In arguably the fight of the day Ryo Miyazaki (18-0-3, 10) claimed the WBA Minimumweight ttile by split decision over former champion Pornsawan Porpramook (27-5-1, 17) in an incredible war that just kept getting better and better. In fact it's fair to say that this was a true send off to a fantastic year of boxing!
The bout started quickly with both men trading from the opening round and some how neither let off the pace as the fight got faster, more action packed and more exciting for each of the 12 rounds. It was relentless by both men with Porpramook forcing the pace and action by being in Miyazaki's face round after round. With Porpramook bringing the pressure it forced Miyazaki to match him and go toe-to-toe, this allowed the audience a chance to see what was almost a repeat of Porpramook v Yaegashi (one of the best fights of 2011).
Sadly for Porpramook his high work rate gave a number of chances for Miyazaki to land flash, accurate counters and catch the eye of the judges who may have been swayed somewhat to the pro-Miyazaki crowd. Despite the loss the Thai really gave it his all and proved, once again, that he is one of the most fun to watch fighters on the planet, even if only a handful of fans in the west have had the pleasure to see him.
Sadly at 34 years old this is likely Porpramook's last title fight however he really did all he could to defeat the much younger Japanese fighter who looks like he could well be the next in a long, long line of excellent Japanese Minimumweights.
For every fight fan out there, I need to advise you to hunt this fight down, this was special.
Monday 31 December 2012
Kazuto Ioka v Jose Alfredo Rodriguez
Young Japanese fighter Kazuto Ioka (11-0, 7) became a 2-weight world champion as he claimed the WBA Light Flyweight title by stopping the sadly out classed Mexican Jose Alfredo Rodriguez (28-2, 17) in just 6 very fun to watch rounds.
It was obvious from very early on that Ioka was simply too good for Rodriguez with his power and skills showing from the opening bell. By the end of the opening round it appeared obvious we were in for a short one with Rodriguez being dropped before we'd even finished he first stanza. Rodriguez proved his Mexican bravery as he fought back over the following few rounds in an extremely physical bout, though he was always being out classed by a supremely talented youngster who had made his name at Minimumweight.
Ioka's power, hand speed and accuracy started to wear down Rodriguez and in round 6 Ioka put his foot on the gas and dropped Rodriguez twice before the referee waved the bout off with just seconds of the round left.
Ioka's WBA Light Flyweight title is his third professional world title after having won (and unified) the WBA and WBC Minimumweight titles over the past year or so. It's hard to think of any other fighter with so few fights who has won so much. Even more impressively is the fact that Ioka's title winning fights have come against fighters with very impressive records including Oleydong Sithsamerchai (then 35-0-1), Akira Yaegashi (then 15-2) and now Rodriguez (who entered 28-1). If he continues on this impressive streak the sky really is his limit, especially considering he is just 23.
This is the second successive loss in the career of Jose Alfredo Rodriguez (the first by stoppage) and whilst he is more experienced as a professional than Ioka it was obvious that he wasn't world class. He will need to go back to Mexico and hope to correct some of his flaws that Ioka picked to pieces with ridiculously brilliant combinations.
It was obvious from very early on that Ioka was simply too good for Rodriguez with his power and skills showing from the opening bell. By the end of the opening round it appeared obvious we were in for a short one with Rodriguez being dropped before we'd even finished he first stanza. Rodriguez proved his Mexican bravery as he fought back over the following few rounds in an extremely physical bout, though he was always being out classed by a supremely talented youngster who had made his name at Minimumweight.
Ioka's power, hand speed and accuracy started to wear down Rodriguez and in round 6 Ioka put his foot on the gas and dropped Rodriguez twice before the referee waved the bout off with just seconds of the round left.
Ioka's WBA Light Flyweight title is his third professional world title after having won (and unified) the WBA and WBC Minimumweight titles over the past year or so. It's hard to think of any other fighter with so few fights who has won so much. Even more impressively is the fact that Ioka's title winning fights have come against fighters with very impressive records including Oleydong Sithsamerchai (then 35-0-1), Akira Yaegashi (then 15-2) and now Rodriguez (who entered 28-1). If he continues on this impressive streak the sky really is his limit, especially considering he is just 23.
This is the second successive loss in the career of Jose Alfredo Rodriguez (the first by stoppage) and whilst he is more experienced as a professional than Ioka it was obvious that he wasn't world class. He will need to go back to Mexico and hope to correct some of his flaws that Ioka picked to pieces with ridiculously brilliant combinations.
Yota Sato v Ryo Akaho
In an all Japanese bout for the WBC Super Flyweight title the defending champion Yota Sato (26-2-1, 12) managed to claim a clear unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten and highly ranked Ryo Akaho (19-1-2, 12).
Also some had tipped Akaho to upset Sato, it was clear after only a few rounds that the challenger had his work cut out as the champion showed his superior and excellent boxing ability to control the pace and range of the fight. Akaho was game through out though failed to force Sato out of his comfort zone for any prolong periods of time.
With this win, and the victory by Kohei Kono on the same card we have a very promising all-Japanese WBC/WBA Super Flyweight title unification on the cards for 2013 as the division attempts to clear up the mess that it's been in over the past few years.
Whilst many may feel that veteran Argentinian Andres Omar Narvaez (the WBO champion) is the division's #1 guy, it's not hard to argue that he's the winner of Sato v Kono would also deserve credit for being amongst the very best in the division.
