Woodland’s Friday Night Fights, and the Legacy Lives On
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It’s a warm late-June Friday night in Woodland, where a cozy community gym and a full card of pro boxers equals another success for a couple of longtime local promoters–Paco Presents and Don Chargin Productions.
The demise of boxing has been reportedly imminent for decades, but this part of the American sports scene, it’s safe to say, still thrives in small town venues like Woodland’s Community Center. Here, on June 23, ten boxers each with their own unique stories from California towns like Sacramento, Vacaville, Fairfield, and Vallejo, put on a show before an enthusiastic capacity crowd.
The story is best told through the images of the night, where Friday Night Fights in Woodland, a true piece of Americana, lives on.
Sacramento’s Alberto Torres gets taped before his fight.
Steven Rapadas scored his first pro win with a technical knockout in the fourth and final round against Luis Silva.
Sacramento’s Alberto Torres lands a hard right against Angel Jimenez, en route to the victory that put him at 10-0.
Steven Rapadas after earning his first professional win after a fourth-round TKO against Luis Silva. Rapadas, a Sacramento native, owns and operates a fitness and boxing gym at 24th and J streets in midtown.
Jose Mora was knocked down three times by Vacaville’s Ivan Vergara in the first round and then twice more in the second round before the fight was called.
Vacaville’s Vergara is now 3-0, with two knockouts.
The capacity crowd files in.
Popular Sacramento fighter Tony “The Tiger” Lopez, a three-Time World Boxing Champion, made an appearance.
In the most exciting fight of the night, Vallejo’s Ryan “The Rhino” Bourland went to 13-1 after downing Cesar Ruiz in a split decision.
Bourland poses with some fans after his win with his Global Boxing Organization title belt.
In the night’s main event, Alan Sanchez (right) of Fairfield went to 19-3 with the fifth-round TKO over Miguel Huerta.
A resident of Sacramento since graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Nevada, Reno, Steve spent the 1980s at The Sacramento Union, working as a sports writer, music reviewer and crime reporter, among other assignments. He's spent the last 25+ years working in government public affairs for both state and federal agencies and currently is with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Bay-Delta office in Sacramento. He has shot just about every local sports team for the Sacramento Press, including local colleges, the Sacramento River Cats and Sacramento Republic FC. He resides in Curtis Park with his wife Sharon.
