THE FLURRY: No Wylie, I Say Pacquiao Beats Bradley in Rematch

Published

13 years ago

July 13, 2012

Bradley-Pac 2: You’re wrong, Wylie.

If you haven’t had a chance to read any of Lee Wylie’s stylistic breakdowns of fights on TSS, you’re missing out. On top of being entertaining and informative, he’s almost always right. When he says a jab from a different angle wins a fight, he’s usually spot-on. But in assessing a potential rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley, I wholeheartedly disagree with his belief that Bradley beats Manny. I just don’t see it.

Bradley may have been battling two bad wheels (which is incredibly impressive in retrospect) when they first met, but his inability to avoid and/or win exchanges is why he won’t beat Manny. In past fights, he has shown a desire to exchange punches. Particularly in a firefight when bombs are being thrown, Bradley (seemingly on competitive instinct) has too much pride to leave the pocket. He did not win one exchange against Manny, nor will he. Manny is faster, straighter, and more accurate with his power punches than Bradley. Bradley has immense will and determination, but his inclination to plant his feet and fight fire with fire will be (and was) his downfall. It takes an expert tactician/extremely accurate puncher to slow him down.Bradley’s hand speed is top-notch, but it’s not just hand speed that is needed to slow down PacMan. Juan Manuel Marquez has good, not great hand speed. He consistently slows Manny down by beating him to the punch (hand speed obviously helps here—but throwing first and landing first are two different beasts), and winning plenty of exchanges with his laser-like precision. Bradley seemed to try this approach, but he doesn’t have the God-given counter-punching abilities of Marquez. He simply needs to alter his strategy, and I don’t see him having the tools to develop a winning one.

While Manny’s attack has become that of a stalker (to Wylie’s point), and I agree he’s not adept at changing his style mid-fight (to Wylie’s point), he won’t have to (my point). The only thing Manny did wrong in the last fight was take his foot off the gas. He was on cruise control for large portions of the fight, and if you believe in the competence of the judges that night, it’s what cost him. He will easily win a rematch simply by pushing the fight for a full 12 rounds and throwing more punches (namely lead uppercuts) to neutralize Bradley’s jab, and I predict this time by knockout. Manny will leave no doubt.

Alvarez-Ortiz, scratch that, Lopez

It’s a real shame Ortiz fell out because Victor Ortiz was the perfect fight. He’s a big enough name to make Golden Boy happy, and a good enough fighter to make the fans happy. The kicker is that Ortiz is always in exciting fights, and he’d bring out the best in Alvarez. We’d see if Alvarez can beat a guy who’s in his athletic prime and really comes to win. I’d also like to see Canelo’s chin tested, and although Ortiz is smaller, he can definitely hit.

I thought Cornelius ‘K9’ Bundrage would be the best choice for the matchup, aside from Miguel Cotto. What he lacks in pretty he makes up for with gritty. He’s just a tough dude. He might've made a Canelo fight ugly, but he’d have forced Canelo to really fight and adapt on the fly. K9’s recent win against Cory Spinks didn’t do him any favors regarding securing this lucrative matchup, but he did win that fight with a pretty dominant stoppage. His time spent on ‘The Contender’ series gives home some marketability, and the seasoned boxing fan knows his name well enough to avoid any sort of public outcry to Golden Boy. I’m sure Canelo would handle him, but it would prove that he could handle a scrapper, and in reality it would probably be his toughest test to date.

It looked like Erislandy Lara and Vanes Martirosyan would be fighting one another (pending Al Haymon’s expert advice) to see who Alvarez would fight after his September TBD matchup. Both of those names would have been nice fill-ins for Ortiz in September, it would've been fine to let the contenders to decide with their fists who gets the big payday. It’s tough to pick a winner in this #1 contender matchup since Lara only shows up to fight at 100% sometimes, and Vanes hasn’t fought a serious opponent in what seems like years. I’ll take Lara, but I wouldn’t bet the house on it.