For Akaho it's obvious he can come again, he's only 26 and has time to rebuild, for Sato however it's the perfecting ending to a year that has seen him also defeating Sylvester Lopez and Suriyan Sor Rungvisai (who Sato defeated for the world title). In fact at just 28 years old himself Sato could well have 5 or 6 years at the top and he's only improving. Expect to hear a lot about this talented fighter over the coming years.
Also some had tipped Akaho to upset Sato, it was clear after only a few rounds that the challenger had his work cut out as the champion showed his superior and excellent boxing ability to control the pace and range of the fight. Akaho was game through out though failed to force Sato out of his comfort zone for any prolong periods of time.
With this win, and the victory by Kohei Kono on the same card we have a very promising all-Japanese WBC/WBA Super Flyweight title unification on the cards for 2013 as the division attempts to clear up the mess that it's been in over the past few years.
Whilst many may feel that veteran Argentinian Andres Omar Narvaez (the WBO champion) is the division's #1 guy, it's not hard to argue that he's the winner of Sato v Kono would also deserve credit for being amongst the very best in the division.
For Akaho it's obvious he can come again, he's only 26 and has time to rebuild, for Sato however it's the perfecting ending to a year that has seen him also defeating Sylvester Lopez and Suriyan Sor Rungvisai (who Sato defeated for the world title). In fact at just 28 years old himself Sato could well have 5 or 6 years at the top and he's only improving. Expect to hear a lot about this talented fighter over the coming years.
Tepparith Kokietgym v Kohei Kono
In the surprise result of the day Japanese Super Flyweight Kohei Kono (28-7, 11) claimed the WBA title by stopping the highly regarded Thai Tepparith Kokietgym (21-3, 13) in 4 rounds, becoming the first man in history to stop Tepparith.
Kono, who had previously lost in title challenges to both Nobuo Nashiro and Tomas Rojas, came in with nasty intent and dropped Tepparith 3 times in a dominant fourth round that forced the referee to step in. First Kono rocked Tepparith then never let up on the talented Thai who wasn't given the time and space he needed to recover.
This excellent display sees Kono joining fellow Japanese Super Flyweight Yota Sato as a world champion. Like Kono Sato claimed his title by defeating a Thai, though Sato's reign started earlier this year when he out pointed Suriyan Sor Rungvisai.
For Kono this is the crowning moment in career that started way back in 2000, however it seems like Tepparith will need to go back to the drawing board. Teppartih had struggled with Nashiro last time out and maybe the tough fights have caught up on him or he may have been struggling at the weight, though in all honesty Kono was a man possessed and man with a point to prove.
2013 could be a very exciting year for Japanese boxing fans with a prospective Kono v Sato unification bout a very real possibility.
Kono, who had previously lost in title challenges to both Nobuo Nashiro and Tomas Rojas, came in with nasty intent and dropped Tepparith 3 times in a dominant fourth round that forced the referee to step in. First Kono rocked Tepparith then never let up on the talented Thai who wasn't given the time and space he needed to recover.
This excellent display sees Kono joining fellow Japanese Super Flyweight Yota Sato as a world champion. Like Kono Sato claimed his title by defeating a Thai, though Sato's reign started earlier this year when he out pointed Suriyan Sor Rungvisai.
For Kono this is the crowning moment in career that started way back in 2000, however it seems like Tepparith will need to go back to the drawing board. Teppartih had struggled with Nashiro last time out and maybe the tough fights have caught up on him or he may have been struggling at the weight, though in all honesty Kono was a man possessed and man with a point to prove.
2013 could be a very exciting year for Japanese boxing fans with a prospective Kono v Sato unification bout a very real possibility.
Takashi Uchiyama v Bryan Vasquez
WBA Super Featherweight champion Takashi Uchiyama (19-0-1, 16) made the sixth defense of his world title as he stopped the game Costa Rican challenger Bryan Vasquez (29-1, 15) in an unexpectedly tough bout.
The opening round saw Vasquez moving wonderfully and keeping Uchiyama at range whilst charging in to land flurries. Whilst Uchiyama did have some success through the round the champion was certainly not getting his own way. In fact through the first 5 rounds it was hard to say that the champion was even in the lead as both men had their success. Whilst it was obvious that Uchiyama was the harder hitter he was often subdued whilst Vasquez would out work him though not have the power to force Uchiyama to step up his work rate.
The first really clear round of the fight was the 6th which saw Uchiyama step up a gear and really bang Vasquez around as he showed his class and power though the Costa Rican challenger bravely fought on showing himself to be a game challenger. In fact Vasquez's gameness was shown excellently in the following round, a round that the challenger thoroughly dominated to bring the cards back to a more even look.
Sadly for Vasquez his success in round 7 seemed only to serve as a wake up to Uchiyama who waited much of the round before going on an all out offensive that saw Vasquez's head rocked back time and time again. The bell couldn't come soon enough for Vasquez who saw the referee jumping in to stop the bout just as the bell was rung.
The opening round saw Vasquez moving wonderfully and keeping Uchiyama at range whilst charging in to land flurries. Whilst Uchiyama did have some success through the round the champion was certainly not getting his own way. In fact through the first 5 rounds it was hard to say that the champion was even in the lead as both men had their success. Whilst it was obvious that Uchiyama was the harder hitter he was often subdued whilst Vasquez would out work him though not have the power to force Uchiyama to step up his work rate.
The first really clear round of the fight was the 6th which saw Uchiyama step up a gear and really bang Vasquez around as he showed his class and power though the Costa Rican challenger bravely fought on showing himself to be a game challenger. In fact Vasquez's gameness was shown excellently in the following round, a round that the challenger thoroughly dominated to bring the cards back to a more even look.
