Oscar Vasquez of Reno, right, looks to land a left during his bout against Jose Toribio during Saturday's Fallon Fights. Vasquez is 5-0 at the annual Rural Rumble and 9-1 overall.
The ninth annual Fallon Fights marks the return of a classic cast as well as a year of firsts for those on the bill.
The rural rumble hits the Churchill County Fairgrounds Aug. 27 with the weigh-in Aug. 26 with eight fights for Fallon boxing fans to look forward to, with the main attraction being the NABO Light Featherweight Championship between Miguel Marriaga and Guy Robb.
Advance tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children under 10, $13 for military personnel and seniors 62 and older. Gate tickets are $20, $15 and $18 respectively. Advanced ringside seating is $30, gate ringside are $35, VIP tables seating eight are $600 and ringside umbrella tables seating four are $250.
Tommy Lane, one of the founders and directors of the event, said he thinks this year’s card is well put together with two regional title fights and a solid cast.
“I think this might be the most well attended event we’ve had in Fallon Fights,” Lane said. “In terms of high profile regional fighters this might be the best one.”
The bill also includes the return of Reno’s Oscar “Chapito” Vasquez competing for the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) Light Flyweight Championship against Puerto Rico’s Janiel Rivera, otherwise known as Vasquez’s fifth year with the event and his first ever 10-round bout. Oscar’s younger brother Santos Vasquez also makes his pro debut in the four round light flywight against Gabriel Rodriguez out of San Antonio, Texas.
“It’s definitely a challenge because no matter what this is going to be my toughest fight of my career,” Vasquez said. “I don’t mind going the distance, but if I can take (Rivera) out earlier then I’m going to do it.”
Vasquez dropped jaws in last year’s fight when he floored Jose Toribio to the canvas with a late knockout in the seventh round. This year Vasquez faces Rivera for the first time, fighting a taller boxer known to fight out of the corner.
“Since he’s taller I’ve got to start pressure hitting the body the moment the bell rings,” Vasquez said, confident as a counter puncher. “I saw he didn’t like it when he fought Hernandez a while back. He gave in the early rounds to those body shots.”
Vasquez has seen success as of late, particularly in his most recent bout at the Atlantis Casino in Reno where he prevailed against Javier Lapizco, and he said he’s focused on keeping his weight since then for his chance to advance to 10-round fighting.
“This is going to be a make it or break it fight for my career as I’m seeing it,” he said, “so this is the chance I’ve been waiting for and I’m going to take advantage of it. These guys on the bill are very good upcoming prospects so I’m really looking forward to it.”
One of those same fighters on the bill, Alec “Too Quick” McGee, comes straight out of the Mighty Mites Boxing Gym in Reno where he and the Vasquez brothers have trained in the same camp. McGee will fight in the Bantamweight division against Sergio Lopez, surrounded by experienced brawlers in his third professional bout and his first appearance in Fallon.
“Oscar and those guys brought a lot of crowds,” McGee said having fought on the undercard of Vasquez and Santos at the Atlantis event. “Coupled with my own crowd I’m thinking it’s going to be great.”
Advancing to the pros allowed McGee, he said, to see things a little more clearly while readying for Lopez, who has seven pro fights under his belt to McGee’s three.
“He does have that little edge over me, but amateur wise I’ve been fighting since I was 12 years old and I’ve been in more than 60 amateur fights,” McGee said. “Boxing is my game where I shine and I think if he tries to outbox me eventually I’ll get this win.”
McGee is accustomed to winning by decision as a fast fighter, and said he has extra confidence against his shorter opponent.
“Getting a loss this early in a career is never good, especially coming into the pros,” McGee said of his second pro debut. “So we have to shoot for that win and hope the work pays off.”