Golden Boy Boxing and DAZN resurrected its club fight streak into a hot new place for 2022 with its debut card on Thursday. At the Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino in Indio, budding young fighters and veterans hoping to reinvigorate their careers will have the chance to impress promoters and fans alike.

Based on the sold-out crowd in Indio, the new series picks up where Golden Boy’s popular club fights at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles left off.

What exactly is a “club fight”? In theory, club fights feature boxers who are still developing their craft in four-, six-, and eight-round bouts. Their opponents are often veterans who are past the peak of their careers and still hoping for a chance at championship level, as well as journeymen who know their job is to test youngsters while earning a paycheck. Local fans can sit up close and cheer on their favourites.

Gesta fights Diaz Jr. to upset decision win

In the main event, Palmdale’s Joel Diaz Jr. (26-3, 22 KOs) and veteran challenger Mercito Gesta of San Diego (33-3-3, 17 KOs) battled out ten tough rounds to kick off the series in their 10 rounds. super light combat. Gesta lived up to his ‘No Mercy’ moniker, picking up an upset victory and looking rejuvenated after some time away from the ring. Dashboards were 96-92 X 2 and 95-93 for Gesta.

Gesta came out aggressively from the opening bell, dripping blood on Diaz Jr. in the first round, then dropping Diaz Jr. with a left-handed forehand counter-hit, and repeated the same counter-hit and knockdown a few seconds later. In the corner, coach Sam Contreras asked Diaz Jr. “Are you okay? Tell me, are you okay? I’ll give you one more round. Gesta edged Diaz Jr. 29 shots to just six shots for Diaz Jr.

Diaz Jr. dug in and traded with Gesta, battling his way back to the final bell, giving fans an exciting action fight. He couldn’t overcome Gesta’s quick start. Gesta stayed ahead but couldn’t stop Diaz Jr. despite a valiant effort. Even though the action naturally tapered off, Gesta still had enough power for Diaz Jr. to feel it. Gesta repeatedly turned up the heat until the end, but the battle went to the cards.

Mercito Gesta admitted it was an emotional win for him over Joel Diaz Jr. Photo: LIzette De Los Santos/Golden Boy Boxing

“Man, I was so emotional. I haven’t fought in a while,” said Gesta, whose last win was in July 2017. “There have been ups and downs. A lot of things happened. The fights have been postponed. It was a mix of emotions for me. “Praise the Lord. God has always blessed me. I’m so happy with the win I have right now. Gesta credited her faith and “finding the connection” for the victory. “It’s special tonight.” Gesta had been out of the ring for two years. Now training at Wild Card Gym with Marvin Somodio, Gesta said he felt refreshed and was fighting with new urgency with his wife who was pregnant with their first child.

Gesta also praised his opponent for his efforts. “I give it to Joel Diaz. This kid can go far. I gave everything. He took it. He went neck and neck for ten rounds. I salute Joel Diaz.

What awaits Gesta, 34, now? He said he would leave it to matchmaker Roberto Diaz and intends to keep fighting.

Gonzalez defeats Lopez in six rounds

Lightweight Jousce Gonzalez of Covina (11-0-1, 10 KOs) beat a tough Jairo Lopez of Apodaca, Mexico (27-14, 17 KOs) until referee Eddie Hernandez stopped the fight at the sixth round for a victory by TKO. Gonzalez controlled the fight from the start, but Lopez wasn’t coming down fast. Gonzalez worked hard to slow Lopez, scoring two knockdowns in the second round, one more each in the third and fourth rounds. Lopez continued to fight back, but in the sixth he sent Lopez backwards, and referee Hernandez intervened,

“He was exactly what I expected. Jairo Lopez is a game fighter,” Gonzalez said. “He’s a tough, experienced fighter. I knew he could take a few headshots, but his body shots were questionable. I wanted to take my time with him. He’s in, but he’s got a second wind. He’s still got a full tank of gas.

Gonzalez said he gave his performance a six out of ten. “It’s my first fight and I know I can do better. He’s a very tough fighter, but I knew I was landing and hurting him. I knew he was taking punishment, so I didn’t Wasn’t surprised when the ref called off the fight. I’m just happy to be back in the ring and want to aim to fight some big names in the division.

Flores and Salvatierra score wins by knockout

Coachella super bantamweight Manual Flores (12-0, 9 KOs) picked up a win in his first professional fight in front of hometown fans. He defeated Victor Ruiz of Tijuana (23-13, 16 KOs) in the third round. “I’m so happy to be here and fight in front of all my family and friends,” Flores said. “I want to thank all the local fans who came out to support us. It gives me a lot more motivation to keep fighting. Flores hopes he’s impressed Golden Boy president Roberto Diaz enough to get a contract offer. On the base of the first bump Diaz gave Flores as he left the ring, we bet he did.

Flyweight Jan Salvatierra of Cabo San Lucas (8-1, 4 KOs) ended his night with a second-round TKO after Ernie Marquez of Fort Morgan, Colo. (10-18-2, 3 KOs) failed. could not continue due to injury. ankle. You’re going to see records like this lost in a division where opponents are hard to come by.

Jorge Chavez now has a winning streak

San Diego’s Jorge Chavez (2-0, 2 KOs) now has a winning streak and a knockout streak. He finished his super featherweight fight with a body shot and a follow-up headshot on Mexico City’s Jonathan Tejada (0-2). Golden Boy likes what they see from the 22-year-old.

“I loved being able to fight in Fantasy Springs. All my friends and family were able to come and see me in a more intimate place,” Chavez said. learning experience. With each fight, we will continue to grow, learn and improve more and more. This is precisely the purpose of the regional club fight cards wherever they take place.

Golden Boy had great success with his club fight cards before the pandemic. GB Fight Night hopes to bring the good times to the high desert, where a host of talent trains at the region’s high-quality gyms. Fans can start a long weekend off right and enjoy a fun night of fights for a reasonable price.

You may not be able to sit at ringside this summer in Las Vegas or New York, but you can see the champions of tomorrow at your local club fights happening weekly across the United States. . Make a promise and box now that you’ll be attending a club card before Labor Day