What We Learned in 2011…NGUYEN

Published

12 years ago

December 27, 2011

Amir Khan is Good…But Not Great

There was a lot of talk as to whether Amir Khan’s pairing with Freddie Roach would prove to be the first step toward true greatness.

The verdict appears to be in: no.

Sure, against fighters who allow him to be a combination-punching prodigy, Khan can really look impressive, as he demonstrated against Malignaggi and Judah. But against fighters who are unwilling to be accomplices, Khan doesn’t look anything like an all-time great. Marcos Maidana made him look pretty vulnerable, and Lamont Peterson made him look pretty ordinary.

A great fighter shouldn’t get walked down as easily as Khan can be. A great fighter shouldn’t hit the panic button when Plan A stops working.

Maybe I’m wrong, and perhaps the youthful Khan will learn and develop, but it’s hard to see a guy who might not be the best in his division end up being one of the best who ever did it.

Andre Ward Will Eventually Be Pound-for-Pound #1, but Will Never Be a Crossover Star

The consensus choice for Fighter of the Year, Andre Ward, has proven himself to be a special fighter throughout the Super Six Boxing Classic. By the end of the tournament, the question wasn’t really whether Ward would win, but whether he would make the type of grand statement a superstar tends to make in that type of situation.

The statement he ended up making was beautifully articulate, albeit softly spoken, which doesn’t bode well for Ward’s crossover appeal.

Let’s examine, for a moment, the blueprint for the two biggest crossover stars boxing has produced in the past generation: Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.

For Pacquiao, the blueprint to stardom was simple: fight like a maniac, and eventually people will notice. Couple with that a G-rated personality and understated charm, and the final product is a lucrative one.

For Mayweather, the mock-up was a bit different. He isn’t the same high-contact fighter that Pacquiao is, so he didn’t achieve his status with blood and guts. Mayweather, though, is a genius of charisma. He realizes that controversy pays, and he’s been more than willing to embroil himself in scandalous situations. Sure he’s been booed, but he’s also converted those boos into a lot of green.

This creates quite a quandary for Andre Ward. He’s not a blood-and-guts fighter like Pacquiao; he’s a brilliantly talented technician. He’s not a comic book villain like Mayweather; he’s the epitome of a gentleman.

To put it in acting terms, Ward is the boxing equivalent of a brilliant character actor. He has the skills to play any role in any film to critical acclaim. But he’s not an action hero who does his own stunts. He’s not a controversial Hollywood star who’s always in the tabloid headlines. His type of craft and personality just doesn’t lend itself to the causal fan’s appreciation.

Don’t get me wrong; I love watching Andre Ward fight. You probably do, too. But I’m not a causal boxing fan. If you’re still reading this, you aren’t either. Crossover fighters manage to draw viewers who wouldn’t ordinarily watch a fight. They get recognized by people who aren’t sports fans.

Unfortunately, Andre Ward will never be able to do that.

Sergio Martinez May Never Get a Defining Fight

At 36-years old, Martinez is running out of time to land a career-defining fight. He’s bordering on delusional if he thinks he’ll get Pacquiao or Mayweather in the ring with him, and Miguel Cotto has nothing to gain by stepping in with him. Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. is still too pose the type of challenge on which Martinez can build a legacy. Smoking an unimpressive crop of middleweights does little to enhance his image. Martinez is in a very tight spot, and the urgency is showing; the usually gentlemanly Martinez has taken to trash talk to goad a big-name opponent to step up to the plate.

It might be that Martinez’ greatest opponent will be the only undefeated, undisputed champ in all weight classes: Father Time.

In His Advancing Age, Floyd Mayweather Can Actually Make for a Fun Fight

The knock on Mayweather (and it’s hard to find faults in his nearly flawless skillset) is that he almost never makes for exciting fights. Aside from a handful of mismatches (Corrales, N’dou, Gatti), Mayweather’s fights can sometimes be as exciting as watching Gary Kasparov pick apart the high school chess club champ. Mayweather’s surgical precision is supremely impressive even if not awe-inspiring.

However, that’s changed a bit in his last two fights. Against Mosley, Mayweather provided some unexpected excitement by getting drilled and very nearly KO’d in the second round. Mayweather, much to his credit, steadied the ship quickly and established his dominance for every remaining second of the fight. What gets forgotten is that Mayweather tattooed Mosley with numerous hard shots throughout the rest of those twelve rounds. Maybe Mosley couldn’t pull the trigger anymore, but he also had a good reason for being reluctant. Had Mayweather gone against his instincts and really pressed Mosley, it’s not unthinkable that he could’ve pulled a stoppage.

