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Boxing Beat: Challenger says he's more than a fill-in on Arco card
By Jim Jenkins - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C2
For a fighter who hasn't defeated a quality opponent in his past four bouts, Colombia's Epifanio Mendoza sounds awfully confident about dethroning World Boxing Council light-heavyweight champion Chad Dawson in Saturday night's main event at Arco Arena.
Mendoza (28-4-1, 24 knockouts), the WBC's No. 12 contender for the 175-pound title, is a substitute opponent. Dawson (24-0, 16 KOs) was supposed to make a mandatory defense against the No. 1-ranked challenger, but Adrian Diaconu (24-0, 15 KOs) of Canada canceled last week with a hand injury.
"I was training for a (super-middleweight) fight in Australia that was canceled when they contacted me (about replacing Diaconu)," said Mendoza, who arrived in town Tuesday with the champion. "I don't think Dawson knows what he's in for. He's a very good boxer, but let's see what he can do with my punching power."
Mendoza has a four-fight victory streak, but none of the opponents had a winning record. Inhis previous bout, in June 2006, Mendoza was stopped in the seventh round by David Lopez (32-12).
"It was a middleweight fight, and I had trouble making weight," Mendoza explained. "Never again."
Said Dawson, when told of Mendoza's comments: "He hasn't been a light-heavyweight that long. This is going to be a whole new adventure."
Et cetera
The Washington Neighborhood Center, in honor of late, longtime trainer Don Conley, has scheduled an amateur card for 2 p.m. Nov. 3 at the Estadio Azteca Sports Arena, 1960 Railroad Drive. For more information, call WNC coach Robert Garcia at 952-5201.
• Two local former amateurs, middleweight Brandon Gonzales (2-0) and junior lightweight Stan Martyniouk (0-0), had their fights canceled last week in Reno but plan to fight Oct. 19 at Feather Falls Casino in Oroville.
About the writer:
- The Bee's Jim Jenkins can be reached at jjenkins@sacbee.com.
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