Carlos Molina hadn’t even been mentioned to get the Alvarez fight. Poor guy. Within boxing circles, it’s well known that Molina could give a test to any of these contenders. In fact, he already gave Lara all he could handle and I doubt the powers that be are looking to line that rematch up. This brings me to my next point:

Every weight class should have ongoing 4-man tournaments to determine genuinely mandatory contenders. K9, Lara, Molina, and Vanes (Austin Trout needs to earn entry here) should be FIGHTING for the right to take on. This should be done in every weight class. It helps the promoters, too! It gets the big ticket matchup additional marketability by adding credibility to the contenders. If you don’t think much of Lara, beating Vanes on a televised broadcast would go a long way in convincing doubters that he deserves Saul Alvarez and the paycheck that comes with him. Sigh.

Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr

I’ll take Martinez, but I don’t think this is a gimme. I’m really curious to see what the betting line looks like on this fight, because JCC, Jr. could definitely be a live dog (if he’s more than 3-to-1) with his body punching, chin and tenacity. If Martinez can’t hurt him or at least back him up with his straight left, this is going to be a dogfight. That said, I’ll take Martinez’s and his sublime movement and boxing ability.

At the end of the day, if Andy Lee could ‘outbox’ JCC in spurts, Marvailla should put on a clinic. Even though Junior walked right through Andy Lee, I think Maravilla is on another level.

In theory, this should be a night of the jabs. Sergio, for a ‘boxer’, does not really use his jab all that effectively. Rather, he leads with straight lefts and dissects his opponents with precise counter-punching. If Sergio doesn’t use his jab to dictate the range of this fight, he’ll make it a much tougher night than it needs to be. If JCC, Jr. doesn’t jab to find his range, he’ll be on the end of straight lefts all night long and lose in a landslide. I’m confident Sergio will use his jab, not just a show-jab but as a means to back up the younger foe, and follow up with multiple-punch combinations.

The size of the ring will actually be very important in dictating where this fight takes place. Obviously, a smaller ring limits the dancefloor for Maravilla, but it would encourage the majority of the fight to take place in the center of the ring (i.e. Advantage: Sergio) as Martinez cannot afford to sit on the ropes against JCC, Jr. While Martinez is known for his movement, he showed in his first fight with Paul Williams that he can definitely trade shots effectively in the center of the ring. Sergio is simply the more creative puncher. Creativity coupled with accuracy typically wins out in close quarter unless there’s a massive power discrepancy, and I don’t think either is a pure KO artist. I can only see Chavez winning if he can pin Martinez up against the ropes, and I just don’t see Sergio allowing him to do that.

I think it’s safe to say JCC, Jr. is the best fighter Sergio has faced since Paul Williams. Against the aforementioned Punisher, Sergio showed an ability to take a punch, last 12 hard rounds, go toe-to-toe, and in the second of their memorable matches, he showed that he can take you out with one punch. All of these qualities (coupled with his ability to move and counter effectively) will be on full display in a fight-of-the-year candidate victory. Yes, I said fight-of-the-year candidate. JCC, Jr. has the necessary heart, power, and aggression to make this a barnburner. Fortunately for Martinez, he’s already been in these types of fights with better fighters than Chavez, which is why he’ll take home the belts.

Nonito Donaire looked explosive, but not incredible

After seeing his weekend win against Mathebula, it’s safe to say that Donaire could be a bit one-dimensional. Granted that one dimension is explosive lead power punching, he doesn’t seem to offer much else. His movement is fun to watch, but it’s not as effective as it looks since he took a number of clean punches from Mathebula. Fortunately for him, Mathebula hits like a 122-lb fighter.

Mathebula was very impressive in his application of the sweet science, although he was underwhelming to the common eye. Short, straight counter-punches landed cleanly for him for much of the second half of the fight against Donaire. After recognizing Donaire’s plan to simply leap in with his lead left hook, Mathebula did a tremendous job neutralizing it (Well, after he got dropped by one).

Sidebar: Hot trainer Robert Garcia did his best Freddie Roach impersonation by giving little to no help to Donaire in altering his game plan despite being out-landed in most of the middle rounds.

