Night of Fights: 'Destroyer' claims main event

Troy “The Destroyer” Shelton used the first two rounds to his advantage to decision Benito “Big Cheese” Cortez in Friday’s main event at the annual Night of Fights sponsored by the Greenwave Takedown Club.

The loud crowd at the Rafter 3C Arena cheered both boxers throughout their match, one of 24 bouts scheduled for the night.

Shelton relied on the first two rounds to land stinging punches against Cortez. Both boxers roared out of their corners swinging wildly until Shelton settled down.

After the main event, Greenwave wrestling coach Trevor DeBraga corralled his assistant wrestling coaches, boxers and other individuals who were involved with the annual Night of Fights.

“We have exceeded all expectations,” DeBraga said, referring to the large crowd that packed into the Rafter 3C. The crowd was estimated at 1,700.

“This is a big event that shows the community is involved with the youth and high school athletics,” he said.

DeBraga said the students are helping the wrestling program raise extra money so they can go to more meets during the season.

“There’s one thing … we ask for help from sponsors,” he said. “What’s better than high school kids swinging away?”

During the weeks leading up to Night of Fights, DeBraga said almost 50 students worked hard and rarely missed practice. He enlisted volunteers to judge, announce and referee. Collegiate boxer and retired Greenwave teacher and coach Bert Serrano and John Stritenberger were the referees, and Ted Guazzini was the Calcutta auctioneer. DeBraga said retired teacher Gary Lanners stepped in to announce, and besides Stritenberger, the other judges were Lester DeBraga, Ryan McCormick and Russ Allen.

The fight card featured 20 bouts and four preliminary bouts.

In the second round, Shelton showed more aggressiveness, but in the third and final round with both fighters tiring, Cortez did a better job of avoiding Shelton’s punches.

In the semi-main event, Quintin “Fieroo” Hornbeak decisioned Erick “David” Mendoza.

In the first round, Mendoza dogged Hornbeak by coming out more aggressively in the opening round. One of his punches staggered Hornbeak midway in the first round, but Hornbeak roared back with a combination of punches.

Hornbeak settled down in the second round and landed more punches against his opponent, and his aggressiveness wrapped up the bout in the final 15 seconds of the third round to score the win.

BOUT 1: The first bout began with eventual winner Benny “El Gallo Guero” Galeno facing Ray “Sho-Ban Knockoutz” Decker, who landed a punch in the first round causing Decker to stumble. After that, both boxers sized up each other and swung wildly until Decker connected with several body punches.

Galeno backed up Decker toward the ropes during the final 30 seconds.

In the final round, Galeno landed a hard shot to Decker’s side and then backed Decker into the corner and wailed on him.

BOUT 2: Both boxers began the second bout with a flurry of punches with eventual winner Carlos “Carlitos” Valenzuela pushing Misael “Fighting Rooster” Vera into the corner. Valenzuela continued his aggressiveness in the second round by backing Vera into a corner again and landing a flurry of punches to the upper torso.

Valenzuela showed signs of slowing down in the third round, but he managed to hang on for the decision.

BOUT 3: Andy “Skippa” Douglas took the lead in the third bout and chased Dominick “Tapatio” Tapia into the ropes. Douglas continued with his advantage over Tapia in the second round, but both boxers looked tired and were slowing in the final round. Douglas scored the decision.

BOUT 4: The fourth bout featured two females, Hailey “G Dawg” Gupnaporne and Gabby “The Ripper” Carillo. Gupnaporne controlled the bout in the first round, and became more aggressive in the second round, landing a few more shots against Carillo who retreated into the corner.

Gupnaporne won by TKO.

BOUT 5: Tristan “The Boogie Man” Maya and Jaxon “Mini Machine” Homer were evenly matched in the first round of the fifth bout. Homer, though, kept the pressure on Maya in the second round with his aggressiveness and scoring more points on his punches to Maya’s chest.

Homer kept Maya on the defensive in the final round and backed him into the corner. Maya, though, staved off Homer and eventually earned a decision that could’ve gone to either boxer.

BOUT 6: Andre “Black Bean” Green showed his resilience in the second and third rounds against Rigoberto “lil Perm” Galeno after each boxer sized each other in the first round.

Green used the third round by being more aggressive and backed Galeno into the ropes to score a decision.

BOUT 7: Carson “Slim Shady” Melendy held on for a decision against Kaison Jayne.

Melendy scored on several right jabs in the first round, but both boxers didn’t land any significant punches in the next round.

Melendy came out swinging in the third and final round and connected with several punches.

BOUT 8: In an action-packed bout, Dru “The Mack” Mackay” decisioned Jaycer “95” Downs in the eighth bout.

Mackay did a better job of connecting with his punches and deflecting Downs’ hits while backing him against the ropes. In the second round, Mackay landed a few punches to Downs’ head, but during the final minutes, both boxers were swinging wildly.

