Eighth Boxing Season Opens in Irvine With New Wrinkles

Tonight marks the beginning of the eighth year of boxing at the Irvine Marriott, but things will look different even to regulars of the monthly shows.

The changes have come about because Roy Englebrecht has taken over promoting the event. He replaces Don Fraser, who retired in November.

The first thing Englebrecht did was name the program the “Battle in the Ballroom.” He has also brought in searchlights in the parking lots, with banners in the ballroom and large clocks that show the time remaining in rounds, in an effort to jazz up the look of the already successful cards.

“We want to treat this as opening night,” Englebrecht said. “In a sense it is for us. There should be a lot of excitement.”

Tonight’s main event also will feature something new in featherweight Mike Semaza. Representing the Westminster Boxing Club, Semaza comes in with a 7-0-1 mark, including four consecutive knockouts, all in semifinal main events at the Marriott.

Semaza will fight Javier Torrez of Bell in the 10-round scheduled bout.

Longtime trainer Jackie McCoy has called Semaza one of the best young fighters he has worked with. Semaza’s career has been slowed by a hand injury suffered in training early in 1991. He was out of the ring almost six months because of it.

Cash McCallum, a former world kickboxing champion who is now a cruiserweight, takes on Dennis Fikes of Las Vegas in the six-round semi-main event.

The first of six scheduled bouts starts at 7:30 p.m. Children under 16 are not admitted.

Tickets--$32, $27 and $22--go on sale in the grand ballroom at 9 a.m.