After watching Kessler/Froch last night, watching the HBO Boxing After Dark 4/24/10 undercard for the heavyweight fight is like night and day, skill-wise. I was tempted to skip over this TiVo'd undercard fight to get to the heavyweight fight I'm most interested in, but stopping to watch the Alfredo Angulo v. Joel Julio fight was a big mistake, if that was my goal. The matchup is not terribly unlike the Kessler/Froch matchup: an outside fighter with pop fighting more conventionally (Kessler/Julio) against a pursuing pressure fighter with slower hands (Froch/Angulo). That's where the similarity ends, however.
The Angulo/Julio fight is being contested at a much higher skill level. Julio, circling the wrong way into Angulo's potential right hand, is pinpointing many of his jabs and crosses and when he misses, it's because of Angulo's bobbing head or deflecting punches. Angulo meanwhile, is the ever-persistent pursuer, waiting for Julio to tire. Julio circles endlessly jabbing, crossing and moving. Julio is clearly winning and has won every round up to this moment, halfway through the fifth, but I wonder no matter how much more fit Julio looks than I've seen him in past fights, if he can keep it up. Angulo seems to be conserving energy and trying to wear out the mercurial Julio. There's no question that Julio is in better shape than in times past, but moving as much as he is is tough for another seven rounds in the face of the constant and granite-chinned pressure of Angulo.
Coming in, I'd have called this for Angulo. Not because he's the more skilled boxer. He's not. He is more determined and less likely to fade. Julio indeed is supremely skilled and, especially where he trains properly, he is an elite level fighter...but Angulo is a very determined pressure fighter with heavy hands who seems like he can't be hurt and counterpunches well. With a minute left in the sixth, the round is far more even. I still lean it to Julio and could see several of these rounds going Angulo's way, but so far halfway through, I've got every round for Julio.
Harold Lederman has it three to three and though I seldom give too much credence to his unofficial card, I wonder if I'm paying too much attention to typing and not enough to following the fight. I'll remedy that now.
I see Angulo slowing a bit, not walking in with abandon as he pursues. This tells me that Julio's power has his attention. The seventh clearly goes to Julio on my card, making it a shutout. If this fight goes on this way, Julio can't lose...unless he fades...which I suspect he will. Against Angulo, fading just a bit means destruction. Julio is used to being able to take a little bit of time here and there off, especially after he's spent 20 plus minutes softening up his opponent. The problem is that there's no softening up Alfredo Angulo. After eight, Julio still edges Angulo on my card, continuing his shutout.
Max Kellerman intones that Julio looks like he's running now more than earlier in the fight and there's some legitimacy to that, however I'm not seeing Angulo being particularly effective. Julio is making Angulo miss and touching Angulo as he circles. Julio is cut over the left eye by a punch, but although Angulo mercilessly advances, the better work is still done by Julio. He's shutting Angulo out. Can he keep it up? He's looking more tired in the corner. Lederman has the last five rounds for Angulo??? what fight is he watching? I see Julio getting away nearly every time. He opines that Julio is hitting Angulo "here and there, but nothing serious", but that is a function of Angulo's granite chin, not the solidity of Julio's punching.
That said, I will agree (and uninfluenced by Mr. Lederman), that finally the tenth round goes to Angulo as Angulo's pressure reaches and surpasses the tipping point. On my card, that makes it 9 to 1 roundwise.
Julio has tried to grab and hold a few times throughout the fight, but Angulo wants none of it. And Julio is dropped! ...and it's waved off! I guess the referee felt Julio couldn't continue. Wow...a sudden end to the fight and in a way that makes sense. I had it in a landslide for Julio, but I never doubted the possibility that Angulo would catch up in the late rounds. Angulo just puts in his work, keeps up his pressure, takes to give and eventually gets his man. Great fight.
Now to Arreola v. Adamek!
As I expected, Adamek is giving away 33 pounds at the weigh-in. The first round looks evenly contested. No great speed advantage to either fighter. Hard to call as they both get in some shots. The size advantage, while marked, doesn't look too great...though I think it will tell as we proceed. 10-9 for Adamek.
