Although I believe Srisaket Sor Rungvisai is the best fighter at 115lbs the best boxer there, at least for now, is Argentinian veteran Omar Andres Narvaez (40-1-2, 21). Narvaez, the long term WBO champion is a man who, at 38 years old, has been denying father time like no one else in the lower weights.
Although thoroughly ancient for a Super Flyweight Narvaez has shown he still has all the traits of a man who isn't really on the slide as much as some would like. He's still sharp, fast, able to throw lovely blazing combinations and is still light on his feet. He may be 38 but he fighters like a man who is only in his 20's.
Whilst he still has the speed and style of a younger man Narvaez's key issue is that he lacks lights out power. He can break guys down over the course but no single shot he lands will have guys thinking twice and as a result he can be forced to fight a little harder than a man of his skills perhaps should. Thankfully his flurries of shots do tend to wear opponents down either physically or mentally.
Narvaez defends his title once again this weekend as he takes on the once beaten David Carmona (16-1-4, 8) of Mexico. Carmona the WBO Youth Super Flyweight champion is by far the younger man though with that also comes the fact he is untested near the same level as Narvaez.
In his 21 bouts to date Carmona's most notable foe has been been, well none of them really. Carmona has fought no one of note, no one nearly world class and no one who could possibly have prepared him for someone like Narvaez. That's not to say Carmona isn't talented but his talented has only been shown as a much, much, much lower level than that of Narvaez.
As for the bout it's fair to say that gulf in opponent will show up here. Carmona will go to win but will quickly discover that Narvaez isn't just an old man. Carmona's shots will be picked off and his body and head tagged almost at will by Narvaez.
Whilst Carmona hasn't shown durability issues he's also not shown the ability to do 12 rounds. With that in mind I expect Narvaez to pick up the pace late and force a stoppage against a tiring Carmona in the final 3 rounds.
Prediction-Narvaez TKO11
Showing posts with label Argentinian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Argentinian. Show all posts
Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Wednesday, 11 December 2013
Adrien Broner v Marcos Rene Maidana
Although we have 5 world title fights this weekend there is one that really stands out, a fight that has split opinion on who "will" win and who people "want" to win and that's the fight between loud mouth Adrien Broner (27-0, 22) and Argentina's always exciting Marcos Rene Maidana (34-3, 31). The bout, dubbed "Danger Zone" sees Broner's WBA Welterweight title up for grabs as he takes on easily his most dangerous for so far. Likewise however Miadana takes probably his most talented opponent to date.
For Broner this is a pivotal contest. He is defending his WBA title for the first time since claiming it, in controversial fashion, from Paulie Malignaggi. In that fight Broner looked awful. He posed, he got hit and he looked less like "The Problem" and more like a man "With Problems". It was an awful performance. Was it that he he over-looked Malignaggi, who many had written off? Was it that Welterweight wasn't good for his body? Was it that outside the ring issues had got to him? Whatever it was he really didn't perform.
If a fighter "doesn't perform" against Maidana they tend to feel his power. He's not the greatest of finishers by any stretch of the imagination but he is one of those thudding punchers who hurt you every time they land. If Broner takes half as many Maidana shots as he took Malinaggi shots then he'll be in a lot of trouble.
At his best Broner is a really talented fighter. He has a lovely variety of punches, amazing hand speed, fantastic natural athletic ability and real explosiveness. At his worst he's a fighter who looks to have never mastered the basics. His jab is often none existent, his foot work is awful and his defense is sloppy to say the least. He's one of many fighters who I tend to feel is more athlete than boxer, and this is often not a great trait, especially at the world level where opponents tend to be pretty good.
Whilst a loss for Broner wouldn't necessarily be the end I don't imagine he would ever be the same person if he had an "L" on his record.
In regards to Maidana he's the under-dog, he's not expected to win but he's also unwilling to accept a loss where he can. He's a fighter at heart and whilst he lacks the speed and reflexes and Broner he has the fighters mentality of refusing to quit, getting up when knocked down, biting on the gumshield and going for it.
It's not rare to see Maidana hurt, in fact he's been down numerous time, but we've never seen anyone keep Maidana down. His recuperative powers are genuinely fantastic, his mental toughness is unquestionable and although he'll never be Sugar Ray Robinson his skills do seem to be improving even now. He's still crude but much less saw than when he was fighting the likes of Victor Ortiz.
For this fight I have several questions. Will "the real" Broner turn up? If not he'll lose. Can they take each others power? If saw Maidana will really struggle. Will Maidana be able to turn this in to a war? If he can he has a fantastic chance just on the cumulative effect of his shots.
If Broner turns up and acts like a fighter I honesty believe he can stop Maidana. If he acts like a man who has already won the fight before the first punch is thrown however, he gets stopped.
Prediction-Broner TKO10
For Broner this is a pivotal contest. He is defending his WBA title for the first time since claiming it, in controversial fashion, from Paulie Malignaggi. In that fight Broner looked awful. He posed, he got hit and he looked less like "The Problem" and more like a man "With Problems". It was an awful performance. Was it that he he over-looked Malignaggi, who many had written off? Was it that Welterweight wasn't good for his body? Was it that outside the ring issues had got to him? Whatever it was he really didn't perform.
If a fighter "doesn't perform" against Maidana they tend to feel his power. He's not the greatest of finishers by any stretch of the imagination but he is one of those thudding punchers who hurt you every time they land. If Broner takes half as many Maidana shots as he took Malinaggi shots then he'll be in a lot of trouble.
At his best Broner is a really talented fighter. He has a lovely variety of punches, amazing hand speed, fantastic natural athletic ability and real explosiveness. At his worst he's a fighter who looks to have never mastered the basics. His jab is often none existent, his foot work is awful and his defense is sloppy to say the least. He's one of many fighters who I tend to feel is more athlete than boxer, and this is often not a great trait, especially at the world level where opponents tend to be pretty good.
Whilst a loss for Broner wouldn't necessarily be the end I don't imagine he would ever be the same person if he had an "L" on his record.
