Loma Batters Nakatani Even If it Was Teofimo’s Face He Was Seeing

Published

3 years ago

June 27, 2021

Loma Batters Nakatani Even If it Was Teofimo’s Face He Was Seeing

Two pretty fair boxers, James Toney and Fernando Vargas, stoked their inner fires by imagining they were seeing the faces of the biological fathers who abandoned them and their mothers instead of those of their opponents on fight night. As motivational tools, imagination and hatred can be useful for those who feel a compulsive need to channel their rage at just the right moment. More than a few especially savage beatdowns were administered by Toney and Vargas to guys who probably didn’t realize they were stand-ins for those detested, deserting daddies.

That mental ploy, of course, could never work for three-division former world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko. His papa, Anatoly Lomachenko, not only is his trainer and chief second but a man whose tough love in and out of the ring Vasiliy credits with making him the indisputably great fighter he long had been recognized as, and could, at 33, again be on the verge of being so acclaimed.

So, no, it was not some hazy apparition of an uncaring and absent parent that Lomachenko saw on the soon-to-be-battered visage of his Saturday night foe, Japan’s Masayoshi Nakatani, in the ESPN+-televised main event from the Theater at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. But there is at least a possibility that the unfortunate Nakatani somehow resembled undisputed lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez, at least in the mind of Loma, who has thought of little else other than his quest for revenge for the bitter upset loss he was tagged with by Teo on May 30 of last year.

However Nakatani looked before the opening bell rang, be it as himself or as someone wearing an otherwise invisible Teofimo Lopez mask to suit Lomachenko’s purpose, his facial features were significantly rearranged by the time referee Celestino Ruiz, either on his own accord or at the behest of Nakatani’s concerned trainer, halted the ongoing massacre with 1 minute, 12 seconds remaining in the ninth round. As Nakatani, who was floored in the fifth round, slid to the canvas in Ruiz’s arms, his right eye was bloody and swollen shut and he also was bleeding from the mouth. Courageous to a fault, Nakatani bore the look of someone who had just taken a frightful battering.

“And it’s over!” ESPN+ blow-by-blow announcer Joe Tessitore yelped when what long had seemed inevitable was finalized. “Loma is back!”

Although Lomachenko remained on most knowledgeable observers’ top 10 pound-for-pound lists after his setback to Lopez, he no longer was viewed as the consensus No. 1, nor was he accepting of the one-sided decision – the judges’ scorecards had him far behind by margins 119-109, 117-111 and 116-112. He had continued to insist that he had fought well enough to at least have salvaged a draw, and that his performance in any case had been hindered by a sore right shoulder that had bothered him for some time beforehand during training and would again require surgery, as had been the case in 2018.

If his protestations sounded like sour grapes, it wouldn’t be the first time that a losing fighter – particularly a favored losing fighter – had rattled off a string of excuses. But Lomachenko’s second operation on his balky shoulder raised legitimate questions as to whether he was at his best against Lopez, and over the past eight months he made it a point to proclaim that in a do-over he would demonstrate that he was indeed the better of the two. Toward that end, even after the bout with Nakatani was announced, he spoke more about Lopez than he did of the taller, rangier Japanese rival who had gone the 12-round distance in losing to Teo on July 19, 2019, in Oxon Hill, Md.

The ESPN+ broadcast crew – Tessitore was joined by analysts Andre Ward and Tim Bradley Jr. – had hinted that Lomachenko could be making a mistake by apparently mentioning Lopez more than the man that would be in the opposite corner on Saturday night, who not only was world-rated and coming in with a 19-1 record, but sported advantages of 4½ inches in height and 5½ inches in reach.

But Nakatoni was selected for a reason, and that reason was for Lomachenko to prove to the world, and maybe to himself, that he could and would defeat him more impressively than Lopez had. If that was the objective, the Ukrainian southpaw, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, passed the test with flying colors. At the time of the stoppage, Loma led on the scorecards by margins 80-71 (twice) and 78-73.

Negating Nakatoni’s superior height and reach with ridiculous ease, Lomachenko (15-2, 11 KOs) utilized dips and quick pivots to get inside and land big shots. CompuBox statistics showed him connecting on 104 of 214 total punches, an inordinately high 48.6 percent (Nakatani was 29 of 250, 11.6 percent), but he was on target with 89 of 152 power shots, a staggering 58.6 percent.

Perhaps in answer to a lot of fight fans’ prayers, Teofimo Lopez Sr., who trains his son, was in the house and he said he would be only too glad to recommend that Teo Jr. (16-0, 12 KOs) proceed to a rematch with Loma once he gets past his title defense against Australia’s George Kambosos (19-0,10 KOs). That bout was to have taken place on June 5, but was postponed when Lopez tested positive for COVID-19. It was rescheduled for Aug. 14 but is expected to be pushed back into September.