In Mayweather’s fight with Victor Ortiz, Mayweather was not reluctant to engage with the freakishly big Ortiz. He planted his feet and drilled the bigger man and created maybe the most exciting four rounds of his career. Sure, Ortiz’ pressure created the perfect storm for excitement, but Mayweather’s willingness to do battle was another key component.

Maybe the extended time off has allowed his notoriously brittle hands to heal. Maybe, as a fighter in his mid-thirties, Mayweather now has to be more offensively focused. Regardless of the reasons, Floyd is now a more crowd-pleasing fighter. We all win when that’s the case.

Manny Pacquiao Will Never Beat Floyd Mayweather

Please follow the logic carefully:

Manny Pacquiao + Precision Counterpuncher (e.g. Juan Manuel Marquez) = Lots of trouble for Manny

Floyd Mayweather = Elusive counterpuncher of unparalleled virtuosity

Manny Pacquiao + Floyd Mayweather = A style mismatch of epic proportions

Antonio Margarito Has Been a B-Level Fighter Since the Handwrap Scandal

Take that any way you want it.

You Can’t Make a Bad Fight at Junior Middleweight

Consider, for a moment, the marquee names at 154: Miguel Cotto, Canelo Alvarez, James Kirkland, Alfredo Angulo.

Add in lesser-known gems like Erislandy Lara and Carlos Molina. Toss in some exciting shopworn names like Paul Williams, Antonio Margarito, and Ricardo Mayorga.

Combine ingredients and stir. Await combustion.

Erik Morales is the Mexican Clint Eastwood

Not too long ago, Erik Morales was considered to be well past his expiration date as a relevant fighter. After dropping four straight fights, and looking increasingly shopworn in each, Morales looked done.

So when Morales came back after retiring, it seemed ill-advised even if it was less than surprising. When Morales signed on to fight Argentinian toughguy Marcos Maidana, many pundits were genuinely concerned about whether Morales would emerge from the fight intact.

Morales not only emerged intact, but he gave Maidana the fight of his life. You had the feeling that if Clint Eastwood was watching that fight, he’d be nodding his head in sneering approval of a fellow elderly tough guy. Even though Morales lost a razor-thin decision, it was an instance where the moral victory meant just as much as the decision victory would have.

In his most recent fight against Pablo Cesar Cano, Morales outlasted and beat down a younger, fresher foe. Erik Morales will never regain his past glory, but he is living proof that a fighter can retire, but a tough guy never really goes away.

No Boxing Fan Has Endured as Much as the British Fight Fan

At one time it was Frank Bruno on whom British hearts were dashed. More recently, it was Ricky Hatton.

With heartbreaks aplenty this year, 2011 was far from a banner year for our neighbors across the pond.

Matthew Macklin and Martin Murray were both hosed against Felix Sturm. After some of the best trash talk in years, David Haye turned in a non-effort against Wladimir Klitschko. Dereck Chisora was victim of maybe the worst decision of the year against Robert Helenius. John Murray might have earned the award for most facial discoloration during a fight in getting lumped up by Brandon Rios. Most recently, Amir Khan was on the short end of a highly controversial decision against Lamont Peterson.

Maybe 2012 will be a better year for high-profile British boxing. Until then, God save the queen.

Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. Might Actually Become a Pretty Good Fighter

Count me among the innumerable skeptics who saw Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. as an opportunistic brat who was aiming to cash in on his old man’s name. As the wins kept stacking up against tomato cans, I thought it would be a matter of time until he had his head handed to him.

Which is why I was quite surprised to see Chavez’ noticeable improvements against Peter Manfredo. Rather than employing his usual high impact, marginal skill level approach, Chavez fought intelligently, maintained appropriate distance, and won on guile rather than grit.

I’m not saying he’ll eclipse his dad, or that he’ll even come close. But Chavez might prove to be an elite level fighter in his own right.

Victor Ortiz is the New Terry Norris

In the 1990s, there weren’t too many fighters who were more physically talented than “Terrible” Terry Norris. He was a smooth boxing, hard punching, athletically gifted fighter. He holds victories over a who’s who of big names from the 80s and 90s: John Mugabi, Sugar Ray Leonard, Donald Curry, Maurice Blocker, Meldrick Taylor, Simon Brown. Norris’ credentials were enough to land him in Canestota as a first-ballot Hall of Famer. To go with his fistic aptitude, Norris was charming, well-spoken, and good-looking, making him, pretty much, any promoter’s dream. Don King hit the jackpot when he signed (and then criminally underpromoted) Terry Norris.

But why was Norris never the crossover superstar that he promised to be at so many moments during his career? Because during the moments when he was on the verge of becoming known outside the boxing faithful, one of two things failed him: his chin or his nerves.