In regards to Maidana he's the under-dog, he's not expected to win but he's also unwilling to accept a loss where he can. He's a fighter at heart and whilst he lacks the speed and reflexes and Broner he has the fighters mentality of refusing to quit, getting up when knocked down, biting on the gumshield and going for it.
It's not rare to see Maidana hurt, in fact he's been down numerous time, but we've never seen anyone keep Maidana down. His recuperative powers are genuinely fantastic, his mental toughness is unquestionable and although he'll never be Sugar Ray Robinson his skills do seem to be improving even now. He's still crude but much less saw than when he was fighting the likes of Victor Ortiz.
For this fight I have several questions. Will "the real" Broner turn up? If not he'll lose. Can they take each others power? If saw Maidana will really struggle. Will Maidana be able to turn this in to a war? If he can he has a fantastic chance just on the cumulative effect of his shots.
If Broner turns up and acts like a fighter I honesty believe he can stop Maidana. If he acts like a man who has already won the fight before the first punch is thrown however, he gets stopped.
Prediction-Broner TKO10
Friday, 11 October 2013
Juan Carlos Reveco v Ricardo Nunez
In a bout that screams the word "fun", Argentinian Juan Carlos Reveco (31-1, 17) will defend his WBA Flyweight title against Panamanian puncher Ricardo Nunez (26-3, 22). Although the bout, televised on TYC Sports, is unlikely to capture the attention of most boxing fans it's potentially the fight of the weekend, and I don't say that lightly.
Reveco is a fighter I've come to like, I'll never be a flat out fan, but I will happily admire his talent. He's hard working, skilled, has lovely snap on his punches and most tellingly judges distance amazingly, this quality is why he is one of the elite body punchers currently in the sport.
Sadly the reason why I will never be a "fan" of Reveco's is that his matchmaking has, so far, left much to be desired. After taking a good win he usually faces an appalling opponent. For example after beating Nethra Sasiprapa he then took on Humberto Pool; after beating Karim Guerfi he then defeated Julian Rivera and after traveling to Japan to defeat Masayuki Kuroda he returned home to beat Ulises Lara.
In the current Flyweight division there is no excuses for defending against the likes of Lara and the fight it's self saw Lara dropped 5 times by Reveco.
Thankfully Reveco is stepping back up to genuine world level here as he fights Nunez, a man who has proven to be around world level and is always fun to watch, win or lose.
Whilst Reveco is a skilled fighter with some textbook moves in the ring Nunez is a pure puncher. The Panamanian isn't going to win awards for beauty in the ring, he's not an artist in the ring and he won't paint pictures with his punches. Though he will do is take the canvas, smash it over your head then bash you with a paint can. His style can only be described as crude but exciting, every punch is thrown with the intentions of beheading and opponents and whilst this leaves him open he is tough enough to take a fair few shots.
Unfortunately for Nunez all 3 of his losses have come by stoppage, with the most recent of those coming coming 12 months ago to Moruti Mthalane via a vicious stoppage in round 8. Thankfully for Nunez's brain cells and long term health Reveco isn't a concussive puncher, though he's stylistically a type of fighter who will take advantage of Nunez's looping shots.
Although Reveco has the style to pick Nunez apart the Panamanian's danger cannot be over-stated. He has stopped world class opponents such as Carlos Tamara and Oscar Blanquet whilst also taking a decision over Liborio Solis and dropping Mthalane. To be frankly honest if he can tag Reveco he can scramble Reveco's senses and possibly stop him. Reveco might have the style to beat Nunez, but Nunez has the power to stop Reveco. That's what makes this fight so much fun.
I'd say that if Nunez is going to win he probably has 6 rounds to score the stoppage, after that things swing strongly in favour of Reveco who should manage to defeat a tiring and mentally weakening Nunez in the later rounds. One thing is for certain, this will have fireworks!
Prediction-Reveco UD12 (after getting himself off the canvas at least once)
Reveco is a fighter I've come to like, I'll never be a flat out fan, but I will happily admire his talent. He's hard working, skilled, has lovely snap on his punches and most tellingly judges distance amazingly, this quality is why he is one of the elite body punchers currently in the sport.
Sadly the reason why I will never be a "fan" of Reveco's is that his matchmaking has, so far, left much to be desired. After taking a good win he usually faces an appalling opponent. For example after beating Nethra Sasiprapa he then took on Humberto Pool; after beating Karim Guerfi he then defeated Julian Rivera and after traveling to Japan to defeat Masayuki Kuroda he returned home to beat Ulises Lara.
In the current Flyweight division there is no excuses for defending against the likes of Lara and the fight it's self saw Lara dropped 5 times by Reveco.
Thankfully Reveco is stepping back up to genuine world level here as he fights Nunez, a man who has proven to be around world level and is always fun to watch, win or lose.
Whilst Reveco is a skilled fighter with some textbook moves in the ring Nunez is a pure puncher. The Panamanian isn't going to win awards for beauty in the ring, he's not an artist in the ring and he won't paint pictures with his punches. Though he will do is take the canvas, smash it over your head then bash you with a paint can. His style can only be described as crude but exciting, every punch is thrown with the intentions of beheading and opponents and whilst this leaves him open he is tough enough to take a fair few shots.
Unfortunately for Nunez all 3 of his losses have come by stoppage, with the most recent of those coming coming 12 months ago to Moruti Mthalane via a vicious stoppage in round 8. Thankfully for Nunez's brain cells and long term health Reveco isn't a concussive puncher, though he's stylistically a type of fighter who will take advantage of Nunez's looping shots.
Although Reveco has the style to pick Nunez apart the Panamanian's danger cannot be over-stated. He has stopped world class opponents such as Carlos Tamara and Oscar Blanquet whilst also taking a decision over Liborio Solis and dropping Mthalane. To be frankly honest if he can tag Reveco he can scramble Reveco's senses and possibly stop him. Reveco might have the style to beat Nunez, but Nunez has the power to stop Reveco. That's what makes this fight so much fun.
I'd say that if Nunez is going to win he probably has 6 rounds to score the stoppage, after that things swing strongly in favour of Reveco who should manage to defeat a tiring and mentally weakening Nunez in the later rounds. One thing is for certain, this will have fireworks!
