Flores wins fight for pocket change

Unbeaten cruiserweight BJ Flores fought what amounted to a workout Friday at the Plaza, and he got paid like it.

Flores made $25 for his third-round technical knockout of Matt Hicks. Flores' purse was $100, but after licensing fees, he barely had enough to buy a round of drinks.

"I think I'll frame it," he said, staring at the check. "Or maybe I'll donate it."

Flores, who lives in Chandler, Ariz., and is ranked No. 2 by the IBF, is seeking a big-money fight this year. But to maintain his ranking, Flores had to return from an 11-month hiatus against Hicks, who offered little resistance.

"This fight wasn't about money," said Flores, 22-0-1 with 14 knockouts. "I needed to get back in the ring and get some work in. This will help me later on."

Flores' inactivity has been partly about money, though. He declined to fight Enzo Maccarinelli in December because he got the offer with only three days' notice. Flores reportedly had an opportunity to fight IBF champion Tomasz Adamek last year, but the deal fell through when Flores' purse was supposedly going to be cut by more than half.

"I'll fight anybody," he said. "But I deserve the right amount of time and the right amount of money."

Flores, the USBA champion, said he would like to fight Jonathon Banks (20-0), who will meet Adamek on Feb. 27 in Newark, N.J.

"I'm undefeated, he's undefeated," Flores said. "Put us together on the undercard of a (Wladimir or Vitali) Klitschko fight and let's go."

• GOOD START -- Promoters of Friday's card at the Plaza, which drew about 900 to a ballroom seating 1,500, said they have something to build upon for their next downtown card in March.

"We're excited about it," said Chet Koerner of TKO Promotions, which teamed with Reno-based Let's Get It On Promotions to host the card. "We think there's a need for these kind of fights, and we have enough fighters between the two of us to put on some good fights."

Terry Lane, who with his brother Tommy runs Let's Get It On, said partnering with TKO gives him more matchmaking flexibility.

"We believe this can work," Lane said. "We wanted to keep the ticket prices low and give the fans good, competitive fights, and we were able to do that."

• STAYING AMATEUR -- Las Vegas heavyweight Michael Hunter Jr. has decided to remain an amateur, following months of weighing several offers to turn professional.

"It just seemed like the right move," he said. "I decided not to rush. I still have a lot to learn."

Hunter, 20, said he's not sure if he'll remain an amateur until the 2012 Olympics in London. He failed to qualify for the Beijing Games last year.

"I'd like to (fight in the Olympics), but right now, I'm going to take things a year at a time," he said.

Hunter was scheduled to fight today in the Nevada Golden Gloves tournament, but received a walkover to automatically qualify for the regional tournament in March at the Silver Nugget.

• BACK AT ORLEANS -- Boxing will return to the Orleans at 7 p.m. Friday with a Crown Boxing card in the Mardi Gras Ballroom. The main event will feature heavyweights Charles Davis and Nicolai Firtha in a 10-round bout.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.