IRVINE BOXING : Robertson Chased Into Retirement

Ernie Chavez couldn’t knock out Hedgemon Robertson. It proved too difficult just trying to catch up with him.

As it turned out, Chavez, a welterweight from Santa Ana, chased Robertson, from Lakewood, right out of the ring in the main event Monday night at the Irvine Marriott. After Chavez scored a unanimous, 10-round decision, Robertson announced his retirement.

Really, for 10 rounds, Robertson seemed ready to quit fighting. In fact, as Chavez later pointed out, it was the second time in recent months that Robertson has said he has had enough.

At times in the later rounds, he huffed and puffed, more from backing away from Chavez (11-0). He certainly didn’t expend much energy throwing punches.

Chavez forced the action throughout the fight.

Afterward, he carried an ice bag on his left hand. Chavez injured it in the seventh round after landing one too many blows on the side of Robertson’s head.

“I started working with the right hand hook,” Chavez said. “I was looking toward the body.”

There were only a few times when Chavez seemed primed to knock out Robertson (21-8-1). He spent too much time chasing his opponent.

“He doesn’t seem very active,” Chavez said. “He’s very slow.”

On the undercard:

--Sergio Medina of Corona won a fifth-round decision over Francisco Saavedra of Guadalajara in a battle of super featherweights.

--Joe Martin of Anaheim, a junior welterweight, won his professional debut in a four-round majority decision over Lauro Guerrero of San Bernardino.

--Light heavyweight Ernie Magdalena of the Westminster Boxing Club improved his record to 3-0 with a unanimous, four-round decision over Richie Allen of San Bernardino.

--Rigo Romero of Colton, making his pro debut, fought Bobby Flores of Culver City to a draw in a four-round battle of lightweights.

Boxing Notes

John (The Fighting Lifeguard) Armijo headlines next month’s card at the Marriott. A middleweight from the Westminster Boxing Club, Armijo is scheduled to fight Ernie Valentine of Stockton in the 10-round main event July 30 at 7:30 p.m.