Arena Wars: September 19

Clackamas, Oregon

Arena Wars Fight Series

Arena Wars returned to Camp Withycombe in Clackamas, Oregon where matchmaker Keith Weir and promoter Matt Phillips staged an action packed card before a sold out house.

The main event pitted two unbeaten fighters against each other in a five round super welterweight battle. Shamar Wollery had scored knockouts in five of his six wins, while Pedro Torres, who came in with two knockout wins, was a fighter that in the other three broke down his opponents with hard body shots.

Wollery was the more active fighter in the opening round as he jumped to Torres and threw heavy punches. Torres was able to avoid getting caught, but having to move so much meant he was unable to establish a position and fire back. Wollery's pressure limited Torres output to single shots, most often his jab. Torres settled and had a better second round as he was sable to shift the movement in the ring to keep Wollery moving. That also enabled Torres to land his jab, and it often found a target on Wollery's body. Wollery continued to jump in close to shoot his heavy right at the taller Torres, and though some landed, Torres was often able to slip away.

Torres continued to walk Wollery down in the third round, throwing his jab to set up hard rights to Wollery's body. In the round, many of Wollery's punches came from the outside, and swinging wide gave Torres time to step away from getting caught flush. Torres body shots in the fourth round began to slow Wollery. Torres was most effective when he landed his left to Wollery's body. Wollery continued to launch heavy power punches, and when some landed, Torres would step back and regroup.

Wollery had a solid final round as he was able to get in close and land punches to Torres' body. Torres kept moving, and when he was close he continued to land left's to Wollery's body, though in total, Wollery out landed Torres in the round.

After five rounds one judge scored the bout 48-47 for Wollery, the other two saw it 48-47 for Torres who would claim the win by split decision and remain unbeaten.

Torres loads up his right

Wollery slips Torres' left

Alayon lands his left

Jovan Alayon returned to the ring after a one year layoff to face Jose Garcia Ponce in the five round middleweight co man event. Ponce last fought in April, when he walked away with a majority decision win. Alayon took a loss by knockout in his last outing.

Alayon threw more punches in the opening round, and in so doing he was able to land many to keep Ponce on the move. When the distance closed between the two men, Ponce was able to land shots to Alayon's body. The second round was close in the early moments as both men landed punches, then Ponce began to pressure Alayon, walking him down while landing body shots. Near the two and a half minute mark of the round Ponce caught Alayon with a hard left that stunned, but did not drop Alayon. While Ponce pressed and looked to land a punch to end the fight, Alayon moved to create distance.

The third round was close as both men were able to land jabs, and often they followed those with hard right body shots. Ponce maintained a position in the center of the ring while Alayon moved around the outside. There was a lot of movement from both fighters in the fourth round as each looked to find a way to create angles from which to land to the other's body or head. Ponce was content to use his reach advantage to shoot his right at Alayon.

The closing round was also close as Alayon continued to move around the outside, stepping in to connect with punches to Ponce's body. Ponce landed a few heavy shots in the round, but they did not keep Alayon from throwing body shots.

After five rounds one judge scored the bout 48-47 for Ponce, the other two scored it 48-47 for Alayon who would take home the split decision win.

Super featherweight Gary Anderson made his pro debut in a four round bout against Emmanuel Ojeda. Ojeda was looking to get back on the winning track after dropping his previous two decisions, and to do so he would have to contend with the left handed Anderson.

The opening round got off to a slow start though Anderson did try to take advantage of his reach by throwing long right hand jabs to keep Ojeda at a distance. The shorter Ojeda, just past the midpoint of the round, began to jump in close and land body shots, and that slowed Anderson's assault. Ojeda's pressure controlled the action of the second round. Ojeda would often close the distance between the two and shoot his right at Anderson's body. Anderson's left proved effective at times as he was able to step back and land it.

