Some fights just click as soon as the men get in to the ring. Other unfortunately don't. Whether it's the individuals involved or the styles of the men some fights just fail to come alive. We had one of those forgettable contest late on Saturday as Argentina's excellent Omar Andres Narvaez (41-1-2, 22) took on a less than inspiring David Carmona (16-2-4, 8) in what was a hugely frustrating contest for both fans and Narvaez.
The first round set the tone for much of the bout as Carmona backed away repeatedly from Narvaez. It was obvious within about 30 seconds that Carmona lacked the belief that he could win, in fact he looked like he wasn't even sure he deserved to be in a world title fight. Unfortunately the negativity of Carmona made him very hard for Narvaez to get to and through many of the early rounds.
Through 4 rounds there was little to really report, Carmona had slipped twice but avoided much of a fight. Narvaez had chased a fight but was up against an unwilling dance partner. Thankfully though Narvaez was getting closer and closer and he was gradually getting more successful as his pressure began to pay off.
In round 6 Narvaez's pressure finally took it's toll as he managed to drop Carmona who was slow to get up From then on it seemed like it was only a matter of time with Narvaez's shots taking their toll on the challenger. Thankfully the corner of Carmona realised that their man had little to offer and in round 7 they waved the towel putting fans out of their misery.
For a man getting his first chance Carmona looked like a fighter who simply wasn't interested. A real shame considering the opportunity he was given.
Showing posts with label Argentinian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Argentinian. Show all posts
Saturday, 21 December 2013
Saturday, 14 December 2013
Adrien Broner v Marcos Rene Maidana
When a fighter talks themselves up, and when the American boxing media tells us someone is the next big thing...I tend to have a personal warmth when they get exposed. We had one such case this past weekend when Adrien "The Problem" Broner (27-1, 22) got exposed as a loud mouthed fraud by Argentina's Marcos "Chino" Maidana (35-3, 31) who really did blow open the myth that Broner was the next Mayweather.
Maidana set off like a man possessed and really dominated Broner in the opening round. It was the sort of start that Maidana would have dreamed of having as Broner's bravado and confidence seemed to suddenly vanish. If Maidana had dreamed of winning the round his dream got even better in round 2 when he dropped Broner after repeatedly hurting him. It was clear that this wasn't what the American press or Broner, or almost expected. Maidana was there to not just beat Broner but to beat him up.
It wasn't until round 3 that Broner did anything of note in terms of aggression and it was the aggression that just saw him taking the round. He was however threatened with a point deduction for pushing off with his elbow. Bizarrely that same warning came up several times as Broner continued to push Maidana yet no point was ever taken.
With Broner taking round 3 it wasn't beyond thinking that he was going to turn things around. That didn't happen however as Maidana used his very under-rated jab in round 4 to neutralise the speed of Broner. It was only the speed of Broner that he actually seemed to have above Maidana who had power, aggression and more importantly desire. Real desire.
The desire of Maidana was on full show in round 5 as he again hurt Broner who lazy through out. Although Broner saw out that particular storm it was clear that he had no answer to the left hook of Maidana, the jab of Maidana or the flurries of wide shots that Maidana was landing at will.
Although Maidana seemed to slow in rounds 6 and 7 he was still doing the eye catching work. Broner was landing more than he had early in the fight but wasn't landing a significant number of shots and what he was landing looked light and slappy when compared to Maidana's thudding shots.
By the end of round 7 Maidana, according to commentators, had landed 60 more punches than Broner. Broner had landed more in round 7 (22 to 20) but with many of his shots being singles with little sting on them it was still clear that Maidana had the fire in his belly. That fire saw him dropping Broner for a second time in round 8. Unfortunately for Maidana he effectively the knockdown from the books by being deducted a point for a headbutt whilst Broner was holding him. Although the headbutt was stupid Broner's reactions were stupid with him selling it as if he was a WWE "superstar". The fans, knowing what Broner was up to, soundly booed the American who had by now become public enemy #1.
Maidana had come in to the bout assuming he would need a knockout to win. In round 9 he really went for the knockout as he dominated and battered Broner across the the ring. It was as close to a 10-8 round without a knockdown with the American taking a battering and landing very, very little in return. By now it had become obvious, Broner wasn't a special fighter, Broner wasn't the next Mayweather and Broner wasn't some great in the making. Broner was merely the human punch that Maidana was abusing
As with all good punch bags Broner took the shots well and was forced to take them again in round 10 and 11 as Maidana did all he could to prevent the judges from robbing him. The crowd egged on Maidana with chants of "Chino" and by round 11 the fight looked in the bag. Maidana's confidence was through the roof and and he went for the finish again in the 11th.
Having lost the 11th Broner flirted with a point deduction again for a shot well after the bell. Lawrence Cole, who seemed to "know the score" regarding Broner's status as the next American star gave Broner yet another warning but nothing else.
In regards to competitive action round 12 was the most competitive. Broner seemed to be aware he was trailing and he went for a tired Maidana throwing the kitchen sink at him. Maidana, being a South American, showed his machismo and fight back rocking Broner several times with left hooks despite being physically knackered. Thankfully for Maidana Broner's attack never had him in any distress, preventing any sort of dodgy stoppage, instead Maidana saw out the final bell.