“After this performance (by Loma), I think the public wants to see this fight,” the elder Lopez said of a second matchup that must take place shortly after his son’s date with Kambosos, as Teo Jr. is planning a move up to junior welterweight early in 2022. Lopez-Lomachenko II no doubt would be a huge attraction, made more so by both fighters’ absolute confidence in themselves to seize the moment.

“Maybe next year, beginning of the year,” Lomachenko said of his timetable for getting it on again with Lopez. “December, January, February. I am waiting.”

So are fight fans everywhere.

Alimkhanuly Dominates Brant

In the co-featured bout in Vegas, Kazakhstan middleweight Zhanibek “Janibek” Alimkhanuly (10-0, 6 KOs) almost toyed with former WBA titlist Rob Brant (26-3, 18 KOs) before referee Michael Ortega, at the request of Brant’s trainer, Brian McIntyre, waved off the one-sided fight at the end of the eighth round.

“That’s it, man,” said McIntyre, best known for his work with – welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford. “I can’t let you get hurt.”

Known as a high-volume puncher, Brant was tentative almost from the start against Alimkhanuly, a southpaw who scored repeatedly with stiff blows that discouraged his opponent from engaging too recklessly. In the fourth round, analyst Tim Bradley Jr. said of the Kazakh, a 2016 Olympian, “This is easy. Like taking candy from a baby.”

Nor would Brant fare any better as the bout continued. McIntyre had seen enough through eight and it was pointless to proceed with the final two rounds of an unwinnable fight.

The takeaway for Alimkhanuly, who is ranked No. 2 by the WBO, No. 6 by the WBC and No. 9 by the IBF, is that his status as an emerging threat in the 160-pound weight class continues to be confirmed.

Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank via Getty Images

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L.A.’s Rudy Hernandez is the 2024 TSS Trainer of the Year

Published

2 days ago

December 16, 2024

Arne K. Lang

L.A.’s Rudy Hernandez is the 2024 TSS Trainer of the Year

If asked to name a prominent boxing trainer who operates out of a gym in Los Angeles, the name Freddie Roach would jump immediately to mind. Best known for his work with Manny Pacquaio, Roach has been named the Trainer of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America a record seven times.

A mere seven miles from Roach’s iconic Wild Card Gym is the gym that Rudy Hernandez now calls home. Situated in the Little Tokyo neighborhood in downtown Los Angeles, the L.A. Boxing Gym – a relatively new addition to the SoCal boxing landscape — is as nondescript as its name. From the outside, one would not guess that two reigning world champions, Junto Nakatani and Anthony Olascuaga, were forged there.

As Freddie Roach will be forever linked with Manny Pacquiao, so will Rudy Hernandez be linked with Nakatani. The Japanese boxer was only 15 years old when his parents packed him off to the United States to be tutored by Hernandez. With Hernandez in his corner, the lanky southpaw won titles at 112 and 115 and currently holds the WBO bantamweight (118) belt. In his last start, he knocked out his Thai opponent, a 77-fight veteran who had never been stopped, advancing his record to 29-0 (22 KOs).

Nakatani’s name now appears on several pound-for-pound lists. A match with Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue is brewing. When that match comes to fruition, it will be the grandest domestic showdown in Japanese boxing history.

“Junto Nakatani is the greatest fighter I’ve ever trained. It’s easy to work with him because even when he came to me at age 15, his focus was only on boxing. It was to be a champion one day and nothing interfered with that dream,” Hernandez told sports journalist Manouk Akopyan writing for Boxing Scene.

Akin to Nakatani, Rudy Hernandez built Anthony Olascuaga from scratch. The LA native was rucked out of obscurity in April of 2023 when Jonathan Gonzalez contracted pneumonia and was forced to withdraw from his date in Tokyo with lineal light flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji. Olascuaga, with only five pro fights under his belt, filled the breach on 10 days’ notice and although he lost (TKO by 9), he earned kudos for his gritty performance against the man recognized as the best fighter in his weight class.

Two fights later, back in Tokyo, Olascuaga copped the WBO world flyweight title with a third-round stoppage of Riku Kano. His first defense came in October, again in Japan, and Olascuaga retained his belt with a first-round stoppage of the aforementioned Gonzalez. (This bout was originally ruled a no-contest as it ended after Gonzalez suffered a cut from an accidental clash of heads. But the referee ruled that Gonzalez was fit to continue before the Puerto Rican said “no mas,” alleging his vision was impaired, and the WBO upheld a protest from the Olascuaga camp and changed the result to a TKO. Regardless, Rudy Hernandez’s fighter would have kept his title.)

Hernandez, 62, is the brother of the late Genaro “Chicanito” Hernandez. A two-time world title-holder at 130 pounds who fought the likes of Azumah Nelson, Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr., Chicanito passed away in 2011, a cancer victim at age 45.

