Rhonda Luna Wins Decision Against Lisa Martin – by Mara Castillon

(JUNE 20, 2004) CARSON, CA, -Fighting in front of fiercely loyal fans, Rhonda Luna blitzed through the gritty Lisa Martin in winning a four-round featherweight decision at the Home Depot Center.  Though Luna fought two fights after the main event featuring Marco Antonio Barrera and Paulie Ayala, more than 1,000 of her own devoted fans waited patiently for the Rowland Heights schoolteacher to ply her trade in the ring in a non-televised event on Saturday.

They weren’t disappointed.

Luna, who had14 amateur fights before becoming a professional, began the fight deliberately measuring the former kickboxer and bronze medal winner in the 2002 U.S. Amateur championships.

Firing jabs to the head and body, Luna carefully looked for a correct distance before unleashing her power. Then a steady supply of lead rights snapped Martin’s head back and jolted the Oceanside fighter slightly. At the 10-second mark near the end of the round, Luna fired a volley of seven punches at Martin who fired back.

Having established the proper distance for her attack, Luna continued throwing lead rights with one-two combinations. Martin (1-2) fired her own rights and at the close of the second round a three-punch combination made it a difficult round to score.

Luna bolted from her corner at the beginning of the third throwing punches from all angles in an attempt to knock out Martin. A wicked left hook by Martin caught Luna’s attention and she fired a left-right combination that rocked Martin. But neither fighter seemed very hurt.

“She hit me with one good left hand,” said Luna (6-0). “I felt that. I wasn’t hurt but I felt it.”

In the final round, Luna abandoned the right hand and began landing powerful left hooks that were finding the mark. Both fighters landed heavy punches but it was Luna who landed more and threw more.

All three judges scored the fight 40-36 for Luna. But she was slightly dissatisfied.

“I can do better,” said Luna. “I’m learning but I know I can do better and should do better.”

Victor Valenzuela, Luna’s trainer and the former trainer of former welterweight champion Zack Padilla, said his tutee is learning more about the intricate details of boxing in each fight.

“I think she can be a little bit more aggressive,” Valenzuela said. “It was a good opponent for her. She (Martin) was a bronze medallist in the amateurs. She was perfect for Rhonda.”

Luna, who teaches at a public high school in the San GabrielValley, thanked her many boisterous fans who waited for her to return and say goodbye long after her fight had ended. Reportedly her fans bought more than $12,000 worth of tickets.

“When I’m training I don’t see or talk to anyone. I lose track,” said Luna, who fights for Golden Boy Promotions. “So when I see all of the people supporting me it makes me feel thankful they would come out and see me fight.”  Copyrighted photo: JP Yim