2013 UCA Year In Review

This year marked a great year of public safety boxing. Sold out events in great venues like Pechanga Casino, Pala Casino, Rabobank Arena and the Quiet Cannon. Four State champions were crowned including the first female, Stephanie Sparks, LASD and the undefeated Champion Brian Stevens, LASD made the first defense of his Cruiserweight Title. The Battle of the Badges boxing events continue to gain steam. Each event features undiscovered talent, future champions and the best fighters in the state competing for championship titles. LASD and LAPD still have the strongest teams; however Big Bear City FD, Orange County, Alameda County, and the California Dept. of Corrections are putting together boxing teams and will soon be gaining ground on the dominant LASD and LAPD teams. This makes for some great rivalries and great fights to look forward to.

UCA Promoter of the Year: Jeff Penn, SoCal Battle of the Badges:

The SoCal Battle of the Badges events are held in some of the best venues in California. Pechanga, Agua Caliente, Pala and Morongo Casino & Resort have played host to the most electrifying events of 2013. Jeff Penn has propelled the SoCal Battle of the Badges Events to new heights with some amazing fights. The SoCal Battle of the Badges continues to gain popularity and has become the most sought after event for fighters to compete at and fight fans to attend.

UCA Fights that gave creditability to Public Safety Boxing:

Due to the competitive high level performance provided by these boxers they can be compared to open USA Boxing amateurs. Caamal, LASD vs. Bugarin, Santa Clara SD, Stevens, LASD vs. Brathwaite,Orange Co SD Wurdinger, Santa Clara PD vs. Barragan,LAPD  Wurdinger, Santa Clara PD vs. Seward, Big Bear City FD, Barrios, LASD vs. Perez, LAPD, Rojas, LASD vs. Perez, LAPD  to name a few. These matches raised the bar for all Public Safety fighters and brought us to the mega fights we currently have today and for the future.

UCA Event of the Year: Richmond Battle of the Badges:

In what was labeled, “UCA Triple Header” the fighters did their part to live up to the hype of the card name. Three State Championship fights and some of the top names in boxing all on one card. Everyone on the card was ranked in the top ten, with the exception of one fighter.  Two “Fight of the Night” honors awarded to Quincy Mirage, LAPD vs. Brent Burkhart, CDCR in a barnburner of a fight and Williams, CDCR vs. Sparks, LASD in a back and forth battle. Sparks would later become the first female State Champion.  The Richmond Battle of the Badges also turned out to be the first North vs. South Battle of the Badges with the NORTH winning 5 of the 8 bouts.  The Richmond Battle of the Badges delivered a high-caliber event and one of the most talent stacked cards in recent years.

UCA Fighter of the Year: 

Stephanie Sparks, LASD, Super Middleweight State Champion

Brent Bugarin,Santa Clara SD, Welterweight State Champion

Matt Wurdinger, Santa Clara PD, Light Heavyweight State Champion

Brian Stevens, LASD Cruiserweight State Champion

Cleon Jones, Yolo Co Corrections, Super Heavyweight State Champion

 UCA Coach of the Year:

Armando “Mando” Guzman, Lite it up Boxing, Trainer of the UCA Cruiserweight Champion Brian Stevens, LASD,

Arvin Jugarap, The Kennel Boxing Gym, Trainer of the UCA Welterweight Champion Brent Bugarin, Santa Clara SD,

Coach Sarge, Dreamland Boxing, Trainer of the UCA Light Heavyweight Champion Matt Wurdinger, Santa Clara PD.

Mike Young, Rock n’ Roll Gym, Trainer of the UCA Welterweight Champion Stephanie Sparks, LASD

Miguel Munoz, Woodland Boxing Club, Trainer of the UCA Super Heavyweight Champion Cleon Jones, Yolo Co. Corrections.

UCA Courage Award: 
Having the courage to take on a challenge and be mentally and physically strong, against all odds – going into battle knowing what might happen and being brave enough to fight on.

Craig Hamblin, CDCR, Solano

Mario Alonzo, CDCR Ironwood

Best Nickname:

Juanita “Green Eyed Monster” Aragon, Morongo Public Safety

2013 Biggest upset:

Unranked Manuel Zavala, CDCR defeated 2^nd ranked Adam Acuna, Baldwin Park PD, June 1, 2013 SoCal Battle of the Badges.  “Fight of the Night” honors.

9^th Ranked Matthew Pereida, LASD handed undefeated 2nd Ranked Aurelio Vasquez, LAPD his first defeat. Nov 22, 2013, Fight for Life.  “Fight of the Night” honors.

Unranked Daniel Coca, CDCR, WSP defeated 5^th Ranked Chris Martinez, Avenal PD, October 19, 2013 Gun & Hoses.

2013 Classic Rematches:

Rematches are the result of a close, intense, all action, competitive fight, where both camps believe they won.  The close decisions of these fights made fans begging for a rematch.