Sadly for Vasquez his success in round 7 seemed only to serve as a wake up to Uchiyama who waited much of the round before going on an all out offensive that saw Vasquez's head rocked back time and time again. The bell couldn't come soon enough for Vasquez who saw the referee jumping in to stop the bout just as the bell was rung.
Monday 17 December 2012
Denis Lebedev v Santander Silgado
WBA Cruiserweight champion Denis Lebedev (25-1, 19) successfully defended his world crown for the first time as he knocked out Colombian challenger Santander Silgado (23-1, 18) in the 4th round with a genuinely eye catching shot.
The bout started slowly with the opening round being very quiet as both men tried to figure the other out. Both men got through with some shots though there was little of note from either man in a true feeling out round. Sadly it took a while for the fight to warm up though Lebedev was caught off balance in round 2 and was forced to eat several hard right hands from the challenger which he generally took well (apart from the shot that he appeared off balance for). It appeared both men wee showing too much respect to each other.
In round 3 we saw the action starting to warm up as Silgado continuously threw his jabs and started to control the distance excellently. At one point in the third Lebedev looked genuinely frustrated looking towards his trainer, the legendary Kostya Tszyu. Thankfully for the Russian he did manage to get through with several solid shots himself, though Silgado did seem to take them well.
With the bout warming up it seemed to be suiting the champion who would of course prefer a war rather than a tactical battle and thankfully for viewers we ended up getting the war with Lebedev rocking Silgado part way through the round. Following the shot Lebedev went straight in for the kill and both guys swung quite wildly at each other, often catching the others arms. Despite both men missing a number of shots we know with Lebedev that it only takes one and that's what we saw again as he detonated a perfect uppercut that almost seemed to behead Silgado before leaving the challenger unconcious and face first on the canvas.
Until the KO this wasn't the most impressive that I've seen of Lebedev, however his concussive and nasty punch is still as vicious as ever. It's fair to say that Silgado was better than expected however I think we all want to see Lebedev back in the mix with the top fighters in the division such as Marco Huck, Yoan Pablo Hernandez and Ola Afolabi
The bout started slowly with the opening round being very quiet as both men tried to figure the other out. Both men got through with some shots though there was little of note from either man in a true feeling out round. Sadly it took a while for the fight to warm up though Lebedev was caught off balance in round 2 and was forced to eat several hard right hands from the challenger which he generally took well (apart from the shot that he appeared off balance for). It appeared both men wee showing too much respect to each other.
In round 3 we saw the action starting to warm up as Silgado continuously threw his jabs and started to control the distance excellently. At one point in the third Lebedev looked genuinely frustrated looking towards his trainer, the legendary Kostya Tszyu. Thankfully for the Russian he did manage to get through with several solid shots himself, though Silgado did seem to take them well.
With the bout warming up it seemed to be suiting the champion who would of course prefer a war rather than a tactical battle and thankfully for viewers we ended up getting the war with Lebedev rocking Silgado part way through the round. Following the shot Lebedev went straight in for the kill and both guys swung quite wildly at each other, often catching the others arms. Despite both men missing a number of shots we know with Lebedev that it only takes one and that's what we saw again as he detonated a perfect uppercut that almost seemed to behead Silgado before leaving the challenger unconcious and face first on the canvas.
Until the KO this wasn't the most impressive that I've seen of Lebedev, however his concussive and nasty punch is still as vicious as ever. It's fair to say that Silgado was better than expected however I think we all want to see Lebedev back in the mix with the top fighters in the division such as Marco Huck, Yoan Pablo Hernandez and Ola Afolabi
Omar Andres Narvaez v David Quijano
WBO Super Flyweight champion Omar Andres Narvaez (38-1-2, 20) made his third title defence of the year as he defeated the criminally under-qualified David Quijano (15--3-1, 9) without breaking a sweat in what was effectively a shut out on my card.
Narvaez set the tone from the off with his speed and skill evident from the opening bell. His contempt for his challenger grew round by round as he started tag Quijano with more and more clean shots, though ultimately Narvaez didn't quite have the fire power to end the proceedings early.
Despite being 37 Narvaez didn't just look like the younger man in the ring but actually looked like he was still getting better showing a genuine mean streak and an aggressive mindset that has been lacking at times. Whether this was a case of Narvaez being a bit of a freak in improving so late in his career or whether Quijano just helped him look good is up for debate, though this really was a domination.
The score cards (120-106, 120-108 and 119-109) really told the story of the bout and hopefully we'll see this newer, slightly more aggressive version of Narvaez more often.
Narvaez set the tone from the off with his speed and skill evident from the opening bell. His contempt for his challenger grew round by round as he started tag Quijano with more and more clean shots, though ultimately Narvaez didn't quite have the fire power to end the proceedings early.
Despite being 37 Narvaez didn't just look like the younger man in the ring but actually looked like he was still getting better showing a genuine mean streak and an aggressive mindset that has been lacking at times. Whether this was a case of Narvaez being a bit of a freak in improving so late in his career or whether Quijano just helped him look good is up for debate, though this really was a domination.
The score cards (120-106, 120-108 and 119-109) really told the story of the bout and hopefully we'll see this newer, slightly more aggressive version of Narvaez more often.
