The Houston Club’s Curtain Call
by Joe Calvey, Sr.
jcalvey@aol.com
The valets lined the garage wall of the classic downtown Houston Club, the Southwest’s oldest private club. Established in 1894 the club has been the home to Houston’s oilmen, movers and shakers for generations. Lou Savarese, a former big time contender turned promoter was hosting the Fall Brawl in what could be the last boxing event held there. A cross section of Houston in attendance to see off the venerable venue.
With less than an hour to the first bell a representative Texas Department of Regulation and Licensing directed Savarese to make improvements to the ringside technical zone. Nearby a worker continued to tape the ring skirt in place. Things were coming together as fans lined up to buy last minute tickets.
This ballroom is perfect for small crowd boxing. Every seat is excellent. Ringside table seating had company names displayed along with a fight program and souvenir pen. Upstairs the three sided balcony provided a great viewing area. Intimate was how one fan described it. It’ll be a shame to see it stop hoisting boxing.
Oddly seven fights were advertised but only four took place. Fighters failed to make weight and there were no back up bouts. Why the matchmaker wasn’t on top of the situation in the weeks leading up to the event is anyone’s guess.
To fill the time10 year old songbird Natalie Hernandez, billed as a Youtube sensation, was brought out to sing three times. Another singer billed as a Craigslist sensation sang twice and was met with some catcalls. Olympic Bronze Medalist, Marlene Esparza announced to cheers she will remain in training to compete in 2016. One lucky fan even won a casino gift package. The paying patrons were appreciative of the effort but woukld have preferred more boxing and less fluff.
The first fight, a four rounder, featured welterweight Brian "Sweet" Jones, 25, of Los Angeles. He was facing Houston’s Andre Lopez, 22. Lopez put up little resistance in his first pro fight after taking several body shots before going to the canvass. Lopez, whose arms, chest and face were heavily tattooed like a contestant on Ink Masters was up by the count of two but walked away from veteran referee Ronnie Ralston then refused to continue fighting at the 2:31 mark. Jones went to 2-0 with two KO’s.
The next four rounder featured two heavyweights. Houstonian Thomas Hawkins, 22, and New Yorker Tony Wilcox, 44. Both fighters weighed 234lbs. This was the second pro fight for Hawkins, a young prospect. Wilcox, in his third pro fight, is certifiable for jumping in the ring with a kid half his age especially Hawkins who has power. The fight went the distance and was easily a favorite of every fan in attendance. Both fighters put on a show. Both pounded with skill, both got hit. The fight was a toe to toe slugfest. Hawkins won on all the judges score cards. Hawkins needs to shed the excess weight he is carrying with more muscle. If and when he does that he will get quicker, build stamina and increase his marketability.
Bantamweight David Green, 22, from Monroe, Louisiana is game but two wins in 16 fights is expected to fight hard and lose. Against Jerren Cochran this held true. Cochran, 22, (6-0, 3KO’s) a two time Houston Golden Glove Champion recently appeared on the under card of the nationally televised Vera-Mora II battle produced by Golden Boy Promotions and Leija-Battah Promotions.
Cochran is lightning quick, expected of fighters in his division. He has some gaps in his defense. Green tried to exploit those whenever Cochran paused after delivering a blistering series of punches. But it was Green who was sent to the canvass twice in the six rounds they fought. Green’s eyes became puffy slits squinting in the low light of the Houston Club as Cochran released missile and after missile.
Each time Green went down he got up and for 20 seconds unleashed an explosion of punches Cochran dodged and slipped. In the end Green extended both arms as if to say "I’m still here" but with the final bell Green grabbed Cochran’s hand and raised it in victory.
It seemed like the card would be a bust after three fights were scratched and the poor performance by Lopez in the opener. But heading into the final bout of the evening between Russian sensation, Medzhid Bektemirov, 25 (10-0, 8 KO’s) and journeyman Zack Paige, 39 (21-41-2, 7KO’s) the crowd was charged up.
Clearly this was a matchup of a rising star and a fighter still hanging on to the dream. Big paydays do not arrive at the door step of a fighter who has lost nearly twice as many fights as he has won. But discounting Paige would be a big mistake for anyone who steps in the ring with him. He was in shape, has skills and power.
Bektemirov, coming off an injury to his bicep still managed to floor Paige early in the fight with a huge right hand. Throughout the first three rounds Bektemirov had the gas in the tank to clearly dominate the fight at every junction. The last three rounds he pulled back some allowing Paige to score with a persistent jab. Bektemirov countered with rib crunching hooks to the body and head forcing Paige to clinch. Bektemirov won the first three rounds convincingly, the final three were closer. Paige never produced enough to win any round yet one judge, Ray Zaragoza, had Paige winning the fight 57-56.
Hopefully boxing will be able to return to the Houston Club with more fights and maybe another appearance by little Natalie Hernandez, she just might turn out to be a big star herself.
As the evening closed and boxing patrons lined up waiting for the valets to brings them their cars there was a satisfied buzz among the crowd. The Old Club had it pulled off