There was a fear after the final bell that the judges, which have stunk this year, were going to do the impossible and rob Maiana of his clear victory. Thankfully the judges didn't. They had it 115-110, 116-109, 117-109 all to the right guy and the new WBA Welterweight champion, Marcos Maidana
Maidana set off like a man possessed and really dominated Broner in the opening round. It was the sort of start that Maidana would have dreamed of having as Broner's bravado and confidence seemed to suddenly vanish. If Maidana had dreamed of winning the round his dream got even better in round 2 when he dropped Broner after repeatedly hurting him. It was clear that this wasn't what the American press or Broner, or almost expected. Maidana was there to not just beat Broner but to beat him up.
It wasn't until round 3 that Broner did anything of note in terms of aggression and it was the aggression that just saw him taking the round. He was however threatened with a point deduction for pushing off with his elbow. Bizarrely that same warning came up several times as Broner continued to push Maidana yet no point was ever taken.
With Broner taking round 3 it wasn't beyond thinking that he was going to turn things around. That didn't happen however as Maidana used his very under-rated jab in round 4 to neutralise the speed of Broner. It was only the speed of Broner that he actually seemed to have above Maidana who had power, aggression and more importantly desire. Real desire.
The desire of Maidana was on full show in round 5 as he again hurt Broner who lazy through out. Although Broner saw out that particular storm it was clear that he had no answer to the left hook of Maidana, the jab of Maidana or the flurries of wide shots that Maidana was landing at will.
Although Maidana seemed to slow in rounds 6 and 7 he was still doing the eye catching work. Broner was landing more than he had early in the fight but wasn't landing a significant number of shots and what he was landing looked light and slappy when compared to Maidana's thudding shots.
By the end of round 7 Maidana, according to commentators, had landed 60 more punches than Broner. Broner had landed more in round 7 (22 to 20) but with many of his shots being singles with little sting on them it was still clear that Maidana had the fire in his belly. That fire saw him dropping Broner for a second time in round 8. Unfortunately for Maidana he effectively the knockdown from the books by being deducted a point for a headbutt whilst Broner was holding him. Although the headbutt was stupid Broner's reactions were stupid with him selling it as if he was a WWE "superstar". The fans, knowing what Broner was up to, soundly booed the American who had by now become public enemy #1.
Maidana had come in to the bout assuming he would need a knockout to win. In round 9 he really went for the knockout as he dominated and battered Broner across the the ring. It was as close to a 10-8 round without a knockdown with the American taking a battering and landing very, very little in return. By now it had become obvious, Broner wasn't a special fighter, Broner wasn't the next Mayweather and Broner wasn't some great in the making. Broner was merely the human punch that Maidana was abusing
As with all good punch bags Broner took the shots well and was forced to take them again in round 10 and 11 as Maidana did all he could to prevent the judges from robbing him. The crowd egged on Maidana with chants of "Chino" and by round 11 the fight looked in the bag. Maidana's confidence was through the roof and and he went for the finish again in the 11th.
Having lost the 11th Broner flirted with a point deduction again for a shot well after the bell. Lawrence Cole, who seemed to "know the score" regarding Broner's status as the next American star gave Broner yet another warning but nothing else.
In regards to competitive action round 12 was the most competitive. Broner seemed to be aware he was trailing and he went for a tired Maidana throwing the kitchen sink at him. Maidana, being a South American, showed his machismo and fight back rocking Broner several times with left hooks despite being physically knackered. Thankfully for Maidana Broner's attack never had him in any distress, preventing any sort of dodgy stoppage, instead Maidana saw out the final bell.
There was a fear after the final bell that the judges, which have stunk this year, were going to do the impossible and rob Maiana of his clear victory. Thankfully the judges didn't. They had it 115-110, 116-109, 117-109 all to the right guy and the new WBA Welterweight champion, Marcos Maidana
Saturday, 12 October 2013
Juan Carlos Reveco v Ricardo Nunez
Whilst much of the boxing world had their attention on the US with Orlando Salido fought Orlando Cruz, Timothy Bradley fought Juan Manuel Marquez and Vasyl Lomachenko made his professional debut there was also action, at the world level, in Argentina.
Fighting in his home area of Mendoza the WBA Flyweight champion Juan Carlos Reveco (32-1, 17) successfully retained his title defeating Panamanian puncher Ricardo Nunez (26-4, 22), a fighter who always has the power to hurt fighters, even if his boxing skills aren't the most impressive.
The difference in boxing skill was evident from the off with Revecco utilising his speed and skills to hit Nunez with out taking much in return. It seemed almost evident from the off that this was actually a mismatch. Sure, Nunez seemed to have the power to turn things around but he was really struggling to connect with that power as Reveco impressed from the opening bell.
Unfortunately in the 8th round, and whilst well a head on the scorecards, Reveco came off worse from a clash of heads and unfortunately, with his right leaking blood, he was denied the chance to go for a late stoppage with the referee calling for the cards.
Although Reveco was denied his opportunity of going for a stoppage he was able to take a clear, clear decision with scores of 80-71 across all 3 cards to retain his title.
Unfortunately the cut was nasty and Reveco may not be able to fight again this year, effectively ruling out a possible super-fight in Japan with either Roman Gonzalez or Kazuto Ioka, both of whom have shown an interest in a fight with the Argentinian.
Fighting in his home area of Mendoza the WBA Flyweight champion Juan Carlos Reveco (32-1, 17) successfully retained his title defeating Panamanian puncher Ricardo Nunez (26-4, 22), a fighter who always has the power to hurt fighters, even if his boxing skills aren't the most impressive.
