Show:675984

PROMO

Provodnikov makes weight; Alvarado 1lb heavy
By Eric ‘Sugar Foot’ Duran/Rocky Mountain Boxing October 18th, 2013 [1]
Mike Alvarado 141 vs. Ruslan Provodnikov 139.8(WBO jr welterweight title)
Alvarado has two hours to shed the excess pound.
Juan Diaz 135.5 vs. Juan Santiago 134.5
Manuel Lopez 141 vs. Julio Chavez 143
Daniel Calzada 146 vs. Carlos Marquez 145
Vitor Jones de Oliveira 130 .5 vs. Martin Quesada 128.5
Davis Escamilla 129 vs. Jair Quintero 130
Starling Cordero 118.5 vs. Abraham Rubio 118.5
Donovan Dennis 221 vs. Hugo Arceo 245

REPORT

Provodnikov-Alvarado Full Ringside Report[2]
By Chris Morris and Eric ‘Sugar Foot’ Duran; FightNews October 21st, 2013
Photos: Michael V. Ornelas/Rocky Mountain Boxing
#1 rated Ruslan Provodnikov (22-2, 15 KOs) dethroned WBO jr welterweight champion Mike Alvarado (34-1, 23 KOs)
with a ten round TKO on Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd of 7,012 at the 1STBANK Center in Denver,
Colorado. According to HBO’s scale, Alvarado rehydrated to 157 lbs, and Provodnikov entered the ring at 148.
Provodnikov made his way to the ring and was booed heavily by the hometown crowd. Alvarado was sporting the
Denver Broncos’ orange and blue from his Everlast gloves to his boxing boots. He was met at the ring by rabid
fans chanting “3-0-3, 3-0-3.”
Alvarado switched to southpaw almost immediately, showing that he was planning to box and move like he did in
the Brandon Rios rematch. Provodnikov was forever coming forward applying pressure. Provodnikov landed an
overhand right mid round that stunned Alvarado. Alvarado got back on his toes and used the jab and movement
before landing a hard right cross. He followed that up with an uppercut but Provodnikov walked right through
the shots. Provodnikov was smiling and landed a left hook to the body to punctuate the round. Provodnikov won
the round on the FightNews/RMB card.
Alvarado started the second round fast and landed a hard 1-2 combination. He was now moving and boxing pretty
well while switching from orthodox to southpaw. Alvarado landed a right hand but Provodnikov came back with
hard body shots along the ropes. Provodnikov was launching bombs but they were not quite finding their mark.
They traded big right hands near the round’s end as Alvarado picked up the round.
The “3-0-3″ chants begin again with the start of the third round. Alvarado was boxing and Provodnikov was
stalking. Alvarado landed a nice uppercut on the inside and the start to bang from close quarters. Alvarado
landed a hard right hook from the southpaw stance and carried another round.
Alvarado came out in the fourth with renewed energy. He was swinging for the fences with dangerous lead
uppercuts. He landed a nice straight right and big overhand right but Provodnikov walked through it, despite
the punch opening a cut around his right eye. Provodnikov landed a lead uppercut of his own and then two left
hooks to the body. Alvarado landed a hard shot and they went to war. Alvarado finished the round strong and
won it on the FightNews/RMB card running out to a 3-1 lead in rounds.
Provodnikov came on strong in the fifth and made a concerted effort to bang on Alvarado’s body. Alvarado
landed a left hook but couldn’t keep Provodnikov off of him. Provodnikov was now cutting off the ring as
opposed to following Alvarado around the ring. The momentum of the fight began to swing as Provodnikov earned
the round bringing the fight to Alvarado.
Provodnikov started to impose his will on Alvarado in the sixth, landing left hooks to the body and head.
Alvarado’s right eye was beginning to swell shut from the damage. Alvarado was game and he fought back with
all he has, landing hard hooks and his right cross. The hometown fans tried to help Alvarado rally back as
the ‘303’ chants were deafening. Provodnikov silenced them with a hard left hook that hurt Alvarado. Alvarado
fired back a right and then moved. This was a very close round to score and FightNews/RMB saw another for
Provodnikov. In the seventh Provodnikov was working well on the inside as Alvarado’s legs began to fade.
