Anchondo Aims to Please Crowd

It’s not just “Mighty” Mike Anchondo’s dead-on Muhammad Ali impersonation that makes him a fan favorite. Or the flashes of Julio Cesar Chavez and Oscar De La Hoya the hard-hitting junior-lightweight shows in the ring.

It’s the way Anchondo (22-0) disposes of opponents -- 18 knockouts -- that gets fight fans in a lather.

And really, is there a better setting for his slug-it-out style than the Grand Olympic Auditorium, where he will headline tonight in a fight against veteran Gregorio Vargas (44-7-1, 30 KOs)?

“To be up there with the legends, I understand that it’s a legendary place to fight,” said Anchondo, whose scheduled 10-round fight is the main event of a six-bout HBO Latino card. “It’s a fighting arena. The atmosphere is exciting.

“They love that brawling style. We’ve got a couple of tricks up our sleeve, though.”

Anchondo, 21, grew up in La Puente and turned professional while at Bishop Amat High after a failed bid to make the U.S. Olympic team.

For two years, Anchondo has fought under De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions banner. Many observers believe that a strong showing tonight will create title-shot buzz for next year for Anchondo, who is ranked fourth by the World Boxing Organization and ninth by the World Boxing Assn.

“He’s a young up-and-comer with exciting skills,” De La Hoya recently said of Anchondo. “The fans follow him.”

Said Anchondo: “They’re bringing me up slowly but surely. We want the title ... and that’s a great thing, but I still have my whole career ahead of me. I know it’s going to be fun.”

Anchondo weighed in at 131 pounds Wednesday, two pounds lighter than the agreed-upon limit of 133.

“It’s going to be as hard as I make it,” he said. “I’ve got the youth, the energy, the power, the skill. If I put it all together and incorporate it as one pattern ... there’s no way we can lose. I’m confident, but not overconfident.”

The co-main event is a scheduled 10-round lightweight fight between Urbano Antillon (11-0, 7 KOs) of Maywood and Adnan Hernandez (13-1, 4 KOs) of El Paso.