The HBO team points out Adamek's long pro and amateur resume, which unusually outstrips Arreola's own. To his credit, Adamek is indeed showing skill and poise and Arreola is having trouble hitting Adamek while Adamek counters. Adamek's not getting out entirely untouched, but he's getting the better of it. Second round goes to Adamek too, making it 20-18 for Adamek. Keep in mind that if Adamek gets in trouble, it will happen like a lightning strike and Arreola is a hungry and angry finisher.
Another round in the books for Adamek making it 30-27 and the question becomes can he do enough damage to Arreola to take his heart away. Kellerman calls Adamek a "top twenty pound for pound guy", which I don't necessarily agree with...but he does look technically sound and is plying his speed advantage.
Now Adamek "looks a little wobbly" according to Bob Papa and I've seen that once or twice when Arreola really lands hard. In the second half of the round, Adamek turns the tide back, landing repeatedly cleanly. The HBO team talks about how Adamek looks wobbly as the round ends, but he does enough on my card to take it, going up 40-36.
Max Kellerman seems to score more by general impression than by punches landed as he gives round 4 to Arreola. I disagree, though I like Chris a lot as a heavyweight fighter. Adamek is making him pay for his typical aggression. Arreola though, is accustomed to taking to give. Can Adamek do enough damage? Adamek in trouble! His footwork is poor, according to the commentators and that looks accurate. Arreola not ready to finish him...but maybe he's just waiting. Arreola takes his first round and takes it clearly, making it 49-46 still favoring Arreola.
The replay shows that it's a JAB that put Adamek off his game. And that's the punching power advantage of a natural heavy like Arreola versus a blown up technician with pop like Adamek. He won't survive in the rarified air of the heavyweight division, even if he survives tonight. Adamek starts to obviously run as Adamek is no longer offensive and only showing offense to try to keep Arreola off and to get away. Another clear round for Arreola, making it 58-56 for Adamek.
Lederman has it the the exact opposite way, which is heartening because I seldom agree with Lederman. I think Adamek takes the momentum back in the seventh, landing and moving and looking rejuvenated, while Arreola is reduced to his pursuit of the fight's beginning. That one goes to Adamek, making it 68-65 favoring Adamek.
We're into round eight and I didn't think it would go this far, so the question becomes: will Arreola break down Adamek or will Adamek be able to stay away? Arreola is not able to cut off the ring effectively. Adamek is clearly convinced that he will not be able to KO Arreola, so he's on his horse and concentrating on staying away from danger. Probably smart because he's making Arreola have to chase him, which Arreola doesn't seem able to effectively do. That one also goes to Adamek, widening the margin to 78-74 in his favor.
In the ninth, Arreola again reduced to the chase while Adamek punches and dances away. Adamek is gaining confidence back and starting to mix exchanges with backing away. If he keeps the stay-away and punch and run strategy, he'll win. Arreola lands big! Adamek is hurt with two minutes left. Arreola not finishing...which will cost him this fight, if Adamek recovers. THIS may be a conditioning issue for Arreola. Arreola can't close the show despite Adamek's being wobbled because he's gassed. He's not really showing it, except for failing to press his advantage...but it's there. Arreola is not throwing his right hand much in the second half. He saves the round for himself at the end, though Adamek clearly recovered, making it 87-84 favoring Adamek.
In the tenth, Arreola presses his advantage and takes a close round where Adamek is looking tired: 96-94
In the eleventh, Arreola comes out smoking. Adamek not moving as much, as if his feet are slowed. Adamek willing to trade more...which is a bad strategy for him. Arreola has more opportunities and keeps trying to press his advantage. Arreola is hurt in his right bicep, according to his corner...he throws it and winces obviously. Arreola takes the round, though Adamek tries to play to the crowd at the end. My score moves to 105-104 in Adamek's favor.
Final round begins and I'm going to watch. Adamek standing in and exchanging...and getting the better of it in the first minute. Arreola blinking away blood and eating punches coming in. They lean on each other halfway. Adamek clearly has plenty left and he's moving more and trying to stay away, then hugging. Adamek fighting smart, if not entertainingly. Arreola ends the fight having almost not landed a single punch cleanly, and holds his hand up high...to me almost admitting that he knows he didn't do enough. The last round goes to Adamek, making my final tally 115-113 for Adamek.