Saturday 15 December 2012
Nonito Donaire v Jorge Arce
WBO Bantamweight champiom Nonito Donaire (31-1, 19) made light work of Mexican veteran Jorge Arce (61-7-2-1, 46) as he stopped him in just 3 rounds with a beautiful left hook.
the opening round saw very little action form either man as Arce tried to box whilst Donaire's jab kept him at range. Sadly for Arce however the opening round would be his best with the Mexican being dropped in the following round. From then on things got worse for Arce who opened up in the third and paid the price being dropped early before being stopped just prior to the bell from a beautiful lead left hook.
Sadly after the fight Jorge Arce announced his retirement and he seemed to make it clear that he really was walking away from the fight game. The classy Mexican was out classed and admitted as much though fully congratulated Donaire who he called a friend.
For Donaire a fight with either Guillermo Rigondeaux or Abner Mares is hopeful. Hopefully WE get to see them next year.
The fight other story was that it was legendary broadcaster Larry Merchant's final one. A real, real shame.
the opening round saw very little action form either man as Arce tried to box whilst Donaire's jab kept him at range. Sadly for Arce however the opening round would be his best with the Mexican being dropped in the following round. From then on things got worse for Arce who opened up in the third and paid the price being dropped early before being stopped just prior to the bell from a beautiful lead left hook.
Sadly after the fight Jorge Arce announced his retirement and he seemed to make it clear that he really was walking away from the fight game. The classy Mexican was out classed and admitted as much though fully congratulated Donaire who he called a friend.
For Donaire a fight with either Guillermo Rigondeaux or Abner Mares is hopeful. Hopefully WE get to see them next year.
The fight other story was that it was legendary broadcaster Larry Merchant's final one. A real, real shame.
Arthur Abraham v Mehdi Bouadla
WBO Super Middleweight Champion Arthur Abraham (36-3, 28) successfully defended his title for the first time as he stopped Frenchman Mehdi Bouadla (26-5, 11) becoming only the second man to stop Bouadla (following in the footsteps of the recently crowned WBA Super Middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler).
Abraham, a former Middleweight champion was regarded as a heavy handed fighter, especially at Middleweight and he showed why once again as he came out attempting to take Boudla's head off with some nasty hooks up close. Although the challenger managed to survive the early rounds it didn't take long for Abraham's power to start to take it's toll.
Sadly for fans expecting a good bout Bouadla had neither the ability or the power to to earn Abraham's respect. This instead allowed the champion to do as he pleased and he did just that as he slowly but surely ground down the challenger, busting his eye up in the process. It would be a cut around the eye that would eventually save Bouadla from further punishment, though it genuinely did appear to only be a matter of time before he'd have been down anyway.
For Abraham this was genuinely an easy defense, we'll hope next year that he faces a tougher test. Be it Mikkel Kessler, George Groves or even Lucien Bute. For Bouadla though his level has been found, he's sub world level and hopefully he'll not get another undeserved chance like this.
Abraham, a former Middleweight champion was regarded as a heavy handed fighter, especially at Middleweight and he showed why once again as he came out attempting to take Boudla's head off with some nasty hooks up close. Although the challenger managed to survive the early rounds it didn't take long for Abraham's power to start to take it's toll.
Sadly for fans expecting a good bout Bouadla had neither the ability or the power to to earn Abraham's respect. This instead allowed the champion to do as he pleased and he did just that as he slowly but surely ground down the challenger, busting his eye up in the process. It would be a cut around the eye that would eventually save Bouadla from further punishment, though it genuinely did appear to only be a matter of time before he'd have been down anyway.
For Abraham this was genuinely an easy defense, we'll hope next year that he faces a tougher test. Be it Mikkel Kessler, George Groves or even Lucien Bute. For Bouadla though his level has been found, he's sub world level and hopefully he'll not get another undeserved chance like this.
Leo Santa Cruz v Alberto Guervara
Just 35 days after defeating Victor Zaleta, IBF Bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz (23-0-1, 13) scored his fifth win of the year and made the third defense of his title as he beat the previously unbeaten and thoroughly game Alberto Guervara (16-1, 6) who became just the 2nd man in the last 13 fights to see the final bell against Santa Cruz.
The bout started amazingly well for Guevara who used excellent hand speed and movement to out box Santa Cruz at range, stopping the champion from getting close where he likes to work. This saw Guevara clearly winning the opening 2 rounds and arguably claiming the first 4 as he made Santa Cruz look almost slow and clumsy.
Thankfully for the champion Guevara started to slow, especially in the middle rounds as the champion made his charge and started to achieve more and more success against the light hitting challenger. As Santa Cruz started to get closer he started to rattle off hard, hurtful shots to Guevara's body further slowing the challenger's feet. This paid off in the later rounds as Guevara's work rate dropped and his excellent boxing early in the bout turned into little more than running.
Although the bout was fairly level going into the championship rounds it was obvious that Santa Cruz was still in the ascendancy and it showed as he rocked Guevara time and time again in the later rounds really checking the heart of the challenger who continued to prove he was game, but ultimately out gunned.
Whilst this is likely Santa Cruz's last fight at Bantamweight it's fair to say that Guevara could come again and he genuinely could claim a world title down the line. Many, myself included, expected this to be a bowl over job though Guevara was genuinely impressive and will certainly come again.
The bout started amazingly well for Guevara who used excellent hand speed and movement to out box Santa Cruz at range, stopping the champion from getting close where he likes to work. This saw Guevara clearly winning the opening 2 rounds and arguably claiming the first 4 as he made Santa Cruz look almost slow and clumsy.
Thankfully for the champion Guevara started to slow, especially in the middle rounds as the champion made his charge and started to achieve more and more success against the light hitting challenger. As Santa Cruz started to get closer he started to rattle off hard, hurtful shots to Guevara's body further slowing the challenger's feet. This paid off in the later rounds as Guevara's work rate dropped and his excellent boxing early in the bout turned into little more than running.