Sound like someone in 2011?

Now, I’ll go ahead and concede that it’s more than a stretch to compare Hall of Famer Terry Norris with Victor Ortiz; the latter has a heck of a lot to prove before he’s even in a discussion of being HOF worthy. Still, the underlying parallels between the two are intriguing. (Note: Terry Norris accompanied Ortiz into the ring prior to his high-profile showdown with Floyd Mayweather.)

Norris’ chin was probably his greatest foe during his career. He was KO’d in his first world title attempt against Julian Jackson, which is forgivable considering Jackson might be one of the biggest single-shot punchers ever in the game. Another of Norris’ stoppage losses, against Laurent Boudouani in what would be his final pro fight, was also pardonable since Norris was far-removed from his prime. Still, Norris was stopped by fighters against whom he was the superior fighter: Simon Brown and Keith Mullings. Combine those with shaky moments against the likes of Troy Waters, and the verdict is simple: Norris had one of the most vulnerable chins of any Hall of Famer.

Victor Ortiz’ chin is perhaps a bit more reliable than Norris’, but his durability cost him dearly in his much-scrutinized loss to Marcos Maidana, and nearly cost him against Andre Berto. For a high-contact boxer like Ortiz, it isn’t too much of a stretch to see his jaw becoming a factor again in his career.

Along with questionable durability, another similarity Ortiz has with Norris has to do with self-control. One of the many things that separates a prizefighter from a bar-fighter is the ability to keep a cool head. During three moments in his career, Terry Norris was unable to keep his nerves in check. He was disqualified three times against fighters who he should have dusted easily. Whether it was drilling Joe Walker in the back of the head after he went down, blasting Luis Santana after the bell, or rabbit punching Santana, or (in a rematch of his previous DQ loss), Terry Norris was the classic non-example when discussing composure in the ring.

That is, until Victor Ortiz came along.

Early in Ortiz’ career, he was disqualified for hitting journeyman Corey Alarcon on a break (although replays showed that Alarcon made the most of the foul with some well-executed, agonized writhing). Maybe we could give Ortiz a break for making a dumb, immature error in the heat of the moment, but it proved not to be an isolated incident. Against Floyd Mayweather, in Ortiz’ biggest chance to shine, he came apart again when he committed the mother of all stupid fouls when he tried to rearrange Mayweather’s dental work with a flagrant headbutt to the mush (the culmination of several earlier headbutt attempts). The even more maddening part was that the headbutt punctuated what had been Ortiz’ best offensive rally of the fight, one which made Mayweather look visibly uncomfortable. Controversial ending aside, Ortiz did himself in the moment he decided to unleash the foul.

Clearly, Ortiz has a lot to prove before the comparison with Terry Norris comes full circle, but his penchant for vulnerability and chaotic in-ring behavior still makes it an interesting one. Like Norris, though, Ortiz has all the ingredients necessary to be a crossover star; that’s why Golden Boy signed him, after all. The problem is, he also has a couple of flaws that could permanently keep him from realizing that potential. Regardless, Ortiz has proven to be must-see-TV, even if it isn’t always for the reasons he’d like.

Roy Jones is the New Evander Holyfield

Lying on his back, staring at the ceiling of Moscow’s Sport Complex Krylatskoe, Roy Jones was unaware of what was taking place around him.

He was unaware of the wildly celebratory crowd.

He was unaware that his opponent, Denis Lebedev, stood across the ring, basking in what amounted to a meaningless conquest against a once great, but now shot fighter.

He was unaware that referee Steve Smoger was waving off the contest with just seconds remaining in the fight.

It was evident that in those frightening moments following Lebedev’s fight-ending right hand that Roy Jones was oblivious to the world around him.

Jones’ comments in the post-fight press conference indicated his lacking comprehension of what just took place.

“Sorry I didn’t get the victory, but Denis is a very tough competitor,” Jones said.

It wasn’t that Jones came up short. It wasn’t that he didn’t come up with the victory. He either didn’t understand or didn’t want to acknowledge the frightful scene that had just taken place.

Jones’ post-fight statement was the type of anesthetized, reflexive answer a fighter offers when he doesn’t know what else to say. Truthfully, for supporters of Roy Jones, there is little else that needs saying. The image of him helplessly stretched out on the canvas, for the fourth time in seven years, was brutally articulate.

Which is why Jones’ comments since that distressingly violent ending all the more troubling. Jones has designs on challenging for a cruiserweight title, claiming maybe the only title that has eluded him during his magnificent career. It was a career that saw him reach unimaginable heights, claiming titles at middleweight, super-middleweight, light heavyweight, and, at perhaps the apex of his career, heavyweight.

