BIG
STORY OF THE MONTH #1: Mayweather defeats Alvarez
Giving up 13 years and 15 pounds on fight night, Floyd Mayweather
still cruised to a victory over Saul Alvarez. Featuring an array of punches,
movement, and tight defense, Mayweather opened the fight up in the second half
and further cemented his status as the top boxer in the sport. For Alvarez, he
lacked the game plan, technical ability or speed to present any real issues for
Mayweather.
BIG
STORY OF THE MONTH #2: "The One"
All
parties involved deserve credit for making "The One" promotion one of
the most successful events in recent boxing
history. Grossing over $150 Million and garnering more than 2.2
million pay per view buys, "The One" promotion pulled out the stops,
from a multi-city press tour to an excellent co-feature to a credible and
marketable opponent for Mayweather. Despite a bad judge's best
effort, "The One" made boxing shine. Give the fighters,
their teams, Showtime and Golden Boy credit for making such a memorable event.
BIG
STORY OF THE MONTH #3: Bad Judges
The
month started out on bad footing with Ricky Burns getting a questionable split
draw at home against challenger Raymundo Beltran. Interestingly, the
American judge, Carlos Ortiz, had the absurd 115-112 card. Beltran landed
the more meaningful punches throughout the match and decisively won most of the
second half of the fight.
That
bad scorecard was just a warm-up for C.J. Ross' ludicrous draw tally for
Mayweather-Alvarez. Hardly any media members had Alvarez winning three rounds,
let alone six. In the aftermath of her atrocious scorecard, Ross took an indefinite leave of absence, and boxing is better for it.
Ending
the month on a low note, all three judges had bad cards in favor of Julio Cesar
Chavez Jr. over Brian Vera. Gwen Adair's 98-92 and Marty Denkin's 97-93
cards were laughable. Carla Caiz's 96-94 scorecard could have been acceptable
if she didn't decide to give Chavez the last six rounds, which dismisses
some strikingly obvious Vera frames later in the fight.
TO
THE FIGHTS:
A
Damn Good Month.
Pablo
Cesar Cano: Cano
turned it on over the last few rounds to earn a split decision over Mayweather
Promotions' fighter Ashley Theophane during the opening bout of "The One"
pay per view. Cano's victory helps erase his recent loss
against Shane Mosley and puts him back into more meaningful fights at 140
or 147 lbs. Cano is a fairly basic pressure fighter with just
a straight right and a left hook, but he knows what he needs to do to
win and he has a nice ability to cut off the ring.
Dereck
Chisora: It's
not a surprise that Chisora knocked out lightly-regarded Edmund Gerber to win
the European heavyweight title. What was impressive was how good he looked
doing it. Chisora entered the ring in excellent condition.
He featured very sharp combinations and improved quickness. When Chisora
did get tagged in the fourth round, he kept his wits, went on defense and came
out charging in the fifth and final round. For the record, it may have been an
early stoppage, but that seems to be the rage these days in England.
Danny
Garcia: Garcia
put together the performance of his career by upsetting power-punching dynamo
Lucas Matthysse. Surviving some tough early rounds, Garcia made an excellent
defensive adjustment with his right hand to neutralize Matthysse's left hook. In the seventh round, he was able to
practically close Matthysse's left eye with his own left hook. Garcia's coup de
grace was a nifty knockdown of Matthysse in the 11th, capitalizing
on Matthysse being out of position. Ultimately, the knockdown swung the fight
on two of the judges’ scorecards. It was an excellent performance by
Garcia who continues to surprise and impress the boxing
world with his well-rounded skillset and ring intelligence.
Roman
Gonzalez: Ho-hum.
Gonzalez scored another early victory against an unheralded an
ultimately overmatched foe, stopping Francisco Rodriguez Jr. in the
seventh round. Fighting again at flyweight, Gonzalez has a big opportunity for
a nice money fight in a rematch against Juan Estrada. However, Gonzalez has had
a puzzling pattern of not jumping at opportunities to face the best
opponents in his surrounding weight classes. Let's hope that he breaks this
trend and meets the improved Estrada again.
Javan
"Sugar" Hill: A
longtime assistant of Emanuel Steward in the Kronk gym, Hill has emerged as a
solid lead trainer with light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson. Hill
clearly studied the struggles of Tavoris Cloud and set up an excellent game
plan for Stevenson, relying on boxing, movement and punch variety. Cloud landed
no more than a handful of meaningful punches throughout the entire fight.