Although the bout was fairly level going into the championship rounds it was obvious that Santa Cruz was still in the ascendancy and it showed as he rocked Guevara time and time again in the later rounds really checking the heart of the challenger who continued to prove he was game, but ultimately out gunned.
Whilst this is likely Santa Cruz's last fight at Bantamweight it's fair to say that Guevara could come again and he genuinely could claim a world title down the line. Many, myself included, expected this to be a bowl over job though Guevara was genuinely impressive and will certainly come again.
Saturday 8 December 2012
Nicholas Walters v Daulis Prescott
Unbeaten Jamaican Nicholas Walters (22-0, 18) successfully claimed the WBA Featherweight title as he demolished Colombian Daulis Prescott (26-2, 19) in a fun but relatively 1-sided war.
The two men didn't take long to get to know each other and by the end of the opening round the stage was set for a war of attrition between to heavy handed fighters. Sadly for Prescott, the young brother of Breidis, it turned out that Walters was tougher and more powerful.
The power of the Jamaican was evident before the fight for all those who had actually watched him, admittedly that was few real boxing fans, though for those who hadn't seen him it was blatantly obvious from round 4, a round in which Prescott was sent to the canvas. Prescott would again visit the canvas in both rounds 5 and 7. Although the Colombian recovered to his feet after the knockdown early in round 7 referee Rafael Ramos waved the contest off.
For Walters this should have been his coming out party, sadly it appears to have slipped under the radar of most boxing fans who likely still think Celestino Caballero is the WBA Featherweight champion. Sadly the news from the US of the Manny Pacquiao v Juan Manuel Marquez fight will likely further hide this result, though hopefully Walters will be given a chance to make a name for himself in the US sooner, rather than later.
The two men didn't take long to get to know each other and by the end of the opening round the stage was set for a war of attrition between to heavy handed fighters. Sadly for Prescott, the young brother of Breidis, it turned out that Walters was tougher and more powerful.
The power of the Jamaican was evident before the fight for all those who had actually watched him, admittedly that was few real boxing fans, though for those who hadn't seen him it was blatantly obvious from round 4, a round in which Prescott was sent to the canvas. Prescott would again visit the canvas in both rounds 5 and 7. Although the Colombian recovered to his feet after the knockdown early in round 7 referee Rafael Ramos waved the contest off.
For Walters this should have been his coming out party, sadly it appears to have slipped under the radar of most boxing fans who likely still think Celestino Caballero is the WBA Featherweight champion. Sadly the news from the US of the Manny Pacquiao v Juan Manuel Marquez fight will likely further hide this result, though hopefully Walters will be given a chance to make a name for himself in the US sooner, rather than later.
Yuriorkis Gamboa v Michael Farenas
The long awaited return to the ring for Cuban Yuriorkis Gamboa (22-0, 16) saw the talented Cuban claiming the interim WBA Super Featherweight title as he defeated the unheralded Filipino Michael Farenas (34-4-4-1, 26). Despite the fact Farenas was all but unknown prior to this fight he proved to be a genuinely worthy adversary for Gamboa's return to the ring after 14 months out.
The opening round saw Gamboa looking like he had never been away as the fast handed Cuban landed some wonderful combinations on Farenas who struggled to catch him before he got away. The hand speed was again evident in the following round as Gamboa dropped Farenas who immediately got up as if nothing had happened.
Sadly for Farenas head clashes in the third round saw him suffering two massive cuts that bled through out the remainder of the fight. Despite the cuts however Farenas refused to go away and refused to just roll over and instead he rocked Gamboa at the start of the fourth round as he proved he had the power to hurt the Cuban. Although Gamboa seemed to take the round off it was still interesting to see that Farenas had the power to rock him.
Farenas showed again in round 5 that he wasn't there just to collect the pay day he willingly traded with Gamboa and really brought the action to the Cuban. Whilst Gamboa showed he was a class above his Filipino opponent he also seemed to be slowing and this allowed Farenas chances to land to both the head and body of Gamboa. The battling between the two saw Gamboa rocked in the 6th and 8th however he dropped Farenas in the 7th to really open up the lead on the scorecards.
Due to how much Farenas' shots were hurting Gamboa it only made sense for Gamboa to start to use his boxing skills and box cautiously and that's what he started to do for long periods of rounds. In round 9 however Gamboa went for the finish and was surprisingly dropped by a beauty of a shot by Farenas that seemed to not only drop Gamboa but also scramble his legs for the rest of the round. Sadly for Farenas he couldn't capitalise and Gamboa eventually recovered and appeared to do enough to reestablish himself over the later rounds as he took a clear decision.
Whilst I feel the cards were wide, Gamboa was a clear winner, though he's a fighter who needed a fight like this, a grueling 12 rounds against a crude but tough and hurtful fighter to really shake off every bit of rust that he'll have acquired due to his long lay off.
For Farenas this was the sort of showing that shows he belongs in the ring with the top fighters, for Gamboa it was him saying "I'm back".
The opening round saw Gamboa looking like he had never been away as the fast handed Cuban landed some wonderful combinations on Farenas who struggled to catch him before he got away. The hand speed was again evident in the following round as Gamboa dropped Farenas who immediately got up as if nothing had happened.
