Arena Wars Kitsap County Fairgrounds |
March 1, 2025
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Once again promotor Matt Phillips and match maker Keith Weir put on a show that entertained the sold out building while offering ten fighters the opportunity to step into the ring and delight fans.
The main event featured unbeaten Julio Ocampo Hernandez facing Moises Molina in a six round lightweight bout. Hernandez had gone the distance in his previous three fights after scoring knockout wins in his first three outings. Molina had been in tough in his previous two outings, dropping one in an unanimous decision and the other by split decision.
Molina answered the opening bell throwing a number of quick body shots. Hernandez had to move out of range and patiently await an opening, which he found near the midpoint of the round when he connected with a solid body shot that dropped Molina. Molina continued to move the fight in close, attempting to negate Hernandez' reach advantage, and at times the two men's feet became entangled - one of the problems when a right handed fighter steps in against a left handed fighter. Molina's inside work slowed Hernandez' output a bit in the round.
The third round was close with Molina continuing to press inside and controlling the action early, then Hernandez stepped back and launched a few straight rights that tagged Molina to the head and body and shifted the momentum of the round. Hernandez fought a solid fourth round as he used his quickness and reach advantage to keep Molina on the move. Molina continued to throw a lot of punches, but fewer of them landed.
Hernandez continued to use his quickness and reach advantage to control the fifth round. He landed some heavy body shots and worked his way to find a target on Molina's chin. Molina continued to shoot punches at Hernandez' body though Hernandez was able to slip away from many of them. Sensing he needed to do something to turn the momentum of the fight, Molina returned to moving in close to keep Hernandez from landing at the end of his reach. Hernandez adjusted, throwing body shots that slowed Molina a bit.
After six rounds one judge scored the fight 58-55, the other two saw it 57-56 all in favor of Hernandez who would remain unbeated behind the uanimous decision. |

Hernandez lands his left to Molina's head

Molina's left lands to Hernandez' body |

Esquivel shoots his left |
Welterweights Gerardo Esquivel and Brandon Watley were each coming off impressive wins entering their five round bout. Esquivel has been in a number of tough fights, and gone the distance often. Watley too has been in tough, facing unbeaten Aaron Thompson.
Esquivel pressed the action from the opening bell as he moved to stay in close to Watley and throw hard body shots. Watley was able to score behind his reach advantage when he was able to create some distance though Esquivel worked to make certain that did not occur too often. Esquivel gained an advantage in the second round as he moved to keep the fight in close quarters, negating Watley's height and reach advantage.
Watley worked to create some distance and find the angles to use his reach in the third round, and when he did, he was able to land scoring punches; however, he was unable to completely negate Esquivel's body shots. Watley closed out the fourth round with a number of good scoring shots that landed to Esquivel's body and head. Those punches momentarily shifted the momentum that Esquivel had gained in the early portions of the round.
Watley boxed well in the closing round, throwing his jab and following with his right, but he had a hard time catching Esquivel who sensing he was ahead, chose to move away from trouble and engage less often.
After five rounds, one judge scored the fight 48-47, the other two saw it 49-46 all in Esquivel's favor for the unanimous decision win. |
La'Ondre Jones made his professional debut stepping in to fight Jeremiah Sierra in a four round middle weight bout. Sierra entered this fight coming off an opening round knockout win in January.
Jones showed no signs of nerves in the opening round, he was able stay close and throw shots to keep Sierra moving. Sierra threw more punches in the round, and he scored with many of them. Jones landed a few hard shots to Sierra's head as the round ended to make it close. Sierra controlled the action early in the second round landing a number of body shots. Jones was able to shift the momentum after pinning Sierra on the ropes and landing some heavy body shots. However, that momentum came to an end when one punch landed low and Sierra was given time to step out and recover.
Sierra kept Jones on the move in the third round by throwing body shots. Jones moved well enough to avoid some of those punches, but as the round came to a close, Sierra landed a left to Jones head that momentarily staggered him. A lot of body shots were thrown by both men in the final round. Sierra gained a slight advantage early, then Jones landed a few body shots that forced Sierra to step back away from the assault.
After four rounds all three judges scored the fight 39-37 in Sierra's favor to give him the unanimous decision win. |

Sierra shoots his left |

Tovar scores with the right while in close |
Seven Linford made his professional debut facing Agustin Tovar in a four round welter weight fight. Tovar entered the fight coming off a tough majority decision loss in his last fight and was looking to get back on the winning track.
Linford gained control of the fight in the opening round using his jab to get in close and then landing combinations. Just past the midpoint of the round Tovar landed a right to Linford's head, and followed that with two more, knocking Linford into the corner. While the ropes held Linford up, and kept him from falling out of the ring, the referee called the eight count. Tovar landed the heavier shots in the second round while Linford moved in close to land body shots. Tovar closed the round landing combinations that connected to Linford's body and head.
Tovar controlled the action of the third round using his reach and hard punches. Linford was tough in that he worked to get in close and land body shots while taking a number of them himself. The pattern of the third round continued in the fourth as Linford looked to land body shots and keep the fight in close, but doing that meant he opened himself up to Tovar's heavy hands.
After four rounds one judge scored the fight 40-36, the other two scored it 40-35 in favor of Agustin Tovar who would claim the unanimous decision win. |
Carlos Ortega, perhaps the busiest heavyweight in the area, stepped back in the ring to face James Sears in a four round bout to open the night. Ortega was coming off a loss in January, and looking to get back to winning as he prepared for his next three scheduled bouts.
Sears opened the fight landing his right and keeping Ortega moving. While keeping his distance, Sears was able to score. However, Ortega favors fighting in close and on the inside and when he moved to do so he was able to land his left to Sears' body. The second round was close as much of the fighting was done in tight quarters. Both landed heavy body shots. Sears shot his left at Ortega's head a few times while Ortega continued to focus on body punches.
The third round saw a slower pace as the men were content to stand toe to toe and lean on each other throwing shots to the body. Ortega's short quick left landed often to Sears' midsection and in that he gained an advantage. The fourth round saw a continuation of the inside attack. Ortega scored with body shots while Sears did on occasion free his right hand to shoot it at Ortega's head.
After four rounds, one judge scored the fight even at 38, another scored it 39-37, and the third scored it 40-36. Carlos Ortega would score the majority decision win. |

Ortega shoots his left between Sears' defense |
The Ring Card Girls |
Prior to the night's boxing card, there was an amateur kick boxing bout. |