20.12.06 – By Michael Marley, BoxingConfidential.com, photos © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com – click here for huge Guzman-Davis photo gallery- SANTO DOMINGO–Conventional wisdom had it that professional boxing in the Dominican Republic would never get to first base. All the potential heavyweights are baseball sluggers or pitchers and all the potential welterweights and below are shortstops. But then along came national ring hero Joan Guzman, promoter Jose Nunez and a totally unified effort with the backing of the DR’s President, Hon. Leonel Fernandez, Minister Of Sports Felipe Payano and many other key figures in government and the business world.
Now pro boxing is, after a three-decade slump, as hot as salsa in this country. It seems like every man, woman and child in the nation was either in the sold out Sports Palace or watching on CDN Monday night as Guzman successfully defended his WBO super lightweight title against American brawler Antonio Davis. Guzman dazzled the crowd of over 11,000 and Davis with remarkable hand and foot speed in taking a wide unanimous decision, pushing his record to 27-0 and keeping his name in the forefront for big bouts in 2007 against Manny Pacquaio, Marco Antonio Barrera and others..
But, if Guzman was the spectacular evening’s entree, Nunez’s Jay Promotions and government agency SEDEFIR offered up plenty of ring appetizers before the world title bout, including:
* Golden Boy, Oscar de la Hoya, making a proper superstar entrance into the arena, which produced a standing ovation and wild applause as he jumped into the ring waving the red, white and blue Dominican flag. Oscar’s Golden Boy Promotions is Guzman’s co-promoter. I don’t think Shakira, singing here the next night, would’ve gotten a more enthusiastic reception (except from me).
* I spoke briefly to Oscar and told him I see pain in the forecast for Floyd Mayweather come May 5. Oscar then gave me that lockjaw, fight night face expression that was last viewed so up close and personal by bully-faker Ricardo (Trickado?) Mayorga. I now predict major pain for PBF as he will sinko on Cinco de Mayo.
* A sensational pro debut for 18-year-old featherweight Argenis “La Tormenta” Mendez, part of the Guzman/Nunez team. The tall, skinny Mendez brought back memories of a young Thomas Hearns as he completely dismantled Jose Fonseca of Nicaragua in less than two rounds. A wicked body-head combination decked Fonseca and he lay on his back for five minutes before being removed on a stretcher. There was a report of his having some broken ribs. Mr. de la Hoya, WBO leader “Paco” Valcarcel and WBO heavyweight champ Shannon Briggs all instantly marked Mendez as a likely future world champion.
* The always classy but, on this night, a bit sassy, main event welcome and intro by “It’s Showtime” Jimmy Lennon Jr. . With his smooth and fluent Spanish, Lennon was a huge hit with the audience as was Beto Villa, Spanish radio voice of the New York Yankees, who introduced the first eight bouts. It’s hard for this Red Sox fan to admit it but Villa does have a golden voice.
* A selection of round card ladies whose pulchritude was beyond compare. Briggs was doing color commentary for a web cast and his pal, “Young Bundini” Leonard Byam was at his side. “I went up to one of the round card girls and I said, in English, ‘You must be from Tennessee…because you’re the only 10 I see.’ Then I looked at the rest and realized they were all 10s. Can you get a detached retina from ogling round card girls?”
* A marvelous pre-main event show which included popular singer Fernandito Villalona crooning “Domicano Soy” (I Am Dominican) as Guzman made his way to the ring. After the song, fireworks exploded all over the arena including ones which came shooting out of the four ring posts. The pyrotechnics and overall affect reminded many of a WWE show.
* Boxing wise guys said the red corner (Dominican corner) would sweep all of the nine great bouts matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz put together. But the Lewkster had a trick up his sleeve as the DR’s Hector Julio Avila, a 40-bout veteran with 35 KOs, got whacked out by 12=4-3, five KOs Nicaraguan Santos Martinez. Lesson learned: be very careful when you see Ezequiel Obando, legendary boxing agent/manager, in your opponent’s corner. So the Esquina Roja team went 8-1. It would’ve been 7-2 but Ramon Duran got an undeserved split verdict over Orlando Escobar from Mexico.
* * He lost deservedly to unbeaten local Euri Gonzalez but Jaime Barboza, Nicaragua, won the crowd’s showmanship-loving hearts with his comedic antics in a welterweight six-rounder. Barboza won’t be a world champion but, with his gyrations and variety of facial expressions, we may have found an entertainer comparable to “Maromero” Paez.
* Kudos to veteran TV producers Ralph Paniagua and Onfalia Morillo who combined with the CDN and Supercanal Caribe TV staffs for an excellent production overall. CDN showed the show nationally while Supercanal Caribe carried the main event live on the East Coast from the Boston area down to Miami. Now Fox Sports En Espanol will show fights plus some special Dominican musical entertainment on a two-hour show December 29. If you check it out, you will see Guzman’s domination and the like wow debut of Mendez.
The boxing card was the first-ever produced by Nunez and SEDEFIR. OK, Jose and “Jay” Payano, now what do you for an encore? (Marley tip to Nunez: get promotional contracts on those Dime Girls asap.)
Boxing finally got out of the dugout and is back on first base in the Dominican Republic.
They love all their sluggers…Big Papi, Sammy Sosa, Albert Pujols, etc., but they showed their special love for Joan Guzman and for good fights.
Final note: Going through customs at the airport here yesterday, I mentioned the fight to a young man who appeared to be about 17.
His face lit up like a Christmas tree.
“We won, we won!” he exclaimed.
So I finished my boxing year, 2006, in a country where the people love boxing and love their world champion. (I know the Phillipines is even more enthusiastic.)
Viva La Republica Dominicana! Viva boxeo! I’m coming down here more often.
You should too, but only if you love baseball, beaches, gorgeous women, frosty Presidente beer and boxing.
You know who you,. I mean we, are. The rest of you losers stay home.
Feliz Navidad! Felix Trindad! And like that.