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 WBO Super Flyweight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WBO Super Flyweight. Show all posts
Saturday, 21 December 2013
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.
Sunday, 26 May 2013
Omar Andres Narvaez v Felipe Orucuta
WBO Super Flyweight champion Omar Andres Narvaez (39-1-2, 20) may still be amongst the worlds best at Super Flyweight but the legendary Argentinian will know that he doesn't have long at the top and following his very tough bout with Mexican youngster Felipe Orucuta (27-2, 23) he may well be thinking about walking away whilst still at the top.
The two men put on a genuinely great fight for the title that Narvaez has held for 3 years and it really did show two very different styles. For Orucuta his wild but extremely heavy blows were eye catching, many of them missed but they were certainly the shots being thrown with bad intentions as if he knew he'd need to take out Narvaez to claim the belt. On the opposite side of the spectrum was Narvaez, a relatively soft puncher who's accuracy was much better than his much taller rival. It wasn't just the offensive work of both men that was polar opposite but also the defensive side with Narvaez showing off his trademark slipperiness which seemed to be his saving grace at times.
The fight really was a case of what do you like. If you're a type of person who loves a lot of action and a fighter forcing the issue then it was easy to see you scoring the bout for Orucuta who was relentless in his pursuit and assault of Narvaez. At times it appeared the Mexican was going to grind down, and stop Narvaez though his somewhat crude style did allow the Argentinian to get away when he needed to create space. If you were the type of guy who rates effective aggression and impressive defensive work then Narvaez was your guy with after round being hard to score and it was little wonder than the scorecards were split.
Narvaez, a genuine tough guy who went 12 rounds with Nonito Donaire despite being made to look 3 divisions smaller, seemed really fearful of Orucuta's power at times and it was little wonder that he refused to get dragged in to a tear up. It was this mindset that helped the Argentinian veteran hear the final bell and retain his title, though it's obvious that father time is catching up with him. A win here by split decision has allowed him a chance to walk away whilst still a world champion, leaving on his own terms, one more fight however could see that change.
For Orucuta the loss may be a set back but he's really put himself on the map and it's only a matter of time before he gets another chance at a world title, it wouldn't be a surprise at all if he took that chance with both hands and held a title for a very long time, though it'll probably be at Bantamweight as opposed to Super Flyweight (he must be killing himself to make the weight).
The two men put on a genuinely great fight for the title that Narvaez has held for 3 years and it really did show two very different styles. For Orucuta his wild but extremely heavy blows were eye catching, many of them missed but they were certainly the shots being thrown with bad intentions as if he knew he'd need to take out Narvaez to claim the belt. On the opposite side of the spectrum was Narvaez, a relatively soft puncher who's accuracy was much better than his much taller rival. It wasn't just the offensive work of both men that was polar opposite but also the defensive side with Narvaez showing off his trademark slipperiness which seemed to be his saving grace at times.
The fight really was a case of what do you like. If you're a type of person who loves a lot of action and a fighter forcing the issue then it was easy to see you scoring the bout for Orucuta who was relentless in his pursuit and assault of Narvaez. At times it appeared the Mexican was going to grind down, and stop Narvaez though his somewhat crude style did allow the Argentinian to get away when he needed to create space. If you were the type of guy who rates effective aggression and impressive defensive work then Narvaez was your guy with after round being hard to score and it was little wonder than the scorecards were split.
Narvaez, a genuine tough guy who went 12 rounds with Nonito Donaire despite being made to look 3 divisions smaller, seemed really fearful of Orucuta's power at times and it was little wonder that he refused to get dragged in to a tear up. It was this mindset that helped the Argentinian veteran hear the final bell and retain his title, though it's obvious that father time is catching up with him. A win here by split decision has allowed him a chance to walk away whilst still a world champion, leaving on his own terms, one more fight however could see that change.
For Orucuta the loss may be a set back but he's really put himself on the map and it's only a matter of time before he gets another chance at a world title, it wouldn't be a surprise at all if he took that chance with both hands and held a title for a very long time, though it'll probably be at Bantamweight as opposed to Super Flyweight (he must be killing himself to make the weight).
Monday, 17 December 2012
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.
Monday, 22 October 2012
Omar Andres Narvaez v Johnny Garcia
Talented Argentinian Omar Andres Narvaez (37-1-2, 20) successfully defended his WBO Super Flyweight title for the fifth time as he stopped Mexican Johnny Garcia (16-4-1, 8) in the 11th round of an impressive and emotionally charged bout.
The bout, first scheduled for Wednesday, was delayed following the death of Narvaez's father and in the opening round Narvaez did look like his mind was else where as he spent much of the round outside of his own range behind his high guard, allowing Garcia to hit his arms. Midway through round 2 however Narvaez seemed to realise he was in a fight and tried to launch his own hard shorts, often leaping at the much bigger Garcia with big left hands whilst frustrating the challenger with clever movement. Through the first 3 rounds Garcia seemed to be in the lead thanks to hi aggressiveness, however he was looking wild and sent himself to the canvas at one point whilst swinging at Narvaez.