The hard weight cut no doubt beginning to take effect. Provodnikov was stepping around Alvarado to the right
and launching left hooks that are right on the button. Alvarado landed to the body but a long left hook had
his eye beginning to swell. Provodnikov ate shots, smiled, stuck out his tongue and was relentless in his
attack. Provodnikov staggered Alvarado at the end of the round with a hard overhand right and banked another
round. Provodnikov could begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel as he cranked up his work rate in
the eighth, while Alvarado started to wilt under the pressure. Provodnikov hurt him and then followed up
with a barrage of punches that sunk Alvarado to his knees. He barely beat the count, rising beyond the count
of nine. Provodnikov was in seek and destroy mode now, landing hard hooks to the body and Alvarado went down
a second time. He was up at eight but looked to be in bad shape. Provodnikov won the round 10-7 with the two
knockdowns.
Alvarado looked done to begin the ninth. The heavy shots of Provodnikov were taking their toll. Provodnikov
was punishing him with hooks to the body and his right cross. Alvarado was all heart and showed it landing a
hard combo but Provodnikov would not be denied. He won the round as Alvarado looked the worse for wear.
Heading into the championship rounds, Alvarado was down by five points on the FightNews/RMB card and
certainly needed a knock out to win. His corner tells him as much. He must have a Prescott type comeback to
win this one. Provodnikov sensed the end and he continued to punch and stalk Alvarado with complete
disregard for Alvarado’s power and punch as they have very little left on them. Provodnikov trapped him on
the ropes and unleashed a fuselage of power punches that had Alvarado reeling along the ropes as referee
Tony Weeks took a very close look. At the end of the round Provodnikov landed a left hook and overhand right
that staggered Alvarado at the bell, as he went to a neutral corner in confusion.
Rudy Hernandez tells his charge in the corner “We gotta stop this fight Mike. You have nothing left.” Tony
Weeks then pushes past the trainers to ask Alvarado if he wants to continue, forcing Alvarado to answer with
‘No’ before he will wave off the fight. He should have stopped it as soon as Hernandez said his fighter was
done. Alvarado doesn’t answer the bell for the eleventh round giving Provodnikov the TKO victory at 3:00 of
the tenth round.
Provodnikov said after the fight, “To become a world champion you must take risks, I came to his hometown.
My team told me from the get-go I would be a world champion.”
On Alvarado: “He’s a real man, a real champion.” On Freddie Roach: “I needed to win for Freddie. I miss him.”
After the two knockdowns in round eight: “I just needed to stay calm. I am a world champion like Leonard
and Duran. I made him not want to fight me anymore.
Shann Villhauer, Mike’s trainer commented, “It just wasn’t Mike’s night. He was too defensive. I didn’t like
the way he fought. He believed all the press clippings after the Rios rematch about being a great boxer and
he got away from what works.”
Provodnikov’s promoter Artie Pellulo said that there will be no rematch in Denver, maybe in Russia and that
Ruslan will not fight on Showtime, only HBO. He also said he would love to match Provodnikov against Pacquiao.
Baby Bull Busts Up Santiago
Former unified lightweight champion Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz (38-4, 19 KOs) continued his comeback against
Denver’s Juan “El Chago” Santiago (14-11-1, 8 KOs). Diaz won a much tougher than expected ten round unanimous
decision. Diaz came out on fire, obviously looking for the quick KO. He was throwing and landing bombs as
Santiago tried to survive the onslaught. Santiago fought back but a left hook dislodged his mouth piece.
Referee Curtis Thrasher stopped the action to rinse and replace it. Santiago landed hooks to the body but Diaz
dominated the opening round.
In the second, Santiago was trying to use his significant height and reach advantage, using his jab. He
somehow finds himself back on the ropes and that was where Diaz was most effective, on the inside. Diaz landed
left hooks to the body and overhand rights to the head. Santiago continued to fight back but loses another
round. Diaz slowed down in the third and Santiago was having a better round. Santiago let his hands go and he
was scoring. Diaz fired off a combination at the end of the round but couldn’t steal it, as Santiago won his
first round.
The fourth was another good round for Santiago as he landed an inside right hand that wobbled Diaz momentarily.
