Gilberto “Chico Dorado” Espinoza de Tijuana aún tiene el sueño de ser campeón! Revisado 21 nov

Gilberto “Chico Dorado” Espinoza probablemente no sea un nombre familiar para muchos, fuera de la escena del boxeo de Tijuana. Su récord fue de 12 victorias (7 KO), 2 derrotas, 0 empates y sus únicas derrotas provienen de las únicas 2 peleas que realizó fuera de México. Ha estado inactivo desde su última pelea en noviembre de 2020, pelea que ganó por KO. Hasta su primera pelea en los EE. UU., parecía que podría tener un futuro prometedor, habiendo perfeccionado un récord invicto principalmente en peleas de clubes en Tijuana. Espinoza comenzó a boxear a la edad de 11 años. Y como muchos peleadores jóvenes, soñaba con que algún día podría convertirse en campeón mundial. Me dijo que su mejor momento en el boxeo es del 2014, cuando como amateur compitiendo en un certamen nacional en Puebla, ganó el campeonato nacional.

Espinoza se hizo profesional en junio de 2016 en un bar llamado Billar El Perro Salado. Ganó esa pelea por decisión unánime. Originalmente, el ring estaba instalado en el medio de la barra, ocupando una gran cantidad de espacio. Posteriormente utilizaron un pequeño almacén al lado que estaba conectado con un pasillo interior. Desde diciembre de 2015 hasta julio de 2016 se celebraron allí una veintena de combates. El 11 de diciembre de 2015, Devin Haney tuvo allí su pelea de debut profesional, que también fue la primera pelea que se realizó en El Perro Salado. De hecho, las primeras 4 peleas de Haney fueron en ese bar. Víctor Sandoval, quien acaba de pelear contra Ricardo Sandoval en la cartelera del evento Rocha vs. Santillán de Golden Boy, también peleó en esa fecha de junio de 2016 en la que Espinosa tuvo su debut. Volverían a pelear en la misma cartelera en otro lugar. La última pelea que se realizó en Billar El Perro Salado fue el 2 de julio de 2016, un mes después del debut de Espinoza.

Espinoza obtendría un récord de 9-0-0 con 5 victorias por KO antes de sufrir su primera derrota. Obtuvo esa primera “L” en su primera pelea fuera de México, el 22 de junio de 2018, en Ontario, California. Thompson Boxing había elegido a Espinoza, entonces 9-0-0, para pelear en la esquina “B” contra Manuel Méndez, entonces 14-2-3, Espinoza perdió por decisión unánime. Obtendría 2 victorias más en Tijuana antes de enfrentarse a otra pelea con Thompson, esta vez en Sacramento. El 29 de junio de 2019 se enfrentó a Pedro Moreno, entonces 11-0-0. Aunque Espinoza le llevó la distancia, la pelea a 8 asaltos se anotó por unanimidad a favor de Moreno. Moreno ha estado inactivo desde aquella pelea con Espinoza en 2019.

Thompson Boxing trajo a muchos de sus oponentes desde México, y con bastante frecuencia desde Tijuana. Estos peleadores casi siempre perdían, aunque fuera por una sorpresa ocasional. Incluso en algunas ocasiones, cuando la audiencia se dejó llevar por la actuación del luchador de la esquina “B” de México y, para su disgusto, vieron que la victoria iba a parar a la esquina del promotor de todos modos. ¡Al menos en una ocasión, incluso el luchador ganador tuvo una breve mirada de sorpresa cuando fue anunciado como el ganador! Quizás la sorpresa fue tanto para los abucheos como para la victoria real. El atractivo de poder venir a los EE. UU., recibir alojamiento en un hotel con vales de comida o un estipendio para comida, y recibir un pago mucho más alto de lo que jamás ganaron peleando en México—particularmente en la escena de las peleas de clubes—fue sin duda una gran ventaja. motivador Lo que se les dijo, se les prometió o lo que entendieron que era el contrato es desconocido, excepto para las partes de esas transacciones.

