Quick win for Arce; locals rev up crowd

Three non-televised local bouts overshadowed the two quick wins and a long, drawn-out title bout on the undercard of the Sanchez III-Chavez Jr. card.

In the semi-main event of the show on Saturday night at Tingley Coliseum, former world champion, Mexican star Jorge "Travieso" Arce (48-4-1, 37 KOs) scored knockout of Manny Pacquiao-conqueror Medgoen Singsurat (48-5, 34 KOs), chopping him down with a body shot 48 seconds into the first round.

"I knew I could connect with the left," said Arce. "We worked on it in the gym and it was a perfect shot."

Arce says he will start preparing for a world title shot in February against Martin Castillo.

In another pay-per-view televised bout, World Boxing Organization mini-flyweight champion Ivan Calderon (30-0, 6 KOs) defended his belt with a unanimous decision over Mexico's Juan Esquer (20-2-1, 15 KOs).

For 12 rounds, Esquer pursued Calderon around the ring while the fleet-footed Puerto Rican dipped, danced and dodged the frustrated Mexican in what was seen as a masterful boxing performance.

Both the crowd and Esquer, however, begged to differ. Esquer missed more shots than he landed and the crowd, by the later rounds, voiced their disapproval with boos.

The scores ranged wildly, from a lopsided 118-112 (Bill Gant) to 116-112 (Levi Martinez) to 115-113 (Chuck Giampa), all for Calderon.

The Tribune scored it 116-112 for Calderon.

In the opening PPV bout, Denver's Mike Alvarado (19-0, 13 KOs) won by technical knockout at 1:27 of the first round when Michael Clark (36-5, 17 KOs) of Columbus, Ohio, backed out of the fight due to a wrist injury.

Three New Mexicans on the undercard revved things up for the 6,077 in attendance, until Ray Sanchez III and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. came out for the main event.

Albuquerque featherweight Matthew Esquibel (7-0, 4 KOs) put a beating on veteran Martin Armenta (11-16-3, 7 KOs) of Los Mochis, Mexico, scoring a sixth-round TKO.

Esquibel floored Armenta in the second round, then punished him severely through the next four rounds until, in the final round, Armenta shook his head "no mas", at 1:17.

At the time of stoppage, Esquibel was well ahead with scores of 50-44 twice, and 50-43.

"My boxing won this fight," said Esquibel. "And not getting rattled by his rushes. I stayed on the outside to keep him away."

Santa Fe bantamweight Anthony Vialpondo (2-1), while thrilling the crowd with his willingness to mix it up, lost his first pro bout by unanimous decision to Jose Garcia (2-2) of Dallas.

Vialpondo was the aggressor throughout, but accurate counter-rights and lefts by Garcia through the Santa Fe's weak defense made a stronger impression with the judges who scored the bout 40-36 and 39-37 twice, all for Garcia.

In a much-anticipated pro debut, Duke City junior lightweight Archie Ray Marquez (1-0, 1 KO) made short work of Scott Furney (1-3, 1 KO), also of Albuquerque.

Furney, coming off a big local upset last month in Ignacio, Colo., over Joe Barela, was too small for the younger, faster, more powerful Marquez.

After a tentative start, Marquez stepped in and threw a left hook to the body that put Furney down for an eight-count. After the fight resumed, an overhand right toppled Furney for the second time.

Though Furney made the count, Referee Russell Mora stopped the bout at 2:17 after noticing Furney's wobbly legs.

"It feels good to be a pro," said Marquez. "But I expected more out of Scott, thought I'd take him in the second or third."