Promoter Mtt Phillips and Matchmakler Keith Weir staged another great show in Salem, Oregon.

The main event of the evening featured heavyweights Esera Iosefa and Brandon Colantonio fighting a five round bout in which the winner would claim the Arena Wars Heavyweight title. Each of the men entered the ring with only one loss on their record, and each had won one of their bouts by knockout.

As is often the case in heavyweight fights where the men have respect for the other’s power, the pace of the opening round was slow as Iosefa fought from the middle of the ring while Colantonio moved about outside. Each looked for an opportunity to step toward the other and deliver a punch. Colantonio gained a slight edge in that he was able to throw more punches in a slow punch output round. More punches were thrown in the second round which saw Iosefa land the heavier shots, one of the most effective came early when he landed a hard right to Colantonio’s chin.

The third round was close, even though there were not a lot of punches that landed. Colantonio looked to use his reach advantage and catch Iosefa at the end of a straight right. Iosefa looked to step in tight and counter punch. Colantonio shifted his focus in the fourth round and began to target Iosefa’s body. He was able to land some scoring punches. Iosefa was able to land some heavy shots as the round ended.

The fifth round saw more action than in the previous four as Colantonio moved to create angles that allowed him to fire his right at Iosefa’s body. Iosefa looked to throw hard and heavy with his right hand when he stepped in tight.
After five rounds two judges scored the fight 49-46, he third scored it 48-47 all in favor of Brandon Colantonio who would claim the Arena Wars title belt.

Iosefa (left) clsoes in on Colantonia

Colantonia lands his right

Alvarado (right) throws a right

The co-main event of the evening was fought for the right to claim the Arena Wars Middleweight title. Christian Aguirre had success early in his pro career, and was looking to get back on track as he faced Anthony Alvarado, a man that had lost only once in eight fights.

The opening round was close as Aguirre chose to stay in tight and throw punches at Alvarado’s body. Alvarado, when he was not tied up, stepped back and used his reach to land punches. Late in the round both men fought more tactically and used their jab to set up their power hand. Both men fought well in the second round, one which saw changed in the momentum. Aguirre was able to score when in close as he continued to focus on Alvarado’s body; Alvardo pumped his jab to keep Aguirre moving.

Alvarado controlled the action in the third round as he used his jab to set up his right, thrown at Aguirre’s body. Aguirre spent much of the round covering up and blocking punches, but in doing so he limited the number of punches he threw. Alvarado scored a knockdown early in the fourth round with a short hard left to Aguirre’s chin that came when the two men were in close. The knockdown forced Aguirre to move just out of reach to avoid getting caught again.

The fifth round saw Alvarado throwing two and three punch combinations while Aguirre was able to only throw single shots. Alvarado pressured Aguirre through the round, limiting the number of punches that Aguirre could throw in answer. Aguirre found his body on the receiving end of a number of combinations in the closing round as Alvarado continued to make him move about the ring.

After six rounds all three judges scored the fight 59-54 in favor of Anthony Alvarado who would wear the Arena Wars title belt.

Emmanuel Ojeda entered his fight with Vasily Yakymuik coming off a loss in his last outing to an unbeaten opponent. In this, his third professional fight, Yakymuik entered unbeaten.

The pace of the opening moments of the opening round was slow considering that these two men have shown that they continually pressure opponents. Yakymuik gained an edge at the midpoint of the round as he was able to keep Ojeda moving, and is so doing negate some of Ojeda’s pressure. The distance also worked to Yakymuik’s advantage as he was able to use his reach to land scoring punches. Ojeda had a good second round as was able to close the distance between the two and land some effective body shots. There were moments in the round when both men threw wild and wide punches that caught only air. At the midpoint of the round, the fight was paused while the referee checked both men after a clash of heads.

There were a lot of punches thrown in the third round, though few of them landed with any power. Both men moved well, but in so doing they also limited their ability to land scoring punches. Yakymuik controlled the action of the fourth round as he kept Ojeda moving, As the round wore on, a trickle of blood began to flow from Ojeda’s hairline, and while it did not appear to affect his ability to see, it did slow his punch output.

After four rounds two judges scored the fight your Yakymuik, 39-37 and 40-36, while the third judge scored the fight even at 38. Yakymuik would claim the Majority Decision win.

Yakymuik did some damage at the end of a straight right

Ponce (right) and Watley exchange lefts

Sometimes a matchmaker needs to ignore a fighter’s record and consider the how the fighter faces an opponent. You see, Brandon Watley entered this fight with only one win on his record And Jose Garcia-Ponce entered the fight having not lost in his previous five bouts. And this fight ended up closer than some may have expected.

