Garza to Defend His Title Against Pazienza Tonight

SACRAMENTO — Loreto Garza and Vinny Pazienza, two junior-welterweights who aspire to fight super-lightweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez, will meet in a small-scale pay-per-view boxing show at Arco Arena tonight.

Garza and Pazienza figure to attract about 8,000 tonight, which would figure as California’s--and Sacramento’s--second-largest boxing gate this year. On Sept. 22, Garza stablemate Tony Lopez drew a state-record gate of $601,000 and a crowd of 15,000-plus when he beat Jorge Paez at Arco Arena.

Garza, who won the championship from Argentine Juan Coggi (who is on tonight’s undercard) in Paris Aug. 17, is 27-1 with 23 knockouts. He hasn’t lost since 1983. Pazienza has a 33-4 record with 23 knockouts.