Prediction-Reveco UD12 (after getting himself off the canvas at least once)
Friday, 13 September 2013
Danny Garcia v Lucas Martin Matthysse
It's not often that the perceived "B" fight on a card looks more interesting than the "A" fight but this weekend's "B" side on "The One" card looks significantly better than the main fight as the unbeaten Danny Garcia (26-0, 16) defends his WBC and WBA world title against the destructive Lucas Martin Matthysse (34-2, 32).
Although Garcia enters the bout as an unbeaten double champion he also enters as the under-dog and in the eyes of many he is merely a lamb to the slaughter. Despite the general view of Garcia heading to the slaughter he's actually a fighter who appears to be getting very over-looked. He's proven to be tough, skilled, and despite being rather predictable, he has looked like he's got very solid basic skills. His left hook, especially as a counter, is a devastating punch, he's confident and is riding a high that many though his career would have.
Garcia of course isn't an under-dog for the first time in his career and he's repeatedly proven that th under-dog tag doesn't really offend him. In fact against Amir Khan, Garcia was so over-looked that many seemed to think Khan was going to ease past Garcia before becoming Floyd Mayweather's next opponent. One thing that Garcia actually seems to like is being the under-dog, it takes the pressure off his shoulders and allows him to fight his natural fight which is that of an intelligent counter puncher.
Sadly for Garcia he was made to look very predictable last time out. Sure he beat Zab Judah, though for the final 4 rounds he really struggled to look anything more than 1 paced and very easy to read. The lack of a plan B is likely to fall straight in to Matthysse's hands with the Argentinian only really needing to be aware of the champion's hook.
Matthysse is generally viewed as not only the favourite but also "the man" of the Light Welterweight division. His two losses have both been highly controversial with many viewing both losses as complete robberies and in fact if anything those losses seem to have made the hard hitting Argentinian even more determined to leave his opponents void of their senses.
The "new Matthysse" was seen in full flow last time out as he destroyed the generally tough Lamont Peterson. The destruction of Peterson may have been "expected" but it showed that Matthysse was no longer willing to just box world level opponents, instead he was willing to destroy them from the opening bell. Had he used the same mentality against Zab Judah and Devon Alexander it's fair to say he'd have stopped both.
Although not the most technically skilled or the the fastest Matthysse is an intelligent fighter. He may just be seen as a destructive puncher but he's also a clever fighter. He knows when to go downstairs and break opponents in the midsection, he knows how to bang upstairs and most worryingly of all every shot he throws is hurtful and spiteful.
Sadly whilst Garcia is tough it's unlikely that anyone at 140lbs is tough enough to see out the distance with Matthysse. If Garcia's left hook cannot shake Matthysse then this could well end up being a genuine beat down. Sadly for Garcia his toughness could end up being more of a curse than a blessing and Matthysse, whilst not likely to put him to sleep with a single shot, will beat the fight out of him.
We've seen Olusegun Ajose fighting once since Matthysse beat him, in Ajose's bout, a loss to Hank Lundy, he looked like a fighter who was pretty much done, I imagine Garcia could end up looking the same way following this one.
Prediction-Matthyse TKO8
Although Garcia enters the bout as an unbeaten double champion he also enters as the under-dog and in the eyes of many he is merely a lamb to the slaughter. Despite the general view of Garcia heading to the slaughter he's actually a fighter who appears to be getting very over-looked. He's proven to be tough, skilled, and despite being rather predictable, he has looked like he's got very solid basic skills. His left hook, especially as a counter, is a devastating punch, he's confident and is riding a high that many though his career would have.
Garcia of course isn't an under-dog for the first time in his career and he's repeatedly proven that th under-dog tag doesn't really offend him. In fact against Amir Khan, Garcia was so over-looked that many seemed to think Khan was going to ease past Garcia before becoming Floyd Mayweather's next opponent. One thing that Garcia actually seems to like is being the under-dog, it takes the pressure off his shoulders and allows him to fight his natural fight which is that of an intelligent counter puncher.
Sadly for Garcia he was made to look very predictable last time out. Sure he beat Zab Judah, though for the final 4 rounds he really struggled to look anything more than 1 paced and very easy to read. The lack of a plan B is likely to fall straight in to Matthysse's hands with the Argentinian only really needing to be aware of the champion's hook.
Matthysse is generally viewed as not only the favourite but also "the man" of the Light Welterweight division. His two losses have both been highly controversial with many viewing both losses as complete robberies and in fact if anything those losses seem to have made the hard hitting Argentinian even more determined to leave his opponents void of their senses.
The "new Matthysse" was seen in full flow last time out as he destroyed the generally tough Lamont Peterson. The destruction of Peterson may have been "expected" but it showed that Matthysse was no longer willing to just box world level opponents, instead he was willing to destroy them from the opening bell. Had he used the same mentality against Zab Judah and Devon Alexander it's fair to say he'd have stopped both.
Although not the most technically skilled or the the fastest Matthysse is an intelligent fighter. He may just be seen as a destructive puncher but he's also a clever fighter. He knows when to go downstairs and break opponents in the midsection, he knows how to bang upstairs and most worryingly of all every shot he throws is hurtful and spiteful.
Sadly whilst Garcia is tough it's unlikely that anyone at 140lbs is tough enough to see out the distance with Matthysse. If Garcia's left hook cannot shake Matthysse then this could well end up being a genuine beat down. Sadly for Garcia his toughness could end up being more of a curse than a blessing and Matthysse, whilst not likely to put him to sleep with a single shot, will beat the fight out of him.
We've seen Olusegun Ajose fighting once since Matthysse beat him, in Ajose's bout, a loss to Hank Lundy, he looked like a fighter who was pretty much done, I imagine Garcia could end up looking the same way following this one.
Prediction-Matthyse TKO8
Saturday, 24 August 2013
Omar Andres Narvaez v Hiroyuki Hisataka
It's often said that fighters in the smaller divisions age significantly quicker than their heavier counterparts. If that's true Argentinian veteran Omar Andres Narvaez (39-1-2, 20) must be boxing's version of a octogenarian holding the WBO Super Flyweight title despite being 38.