The difference in boxing skill was evident from the off with Revecco utilising his speed and skills to hit Nunez with out taking much in return. It seemed almost evident from the off that this was actually a mismatch. Sure, Nunez seemed to have the power to turn things around but he was really struggling to connect with that power as Reveco impressed from the opening bell.
Unfortunately in the 8th round, and whilst well a head on the scorecards, Reveco came off worse from a clash of heads and unfortunately, with his right leaking blood, he was denied the chance to go for a late stoppage with the referee calling for the cards.
Although Reveco was denied his opportunity of going for a stoppage he was able to take a clear, clear decision with scores of 80-71 across all 3 cards to retain his title.
Unfortunately the cut was nasty and Reveco may not be able to fight again this year, effectively ruling out a possible super-fight in Japan with either Roman Gonzalez or Kazuto Ioka, both of whom have shown an interest in a fight with the Argentinian.
Saturday, 14 September 2013
Danny Garcia v Lucas Martin Matthysse
In a bout seen as the most "explosive" encounter on "The One" card Danny Garcia (17-0, 16) defeated Lucas Matthysse (34-3, 32) by a decision to successfully retain the combined WBC and WBA Light Welterweight titles.
Prior to the fight their was a clear "Buzz" from the crowd, a shock considering the fact they had all fallen to sleep during the previous bout, a sleep inducing contest between Ishe Smith and Carlos Molina.
The opening round was a careful and slow one with Garcia boxing well with his movement and jab. It wasn't what we expected and wasn't a shoot out but it was a very intelligent round from Garcia. Despite the unexpected start things did heat up in the second round as Matthysse fought back and tagged Garcia several times. Unfortunately the round saw the first, of many, low blows by Garcia in what become a bit of a sub story to the fight.
Round 3 was another where Garcia's boxing made Matthysse look slow and clumsy though again Garcia seemed to get away with shots south of the border. Although Matthysse didn't seem to make much of a fuss they were becoming a common place in the arsenal of Garcia and, at least for me, they were beginning to leave questions as to what he was going to be able to get away with from Tony Weeks.
The "borderline" shots were continuing through round 4 as Garcia, who was genuinely boxing well and moving excellently seemed to have found a nice way to slow down Matthysse's assaults. It wasn't until round 5 that Tony Weeks actually told Garcia to keep them up, and that was after the second or third one in that round alone. It had by now become obvious that Matthysse's balls had become a "legal" area. Despite the low blows Matthysse seemed to take rounds 5 and 6 as he went up a gear and by the mid way point it could well have been scored even.
Despite two good rounds for Matthysse he had a nightmare round 7 in which his right eye was almost swollen shut. This nasty injury seemed to immediately effect the Argentinian who struggled through the following 2 rounds with the doctor taking a serious look at it in between rounds 8 and 9. Those rounds were all Garcia with Matthysse trying to protect the eye rather than really fight back, this saw Garcia landing his much vaunted left hook several times.
With Matthysse now looking like a man who was on the verge of being stopped he some how put on an amazing effort in round 10 as he showed their was still plenty left in "The Machine". The big effort of Matthysse in round 10 gave him his best round since the 6th and was a round he clearly won as Garcia appeared to suddenly tire.
The controversy of the low blows wasn't the only mark on the fight with a huge blown call by the referee in round 11. Matthysse started the round fast again, as he had in the previous round and actually punched Garcia's gum shield out of his mouth at the start of it. Unfortunately Matthysse's good work was undone with a knockdown call against him which appeared to come not only following a punch to the back of the head but whilst Matthysse was stuck between the ropes. The referee, who had in all honesty allowed Garcia away with ball bashing blew the call here and probably swung the round from a 10-9 Matthysse round to a 10-8 Garcia round. Those 3 points would prove to be a major issue just a few minutes later.
Going into the final round it seemed almost certain Matthysse needed a stoppage to win, and he went for it. Unfortunately low blows again came to the fray, though this time Matthysse was dropped by one and the referee, finally, deducted a point from Garcia, something he could have done 3 or 4 rounds earlier. The point however wasn't enough and Matthysse knew it, though he was forced to take another low.
Almost angered by the final low blow Matthysse let it all hang out as the two men traded to the bell, with it seeming almost certain that Garcia has retained his titles. What perhaps became important however was the margin of the victory, with the decision going to Garcia by scores of 114-112 (twice) and 115-111.
That knock down and the swing of it, effectively cost Matthysse, and that's with out mentioning the numerous, unpunished low blows.
Mr Weeks, I'm usually a fan but don't let your new Audi advert go to your head, you had a real stinker here.
Prior to the fight their was a clear "Buzz" from the crowd, a shock considering the fact they had all fallen to sleep during the previous bout, a sleep inducing contest between Ishe Smith and Carlos Molina.
The opening round was a careful and slow one with Garcia boxing well with his movement and jab. It wasn't what we expected and wasn't a shoot out but it was a very intelligent round from Garcia. Despite the unexpected start things did heat up in the second round as Matthysse fought back and tagged Garcia several times. Unfortunately the round saw the first, of many, low blows by Garcia in what become a bit of a sub story to the fight.
Round 3 was another where Garcia's boxing made Matthysse look slow and clumsy though again Garcia seemed to get away with shots south of the border. Although Matthysse didn't seem to make much of a fuss they were becoming a common place in the arsenal of Garcia and, at least for me, they were beginning to leave questions as to what he was going to be able to get away with from Tony Weeks.