Then the bottom dropped out.

It wasn’t even as though Superman had been exposed to kryptonite. It was like he had it surgically implanted in his chest cavity, was receiving it intravenously, and was being fed it for breakfast. The accelerated implosion of the once-invincible Roy Jones was unlike anything the sport had ever seen. Even for Jones’ detractors, this was not the ending anyone saw coming.

Jones’ painful disintegration is not unlike that of another great fighter: Evander Holyfield.

Holyfield himself has experienced a couple of career resurrections in his career. Many wrote him off after his first professional loss in a war with Riddick Bowe. Others thought he was finished after he was diagnosed with a serious heart condition after dropping a decision to Michael Moorer. Still others thought he was washed up after losing the rubber match to Bowe. Those people grossly underestimated the greatness of The Real Deal. Evander Holyfield had yet to achieve the greatest heights of his career.

In hindsight, maybe those comebacks were curses in disguise for Holyfield. When it was evident that he no longer had the abilities that had made him an all-time great, Holyfield refused to call it a day. A strong believer that divine intervention led to his past accomplishments, Holyfield called upon the same power to help him regain the undisputed heavyweight title, a crusade Holyfield vowed to continue before he would retire. It is a crusade that the 49-year old Holyfield continues today.

Now Jones, who turns 43 in January, finds himself embarking on a no-less unlikely task to become a cruiserweight titlist. Jones no doubt bases his dogged determination on his peerless past brilliance, on the flashes of that brilliance that remain even in his advanced age, and on his own stubborn determination to do this his own way, which he has always done since the start of his career.

When Jones made a sad return this month to win a decision against clubfighter Max Alexander, he claimed that it was the start of bigger things. Of course he did. What else is he supposed to say?

Now, away from the pulverizing fists of a relentless opponent, away from the bright lights and television cameras, away from the demanding reporters asking questions for which he has few answers, Roy Jones is probably in the most dangerous situation a fighter can be.

I say probably because I don’t know Roy Jones personally. I have not been with him as he has tried to make sense of what his career has become. I have not seen firsthand the effects of what it does to a man to lose what is essentially his identity as a fighter. I won’t be with him in the days and weeks ahead as he ponders what’s next. And I certainly don’t know what the future holds for him.

But what I do know is the mentality of a prizefighter. Fighters aren’t known to be content with circumstance. Fighters don’t go quietly into the night. Fighters don’t walk away from struggles, no matter how insurmountable the obstacles or improbable the odds. There is always one more battle to fight, and one more point to prove.

This mindset so prevalent among fighters is why we love boxing. It is a more graphic, visceral demonstration of courage than is displayed in any other sport. There is a point, however, that bravery turns to foolishness, and ambition turns to delusion.

Yes, Roy Jones is in the terribly treacherous position of being a fighter with something to prove, even if the point he is trying to prove rests only in his own mind. If Jones were to walk away from boxing today, he would be remembered as one of the very best to ever lace up a pair of gloves. He would have nothing to be ashamed of or apologize for.

It’s doubtless that some, perhaps most, close to Jones have shared this with him, suggesting that his boxing career should have reached the end of the line. Logic would indicate that his skills are not what they used to be, and that the ravages of boxing have aged his body to the point that he is no longer able to compete at the elite level.

Equally doubtless, though, is the likelihood that the prizefighter mentality has planted itself firmly in the back of Roy Jones’ mind. The only question is which impulse will prove stronger, which will be more convincing. For the sake of Jones and those who hold him dear, let’s hope logic overtakes instinct.

Contrary to boxing wisdom, it isn’t speed that kills. What does is the deadly combination of a fighter with a consuming passion to prove something, but is no longer capable of proving it. If I get only one wish for 2012, it’s that Roy Jones will no longer be an ingredient in a recipe for disaster.

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The Sweet Science

Boxing Odds and Ends: The Ryan Garcia PED Rumple and More

Published

18 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Arne K. Lang

Boxing-Odds-and-Ends-The-Ryan-Garcia-PED-Rumple-and-More

Canelo Alvarez returns to the ring on Saturday. His fight with Jaime Munguia marks his seventeenth appearance in a Las Vegas ring and his twelfth Las Vegas engagement on a Mexican holiday weekend. But the pre-fight pub has been beclouded by a more arresting news story involving Canelo’s stablemate Ryan Garcia.

Dan Rafael and his successor at ESPN, Mike Coppinger, were the first to report that the banned substance Ostarine showed up in two urine specimens collected from Garcia by agents of the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA). The specimens were collected on April 19 and April 20, the day prior and day of his conquest of heavily favored Devin Haney. The April 19 sample also showed traces of the banned drug 19-nonandrosterone, but apparently not a sufficient trace to express confidence in the finding.