Espinoza expresó su frustración con su experiencia peleando para Thompson, señalando su pelea en Sacramento. Moreno, quien pelea en peso súper ligero, pesó para su pelea 143.3 libras. Por su parte, Espinoza, quien siempre peleó en el peso ligero, pesó 139.6 libras. Habían elegido a una persona que era más pequeña para pelear en un combate de peso súper ligero, y sus pesos oficiales coincidían con el rango de sus respectivas categorías de peso. Espinoza señaló algunas otras cosas que ocurrieron, incluido que no se le dio el tiempo adecuado para calentar antes de la pelea. Se quedó con la clara impresión de que esperaban que perdiera de todos modos para hacer avanzar al otro luchador. Esto fue sólo parte de la frustración que hizo que Espinoza reconsiderara el boxeo. Espinoza pelearía una vez más luego de su experiencia con Thompson.

Después de conseguir una victoria por KO en Tijuana a finales de 2020, Espinoza se alejó del deporte. Trabajó un tiempo en la construcción en Estados Unidos, se casó y tuvieron un hijo. También tuvo mucho tiempo para pensar en la pasión que alguna vez tuvo por el deporte del boxeo y cómo su único sueño de convertirse en campeón casi se había evaporado. Finalmente, el deseo comenzó a arder nuevamente desde dentro y se sintió obligado a intentarlo una vez más. Pero había que abordar la cuestión del acondicionamiento físico. Estar casada, alejada del deporte y del gimnasio le había pasado factura. Me dijo que tenía que bajar su peso de 96 kg (211 lb) y lo logró; recientemente pesó 64 kg (141 lb). Comenzó a ir al gimnasio e incluso se fue a entrenar a Temoaya, un municipio cercano a la Ciudad de México, para un campamento intensivo de boxeo de 3 semanas.

Parecía genuinamente motivado y para demostrar lo serio que iba, “Chico Dorado” regresó al ring para pelear el sábado 28 de octubre de 2023 en el Club Evolution de Tijuana. Después de casi 3 años desde la última vez que subió a las cuerdas, regresó al ring, aunque esta vez como peso welter en 145 libras. Y a los 2:05 del segundo asalto, derribó a su oponente y ganó por nocaut técnico. Por primera vez desde su última pelea el 7 de noviembre de 2020, volvió a levantar el brazo en señal de victoria. ¡Solo que esta vez sostenía con orgullo a su pequeño hijo en el otro brazo!

 

El récord de boxeo profesional de Esinoza ahora es 13-2-O

Tijuana’s Gilberto “Chico Dorado” Espinoza still has a dream of being a champion, Revised: Nov 21

Gilberto “Chico Dorado” Espinoza is probably not a familiar name to many—outside of the Tijuana boxing scene that is. His current record stands at 13 wins (7 KOs), 2 losses, 0 draws, with his only losses coming from the only 2 fights he took outside of Mexico.  He has been inactive since his last fight in November of 2020, a fight he won by KO. Until his first fight in the USA, he looked like he might have a promising future, having honed an undefeated record mostly in club fights in Tijuana. Espinoza began boxing at the age of 11. And like many young fighters, dreamed that someday he might become a world champion. He told me his best moment in boxing is from 2014, when as an amateur competing in a national competetion in Puebla, he won the national championship. 

Espinoza turned pro in June of 2016 at a bar called Billar El Perro Salado. He won that fight by unanimous decision. Orginally, the ring was set-up in the middle of the bar itself, taking up a large amout of space. Later, they used a small warehouse next door that was connected with an indoor passage. From December 2015 until July 2016, some twenty fights were held there. On December 11, 2015, Devin Haney had his pro debut fight there, which was also the first fight to be held in El Perro Salado. In fact, Haney’s first 4 fights were at that bar.  Victor Sandoval, who just fought Ricardo Sandoval on the undercard of Golden Boy’s Rocha vs. Santillan event,  also fought on that June 2016 date that Espinosa had his debut. They would fight on the same card again at another venue.The very last fight to be held at Billar El Perro Salado was on July 2, 2016, one month after Espinoza’s debut.