For the record, I’m a huge Donaire fan. I love the way that he brings it and consistently throws power punches. He’s a treat to watch and I look forward to seeing him fight again. Just seeing Mathebula take away his left and take few clean punches (except a vicious right that probably broke his jaw in the 11^th) makes me wonder how great he really is. It sounds like he wants to unify titles before moving up in weight again, but the obvious choice is seeing him fight Guillermo Rigondeaux. The explosive, aggressive punching of Donaire would make for a perfect style clash with the cerebral counter-punching excellence that Rigondeaux showed in his last bout with Teon Kennedy. It would be a true display of the sweet science. I’ll take Rigo since Mathebula was able to slow down Donaire so well.

Kelly Pavlik’s win more than meets the eye

Pavlik’s win on the Donaire undercard didn’t impress me (or anyone, really) all that much. However, his post-fight interview made me re-think what he had shown us. In his last few fights, including Saturday night’s, he has utterly outclassed the B/C-level fighters he’s faced. He said it himself in the interview: “That’s the caliber of fighter I am”. He’s totally right. While he didn’t look spectacular, he never once looked vulnerable against these guys, and completely dominated them in lopsided victories. He’s supposed to dominate these guys, and he is doing just that. He’s admittedly trying to get his rounds in, so I’ll personally look forward to a step up for him. At the end of the day, his only losses are to Sergio Martinez (largely recognized as the #3 P4P fighter on the planet) and Bernard Hopkins, who’s not only a first-ballot Hall of Famer but just a horrific style matchup for anyone. Bring on Lucian Bute! Let’s see who can bounce back to the top of the 168-lb fold.

Khan-Garcia Prediction

Khan by dominant decision. The only way I see Khan losing this fight is if he gets knocked out. If I’m wrong, I’ll blame Freddie Roach big-time. There’s a noticeable skill discrepancy between these two fighters, so Khan needs to exploit Danny Garcia. Garcia is a very good fighter, and I truly believe that Khan has an elite skill-set. He should be able overwhelm Garcia.

Props to Donovan “Da Bomb” George.

As many expected, Andre Dirrell backed out of his fight with Adonis Stevenson. What also comes as no surprise, Donovan George didn’t balk at accepting the fight. The heavy-handed fighter (who, like me, is from Chicago and, unlike me, has a huge following in Chicago) has a big time right hand, and always comes to fight. Showtime will get their money’s worth, and hopefully Da Bomb gets back in the 168-title picture.

Follow me to hear more predictions and fight analysis @Blakehoc

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Blake Hochberger

Rolly Romero Upsets Ryan Garcia in the Finale of a Times Square Tripleheader

Published

14 hours ago

May 2, 2025

David A. Avila

Rolly Romero Upsets Ryan Garcia in the Finale of a Times Square Tripleheader

Disappointment.

Those bright lights on Times Square proved too much for some but not for Rolly Romero who soaked it up, floored Ryan Garcia early, then cruised to victory on the public streets of Manhattan on Friday.

Romero (17-2, 13 KOs) rode into the prize ring in a vintage Chevy Impala against Garcia (24-2, 23 KOs) and his flashy Batmobile on the streets of Manhattan and walked away victorious.

Simple as one-two-three.

Though both fighters pack tremendous power it was the lightning speed of Garcia that transfixed most and many felt that speed would prevail. It did not.

Instead, Romero caught Garcia inside with his own left hook followed quickly with another hook and down went the Southern Californian in the second round. But just like in previous instances Garcia quickly got up.

Romero tried to end the fight but was caught with a Garcia left hook and you could visibly see the changes in attitude. Romero re-thought his strategy and took the safer approach of making it a slow-moving exchange of feints, jabs and touches from distance.

For the next 10 rounds the crowd first sat on the edge of their seat then slowly sank back realizing that self-preservation had overtaken both fighters.

Though there were moments of possible shock, awe and explosion, it never came. After 12 rounds two judges scored it 115-112, and another 118-109 for Romero.

“Knockdowns always help the fighter,” said Romero.

Garcia was gracious in defeat.

