Three Punch Combo: Estrada-Orucuta, Ugas-Barrionuevo and More

Published

6 years ago

September 3, 2018

THREE PUNCH COMBO — HBO Boxing returns this week with SuperFly 3, a card that features a tripleheader of action in the 115-pound weight division. Juan Francisco Estrada (36-3, 25 KO’s), who has fought on the first two SuperFly shows, headlines this card facing Mexican countryman Felipe Orucuta (36-4, 30 KO’s) in a non-title fight. Can the relatively unknown Orucuta spring an upset?

Orucuta’s resume doesn’t include many recognizable names. He has basically feasted on inferior opposition throughout his career in building a gaudy record along with an impressive knockout percentage.

The biggest name on his ledger is that of Omar Narvaez. Orucuta twice challenged Narvaez for Narvaez’s 115-pound title belt. In 2013, Orucuta dropped a controversial twelve round split decision to Narvaez in Narvaez’s home country of Argentina. Many who watched the fight believed Orucuta had out-worked the champion. The rematch took place a little more than a year later, again in Argentina, and this time Narvaez would win a twelve round majority decision. Unlike the first fight, Narvaez seemed to clearly win the rematch.

Since losing to Narvaez for a second time in 2014, Orucuta has compiled a record of 7-1 with 6 knockouts. The one loss came in December of 2015 to Jose Cayetano in a fight that was stopped after six rounds because of a cut. This is the only time Orucuta has been stopped in his career and was a fight in which he faced a man who was naturally a much bigger opponent as Cayetano had come down from the featherweight division after losing a decision to Leo Santa Cruz.

Orucuta is tall for his weight class, standing 5’7”, and will have a three-inch height advantage. Orucuta, who fights from the orthodox stance, likes to use his height and his legs in working behind the left jab at a distance. He can be a high volume puncher, but his hand speed is average at best. Though the record shows 30 knockouts in 36 wins, he is more of a heavy handed type puncher with many of those stoppage wins coming against inferior foes.

Defensively, Orucuta makes a lot of mistakes and is there to be hit. He often throws wide wild shots that are easy to see and counter. He has a penchant for launching right uppercuts from a distance that can be timed and often holds his left around his hip.

In my opinion, I don’t think Orucuta is capable of springing an upset. I see Estrada easily making Orucuta pay for his many defensive mistakes. That said, given the fact Orucuta does have a decent left jab and can throw a high volume of punches, I think we could get some exciting exchanges early in this fight. But Estrada is much more skilled as well as more athletic and should at some point take control with his crisper punches on route to a probable stoppage victory.

Under The Radar Fight

A bigger event this Saturday will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn where Showtime will televise the much anticipated welterweight title bout between Danny Garcia (34-1, 20 KO’s) and Shawn Porter (28-2-1, 17 KO’s). As part of the televised undercard, there is a pivotal crossroads welterweight bout between Yordenis Ugas (22-3, 11 KO’s) of Cuba and Cesar Miguel Barrionuevo (34-3-2, 24 KO’s) of Argentina. This bout may be flying under the radar but is a very interesting contest in what is a stacked welterweight division.

Ugas has been on a roll since losing back-to-back contests by decision in 2014 to Emmanuel Robles and Amir Imam. Ugas took more than two years off after those defeats but since coming back has rolled off seven straight wins, most coming against formidable opposition including Jamal James and Bryant Perrella, both of whom were then undefeated.

Ugas comes from the Cuban school of fighting and has extensive amateur experience including an appearance at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. He is a skilled as well as slick boxer-puncher. He knows how to use his feet and maneuver the ring to create angles to land precision punches and will often work behind a solid well-timed left jab. Ugas is also an excellent counterpuncher and uses his solid defense to make opponents miss and then make them pay.

Barrionuevo is a relative unknown who will be venturing out of his native Argentina for just the second time in his career. But make no mistake about it, he can fight.

A boxer-puncher who fights from the southpaw stance, Barrionuevo is elusive and not easy to hit. He also possesses lightning fast hands. He will look to jump in and out on Ugas, unleashing quick combinations. Finally, Barrionuevo does have punching power, particularly in his left hand. He has scored some impressive one punch knockouts with the straight left down the pipe.