The action slowed some in the third round though Ojeda continued to pressure Anderson, walking him down while firing his left and reaching with his right. Anderson continue to shoot his jab, but single punches were not going to slow Ojeda's pursuit. Anderson had a solid fourth round as he was more active, closing the distance between the two and trying to land heavy with his left to Ojeda's body and keeping Ojeda on the move. Ojeda spent much of the round targeting Anderson's body.

After four rounds two judges scored the bout 40-36, the third saw it 39-37, all in favor of Emmanuel Ojeda who would claim the unanimous decision win.

Ojeda lands his right with Anderson on the ropes

Soto's left catches Munoz

Gilberto Tapia Soto was looking for his first win in a super bantam weight four rounder against Alex Munoz who was making his professional debut.

The opening minute or so of the first round was close as both men shot their jab and followed it with right body shots to score. Then just past the mid point Soto landed a right that dropped Munoz. Munoz bounced up quickly, and though he pleaded that he had slipped, a punch did land and the referee counted. The fight continued as it had begun, with both men throwing jabs. There was a lot of good action in the second round, and it was close until Soto pinned Munoz on the ropes and landed combinations to Munoz's body and head. As the round drew to a close, Munoz was able to gather himself and his left often landed to Soto's body.

The third round was also close as Soto applied pressure to keep Munoz on the move. Soto was often the first to throw punches, which meant that Munoz had to counter punch, and at times he did so effectively. Munoz had a good fourth round, but he could not totally break free of Soto's pressure, and that slowed his punch output in the middle portion of the round.

After four rounds all three judges scored the bout 40-36 for Soto who would get the win by unanimous decision.

Both Reith Duir and Apolinar Lopez were coming off hard fought wins when they stepped in to do battle in a four round light weight bout.

Duir opened the first round stepping to Lopez and looking to use his height and reach advantage to land shots to Lopez's body. Lopez did well to avoid getting caught keeping Duir moving. Lopez often shot his left at Duir's lanky body, connecting when the two men were close. Duir had a good second round as he began to find the range with his left as it landed to Lopez's body. Lopez began to step in close and throw combinations to Duir's body.

The third round was close as early it was Lopez who controlled the action landing combinations, then Duir shifted the momentum by stepping back and again using his reach advantage. Lopez closed the round fighting in close and shooting punches to Duir's body. The fourth round was close early as both men were able to land their jab, but then the pace began to slow as they fell into standing close and holding. As the round drew to an end Duir was using his reach to keep Lopez at a distance, while Lopez worked to step in tight and land to Duir's body.

After four rounds all three judges scored the bout 40-36 for Lopez who could take the unanimous decision win.

Duir shoots a long left at Lopez

Calderon's left finds a target on Arriga's body

David Baltazar Calderon brought an impressive amateur record in to the opening bout of the night as he faced Oscar Arriga in a four round welter weight bout. Arriga was entering the ring after a layoff of just short of a year.

Arriga fought well in the opening moments of the first round as he stayed in the center of the ring and kept Calderon moving. Then Calderon made an adjustment, began to press Arriga and that backed Arriga onto the ropes where Calderon's left found a target on Arriga's body while his right was able to land to Arriga's head. Calderon's pressure continued in the second round as he threw combinations to keep Arriga moving. Arriga did throw punches back, but he was unable to land anything solid as Calderon's movement enabled him to slip out of reach.

Calderon increased the pressure in the third round, forcing Arriga to move to avoid getting hit with combination punches. Again, Calderon backed Arriga onto the ropes and landed a series of combinations that took their toll on Arriga's body.

Arriga's corner waved the fight to an end rather than continue to the fourth round. Calderon would score the TKO win as Arriga retired.

In a three round kick boxing match Malique Lee stepped in to face Christopher Burgett.

Lee dropped Burgett twice in the opening round and again in the third round before a kick to the kidneys dropped Burgett and ended the fight.

Lee would score the knockout win.

Lee pins Burgett on the ropes

The Arena Wars Ring Card Girls kept the crowd's attention on the ring between rounds.