Narvaez, who was the first of the 2000 Olympians to claim a world title, is a fighter who widely splits the opinion of the boxing world depending on whether or not you've actually followed him or not. If you've not followed him you've probably only seen his bout with Nonito Donaire, a bout that he was out-gunned in from the off and a fight that he stood no chance in. Rather than giving Donaire a chance to behead him Narvaez covered up and actually showed how poor Donaire was when he was forced to make the action, something we saw again when Donaire fought Guillermo Rigondeaux.
If you've instead followed Narvaez's career you'll be fully aware of what a talented fighter he is. He's quick, skilled, slippery and a nightmare to fight. He's not strong or hard hitting but he's slippery, intelligent and knows how to get in and out whilst landing his own flurry of shots. From the outside he can be neutralised but he's got unbelievable quickness for such an "old man" that he tends to find his way inside whenever he wants.
Although it's fair to say that Narvaez is slipping as a fighter and I certainly wouldn't fancy his chances against Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, he's still a more than capable fighter. Despite still be good we did see him showing cracks in his armour last time out as Mexican Felipe Orucuta almost dethroned him and he looks like he's certainly becoming more beatable fight after fight.
Narvaez looks for the 8th defense of his WBO Super Flyweight title this coming weekend when he takes on Japanese fighter Hiroyuki Hisataka (22-10-1, 10) a fighter who's record makes him look like an easy mark for Narvaez.
Surprisingly Hisataka has one of those misleading records. His record really looks much worse than it should simply because he's been matched so very hard and it's left his record looking like a who's who which includes Tomonobu Shimizu, Panomroonglek Kaiyanghadaogym, Takefumi Sakata, Denkaosan Kaovichit, Hugo Fidel Cazares and Oleydong Sithsamerchai.
At 28 years old Hisataka is notably younger than the champion and is probably just coming into his boxing prime. He's no longer a child but he's a fully grown man who is tough, hard working and has given good fighters, Kaovichit for example, a very good run for their money.
Although Hisataka isn't near the skill level of Narvaez, very few are, the intangibles do oddly favour Hisataka to really give Narvaez a very tough night. I'm not saying Hisataka will win but he will certainly give a very good account of himself and maybe help open doors to another world title fight.
This it a bout that the under-dog has been written off before he's stepped foot in the ring though is a surprisingly live under-dog.
Prediction-UD12 Narvaez
Narvaez, who was the first of the 2000 Olympians to claim a world title, is a fighter who widely splits the opinion of the boxing world depending on whether or not you've actually followed him or not. If you've not followed him you've probably only seen his bout with Nonito Donaire, a bout that he was out-gunned in from the off and a fight that he stood no chance in. Rather than giving Donaire a chance to behead him Narvaez covered up and actually showed how poor Donaire was when he was forced to make the action, something we saw again when Donaire fought Guillermo Rigondeaux.
If you've instead followed Narvaez's career you'll be fully aware of what a talented fighter he is. He's quick, skilled, slippery and a nightmare to fight. He's not strong or hard hitting but he's slippery, intelligent and knows how to get in and out whilst landing his own flurry of shots. From the outside he can be neutralised but he's got unbelievable quickness for such an "old man" that he tends to find his way inside whenever he wants.
Although it's fair to say that Narvaez is slipping as a fighter and I certainly wouldn't fancy his chances against Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, he's still a more than capable fighter. Despite still be good we did see him showing cracks in his armour last time out as Mexican Felipe Orucuta almost dethroned him and he looks like he's certainly becoming more beatable fight after fight.
Narvaez looks for the 8th defense of his WBO Super Flyweight title this coming weekend when he takes on Japanese fighter Hiroyuki Hisataka (22-10-1, 10) a fighter who's record makes him look like an easy mark for Narvaez.
Surprisingly Hisataka has one of those misleading records. His record really looks much worse than it should simply because he's been matched so very hard and it's left his record looking like a who's who which includes Tomonobu Shimizu, Panomroonglek Kaiyanghadaogym, Takefumi Sakata, Denkaosan Kaovichit, Hugo Fidel Cazares and Oleydong Sithsamerchai.
At 28 years old Hisataka is notably younger than the champion and is probably just coming into his boxing prime. He's no longer a child but he's a fully grown man who is tough, hard working and has given good fighters, Kaovichit for example, a very good run for their money.
Although Hisataka isn't near the skill level of Narvaez, very few are, the intangibles do oddly favour Hisataka to really give Narvaez a very tough night. I'm not saying Hisataka will win but he will certainly give a very good account of himself and maybe help open doors to another world title fight.
This it a bout that the under-dog has been written off before he's stepped foot in the ring though is a surprisingly live under-dog.
Prediction-UD12 Narvaez
Wednesday, 14 August 2013
Claudio Marrero v Jesus Marcelo Andres Cuellar
Probably the most over-looked fight this weekend takes place on ESPN's "Friday Night Fights" and sees unheralded Dominican Caludio Marrero (14-0, 11) taking the step up from prospect to "world challenger" as he takes on Argentinian banger Jesus Marcelo Andres Cuellar (22-1, 18) for the WBA "interim" Featherweight title.
The bout, part of a "Friday Night Fights" world title double header is on paper a very interesting match up between a big punching southpaw and a talented speedster who also fights from the southpaw stance. Sure it's not a genuine "world level" bout but it's a highly promising match up between two fringe contenders in one of boxing's most confusing divisions.
The 126lbs division has had Indonesian Chris John, the WBA "super" champion, as the longest reigning champion with his reign being the better part of a decade. Alongside John at the top of the division is Mexican star Abner Mares, arguably the best fighter in the division , the WBC champion. You then have Evgeny Gradovich, the IBF champion and below that everything is a mess.
Jamaican Nicholas Walters is the "regular" WBA champion, Orlando Salido and Orlando Cruz battle for the vacant WBO title and in all honesty none of the champions ever look likely to face each other.
Thankfully though the division is lovely mess, there are lots of fights to be made and lots of fighters looking for their opportunity to make a name for themselves, which is precisely what we have here.