Ugas is the name with plenty of seasoned skill but Barrionuevo is the quicker, more athletic fighter with some big time punching power. This is a good, well matched fight with plenty of intrigue that should be hotly contested.

Acknowledging Two of August’s Stand-Out Performances

The month of August was not one of the busiest of months in boxing and unfortunately the biggest headline occurred when a fighter walked out of the ring just after the opening bell rang. But there were some noteworthy performances that flew quite a bit under the radar.

On August 19^th, 130-pound prospect Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov moved to 13-0 with 10 knockouts when he destroyed former world title challenger Robinson Castellanos in two rounds. On paper, Castellanos represented a giant leap in competition for Rakhimov and many thought he’d at the very least test Rakhimov. But it was no competition from the opening bell.

In the first round, Rakhimov knocked Castellanos down with a powerful right jab. After putting Castellanos down twice more in the second, Rakhimov abruptly closed the show with a perfectly placed left to the solar plexus. It was an eye- opening power punching display by Rakhimov who firmly put himself on the map in the 130-pound weight division.

On August 24^th, welterweight prospect Eimantas Stanionis moved to 7-0 with an impressive eight round unanimous decision over Levan Ghvamichava. Similar to Rakhimov-Castellanos, this was a fight in which the young pro prospect was supposed to be tested by the veteran opponent. But Stanionis came out quickly and established his superiority in the opening minutes of the contest. Stanionis pumped out a powerful precision left jab that was snapping the head back of Ghvamichava and following that up with brutal heavy handed combinations that landed with pinpoint accuracy. Ghvamichava went into a defensive posture early, hesitant to let his hands go for fear of what could be coming back at him.

It was quite an impressive performance by Stanionis in dominating a very capable pro in front of a nationally televised audience.

– – –

The following day, Edgar Cantu dropped to 7-5-2 losing a wide eight round unanimous decision to 2106 Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceicao in a 130-pound contest. Why am I highlighting Cantu here? Well, on a weekend where a fighter walking out of the ring grabbed all the headlines, a fighter who should have garnered at least a little press for himself was Cantu. Though limited and outgunned, Cantu fought his heart out, winging haymakers and trying to do all he could to change the course of the bout. He fought to win until the final bell despite the insurmountable odds in front of him.

Boxing needs fighters like Cantu and he deserves credit for his all-out effort against Conceicao.

Photo credit: Tom Hogan / Hogan Photos

Check out more boxing news on video at The Boxing Channel

To comment on this article at The Fight Forum, CLICK HERE.

Post Views: 0

Share The Sweet Science experience!

Matt Andrzejewski

Up Next

Kownacki Hopes to Land His Biggest Shots Inside the Fair Pole

Don't Miss

Trouble-Plagued Jermain Taylor: A Different Perspective

Floyd Schofield Wins a Banger and Gabriela Fundora Wins by KO

Published

2 days ago

November 3, 2024

David A. Avila

Floyd-Schofield-Wins-a-Banger-and Gabriella-Fundora-Wins-by-KO

Floyd Schofield Wins a Banger and Gabriela Fundora Wins by KO

LAS VEGAS-Shades of Henry Armstrong and Baby Arizmendi. If you don’t know those names, look them up.

Floyd Schofield battled his way past Mexico’s super tough Rene Tellez Giron who walked through every blow the Texan could fire but lost by decision on Saturday.

It was a severe test and perfect matchmaking for Schofield who yearns for the big bouts against the lightweight giants roaming the world.

Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs) remains undefeated and won the war over thick-necked Mexican Tellez Giron (20-4, 13 KOs) who has never been knocked out and proved to be immune to big punches.

In the opening rounds, the Texas fighter came out firing rapid combinations from the southpaw and orthodox stances. Meanwhile the shorter Tellez Giron studied and fired back an occasional counter for two rounds.

Tellez Giron had seen enough and took his stand in the third stanza. Both unleashed blazing bombs with Schofield turning his back to the Mexican. At that moment referee Tom Taylor could have waved the fight over.

You never turn your back.

The fight resumed and Schofield was damaged. He tried to open up with even more deadly fire but was rebuked by the strong chin of Tellez Giron who fired back in the mad frenzy.

