New Series Coming to the Pond

Top Rank, Inc., KCAL 9 and the Arrowhead Pond have joined to create a new boxing series at the arena that will present four cards a year to be shown live on television.

It’s not by accident that Top Rank chose Julio Gonzalez of Huntington Beach to headline the first card on April 27, or that Top Rank chose Orange County as its home for the series, what with its burgeoning Latino community.

“It’s worthwhile for us to do these shows in this area,” Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum said. “This is a great untapped market and building to have it in.”

The other cards are scheduled for June 29, Sept. 28 and Nov. 23.

Gonzalez (28-1, 18 knockouts) took Roy Jones Jr. the distance in losing a 12-round unanimous decision for the undisputed light-heavyweight championship last July at Staples Center.

“Orange County is full of Latinos that love boxing,” Gonzalez said. “You go to all the smaller cards and they’re always sold out. But now we’ll be in a bigger arena in front of bigger audiences.”

Also scheduled to fight on the April 27 card will be heavyweight Javier Mora (12-0-1, 11 KOs) of Westminster and Joey Torres, 41, who will be making his professional debut after spending the last 23 years, eight months in prison on a murder charge.

Paul Gutierrez

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Junior-bantamweight Jose Navarro, a South-Central Los Angeles native and 2000 U.S. Olympic boxing team member, remained unbeaten as a professional with a six-round unanimous decision over Luis De La Rosa Thursday night in Tallahassee, Fla.

Navarro (9-0, three knockouts) won every round and knocked De La Rosa (3-4-1), of Hidalgo, Mexico, down in the sixth round. All three judges scored the bout 80-71.