By the mid point of the fourth round you could see Garcia gradually getting more frustrated with Narvaez and not only was Garcia missing a lot, but he was wasting a lot of energy against a very tricky Narvaez who, whilst not winning the fight at this point, was starting to tire the much younger Garcia. In round 5 Narvaez started to close the range and whilst he didn't do enough to really stamp his authority on the round, he seemed to have finally started to warm to the bout, however the round was sadly rather stop start after a number of accidental fouls by the challenger.
In round 6 the snap seemed to have gone from Garcia as Narvaez started to turn the screw and stood in the pocket and looked like he was really getting in the groove in his most impressive round up to that point. If the sixth was Narvaez finding his groove then the seventh was Narvaez showing a mean streak as he continued to stand in the pocket and land numerous, hurtful shots, almost appearing to take his emotions out on Garcia's head and body in a hugely impressive round that saw Garcia dropped officially for the first time in the bout.
As Garcia went back to his corner following round 7 he appeared to be a beaten man whilst Narvaez seemed to be a man with bad thoughts on in his mind. Surprisingly however Garcia came out for round 8 looking like a rejuvenated fighter before a nasty clash of heads had both men wincing with Garcia being deducted a point. Late in round 8 Narvaez seemed to look for the stoppage but Garcia managed to survive thanks to some confusion by both men regarding the end of the round.
Although Narvaez was controlling the bout it wasn't until the final minute of round 11 that he made his control really count for something as he dropped Garcia 3 times forcing the referee to wave the bout off and give Narvaez his first stoppage victory since moving up from Flyweight. Interestingly it's the third time Narvaez has stopped an opponent in the 11th round (with his last stoppage also being in the 11th round).
At 37 years old Narvaez is on the slide. He proved he still has the speed, skills and movement to hang with younger fighters though I wouldn't be surprised if he were to announce his retirement in the next few months, maybe going out with 1 more fight to finish a memorable, if under-rated career. For Garcia however I think we'll probably see him again as a perennial but limited challenger.
The bout, first scheduled for Wednesday, was delayed following the death of Narvaez's father and in the opening round Narvaez did look like his mind was else where as he spent much of the round outside of his own range behind his high guard, allowing Garcia to hit his arms. Midway through round 2 however Narvaez seemed to realise he was in a fight and tried to launch his own hard shorts, often leaping at the much bigger Garcia with big left hands whilst frustrating the challenger with clever movement. Through the first 3 rounds Garcia seemed to be in the lead thanks to hi aggressiveness, however he was looking wild and sent himself to the canvas at one point whilst swinging at Narvaez.
By the mid point of the fourth round you could see Garcia gradually getting more frustrated with Narvaez and not only was Garcia missing a lot, but he was wasting a lot of energy against a very tricky Narvaez who, whilst not winning the fight at this point, was starting to tire the much younger Garcia. In round 5 Narvaez started to close the range and whilst he didn't do enough to really stamp his authority on the round, he seemed to have finally started to warm to the bout, however the round was sadly rather stop start after a number of accidental fouls by the challenger.
In round 6 the snap seemed to have gone from Garcia as Narvaez started to turn the screw and stood in the pocket and looked like he was really getting in the groove in his most impressive round up to that point. If the sixth was Narvaez finding his groove then the seventh was Narvaez showing a mean streak as he continued to stand in the pocket and land numerous, hurtful shots, almost appearing to take his emotions out on Garcia's head and body in a hugely impressive round that saw Garcia dropped officially for the first time in the bout.
As Garcia went back to his corner following round 7 he appeared to be a beaten man whilst Narvaez seemed to be a man with bad thoughts on in his mind. Surprisingly however Garcia came out for round 8 looking like a rejuvenated fighter before a nasty clash of heads had both men wincing with Garcia being deducted a point. Late in round 8 Narvaez seemed to look for the stoppage but Garcia managed to survive thanks to some confusion by both men regarding the end of the round.
Although Narvaez was controlling the bout it wasn't until the final minute of round 11 that he made his control really count for something as he dropped Garcia 3 times forcing the referee to wave the bout off and give Narvaez his first stoppage victory since moving up from Flyweight. Interestingly it's the third time Narvaez has stopped an opponent in the 11th round (with his last stoppage also being in the 11th round).
At 37 years old Narvaez is on the slide. He proved he still has the speed, skills and movement to hang with younger fighters though I wouldn't be surprised if he were to announce his retirement in the next few months, maybe going out with 1 more fight to finish a memorable, if under-rated career. For Garcia however I think we'll probably see him again as a perennial but limited challenger.
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