Diaz came back with hooks but Santiago was right in the fight. He landed a hard body shot that sent Diaz to
the ropes but Santiago couldn’t capitalize. They stand center ring to end the round, banging away with
Santiago getting the better of it and winning another round.
Diaz landed a hard left hook to the body to begin the fifth. Santiago began to wilt under the pressure a bit,
but never stopped punching, showing he has heart. Diaz got a warning from Thrasher for a low blow as he dug
into Santiago’s long and lean body. Santiago’s right eye began to swell from the left hooks.
Diaz continued his work rate and body punching to take the sixth round. He landed a counter right hand that
was flush but Santiago refused to go down and continued to punch away. The seventh round saw good back and
forth action with Santiago getting the best of the exchanges. Santiago began to pressure Diaz to the ropes and
landed shots. Diaz tried to flurry at round’s end for a steal but Santiago takes it.
They start the eighth with a fight in a phone booth as they go toe to toe. Diaz was timing Santiago coming in,
but he kept on coming. The ninth was more of the same as Diaz begins to take over the fight. Santiago lost
his mouthpiece again, but he picked it up himself and refused a rinse from Thrasher, saying “Let’s go”.
Santiago was all fighter.
Santiago had a better round in the tenth using his jab and right hands. Diaz eventually trapped him on the
ropes and unleashed hooks to the body and head. Santiago had no quit in him at all, he took his lumps and
keeps on fighting. The FightNews/RMB card reads 97-93 after ten hard fought rounds. Judges ringside agree as
Ed Kugler scores it the same 97-93, Tyrone Short has it 99-91 and Steve Waldman scores a shutout at 100-90.
Local fighter Manuel ‘Manos’ Perez has stated he would ‘absolutely love’ a fight with Juan Diaz.
Cordero Annihilates Rubio
Fast rising bantamweight prospect Starling Cordero of Puerto Rico, annihilated over matched opponent,
Abraham Rubio of Mexico. Cordero came out fast, trapping Rubio in a corner. Moments into the bout, Cordero
dropped Rubio with a left hook. Rubio rose from the canvas but not for long. The follow up attack from
Cordero had referee Stephen Blea stepping to save Rubio. The end came at 1:39 of the first. Cordero improved
to 7-0, 4KOs while Rubio dropped to 3-2-1, 1KO.
Escamilla Drops Quintero in decision win
Local super featherweight prospect David Escamilla, who has the same team as Mike Alvarado in Shann Villhauer
and Henry Delgado, took on Jair Quintero of Mexico. Round one was slow as both fighters looked to establish
their game plans. Quintero was the busier fighter in taking the round. Escamilla was the aggressor in round
two, dropping Quintero with a left hook to the body. He beat the count by Curtis Thrasher. Escamilla enjoyed
a nice 3rd round as he pressured a tiring Quintero. Quintero hung tough though, fighting back. Escamilla was
on the verge of stopping Quintero in round four. However, Quintero staggered Escamilla with a counter right
hook to halt his attack. After four rounds, all three judges, Jeanne McEvoy, Tyrone Short and Steve Waldman
saw the fight the same way, 39-36 for David Escamilla. Escamilla improved 3-0, 1 KO while Quintero dropped 
to 2-1-1.
Oliveira Impressive with ‘Popo’ Watching
Super featherweight Vitor Jones de Oliveira (1-0, 1 KO), nephew of Acelino Freitas, stopped Martin Quezada
(2-8, 2 KOs) at 2:01 of the second round. Oliveira of Brazil, was also trained by Acelino Freitas. After a
close first round, Oliveira went to work. A straight right to the body dropped Quezada midway through the
second. Oliveira’s follow up attack floored Quezada again, compliments of a left hook to the body. Quezada
rose to the occasion for the hometown crowd. However, Oliveira was too much as referee Stephan Blea stepped
in moments later to stop the bout at 2:01 of the second round.
Calzada Wins Majority Decision over Marquez
Welterweight Carlos Marquez had a solid first round, jabbing and keeping his distance from a charging Calzada.
