Northern California Notebook The busy month of Northern California fight cards which began last week in Fairfield continues this Friday in San Francisco and concludes the following Friday in Richmond. Not in several years has the region hosted three cards in as many weeks. Boxing Back in San Francisco This Friday’s edition of the weekly Telefutura series Solo Boxeo will emanate from a Northern California city once known to be a boxing hotbed, San Francisco. Professional boxing returns to the city for just the second time in the last five years at the Longshoremen’s Hall in Fisherman’s Wharf. The venue which played host to acts such as Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead in the 1960’s will showcase the sweet science for the first time since a modest card in 2004. Back in the 1950’s and 60’s, Filipino great Flash Elorde drew large crowds to see him fight in the city at the Cow Palace and the San Francisco Gardens. Promoter Don Chargin hopes history repeats itself as he places a young Filipino prospect in the main event on the 18th. Lightweight Mercito Gesta (20-0-1, 10 KOs) of San Diego, California by way of Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines will rematch Mexican journeyman Genaro Trazancos (22-13-1, 13 KOs) of Fort Myers, Florida by way of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico in an eight-rounder. Gesta, the WBO #12 ranked lightweight, stopped Trazancos in seven back in August. In the co-feature, WBO #2 ranked super featherweight Eloy Perez (19-0, 5 KOs) of Salinas, California will take on former contender Roger “Speedy” Gonzalez (27-3, 18 KOs) of Indio, California in an eight-round bout. Perez may be on the verge of fighting for the WBO title, as an elimination bout had even been in the offing, but he first must get past the challenge of Gonzalez, an all-action fighter who has never lost a decision. The undercard is slated to feature welterweight prospect Karim Mayfield (13-0-1, 8 KOs) of Daly City, California in a six- round bout. Mayfield headlined the only card held in San Francisco last year, as he demolished Sergio De La Torre in five rounds at the Kezar Pavilion in June. However, Mayfield’s opponent is yet to be named, and it is looking unlikely that one will. In other action, Adolfo Gonzalez (1-0) of Salinas will take on Jose Leon (1-0) of Visalia, California in a four-round lightweight bout. Aaron Garcia (9-1, 2 KOs) of Vista, California will take on a to be determined opponent in a six- round featherweight fight. Also, former amateur knockout artist Joe Gumina of San Bruno, California will make his pro debut against Jose Jesus Hurtado (3-2, 3 KOs) of San Ysidro, California in a four-round light heavyweight bout. Tickets for the event, promoted by Don Chargin Productions and Golden Boy Promotions, are available online at http://theboxingtruth.vbotickets.com. Julaton Brings Title Back to the Bay WBO Super Bantamweight Champion Ana Julaton (7-2-1, 1 KO) of Daly City will defend the title she won with a victory over Donna Biggers in San Jose, California in 2009 against veteran Franchesca Alcanter (18-9-1, 9 KOs) of Kansas City, Missouri in a ten-rounder at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, California on February 25th. Julaton is coming off a hard-fought ten-round split decision over Maria Villalobos back in June of last year. Julaton’s team has designs on bringing her to the Philippines for a title defense, or possibly a unification bout, but Alcanter comes first. “I know she’s taking this fight very seriously and she is training really hard to try and take the WBO title away from me,” Julaton told 15rounds.com. “From being a three- time world champion, I know I am in a position that people are trying to take what I have, and that is just the name of the game. I just have to make sure that I don’t take anything lightly and stay grounded.” In her last bout, Alcanter, who also has some MMA experience, took the much-ballyhooed Ina Menzer the ten-round distance in a featherweight title bid in Germany last year. “I saw her last fight with Ina Menzer,” says Julaton. “She’s very experienced. She has been in multiple world championship fights and she fights at 130, 126 weight classes. This fight will be at 122, so she is a bigger girl coming down to a smaller weight division.” Also slated for the card, former amateur standout Bruno Escalante Jr. (1-0-1) of San Carlos, California by way of Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines will take on Floyd Smith (0-2) of Apple Valley, California in a four-round bantamweight bout. The event will also feature amateur kickboxing bouts as well as musical performances by A.J. Rafael and Sway Penala. Tickets for the event, promoted by CP Presents and Orion Sports Management, are available online at BrownPaperTickets.com. Escobedo Makes Move to 130 Former lightweight title challenger Vicente Escobedo (22-3, 14 KOs) of Woodland is moving back down to super featherweight, beginning with a March 4th bout against career-spoiler Walter Estrada (38-13-1, 25 KOs) of Miami, Florida by way of Canalete, Colombia. Their bout will headline Telefutura’s Solo Boxeo and emanate from the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California. Escobedo fought at 130-pounds earlier in his career, but ventured north in weight because that is where bigger fights were offered. “It’s something I been thinking about since the fight with Katsidis,” Escobedo told 15rounds.com. “The reason it didn’t happen then was because I was approached with some great opportunities. Fighting in the lightweight class the fighters were much bigger and stronger.” Escobedo fought well, but came up short against both Michael Katsidis and Robert Guerrero. At 130-pounds there are not a great number of name fighters to target, but Escobedo could be in line for a title fight with a couple of wins. “Going down to 130 should be fascinating,” says Escobedo. “There are a lot of great fighters in this weight class. As I step in the ring March 4th as a super featherweight I will be more comfortable, stronger and will dominate. This is the weight class where I belong in for now.” Tickets for the event, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, are available online at FantasySpringsCasino.com. Notes -Last Friday’s fight card, which took place at the Fairfield Sports Center in Fairfield, California, had been originally pegged to take place in nearby Vacaville. The record shows the last time a pro boxing card was held in Vacaville it was August 17, 1921. That same Wednesday evening, cards were held in Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose. Either Vacaville or Fairfield will host the March 25th edition of Telefutura Solo Boxeo. -Manuel Avila (2-0, 1 KO) of Fairfield will apparently not be on the bill on the 25th, as he is pegged for the Solo Boxeo undercard the previous week, which takes place at the Orange County Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California Photo by Paul Gallegos/Golden Boy Promotions Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected]..