Boxing returns to the Old Pueblo

The wait is finally over for Southern Arizona fight fans.

After five-and-a-half months of inactivity, live boxing returns to the Old Pueblo, with a familiar face headlining 2008’s first fight card.

Tucson’s own Norberto “Nito” Bravo (25-15-3, 15 KOs) will battle highly touted Freddie Hernandez (22-1, 17 KOs) for the vacant IBA Welterweight title tonight at AVA Amphitheater.

The 12-round bout will serve as the centerpiece for Casino Del Sol’s seven-fight card.

“It’s good to be back,” said Hall-of-Fame promoter Don Chargin. “We have a great event lined up, and this is the first-ever world-title fight we’ve had since we’ve been promoting fights at Casino Del Sol.”

Southern Arizona peaked as a boxing destination on Nov. 3, when top pound-for-pound pugilist Juan Manuel Marquez battered former Olympian Rocky Juarez at Desert Diamond Casino in front of a frenzied sold-out crowd and a nationally televised Showtime audience.

It appeared as if that fight would lay the foundation for more high-profile boxing events, but fight fans have had nothing to circle on their calendars.

Now that the chilly winter months are in Mother Nature’s rear-view mirror, Chargin and Casino Del Sol decided tonight was the best time to bring back their successful outdoor boxing series, which has been dormant since Oct. 11.

Last year, Bravo headlined three of Chargin’s “boxing under the stars” cards.

The former “Contender” participant was originally scheduled to appear on the undercard of this weekend’s massive Bernard Hopkins versus Joe Calzaghe bout in Las Vegas, but his opponent failed to acquire a visa in time.

As this was happening, Hernandez was training to finish what he started against Roberto Garcia (24-2, 17 KOs). The two met on Nov. 30 in Brownsville, Texas, to claim ownership of the IBA Welterweight belt — a title that had been vacant since Floyd Mayweather Jr. blew out Carlos Baldomir to claim 147-pound supreamacy in 2006 — but the fight was stopped after three rounds due to an accidental headbutt opening a nasty gash over Hernandez’s eye.

The fight was ruled a no-contest and both men quickly agreed to a rematch.

However, Garcia’s team had some problems with the promotion and pulled out of the fight 10 days ago.

Chargin needed a crowd-pleasing fighter and a recognizable name. Bravo needed a fight.

“Luckily, this one came through,” Bravo said. “I love fighting in front of my hometown fans and proving the doubters wrong.”

Since his fourth-place finish on “The Contender,” Bravo has fought six times, going 3-3 during that span.

He returned to Tucson with a decision victory over Oregon club fighter Michael Lucero, but looked sluggish throughout most of the bout.

In his next bout, Bravo, 37, scored his first-career HBO appearance, but didn’t make it out of the first round against Andre Berto.

Bravo said that bout was a wake-up call and forced him to re-dedicate himself to his training.

He answered with a convincing third-round knockout against overmatched Jaime Javier Barahona in his first fight with Chargin on June 21.

Bravo secured a bout with Luis Ramon “Yory Boy” Campas on the strength of that performance.

After a slow start, Bravo battled back rocked the former titlist with hard right hands for the second half of the bout, ultimately dropping a controversial decision.

With renewed confidence in his abilities, Bravo knocked out Julio Perez in one round in his last Tucson appearance before traveling to Cabazon, Calif., to battle Enrique Ornelas for the NABF Middleweight crown on Feb. 22.

Even though Bravo was battling the biggest fighter of his career (he had never strayed beyond the light-middleweight limit prior to Feb. 22), “El Gallito” floored Ornelas in the second round.

This momentum didn’t last, as Ornelas bounced back and forced a seventh-round stoppage — a decision Bravo still disputes.

“I don’t know why they stopped it, to be honest with you,” Bravo said. “I was still in that fight. I just can’t let judges and refs determine the outcome, I guess. Hopefully I’ll get a fair shake one of these days.”

Hernandez, 29, comes in with a glossy record and a eye-opening victory over former title challenger Ben Tackie on June 1 to help put his name in the welterweight mix.

His only loss came more than three years ago against veteran contender Golden Johnson.

Hernandez had one goal in mind in his 23 previous bouts: prove why he deserves to fight for world titles.

Now, he has a second goal in mind.

“I just had a son two months ago,” Hernandez said through an interpreter. “I want him to be proud of his daddy.”

Chargin calls Hernandez one of the world’s best welterweights and expects him and Bravo to engage in a fan-friendly brawl.

Hernandez owns an eight-year youth advantage over Bravo, but don’t expect that to enter into Bravo’s thinking.

“People make assumptions about me due to my age, but I still feel young,” Bravo said. “Freddie is a good fighter, but I’ve been in the ring against plenty of guys with good records. I’m going to keep doing what I want to do and fighting as hard as I can.”

The six-bout undercard will be headlined by frequent Tucson visitor Tomas Villa (18-5, 12 KOs) and Adolfo Landeros (17-9, 8 KOs), who will battle for the IBA Continental Americas belt at 122 pounds.

Also appearing on the undercard will be Chirstopher Martin (9-0-1, 2 KOs), Mercito Gesta (12-0, 1 KO), James Parison (8-0, 4 KOs), Isaac Hildogo (pro debut) and Sergio Perales (3-0, 3 KOs).

Fights will begin at 4:30 p.m., with gates opening one hour earlier. The Bravo-Hernandez bout will take place at around 6 p.m. and will be televised live on Telefutura.

Visit www.casinodelsol.com for more information.

nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747