Mackay had the third-round advantage and backed Downs into the red corner.

BOUT 9: Evan “El Topo” Garcia and Leojra “El Madison” Chavez both came out in the first round swinging. Garcia scored on an uppercut and showed more aggressiveness.

In the second round Garcia looked like a punching windmill, while Chavez was swinging wildly. Garcia secured the win with a strong third round on an uppercut and a cross although Chavez responded with a left jab.

BOUT 10: Jaiden “Whiteboy Jr” McFadden decisioned Jared “The Reaper” Rogers in the 10th bout.

Both boxers landed several punches in the first round, but McFadden had a stronger second round with his jabs and kept backing up Rogers. McFadden scored on a hook and left jab in the third round and kept backing Rogers into the corner, while Rogers had difficulty connecting with his punches.

BOUT 11: In a bout that could’ve gone either way, Francisco “The Kid” Cortez relied on a stronger third round to score a decision over Broden "The Pickle” Pirkle.

The first two rounds were evenly matched until the final round when Cortez landed a few punches against his opponent. Both boxers ended their bout by landing punches against each other.

BOUT 12: Kacin “Rahh Dog” Rogne took control immediately in the 12th bout and decisioned Mako “Black Attack “Chenyika.

Rogne had Chenyika on the ropes in the first round and scored on a combination of punches to the head and upper torso. Rogne also dominated the second and third rounds for the decision.

BOUT 13: Manuel “The Golden Child" Cordova’s flurry of punches and aggressiveness in the third round led to a decision over Aronn “The Tank” Ledezma.

Both boxers sized each other in the first round, and they traded jabs in the second round before the decisive final round.

BOUT 14: Josue “El Gallo Negro” Gonzalez and Rafe “Clyde” Brown fought three intense rounds with Gonzalez picking up a close decision. Both boxers sized up each other in the first round, but Gonzalez landed a few punches at the end to Brown’s head.

Brown, though, was more aggressive in the second round and scored on an upper cut. In the final round, Brown backed Gonzalez into the corner and connected with several punches to the stomach.

BOUT 15: Colin “Hooligan” Homer’s aggressiveness in each round gave him the decision over Hugo Tapia. Both boxers went after each other in the first round, but Homer was more aggressive and focused on punching Tapia in the face. Early in the second round, Homer dogged Tapia and kept pushing his opponent around for the win.

Homer landed another shot to Tapia’s head in the third round, and a flurry of punches from Homer ended the bout.

BOUT 16: Madi “Madshiesty” Wilke decisioned Amaya “Rollem Up” Rogers in a bout featuring the women.

Wilke’s flurry of punches led Rogers trying to protect herself in the first round, but both boxers landed punches against each other in the second round. Wilke had a slight edge over her opponent in the final round.

BOUT 17: Johnathan “El Chonas” Sanchez and Chaddy “Mcdaddy” Agaman engaged in a memorable bout with Agaman winning on a decision.

Agaman came out with an aggressive first round relying on a flurry of punches. Sanchez turned it around in the final 30 seconds with both boxers landing punches.

Both boxers battered each other in the second round with their share of punches, but Agaman’s left hook and a haymaker in the third round stunned Sanchez, who was tiring.

BOUT 18: In the final bout featuring the women, Alexa “la painters” Herrera-Enriquez won by decision over Estella “The Queen B” McHaney.

McHaney was more aggressive in the first round, but her punches were not landing. Herrera-Enriquez responded with several punches landing on her opponent. Her jabs to McHaney’s jaw stunned “The Queen B.”

Herrera-Enriquez kept the pressure on McHaney throughout the bout, and she connected on three punches to the head.

PRELIMINARY BOUTS: In the first preliminary bout, Katherine “Aggravated Assault” Richard controlled her bout with Jacilia Leon-Thompson to win by decision. Richard’s height advantage and quickness enabled her to be more aggressive. Her combination of jabs and several punches slowed down Leon-Thompson.

Arad “El Terrible” Duenas won the second preliminary bout, also by decision, over Nathaniel Bianchi. Although each boxer sized up the other, they each landed a flurry of punches against each other in the first round.

Bianchi knocked down Bianchi in the third round.

Alexis “A Bomb” Haggard overcame Kalynn “The Pebble” English’s strong performance in the first round by scoring on her punches to English’s head and stomach for the decision.

Haggard backed English into the ropes in the second bout although each girl was swinging wildly. In the final round, Haggard was more aggressive and focused to pick up the win.

In the final preliminary bout, Zyon “Boutabag” Bragg decisioned Oliver “Mad Hammer” Flannery.

Flannery landed a few jabs and punches against Bragg in the first round, but Bragg staggered Flannery with a head punch in the second round that resulted in a 10-count. Bragg continued to land punches to Flannery’s head in the third round although Flannery landed a few punches near the end of the round.