Much credit to Adamek for fighting smart enough of the time. It almost went as I predicted, but Adamek is too skilled and had enough of a quickness advantage to take it, at least on my card: . It's in Arreola's backyard, so we'll see...
The official scorecards come down: 114-114 even; 115-113; 117-111 for Adamek in a majority decision. Great fight. Fair result.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Kessler/Froch and Arreola/Adamek prediction
I'm picking up recording my impressions as I watch round five of the all european Kessler/Froch matchup, I admit I would have called Kessler without reservation against Froch. I'd call the fight very even so far, but Kessler is by no means dominant. Kessler looks faster and he is taking advantage, but when he lets up, Froch steps in. Ever since Kessler got flat out smoked by Andre Ward, many are wondering if he's shot. Hard to say...but he might be, because although Froch is confident and admirably loose and cocky in the ring, his handspeed is poor. If Kessler can't beat him, he would indeed seem to be shot.
Through six, I'd give Kessler three rounds and Froch three. The Showtime crew gave a telling statistic coming in to the fight. All of the super middleweight tournament fights have been won by the home town fighter. In Froch's case, he stole the decision from Andre Dirrell, but either it's a testament to the unfairness of boxing scoring or the fighters by and large fight better before their home town crowds. It's probably both.
Kessler takes round seven and goes up a round, even as Al Bernstein says halfway through the round that he had Froch up four rounds to two. In Denmark? No way...at least not on the official judge's scorecards. Kessler stalking in round eight and rocks Froch and Froch is badly hurt. His legs are gone and he survives, but clearly a dominant round for Kessler. Kessler up five rounds to three and gaining momentum.
Showtime color man Antonio Tarver speculates that Froch's nose is badly broken. Kessler laying off and not finishing. As the round ends, both guys are throwing haymakers and missing like drunken sailors. Ugly action as neither looks able to really avoid the other's punches, yet neither is good enough to hit the other. I'd give Froch the ninth, making it 5-4 for Kessler, but the judges won't.
The tenth round is incredibly close as both can't dodge the others punches. It would be a fantastic fight if it were contested at a slightly higher skill level. It's entertaining, but each is so easy for the other to hit that the only reason they miss, and they miss a lot, is based on poor mechanics, bad balance and poor setup. I give it to Froch for cleaner punches, making it 5-5.
Round eleven again was very close, haymakers flying, missing and landing and really making it tough to call. I give it to Kessler, making it 6 rounds to 5 rounds favoring Kessler.
Okay...so that WAS a fun final round. Kessler went nuclear, just throwing constant bombs and landing and backing up a throwing Froch until thirty seconds left when it looked like Kessler ran out of gas and Froch had something left, but not enough to really turn the tide. I give the final round to Kessler, making it 7 to 5 on my card.
Getting the decision: 117-111; 115-113; 116-112 all in favor of Mikkel Kessler. Makes sense and it is as I expected. I've always called Carl Froch a glorified club fighter, but I'll admit he looked more comfortable in the ring than Kessler and has heart and skills, but to be more candid yet...I think he probably only looked good as compared to Kessler.
Now to Arreola/Adamek. Personally, I think Adamek is biting off WAY more than he can chew in Arreola. Arreola, but for a couple of giant Ukranian brothers, would be heavyweight champion of the world. Now, I know that's like saying but for the Allies, the thousand year reich was a really strong play...but, to take the analogy as step too far, Arreola IS like the reich...but for the Allies, they had a lot of game.
Arreola is heavy handed, willing and skilled. He's quick handed for a heavyweight and the reason he got demolished by Klitschko the younger (I recall it was the younger, wasn't it?) was because Dr. Steelhammer has perfected his jab and hammering following cross, his reach advantage is too great and the good doctor has enough lateral movement and safety first savvy to be practically unbeatable by shorter-armed heavyweights like Arreola.