A PED popular among bodybuilders, Ostarine helps build muscle mass and improve stamina. The substance, which has been found in dietary supplements, is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, an arm of the International Olympic Committee, and by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Upon leaning of this finding, “KingRy” took to social media to proclaim his innocence.

“Fake f***ing news…I never f***ing took a steroid in my f***ing life. I beat Devin Haney fair and square,” Garcia said in one of his many tweets. “I don’t even know where to get steroids at the end of the day…I barely take supplements,” he said in another. “I’m (going to) find out who paid to create this lie,” he said in a third.

Garcia’s promoter Golden Boy Promotions released a formal statement: “Ryan has put out multiple statements denying knowingly using any banned substances – and we believe him. We are working with his team to determine how this finding came to be and will address this further once we conclude the process.

Any sanctions imposed on Ryan Garcia will have to await the findings of his “B” samples. Reversals are extremely rare so the best guess is that the VADA finding will stand. The big question then becomes whether the New York State Athletic Commission will take away Garcia’s “W” and declare the match a no-contest. According to a bulletin published by the NYSAC in 2016 and updated in 2017, a boxer found to have used an unapproved drug, medication, or supplement is subject to various disciplinary actions including “modification of the official bout result.”

If the NYSAC changes the result to a no-contest, boxrec, the sport’s official record-keeper, would follow suit and Devin Haney would remain undefeated. Haney was 31-0 heading into his date with Garcia and considering his tender age – he doesn’t turn 26 until November – was accorded a reasonable shot of breaking Floyd Mayweather Jr’s 50-0 mark.

R.I.P. – Dingaan Thobela

Boxing fans in South Africa are mourning loss of Dingaan Thobela who passed away of an undisclosed illness on Monday, April 29, at his flat in Johannesburg at age 57.

Thobela won world titles at 135 and 168 pounds. He captured the WBO world lightweight belt at age 25, out-pointing Mexico’s Mauricio Aceves in Brownsville, Texas, and, 10 years later, in the twilight of his career, won the WBC super middleweight title with a 10^th-round stoppage of England’s Glen Catley in Johannesburg.

The WBO, founded in 1988, was a new organization with little cachet. Thobela abandoned the belt after two successful defenses to compete for the more prestigious WBA diadem. That led to two lightweight title fights with Tony Lopez, the first in Lopez’s hometown of Sacramento and the rematch four months later in South Africa at the Sun City resort in Bopthuthatswana.

Both fights went the distance. Lopez won the first meeting. Although all three judges (they were from Panama, Puerto Rico, and California) had the hometown fighter winning by 2 points, the verdict was highly controversial. At the finish, Tony the Tiger was all marked-up. “It looked, for all the world, that Lopez got his head handed to him,” wrote Sacramento Bee ringside reporter Mark Kreidler.

Thobela was nicknamed “The Rose of Soweto,” the reference to the ramshackle, all-black township in Johannesburg where he was born and raised. Although apartheid hadn’t yet been officially abolished, Soweto was well-represented in the inter-racial audience at the rematch in June of 1993 and there was dancing in the aisles when Thobela avenged his loss to Lopez with a well-earned unanimous decision.

Back in those days, flamboyant ring entrances were virtually unheard-of. Thobela may have started a trend with his outlandish procession. A tumbling acrobat led the way, followed by eight ring girls in colorful costumes and an African chief in full regalia. Thobela threw roses to the crowd as he made his way to the squared circle.

Thobela lost his last seven fights, finishing 40-14-2 (26 KOs) in a career in which he answered the bell for 418 rounds. At the time of his death, he was separated from his wife and living alone. Heavyweight contender Kevin Lerena was among those paying tribute. “Rest in peace to South African boxing legend Dingaan Thobela,” he wrote on Instagram. “Your talent and determination in the ring will never be forgotten. You always supported me and believed in my abilities, pushing me to reach my fullest potential. Thank you for your inspiration and motivation, Champ.”

Bazinyan

In case you missed it, Erik Bazinyan (32-0-1, 23 KOs) kept his unbeaten record intact last night (Thursday, May 2) when his match with former sparring partner Shakeel Phinn (26-3-2, 17 KOs) at the Montreal Casino was ruled a draw.

Although both reside in Quebec, the Armenia-born Bazinyan was the house fighter. This was his sixth straight appearance at the Casino and his 11^th appearance at this venue overall. And as the house fighter, he got a little help from the judges against his Jamaican-Canadian adversary.

Veteran judge Pasquale Procopio had it 97-93 for Phinn who was the aggressor, constantly backing Bazinyan into the ropes. That tally jibed with those in attendance and those looking on at home on ESPN+, but both fighters got their hand raised at the finish.

