Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

NLV casino, Steele happy after debut

The setting is so unique that anyone living above the second floor of the adjacent apartment building is allowed a free look into the action.

And those within The Club at the Cannery might also catch sight of a rainbow.

Such was the case Wednesday night as the North Las Vegas casino made its boxing debut with a five-bout card promoted by former referee Richard Steele. A near capacity crowd of approximately 1,200 seemed enthused with the venue, half of which is covered and half of which is open air.

For a fleeting moment, a rainbow appeared overhead.

A good sign, perhaps, for Steele and Cannery executives?

"We both have to be satisfied," Steele said, the card coming off without serious hitches and the junior welterweight main event settled in a single round when Mongolia's Baira Kim knocked out Mexico's Eduardo Cota just before the bell.

Although Steele and the Cannery have yet to enter into a long-term contract, the success of the opening show is expected to pave the way for others. A second card is tentative for June 18.

"Wednesdays are a risk, but we think we can capitalize on them," said the Cannery's special events manager, former UNLV athletic director Dennis Finfrock. "We're open to any promoters, but I have a special relationship with Richard and he has the ability to put on quality shows."

This was the first professional boxing card in North Las Vegas since promoter Al Rodrigues completed a two-year run at the Silver Nugget on Aug. 3, 1995.

Attracting a crowd indicative of the neighborhood, the Cannery played to its strengths and wasn't ostentatious. Introductions were bilingual and the fights were mostly competitive, featuring younger performers.

"We always have a strong Hispanic clientele," Finfrock said. "This is their home. They can come here and don't have to go across town or to a Strip casino to see boxing.

"It's down the street from where they live."

Some, as was obvious by the open windows in a few of the neighboring apartments, needed to walk but a few steps to see what all the shouting was about.

The Cannery paid a site fee to Steele and kept all of the gate receipts.

"I honestly don't care who wins," Steele said of the fights themselves. "I'm not signing any fighters, so I don't have to protect them the way some promoters do."

What he's lacking, of course, is what every newcomer to the sport lacks: television income. And that failure to acquire TV revenue has driven any number of promoters from the game.

"It's not that we have to have TV money," Steele said. "If we can get 1,000 locals each and every month, that'll be just fine.

"And if we put on good fights, TV will come. TV is always looking for exciting fights, exciting houses, exciting events. If we do a good enough job, someday TV might come looking for us."

The debut card had the advantage of pleasant weather -- it remains to be seen what it will be like in the summer for those fans not under the canopy -- and a briskly paced format.

Kim, making his first appearance in America, impressed in dispatching Cota in just under three minutes in the featured event. A Mongolian who lives in Korea, Kim is said to have considerable financial backing. He stalked the lanky Cota and put him down three times in rapid succession as the round was about to expire.

Referee Joe Cortez didn't bother to count after the third knockdown, with Cota on his hands and knees, and Kim smiled broadly and politely nodded his head to the shower of applause directed his way.

He's now 13-1 with 12 knockouts and apt to be back at the Cannery for a future bout.

Cota, who like Kim was paid $2,000, dropped to 10-3.

In the semi-main event, 1996 Olympic bronze medalist Ramaz Paliani of Russia (and Italy) displayed a strong left and gained a TKO victory against fellow lightweight Genaro Mellado, 5-7, as referee Tony Weeks intervened 37 seconds into the second round. Paliani, 5-0, has had a stalled pro career yet his amateur background includes a win against former world champion Joel Casamayor.

In other bouts: junior welterweight Julio Luna, 1-0, won by fourth-round TKO against Eric Trujillo, 0-2; middleweight Joaquin Zamora, 2-1, won by fourth-round TKO against Pablo Vallin, 0-1; and lightweight Blanca Luna, 4-1, won by majority decision against Jackie Nava, 3-1.

"I'm always nervous at a time like this," Steele said as his hoped-for series got off the ground. "I've been working on this for more than four months and I really want it to go over big."

With or without the rainbow, it appeared as if he got his wish.

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