By Sean Crose

LA Fight Club returned to Fox Sports 1 on Thursday evening. Things got under way when undefeated lightweight Christian Gonzalez (9-0) faced Houston native Daryl Hayes (3-4). Hayes was slicker than his record indicated, but the forward moving Gonzalez was able to grind out success through pressure.

Hayes didn’t help his case by getting two points deducted by referee Sharon Sands for holding and pushing, respectively. At the end of the six round bout, the nineteen year old Gonzalez walked away with a unanimous decision victory.

The next fight was a super featherweight affair as Carlos Molina (8-1) battled Emmanuel Gonzalez (14-1) in an eight round scrap. The first few rounds were more of a chess match than a brawl, but were interesting viewing nonetheless. By the third, however, Morales landed hard and decisively carried the round.

Morales continued bringing the heat in the fourth, effectively taking charge of the bout. Yet Gonzalez kept his cool and effectively put himself back in the fight. Indeed, things started going back and forth a bit. Gonzalez, for instance, may have taken the fifth, while Molina came back strong in the sixth.

Ultimately, however, Molina dug deeper, worked harder and earned a definitive win. He walked away with a unanimous decision victory.

The night’s main event featured Jayson Velez (22-0-1) – who, upon being announced, literally threw his hat OUT of the ring – against Daniel Ramierez (11-2) in a super featherweight throw down. Ramierz attacked the body in the first, but Velez had Ramirez down hard early in the second. To his credit, Ramirez got up and got right back into the fight.

By the third, the bout became rather thrilling. Neither man was known for his punching power, but they started leaving it all in the ring. One had to wonder if it would actually go the distance. Yet the slugfest continued, minute after minute, round after round.

In between the seventh and eighth, Velez took to dancing in his corner. Ramirez fans responded by chanting. It was one of those fights. Ringside announcer Dougie Fischer noticed, however, that Velez was getting hit more than he should have been. Fischer was right. Velez may have been winning, but his defense could have been sharper.

Still, Velez proved to be a bit faster than his foe and to throw more “punches in bunches.” The judges ruled in his favor, giving the Puerto Rican fighter a unanimous decision win and the victory of the night.

One fascinating matter of note is that Oscar De La Hoya, head honcho of Golden Boy Promotions, was on hand for the card, informing the television audience that LA Fight Club was inspired by Brad Pitt in the movie “Fight Club.”

De La Hoya said nothing, however, pertaining to the ring comeback he’s reportedly been hinting at.

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