Bazinyan is ranked #3 by the WBC and the WBA, a notch behind his French-Cameroonian stablemate Christian Mbilli. The WBO ranks Bazinyan a notch above Mbilli (26-0, 22 KOs), which on the face of it is absurd considering their respective abilities.

Mbilli returns to the ring on May 25 in Shawinigan, Quebec with England’s Mark Heffron in the opposite corner. Mbilli is currently a 25/1 favorite. That sounds about right. His promoter Camille Estephan is notorious for matching his fighters soft.

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 283: Canelo and Munguia Battle for Mexico and More Fight News

Published

2 days ago

May 2, 2024

David A. Avila

Avila Perspective, Chap. 283: Canelo and Munguia Battle for Mexico and More Fight News

Prepare for Mexican war.

Guadalajara’s Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) fights Tijuana’s Jaime Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) in another Mexican war on Saturday, May 4, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. PPV.COM and Prime pay-per-view will stream the card.

“I’m going to win, I’m going to prevail and it’s going to be decisive,” said Alvarez, a four-division world titlist. “I’m different. I’m Canelo.”

Munguia reveres Canelo.

“Outside the ring he has all my respect,” Munguia said. “Inside the ring, respect goes out the window. And that’s what is going to happen on Saturday night.”

If you know Mexican history, wars between different regions of that country took place even before Hernando Cortes arrived with his Spanish Conquistadores.

During the Mexican Revolution that began in 1910 you had Porfirio Diaz, Francisco Madero, Pancho Villa, Emiliano Zapata and then came Victoriano Huerta, Venustiano Carranza, Pascual Orozco, and Alvaro Obregon as players.

Fighting between regions in Mexico is not a new thing.

In boxing the 1960s brought those Mexican wars to California with guys like Vicente Saldivar, Cuban exile Sugar Ramos, Chango Carmona, and in the 70s Chucho Castillo, Jesus Pimentel, and the great Ruben Olivares.

Perhaps the two greatest battles between Mexican warriors saw Carlos Zarate and Alfonso Zamora battle in the Inglewood Forum. Both Mexican bantamweights held world titles and each were undefeated with all knockouts.

It was a madhouse that April night in 1977. During the action a wannabe wrestler jumped into the boxing ring during the action and was tossed out like a rag doll by a security gang. When Zarate eventually knocked out Zamora in the fourth, Zamora’s father chased after Zarate’s trainer Cuyo Hernandez right there. Explosions from cherry bombs rocked the arena and a mini riot took place.

Later, in the 80s and 90s, we saw Julio Cesar Chavez batter fellow Mexican sluggers like Jose Luis Ramirez, Rafael “Bazooka” Limon and then Miguel Angel Gonzalez who fought the great Julio Cesar Chavez to a draw in Mexico City.

These battles between Mexicans are never easy.

Canelo has been the top Mexicano for the past 10 years and among the best pound-for-pound fighters for just as long. In his career that began when he was a mere 15 years old, he’s reached heights never before attained by any other Mexican fighter.

His three wars with Gennady “GGG” Golovkin will be etched in history as among the best. His last fight eight months ago saw the redhead dominate Jermell Charlo for a win by unanimous decision.

Alvarez has one of the best chins in boxing history.

Munguia arrived like a burglar in the night. He was unceremoniously packed off to fight New Yorker Sadam Ali for the WBO super welterweight title in a New York card. Ali had just beaten the great Miguel Cotto for the title and was expected to have a long run. His first defense was against little-known Munguia and he was bludgeoned by the tall Mexican in four rounds.

The surprise win by Tijuana’s Munguia made him the toast of the country. He was barely 20 and many liked his easy-going manner and will to destroy once the bell rang. After his fifth title defense it was apparent he could not make 154 pounds anymore and moved up. Five fights later he could not make 160 pounds. Now he’s at 168 pounds but one man holds all the belts and that’s fellow countryman Canelo Alvarez.

Like Canelo, Munguia has one of the best chins in boxing.

“Canelo is a great fighter with experience against great fighters,” Munguia said. “But what I have is youth on my side.”

Since working under Erik Morales and now Freddie Roach, his technique in defensive skills has improved dramatically from his days as a super welterweight. Back then Munguia would take a sledge-hammer blow or two and then return with a barrage of his own.

Last year Munguia fought the feared Sergiy Derevyanchenko through 12 of the most savage rounds ever seen. It was the Fight of the Year and established the Tijuana fighter as someone worthy of watching.

“You can expect a full-out Mexican war,” said Munguia during the press conference on Wednesday.