For the remainder of the fight Schofield tried every trick in his arsenal to inflict damage on the thick-necked Mexican. He could not be wobbled. In the 11^th round both opened up with serious swing-from-the-heels combinations and suddenly Schofield was looking up. He beat the count easily and the two remained slugging it out.

“He hit me with a good shot,” Schofield said of the knockdown. “I just had to get up. I’m not going to quit.”

In the final round Schofield moved around looking for the proper moment to engage. The Mexican looked like a cat ready to pounce and the two fired furious blows. Neither was hit with the big bombs in the last seconds.

There was Tellez Giron standing defiantly like Baby Arizmendi must have stood in those five ferocious meetings against the incomparable Henry Armstrong. Three of their wars took place in Los Angeles, two at the Olympic Auditorium in the late 1930s as the U.S. was emerging from the Great Depression.

In this fight, Schofield took the win by unanimous decision by scores 118-109 twice and 116-111. It was well-deserved.

“I tried to bang it out,” said Schofield. “Today I learned you can’t always get the knockout.”

Fundora

IBF flyweight titlist Gabriela Fundora needed seven rounds to figure out the darting style of Argentina’s Gabriela Alaniz before firing a laser left cross down the middle to end the battle and become the undisputed flyweight world champion.

Fundora now holds all four titles including the WBO, WBA and WBC titles that Alaniz brought in the ring.

Fundora knocked down Alaniz midway through the seventh round. She complained it was due to a tangle of the legs. Several seconds later Fundora blasted the Argentine to the floor again with a single left blast. This time there was no doubt. Her corner wisely waved a white towel to stop the fight at 1:40 of the seventh round.

No one argued the stoppage.

Other Bouts

Bektemir Melikuziev (15-1, 10 KOs) didn’t make weight in a title bout but managed to out-fight David Stevens (14-2, 10 KOs) in a super middleweight fight held at 12 rounds.

Melikuziev used his movement and southpaw stance to keep Pennsylvania’s Stevens from being able to connect with combinations. But Stevens did show he could handle “The Bully’s” punching power over the 12-round fight.

After 12 rounds one judge favored Stevens 116-112, while two others saw Melikuziev the winner by split decision 118-110 and 117-111.

Super middleweight WBA titlist Darius Fulghum (13-0, 11 KOs) pummeled his way to a technical knockout win over southpaw veteran Chris Pearson (17-5-1, 12 KOs) who attempted the rope-a-dope strategy to no avail.

Fulghum floored Pearson in the first round with a four-punch combination and after that just belted Pearson who covered up and fired an occasional blow. Referee Mike Perez stopped the fight at 1:02 of the third round when Pearson did not fire back after a blazing combination.

Young welterweight prospect Joel Iriarte (5-0, 5 KOs) blasted away at the three-inch shorter Xavier Madrid (5-6, 2 KOs) who hung tough for as long as possible. At 2:50 of the first round a one-two delivered Madrid to the floor and referee Thomas Taylor called off the beating.

Iriarte, from Bakersfield, Calif., could not miss with left uppercuts and short rights as New Mexico’s Madrid absorbed every blow but would not quit. It was just too much firepower from Iriarte that forced the stoppage.

Photos credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE

Post Views: 0

Share The Sweet Science experience!

Results and Recaps from Turning Stone where O’Shaquie Foster Nipped Robson Conceicao

Published

2 days ago

November 2, 2024

Arne K. Lang

Results-and-Recaps-from-Turning-Stone-where-O'Shaquie-Foster-Nipped-Robson-Conceicao

Top Rank was at the Turning Stone casino-resort in Verona, New York, tonight with an 8-bout card topped by a rematch between Robson Conceicao and O’Shaquie Foster with the victor retaining or recapturing his IBF world junior lightweight title. When the smoke cleared, the operative word was “recapturing” as Foster became a two-time title-holder, avenging his controversial setback to the Brazilian in Newark on July 6.

This was a somewhat better fight than their initial encounter and once again the verdict was split. Foster prevailed by 115-113 on two of the cards with the dissenting judge favoring Conceicao by the same margin. Conceicao seemingly had the edge after nine frames, but Foster, a 4/1 favorite, landed the harder shots in the championship rounds.