Calzada picked up the pressure in round two, attacking Marquez with a relentless body attack. Much of the
same in the third, with Calzada pressuring Marquez with a body attack. Marquez started to slow down. Rounds
four and five were the same as Calzada blistered Marquez with vicious body shots. After six rounds, Judge
Tyrone Short scored the bout, even 57-57 a draw. However, judge Ed Kugler scored it 59-55 and judge Jeanne
McEvoy scored it 58-56 for the winner by majority decision, Daniel Calzada. Calzada moved to 9-8-2, 1 KO
while Marquez dropped to 4-2, 1K O.
Lopez Outworks Chavez
Manuel Lopez won a workman like decision over Julio Chavez in the walkout bout. Lopez dropped Chavez with a
left hook in the opening round. He followed that up a knockdown in round two via a straight right hand. After
four rounds all three judges saw it the same, 40-34 for Manuel Lopez. Lopez improved to 5-0, 4 KOs while
Chavez dropped to 6-6-1, 2 KOs.
Dennis Destroys Arceo
In the opening fight of the night, southpaw heavyweight Donovan Dennis (9-1, 7 KOs) stopped previously
unbeaten Hugo Arceo (3-1-1, 3 KOs) when referee Curtis Thrasher waved off the bout at 2:33 of round three.
Dennis opened the first using his southpaw jab to keep Arceo on the outside. Dennis landed a left right
combination and Arceo dropped to his knees. He beat the count but got hurt with right hand at the end of
the round. Arceo tried to open up in the second but Dennis was too athletic. Dennis rocked Arceo with big
shots and floored him again with a counter left hand, however referee Curtis Thrasher missed the call ruling
it a slip. By round’s end, Dennis was teeing off on Arceo. Arceo was just too slow of hand and foot to catch
up with Dennis who was picking his shots and landing at will. Arceo lost his mouth piece twice in the round
with Thrasher taking a point after the second infraction. They get into a slugfest on the ropes with Dennis
getting the better of the action. Arceo lost his mouth piece again and when he came to the corner for a rinse,
his corner stopped the fight.
Top Rank put on a good fight card with yet another “Fight of the Year” candidate to their credit. The Colorado
fans showed their support with a sellout crowd of 7,012 as they were treated to the very first fight card ever
televised on HBO from Colorado. Fans were treated to pictures with Roy Jones, Max Kellerman and Lupe Contreras
as they soaked up the HBO atmosphere. Stevie ‘Lil But Bad’ Johnston, Acelino ‘Popo’ Freitas, Roy Jones Jr. and
Davarryl Williamson were all announced as in attendance.

Juan Diaz, Jones de Oliveira Secure Wins in Denver [3] 
By David P. Greisman; BoxingScene Last update:  10/19/2013 
1STBANK Center, Broomfield, Denver, Colorado - Juan Diaz sought to overwhelm Juan Santiago from the outset, but
instead had to work his way to a 10-round unanimous decision. Diaz rushed out of his corner in the opening round,
digging into Santiago’s body while Santiago returned fire on occasion with shots to the head. Soon Diaz began to
mix in left hooks and overhand rights to the head in-between those body shots. Santiago attempted to jab to
establish distance and soon had his mouthpiece knocked out. With Diaz concentrating so much on offense and so
little on head movement, he began to eat punches from Santiago in the second round. Santiago was withstanding
Diaz’s attack and standing in with him, snapping Diaz’s head back with jabs in the second round.
Diaz began to dial back the volume in the third, saving his all-out attack and turning to his own jab, though he
still would send out salvos of left hooks. He came out firing again in the fifth, often digging a left hook to
the body followed by an overhand right to the head.
Yet Santiago, who’d been stopped in five of his 10 losses, was able to soak up Diaz’s shots, and he even began
to walk Diaz down in the sixth. Diaz continued to land clean shots, sending Santiago’s mouthpiece flying out
twice more. Santiago raised his glove after the eighth round, but the only victory he may have left with two
rounds later was a moral one — he went 10 rounds with a former lightweight world titleholder.
The judges had Diaz winning 97-93, 99-91 and 100-90.
This was Diaz’s third comeback fight since his July 2010 rematch loss to Juan Manuel Marquez. The 30-year-old
from Houston returned this past April after two and a half years away from the sport, scoring a stoppage win
over Pipino Cuevas Jr. and then getting a technical knockout against Adailton De Jesus in August. He is now
38-4 (19 KOs). Santiago, 28, of Denver, is now 14-11-1 (8 KOs).