The "borderline" shots were continuing through round 4 as Garcia, who was genuinely boxing well and moving excellently seemed to have found a nice way to slow down Matthysse's assaults. It wasn't until round 5 that Tony Weeks actually told Garcia to keep them up, and that was after the second or third one in that round alone. It had by now become obvious that Matthysse's balls had become a "legal" area. Despite the low blows Matthysse seemed to take rounds 5 and 6 as he went up a gear and by the mid way point it could well have been scored even.
Despite two good rounds for Matthysse he had a nightmare round 7 in which his right eye was almost swollen shut. This nasty injury seemed to immediately effect the Argentinian who struggled through the following 2 rounds with the doctor taking a serious look at it in between rounds 8 and 9. Those rounds were all Garcia with Matthysse trying to protect the eye rather than really fight back, this saw Garcia landing his much vaunted left hook several times.
With Matthysse now looking like a man who was on the verge of being stopped he some how put on an amazing effort in round 10 as he showed their was still plenty left in "The Machine". The big effort of Matthysse in round 10 gave him his best round since the 6th and was a round he clearly won as Garcia appeared to suddenly tire.
The controversy of the low blows wasn't the only mark on the fight with a huge blown call by the referee in round 11. Matthysse started the round fast again, as he had in the previous round and actually punched Garcia's gum shield out of his mouth at the start of it. Unfortunately Matthysse's good work was undone with a knockdown call against him which appeared to come not only following a punch to the back of the head but whilst Matthysse was stuck between the ropes. The referee, who had in all honesty allowed Garcia away with ball bashing blew the call here and probably swung the round from a 10-9 Matthysse round to a 10-8 Garcia round. Those 3 points would prove to be a major issue just a few minutes later.
Going into the final round it seemed almost certain Matthysse needed a stoppage to win, and he went for it. Unfortunately low blows again came to the fray, though this time Matthysse was dropped by one and the referee, finally, deducted a point from Garcia, something he could have done 3 or 4 rounds earlier. The point however wasn't enough and Matthysse knew it, though he was forced to take another low.
Almost angered by the final low blow Matthysse let it all hang out as the two men traded to the bell, with it seeming almost certain that Garcia has retained his titles. What perhaps became important however was the margin of the victory, with the decision going to Garcia by scores of 114-112 (twice) and 115-111.
That knock down and the swing of it, effectively cost Matthysse, and that's with out mentioning the numerous, unpunished low blows.
Mr Weeks, I'm usually a fan but don't let your new Audi advert go to your head, you had a real stinker here.
Saturday, 24 August 2013
Omar Andres Narvaez v Hiroyuki Hisataka
Argentinian great Omar Andres Narvez (40-1-2, 21) successfully defended his WBO Super Flyweight title in very impressive fashion stopping Japanese challenger Hiroyuki Hisataka (20-11-1, 10).
It was obvious from the first round that Narvaez was the more skilled fighter and although Hisataka looked capable and showed some impressive elusiveness he was struggling to land his own shots on the trick South American southpaw. Unfortunately for Hisataka the longer the bout went on the less elusive he got as Narvaez went through the gears.
For the first 4 rounds Hisataka was having some success, though it appeared that his success were becoming more and more scarce as Narvaez moved from one gear to another allowing Hisataka to feel confident before landing a follow of shots upstairs and downstairs. It really was looking like a boxing masterclass at times by the diminutive veteran.
By round 5 it seems Narvaez had had enough of playing with his prey and he moved up yet again as he finished the round with a giant assault.
If the attack at the end of round signified anything it was that Narvaez was wanting a stoppage and in round 6 he really went for it dominating Hisataka with shots that sent the Japanese fighter back tracking from one side of the ring to another as he searched for some space. Unfortunately for the Japanese fighter Narvaez could smell blood and he kept hammering away with shots probably dominating in a clear enough fashion to have taken the round 10-8.
Hisataka, knowing he had to show something, came out fast for round 7 with a long attack. Unfortunately for Hisataka his shots were predictable and mostly blocked by Narvaez who came back hard with his own onslaught which continued viciously into the following round as Narvaez really went for the stoppage.
Although Hisataka managed to see out rounds 8 and 9 it was obvious that the shots were taking an effect and in round 10 Narvaez connected with several hard, clean body shots that appeared to take away what little fight Hisataka had left. With Hisataka clearly hurt from the shots to the midsection Narvaez launched one final attack with the referee this time stepping in to stop the bout before Hisataka took any more, unnecessary, shots.
It was obvious from the first round that Narvaez was the more skilled fighter and although Hisataka looked capable and showed some impressive elusiveness he was struggling to land his own shots on the trick South American southpaw. Unfortunately for Hisataka the longer the bout went on the less elusive he got as Narvaez went through the gears.
For the first 4 rounds Hisataka was having some success, though it appeared that his success were becoming more and more scarce as Narvaez moved from one gear to another allowing Hisataka to feel confident before landing a follow of shots upstairs and downstairs. It really was looking like a boxing masterclass at times by the diminutive veteran.
By round 5 it seems Narvaez had had enough of playing with his prey and he moved up yet again as he finished the round with a giant assault.