So how does Adamek stack up? I'd say he's likely to give up 30 pounds on fight night, especially to the rolly polly Arreola. When Arreola, an experienced amateur, starts to lean on him, Adamek is going to feel the difference between cruiserweight and heavyweight. Unless Adamek's speed advantage is just outrageous, he has no chance. A massive speed advantage simply isn't likely, nor is the skill differential likely to be great.
We must recall that Arreola is a very tough guy who leads with his face...and looks like it. He's not worried about absorbing leather...he's used to it. Unless the shellacking by Klitschko broke his spirit, unlikely in my estimation, Arreola is looking to rebound. This a stupid first foray into the deep water of the heavyweight division for Adamek, in my view. I call Arreola by KO in round seven, though it could go deeper with a lopsided result for Cristobal.
Through six, I'd give Kessler three rounds and Froch three. The Showtime crew gave a telling statistic coming in to the fight. All of the super middleweight tournament fights have been won by the home town fighter. In Froch's case, he stole the decision from Andre Dirrell, but either it's a testament to the unfairness of boxing scoring or the fighters by and large fight better before their home town crowds. It's probably both.
Kessler takes round seven and goes up a round, even as Al Bernstein says halfway through the round that he had Froch up four rounds to two. In Denmark? No way...at least not on the official judge's scorecards. Kessler stalking in round eight and rocks Froch and Froch is badly hurt. His legs are gone and he survives, but clearly a dominant round for Kessler. Kessler up five rounds to three and gaining momentum.
Showtime color man Antonio Tarver speculates that Froch's nose is badly broken. Kessler laying off and not finishing. As the round ends, both guys are throwing haymakers and missing like drunken sailors. Ugly action as neither looks able to really avoid the other's punches, yet neither is good enough to hit the other. I'd give Froch the ninth, making it 5-4 for Kessler, but the judges won't.
The tenth round is incredibly close as both can't dodge the others punches. It would be a fantastic fight if it were contested at a slightly higher skill level. It's entertaining, but each is so easy for the other to hit that the only reason they miss, and they miss a lot, is based on poor mechanics, bad balance and poor setup. I give it to Froch for cleaner punches, making it 5-5.
Round eleven again was very close, haymakers flying, missing and landing and really making it tough to call. I give it to Kessler, making it 6 rounds to 5 rounds favoring Kessler.
Okay...so that WAS a fun final round. Kessler went nuclear, just throwing constant bombs and landing and backing up a throwing Froch until thirty seconds left when it looked like Kessler ran out of gas and Froch had something left, but not enough to really turn the tide. I give the final round to Kessler, making it 7 to 5 on my card.
Getting the decision: 117-111; 115-113; 116-112 all in favor of Mikkel Kessler. Makes sense and it is as I expected. I've always called Carl Froch a glorified club fighter, but I'll admit he looked more comfortable in the ring than Kessler and has heart and skills, but to be more candid yet...I think he probably only looked good as compared to Kessler.
Now to Arreola/Adamek. Personally, I think Adamek is biting off WAY more than he can chew in Arreola. Arreola, but for a couple of giant Ukranian brothers, would be heavyweight champion of the world. Now, I know that's like saying but for the Allies, the thousand year reich was a really strong play...but, to take the analogy as step too far, Arreola IS like the reich...but for the Allies, they had a lot of game.
Arreola is heavy handed, willing and skilled. He's quick handed for a heavyweight and the reason he got demolished by Klitschko the younger (I recall it was the younger, wasn't it?) was because Dr. Steelhammer has perfected his jab and hammering following cross, his reach advantage is too great and the good doctor has enough lateral movement and safety first savvy to be practically unbeatable by shorter-armed heavyweights like Arreola.
So how does Adamek stack up? I'd say he's likely to give up 30 pounds on fight night, especially to the rolly polly Arreola. When Arreola, an experienced amateur, starts to lean on him, Adamek is going to feel the difference between cruiserweight and heavyweight. Unless Adamek's speed advantage is just outrageous, he has no chance. A massive speed advantage simply isn't likely, nor is the skill differential likely to be great.