Stevens, LASD vs. Brathwaite, Orange Co SD

Hernandez, LASD vs. Hamblin, CDCR Solano

Manning, LASD vs. Martinez, Avenal PD

Sparks, LASD vs. Williams, CDCR, San Quentin

Ramirez, LASD vs. Mirage, LAPD

UCA Fights of the Year:

“Fight of the Night” honors are memorable battles that undoubtedly will be talked about years from now.   While most fights come and go Fight of the Night battles live on through the ages and become a part of Public Safety Boxing History.  

Quincy Mirage, LAPD vs Brent Burkhart, CDCR, DVI – 4-20-13 Richmond Battle of the Badges

Eddie Montano, LAPD vs. Mark Marroquin, LASD – 5-24-13, LA Battle of the Badges

Aurelio Vasquez, LAPD vs. Matt Pereida, LASD -11-22-13 LA Fight for Life

Daniel Alvarez, RSO vs. Freddy Walton, Bail Bonds Agent 8-17-13 SoCal Battle of the Badges

Aaron Broyles, CDCR, Solano vs. Ray Cancel, CDCR, CSP SAC -8-24-13, Sac Battle of the Badges

UCA Dream Rematches: 

Shannon Lopez, LAPD vs. Dianna Fazzini, LASD

Montano, LAPD vs. Rodriguez, Santa Monica FD

Vasquez, LAPD vs. Pereida, LASD

Jones, Yolo Co Corrections vs. McIntyre, CDCR

Bugarin, Santa Clara SD vs. Caamal, LASD

Flores, Stanislaus SD vs. Lavarro, Long Beach PD

UCA Dream Title Fights:

Shannon Lopez, LAPD vs. Julie Williams, CDCR San Quentin (168lbs)

Wurdinger, Santa Clara PD vs. Brathwaite, Orange Co SD (175lbs)

Stevens, LASD vs. Garcia, LAPD (190lbs)

Rojas, LASD vs. Barrios, LASD (205lbs)

Frazier, LASD vs. Hotchkiss, Barstow PD (220lbs)

UCA Dream Title Fights:

Stephanie Sparks, LASD vs Julie Williams, CDCR San Quentin

Brent Bugarin, Santa Clara SD vs. Jorge Caamal, LASD

Matt Wurdinger, Santa Clara PD vs. Mike Barragan, LAPD

Brian Stevens, LASD vs. Jamaal Brathwaite, Orange Co SD

Cleon Jones, Yolo Co Corrections vs. Rahsaan Harrison, LASD

Fighters who made an immediate impact:

Crysti Resendez, San Bernardino SD

Jasmine Singh, Security Officer

Vanessa Siordia, LAPD

Daniel Ramirez, LAPD

Jose Corral, LASD

Matthew Pereida, LASD

Kyle Ferrari, Alhambra PD

James Brown, Anaheim PD

Nick Bennalack, Anaheim PD

Daniel Coca, CDCR

Manuel Zavala, CDCR

Shawn Sutherland, Big Bear City FD

Fighters to keep an eye on:

Savannah Stewart, Richmond PD, Shannon Lopez, LAPD, Dianna Fazzini, LASD, Mike Barragan, LAPD, Larry Cervantes, LASD, Shay McIntyre, CDCR, Guillermo Garcia, LAPD, Daniel Alvarez, RSO, Adam Acuna, Baldwin Park PD, Ray Encinas, LAPD, Angel Vasquez, LASD, Chris Martinez, Avenal PD, Brandon Manning, LASD, Quincy Mirage, LAPD, Aurelio Vasquez, LAPD, Brendi Ponce, LAPD, Eddie Montano, LAPD, DJ Vargas, Avenal PD, Sergio Trejo, LASD, Alex Perez, LAPD, Lamar Wilson, LASD, William Neal, LAPD, Antonio Rodriguez, CDCR, Mike Hernandez, LASD, Bert Castaneda, LAPD, Rahsaan Harrison, LASD

UCA Rumors: 

Bryan Williams, Fresno PD will come out of retirement if Mike Gomez, CDCR wins the Super Heavyweight Title.

Jamaal Brathwaite, Orange Co SD is dropping to 175lbs to challenge Matt Wurdinger, Santa Clara PD for his Light Heavyweight Title.

Bugarin, Santa Clara SD is dropping to 140 to attempt to be the first two division champion.

David Bermudez, East Bay Reg Parks PD is coming out of retirement to fight Jorge Caamal, LASD.

Francisco Flores, Stanislaus Co SD will take a rematch with Walter Lavarro, Long Beach PD in MMA or in boxing.

Super Fight Brian Stevens, LASD vs. Ryan Hotchkiss, Barstow PD

The Battle of the Badges will be televised on Spike, Fox Sports, or ESPN.