(818) 383-7958

ALL FIGHTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Photos by Michele Chong