Vargas, Salido put on a show
Saturday’s Premier Boxing Champions card at Honda Center, headlined by former welterweight champion Robert Guerrero against David Peralta, will face stiff competition to crack the 2016 list of best bouts in the state. However, with a Sept. 10 card scheduled at the Forum headlined by undefeated flyweight champ Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, and a packed card likely bound for Staples Center in October, this list could be reshaped by New Year’s Day.
1. Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido, June 4, StubHub Center
This was the fight-of-theyear leader until L.A.’s Leo Santa Cruz threw 1,000 punches and lost his first bout in a narrow July 30 decision to Carl Frampton in New York. But the VargasSalido draw was so wearing that Vargas, who retained his super-featherweight title, is taking an extended breather.
2. Jesus Soto-Karass vs. Yoshihiro Kamegai, April 15, Belasco Theater
The can’t-miss superwelterweight war fulfilled expectations in a toe-to-toe draw in the downtown L.A. club. It was so good that a rematch is scheduled for Sept. 10 at the Forum.
3. Andre Berto vs. Victor Ortiz, April 30, StubHub Center
In a rematch of their 2011 fight of the year, Ortiz dropped Berto in the second round before Berto answered with punishing blows to get two knockdowns and a stoppage in the fourth that moved him closer to a title shot with welterweight champ Danny Garcia.
4. Erick Ituarte vs. Daniel Ramirez, June 24, Ontario Doubletree
Santa Ana superfeatherweight Ituarte pulled himself off the canvas twice, and knocked down Ramirez in the third round, in a slugfest at the same venue where Timothy Bradley Jr. and Chris Arreola honed their skills.
5. Lucas Santa Maria vs. Timothy Lee, Feb. 18, the Hangar, Costa Mesa
Four-rounders can be thrilling. In this one, after Santa Maria was knocked to the canvas in the first round by then-unbeaten amateur champion Lee, he decked Lee in the second and roughed him up en route to Santa Maria’s unanimous-decision win. He also scooped up $200 in cash thrown into the ring by appreciative fans.