Espinoza would gain a record of 9-0-0 with 5 wins by KO before suffering his first loss.  He took that first “L” on his very first fight outside of Mexico, on June 22, 2018, in Ontario, California. Thompson Boxing had tapped Espinoza, then 9-0-0, to fight the “B” corner against Manuel Mendez, then 14-2-3, Espinoza loss by unanimous decision. He would pick up 2 more wins back in Tijuana before taking another Thompson fight, this time in Sacramento. On June 29, 2019, he was matched against Pedro Moreno, then 11-0-0. Although Espinoza took him the distance, the 8 round fight was scored unanimously in Moreno’s favor. Moreno has been inactive since that fight with Espinoza in 2019..

Thompson Boxing brought many of their opponents up from Mexico, and quite frequently from Tijuana, These fighters would nearly always lose, albeit for an occasional upset. Even on a few ocassions, when the audience was swayed by the performance of the “B” corner fighter from Mexico and, much to their chagrin, they would see the win go to the promoter’s corner anyway. On at least one ocassion, even the winning fighter had a very brief look of surprise when he was announced as the winner! Maybe the surprise was as much for the boo’s as it was for the actual win. The enticement of being able to come to the USA, to be put up at a hotel with food vouchers or a food stipend, and be paid much more than they ever earned fighting in Mexico—particularly on the club fight scene—was undoubtedly a great motivator. What they were told, promised, or what they understood the contract to be is unknown, except to the parties of those transactions.

Espinoza expressed frustration with his experience fighting for Thompson, pointing to his fight in Sacramento. Moreno, who fights super lightweight, weighed in for their match at 143.3 pounds. On the otherhand, Espinoza, who always fought as a lightweight, weighed in at 139.6 pounds. They had tapped a person who was smaller to fight a super lightweight match, and their official weights fell right within the range for their respective weight classes. Espinoza pointed out a few other things that ocurred, including him not being giving adequate time to warm up before the fight. He was left with the definite impression that they expected him to lose anyway, so as to advance the other fighter. This was but some of the frustration that caused Espinoza to rethink boxing. Espinoza would fight one more time after his experience with Thompson.

After picking up a KO win in Tijuana towards the end of 2020, Espinoza walked away from the sport.  He worked in construction in the USA for awhile, got married and they had a child. He also a lot of time to think about the passion he once had for the sport of boxing and how his one time dream of becoming a  champion had all but evaporated. Eventually, the desire started to again burn from within and he felt compelled to give it one more try. But there was the matter of physical conditioning to be addressed. Being married, away from the sport and out of the gym had taken its toll. He told me he had to get his weight down from 211 lbs (96 kg) and succeeded, recently weighing in at 141 lbs (64 kg). He began to hit the gym and he even went away to train in Temoaya, a municipality near Mexico City, for an intensive 3 week boxing camp.

He seemed genuinely motivated, and to show just how serious he was, “Chico Dorado” returned to the ring to fight on Saturday, October 28, 2023 at the Evolution Club in Tijuana. After nearly 3 years since he last climbed through the ropes, he once again entered the ring, though this time as a welter weight at 145 lbs. And at 2:05 in the second round, he dropped his opponent and got the win by TKO. For the first time since his last fight on November 7, 2020, he again had his arm raised in victory. Only this time, he was proudly holding his young son in the other arm!

Esinoza’s professional boxing record is now 13-2-O.

Golden Boy Promotions Rocha vs. Santillan highlights - top of the card - October 21

Rocha vs. Santillan

  

Giovani Santillan stops Alexis Rocha by 6th round knockout and is new the NABO welterweight titleholder.