“I’m very proud to be here and to make history with both Mexican fighters fighting for the four belts for the first time,” said Alvarez the undisputed super middleweight champion.

Although this is a battle between Mexicans the whole boxing world will be watching.

PPV.COM

Jim Lampley leads his crew again on the Canelo-Munguia fight card on Saturday May 4. The famed boxing analyst will be doing a play-by-play of the fights and also participating via text. Accompanying him will be Lance Pugmire, Chris Algieri and Dan Canobbio.

During the past nine months they’ve covered several of the best boxing cards. Lampley has a unique style and has covered the biggest fight events in the past five decades.

Riverside Fights

Undefeated middleweight prospect Raul Lizarraga leads a Red Boxing card on Friday May 3, at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium in downtown Riverside, Calif.

Lizarraga (12-0, 12 KOs) meets Puerto Rico’s Marcos Osorio-Betancourt (11-1-1, 8 KOs) in the main event for a regional title. There are seven other bouts tentatively scheduled. Doors open at 5 p.m. For tickets go to Ticketmaster.com.

Monster Inoue

Japan’s Naoya “Monster” Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) defends the super bantamweight championship against Mexico’s Luis “Pantera” Nery (35-1, 27 KOs) on Monday. May 6, at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo. ESPN + will stream the Top Rank card that begins at 1 a.m.

Many rate Inoue the top fighter pound-for-pound. His destruction of titleholders Marlon Tapales and Stephen Fulton were clear samples of his overall superiority in his weight division. At 31, he faces two-division champion Nery who recently engaged in a riveting battle against Azat Hovhannisyan in Southern California.

The card also features three other world title bouts.

Fights to Watch

Sat. PPV.Com, Prime PPV 5 p.m. Saul Alvarez (60-2-2) vs Jaime Munguia (43-0). Brandon Figueroa (24-1-1) vs Jesse Magdaleno (29-2); Mario Barrios (28-2) vs Fabian Maidana (22-2); Eimantas Stanionis (14-0) vs Gabriel Maestre (6-0-1).

Mon. ESPN+ 1 a.m. Naoya Inoue (26-0) vs Luis Nery (35-1); Jason Moloney (27-2) vs Yoshiki Takei (8-0); Takuma Inoue (19-1) vs Sho Ishida (34-3); Seigo Yuri Akui (19-2-1) vs Taku Kuwahara (13-1).

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A Closer Look at Weslaco ‘Heartbreaker’ Brandon Figueroa and an Early Peek at Inoue vs Nery

Published

4 days ago

April 30, 2024

Arne K. Lang

A Closer Look at Weslaco ‘Heartbreaker’ Brandon Figueroa and an Early Peek at Inoue vs Nery

Brandon Figueroa returns to the ring on Saturday after a 14-month absence. He meets Jessie Magdaleno in a 12-round featherweight affair at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with the winner potentially headed to a match with Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue. Figueroa vs. Magdaleno will be part of the four-fight pay-per-view telecast topped by Canelo Alvarez’s super middleweight title defense against Jaime Munguia.

Akin to Magdaleno, Figueroa (24-1-1, 18 KOs) is a former super bantamweight (122-pound) champion. He won the WBA version of the world title with a 10^th-round stoppage of Damien Vazquez and added the WBC belt with a seventh-round KO of previously undefeated Luis Nery who fights Inoue this coming Monday at the “Big Egg” in Tokyo.

Throughout history, many prominent boxers have been identified with the place that hewed them. Students of boxing history can identify the Saginaw Kid, the Terror Haute Terror, the Cincinnati Cobra – the list is long – and even casual fans can name the Brockton Blockbuster, the immortal Rocky Marciano.

Brandon Figueroa hails from Weslaco, a small city in the southern tip of Texas. It is part of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, commonly abbreviated RGV, and the locals feel an emotional tie to the entire valley, a place where the unofficial language among the adult population is Spanglish, a melding of Spanish and English.

Brandon’s older brother Omar Figueroa Jr, who retired in 2022 with a record of 28-3-1 after losing his last three fights, became a local hero after becoming the first boxer from the Valley to win a world title, in his case the WBC lightweight diadem. Brandon, 27, has the opportunity to out-do him by becoming the first boxer from the Valley to win titles in two weight divisions.

The brothers were introduced to boxing by their father, Omar Figueroa Sr. A mailman now in his twenty-seventh year working for the U.S. Postal Service, the elder Figueroa never boxed but followed the sport closely and hoped that one of his sons would follow in the footsteps of his sporting heroes Julio Cesar Chavez and the late Salvador Sanchez. Brandon borrowed a page from the Chavez playbook when he scored his signature win over Luis Nery. A left to the solar plexus ended the match. Nery replied with a sweeping left hook, but it was all instinct. In a delayed reaction, he crumpled to the canvas after launching the errant punch and was counted out.

