Time to Bleed, Fight Night

This morning started off with a early light workout at LA boxing-El Paso. Gabe and Molly both got a good sweat in with a quick 30min workout then it was back to the hotel where we had a good breakfast and I was able to go over the game plan with Gabe.

Gabe shadow boxing morning of the fight.

Molly working out fight morning.

The rest of the day was just spent resting until 430pm in our rooms. At 430pm the vans took us to the Marriott where the venue was. At first there was a little confusion as to what locker room we were going to be in. They first had Gabe in the blue corner and Molly in the red corner. Being that we were one camp it made no sense being on separate ends of the venue and different corners.

Once everything was straighten out we all ended up in the blue corner. Being in the blue corner was a treat and a curse at the same time. There was this fighter who we shared the locker with who will remain unnamed that was slightly off to say the least.

This guy did so many weird things it would take forever to list so here is just a few thing s I remember off the top of my head. First off he argued with the commissioner about when he should glove up, very bad move on his part. The he warmed up for 2hrs straight before his fight while continue to yell at the top of his lungs. He also made sure to tell everyone how they didn't know anything and how good he was. When he finally was called to the ring he decided to run around the ring at a full sprint twice like a complete psycho.

The commission then had to stop him and the crowd was laughing at him and not with him! Once the fight started, he continued to run around the ring bouncing off of the ropes like he was in WWE. Once the fight was over and he won......yes he WON!! He tried to jump on the ropes to raise his hands but actually bounced over the ropes and face planted on the floor. At this point I couldn't stop laughing and was actually getting a side pain then.... the guy gets back up and again started running around the ring again!

Okay enough about that guy lets get back to Gabe and Molly. Gabe was the second fight of the night and was called in to the ring. As we were introduced the crowd booed us being that Gabe was fighting a local fighter. The first round started off with Gabe throwing a double jab and right hand that dropped his opponent in the opening seconds of the round. His opponent Wesley Marquez who was a 4 time Regional Golden Glove Champion was a tough foe who got back up and finished the round.

The second round was a close back to back brawl that I gave Marquez that round. After that rounds three and four were clearly Gabe's rounds. Gabe had more combinations and cleaner shots. All in all it was a great action packed fight. At the end of the fight Gabe was covered in Marquez's blood from a possible broken nose that Marquez may have received in the opening seconds of the first round. The judges saw it the same way and gave Gabe a unanimous decision.

Aaron Navarro with Gabe after his win over Wesley Marquez.

Although we were booed coming in, once they interviewed Gabe and he said how well we were treated in El Paso and how he would love to fight here again the crowd cheered him as he exited the ring.

Next was Molly. Molly was up and looked very focused and ready to take home the belt. Molly had already faced her opponent Kita Watkins once before and stopped her in the third round but everyone knew this would be a different Kita Watkins and for a World Championship title.

This would end up being a very good 10 round fight. Both women came to fight. Molly clearly was the stronger of the two. Molly's right hand hurt Kita multiple times during the fight. Kita showed that she was a game opponent with flurries of combinations that she was able to score through out the bout, but it was Molly's power punching that was the theme of this title fight that proved to much in the end for Kita Watkins. The judges gave Molly the unanimous decision and the title of the new WIBF and GBU World Champion!!!!

The New WIBF and GBU World Champion Molly McConnell.

The Champion Molly McConnell and Ron Woodward.

I would also like to take this time to thank Aaron Navarro of Main Boxing Gym of Huston Texas who graciously worked as the third man (cut man) for both Molly and Gabe's fights. He did an awesome job and looking forward to working with Aaron again. Thanks Aaron!!Aaron Navarro, Leonard Gabriel, Molly McConnell WIBF and GBU Champion and Ron Woodward.Leonard Gabriel, Aaron Navarro, Gabriel Cruz and Ron Woodward.