Fight Night At LA Live:
Rodela Split Decisions Garcia

By Roy Marquez
Photos: Marlene Marquez

A young, stylish crowd packed Club Nokia to welcome small venue boxing back to downtown Los Angeles. Lightweight David Rodela earned a split decision victory over Juan Garcia in the main event of the first installment of Fight Night Club. Aired on Versus, the fight series returns to Club Nokia on July 30th, August 27th and September 24th.

Oxnard, CA based lightweight David Rodela found a home for his uppercut in downtown Los Angeles against Phoenix, AZ native Juan Garcia. Rodela (13-1-3) scored with the punch early and often to build a lead on the scorecards. But the fight changed in the fourth when Rodela damaged his right hand hitting Garcia (14-3) in the back of the head during a confusing exchange in the round.

Rodela stunned Garcia with a right and followed him to the corner where Garcia wilted under a barrage of punches. Rodela stopped punching thinking he had scored a knockdown but referee Pat Russell gave no such signal.

“I didn’t want to get disqualified”, explained Rodela. “I thought, should I hit him? Should I not? I was winning the fight so why chance it?” The injury slowed Rodela over the final two rounds and made for an interesting finish. Garcia charged after Rodela landing hard rights over Rodela’s left jab. The final scorecards favored Rodela, 59-55, 59-55 & 56-57.
 

Luis Ramos knocked out of Baudel Cardenas in the fifth round of their lightweight contest to win in dramatic fashion. Ramos delivered a crushing right hand Cardenas did not see but felt before hitting the canvas.

Referee Pat Russell counted out Cardenas (18-17-2) at 2:26 of the round. From the opening bell Ramos (11-0) pressed the action. A Ramos right to the body dropped Cardenas in the first.

Ramos stayed on top of Cardenas throughout the fight, doubling up on the jab and right hook to the body. Ramos remains undefeated as a professional.
 

Featherweight prospect Charles Huerta exploded on Noe Lopez stopping the previously undefeated fighter at 1:02 of the third round. After a slow opening round Huerta (11-0) measured Lopez and rained right hands on his opponent in the second.

Lopez (4-1) survived the round but would not make it out of the third. Huerta uncorked a left hook to drop Lopez early in the round.

Lopez rose to his feet but remained in a fog as he went down a second time from a Huerta straight right. Huerta finished off Lopez moments later with a fight ending right hand.
 

Ricky Lopez proved too much for fellow featherweight Rufino Serrano in the opening bout of the evening. Lopez (4-0) put together right hands and left hooks to dominate the action on route to a four round unanimous decision.

Serrano (1-1) hung tough but didn’t take advantage of his superior height and length. Lopez showed good poise for a young fighter and is definitely one to watch.
 

Jose Roman (5-0) suffered a first round knock down at the hands of Ramon Flores (3-6-1) but rallied in the second to win by devastating KO.

Roman stunned Flores with a left and then unloaded a flurry of bombs on the defenseless Flores. Referee Dr. Lou Moret jumped between the fighters to spare Flores further punishment.