If the attack at the end of round signified anything it was that Narvaez was wanting a stoppage and in round 6 he really went for it dominating Hisataka with shots that sent the Japanese fighter back tracking from one side of the ring to another as he searched for some space. Unfortunately for the Japanese fighter Narvaez could smell blood and he kept hammering away with shots probably dominating in a clear enough fashion to have taken the round 10-8.
Hisataka, knowing he had to show something, came out fast for round 7 with a long attack. Unfortunately for Hisataka his shots were predictable and mostly blocked by Narvaez who came back hard with his own onslaught which continued viciously into the following round as Narvaez really went for the stoppage.
Although Hisataka managed to see out rounds 8 and 9 it was obvious that the shots were taking an effect and in round 10 Narvaez connected with several hard, clean body shots that appeared to take away what little fight Hisataka had left. With Hisataka clearly hurt from the shots to the midsection Narvaez launched one final attack with the referee this time stepping in to stop the bout before Hisataka took any more, unnecessary, shots.
Friday, 23 August 2013
Claudio Marrero v Jesus Marcelo Andres Cuellar
In a battle for the interim WBA Featherweight title Jesus Marcelo Andres Cuellar (23-1, 18) upset the hotly tipped Claudio Marrero (14-0, 11)
The fight started on a very even keel with both men looking to establish their jabs in the opening round. Although Cuellar seemed to do just enough to claim it it was very even and certainly not a round many would deny could have gone either way. Marrero seemed to claim the second round, though again it was close. In fact many of the early rounds were close with 38-38 seeming the likely outcome but scores of 39-37 or even 40-36 could have been argued either way.
Through the first 4 rounds it was obvious that we had two fighters were not only evenly matched but also had contrasting styles. Cuellar was the busier man easily throwing and landing more than Marrero however Marrero was the man looking more skillful and using his defensive techniques well.
Cuellar's pressure was starting to take it's toll in the fifth round, a round that he appeared to clearly win before opening up some space on the scorecards by dropping Marrero in round 6 to take a 10-8 round. Although the first 4 rounds had been razor thin it now appeared that Cuellar was taking over the bout against his previously unbeaten opponent.
Although Marrero fought back hard in the following round it was obvious that Cuellar was getting to him and the pressure and relentlessness of the Argentinian was really making Marrero work harder and harder than he'd have wanted.
The fact Marrero had a good round 7 was nothing other than a blip as Cuellar re-established control of the bout with his work rate backing up Marrero almost at will. Marrero continued to show good hand speed and movement but by now his lack of power and work effectively allowed Cuellar to do as he wished as he walked in time and time again swinging volley's of shots in Marrero's direction. In fact for many of the later rounds Marrero's best defense was his ability to tie Cuellar who rocked him hard in the final seconds of the bout to confirm his victory.
For Marrero this was disappointing, many had been hyping him, myself included, due to his performances in the past, for Cuellar however it's put him near to the "Big Boys Table" and may well have opened the door to a fight with Vasyl Lomachenko early next year.
The fight started on a very even keel with both men looking to establish their jabs in the opening round. Although Cuellar seemed to do just enough to claim it it was very even and certainly not a round many would deny could have gone either way. Marrero seemed to claim the second round, though again it was close. In fact many of the early rounds were close with 38-38 seeming the likely outcome but scores of 39-37 or even 40-36 could have been argued either way.
Through the first 4 rounds it was obvious that we had two fighters were not only evenly matched but also had contrasting styles. Cuellar was the busier man easily throwing and landing more than Marrero however Marrero was the man looking more skillful and using his defensive techniques well.
Cuellar's pressure was starting to take it's toll in the fifth round, a round that he appeared to clearly win before opening up some space on the scorecards by dropping Marrero in round 6 to take a 10-8 round. Although the first 4 rounds had been razor thin it now appeared that Cuellar was taking over the bout against his previously unbeaten opponent.
Although Marrero fought back hard in the following round it was obvious that Cuellar was getting to him and the pressure and relentlessness of the Argentinian was really making Marrero work harder and harder than he'd have wanted.
The fact Marrero had a good round 7 was nothing other than a blip as Cuellar re-established control of the bout with his work rate backing up Marrero almost at will. Marrero continued to show good hand speed and movement but by now his lack of power and work effectively allowed Cuellar to do as he wished as he walked in time and time again swinging volley's of shots in Marrero's direction. In fact for many of the later rounds Marrero's best defense was his ability to tie Cuellar who rocked him hard in the final seconds of the bout to confirm his victory.
For Marrero this was disappointing, many had been hyping him, myself included, due to his performances in the past, for Cuellar however it's put him near to the "Big Boys Table" and may well have opened the door to a fight with Vasyl Lomachenko early next year.
Saturday, 27 July 2013
Diego Gabriel Chaves v Keith Thurman
Unbeaten American Keith Thurman (21-0-0-1, 19) successfully claimed the WBA interim Welterweight by scoring his biggest win so far, stopping Argentinian Diego Gabriel Chaves (22-1, 18).
The fight started in exciting fashion as both men traded shots with the fight starting in the fashion many expected. The fireworks, whilst not relentless where certainly exciting and seemed to suggest there was no way that the judges would be needed.
The same exciting action continued through the first 4 rounds with Thurman gradually growing into the bout and getting more success. Originally he looked to be getting tagged a fair bit more than he'd have liked and his nose was actually bloodied at the end of round 3 though in round 4 he certainly took the round, arguably his first.