We must recall that Arreola is a very tough guy who leads with his face...and looks like it. He's not worried about absorbing leather...he's used to it. Unless the shellacking by Klitschko broke his spirit, unlikely in my estimation, Arreola is looking to rebound. This a stupid first foray into the deep water of the heavyweight division for Adamek, in my view. I call Arreola by KO in round seven, though it could go deeper with a lopsided result for Cristobal.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Kelly Pavlik: Knucklehead or Hero?
Youngstown's pride is a likeable, tough and rough and ready guy, but I have to wonder what he's thinking? Does he not watch boxing? Is he surrounded by idiots? Is he a fool? Harsh questions to be sure, but warranted now that he seems to have busied himself squandering his marketability so feverishly.
How else can his recent matchmaking decisions be explained. He had climbed the mountain. He'd defeated the undisputed middleweight champion, then beaten him again. He was king of the hill and could look down from his throne and pick the fights he wanted, even alphabet belts be damned. So what does he do? He immediately challenges the former middleweight champion of the world in a non-title bout. Does he force Hopkins to lose down to 160lb? No. He decides to move up to Hopkins' new weight at 168lb.. Does he have anything to gain? No. If he wins, then he beat an old man, finally past his prime at 43. He won't even get a belt...just pride. Did he have everything to lose? Yes. If he loses, he not only takes his first loss, but does so to an old man who ruled his division for 10 years before stepping up. If he loses, he'll be regarded as a lesser champ than the true titleholder he preceded...and he'll feel that way too. He risks undermining both his marketability and his own confidence.
And so pride went before the fall, as the cagey Hopkins went deliberately against his own style, stepping out aggressively and pummeling Pavlik for 12 rounds, easily defeating him, handing him his first loss, destroying his luster of invincibility and sure enough...putting doubt where none had been before. Why would a fighter make such a stupid move? Well...Kelly Pavlik once said he would fight Godzilla if his promoter put him in the ring with him. So, it's the handlers, then. And shame on them because apparently they have don't understand what it means to have a meal ticket.
Even after the monumentally stupid decision to fight Bernard Hopkins, Pavlik's handlers apparently searched and searched for a fighter who could beat their guy. Bowing to the alphabet gods, they matched their guy with Sergio Martinez. Now here's a guy who could actually probably mirror Hopkins' fight plan, for which Pavlik clearly had no answer. He's got that kind of athletic skill. But even if he chose not to, there were other ways he could beat Pavlik: speed of hand and speed of foot. And so he did.
Though Pavlik took as many as four of the middle rounds, along with a gift knockdown call, he was badly outmatched. It's a credit to Pavlik's determination that he was willing to take the shots in rounds five through nine necessary to compete. He stepped inside Martinez' punches, timed him and dished out punishment, but he had already been softened up and when he began to bleed around both eyes, it was more than even he could overcome. Martinez' conditioning was such that he could keep moving all night. His speed advantage was such that he could shake his shoulders, bolo his punches and taunt the middleweight champion of the world at will. And so he did.
And for what? Pavlik didn't have to take this tough a fight. He could have taken a half dozen fights before even considering fighting anyone this tough. With any of those fights, he would have been comparably paid and his contract with HBO was clearly intact regardless of the level of opponent. He not only didn't need Sergio Martinez...he should have stayed far away from a fighter as gifted, but unrecognized as Martinez. Then why take it? If not for the money or the recognition, then why? Could it be that Kelly Pavlik really cares about whether he is the best fighter? Whether he deserves to be the middleweight king? Could he really actually be so willing to answer that question that it matters less to him whether he wins or loses, than that he test himself?
If the answer is yes, then Kelly Pavlik is both.
How else can his recent matchmaking decisions be explained. He had climbed the mountain. He'd defeated the undisputed middleweight champion, then beaten him again. He was king of the hill and could look down from his throne and pick the fights he wanted, even alphabet belts be damned. So what does he do? He immediately challenges the former middleweight champion of the world in a non-title bout. Does he force Hopkins to lose down to 160lb? No. He decides to move up to Hopkins' new weight at 168lb.. Does he have anything to gain? No. If he wins, then he beat an old man, finally past his prime at 43. He won't even get a belt...just pride. Did he have everything to lose? Yes. If he loses, he not only takes his first loss, but does so to an old man who ruled his division for 10 years before stepping up. If he loses, he'll be regarded as a lesser champ than the true titleholder he preceded...and he'll feel that way too. He risks undermining both his marketability and his own confidence.
