UCA Triple Header

Boxing fans filled the Shaun Diamond Plaza in Pomona, CA Saturday, August 17, 2019 for the 911 Fight Night “UCA Triple Header.” The first title fight of the night featured, from Stockton, CA, the undefeated UCA Super Welterweight Champion April Martinez, CDCR – CHCF defending her title against hometown favorite Alison Ziolkowski, Care Ambulance (Paramedic). When the bell sounded Martinez came out with good composure and started to put her punches together nicely.  She was using all her tools: angles, feints, jabs, crosses, and working the body, but Alison wasn’t going anywhere. She absorbed the punches and fired back with her own. Martinez turned up the heat in the 2nd round. Alison did her best to keep Martinez off, 30 seconds left in the 2nd round the referee stepped in and put an end to the fight. And still……the UCA Super Welterweight Champion April Martinez, CDCR CHCF. Martinez will be back in the ring on October 5, 2019 when she makes her 2nd title defense against Jessica Segovia, Banning Police Dept. at the NorCal Battle of the Badges in Sacramento.

The second title fight of the night featured a Repeat or Revenge match-up between the Champion Aurelio Vazquez, LAPD vs #1 Jack Rivera, Sac City Fire Dept. In a rematch does the fighter who won the first time have an advantage? Does the winner have more confidence because he already beat his opponent?  Or does the fighter who was defeated work harder, correct mistakes, change tactics, and up his level of conditioning to be more prepared? Revenge can be a powerful, motivating force in training camp. When the bell rang to start this highly anticipated rematch Vazquez and Rivera picked up where they left off 4 months ago.  It was a fast paced fight fought at close quarters. These guys don’t need a ring they can fight in a phone booth. Both fighters did a good job of finding openings to land punches. Vazquez started to slow down in the 2nd round and Rivera still had gas in the tank. One round a piece going into the 3rd.  When the bell sounded to start the 3rd round the champion knew his title was in jeopardy and went right after Rivera forcing him to the ropes. Whoever wins the 3rd round wins the fight. Both fighters were throwing and landing punches until the final bell. Once the score cards were added up we had a winner.….And still…. the Masters UCA Jr Cruiserweight Champion Aurelio Vazquez, LAPD.

The Champion Christian Pharo, San Diego Fire Dept Lifeguard vs #1 Dusty Rodriguez , Santa Monica Fire Dept. featured two fundamentally sound highly skilled fighters in an all-time great war for the UCA Jr Middleweight crown. It doesn’t get any better than this. Both fighters are at the top of their game and each have coaches with World Championship corner experience. Rodriguez trains out of Knuckleheadz Boxing in Ventura, CA under coach Joe “Hoss” Janik. Pharo trains at Pacific Training Center in San Diego under coach Eddie Roa. Both fighters spar with professional fighters most notably Pharo trains with the former undefeated WBO Jr Welterweight Champion Maurice Hooker. Pharo even got in a couple rounds with the Champion during training camp. When the bell sounded the fighters were anxious to get started. They met in the center of the ring and started throwing crisp, fast, hard punches. Pharo and Rodriguez looked like pros in there showing great balance rhythm and timing  Tough round to score. Team Pharo made an adjustment in the 2nd round. He used his speed, reach and footwork to move in and out of range of his dangerous opponent. Pharo continued to box with skill, discipline and intelligence in the 3rd. Rodriguez would land some nice body shots but it wasn’t enough to stop the champion. Pharo was the superior boxer and  executed a winning strategy to retain his title. And still…the UCA Jr Jr Middleweight Champion Christain Pharo.

One boxing adage would have you believe that a champion isn’t a real champion until they defend their title. Congratulations to the reigning and defending UCA Champions April Martinez, Aurelio Vazquez and Christian Pharo. They accomplished something a small percentage of fighters ever will, and nobody can take that away from them.