Of the two fighters I'll admit I'm more of a Marrero fan. The 24 year old "Matrix" is, at his best, a lovely fighter to watch with lightning quick hands, lovely long combinations and respectable, though not destructive, power.
Despite only being a professional since September 2010 Marrero has been making a name for himself with the hardcore fans. This was in part due to his eye catching stoppage of Francis Ruiz and a dominant decision over Emmanuel Lucero.
It was the decision over Lucero that saw very split views on Marrero. Did the fact Lucero survive 10 rounds prove Marrero's power was over-rated? Or did it prove that Marrero could easily cope with 10 rounds? It was a question that had no right answer, both were right. Sure it was the second time Marrero had been 10 rounds but going into the bout with Lucero his career had consisted of just 30 rounds and 10 extra rounds will have done his nothing but the world of good.
Although I'll admit to being a fan of Marrero it does need to be said that he's in with what looks to be a dangerous Argentinian here, in fact aren't most Argentinian's dangerous?
Of course with most Argentinian's it's hard to say how good Cuellar actually is as many of his victories have come on the Argentinian scene which is very much a mixed bag. What we know is that Cuellar isn't a genuine world level boxer, his loss to Oscar Escandon was pretty decisive. Though with 18T/KO's from 23 fights he's capable of hurting opponents.
The 4 men who have survived the distance with Cuellar have been a mixed bag though the most worrying, on paper, was Miguel Leonardo Caceres. Caceres is a journeyman and wasn't far from defeating Cuellar just 18 months ago in a very narrow fight, albeit up at Featherweight.
What we see from Cuellar's record is that his power holds through the fight. He has a number of early knockouts but he's also had some in later rounds including an 11th round stoppage and stoppages in rounds 8 and 9.
Unfortunately whilst Cuellar looks like a banger, I dare say his record is notably inflated thanks to his competition. Sure he's fought Escandon but the Colombian never looked bothered by Cuellar and just walked him down. Whilst Marrero is a totally different style of fighter to Escandon I don't imagine he'll really have too many problems doing a similar job with his speed and movement being far too much for Cuellar.
The Argentinian is likely to be chasing shadows for much of the bout and wondering what's hitting him for the rest of it.
Prediction-Marrero TKO8
The bout, part of a "Friday Night Fights" world title double header is on paper a very interesting match up between a big punching southpaw and a talented speedster who also fights from the southpaw stance. Sure it's not a genuine "world level" bout but it's a highly promising match up between two fringe contenders in one of boxing's most confusing divisions.
The 126lbs division has had Indonesian Chris John, the WBA "super" champion, as the longest reigning champion with his reign being the better part of a decade. Alongside John at the top of the division is Mexican star Abner Mares, arguably the best fighter in the division , the WBC champion. You then have Evgeny Gradovich, the IBF champion and below that everything is a mess.
Jamaican Nicholas Walters is the "regular" WBA champion, Orlando Salido and Orlando Cruz battle for the vacant WBO title and in all honesty none of the champions ever look likely to face each other.
Thankfully though the division is lovely mess, there are lots of fights to be made and lots of fighters looking for their opportunity to make a name for themselves, which is precisely what we have here.
Of the two fighters I'll admit I'm more of a Marrero fan. The 24 year old "Matrix" is, at his best, a lovely fighter to watch with lightning quick hands, lovely long combinations and respectable, though not destructive, power.
Despite only being a professional since September 2010 Marrero has been making a name for himself with the hardcore fans. This was in part due to his eye catching stoppage of Francis Ruiz and a dominant decision over Emmanuel Lucero.
It was the decision over Lucero that saw very split views on Marrero. Did the fact Lucero survive 10 rounds prove Marrero's power was over-rated? Or did it prove that Marrero could easily cope with 10 rounds? It was a question that had no right answer, both were right. Sure it was the second time Marrero had been 10 rounds but going into the bout with Lucero his career had consisted of just 30 rounds and 10 extra rounds will have done his nothing but the world of good.
Although I'll admit to being a fan of Marrero it does need to be said that he's in with what looks to be a dangerous Argentinian here, in fact aren't most Argentinian's dangerous?
Of course with most Argentinian's it's hard to say how good Cuellar actually is as many of his victories have come on the Argentinian scene which is very much a mixed bag. What we know is that Cuellar isn't a genuine world level boxer, his loss to Oscar Escandon was pretty decisive. Though with 18T/KO's from 23 fights he's capable of hurting opponents.
The 4 men who have survived the distance with Cuellar have been a mixed bag though the most worrying, on paper, was Miguel Leonardo Caceres. Caceres is a journeyman and wasn't far from defeating Cuellar just 18 months ago in a very narrow fight, albeit up at Featherweight.
What we see from Cuellar's record is that his power holds through the fight. He has a number of early knockouts but he's also had some in later rounds including an 11th round stoppage and stoppages in rounds 8 and 9.
Unfortunately whilst Cuellar looks like a banger, I dare say his record is notably inflated thanks to his competition. Sure he's fought Escandon but the Colombian never looked bothered by Cuellar and just walked him down. Whilst Marrero is a totally different style of fighter to Escandon I don't imagine he'll really have too many problems doing a similar job with his speed and movement being far too much for Cuellar.
The Argentinian is likely to be chasing shadows for much of the bout and wondering what's hitting him for the rest of it.
Prediction-Marrero TKO8
Wednesday, 24 July 2013
Evgeny Gradovich v Mauricio Javier Munoz
Mexican-Russian Evgeny Gradovich (16-0, 8) upset the boxing world just a few months ago by defeating Australian Billy Dib for the IBF Featherweight title. Gradovich now returns to the ring for the first time as a world champion as he takes on Mauricio Javier Munoz (26-3, 12) in Macau as part of the "Fists of Gold II" card.
The 26 year old champion may well be one of the least experienced champions out there in terms of professional bouts and rounds but is also from one of the top boxing gyms in the world, the Roberto Garcia gym in Oxnard California. With Garcia behind him Gradovich shares a gym with the likes of Mikey Garcia, Marcos Maidana and Brandon Rios all of whom will help him develop as a fighter.