After an excellent round 5 that was brilliant to watch with both men landing huge head shots from both the bout suddenly took a major turn as both men started to box. The trading had taken a break as jabs became the order of the day with both men seemingly becoming aware of the other mans power. This tactical battle seemed to suit Thurman who was longer and faster than Chaves and was getting his jab off and moving well.
The boxing continued for a few rounds as Thurman started to take control of the bout slightly with his boxing and although the men started to trade up a big more in rounds 7 and 8 it seemed neither man could really take control of the trade sequences. It appeared every time one man had success the other would come back and land their own 2 or 3 punch combination.
In round 9 the bout took a huge turn with Thurman landing a lovely body shut that sent Chaves down. Although Chaves regained his feet and saw out the round it was obvious the body shot had left lingering effects and Thurman immediately went on the assault at the start of the tenth before sending Chaves down again and forcing a 10th round stoppage.
With Thurman now the interim champion and Broner the "regular" WBA champion a bout between them two would seeming to be the logical one.
The fight started in exciting fashion as both men traded shots with the fight starting in the fashion many expected. The fireworks, whilst not relentless where certainly exciting and seemed to suggest there was no way that the judges would be needed.
The same exciting action continued through the first 4 rounds with Thurman gradually growing into the bout and getting more success. Originally he looked to be getting tagged a fair bit more than he'd have liked and his nose was actually bloodied at the end of round 3 though in round 4 he certainly took the round, arguably his first.
After an excellent round 5 that was brilliant to watch with both men landing huge head shots from both the bout suddenly took a major turn as both men started to box. The trading had taken a break as jabs became the order of the day with both men seemingly becoming aware of the other mans power. This tactical battle seemed to suit Thurman who was longer and faster than Chaves and was getting his jab off and moving well.
The boxing continued for a few rounds as Thurman started to take control of the bout slightly with his boxing and although the men started to trade up a big more in rounds 7 and 8 it seemed neither man could really take control of the trade sequences. It appeared every time one man had success the other would come back and land their own 2 or 3 punch combination.
In round 9 the bout took a huge turn with Thurman landing a lovely body shut that sent Chaves down. Although Chaves regained his feet and saw out the round it was obvious the body shot had left lingering effects and Thurman immediately went on the assault at the start of the tenth before sending Chaves down again and forcing a 10th round stoppage.
With Thurman now the interim champion and Broner the "regular" WBA champion a bout between them two would seeming to be the logical one.
Evgeny Gradovich v Mauricio Javier Munoz
In a very high action contest "Mexican-Russian" Evgeny Gradovich (17-0, 8) defended the IBF Featherweight title.
Facing former WBC Super Bantamweight title challenger Mauricio Javier Munoz (26-4, 12) of Argentina it's fair to say that Gradovich had a fighter who was very similar to himself. Both men throw the boxing textbook out of the window preferring instead to wage wars and have genuine fights. When you have 2 fighters in the ring together you very rarely have a disappointing contest.
The bout started at the sort of pace fans of both men would have expected as they both threw leather for fun and took it in turns to be the man coming forward. It seemed that either both men were made of granite or neither man could punch but this didn't prevent the round from being thoroughly enjoyable from the off.
Although Munoz entered as a sizable under-dog he refused to act like an under-dog and as the fight went on he started to force the action more and more. Unfortunately for the Argentinian the more he forced the action the more he walked into a storm of counters from Gradovich. Whilst this was a painful looking experience for the challenger it made for great entertainment for the fans.
Through the middle rounds it was obvious that Gradovich had more to his game than just the come forward all action style that he is known for and he was showing off the other dimensions to his game when needed. Of course it was more fun to watch the high octane stuff but it was still good to see that Gradovich did have a plan B in his locker if he needed it.
In round 9 Gradovich managed to raise the crowd as he moved up a gear just as it seemed that Munoz's resolve was starting to drain. Amazingly just as it looked like he was fading the Argentinian seemed to wake up and found energy from somewhere as he again began to press the action and force the fight with Gradovich resorting to using his legs just as much as his hands.
Going in to the final 3 rounds the Gradovich corner were confident that their man was clearly in the lead with trainer Robert Garcia effectively telling his man to make sure he didn't get caught by anything big. He was of course getting caught, it's almost part of his style, but Munoz lacked the power to really trouble the Russian who was rarely blinking after Munoz tagged him.
Unfortunately for Munoz he was starting to struggle with the pace in the final round and seemed to be on the verge of being stopped though showed the toughness and heart to see out the round.
Although neither fighter was notably hurt, other than Munoz in the final round, the fight did at times resemble a very fun to watch though oddly one sided contest with Munoz looking like a prototype of Gradovich. Both men throw lots and enjoyed coming forward though Gradovich was busier, more accurate and more technically gifted with his shorts being straighter and his defense, whilst not great, was better than Munoz's.
With the first defense of his title under his belt Gradovich will likely be looking for his next challenger. With Vasyl Lomachenko having now signed with Top Rank a bout between Lomachenko and Gradovich almost certainly needs to be though about somewhere down the line.
For Munoz it's unlikely that we'll see him in another world title fight I'm afraid.
Facing former WBC Super Bantamweight title challenger Mauricio Javier Munoz (26-4, 12) of Argentina it's fair to say that Gradovich had a fighter who was very similar to himself. Both men throw the boxing textbook out of the window preferring instead to wage wars and have genuine fights. When you have 2 fighters in the ring together you very rarely have a disappointing contest.
