(DORAL, Fla.) On a picture-perfect postcard evening only a true Floridian could love, it was the Mexico City Guerreros who made Miami their home Sunday night, dominating the action at the Solare Coliseum in Doral. Boxing under the stars in their new outdoor home venue, the Miami Gallos lost for the first time in Miami as the Guerreros came into the Gallos’ home and took a 4-1 victory in Week 10 action for the World Series of Boxing (WSB).
For the Mexico City Guerreros, it continues a hot streak they hope will last two more weeks as they have now won five matches in a row to push their record to 7-3 and to vault ahead of the Los Angeles Matadors for first place in the league standings. Week 10 action moves to the West coast Monday as the Los Angeles Matadors get set to host the Memphis Force hoping to keep pace with the red-hot Guerreros.
Asked about his team’s recent success in the ring, Guerreros head coach Francisco Bonilla said this matter-of-factly: “From day one, no matter what we’ve been faced with, we’ve always have had a winning attitude. Success in battle is not a matter of luck but rather it is the result of discipline and the hard work. That’s why we’re allowed to think that we can win.”
For the Gallos, the season has turned to disappointment as the team falls to 3-6 on the year with the squad having put forth a losing effort in each of the last four contests.
In the bantamweight bout, WSB newcomer Oscar Negrete (Barranquilla, Colombia)earned his first victory over Paulo Carvhalo (Gandu Bahia, Brazil), but his fate wasn’t determined until he outworked Carvhalo in the fifth and final round. Negrete used a combination of head and body blows in the hard-fought fifth round and then had to wait out an ever-so-close split decision that ultimately favored the Colombian boxer, 48-47, 47-48, 48-47. Carvhalo falls to 0-2 in WSB action.
Oscar Negrete
Oscar Negrete (right) of the MC Guerreros earned his first WSB victory over Paulo Carvhalo of the Miami Gallos Sunday and helped lead the Guerreros to their fifth-straight victory. MANDATORY PHOTO CREDIT: Doug Murray // Hoganphotos
In the second bout of the evening, Jordan Gutierrez (Queretaro, Mexico) of the Mexico City Guerreros completely overwhelmed Adrian Martinez (Milwaukee, Wis.) to earn a 49-46, 49-46, 50-45 decision in the middleweight weight class. Martinez has yet to record a win in the inaugural season of the WSB and is now 0-3, while Gutierrez improves to 2-1.
Middleweight (73 kg/160 lbs) Gallo William Williams (Conyers, Ga.) and Guerrero Josip Duric (Zagreb, Croatia) began the third match with both fighters coming out strong. It was Williams, however, who figured out Duric’s game plan, wearing him down with head and body punches. After opening a cut over Duric’s right eye, Williams pulled ahead of the Croatian and finished the bout strong for the win, 49-46, 49-46, 50-45. After a season-opening loss, Williams has now won three straight matches and has the best record of any Gallos fighter. Duric’s WSB record is 1-1.
“I felt pretty good going into the fight, but I knew I had to pace myself,” said Williams. “My dad said that I had to be patient, so that was my focus. Once I opened the cut over his eye I wanted to hit that cut on every shot, I tried to stay calm and focus on that.”
For two rounds, it seemed as if WSB newcomer Jeysson Monroy (Medellin, Colombia) would have his way with another WSB boxer making his season debut, Ahmed Elbiali (Sunny Isles, Fla.). But one punch changed all that for Elbiali. Unfortunately for the raw but game Gallos fighter it wasn’t enough to overcome the more experienced Guerrero combatant with Monroy securing the team win for Mexico City 49-46, 49-46, 49-46.
Heavyweights (91+ kg/201+ lbs) Craig Lewis (Detroit, Mich.) and Jose Payares (Caracas, Venezuela) closed out the evening in what would be a very close match. Lewis was the aggressor throughout, though Payares was able to elude enough punches to secure the win, 48-47, 48-47, 48-47. Lewis is now 0-4 on the season while Payares remains undefeated at 2-0.
Tonight’s win for the Guerreros and a possible LA victory against Memphis Monday night, sets up the showdown of the season that will take place Monday, March 14 at the Avalon Hollywood in a battle of the Americas that will go a long way in deciding the WSB league-winner.
The next match for the Miami Gallos will be held on Thursday, March 3, when the Gallos take on the Memphis Force in Memphis.