Watley fought strong in the opening round as he stayed close to Garcia-Ponce and fired punches to his body. Garcia-Ponce made an adjustment in the middle of the round, allowing for some distance between him and Watley and that allowed Garcia-Ponce to land his hard straight right. The second round was close as Watley was able to score when stepping in and firing punches to Garcia-Ponce’s body; shots Garcia-Ponce answered with body shot combinations.

There was a lot of in close fighting in the third round. Garcia-Ponce began to break Watley down with body work, but as the round drew to an end, Watley regained some momentum and landed with Garcia-Ponce stepping backward. Watley fought a solid fourth round as was able to land punches when the two men were in close. Watley backed Garcia-Ponce on to the ropes as the round neared and end and landed a series of body shots.

The fifth round was also close as both were able to land scoring punches. Watley often landed with shots to Garica-Ponce’s head; Garcia-Ponce continued to land body shot combinations. Garcia-Ponce landed a heavy shot to Watley’s head to end the round, a punch that momentarily staggered Watley. Both men fought well in the final round, though Watley was throwing single punches while Garcia-Ponce continued to land combinations.

After six rounds, one judge scored the fight 58-56 for Garcia Ponce; the second judge scored it 58-56 for Watley; and the third scored the fight even at 57. The fight would end in a Split Draw.

Unbeaten featherweights Anthony Cruz Herrera and Devon Jackson faced each other in a five round fight for the right to wear the Arena Wars Featherweight title belt. Jackson entered the fight coming off a unanimous decision win in his debut, while Herrera was coming off a hard fought split decision win in his last fight.

Jackson answered the opening bell charging across the ring throwing his right at Herrera. He continued the pressure through the round, looking to land most of his shots to Herrera’s head. Herrera was able to land combinations midround, though many of his punches were thrown while he back pedaled to avoid Jackson’s pressure. Jackson continued to pressure Herrera in the opening moments of the second round, but as the round neared the midpoint, Herrera began to close the distance between the two and in so doing he landed a number of body shots as well as a few hard rights that found a target on Jackson’s head.

The third round saw Jackson walk Herrera down and pin him on the ropes. With Herrera pinned, Jackson landed body shots. Herrera eventually slid off the ropes and was able to close the round landing combinations. The pace of the fight slowed in the fourth round. Herrera tried to keep some distance and throw his straight right at Jackson to keep him on the move.

The pace of the fifth round was also slow, though Jackson was able to keep Herrera moving as he landed punches to Herrera’s head.

After five rounds all three judges scored the fight 49-46 in favor of Jackson who would claim the Arena Wars Featherweight title and remain unbeaten.

Jackson lands his right

Sierra (right) throws his right

Jeremiah Sierra and Gerald Powell-Wood entered their fight both coming off wins in their last outing.

Powell-Wood was slow to start the opening round, and that enabled Sierra to step in close and land body shots. Those punches got Powell-Wood’s attention and he answered with combinations that knocked Sierra across the ring. Powell-Wood then stepped in close and landed a body shot that dropped Sierra at the :45 mark. Sierra rose at the count of eight, but Powell-Wood was quick to return to pressure and landed a head and body shot combination that again dropped Sierra. This time Sierra would not rise and the fight was called to an end.

Powell-Wood claimed his second win, this one by knockout at :51 of the first round.

Derick Funkhouser and Alan Hernandez opened the show in a four round bout that saw each man looking to notch his first win as a professional fighter. Funkhouser, in his previous two fights, faced unbeaten fighters, while Hernandez had fought a number of men making their professional debut.

Funkhouser showed the had been taking his coach’s advice early in the opening round as he shot his straight right at Hernandez and was able to land many of them. Hernandez spent the opening moments of the round moving away from Funkhouser and avoiding getting hit. Hernandez, at the midpoint of the round found some rhythm in his movement and punches and he began to land hard shots to Funkhouser’s body as the round drew to an end. Hernandez controlled the action in the second round as he pressured Funkhouser keeping him on the move. As the round drew to a close, Hernadez backed Funkhouser on the ropes and landed a flurry of body shots that forced Funkhouser to cover up. As Hernandez continued the assault and Funkhouser could not answer, the referee stepped in and waved the fight to an end.

Hernandez would claim his first win, a TKO at 2:59 of the second round.

Hernandez (right) catches Funkhouser with a right

Teams Alvarado and Aguirre

Colantonia raises his arms in victory

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