Adelaida “Cobra” Ruiz Gets Knockout Win As Mariana Juarez Watches
By David A. Avila
CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif.-Bantamweight bomber Adelaida “La Cobra” Ruiz chased the crafty Karla Valenzuela for three rounds before finally winning by stoppage in the fourth round on Friday. It was her third consecutive knockout win.
Ruiz (6-0, 3 KOs0 had a star-studded audience witnessing her win over Durango, Mexico’s Valenzuela (3-20-3) at the Pacific Palm Resort. Among those in the crowd was current WBC bantamweight champion Mariana “Barby” Juarez on the All Star Boxing Card.
“I knew Mariana (Juarez) was in the crowd,” said Ruiz, 29. “We had a good talk.”
Juarez, a Mexican icon, was nearby and aware that her name had been mentioned in a recent article as a goal of Ruiz. Out of her curiosity the three-division world champion arrived with her entourage including former light flyweight world champion Sindy Amador to see Ruiz in action.
With a hefty following of fans shouting: “Cobra! Cobra!” The lean bantamweight fighter expected a tough battle with Valenzuela despite her 19 losses.
“I kept telling people don’t go by her record. She’s fought a lot of good people,” said Ruiz of Valenzuela.
Her assumptions were spot on.
Valenzuela had faced three current world champions and a number of top ranked contenders, her experience in avoiding traps was evident in the fight on Friday night.
“She was very good at not allowing me to set up,” said Ruiz. “She never stood in front of me so I could throw combinations.”
Valenzuela, an inch shorter than Ruiz, was on the move and was deft at going in either direction. By the third round the Durango fighter was slowing down. At the end of the third Ruiz trapped her along the ropes and connected with two solid blows. Valenzuela’s legs buckled but she did not go down.
“My coach said I had hurt her but I didn’t notice,” said Ruiz. “It’s one of my weaknesses that I’m working on.”
In the fourth round it did not matter. Ruiz trapped her in the corner and unloaded a barrage that had Valenzuela’s head bobbing up and down like a bobble head doll. Referee Zac Young stopped the assault at 1:05 of the fourth round.
“She knew what to do with every attack,” said Ruiz. “By the fourth round she was so tired she was not able to run as fast.”
Having Mexico’s boxing queen Juarez sitting in the front row was extra incentive.
“I knew Mariana was in the crowd,” said Ruiz. “It made me feel good knowing she was out there looking at her next possible rival in the ring.”
Ironically, when Juarez first made her American pro debut she fought on All Star Boxing Promotions which has staged all of Ruiz’s pro fights.
“I remember Mariana (Juarez) well,” says Ed Holmes president of All Star Boxing. “I gave her first two fights.”
Ruiz also remembers her too. They sparred with each other back in 2004 and 2005 when Juarez was a regular part of the Southern California female fight scene. At the time Ruiz was 16 or 17 years old. Now there’s a possibility that they could meet. Possibly.
“Mariana says she wants to win the super bantamweight world title,” said Ruiz about their conversation. But on Friday, it was the Cobra’s night.