And so pride went before the fall, as the cagey Hopkins went deliberately against his own style, stepping out aggressively and pummeling Pavlik for 12 rounds, easily defeating him, handing him his first loss, destroying his luster of invincibility and sure enough...putting doubt where none had been before. Why would a fighter make such a stupid move? Well...Kelly Pavlik once said he would fight Godzilla if his promoter put him in the ring with him. So, it's the handlers, then. And shame on them because apparently they have don't understand what it means to have a meal ticket.
Even after the monumentally stupid decision to fight Bernard Hopkins, Pavlik's handlers apparently searched and searched for a fighter who could beat their guy. Bowing to the alphabet gods, they matched their guy with Sergio Martinez. Now here's a guy who could actually probably mirror Hopkins' fight plan, for which Pavlik clearly had no answer. He's got that kind of athletic skill. But even if he chose not to, there were other ways he could beat Pavlik: speed of hand and speed of foot. And so he did.
Though Pavlik took as many as four of the middle rounds, along with a gift knockdown call, he was badly outmatched. It's a credit to Pavlik's determination that he was willing to take the shots in rounds five through nine necessary to compete. He stepped inside Martinez' punches, timed him and dished out punishment, but he had already been softened up and when he began to bleed around both eyes, it was more than even he could overcome. Martinez' conditioning was such that he could keep moving all night. His speed advantage was such that he could shake his shoulders, bolo his punches and taunt the middleweight champion of the world at will. And so he did.
And for what? Pavlik didn't have to take this tough a fight. He could have taken a half dozen fights before even considering fighting anyone this tough. With any of those fights, he would have been comparably paid and his contract with HBO was clearly intact regardless of the level of opponent. He not only didn't need Sergio Martinez...he should have stayed far away from a fighter as gifted, but unrecognized as Martinez. Then why take it? If not for the money or the recognition, then why? Could it be that Kelly Pavlik really cares about whether he is the best fighter? Whether he deserves to be the middleweight king? Could he really actually be so willing to answer that question that it matters less to him whether he wins or loses, than that he test himself?
If the answer is yes, then Kelly Pavlik is both.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Berto v. Quintana; round-by-round
Well I'm finishing watching the lead-in HBO fight between featherweights Caballero and Sompun Chingbagh. To noone's surprise Sompun Chingbagh absorbed punishment all night long and Caballero took a unanimous landslide decision.
The big fight of the night is Andre Berto v. Carlos Quintana. Will this be the Quintana that beat Paul Williams by fighting perfectly or the version that got KO'd by Williams in the rematch? Will the undefeated Berto be the one who struggled with the flat footed Juan Urango? Will Berto still be affected by the Haiti earthquake that prompted his pullout from his then-cancelled fight with Shane Mosley? Interesting questions for realfightfans. Who do I like? I'd think Berto's quickness gives him an edge, but it's easy to underestimate Quintana. A slick southpaw who can really box, he was able to decisively beat the then-undefeated and seemingly still nearly unbeatable Paul Williams. Quintana also handed Joel Julio his first loss and though Julio precitously fell off our collective radar later, he was a force to be reckoned with as he's apparently still trying to claw his way back to relevance.
Interesting to see HBO pointing out Berto's career long 314 day layoff for Berto. I think we're going to see ring rust and Berto maybe thrown off by Quintana's ability to slip, duck and counter. Berto is used to being able to admire his work and have a major talent advantage and is likely to be really tested for the first time in his career. I think he'll come up short. I call Quintana by decision, maybe even a split decision...but the WBC welterweight championship changes hands tonight.
Now let's see what the fight holds:
Round one - Berto clearly quicker and lands the first significant punch cleanly. Quintana rabbit punching. Now Lampley reminds us that Quintana was KO'd by Williams in the rematch in one round and retired by Cotto after five rounds. Berto complaining while caught up, but Quintana fighting on and taking advantage by punching inside. Now Berto is roughhousing, then complaining about being rabbit punched...when this time it didn't happen! Berto's round 10-9
Round two - Quintana starts by twitching a jab out and Quintana times Berto and hits him hard and clean. Berto then steps inside and gets rough, stepping in and waving his head around. Berto steps inside and holds and gets hit in the face and seems to want to complain that it's somehow unfair that he's getting hit. Quintana bothering Berto by flicking that jab. Quintana just out of reach of hitting Quintana. Quintana's round, evening it at 19-19.