Sadly for Farenas head clashes in the third round saw him suffering two massive cuts that bled through out the remainder of the fight. Despite the cuts however Farenas refused to go away and refused to just roll over and instead he rocked Gamboa at the start of the fourth round as he proved he had the power to hurt the Cuban. Although Gamboa seemed to take the round off it was still interesting to see that Farenas had the power to rock him.
Farenas showed again in round 5 that he wasn't there just to collect the pay day he willingly traded with Gamboa and really brought the action to the Cuban. Whilst Gamboa showed he was a class above his Filipino opponent he also seemed to be slowing and this allowed Farenas chances to land to both the head and body of Gamboa. The battling between the two saw Gamboa rocked in the 6th and 8th however he dropped Farenas in the 7th to really open up the lead on the scorecards.
Due to how much Farenas' shots were hurting Gamboa it only made sense for Gamboa to start to use his boxing skills and box cautiously and that's what he started to do for long periods of rounds. In round 9 however Gamboa went for the finish and was surprisingly dropped by a beauty of a shot by Farenas that seemed to not only drop Gamboa but also scramble his legs for the rest of the round. Sadly for Farenas he couldn't capitalise and Gamboa eventually recovered and appeared to do enough to reestablish himself over the later rounds as he took a clear decision.
Whilst I feel the cards were wide, Gamboa was a clear winner, though he's a fighter who needed a fight like this, a grueling 12 rounds against a crude but tough and hurtful fighter to really shake off every bit of rust that he'll have acquired due to his long lay off.
For Farenas this was the sort of showing that shows he belongs in the ring with the top fighters, for Gamboa it was him saying "I'm back".
Miguel Vazquez v Mercito Gesta
IBF Light Champion Miguel "Titere" Vazquez (33-3, 13) successfully retained his title and made the fifth defense of the belt as he gave a boxing masterclass to the highly hyped and previously unbeaten Filipino Mercito Gesta (26-1-1, 14). In fact it was hard to give Gesta more than a round as the Filipino did very little through out the fight.
The opening round saw Vazquez setting the tone of the fight by moving around Gesta and landing repeated jabs as he controlled the pace and distance of the fight. Although Gesta did go down in the round it was ruled a slip and seemed to come just as much from a collision of legs as much as the punch that came before it. Vazquez went on to clearly dominate the almost all the rounds rounds with out barely taking a shot in return with actually the most meaningful punch of the first 9 rounds being a straight right he hit Gesta with in round 3 that rocked the Filipino fighter.
Vazquez's domination of the fight was helped by the fact Gesta was so inactive, he kept walking forward, taking shots on the guard and firing nothing back. When he had what little successes he did have he failed to follow up and never looked like having Vazquez worried at all as the champion played the matador to wild and novice-like challenger.
Gesta was was told repeatedly to put his foot down and force the fight and it was until round 9 that he actually started to force things. In round 10 Gesta finally got some notable success as he caused blood to trickle from Vazquez' nose in probably the only round you could give to Gesta, though Vazquez reestablished himself and took the final two rounds to claim a very clear and very easy defense.
Sadly for Gesta he seemed to freeze on the big stage and was far too passive to even come close to cutting the ring off for the very talented and very under-rated Vazquez.
The opening round saw Vazquez setting the tone of the fight by moving around Gesta and landing repeated jabs as he controlled the pace and distance of the fight. Although Gesta did go down in the round it was ruled a slip and seemed to come just as much from a collision of legs as much as the punch that came before it. Vazquez went on to clearly dominate the almost all the rounds rounds with out barely taking a shot in return with actually the most meaningful punch of the first 9 rounds being a straight right he hit Gesta with in round 3 that rocked the Filipino fighter.
Vazquez's domination of the fight was helped by the fact Gesta was so inactive, he kept walking forward, taking shots on the guard and firing nothing back. When he had what little successes he did have he failed to follow up and never looked like having Vazquez worried at all as the champion played the matador to wild and novice-like challenger.
Gesta was was told repeatedly to put his foot down and force the fight and it was until round 9 that he actually started to force things. In round 10 Gesta finally got some notable success as he caused blood to trickle from Vazquez' nose in probably the only round you could give to Gesta, though Vazquez reestablished himself and took the final two rounds to claim a very clear and very easy defense.
Sadly for Gesta he seemed to freeze on the big stage and was far too passive to even come close to cutting the ring off for the very talented and very under-rated Vazquez.
Javier Fortuna v Patrick Hyland
Unbeaten Javier Fortuna (21-0-0-1, 15) claimed the interim WBA Featherweight title as he defeated Irishman Patrick Hyland (27-1, 12) in a relatively unexciting 12 round affair that was really a fight of two halves.
Fortuna started brightly using his great handspeed, unusual angles and easily claimed the first 5 rounds against a very passive Hyland. Whilst Hyland did block a number of Fortuna's shots he simply didn't fire enough back in those early rounds to claim even a share of a round until round 6. In round 6 Hyland started to fire back a little more and he certainly gave himself a chance to claim the round.
After Fortuna was caught in round 6 the life seemed to suddenly get sucked out of the bout as Fortuna choose to use his boxing ability to box and move and move and move. Hyland fought on the front foot and came forward relentlessly for the final 6 rounds however he simply couldn't catch Fortuna with enough clean shots to claim more than the odd round or two. It just seemed like Hyland was far too passive with Fortuna slowing his own work down and stealing rounds with the odd bit of flashy work here and there.
Although there was some bad blood with both men lading low and the odd shot after the bell by Fortuna there wasn't a great deal of angry aggression by Hyland which effectively cost him the bout on the cards.
