“La Amenaza” faces Calvin Odom TONITE!
Roberto “La Amenaza” Garcia may find “Redemption” tonight when he faces Calvin Odom for the second time in his career.
A victory tonight for the Texas fighter, who trains out of Wild Card, will even the score in this eight-round rematch between the two.
Weslaco fighter Garcia (29-3, 21 KOs) suffered his very first loss back in April 2003 against Odom (15-8, 11 KOs) in their first bout in Texas. With revenge on his mind, “La Amenaza” looked ready to go at yesterday’s weigh-in. Training with Eric Brown, the junior middleweight scored a victory over Shibata Flores in March. While Roberto is best known for fighting Antonio Margarito (in his comeback bout) last year, the tough Mexican warrior continues to make a name for himself. Expect a large crowd rooting for the Wild Card favorite as he gets another shot at redemption tonight in the show’s main event.
This “Combat United” card is presented by All-Star Promotions in conjunction with Vince Young. At the weigh-in, promoter Ed Holmes and matchmaker Pete Hironaka told me the night will feature live professional boxing, live pro MMA and some amateur MMA bouts as well in this Southern California showdown. Their All-Star fights always pack in the fans, and tonight’s card should offer the same non-stop action the promoters are known for.
And the main event will be a long-awaited rematch for Team Garcia since that early lost to Odom by a unanimous decision in their first go-round. Inglewood’s Odom reportedly took a hiatus from boxing due to a stint in jail but is now ready to prove he can still compete. With Kevin Morgan in his corner, Calvin will have a scheduled eight rounds to brush off any accumulated layers of ring rust. This will be his first fight since 2006.
But before they hit each other, the boxers had to hit the scales.
After hitting their marks, I chatted with many of the sluggers who were enjoying the best part of their weigh-in: the large meals they can finally eat. With the threat of not making weight always hovering, the guys all told me how happy they were to finally being able to chow down at the special Cinco de Mayo buffet. As I watched several of them going back for seconds–and thirds–along with dessert, the young athletes spoke of the sacrifices made leading up to a fight.
I visited with the crew from Maywood gym as they gear up for Ruben “El Ciclon” Rivera’s clash against David Tabatadze. Trainer Clemente Medina, his son and fighter Emanuel Medina and cutman Gil “Candyman” Nieves were all with Rivera, who has become known for wearing an oversized sombrero into the ring and having legions of fans wearing green “El Ciclon” shirts in support. Boxing coach Medina also trains Abner Mares, whose bout against Joseph Agbeko was canceled due to Agbeko’s sciatica. “Is the fight going to be rescheduled?” I asked Clemente, who said he’s still waiting to hear news of when and who Mares will get to fight. Also caught up with the trainer’s son Manny, who said he’ll be back in the ring maybe June or July.
I next spoke with Burbank boxer Johnny “Bulldog” Suarez and trainer Mike Rodriguez. This will be pro fight number 14 for the “Bulldog” and he hopes to be in the win column this time. Facing the always-game Mario Evangelista, Suarez told me, “I’m gonna do my thing and hope it turns out good–and I end up with a W.” His trainer says he’s in great shape and more than ready.
And you might be surprised to learn who Suarez’s chief sparring partner is. “Mario Lopez and Johnny spar together!” trainer Rodriguez says. “They’ve worked together for years.” Yes, the popular actor, athlete and boxing aficionado Mario Lopez frequently laces up with the camp. The guys tell me that Lopez will be fighting in an exhibition on June 4.
“What do you think of his skills in the ring?” I say to Johnny.
“He’s good; he’s got great combos, uppercuts and hooks,” Suarez answers. “And he’s a good inside fighter too!”
You can catch Suarez (Mario’s stablemate) in action TONIGHT–along with Roberto Garcia in his rematch versus the returning Calvin Odom.
See you at the fights!
8 rounds
Roberto Garcia 152 vs. Calvin Odom 149
6 rounds
Ruben Rivera 159 vs. David Tabatadze 160
6 rounds
Johnny Suarez 153 vs. Mario Evangelista 161*
4 rounds
Tatsuro Irie 146.5 vs. John Worthy TBA
(MMA Pro bout)
Jon Chacon TBA vs. Kevin Michel 140.5
*Both camps agreed to weight
“Redemption: Combat United”
Live boxing and MMA
Friday, May 6
Quiet Cannon in Montebello
Bouts begin 7 pm
All bouts subject to change
Tickets: (323-816-6200)
Garcia-Odom photo by Miguel Salazar
Additional photos by Michele Chong