Ramirez vs. Batista

John "Scrappy" Ramirez wins by fourth round knockout in WBA title eliminator bout with opponent Ronal Batista

Sandavol vs. Sandoval

Ricardo “El Niño” Sandoval, from Rialto, CA, USA, won a unanimous decision victory against Victor Sandoval from Tijuana, BC, Mexico.

**All photos courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions/Cris Esqueda

Ricardo Sandoval vs. Victor Sandoval en la cartelera de Rocha vs. Santillán – 21 de octubre

El 21 de octubre de 2023, Alexis Rocha se enfrentará a Giovanni Santillán en el evento principal de una pelea de Golden Boy Promotions en The Forum de Inglewood, California. Entre las peleas preliminares, Ricardo “El Niño” Sandoval (22-2-0) está programado para pelear contra Víctor “Chaky” Sandoval (37-3-0) en un combate de peso mosca a 10 asaltos. Si bien comparten el apellido, no están relacionados, pero ambos han peleado en Tijuana (y también en algunos otros lugares de México) y, al menos en una ocasión, pelearon contra oponentes separados en la misma cartelera. 

 Ricardo, de 24 años, nació y creció en el sur de California y actualmente Rialto figura como su ciudad natal. Sus primeras 8 peleas profesionales fueron en México, y 6 de esas peleas tuvieron lugar en Tijuana. De sus 24 peleas, 14 han sido en México y 9 se han peleado en Tijuana. Su primera pelea fue en Los Algodones, un pequeño pueblo fronterizo al oeste de Yuma, Arizona, mejor conocido por su atención dental de bajo costo que buscan muchos estadounidenses. Su primera pelea en Estados Unidos fue el 4 de agosto de 2017 en el Fantasy Springs Casino de Indio, California, la cual ganó por decisión unánime. Su última pelea, en junio de este año, fue contra Rocco Santomauro en la cartelera de Jaime Munguia vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko en Ontario, California, que ganó por decisión unánime. De los 22 triunfos de Ricardo, 16 han sido por KO.

Víctor, de 26 años, nació en Tijuana, Baja California, donde vive con su esposa e hijos. Sus 40 peleas profesionales han sido en México, y todas menos cuatro se han peleado en Tijuana. Para Víctor esta será la primera vez peleando fuera de México. Su pelea debut fue en el Auditorio Municipal de Tijuana en 2013, pelea que ganó por nocaut técnico. Si bien su récord refleja 3 derrotas, la última fue en 2016, y desde esa derrota ha ganado sus últimas 25 peleas. Su última pelea fue en abril de este año en el Auditorio Municipal de Tijuana, pelea que ganó por decisión mayoritaria. De los 37 triunfos de Víctor, 23 han sido por KO. Víctor reconoció que Ricardo es un peleador bueno y duro, pero siente que está listo y bien preparado para darlo todo en el ring el próximo sábado. Dado el historial de peleas de Ricardo y Víctor, esta tiene el potencial de ser una pelea entretenida y competitiva entre peleadores de Estados Unidos y México.

Ricardo Sandoval vs.Victor Sandoval on the undercard of Rocha vs. Santillan - October 21

On October 21, 2023, Alexis Rocha will face Giovanni Santillán in the main event of a Golden Boy Promotions fight at The Forum in Inglewood, California. Among the undercard bouts, Ricardo “El Niño” Sandoval (22-2-0) is scheduled to fight Victor “Chaky” Sandoval (37-3-0) in a 10-round flyweight match. While they share the last name, they are not related, but both have fought in Tijuana (and a few other places in Mexico as well), and on at least one occasion, they fought separate opponents on the same fight card.

Ricardo, 24, was born and raised in Southern California and Rialto is currently listed as his hometown. His first 8 professional fights were in Mexico, with 6 of those fights taking place in Tijuana. Of his 24 fights, 14 have been in Mexico with 9 having been fought in Tijuana. His first fight was in Los Algodones, a small border town West of Yuma, Arizona, best known for its low cost dental care sought by many Americans. His first fight in the United States was on August 4, 2017 at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California, which he won by unanimous decision. His last fight, in June of this year, was against Rocco Santomauro on the undercard of Jaime Munguia vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko in Ontario, California, which he won by unanimous decision. Of Ricardo’s 22 wins, 16 have been by KO.