The bout started at the sort of pace fans of both men would have expected as they both threw leather for fun and took it in turns to be the man coming forward. It seemed that either both men were made of granite or neither man could punch but this didn't prevent the round from being thoroughly enjoyable from the off.
Although Munoz entered as a sizable under-dog he refused to act like an under-dog and as the fight went on he started to force the action more and more. Unfortunately for the Argentinian the more he forced the action the more he walked into a storm of counters from Gradovich. Whilst this was a painful looking experience for the challenger it made for great entertainment for the fans.
Through the middle rounds it was obvious that Gradovich had more to his game than just the come forward all action style that he is known for and he was showing off the other dimensions to his game when needed. Of course it was more fun to watch the high octane stuff but it was still good to see that Gradovich did have a plan B in his locker if he needed it.
In round 9 Gradovich managed to raise the crowd as he moved up a gear just as it seemed that Munoz's resolve was starting to drain. Amazingly just as it looked like he was fading the Argentinian seemed to wake up and found energy from somewhere as he again began to press the action and force the fight with Gradovich resorting to using his legs just as much as his hands.
Going in to the final 3 rounds the Gradovich corner were confident that their man was clearly in the lead with trainer Robert Garcia effectively telling his man to make sure he didn't get caught by anything big. He was of course getting caught, it's almost part of his style, but Munoz lacked the power to really trouble the Russian who was rarely blinking after Munoz tagged him.
Unfortunately for Munoz he was starting to struggle with the pace in the final round and seemed to be on the verge of being stopped though showed the toughness and heart to see out the round.
Although neither fighter was notably hurt, other than Munoz in the final round, the fight did at times resemble a very fun to watch though oddly one sided contest with Munoz looking like a prototype of Gradovich. Both men throw lots and enjoyed coming forward though Gradovich was busier, more accurate and more technically gifted with his shorts being straighter and his defense, whilst not great, was better than Munoz's.
With the first defense of his title under his belt Gradovich will likely be looking for his next challenger. With Vasyl Lomachenko having now signed with Top Rank a bout between Lomachenko and Gradovich almost certainly needs to be though about somewhere down the line.
For Munoz it's unlikely that we'll see him in another world title fight I'm afraid.
Saturday, 22 June 2013
Juan Carlos Reveco v Ulises Solis
Argentinian Juan Carlos Reveco (31-1, 17) successfully defended his WBA Flyweight title as he over-came the overmatched challenge of Ulises Solis (12-14-2, 7).
Reveco, a talented fighter in one of the deepest division's in world boxing was clearly the better man from the first bell. He was quicker, more skilled and just overall more talented and he showed it.
Although Solis showed his heart he didn't have the talent to match and was dropped twice in round 6 as Reveco started to turn the screw in front of his countrymen. Solis, who really should never have been put in a world title fight, got up from both of those knockdowns though looked like a man living on borrowed time.
For Solis round 7 was a much better round than the previous one, though that appeared to be more down to Reveco than Solis himself.
It wouldn't take long for Reveco to really let his hands go in again and in round 8 he dropped Solis 3 times forcing the referee to call a halt to proceedings.
For Reveco this was his second "stay busy" defense in 3 bouts (having also defended the interim WBA belt against Julian Rivera late last year). Hopefully the Argentinian will now face a real opponent as opposed to limited fighters like Solis.
Reveco, a talented fighter in one of the deepest division's in world boxing was clearly the better man from the first bell. He was quicker, more skilled and just overall more talented and he showed it.
Although Solis showed his heart he didn't have the talent to match and was dropped twice in round 6 as Reveco started to turn the screw in front of his countrymen. Solis, who really should never have been put in a world title fight, got up from both of those knockdowns though looked like a man living on borrowed time.
For Solis round 7 was a much better round than the previous one, though that appeared to be more down to Reveco than Solis himself.
It wouldn't take long for Reveco to really let his hands go in again and in round 8 he dropped Solis 3 times forcing the referee to call a halt to proceedings.
For Reveco this was his second "stay busy" defense in 3 bouts (having also defended the interim WBA belt against Julian Rivera late last year). Hopefully the Argentinian will now face a real opponent as opposed to limited fighters like Solis.
Saturday, 27 April 2013
Sergio Gabriel Martinez v Martin Murray
On paper this was a mismatch. One of the pound-for-pound best in the world, Sergio Gabriel Martinez (51-2-2, 28) was facing the relatively unknown Martin Murray (25-1-1, 11) who although being the WBA "interim" Middleweight champion was relatively unknown on the international stage. Paper however doesn't have fights for us and instead we ended up with an enthralling and very evenly matched bout that saw neither man manage to enforce themselves for more than just a few rounds at a time.
The bout started slowly, with Murray using a high guard and blocking much of Martinez's attacks. Although Murray was defensively sound early on he really didn't through too much and was clearly behind on all 3 of the official cards at the 4 round point (which we knew due to the controversial open scoring that was in effect).
Following the slow start for Murray he started to let his hands go more and more through the middle rounds and found a home for his right hand which connected with an alarming success rate. The right hand and even the left hooks started to really make a dent in Martinez who was forced to feel the weight on Murray's shots and they appeared to shake him up several times before dropping him in round 7 as Murray started to overturn the early deficit on the cards.