Genaro “Chicanito” Hernandez was one of the most popular fighters in the Hispanic communities of Southern California. Rudy Hernandez, a late bloomer of sorts – at least in terms of public recognition — has kept his brother’s flame alive with own achievements. He is a worthy honoree for the 2024 Trainer of the Year.

Note: This is the first in our series of annual awards. The others will arrive sporadically over the next two weeks.

Photo credit: Steve Kim

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A Shocker in Tijuana: Bruno Surace KOs Jaime Munguia !!

Published

3 days ago

December 15, 2024

Arne K. Lang

A-Shocker-in-Tijuana-Bruno-Sarace-KOs-Jaime-Munguia

It was a chilly night in Tijuana when Jaime Munguia entered the ring for his homecoming fight with Bruno Surace. The main event of a Zanfer/Top Rank co-promotion, Munguia vs. Surace was staged in the city’s 30,000-seat soccer stadium a stone’s throw from the U.S. border in the San Diego metroplex.

Surace, a Frenchman, brought a 25-0-2 record and a 22-fight winning streak, but a quick glance at his record showed that he had scant chance of holding his own with the house fighter. Only four of Surace’s 25 wins had come by stoppage and only eight of his wins had come against opponents with winning records. Munguia was making the first start in the city of his birth since February 2022. Surace had never fought outside Europe.

But hold the phone!

After losing every round heading into the sixth, Surace scored the Upset of the Year, ending the contest with a one-punch knockout.

It looked like a short and easy night for Munguia when he knocked Surace down with a left hook in the second stanza. From that point on, the Frenchman fought off his back foot, often with back to the ropes, throwing punches only in spurts. Munguia worked the body well and was seemingly on the way to wearing him down when he was struck by lightning in the form of an overhand right.

Down went Munguia, landing on his back. He struggled to get to his feet, but the referee waived it off a nano-second before reaching “10.” The official time was 2:36 of round six.

Munguia, who was 44-1 heading in with 35 KOs, was as high as a 35/1 favorite. In his only defeat, he had gone the distance with Canelo Alvarez. This was the biggest upset by a French fighter since Rene Jacquot outpointed Donald Curry in 1989 and Jacquot had the advantage of fighting in his homeland.

Co-Main

Mexico City’s Alan Picasso, ranked #1 by the WBC at 122 pounds, scored a third-round stoppage of last-minute sub Yehison Cuello in a scheduled 10-rounder contested at featherweight. Picaso (31-0-1, 17 KOs) is a solid technician. He ended the bout with a left to the rib cage, a punch that weaved around Cuello’s elbow and didn’t appear to be especially hard. The referee stopped his count at “nine” and waived the fight off.

A 29-year-old Colombian who reportedly had been training in Tijuana, the overmatched Cuello slumped to 13-3-1.

Other Bouts of Note

In a ho-hum affair, junior middleweight Jorge Garcia advanced to 32-4 (26) with a 10-round unanimous decision over Uzbekistan’s Kudratillo Abudukakhorov (20-4). The judges had it 97-92 and 99-90 twice. There were no knockdowns, but Garcia had a point deducted in round eight for low blows.

Garcia displayed none of the power that he showed in his most recent fight three months ago in Arizona and when he knocked out his German opponent in 46 seconds. Abudukakhorov, who has competed mostly as a welterweight, came in at 158 1/4 pounds and didn’t look in the best of shape. The Uzbek was purportedly 170-10 as an amateur (4-5 per boxrec).

Super bantamweight Sebastian Hernandez improved to 18-0 (17 KOs) with a seventh-round stoppage of Argentine import Sergio Martin (14-5). The end came at the 2:39 mark of round seven when Martin’s corner threw in the towel. Earlier in the round, Martin lost his mouthpiece and had a point deducted for holding.

Hernandez wasn’t all that impressive considering the high expectations born of his high knockout ratio, but appeared to have injured his right hand during the sixth round.

Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank

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Ringside in Ontario where Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel Battled to a Spirited Draw

Published

3 days ago

December 14, 2024

David A. Avila

Ringside in Ontario where Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel Battled to a Spirited Draw

ONTARIO, CA -Two SoCal welterweights battled to a majority draw and Ohio’s Charles Conwell wowed the crowd with precision and power in his victory.

In the main event Alexis Rocha sought to prove his loss a year ago was a fluke and Raul Curiel sought to prove he belongs with the contenders.

Both got their wish.

After 12 rounds of back-and-forth exchanges, Rocha (25-2-1, 16 KOs) and Curiel (15-0-1, 13 KOs) battled to a stalemate in front of more than 5,000 fans at Toyota Arena. No oner seemed surprised by the majority decision draw.

