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Torres, Majors to fight on Sunday evening card in Stateline

Steve Yingling

Some of the biggest names in boxing – Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Oscar De La Hoya and Fernando Vargas – have fought in Stateline casinos, but the fight cards have rarely included the local punchers.

Harveys Resort & Casino is looking to change that trend this weekend when at least two, and maybe three, South Lake Tahoe boxers will fight on the undercard of the Julian Letterlough-Troy Weaver NABO light heavyweight championship bout Sunday evening.

Hector Torres and Eric Majors are penciled in for four-round bouts, marking the first time since 1996 that promoters and matchmakers have given the local talent an opportunity to fight in front of family and friends.



“It’s really cool. I finally got a win under my belt and now I can keep it going and get family and friends watching up here,” said Majors, who earned his first pro victory with a first-round knockout March 31 in Palm Springs, Calif. “I feel strong right now, and I’m pretty focused on a winning streak for now.”

The 6-foot-2 Majors (1-2) is matched to trade punches with Raymond Paramo in a preliminary bout.



14 years later

Torres brings an unblemished 4-0 pro record into his four-round light heavyweight bout with Lamont Winn (4-3) of Fresno, Calif. Torres has spent the outset of his pro career fighting in Oroville and Sacramento. He will box in his hometown for the first time since 1986 when he fought at the High Sierra Casino.

“I’m pretty excited, especially with everyone at work planning to go see me fight,” Torres said. “But it’s putting the pressure up. “

The 30-year-old Torres will feel even more at home than Majors since he spends most of days at Harveys. He works in the casino’s warehouse.

“That’s my whole thing right now … to show people what we’re really made out,” Torres said. “Training out of a garage and coming this far, that’s doing really good.”

Ghost Warrior’s whereabouts

Juan Torres, the most visible and active fighter from Tahoe, is questionable for the card. The Nevada Athletic Commission is deliberating whether to keep him off the card because of the number of rounds he’s accrued lately. Torres (15-9) won a six-round decision over Jose Vaca of Las Vegas March 31 in Palm Springs. The commission doesn’t allow more than 11 rounds in a 20-day period.

“They’re trying to bend it for me, so we’ll see what happens,” Juan Torres said.

His manager, Jose Maron, also was negotiating a bout with former champion Jorge Paez in Mexicali, Mexico, for Friday. Paez’s opponent has apparently pulled out of the fight, and Juan Torres is being considered as a replacement.

If Juan Torres boxes at Harveys, it will allow him to complete a Stateline casino corridor fight circuit. He last fought in Stateline in 1996, and has fought previously at Harrah’s, Horizon and Caesars.

“As long as it’s in town and I get the support, I’m very happy to fight at Harveys,” Juan Torres said. “The other casinos are afraid to put something together for the local guys. They want to put on shows that are going to bring in the high rollers, but boxing can do that. They’ll stay here a couple extra days and put some money in the machines and on the tables, you know?”

Retirement plans filled Juan Torres’ head as the new millennium began, but he’s put that idea on hold as more fights have come his way.

“What’s happening right now is that Top Rank and Don Chargin Productions are taking care of me,” Torres said. “I’ll keep fighting these six- to eight-round preliminary fights until I get a title shot.

“If everything goes well, I’ll fight again for Top Rank on April 28 in Reno, and June 1 in China. I’ll do all I can in hopes of doing something with it, and if not, I’m done by the end of year.”

Slugfest in main event

The Weaver-Letterlough championship bout should give fans what they’re looking for – a knockout. Their combined 24 wins have come by KO.

Weaver, the younger brother of former WBA heavyweight champion Mike Weaver, has been fighting since he was 5. The 35-year-old Weaver is 13-6-2 after compiling a 19-4 record as an amateur.

“My strength is in my knockout power,” Weaver said. “When someone wants to slug it out with me, that’s when I will knock them out.”

Letterlough (11-0) figures to test Weaver’s prediction. The 5-9 Mike Tyson look-alike has kept the judges at ease as he’s provided knockout after knockout.

The 30-year-old made a late entry into boxing – just two years ago – and eventually hopes to get a title shot from Roy Jones.

Tickets are $30, with the first bout to start at 6:30 p.m. The California Hardbodies will perform in an oil wrestling show after the main event. For ticket information, phone (775) 588-2411, ext. 2644.


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