Vargas Steals the Show in San Diego

On Thursday night from the Four Points Sheraton Hotel in San Diego, CA., Bobby D. Presents in association with Jorge Marron Productions presented “Champions of Tomorrow.” In the four round heavyweight main event 27-year-old Hawthorne, CA, native Lionel T. Davis (8-0, 6KOs) defeated 31-year-old Cornell Davis (3-14-2), of Lancaster, CA, by unanimous decision in a snooze-fest.

In a contest that would have served as a good anchor for the evenings overall fight card, local favorite from La Mesa, CA, Amaris Quintana’s anticipated six round light flyweight bout against Katrina De La Cruz of Los Angeles, CA, was cancelled due to medical records issues that couldn’t be resolved by fight time. This unfortunately happens in professional sports as athletes too have lives outside of work, but as they say, “The show must go on.”

Coming off five straight first round kayo’s, I expected Lionel to make short work of his out-of-shape soft-bodied foe but the one round kayo specialist was as lethargic as his adversaries unmotivated physique appeared.

The 6’7″ Lionel came out very reserved and slow, floating jabs for measure but never following through with any sort of meaningful attack. Cordell was all over the ring playing defense while throwing barely a punch the entire bout. Lionel had an opponent that was much smaller and clearly afraid to engage but Lionel wasn’t releasing many strikes either except the occasional overhand right which he only landed a couple times through four rounds.

Lionel followed Cordell around the ring and waited for something to happen never making it happen. The crowd was anxious throughout showing their displeasure for what they were watching.

Cornell Davis had his ear-muffs on and weapons in their holster for eleven minutes of the twelve minute tussle. Cornell hemmed-and-hawed, crouched like a tiger, danced about and every other gesticulation except scrap.

Lionel should have had his lumpy noisy opponent out of there like the day before yesterday, let alone the first couple rounds. Just an effort to send Cordell home early would have sufficed but Lionel didn’t look so inspired in the ring, nor did he fight like it.

Cordell on the other-hand stunk up the joint worst than the sweaty canvas, and although it’s a task fighting a guy who came to gesture rather than fight, Lionel could have been much busier. Lionel let the opportunity of looking good against a guy he should of looked great against pass him by without letting his fist fly. Lionel’s young and still learning how to put food on the table in one of the most challenging and intense profession’s on the planet, therefore I can give him a mulligan, but the sport of boxing doesn’t allow many of those!

When it was all said and done Lionel Davis won a four round unanimous decision with scores of 40-36 thrice.

The co-feature and real main event revealed itself when hometown fighter Adrian Vargas (2-0, KO) of National City, CA, stepped through the ropes to a loud and frenzied crowd. Vargas knocked out Alejandro Garcia (0-1) of Tijuana, BC, MX, in the first round of a scheduled jr. welterweight four. Vargas gave his followers what they came to see when he floored Garcia with a double left hook from the liver to the head at 1:54 of the opening period.

It was hard to gauge how good Vargas is but with a following like the one he entered the building with last night, Adrian Vargas looks ready made for thrilling future San Diego fight nights with his power and what looked to be good fundamentals.

In a scheduled four round jr. welterweight match up Emmanuel Robles (3-0, KO), of San Diego, CA, dispatched of his over-matched opponent Francisco Martinez (0-5), inside of three rounds when referee Pat Russell stopped the fight a little premature because Martinez was being blasted around the ring. The official time of Emmanuel Robles’ TKO victory was 1:03 of the 3rd round.

Chula Vista, California’s Salvador Cifuentas (1-1), threw more body punches through four rounds than I’ve ever witnessed on his way to defeating Lakeside, CA, product Federico Martinez (0-3), by unanimous decision with scores of 39-37 across the board in a four round lightweight bout.

In a four round jr. middleweight affair Brandon Adams (1-0), of Los Angeles, CA, making his pro debut, defeated hometown fighter Erin Beach (1-1), of Oceanside, CA, by unanimous decision.

Adams was aggressive winning easily while landing numerous power punches, stunning Beach more than once on the way to victory.

All Photos by Paul Gallegos