Former lightweight champion Juan Diaz (38-4, 19KOs) dominated and won a ten round unanimous decision over Juan
Santiago (14-11-1, 8KOs). Diaz punished Santiago in several rounds, but couldn't put him away. The scores were
97-93, 99-91 and 100-90.
- Daniel Calzada took a majority decision over Carlos Marquez in a six-round welterweight fight with no
pretense and no defense. The scores were a 57-57 draw, overruled by the 59-55 and 58-56 cards from the
remaining two judges. Calzada, a 22-year-old announced as being out of Denver, improves to 9-9-2 (2 KOs).
Marquez, 25, of Longmont, Colo., falls to 4-2 (1 KO).
- Vitor Jones de Oliveira, a junior lightweight who is a nephew of Acelino Freitas, used body shot after body
shot to score a second-round technical knockout of Martin Quezada. Quezada had his moments in the first round.
The second was all Jones de Oliveira’s. A right to the body scored the first knockdown about 70 seconds into
the round. Quezada rose, then got hit by two right hands to the body, followed by a left hand upstairs and
another right hand to the body. Quezada went down again, then rose at seven. Jones de Oliveira continued the
body attack, Quezada dropped to a knee for the third time, and t he referee called a halt to the bout.
The time of the stoppage was 2 minutes and 1 second into the round.
Jones de Oliveira, 20, of Brasilia, brazil, is now 1-0 with 1 no contest. His other pro fight listed on
BoxRec came in July 2012 and was a first-round technical knockout win that was later overturned. Quezada, 20,
of Denver, is now 2-8 (2 KOs). This was his fifth time being stopped in the second round.
- Junior featherweight David Escamilla took a unanimous decision over Jair Quintero in a fun four-rounder,
with all three judges seeing him winning by a 39-36 margin. The southpaw Escamilla dropped Quintero with a
left hand to the body with about 45 seconds to go in the second round. Quintero rose, and Escamilla returned
with more body shots. Quintero retaliated, throwing several right uppercuts from the ropes just before the
bell rang to end the stanza.
Escamilla had the activity and pressure, while Quintero waited for openings and opportunities. Quintero’s
best moment came too late, toward the end of the fourth round, when a right uppercut and a right cross
suddenly had Escamilla moving away. It wouldn’t be enough. Escamilla soon came back with a right hook and a
left uppercut, and the bell rang to end the bout.Escamilla, a 21-year-old Denver resident, is now 3-0 (1 KO).
Quintero, 20, of Hermosillo, Mexico, is either 1-1-1 with zero KOs or 2-0-1 with zero KOs, depending on
where you check.
- Starling Cordero, a bantamweight prospect whose older half-brother is junior welterweight Thomas Dulorme,
made quick work of his opponent, stopping Abraham Rubio in just 99 seconds.
Cordero scored a knockdown in the opening minute. After Rubio rose, Cordero jumped in and wouldn’t let up,
backing Rubio to the red corner and pummeling him to the head and body until the referee stepped in.
Cordero, a 22-year-old from Carolina, Puerto Rico, is now 7-0 (4 KOs). Rubio, 25, of Agua Prieta, Sonora,
Mexico, is now 3-2-1 (1 KO).
- In the night’s opening fight, heavyweight Donovan Dennis scored a bizarre third-round stoppage over Hugo
Arceo. Dennis knocked Arceo down early in the first round with a left hand, putting Arceo on a knee and then
landing another left hand. Arceo rose and battled back, pushing Dennis against the ropes. Both men traded
before the bell rang to end the round.
That pattern continued in the second: Dennis landing, Arceo throwing back. A one-two knocked Arceo’s
mouthpiece out, and that wouldn’t be the first time. Later in the round, Dennis landed a left hand counter,
and Arceo returned to the canvas. The referee called it a slip, however. Arceo’s mouthpiece was knocked out
three times in the third round, making it four times total on the night. After the last occurrence, the
referee brought Arceo to his corner and the bout was waved off.
The time of the stoppage was 2 minutes and 33 seconds into the round. Dennis, a 26-year-old from Davenport,
Iowa, is now 9-1 (7 KOs, 1 no contest). Arceo, a 36-year-old from Boulder, Colo., falls to 3-1-1 (3 KOs).