Round three - Quintana is warned for hitting behind the head, but I don't really see it. Berto's complaints shouldn't result in a special look. Berto looking to the ref. Quintana gets warned again and I can't tell for what, considering that Berto is the one leaning in, jumping in and butting. Quintana on the defensive, but Berto getting hit. A point deduction from Quintana for hitting Berto behind the head and because Berto turned out of a clinch and turned his back and got hit in the back of the head, it looked far more obvious than it was. 10-8 for Berto, making it 29-27 for Berto.
Round four - rough fight, as the HBO crew attests. Merchant correctly points out that Berto is "turning away" coming out of clinches, making Quintana have to throw at the back of his head, as it happens again, but no point taken this time or warning given. Still, Berto is getting the better of it. Quintana is not sharp because he's not getting off first. Berto's round again as the aggressor, making it 39-36 for Berto.
Round five - Nice uppercut by Quintana and they are fighting rough, holding, pushing and leaning on each other while throwing. Another nice uppercut by Quintana followed by a clean right by Berto. I wonder how much Berto has left, but Quintana is wobbled when both land cleanly. I disagree with Jim Lampley that it was quite a "big round" for Berto, but by wobbling Quintana he took the round, even though much of it was very even or skewed to Quintana. It goes to 49-45 for Berto.
Round six - ugly round and it's Berto's fault as much or more than Quintana. Neither fighter deserves the round with 30 seconds left. Merchant says he thinks its a "pretty good round" for Quintana and I'll agree, making it 58-55, still for Berto. And there's a left bicep injury to Berto evidently.
Round seven - Quintana going under the left arm of Quintana. Lampley enthusiastically declaring Berto's shots hard and clean and Merchant disagreeing. Merchants' right, but just then Berto DOES land a hard right cleanly. A close round, but I've got to give it to Berto, making it 68-64 for Berto.
Round eight - Berto better in the first minute and now Quintana complains and I don' t see why? getting hit cleanly? They fight the first half of this round separated and it favors Berto. Good thing Lampley is not reffing because he says it's a good time to stop the fight, but that's excessive. Shockingly! the ref stops it?!? okay so Quintana took a shot straight down the middle, but for me it was not a good stoppage. I think that Quintana could continue. In replays though, it actually looked worse than I thought it was in real time. Quintana WAS totally defensive and there was nearly a full minute left. Good stoppage.
So does this make Berto a legitimate threat in the welterweight division? I'm not convinced. He's fast-handed, but his style is ugly and he's hittable as heck. Quintana has no power and Berto actually can be dropped. Against any of the three best in the division, he gets picked apart, shocked and dropped repeatedly. Berto is too inaccurate, but he IS still undefeated and didn't show any sign of tiring, though it didn't really go that deep. I was wrong about the outcome. Quintana isn't fast enough handed and the speed differential was too much for him. He seems to be on the downside of his career now, so he may turn into a gatekeeper...which I suppose is what he was today.
The big fight of the night is Andre Berto v. Carlos Quintana. Will this be the Quintana that beat Paul Williams by fighting perfectly or the version that got KO'd by Williams in the rematch? Will the undefeated Berto be the one who struggled with the flat footed Juan Urango? Will Berto still be affected by the Haiti earthquake that prompted his pullout from his then-cancelled fight with Shane Mosley? Interesting questions for realfightfans. Who do I like? I'd think Berto's quickness gives him an edge, but it's easy to underestimate Quintana. A slick southpaw who can really box, he was able to decisively beat the then-undefeated and seemingly still nearly unbeatable Paul Williams. Quintana also handed Joel Julio his first loss and though Julio precitously fell off our collective radar later, he was a force to be reckoned with as he's apparently still trying to claw his way back to relevance.