This bout probably proved that neither fighter is quite there for a genuine top fight at the division. Fortuna is talented but doesn't hit as hard as his record demonstrates and Hyland, whilst tough simply doesn't do enough to to earn a decision and he also lacks the world level power that he'd need to make an impression amongst the best in the division.
Fortuna started brightly using his great handspeed, unusual angles and easily claimed the first 5 rounds against a very passive Hyland. Whilst Hyland did block a number of Fortuna's shots he simply didn't fire enough back in those early rounds to claim even a share of a round until round 6. In round 6 Hyland started to fire back a little more and he certainly gave himself a chance to claim the round.
After Fortuna was caught in round 6 the life seemed to suddenly get sucked out of the bout as Fortuna choose to use his boxing ability to box and move and move and move. Hyland fought on the front foot and came forward relentlessly for the final 6 rounds however he simply couldn't catch Fortuna with enough clean shots to claim more than the odd round or two. It just seemed like Hyland was far too passive with Fortuna slowing his own work down and stealing rounds with the odd bit of flashy work here and there.
Although there was some bad blood with both men lading low and the odd shot after the bell by Fortuna there wasn't a great deal of angry aggression by Hyland which effectively cost him the bout on the cards.
This bout probably proved that neither fighter is quite there for a genuine top fight at the division. Fortuna is talented but doesn't hit as hard as his record demonstrates and Hyland, whilst tough simply doesn't do enough to to earn a decision and he also lacks the world level power that he'd need to make an impression amongst the best in the division.
Brian Magee v Mikkel Kessler
Sang in by Danish rock band Volbeat, Mikkel Kessler (46-2, 35) successfully claimed the WBA Middleweight title as he stopped the brave but thoroughly outclassed Brian Magee (36-5-1, 25) thanks to sickening body shots that took the fight from Magee.
The opening round was relatively even with with neither man landing too much serious though Kessler did seem to just nick it with some solid shots late on. Although it was close Kessler was looking for Magee's body from the off often touching him with the jab and seemed to be working Magee out from the off.
The early jabs to the body turned into hurtful straights in the second round as Kessler settled against a somewhat nervous looking Magee, who did land a left hand early in the round. The straights to the body were effective as soon as they landed and Magee went down early in the round with a genuinely nasty shot. Magee did manage to get back up from the first knockdown though Kessler continued to attack the body and hurt Magee numerous times in the round with shots to the same area. It was another body shot at the end of the round that again saw Magee hurt with the Northern Irish man turning his back on the Dane and then going down.
Kessler wasn't wanting to waste time and inside 20 seconds of the third round he again dropped Magee with a body shot before the referee called a halt to the proceedings with Magee still on the canvas.
Although Magee did get up from the first two, it was clear that he never really recovered from the first body shot and although he showed guts (literally) to continue he was never able to give Kessler any questions at all to answer.
It's likely that this will be the end for Magee who has had a very under-rated career, though for Kessler we're hoping the future includes a rematch with Carl Froch in what could easily be one of the stand out fights of 2013 and a WBA-IBF unification bout.
The opening round was relatively even with with neither man landing too much serious though Kessler did seem to just nick it with some solid shots late on. Although it was close Kessler was looking for Magee's body from the off often touching him with the jab and seemed to be working Magee out from the off.
The early jabs to the body turned into hurtful straights in the second round as Kessler settled against a somewhat nervous looking Magee, who did land a left hand early in the round. The straights to the body were effective as soon as they landed and Magee went down early in the round with a genuinely nasty shot. Magee did manage to get back up from the first knockdown though Kessler continued to attack the body and hurt Magee numerous times in the round with shots to the same area. It was another body shot at the end of the round that again saw Magee hurt with the Northern Irish man turning his back on the Dane and then going down.
Kessler wasn't wanting to waste time and inside 20 seconds of the third round he again dropped Magee with a body shot before the referee called a halt to the proceedings with Magee still on the canvas.
Although Magee did get up from the first two, it was clear that he never really recovered from the first body shot and although he showed guts (literally) to continue he was never able to give Kessler any questions at all to answer.
It's likely that this will be the end for Magee who has had a very under-rated career, though for Kessler we're hoping the future includes a rematch with Carl Froch in what could easily be one of the stand out fights of 2013 and a WBA-IBF unification bout.
Tuesday 4 December 2012
Koki Kameda v Hugo Ruiz
Koki's Kristmas Kame(da) Early
Christmas came early for WBA Bantamweight champion Koki Kameda (29-1, 17) who got given a gift wrapped present from the judges as he claimed a split decision victory over hard punching Mexican Hugo Ruiz (31-2, 28). A fight that some feel may well go down as one of, if not the, robbery of the year.Ruiz came out knowing he needed to make an early impression and that's exactly what he did using his reach and power to keep Kameda at a safe distance whilst seeming to bag the opening 5 rounds with little real effort. Kameda, giving away noticeable size and reach simply couldn't get at Ruiz in the early part of the fight as Mexican showed his world class ability.
It wasn't until round 6 that you could make a case for Kameda to have even won a round as he started to get close to the Mexican. Sadly despite winning the round Kameda did himself no favours as he landed a clear blow well after the bell as he proved to class one would expect from such a distinguished fighter.
Kameda was made to pay for his cheap shot as Ruiz came out fired up for round 7, a round that he clearly won, much like he had won the opening 5. It was hard to score it any other way than 69-64 through the first 7 rounds in favour of Ruiz, the rounds were easy to score at this point and it should have left Kameda needing at least a knockdown at some point to claim a victory, something he failed to get.
