When a person gives you their word, you know they mean it. But when a boxer gives you his word, you know IT WILL HAPPEN.
That’s exactly what Steve 2Pound Forbes did; he gave us his word he would bring boxing back to Oregon and he certainly did last Saturday, April 6, at the Clackamas Armory. Join me as we take a swift look at what 2Pound Entertainment put together for those of us in the Portland, Oregon area.
An Oregon Led Card –
Putting on an event of this magnitude requires a lot of work, money, talent and above all, commitment to boxing. This is without a doubt a task not many can get done, but to Christina Lunzman and Steve 2Pound Forbes, this had to be done.
But it couldn’t just stop at having a great event; it had to be special—it had to truly be about Oregon and the amazing talent and skill herein.
And while we can stand here now and tell you it was a great success, it is impossible not to take some time and take a bow as we appreciate the time, effort and, of course, the coordination of schedules of all of those involved.
Now, that takes some work to get done! But instead of letting such task intimidate them, 2Pound Sports and Entertainment rose to the occasion, and not only put on an amazing night, but it made sure it brought to Clackamas Armory the best Oregon has.
The night’s card included some big names. Some drove in from down the street, while others flew in from out of state. The call had been made and everyone showed up and it included a little bit of everything for sure!
The Professional Debut –
Lorenzo Caldera vs. Jerald Gregori – The excitement was in the air as we saw some familiar faces coming from the amateur side to the professional arena. Lorenzo Caldera’s first professional fight, right here at home. A home where not only has he built a name of his own, but also carries one of a legacy in the world of boxing for Portland. It was without a doubt one of the fights in the night we all wanted to see. And we for sure saw him fight with all his got. Lorenzo came out to the ring and took the win as his Coach Molly said “In style!- First round KO!” He came out and gave his best to all of those who showed up.
The Pacific Northwest Pride
Victor Morales Jr. vs. Marcelo Gallardo – We can all agree this night couldn’t have been about Oregon without having Victor Morales Jr. there. The young man is already a household name. Not only did he show up and gave a great fight, but he reminded all amateur boxers there is only one thing to do once you get on the ring and that is to win at all cost. Victor took the night building upon his impressive record of 11-0, and 7 KOs in his professional career.
The Comeback of a Champion!
Steve 2Pound Forbes vs. Tavorus Teague – The highlight of the night was without a doubt the come back to the ring of Steve 2Pound Forbes. The man that not only wanted to give the appropriate event to boxing fanatics in his hometown, but also let us know there is still a lot more he is going to do. From the minute he stepped into the ring, Steve “2Pound” Forbes dominated. It didn’t matter his opponent was 11 years his junior or had recently been in the ring. A champion is a champion and that’s exactly what Steve made sure we remembered and saw on his every punch. He was without a doubt the man of the night!
The Women in and outside the ring.
Molly McConnell – The World Champion, The Gym Owner & The Coach
If you want to know what is going on in the world of boxing in Oregon and the PNW you talk to Professional World Boxing Champion Molly McConnell. McConnell has not only paved the way for women inside the ring, but she is now part of a major movement of female coaches, promoters and leaders in the boxing ring. For anyone who understands and loves boxing, they know without a doubt she is the poster child of what an amazing journey and sport boxing is. And I have to say, we are all very lucky that instead of retiring after her professional boxing career she chose to continue and take it up just another notch so we can see all she has to still give.
And no we are not talking about basic support to the sport. We are talking as being inside the ring. The owner of McConnell’s Boxing Academy has shown us that not only does she have what it takes to be a champion but also to be a business owner and a great coach to new talent, current champions and future title holders.
Molly was an instrumental piece to this event. As the trainer of record for Lorenzo “El Matador” Caldera and his work with Steve “2Pound” Forbes, Molly left her mark as she always does!
There certainly is no doubt about how important her role is. If any doubt go ahead and ask “2Pound” or “El Matador” and they both will attest what a great influence and inspiration Molly is.
Christina Lunzman – The Boxing Promoter
We can all agree there is nothing women can’t do in this world. If you look around you, women are everywhere! It’s always been that way, but you cannot deny that for once their work is being recognized. With that said, we cannot talk about what happened at Clackamas Armory on April 6th without talking about Boxing Promoter Christina Lunzman. A seasoned business woman, Lunzman stepped into the world of boxing with no fear, and a clear and objective goal: to do whatever it took to bring boxing back home.
She knew it wouldn’t be easy. She knew there would be challenges and why not even opposition from time to time, but that didn’t matter! It simply had to be done!
She went forward without any fear. Navigating a sport traditionally nominated by men in a strong and assertive way. And we can all agree it paid off! Because if you were at the Clackamas Armory Saturday night you were able to witness the product of the vision the only female promoter in Portland had for that night. Her passion and business expertise certainly shined throughout the night. And she went home with a full house, a stellar card and Portland screaming with all the strength they had that night.
Thank you, Christina, for doing your part to bring boxing back!
The Oregon Boxing Community & Fans
Writing this piece wouldn’t be right without recognizing an integral piece: the fans! One of the hardest things for a fan is the lack of opportunities to attend events such as this. With that said, the importance this event had for the community is beyond measurement. But I am not going to take space in this brief story with my own words, and instead give you what the fans themselves said both online in community forums and 1:1 with OSN.
Coach Mat Galloway
“It was a great atmosphere and was really great to see Portland boxing. Steve Forbes has a great reputation of Northwest boxing and I have have seen Lorenzo and Victor box since their kids and it was great to see the Oregon boxing community support them last night.”
Steve Anthony Martinez
“We out here for Victor Morales Jr. weigh in. It war time tomorrow night.”
Laura Klein –
“Good luck kiddo (Lorenzo “El Matador” Caldera). I know your Dad & Coach Ray will be right there with you.”
Coach James Franco
“Professional Boxing at the Clackamas Armory. 2 pound sports entertainment has pack the house. What a good looking ring too ;)”
Anthony Castro
“Attending the fight Saturday night reminded me of why boxing is a life changing experience. I saw how much of an impact it did made in everyone. A gathering of people from many different backgrounds all sitting in camaraderie around the same event. The appeal of seeing skilled fighters putting their passion to the test is irresistible. Seeing these young fighters fight their hearts out shows how much dedication and discipline they put into their training. As an amatuer boxer myself, it made me realize just how much I need to step my game up to compete at this level. As a fan, boxing is an amazing sport that can break down barriers. But as a fighter… boxing and life bleed into each other until they are indistinguishable.”
As you can see the night had it all! Boxers, coaches, fans and the community agrees that 2Pound Entertainment pulled it off! We cannot wait to see what the next event will be like and see how not only their promotion company but also Oregon Boxing officials will build upon the momentum this event has started out.
This has been long overdue. We need to continue what was started Saturday night. We need to bring Boxing to Portland back!
Thank you Steve “2Pound” Forbes for setting yourself on a mission to make this happen. Make no mistake your efforts are greatly appreciated and aren’t going without notice. In Oregon you will always be THE champion to look up to and to see your commitment to your fellow boxers and their fans is without a doubt greatly appreciated it from the bottom of our hearts! Thank you! Welcome back to the ring! We cannot wait to see what the next event will be like!