Victor, 26, was born in Tijuana, Baja California, where lives with his wife and children. All 40 of his professional fights have been in Mexico, with all but four of them having been fought in Tijuana. For Victor, this will be the first time fighting outside of Mexico. His debut fight was at the Municipal Auditorium in Tijuana in 2013, a fight he won by TKO. While his record reflects 3 losses, the last one was in 2016, and since that loss he has won his last 25 fights. His latest fight was in April of this year at the Municipal Auditorium in Tijuana, a fight that he won by a majority decision. Of Victor’s 37 wins, 23 have been by KO. Victor acknowledged that Ricardo is a good and tough fighter, but feels he is ready and well prepared to give it his all in the ring come next Saturday. Given both Ricardo and Victor’s fight record, this has the potential to be both an entertaining and competitive bout between fighters from the U.S. and Mexico! 

Luis Coria back in the ring on October 7 in San Bernardino

Luis Coria Is coming off a pair of unanimous decision wins, one in 2021 and the other just this last August in San Bernardino. Coria is looking to do it again when he returns to San Bernardino on October 7. Coria, from Riverside, trains at the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy, is a very capable fighter who has hit a few bumps–and even broken his jaw–during his fight career, leaving him with a current record of 14 wins, 5 losses, and 0 draws (14-5-0). 

Coria’s debut fight was on September 30, 2016 at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, a fight he won by KO. He would go onto win his next 3 fights, 2 of them by KO, before he would suffer his first loss in Carson on October 14, 2017 to Percy Peterson (2-14-3). Peterson’s record aside, no matter how one thinks a fight is likely to go, anything can happen in the ring, and Peterson demonstrated that by tagging Coria and sending him to the mat in the first round.  While Coria was able to get up and go the full 4 rounds, a unanimous decision win went to Percy, with all 3 judges scoring it 37-38 in his favor.

Between December 2017 to July 2018, Coria would rebound with a 5 fight winning streak, one by KO, the others by unanimous decision. Then on November 17, 2018, Coria (9-1-0) would get another loss at Casino Del Sol in Tucson, this time to Thomas Valdez (17-3-2), by split decision. Following that Loss, Coria ran a 3 fight winning streak throughout 2019, all by KO. Then along came the pandemic, but Coria was fortunate to get a fight on a Top Rank card at The Bubble. June 11, 2020, Coria (12-2-0) was brought in as the opponent against Adam Lopez (13-2-0) for the vacant NABF Featherweight belt. Despite Lopez fighting a somewhat lackluster fight, he nevertheless was granted a split decision win.

Then on October 31, 2020, Top Rank would again tap Coria for another fight in The Bubble, this time against Robson Conceicao (14-0-0), During the 10 round fight, Coria would down Conceicao once in round 2, then Conceicao would have point deductions in both rounds 4 and 6 for low blows. In the end, the judges scored the fight 93-94, 92-95, and 92-95, all in favor of Conceicao. 

Top Rank offered Coria (12-4-0) yet another fight, this time at the Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas, against Enrique Vivas, (20-1-0). For Top Rank, this was the first post pandemic fight outside The Bubble with the return of a live audience. On May 22, 2021, after 8 rounds of action the judges scored the fight in favor of Vivas, all 3 calling it 75-74. But it was not simply a hard-fought, closely scored fight. One would be remiss if they also failed to observe that Coria sent Vivas down to the canvas twice in round 3, and Vivas also had a point deduction for a low blow in round 4. I’m not the one necesarily suggesting it was a controversial decision and that Coria was robbed of a win, but it would not surprise me if he, his team, and others may have felt that sentiment.