As an amateur Gradovich was schooled in Russia where he was a solid fighter in the unpaid ranks. Since then he completely changed his style from the amateur style to that as of a busy brawler, a bundle of energy who comes forward and throws relentlessly, especially to the body. Although he's not the most accurate or the most efficient it's fair to say he will be a handful for anyone just due to his relentless assault.
Despite having only been a professional since 2010 Gradovich has been very impressive in his climb up the rankings. He may only have 95 combined rounds in his career but he has managed to take a highwork rate through a 12 round bout (the Dib contest) and twice in 10 round contests. He has also shown repeated improvement in the ring.
Argentinian Munoz is challenging for a world title for the second time, having previously been stopped by Toshiaki Nishioka in April 2011. Interestingly the Nishioka bout was fought at Super Bantamweight whilst this on will be at Featherweight.
Aged 27 Munoz has been a professional for over 7 years though hasn't yet really made a name for himself. Unfortunately other than the Nishioka fight he has yet to fight either a notable name or outside of South America. In fact the second best opponent on Munoz's record is Luis Franco, a man Munoz scored a very controversial victory over in an IBF eliminator.
In terms of his style very little really stands out about Munoz. He's active enough to make an opponent work and he's tough enough to not just fold but he's clumsy, technically very poor and seems to be pretty to out box. Whilst, as I said above, Gradovich isn't a pure boxer he's the sort of fighter who does everything Munoz does but better than Munoz.
Gradovich hits harder, he hits more and he's defensively smarter than Munoz. I really can't see anyway Munoz wins this. In Argentina the judging could have done him a favour but in Macau there really is no chance for the Argentinian who doesn't have the sort of power a fighter would need to discourage Gradovich from going to work.
Prediction-Gradovich UD12
The 26 year old champion may well be one of the least experienced champions out there in terms of professional bouts and rounds but is also from one of the top boxing gyms in the world, the Roberto Garcia gym in Oxnard California. With Garcia behind him Gradovich shares a gym with the likes of Mikey Garcia, Marcos Maidana and Brandon Rios all of whom will help him develop as a fighter.
As an amateur Gradovich was schooled in Russia where he was a solid fighter in the unpaid ranks. Since then he completely changed his style from the amateur style to that as of a busy brawler, a bundle of energy who comes forward and throws relentlessly, especially to the body. Although he's not the most accurate or the most efficient it's fair to say he will be a handful for anyone just due to his relentless assault.
Despite having only been a professional since 2010 Gradovich has been very impressive in his climb up the rankings. He may only have 95 combined rounds in his career but he has managed to take a highwork rate through a 12 round bout (the Dib contest) and twice in 10 round contests. He has also shown repeated improvement in the ring.
Argentinian Munoz is challenging for a world title for the second time, having previously been stopped by Toshiaki Nishioka in April 2011. Interestingly the Nishioka bout was fought at Super Bantamweight whilst this on will be at Featherweight.
Aged 27 Munoz has been a professional for over 7 years though hasn't yet really made a name for himself. Unfortunately other than the Nishioka fight he has yet to fight either a notable name or outside of South America. In fact the second best opponent on Munoz's record is Luis Franco, a man Munoz scored a very controversial victory over in an IBF eliminator.
In terms of his style very little really stands out about Munoz. He's active enough to make an opponent work and he's tough enough to not just fold but he's clumsy, technically very poor and seems to be pretty to out box. Whilst, as I said above, Gradovich isn't a pure boxer he's the sort of fighter who does everything Munoz does but better than Munoz.
Gradovich hits harder, he hits more and he's defensively smarter than Munoz. I really can't see anyway Munoz wins this. In Argentina the judging could have done him a favour but in Macau there really is no chance for the Argentinian who doesn't have the sort of power a fighter would need to discourage Gradovich from going to work.
Prediction-Gradovich UD12
Tuesday, 23 July 2013
Diego Gabriel Chaves v Keith Thurman
Not many bouts have "explosive" written all over them but the upcoming interim WBA Welterweight title bout certainly does as hard hitting Argentinian Diego Gabriel Chaves (22-0, 18) takes on American Keith Thurman (20-0-0-1, 18) live on Showtime.
Although Chaves is relatively unknown by the wider boxing public he's a fighter who has been receiving a lot of TV time in his homeland courtesy of TYC Sports and thus he's gotten plenty of attention as a fighter there.
Prior to turning professional in 2008 Chaves had been a solid amateur competing at 2007 World Amateur Championships and claiming various national and international titles. It was this amateur experience that helped him get the attention from TC Sports, it was also his amateur success that saw him being dubbed "La Joya" ("The Jewel"). Thankfully for Chaves he has transitioned from the amateurs to the professionals well and really developed as a hard hitter.
Chaves claimed the interim title around a year ago when he stopped Ismael El Massoudi in 2 rounds. Since then he has defended the belt once defeating Jose Miranda, also in 2 round. Unfortunately Chaves has been out of the ring since last September when he beat Miranda and this sort of a layoff could see him with a lot of ring rust, especially when you consider he had fought 21 times in the previous 4 years. Unfortunately part of this layoff was spent waiting for a fight in Dubai against Paulie Malignaggi, a fight that failed to come to fruition.
Style wise Chaves is a hard hitter as mentioned above but is a wild fighter. He's defensively open and appears to leave a lot of chances for a fighter to tag him. His defensive woes have seen him suffering several knockdowns however with his power he's looked like he is happy to have a firefight in the hope of taking his opponents out. He can box when he needs to, though often shows the Latin American machismo rather than his boxing brain.
Whilst Chaves is unknown to the US fanbase it's fair to assume that Thurman isn't. He's a brash but yet charismatic fighter who has been on US TV numerous times often as part of a major undercard giving him major exposure to fans.
Like Chaves, Thurman is a big puncher with genuine lights out power if he connects cleanly and hurtful thudding power if he only manages to land glancing shots. Although he's a big puncher he's more well schooled than Chaves, he's not technically perfect by any stretch of the imagination but he's more defensively sound and more aware of what he's doing when he comes forward and throws. Also like Chaves he has a solid amateur background with more than 100 amateur wins.