It was the thirteenth victory in the last 14 starts for Foster who fights out of Houston. A two-time Olympian and 2016 gold medalist, the 36-year-old Conceicao is 19-3-1 overall and 1-3-1 in world title fights.

Semi-wind-up

SoCal lightweight Raymond Muratalla (22-0, 17 KOs) made a big jump in public esteem and moved one step closer to a world title fight with a second-round blast-out of Jose Antonio Perez who was on the canvas twice but on his feet when the fight was stopped at the 1:24 mark of round two. Muratalla, a product of Robert Garcia’s boxing academy, is ranked #2 by the WBC and WBO. A Tijuana native, Perez (25-6) earned this assignment with an upset of former Olympian and former 130-pound world titlist Jojo Diaz,

Other Bouts

Syracuse junior welterweight Bryce Mills, a high-pressure fighter with a strong local following, stopped scrawny Mike O’Han Jr whose trainer Mark DeLuca pulled him out after five one-sided rounds. Mills improved to 17-1 (6 KOs). It was another rough day at the office for Massachusetts house painting contractor O’’Han (19-4) who had the misfortune of meeting Abdullah Mason in his previous bout.

In a junior lightweight fight that didn’t heat up until late in the final round, Albany’s Abraham Nova (23-3-1) and Tijuana native Humberto Galindo (14-3-3) fought to a 10-round draw. It was another close-but-no- cigar for the likeable Nova who at least stemmed a two-fight losing streak. The judges had it 97-93 (Galindo), 96-94 (Nova) and 95-95.

Twenty-one-year-old Long Island middleweight Jahi Tucker advanced to 13-1-1 (6 KOs) with an eighth-round stoppage of Stockton’s teak-tough but outclassed Quilisto Madera (14-6). Madera was on a short leash after five rounds, but almost took it to the final bell with the referee intervening with barely a minute remaining in the contest. Madera was on his feet when the match was halted. Earlier in the round, Tucker had a point deducted for hitting on the break.

Danbury, Connecticut heavyweight Ali Feliz, one of two fighting sons of journeyman heavyweight Fernely Feliz, improved to 4-0 (3) with a second-round stoppage of beefy Rashad Coulter (5-5). Feliz had Coulter pinned against the ropes and was flailing away when the bout was halted at the 1:34 mark. The 42-year-old Coulter, a competitor in all manner of combat sports, hadn’t previously been stopped when competing as a boxer.

Featherweight Yan Santana dominated and stopped Mexico’s Eduardo Baez who was rescued by referee Charlie Fitch at the 1:57 mark of round four. It was the 12^th knockout in 13 starts for Santana, a 24-year-old Dominican father of three A former world title challenger, Mexicali’s Baez declines to 23-7-2 but has lost six of his last eight.

In his most impressive showing to date, Damian Knyba, a six-foot-seven Pole, knocked out paunchy Richard Lartey at the 2:10 mark of round three. A right-left combination knocked Lartey into dreamland, but it was the right did the damage and this was of the nature of a one-punch knockout. Referee Ricky Gonzalez waived the fight off without starting a count.

Knyba, 28, improved to 14-0 (8 KOs). A native of Ghana coming off his career-best win, a fourth-round stoppage of Polish veteran Andrzej Wawrzyk, Lartey declined to 16-7 with his sixth loss inside the distance.

Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE

Post Views: 0

Share The Sweet Science experience!

Avila Perspective, Chap. 303: Spotlights on Lightweights and More

Published

3 days ago

November 1, 2024

David A. Avila

Avila-Perspective-Chap-303-Spotlights-on-Lightweights-and-More

Those lightweights.

Whether junior lights, super lights or lightweights, it’s the 130-140 divisions where most of boxing’s young stars are found now or in the past.

Think Oscar De La Hoya, Sugar Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather.

Floyd Schofield (17-0, 12 KOs) a Texas product, hungers to be a star and takes on Mexico’s Rene Tellez Giron (20-3, 13 KOs) in a 12-round lightweight bout on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada.