Although Kameda failed to drop Ruiz, he did start to get more and more success as Ruiz's work rate began to drop however the championship rounds saw both men really fighting on even terms, the only rounds in the bout which were really up for debate.
Th first scorecard, 117-113 for Ruiz seemed about spot on, though the other two scorecards, 116-113 and 115-113 in favour of Kameda were simply disgraceful. At very best Kameda deserved a draw (and that's giving him everything you possibly could), though in all honesty he really should have suffered his second defeat and by very clear scores.
I'd advise all fighters to avoid facing Kameda on this showing. It's not the first time he's had a controversial decision go his way with his 2008 victory over Juan Jose Landaeta loudly criticised and likewise his victory last year over David De La Mora. For Ruiz however it was proof that he deserved to be mentioned amongst the top fighters at 118lbs.
Saturday 1 December 2012
Austin Trout v Miguel Cotto
The WBA Light Middleweight champion Austin Trout (26-0, 14) scored by far the biggest win of his career so far as he impressively out-pointed future hall of famer Miguel Cotto (37-4, 30). The fight, between two very classy fighters was not an out and out war, though was a thoroughly entertaining bout from start to end.
The opening round was fought as a high paced chess match that really set the stage for the bout with Trout's jab being fired time and time again towards Cotto's face with straight lefts to the body following as Trout used his speed and reach well. It was using those two shots that Trout clearly won the opening two rounds however Cotto tried to change the pattern of the fight over the following rounds and started to bring the pressure in the following rounds. Despite getting more success when he was coming Cotto was starting to walk on to hurtful shots that really started to mark up Cotto's face.
Although the crowd cheered loudly when Cotto had some success in the middle rounds they simply couldn't do enough to lift Cotto who was too small and didn't have the power to force Trout out of his comfort zone. In fact it was Trout's power that seemed to be telling with his right hooks landing time and time around the guard of Cotto and he also seemed to buzz Cotto a few times in latter rounds as he started to roar ahead on the cards. And although several rounds had been competitive it just seemed that Trout was bagging more rounds than Cotto.
Sadly for Cotto the youth of Trout seemed to be too much and the champion started to easily out work the challenger down the stretch who could only fight in bursts as the combination of age and being hit in the body took their toll on Cotto. The "freshness" was most evident in round 11 as Cotto was tagged time and time again in arguably Trout's strongest round of the fight as he attempted to silence the raucous Cotto fans.
At the end of the 12th round it was obvious who thought they had won as Trout and his team celebrated whilst Cotto looked somewhat dejected. The gamblers on betfair seemed to also know which way the cards were going as Trout's odds shrunk suddenly after the final bell. However there was some doubt, Cotto is a huge draw and some thought may have swayed the judges, if anything however it did the opposite with Trout claiming a clear unanimous decision by scores of 117-111 (twice) and 119-109. Although I had Trout as a clear winner in a competitive fight (116-112) it does appear that at least 1 judge was harsh on the legendary Miguel Cotto.
After the fight Trout called out Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, though in all honesty, Trout is unlikely to get that fight as he is far too tricky and too naturally big for the limited Alvarez. Instead expect Golden Boy to make Trout jump through hoops for the bout. For Cotto however this could be the end. The Puerto Rican hero was asked by Jim Gray if he would fight again and he replied with "Probably" though in all honesty, it'll be more of a case of "Probably...if the money is right".
The opening round was fought as a high paced chess match that really set the stage for the bout with Trout's jab being fired time and time again towards Cotto's face with straight lefts to the body following as Trout used his speed and reach well. It was using those two shots that Trout clearly won the opening two rounds however Cotto tried to change the pattern of the fight over the following rounds and started to bring the pressure in the following rounds. Despite getting more success when he was coming Cotto was starting to walk on to hurtful shots that really started to mark up Cotto's face.
Although the crowd cheered loudly when Cotto had some success in the middle rounds they simply couldn't do enough to lift Cotto who was too small and didn't have the power to force Trout out of his comfort zone. In fact it was Trout's power that seemed to be telling with his right hooks landing time and time around the guard of Cotto and he also seemed to buzz Cotto a few times in latter rounds as he started to roar ahead on the cards. And although several rounds had been competitive it just seemed that Trout was bagging more rounds than Cotto.
Sadly for Cotto the youth of Trout seemed to be too much and the champion started to easily out work the challenger down the stretch who could only fight in bursts as the combination of age and being hit in the body took their toll on Cotto. The "freshness" was most evident in round 11 as Cotto was tagged time and time again in arguably Trout's strongest round of the fight as he attempted to silence the raucous Cotto fans.
At the end of the 12th round it was obvious who thought they had won as Trout and his team celebrated whilst Cotto looked somewhat dejected. The gamblers on betfair seemed to also know which way the cards were going as Trout's odds shrunk suddenly after the final bell. However there was some doubt, Cotto is a huge draw and some thought may have swayed the judges, if anything however it did the opposite with Trout claiming a clear unanimous decision by scores of 117-111 (twice) and 119-109. Although I had Trout as a clear winner in a competitive fight (116-112) it does appear that at least 1 judge was harsh on the legendary Miguel Cotto.
After the fight Trout called out Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, though in all honesty, Trout is unlikely to get that fight as he is far too tricky and too naturally big for the limited Alvarez. Instead expect Golden Boy to make Trout jump through hoops for the bout. For Cotto however this could be the end. The Puerto Rican hero was asked by Jim Gray if he would fight again and he replied with "Probably" though in all honesty, it'll be more of a case of "Probably...if the money is right".
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