Nicknamed "One Time", Thurman seems to feel that he only needs one chance to stop an opponent though he did show last time out that he can box for 12 rounds as he took a decision over the always tough Jan Zaveck. This has been Thurman's only bout to go 12 rounds though I feel he's happy to have proved he can manage the championship distance.
When two big bangers face each other you'd usually favour the more technically rounded fighter and with that in mind I've got to with Thurman here. Both men have question marks hanging over them for sure but with Chaves defensive issues it's going to be next to impossible to back him against any top power puncher.
Of course Chaves could be the next Maidana, Matthysse or Abregu but personally I see him being just a level below that of Abregu, a fringe contender as opposed to a world level guy.
Prediction-Thurman TKO5
Although Chaves is relatively unknown by the wider boxing public he's a fighter who has been receiving a lot of TV time in his homeland courtesy of TYC Sports and thus he's gotten plenty of attention as a fighter there.
Prior to turning professional in 2008 Chaves had been a solid amateur competing at 2007 World Amateur Championships and claiming various national and international titles. It was this amateur experience that helped him get the attention from TC Sports, it was also his amateur success that saw him being dubbed "La Joya" ("The Jewel"). Thankfully for Chaves he has transitioned from the amateurs to the professionals well and really developed as a hard hitter.
Chaves claimed the interim title around a year ago when he stopped Ismael El Massoudi in 2 rounds. Since then he has defended the belt once defeating Jose Miranda, also in 2 round. Unfortunately Chaves has been out of the ring since last September when he beat Miranda and this sort of a layoff could see him with a lot of ring rust, especially when you consider he had fought 21 times in the previous 4 years. Unfortunately part of this layoff was spent waiting for a fight in Dubai against Paulie Malignaggi, a fight that failed to come to fruition.
Style wise Chaves is a hard hitter as mentioned above but is a wild fighter. He's defensively open and appears to leave a lot of chances for a fighter to tag him. His defensive woes have seen him suffering several knockdowns however with his power he's looked like he is happy to have a firefight in the hope of taking his opponents out. He can box when he needs to, though often shows the Latin American machismo rather than his boxing brain.
Whilst Chaves is unknown to the US fanbase it's fair to assume that Thurman isn't. He's a brash but yet charismatic fighter who has been on US TV numerous times often as part of a major undercard giving him major exposure to fans.
Like Chaves, Thurman is a big puncher with genuine lights out power if he connects cleanly and hurtful thudding power if he only manages to land glancing shots. Although he's a big puncher he's more well schooled than Chaves, he's not technically perfect by any stretch of the imagination but he's more defensively sound and more aware of what he's doing when he comes forward and throws. Also like Chaves he has a solid amateur background with more than 100 amateur wins.
Nicknamed "One Time", Thurman seems to feel that he only needs one chance to stop an opponent though he did show last time out that he can box for 12 rounds as he took a decision over the always tough Jan Zaveck. This has been Thurman's only bout to go 12 rounds though I feel he's happy to have proved he can manage the championship distance.
When two big bangers face each other you'd usually favour the more technically rounded fighter and with that in mind I've got to with Thurman here. Both men have question marks hanging over them for sure but with Chaves defensive issues it's going to be next to impossible to back him against any top power puncher.
Of course Chaves could be the next Maidana, Matthysse or Abregu but personally I see him being just a level below that of Abregu, a fringe contender as opposed to a world level guy.
Prediction-Thurman TKO5
Friday, 21 June 2013
Juan Carlos Reveco v Ulises Lara
When we talk about "world title fights" we often want to see the best fighting the best and instead end up with a very good fighter facing a very undeserving challenger. We end up with yet another mismatch in a world title bout this coming weekend as WBA Flyweight champion Juan Carlos Reveco (30-1, 16) defends against the undeserving Ulises Lara (12-13-2, 7).
The Flyweight division is, for me, one of the best out there. The likes of Juan Francisco Estrada, Brian Viloria, Akira Yaegashi, Edgar Sosa, Moruti Mthalane, Rocky Fuentes, Hernan Marquez, Milan Melindo, Giovani Segura, Kompayak Porpramook, Ulises Solis, Toshiyuki Igarashi and Froilan Saludar leave the division looking like an amazingly deep division.
Sadly when we go through those names there is no Ulises Lara who, despite a good result against Omar Soto last time out, is a journeyman.
Other than the Soto result there are "names" on Lara's record though all of them have beaten him. Fighters like Jesus Silvestre, Juan Hernandez and Javier Martinez Resendiz have all competed on the world stage and all beaten Lara.
As well as his sub .500 record Lara has also suffered 4 stoppage losses, been knocked down numerous times and really isn't a world class fighter. His boxrec ranking of #18 at Flyweight is genuinely generous and over-inflated due to the victory over Soto (who had himself been inactive and had been stopped 5 times previously).
In Reveco we have a genuinely talented fighter. The 29 year old Argentinian is one of the sports best body punchers, he's a proven fighter who's only loss was a controversial one in France to Brahim Asloum. Sure he's not a big name fighter around the world but he's big news at home and has fought solid competition such as Nethra Sasiprapa, Asloum, Francisco Rosas, Ronald Barrera, Karim Guerfi and most recently Masayuki Kuroda.
With a solid jab, decent work rate and hurtful power Reveco is possibly the 4th best fighter in the division (which as mentioned is very deep). I think we'll see a showcase performance in what really should be considered a stay busy fight more than anything else.
Hopefully Reveco will get the job done nice and quickly and then face a more notable opponent, for example Kompayak Porpramook (the WBA "interim" champion), Rocky Fuentes or the winner of the upcoming bout between Milan Melindo and Juan Francisco Estrada.
Prediction-Reveco TKO6
The Flyweight division is, for me, one of the best out there. The likes of Juan Francisco Estrada, Brian Viloria, Akira Yaegashi, Edgar Sosa, Moruti Mthalane, Rocky Fuentes, Hernan Marquez, Milan Melindo, Giovani Segura, Kompayak Porpramook, Ulises Solis, Toshiyuki Igarashi and Froilan Saludar leave the division looking like an amazingly deep division.