DAZN will stream the Golden Boy Promotion card that includes a female undisputed flyweight championship match pitting Argentina’s Gabriela Alaniz and Gabriela Fundora.

Like a young lion looking to flex, Schofield (pictured on the left) is eager to meet all the other young lions and prove they’re not equal.

“I’ve been in the room with Shakur, Tank. I want to give everyone a good fight. I feel like my preparation is getting better, I work hard, I’ve dedicated my whole life to this sport,” said Schofield naming fellow lightweights Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta “Tank” Davis.

Now he meets Mexico’s Tellez who has never been stopped.

“I’m willing to do whatever it takes,” said Tellez.

Even in Las Vegas.

Verona, New York

Meanwhile, in upstate New York, a WBC junior lightweight title rematch finds Robson Conceicao (19-2-1, 9 KOs) looking to prove superior to former titlist O’Shaquie Foster (22-3, 12 KOs) on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, N.Y. ESPN+ will stream the Top Rank fight card.

Last July, Conceicao and Foster clashed and after 12 rounds the title changed hands from Foster to the Brazilian by split decision.

“I feel that a champion is a fighter who goes out there and doesn’t run around, who looks for the fight, who tries to win, and doesn’t just throw one or two punches and then moves away,” said Conceicao.

Foster disagrees.

“I hope he knows the name of the game is to hit and not get hit. That’s the name of the game,” said Foster.

Also on the same card is lightweight contender Raymond Muratalla (21-0, 16 KOs) who fights Mexico’s Jesus Perez Campos (25-5, 18 KOs).

Perez recently defeated former world champion Jojo Diaz last February in California.

“We’re made for challenges. I like challenges,” said Perez.

Muratalla likes challenges too.

“I think these fights are the types of fights I need to show my skills and to prove I deserve those title fights,” said Fontana’s Muratalla.

Female Undisputed Flyweight Championship

WBA, WBC and WBO flyweight titlist Gabriela “La Chucky” Alaniz (15-1, 6 KOs meets IBF titlist Gabriela Fundora (14-0, 6 KOs) on Saturday Nov. 2, at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada. DAZN will stream the clash for the undisputed flyweight championship.

Argentina’s Alaniz clashed twice against former WBA, WBC champ Marlen Esparza with their first encounter ending in a dubious win for the Texas fighter. In fact, three of Esparza’s last title fights were scored controversially.

But against Alaniz, though they fought on equal terms, Esparza was given a 99-91 score by one of the judges though the world saw a much closer contest. So, they fought again, but the rematch took place in California. Two judges deemed Alaniz the winner and one Esparza for a split-decision win.

“I’m really happy to be here representing Argentina. We are ready to fight. Nothing about this fight has to do with Marlen. So, I hope she (Fundora) is ready. I am ready to prepare myself for the great fight of my life,” said Alaniz.

In the case of Fundora, the extremely tall American fighter at 5’9” in height defeated decent competition including Maria Santizo. She was awarded a match with IBF flyweight titlist Arely Mucino who opted for the tall youngster over the dangerous Kenia Enriquez of Mexico.

Bad choice for Mucino.

Fundora pummeled the champion incessantly for five rounds at the Inglewood Forum a year ago. Twice she battered her down and the fight was mercifully stopped. Fundora’s arm was raised as the new champion.

Since that win Fundora has defeated Christina Cruz and Chile’s Daniela Asenjo in defense of the IBF title. In an interesting side bit: Asenjo was ranked as a flyweight contender though she had not fought in that weight class for seven years.

Still, Fundora used her reach and power to easily handle the rugged fighter from Chile.

Immediately after the fight she clamored for a chance to become undisputed.

“It doesn’t get better than this, especially being in Las Vegas. This is the greatest opportunity that we can have,” said Fundora.

It should be exciting.

Fights to Watch

Sat. ESPN+ 2:50 p.m. Robson Conceicao (19-2-1) vs O’Shaquie Foster (22-3).

Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. Floyd Schofield (17-0) vs Rene Tellez Giron (20-3); Gabriela Alaniz (15-1) vs Gabriela Fundora (14-0).

Photo credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE

Post Views: 0

Share The Sweet Science experience!