Cazares Comes Back With Win Over Guardia - Boxing
By Coyote Duran and Debbie Wagner at Ringside (Jan 28, 2008) Doghouse Boxing (Photo © German Villasenor)  
Often overlooked but never short on action, Cicero Stadium in Cicero, Illinois was the setting once more for monthly Friday night action in an action-laden card brought to the ‘burbs by co-promoters 8 Count Productions and Golden Boy Promotions (televised on Telefutura’s Solo Boxeo). In a ten round main event attraction, former World Junior Flyweight Champion Hugo Cazares, Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, came back from his loss to Ivan ‘Iron Boy’ Calderon with a workman-like unanimous decision win over former 105-pound titlist Kermin Guardia, Miami, Florida via Colombia.

With no title on the line, there was a brisk activity level that could’ve made any fan believe otherwise. Weighing in five pounds north of his customary fighting weight, Cazares, 26-4-1 (19), was primed and ready to face a man whose spirit defied the fact that he lost five of his last seven fights. The first round was a sizing up period for both men that saw Cazares controlling center ring and in constant pursuit of the 38 year-old Guardia. Scoring was minimal at best save for sporadic shots by the Colombian.

The formula was set by the fourth heat with Guardia using much of Cazares’ excessive lunging as a timing advantage, eluding Cazares almost every time the former world champion threw a wild haymaker. The best action laid within close quarters as the two flyweights would trade copiously with Guardia seemingly landing tight uppercuts and hooks. But as wild as Cazares’ approach may have been, ‘El Increible’ always had the advantage on the outside when his fierce lunging would eventually connect.

Throughout the fight, Guardia sustained an illusion of scoring through activity but many of his frequent combinations didn’t connect as planned and many hesitations occurred most likely because of either man’s respect for each other’s ability. Cazares’ loss to Calderon obviously made him understandably gunshy while Guardia had everything to gain.

In the final rounds, Guardia knew time was ticking away and elected to raise his game getting the better of Cazares in the ninth. The momentum peeled away, however, as Cazares surprised Guardia with a burst of energy, firing more combos which were conspicuously absent from his repertoire throughout the previous rounds.

While no threat of knockout reared its head, Cazares gained a confidence-building win over a still very capable opponent in Guardia via a rather comfortable unanimous decision. Judges Gary Kruse and Robert Hecko both scored the bout 97-93 and judge Nathan Palmer saw the fight 98-92. The referee was Gerald Scott.

Although not necessarily a barnburner, Cazares-Guardia was still a quality matchup that will undoubtedly open up more possibilities for Hugo Cazares’ future at either 108 or 112. An interesting circle was completed in Cazares’ win for Guardia was defeated by then-WBO junior flyweight titlist Nelson Dieppa (in March 2004) who Cazares had stopped in ten rounds for The Ring’s World Junior Flyweight Championship and the WBO belt in September 2006.

Deb’s Undercard Notes

Gadiel Andaluz, 1-0 (1) TKO 3 Marsay Buggs, 0-4, junior lightweights. Jose Navarrete, 8-13-2 (3) UD 6 Barbaro Zepeda, 8-18-2 (2), lightweights. Ivan Popoca, 4-0-1 (4) TKO 2 Richard Baldo, 1-1 (1), welterweights. Baldo, known as ‘The Angry Redneck’, should probably change his name to ‘The Sad Redneck’ after this one.

Daniel Jacobs, 2-0 (2) KO 1 Hector Lopez, 1-2 (1), middleweights. A crippling body shot kept Lopez down but not down enough to keep him from showboating after the fight. A slight boo to Jacobs for popping Lopez for popping Lopez as he offered a peaceful glove after the opening bell. However, to be fair, gloves were already touched prior to the bell and as the old saying goes, one should always “protect himself at all times.”

Carlos Velasquez, 6-0 (6) TKO 1 Eber Luis Perez, 10-13 (7), junior lightweights. In what had to be the knockout of the evening. Perez ate a left hand that dropped him twice.

Juan Carlos Velasquez, 6-0 (4) KO 4 Noe Inzunza, 7-13-1 (2), junior lightweights. Talk about ‘double vision’! Even ring announcer Lupe Contreras looked confused as Velasquez and spitting image brother Carlos entered the ring at the same time.

Michael Faragon, 2-0 MD 4 Heriberto Ponce, 1-3, lightweights.

Questions or comments,
e-mail Coyote at: artofthepaw@yahoo.com
Visit Coyote at: myspace.com/coyote_duran

e-mail Debbie at: fisticutie@yahoo.com
Visit Debbie at: myspace.com/jdsr92.






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