Sadly when we go through those names there is no Ulises Lara who, despite a good result against Omar Soto last time out, is a journeyman.
Other than the Soto result there are "names" on Lara's record though all of them have beaten him. Fighters like Jesus Silvestre, Juan Hernandez and Javier Martinez Resendiz have all competed on the world stage and all beaten Lara.
As well as his sub .500 record Lara has also suffered 4 stoppage losses, been knocked down numerous times and really isn't a world class fighter. His boxrec ranking of #18 at Flyweight is genuinely generous and over-inflated due to the victory over Soto (who had himself been inactive and had been stopped 5 times previously).
In Reveco we have a genuinely talented fighter. The 29 year old Argentinian is one of the sports best body punchers, he's a proven fighter who's only loss was a controversial one in France to Brahim Asloum. Sure he's not a big name fighter around the world but he's big news at home and has fought solid competition such as Nethra Sasiprapa, Asloum, Francisco Rosas, Ronald Barrera, Karim Guerfi and most recently Masayuki Kuroda.
With a solid jab, decent work rate and hurtful power Reveco is possibly the 4th best fighter in the division (which as mentioned is very deep). I think we'll see a showcase performance in what really should be considered a stay busy fight more than anything else.
Hopefully Reveco will get the job done nice and quickly and then face a more notable opponent, for example Kompayak Porpramook (the WBA "interim" champion), Rocky Fuentes or the winner of the upcoming bout between Milan Melindo and Juan Francisco Estrada.
Prediction-Reveco TKO6
Thursday, 6 June 2013
Juan Carlos Sanchez Jr v Roberto Domingo Sosa
IBF Super Flyweight Juan Carlos Sanchez Jr (15-1-1, 8) was one of boxing's unsung hero's in 2012. He'll be hoping to keep up his impressive run as he attempts to defend his belt for the first time 3rd time in total (and first time this year) and takes on the unbeaten mandatory challenger Roberto Domingo Sosa (24-0, 14).
The 22 year old Sanchez Jr seemed to burst out of nowhere last year as he scored 3 really notable wins. Those first of those saw him upset Rodrigo Guerrero to win the world title before he defended it against Juan Alberto Rosas and Rodel Mayol. All three victories saw Sanchez over-coming more experienced opponents and whilst none are elite class opponents all were solid.
Before he scored his 3 title victories however Sanchez had actually defeated Juan Francisco Estrada a victory that now looks to be his most impressive (considering Estrada pushed Roman Gonzalez close and defeated Brian Viloria).
Sanchez is a very mentally strong fighter. He's not the most technically solid, though he's a fighter who has improved drastically from the fighter who was stopped in 2 rounds by Daniel Rosas back in February 2010. He's still flawed, and can still be hurt but he's still a tough fighter and is very awkward due to not only being a southpaw but also a very tall fighter for the weight.
Argentinian challenger Sosa is a bit of a mystery man to many boxing fans. He's been a professional since March 2006 but has yet to fight outside of his native Argentina. As well as being hidden in South America he's also only fought one or two "names" with the only really notable one being South African southpaw Zolani Tete.
Tete fought Sosa last time in an IBF Flyweight eliminator. Although Sosa claimed a majority decision over Tete many felt that the Argentinian fighter had been given a very favourable decision in a bout that he appeared to lose. Tete was able to land his straight left time and time again on Sosa and with that in mind Sanchez Jr may be looking to land his own straight left on Sosa.
In the ring Sosa is pretty wild looking fighter, he appears to want to get inside but looks limited. In his fight with Sosa he was spending a lot of time on the outside and being tagged at range on the inside he was being tied up easily and made to look very toothless.
Although Sosa is unbeaten it's hard to see him beating Sanchez. Sanchez has a number of the qualities that Tete gave Sosa a nightmare with (the southpaw stance, the height and reach), sure the styles are different but he's also good enough. This time however Sosa lacks his "equaliser" of fighting at home, it was only really that that allowed him the win over Tete.
Prediction-Sanchez Jr UD12
The 22 year old Sanchez Jr seemed to burst out of nowhere last year as he scored 3 really notable wins. Those first of those saw him upset Rodrigo Guerrero to win the world title before he defended it against Juan Alberto Rosas and Rodel Mayol. All three victories saw Sanchez over-coming more experienced opponents and whilst none are elite class opponents all were solid.
Before he scored his 3 title victories however Sanchez had actually defeated Juan Francisco Estrada a victory that now looks to be his most impressive (considering Estrada pushed Roman Gonzalez close and defeated Brian Viloria).
Sanchez is a very mentally strong fighter. He's not the most technically solid, though he's a fighter who has improved drastically from the fighter who was stopped in 2 rounds by Daniel Rosas back in February 2010. He's still flawed, and can still be hurt but he's still a tough fighter and is very awkward due to not only being a southpaw but also a very tall fighter for the weight.
Argentinian challenger Sosa is a bit of a mystery man to many boxing fans. He's been a professional since March 2006 but has yet to fight outside of his native Argentina. As well as being hidden in South America he's also only fought one or two "names" with the only really notable one being South African southpaw Zolani Tete.
Tete fought Sosa last time in an IBF Flyweight eliminator. Although Sosa claimed a majority decision over Tete many felt that the Argentinian fighter had been given a very favourable decision in a bout that he appeared to lose. Tete was able to land his straight left time and time again on Sosa and with that in mind Sanchez Jr may be looking to land his own straight left on Sosa.
In the ring Sosa is pretty wild looking fighter, he appears to want to get inside but looks limited. In his fight with Sosa he was spending a lot of time on the outside and being tagged at range on the inside he was being tied up easily and made to look very toothless.
Although Sosa is unbeaten it's hard to see him beating Sanchez. Sanchez has a number of the qualities that Tete gave Sosa a nightmare with (the southpaw stance, the height and reach), sure the styles are different but he's also good enough. This time however Sosa lacks his "equaliser" of fighting at home, it was only really that that allowed him the win over Tete.
Prediction-Sanchez Jr UD12
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