“We got one for the people It was a Rocha landed impressive blows while Curiel just could not seem to get the motor running.

Things turned around in seventh round.

During the first half of the fight, it looked like Rocha’s experience in big events would be too much for Curiel to handle. Rocha landed impressive blows while Curiel just could not seem to get the motor running.

Things turned around in seventh round.

Maybe trainer Freddie Roach’s words got to Curiel. The Mexican Olympian who now lives in the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, suddenly planted his feet and ripped off five- and six-punch combinations. It was do or die.

The change of tactics forced Rocha to make changes too especially after absorbing several ripping uppercuts from Curiel.

Back and forth the welterweights exchanged and neither fighter could take charge. And neither fighter was knocked down though each both connected with sweat-tossing blows.

The two fighters battled until the final seconds of the fight. After 12 blistering rounds, one judge saw Rocha the winner 116-112, while the two other judges scored it 114-114 for a majority draw.

“I respect this guy. It was 12 rounds of war,” said Santa Ana’s Rocha.

Curiel felt the same.

“I respect Rocha. He is a good southpaw,” Curiel repeated. “Let’s do it again.”

Battle of Undefeated Super Welterweights

Few knew what to expect with undefeated Charles Conwell (21-0, 16 KOs) facing undefeated Argentine Gerardo Vergara (20-1, 13 KOs). You never what to expect with Argentine fighters.

Conwell, a U.S. Olympian, showed why many consider him the best kept secret in boxing with a steady attack behind impressive defense. He needed it against Vergara, a very strong southpaw.

Vergara seemed a little puzzled by Conwell’s constant pressure. He might have expected a hit-and-run kind of fighter instead of a steamroller like the Ohio warrior.

Once the two fighters got heated up in the cold arena, the blows began to come more often and more powerfully. Conwell in particular stood right in front of the Argentine and bobbed and weaved through the South American fighter’s attack. And suddenly unleashed rocket rights and left hooks off Vergara’s chin.

Nothing happened expect blood from his nose for several rounds.

For six rounds Conwell blasted away at Vergara’s chin and jaw and nothing seemed to faze the Argentine. Then, Conwell targeted the body and suddenly things opened up. Vergara was caught trying to decide what to protect when a left hook jolted the Argentine. Suddenly Conwell erupted with a stream of left hooks and rights with almost everything connecting with power.

Referee Thomas Taylor jumped in to stop the fight at 2:51 of the seventh round. Conwell finally chopped down the Argentine tree for the knockout win. The fans gasped at the suddenness of the victory.

“We broke him down,” Conwell said.

It was impressive.

Other Bouts

Popular John “Scrappy” Ramirez (14-1, 9 KOs) started slowly against Texas left-hander Ephraim Bui (10-1, 8 KOs) but gained momentum behind accurate right uppercuts to swing the momentum and win a regional super flyweight title by unanimous decision after 10 rounds

Bui opened the fight behind some accurate lead lefts, but once Ramirez found the solution he took the fight inside and repeatedly jolted the taller Texas fighter with that blow.

Ramirez, who is based in Los Angeles, gained momentum and confidence and kept control with movements left and right that kept Bui unable to regain the advantage. No knockdowns were scored as all three judges scored the fight 97-93 for Ramirez.

A battle between former flyweight world champions saw Marlen Esparza (15-2, 1 KO) pull away after several early contentious rounds against Mexico’s Arely Mucino (32-5-2, 11 KOs). Left hooks staggered Esparza early in the fight.

Esparza always could take a punch and after figuring out what not to do, she began rolling up points behind pinpoint punching and pot shots. Soon, it was evident she could hit and move and took over the last three rounds of the fight.

Mucino never stopped attacking and was successful with long left hooks and shots to the body, but once Esparza began launching impressive pot shots, the Mexican fighter never could figure out a solution.

After 10 rounds two judges scored it 98-92 and a third judge saw it 97-93 all for Esparza.

Victor Morales (20-0-1, 10 KOs) won by technical knockout over Mexico’s Juan Guardado (16-3-1, 6 KOs) due to a bad cut above the right eye. It was a learning experience for Morales who hails from Washington.

Left hooks were the problem for Morales who could not avoid a left hook throughout the super featherweight fight. Guardado staggered Morales at least three times with counter left hooks. But Morales turned things around by controlling the last three rounds behind a jolting left jab that controlled the distance.

At one second of the eighth round, referee Ray Corona stopped the fight to allow the ringside physician to examine the swelling and cut. It was decided that the fight should stop. Morales was awarded the win by technical knockout.

A super bantamweight fight saw Jorge Chavez (13-0, 8 KOs) score two knockdowns on way to a unanimous decision over Uruguay’s Ruben Casero (12-4, 4 KOs) after eight rounds. Chavez fights out of Tijuana, Mexico.

Photo credit: Al Applerose

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