Although Omar Sr has a picture in his cell phone of Brandon in fighting togs when Brandon was two years old, he insists that he discouraged his younger son from pursuing a career in boxing. “He was too skinny and didn’t have Omar’s natural talent,” the elder Figueroa told this reporter when we chatted at Las Vegas’ Pound4Pound Boxing Gym. “Then, when Brandon was about 12 or 13, he started hurting bigger boys with punches to the body in sparring and I thought, hold on, maybe I have something here.”

Omar Sr. opened a gym, Pantera Boxing, to give his sons a leg up and eventually enough kids from the neighborhood started coming by to field an amateur boxing team.

Omar Figueroa Sr was born in Northern Mexico and came to the United States at age nine. Many of his siblings – he was one of nine children — reside in Mexico but close enough for family get-togethers. The Figueroa family has crossed the international bridge that connects the two countries on many occasions. Returning to Weslaco, they share the span with border-crossers seeking refuge in the United States.

“One of the things I’ve noticed,” says Brandon, “is that there are a lot more Europeans crossing over that bridge into the U.S. than we used to see, especially people from countries like Russia and Ukraine.”

About that nickname: Brandon acquired it while visiting relatives in Rio Bravo, Mexico, situated roughly 18 miles from Weslaco. He was just a boy, perhaps 11 or 12, and it was teenage or pre-teen girls who affixed the “Heartbreaker” label to him. Indeed, in the looks department, he could give Ryan Garcia a run for his money. (Back off, ladies, Brandon has a steady girlfriend.)

Brandon Figueroa doesn’t want boxing to define him. “I’m also a businessman,” he says, noting that he owns several parcels of Weslaco real estate and owns stock in one of his sponsors, LOCK’DIN, a start-up, high-performance beverage company whose Board of Directors includes Manny Pacquiao.

Brandon Pacquiao

In high school, Brandon took classes in theater. He has a role in a forthcoming Amazon Prime movie, “Find Me,” and a starring role in the first episode of the reconstituted “Tales from the Crypt” which will air on HBO Max.

When Brandon quits boxing, will Hollywood beckon? “I can’t imagine settling down anywhere but in the Valley,” he says. “The Valley will always be a part of me.”

In his last outing, Figueroa won an interim WBC featherweight title with a lopsided decision over Mark Magsayo. In theory, that boosted him into a fight with Rey Vargas who was allowed to keep his WBC featherweight title after moving up to 130 where he suffered his first defeat at the hands of O’Shaquie Foster. But in boxing, “money” trumps “mandatory” and Vargas jumped at the chance to fight in Saudi Arabia where he was fortunate to retain his title when he received a draw in his match with Liverpool’s Nick Ball.

The most lucrative fight out there would be a match with four-belt super bantamweight champion and pound-for-pound king Naoya Inoue who has expressed an interest in moving up to featherweight after disposing of Luis Nery. Yes, that’s putting the cart before the horse, but Brandon Figueroa thinks the challenger from Tijuana, despite his impressive record (35-1-1, 27 KOs) has scant chance of winning. “I found a hole in Nery’s style,” he said, “and knew that once fatigue set in for him, he would be mine.”

Inoue vs. Nery is a very big deal in Japan in part because there’s a hero and a villain. Luis Nery is the only man to defeat the popular Shinsuke Yamanaka, a long-reigning title-holder who quit the sport after Nery knocked him out twice. After their first meeting, Nery’s “A” and “B” samples tested positive for a banned substance and he came in three pounds overweight for the rematch (a substantial edge in a small weight class), for which he was suspended and dropped from the WBC rankings. Nery, wrote TSS correspondent Tamas Pradarics, “repeatedly cheated on the Japanese in ugly and disgusting ways,” and the Japanese haven’t forgotten.

If Brandon Figueroa goes off to Japan some day to oppose Naoya Inoue, it will take some doing to contort him into a villain. “I love the Japanese people and the Japanese culture,” he says, “the whole Samurai thing which is so in tune with the warrior spirit of Mexicans.”

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The pay-per-view portion of Saturday’s show is available for purchase on various cable and satellite platforms including Prime Video, DAZN.com, and PPV.com. First bell is slated for 8 pm ET/5 pm PT.

Brandon Figueroa vs. Jessie Magdaleno will be the second bout on the four-fight PPV program. It will follow the WBA world welterweight title fight between Eimantas Stanionis and Gabriel Maestre and will precede the WBC interim world welterweight title fight between Mario Barrios and Fabian Maidana.

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