Chance for payback
Namauu rematches Barragan on Crown card

Preview and photos by Chris Cozzone

After a six-month layoff, Crown Boxing returns to action with a four-bout card at The Rio’s Pavilion in Las Vegas.

On a six-bout win streak, Las Vegas cruiserweight Henry Namauu (9-3, 5 KOs) will headline his third straight Crown card in a ten-round bout for a minor IBA trinket. Opposing Namauu will be Victor Barragan (11-6, 3 KOs) of Oxnard, Calif.

Coming off back-to-back losses, Barragan might not be a likely candidate to fight for any sort of title, even one by the IBA, but he does represent Namauu’s toughest foe to date.

Especially since Barragan was the last man to beat Namauu, back in March 2009.

Tonight’s fight has every indication of payback. At Thursday’s weigh-in, Namauu appeared in top shape, tipping the scales at a cut 199 to Barragan’s pudgy 194.

In the six-round co-main, Vegas featherweight Rocco Santomauro (6-0, 0 KOs) will get a chance to score his first knockout, against handpicked Gabe Garcia (4-6-1, 1 KO), of Phoenix. Lacking the pop to threaten Santomauro and, at least on paper, and showing a bit of china, having been stopped in two of his last three bouts, Garcia is not likely to threaten Santomauro’s pretty record.

At the weigh-in, Santomauro munched on a slice of pizza, weighing in at 128, same as Garcia.

In a four-round female bout, super flyweight Mandy LaPointe (3-1, 1 KO), of Las Vegas, takes on undefeated Annette Agredano (5-0), who is the third Arizonian on the card. Both weighed in at 123.

LaPointe came off an eight-year layoff last year, drawing with Crystal Hoy and outpointing Hondi Hernandez in bouts at 122. This time, she’s down to 115 – but against a fighter yet to lose.

In the opening bout, also at featherweight, Vegas’ Rocco Espinoza is set for his debut, against Armando Gonzales (1-0, 1 KO), also from Tucson. Is there a “Rocco vs. Rocco” featherweight showdown in the works, somewhere down the line?

The missing bout on the originally-announced five-fight lineup, is a sixer at feather between Vegas’ Brian Battease (6-3-2, 1 KO), coming off back-to-back losses on Crown cards, and Carlos Luque (2-6, 0 KOs), of Tucson, who’s dropped three of his last four. According to the promoter, Luque was a no-show.

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Tickets are on sale at The Rio Box Office, at 702-777-7766.