Despite his excellent charge through the middle section of the fight Murray was still behind on the official cards by scores of 77-74 and 76-75 (twice). Unlike the score cards in the recent Austin Tout v Saul "Canelo" Alvarez fight knowing the scores here did somewhat reflect the bout and seemed to spur on the fighter who was behind, despite the fact he had a very quiet round 9.
In round 10 Martinez appeared to be dropped though the referee ruled it a slip, a call that would effectively cost Murray a 3-point swing in the round. Sadly for Murray he couldn't drop Martinez again in the final 2 rounds despite trying most notably in round 12. Had he done saw he may have managed to dethrone Martinez of the Middleweight crown, instead Martinez managed to retain his WBC title.
With a slippy canvas perhaps fighting in an outdoor arena with rain blowing on to the ring helped Murray though in all honesty Martinez, aged 38, appears to be at the end of the line. Murray put on a good performance don't get me wrong, but Martinez didn't look like the man who dominated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr for 11 rounds, he instead looked like an old man.
For Murray this was his gateway to bigger fights. Sure he may have lost but he has shown himself capable enough of mixing it with the best. As the WBA "interim" champion he really should be looking forward to the winner of the upcoming Gennady Golovkin v Matthew Macklin bout with the winner, the "WBA Regular" champion being the most obvious opponent for Murray.
The bout started slowly, with Murray using a high guard and blocking much of Martinez's attacks. Although Murray was defensively sound early on he really didn't through too much and was clearly behind on all 3 of the official cards at the 4 round point (which we knew due to the controversial open scoring that was in effect).
Following the slow start for Murray he started to let his hands go more and more through the middle rounds and found a home for his right hand which connected with an alarming success rate. The right hand and even the left hooks started to really make a dent in Martinez who was forced to feel the weight on Murray's shots and they appeared to shake him up several times before dropping him in round 7 as Murray started to overturn the early deficit on the cards.
Despite his excellent charge through the middle section of the fight Murray was still behind on the official cards by scores of 77-74 and 76-75 (twice). Unlike the score cards in the recent Austin Tout v Saul "Canelo" Alvarez fight knowing the scores here did somewhat reflect the bout and seemed to spur on the fighter who was behind, despite the fact he had a very quiet round 9.
In round 10 Martinez appeared to be dropped though the referee ruled it a slip, a call that would effectively cost Murray a 3-point swing in the round. Sadly for Murray he couldn't drop Martinez again in the final 2 rounds despite trying most notably in round 12. Had he done saw he may have managed to dethrone Martinez of the Middleweight crown, instead Martinez managed to retain his WBC title.
With a slippy canvas perhaps fighting in an outdoor arena with rain blowing on to the ring helped Murray though in all honesty Martinez, aged 38, appears to be at the end of the line. Murray put on a good performance don't get me wrong, but Martinez didn't look like the man who dominated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr for 11 rounds, he instead looked like an old man.
For Murray this was his gateway to bigger fights. Sure he may have lost but he has shown himself capable enough of mixing it with the best. As the WBA "interim" champion he really should be looking forward to the winner of the upcoming Gennady Golovkin v Matthew Macklin bout with the winner, the "WBA Regular" champion being the most obvious opponent for Murray.
Saturday, 26 January 2013
Lucas Martin Matthysse v Mike Dallas Jr
Aggressively minded Argentinian Lucas Martin Matthysse (33-2-0-1, 31) made the first successful defense of his interim WBC Light Welterweight title as he viciously stopped Mike Dallas Jr (19-3-1, 8) inside a round.
Although Dallas started the round well with his speed it didn't take long for Matthysse to connect on him and shake up Dallas. Dallas tied up Matthysse after getting rocked though it appeared from then on that Dallas was living in fear having tasted Matthysse's power and with good reason.
Whilst Dallas had managed to see out the first storm he didn't get to see out the first round as Matthysse landed a monster right hand that rendered Dallas unconscious. As Dallas was on his way down Matthysse tried to tag him with 2 more shots though neither connected cleanly as Dallas crashed to the canvas. With Dallas out cold Robert Byrd just waved off the fight with Matthysse having scored a spectacular opening round KO.
Prior to the fight however there was some controversial as Matthysse was seen taking a pill by Virgil Hunter, Dallas' trained .According to Hunter it was an Amino-500 though Matthysse, via a translator explained it as being a vitamin pill. We will all be waiting for the test results to come back, though if it was a vitamin pill, I dare say Hunter should have kept his mouth shut for his fighters safety.
Although Dallas started the round well with his speed it didn't take long for Matthysse to connect on him and shake up Dallas. Dallas tied up Matthysse after getting rocked though it appeared from then on that Dallas was living in fear having tasted Matthysse's power and with good reason.
Whilst Dallas had managed to see out the first storm he didn't get to see out the first round as Matthysse landed a monster right hand that rendered Dallas unconscious. As Dallas was on his way down Matthysse tried to tag him with 2 more shots though neither connected cleanly as Dallas crashed to the canvas. With Dallas out cold Robert Byrd just waved off the fight with Matthysse having scored a spectacular opening round KO.
Prior to the fight however there was some controversial as Matthysse was seen taking a pill by Virgil Hunter, Dallas' trained .According to Hunter it was an Amino-500 though Matthysse, via a translator explained it as being a vitamin pill. We will all be waiting for the test results to come back, though if it was a vitamin pill, I dare say Hunter should have kept his mouth shut for his fighters safety.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)