It’s been known by colorful names throughout the years
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Riot at the Hyatt,
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Shakedown in Quake Town,
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and
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Collision at the Conference Center.
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It’s been known by colorful names throughout the years – “Riot at the Hyatt,” “Shakedown in Quake Town,” and “Collision at the Conference Center.”
Forget the hype and colorful rhetoric. The fight cards now held in Monterey are more than a showcase for local fighters. World champions have fought on Jerry Hoffman’s cards and rave about them.
“The crowds are great and Jerry is an awesome matchmaker,” says Gilroy’s Robert Guerrero, the former International Boxing Federation featherweight champion who is in line for another title shot. “You see it all at those shows.”
Guerrero had his eighth professional fight at the Hyatt in Monterey. He won a six-round unanimous decision over Freddy Castro. The fight, July 3, 2002, wasn’t easy, as Guerrero recalls.
“He was a tough fighter from LA,” Guerrero says. “He came to fight and I came out with a cut from a head butt. I learned a lot from it.”
He learned more than about boxing that night. Guerrero discovered that the crowds are as entertaining as the fighters. They are loud and animated. They cheer for the hometown fighters and get excited about good matchups.
“The reason why we’re successful is that I don’t protect fighters,” Hoffman says. “I don’t have papers on fighters.”
Hoffman, who has lived in either Monterey or Santa Cruz for more than 30 years, started his shows in 1992. The Shakedown in Quake Town ran from 1992-96 in Santa Cruz. Then it was the Riot at the Hyatt until 2005. For the past two years, it has been the Collision at the Conference Center.
Former world welterweight and light middleweight champion “Sugar” Shane Mosely fought twice on Hoffman’s cards in 1994 at the Santa Cruz Auditorium. Hoffman once matched Stevie Johnston, who became lightweight champion, and James Page, a former welterweight titleholder, at 142 pounds. Jose Celaya, Eddie Croft, Gerardo Martinez and Gilroy’s Adolfo Aldana were other fighters on cards.
“There have been so many good fights there,” says Guerrero, a frequent visitor. “I enjoy going as a fan. Every fight is awesome. You get your money’s worth at those shows.
“I remember going to Riot fights as an amateur. The first pro fight I ever went to was a Riot at the Hyatt.”
Boxing fans know that some of the best fights are those in the lighter weights and up and comers who train hard and are trying to impress for a bigger payday.
And Hoffman knows that the only way you’ll get the fans to come to your shows is to not coddle the hot prospects with decidedly inferior opponents.
“Our fights are always great matchups,” Hoffman said.
Well, maybe not always. But then, how often do you get to try and find opponents for someone with the skill of a Mosley. Even Hoffman admits that Mosley could have probably won first-round knockouts in each of the bouts but decided he wanted to get in some work.
Nevertheless, his shows have generally been affairs to remember.