Interesting to see HBO pointing out Berto's career long 314 day layoff for Berto. I think we're going to see ring rust and Berto maybe thrown off by Quintana's ability to slip, duck and counter. Berto is used to being able to admire his work and have a major talent advantage and is likely to be really tested for the first time in his career. I think he'll come up short. I call Quintana by decision, maybe even a split decision...but the WBC welterweight championship changes hands tonight.
Now let's see what the fight holds:
Round one - Berto clearly quicker and lands the first significant punch cleanly. Quintana rabbit punching. Now Lampley reminds us that Quintana was KO'd by Williams in the rematch in one round and retired by Cotto after five rounds. Berto complaining while caught up, but Quintana fighting on and taking advantage by punching inside. Now Berto is roughhousing, then complaining about being rabbit punched...when this time it didn't happen! Berto's round 10-9
Round two - Quintana starts by twitching a jab out and Quintana times Berto and hits him hard and clean. Berto then steps inside and gets rough, stepping in and waving his head around. Berto steps inside and holds and gets hit in the face and seems to want to complain that it's somehow unfair that he's getting hit. Quintana bothering Berto by flicking that jab. Quintana just out of reach of hitting Quintana. Quintana's round, evening it at 19-19.
Round three - Quintana is warned for hitting behind the head, but I don't really see it. Berto's complaints shouldn't result in a special look. Berto looking to the ref. Quintana gets warned again and I can't tell for what, considering that Berto is the one leaning in, jumping in and butting. Quintana on the defensive, but Berto getting hit. A point deduction from Quintana for hitting Berto behind the head and because Berto turned out of a clinch and turned his back and got hit in the back of the head, it looked far more obvious than it was. 10-8 for Berto, making it 29-27 for Berto.
Round four - rough fight, as the HBO crew attests. Merchant correctly points out that Berto is "turning away" coming out of clinches, making Quintana have to throw at the back of his head, as it happens again, but no point taken this time or warning given. Still, Berto is getting the better of it. Quintana is not sharp because he's not getting off first. Berto's round again as the aggressor, making it 39-36 for Berto.
Round five - Nice uppercut by Quintana and they are fighting rough, holding, pushing and leaning on each other while throwing. Another nice uppercut by Quintana followed by a clean right by Berto. I wonder how much Berto has left, but Quintana is wobbled when both land cleanly. I disagree with Jim Lampley that it was quite a "big round" for Berto, but by wobbling Quintana he took the round, even though much of it was very even or skewed to Quintana. It goes to 49-45 for Berto.
Round six - ugly round and it's Berto's fault as much or more than Quintana. Neither fighter deserves the round with 30 seconds left. Merchant says he thinks its a "pretty good round" for Quintana and I'll agree, making it 58-55, still for Berto. And there's a left bicep injury to Berto evidently.
Round seven - Quintana going under the left arm of Quintana. Lampley enthusiastically declaring Berto's shots hard and clean and Merchant disagreeing. Merchants' right, but just then Berto DOES land a hard right cleanly. A close round, but I've got to give it to Berto, making it 68-64 for Berto.
Round eight - Berto better in the first minute and now Quintana complains and I don' t see why? getting hit cleanly? They fight the first half of this round separated and it favors Berto. Good thing Lampley is not reffing because he says it's a good time to stop the fight, but that's excessive. Shockingly! the ref stops it?!? okay so Quintana took a shot straight down the middle, but for me it was not a good stoppage. I think that Quintana could continue. In replays though, it actually looked worse than I thought it was in real time. Quintana WAS totally defensive and there was nearly a full minute left. Good stoppage.
So does this make Berto a legitimate threat in the welterweight division? I'm not convinced. He's fast-handed, but his style is ugly and he's hittable as heck. Quintana has no power and Berto actually can be dropped. Against any of the three best in the division, he gets picked apart, shocked and dropped repeatedly. Berto is too inaccurate, but he IS still undefeated and didn't show any sign of tiring, though it didn't really go that deep. I was wrong about the outcome. Quintana isn't fast enough handed and the speed differential was too much for him. He seems to be on the downside of his career now, so he may turn into a gatekeeper...which I suppose is what he was today.
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