“Rolly fought a good fight and did a good job,” said Garcia. “Hats off to Rolly.”

Haney Wins

Las Vegas fighter Devin Haney (32-0, 15 KOs) defeated Central California’s Jose Carlos Ramirez (29-3, 18 KOs) in a fight with few punches exchanged but plenty of side-to-side movement to win by unanimous decision.

For most fans, watching dirt turn to mud would have been more exciting.

If Haney’s goal was to win the fight and remain undefeated, he succeeded. If he was seeking to entertain fans and prove he is one of the best welterweights in the world?

It was a failure.

Still, Haney evaded exchanges for more than two minutes out of every round. Ramirez, knowing that chasing with abandon could lead to traps could not close the distance.

Haney did get caught a few times and proved any shock residual from his last fight against Ryan Garcia a year ago was a none-issue. Ramirez was also caught by a few uppercuts and survived.

Though very little meaningful punches were landed by either fighter, the judges chose Haney 119-109 twice and 118-110.

Teofimo Wins

Fighting in front of hometown fans, Teofimo Lopez (22-1, 13 KOs) gave Arnold Barboza (32-1) his first defeat.

But it was never easy.

It was like watching a magician at work as Lopez led viewers, commentators and TV judges to think he was overwhelming Barboza with his left hand. Meanwhile the actual fight was happening in a far different dimension.

Jim Lampley, the golden voice of TV commentating for decades, returned but he needs a crack group to lead him toward the proper direction. In this instance he was told Lopez was winning every round.

He was not.

Every time Lopez tried to bamboozle his foe, he was met with a body shot, jab or some other deterrent. Every round was contested scientifically with precise steps, counter steps and touches.

Lopez was quickly swollen by the blows landed by Barboza, yet the Californian did not show as much. Lopez was indeed connecting too.

It was a brilliant display of scientific boxing that the commentating crew failed to convey to the viewers. At one point, I simply turned off the sound.

Few blows landed flush. A right cross that beat Lopez to the punch in the sixth round was perhaps the best. A slick three-punch combination by Lopez in the seventh round was poetry.

Neither fighter was able to take over the fight.

Lopez moved around every round never staying in the same spot. Barboza maintained his balance and composure and seldom gave Lopez easy pickings. After 12 rounds of scientific boxing all three judges scored in favor of Lopez 116-112 twice and 118-109.

“Never quit in anything you want to do,” said Lopez.

On another note, the new commentating team for DAZN needs better side support for Lampley.

Overall, the Ring Magazine fight card was all razzle but no dazzle.

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 324: Ryan Garcia Leads Three Days in May Battles

Published

2 days ago

May 1, 2025

David A. Avila

Avila Perspective, Chap. 324: Ryan Garcia Leads Three Days in May Battles

They’re fighting on the streets of New York again.

Times Square.

Ryan “King Ry” Garcia leads six of the best crack shots in boxing under 30 in New York City on Friday, May 2. It begins a three-day event that moves to Saudi Arabia on Saturday then Las Vegas on Sunday. Three targets.

A number of the best promoters in the sport of boxing are combining forces for “Ring Magazine’s Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves.”

Time Square is target one.

Fresh off a one-year suspension, Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) brings his brand of speed and power against Rollie Romero (16-2, 13 KOs), who is no shrinking petunia when it comes to power. They meet in the main event.

Ever since Garcia took off the amateur head gear, he’s shown almost inhuman explosive power and speed. Though his destruction of Devin Haney last year was overturned by the New York Athletic Commission, what viewers saw cannot be erased.

“His dad likes to talk a lot,” said Garcia of Haney. “that’s what got his son beat the first time.”

Now he faces Romero, whose years ago sparring superiority caused a furor when it happened. But sparring and fighting are distinctly different. Now there will be millions watching and future earnings at stake.

“This fight was destined to happen. I called it. I knew it was gonna be at 147 pounds and be one of the biggest fights in boxing history,” said Romero, a two-division champion.

Then, you have Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) who got his loss in the ring removed by the commission but now faces former two-time champion Jose Carlos Ramirez (29-2, 18 KOs) in a welterweight showdown. It’s a compelling match.

“Styles make fights. He does a lot of good things and a lot of bad things in there. It’s my job to go in there and handicap him of the good things he does and exploit the bad things,” said Haney of Ramirez.

Ramirez recently lost his last match and has a history of problems making weight. This fight will not be at 140 pounds, but five pounds heavier.

“I owe it to myself to show up and move up into a bigger weight class. I think that’s going to do wonders for me,” Ramirez said. ““I’m preparing for the best Devin Haney. That’s the guy I want to beat. I want that challenge.”

A super lightweight battle between New York’s Teofimo Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) and California’s Arnold Barboza (32-0, 11 KOs) might be a Rubik’s Cube battle or a blast of nitro. Both are highly skilled and master craftsmen in a prize ring.

“We’re going to go out there and do what I have to do. I’m going to have fun and beat the brick out of this boy,” said Lopez, one of the local fighters who now lives and trains on the West Coast.

Barboza, a Los Angeles native, has knocked off several top contenders in remaining undefeated.

“This is the toughest opponent of my career,” said Barboza, who bested England’s Jack Catterall and fellow Californian Jose Carlos Ramirez. “I’m gonna punch him in the mouth and see what happens.”

Six of the best American fighters under 30 are slugging it out on Times Square. It probably hasn’t been done since Boss Tweed.

Day Two: Riyadh

Super middleweight champions Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs) and William Scull (23-0, 9 KOs) meet on Saturday, May 3, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It’s an extension of Ring Magazine’s event on Friday and presented by Riyadh Season. DAZN will stream the event on pay-per-view.

Another world title match pits Badou Jack (28-3-3, 17 KOs) versus Norair Mikaeljan (27-2 12 KOs) for the WBC cruiser world title.

Also, a return match between Mexico’s Jaime Munguia (44-2, 35 KOs) and France’s Bruno Surace (26-0-2, 5 KOs) in a super middleweight fight.

Day Three: Las Vegas

Immensely talented Naoya “Monster” Inoue of Japan returns to Las Vegas to showcase his fighting skills to an American audience.

It’s been nearly four years since Inoue appeared in Las Vegas and demonstrated why many experts and fans call him the best fighter pound for pound on the planet. The best.

“I’m excited about everything,” said Inoue about the opportunity to fight in front of an American audience once again.

Inoue (29-0, 26 KOs) defends the undisputed super bantamweight championship against a little-known banger from San Antonio, Texas named Ramon “Dinamita” Cardenas (26-1, 14 KOs). ESPN will televise the Top Rank and Teiken Promotions fight card.

Don’t dismiss Cardenas casually. He is co-promoted by Sampson Lewkowicz who knows a thing or two about signing little known sluggers such as Manny Pacquiao, Marcos Maidana and female undisputed champ Gabriela Fundora.

Cardenas trains with brothers Joel and Antonio Diaz in Indio, California and rumor has it has been cracking on the Uzbeks who are pretty rough and tumble.

Of course, the Monster is another matter.

Inoue has fought many of the best smaller weight fighters such as Luis Nery, Stephen Fulton and the great Nonito Donaire and swept them aside with his combination of speed, power and skill.

“I’m always going for the knockout,” Inoue said.

Cardenas always goes for the knockout too.

Two bangers in Las Vegas. That’s what prizefighting is all about.

“I hope to enjoy the whole atmosphere and the fight,” said Inoue. Also, it’s my first time fighting in the T-Mobile Arena.”

Co-Feature

WBO featherweight champion Rafael Espinoza (26-0, 22 KOs) of Mexico defends against Edward Vazquez (17-2, 4 KOs) of Texas. This will be Espinoza’s third defense of the world title.

Espinoza could be Inoue’s next opponent if the Japanese legend decides to move up another weight division.

Also on the fight card will be Emiliano Vargas, Ra’eese Aleem and others.

Fights to Watch (all times Pacific Time)

Fri. DAZN ppv 2 p.m. Ryan Garcia (24-1) vs Rolando Romero (16-2); Devin Haney (31-1) vs Jose Carlos Ramirez (29-2); Teofimo Lopez (21-1) vs Arnold Barboza (32-0).

Sat. DAZN ppv 2:45 p.m. Saul Alvarez (62-2-2) vs William Scull (23-0); Badou Jack (28-3-3) vs Norair Mikeljan (27-2); Jaime Munguia (44-2) vs Bruno Surace (26-0-2).

Sun. ESPN 7 p.m. Naoya Inoue (29-0) vs Ramon Cardenas (26-1); Rafael Espinoza (26-0) vs Edward Vazquez (17-2); Ra’eese Aleem (21-1) vs Rudy Garcia (13-1-1).

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Jorge Garcia is the TSS Fighter of the Month for April

Published

5 days ago

April 28, 2025

Arne K. Lang

Jorge-Garcia-is-the-TSS-Fighter-of-the-Month-for-April

Jorge Garcia has a lot in common with Mexican countrymen Emanuel Navarrete and Rafael Espinoza. In common with those two, both reigning world title-holders, Garcia is big for his weight class and bubbled out of obscurity with a triumph forged as a heavy underdog in a match contested on American soil.

Garcia had his “coming of age party” on April 19 in the first boxing event at the new Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California (roughly 35 miles north of San Diego), a 7,500-seat facility whose primary tenant is an indoor soccer team. It was a Golden Boy Promotions event and in the opposite corner was a Golden Boy fighter, Charles Conwell.

A former U.S. Olympian, Conwell was undefeated (21-0, 16 KOs) and had won three straight inside the distance since hooking up with Golden Boy whose PR department ballyhooed him as the most avoided fighter in the super welterweight division. At prominent betting sites, Conwell was as high as a 12/1 favorite.

The lanky Garcia was 32-4 (26 KOs) heading in, but it was easy to underestimate him as he had fought extensively in Tijuana where the boxing commission is notoriously docile and in his home state of Sinaloa. This would be only his second fight in the U.S. However, it was noteworthy in hindsight that three of his four losses were by split decision.

Garcia vs. Conwell was a robust affair. He and Conwell were credited with throwing 1451 punches combined. In terms of punches landed, there was little to choose between them but the CompuBox operator saw Garcia landing more power punches in eight of the 12 rounds. At the end, the verdict was split but there was no controversy.

An interested observer was Sebastian Fundora who was there to see his sister Gabriela defend her world flyweight titles. Sebastian owns two pieces of the 154-pound world title where the #1 contender per the WBO is Xander Zayas who keeps winning, but not with the verve of his earlier triumphs.

With his upset of Charles Conwell, Jorge Garcia has been bumped into the WBO’s #2 slot. Regardless of who he fights next, Garcia will earn the biggest payday of his career.

Honorable mention: Aaron McKenna

McKenna was favored to beat veteran campaigner Liam Smith in the co-feature to the Eubank-Benn battle this past Saturday in London, but he was stepping up in class against a former world title-holder who had competed against some of the top dogs in the middleweight division and who had famously stopped Chris Eubank Jr in the first of their two encounters. Moreover, the venue, Tottenham Hotspur, the third-largest soccer stadium in England, favored the 36-year-old Liverpudlian who was accustomed to a big fight atmosphere having fought Canelo Alvarez before 50,000-plus at Arlington Stadium in Texas.

McKenna, from the small town of Monaghan, Ireland, wasn’t overwhelmed by the occasion. With his dad Feargal in his corner and his fighting brother Stephen McKenna cheering him on from ringside, Aaron won a wide decision in his first 12-round fight, punctuating his victory by knocking Smith to his knees with a body punch in the 12^th round. In fact, if he hadn’t had a point deducted for using his elbow, the Irishman would have pitched a shutout on one of the scorecards.

“There might not be a more impressive example of a fighter moving up in class,” wrote Tris Dixon of the 25-year-old “Silencer” who improved his ledger to 20-0 (10).

Photo credits: Garcia/Conwell photo compliments of Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy; McKenna-Smith provided by Mark Robinson/Matchroom

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