Jim
Lampley: At
times throughout his career, Lampley has gotten caught up in cheerleading for
the HBO house fighter, but the veteran broadcaster was in fine form
calling Chavez-Vera. Lampley pulled no punches in remarking about Chavez's
subpar conditioning and commitment to the sport. In addition, once the scores
were announced, Lampley didn't do any tap dancing; he knew that Vera had won
the fight. Lampley refused to sell the public a bill of goods.
Paulie
Malignaggi: In
less than a year, Malignaggi has become a truly special fight analyst. Calling
"The One" on Showtime, Malignaggi described clearly how Garcia was
able to have success against Matthysse by catch-and-shooting and why Saul
Alvarez's insistence on fighting at mid-range played into Mayweather's
hands. Malignaggi is a true student of the sport, but more than that, he's
extremely perceptive and can describe often esoteric technical boxing concepts
in a clear and concise way, a pretty impressive feat.
Floyd
Mayweather: After
12 rounds against Saul Alvarez, Floyd had a smile on his face and looked
no more physically taxed than if he had taken a light jog. Mayweather won
the fight in all areas – physically, technically and strategically. He'll
now take a break until next May, and it will be very difficult for the
powers that be to find him a competitive opponent below 160 lbs.
Carlos
Molina: Well,
it wasn't pretty, but Molina landed just enough to earn a split
decision over Ishe Smith and win his first title. Molina started off very well
with short right hands and controlling the action (when there was
any) on the inside but Smith started to win rounds in the second
half. Molina ended the fight with a strong 12th, his best display of clean
punching all night. Molina had been a victim of boxing politics at many
points throughout his career, so it was nice to see him finally
wear a title belt. Now if only he wouldn't hold so damn much.
Shawn
Porter: Porter
avenged the only blemish on his record by easily defeating Julio Diaz in a
rematch of last year's draw. Porter focused on his hand and foot speed and
wisely decided not to mix it up as much in the center of the ring as he
did in the first bout. Porter, advised by Al Haymon, should have bigger
opportunities ahead for next year.
Billy
Joe Saunders: In
a battle of unbeaten middleweight prospects, Saunders eked out a win over
slugger John Ryder in a close fight. In truth, Saunders didn't look to be in
optimal condition, but he boxed and used his legs enough to earn the victory.
It will be interesting to see if Saunders moves up to super middleweight soon
or decides to remain at 160. He has excellent boxing skills but little power.
To compete against higher-caliber fighters, he's going to have to be in better
shape.
Ronnie
Shields: Shields
had a wonderful game plan for Brian Vera against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Correctly assuming that Chavez wouldn't have the energy or desire to fight in
high volumes, Shields had Vera moving his hands all night with quick
combinations. In addition, Shields did a great job of instructing Vera how
to fight on the inside without letting Chavez hold or use his size to gain an
advantage. With just officials, Shields' game plan would have led to an
impressive victory.
Adonis
Stevenson:
Proving that he had many more weapons than just a thunderous straight left
hand, Stevenson dominated former light heavyweight titlist Tavoris Cloud.
Featuring lateral and up-and-back movement, a strong right jab, a sneaky
left uppercut and impressive defense, Stevenson had Cloud bewildered the entire
fight. When he did land his straight lefts, he made both of Cloud's eyes bleed.
He also fractured one of Cloud's orbital bones. With his last two performances,
Stevenson has made himself a candidate for fighter of the year.
Brian
Vera: Vera
fought bravely and deserved a victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Originally
agreeing to fight at 162, Vera saw the weight limit rise and rise and finally
settle at 173, just 48 hours before the match. Entering a hostile
crowd against a Top Rank cash cow, Vera consistently beat Chavez to the
punch and put together one of the best performances of his up-and-down career.
It was a shame to see him hosed by the three California judges but because of
his performance, HBO will give him another shot on its airwaves. There aren't
too many moral victories in boxing, but this is a clear example. The boxing
world knows that Vera was robbed, and Vera will get another decent payday.
Jim
Watt: Watt can
often correctly be blamed for being a homer and with fellow Scot Ricky Burns
defending his title in Glasgow, the conventional wisdom was that
Watt already had Burns up by four rounds before the fight even started.
However, Watt had an excellent night calling Burns-Beltran, correctly
criticizing the champion for failing to use his boxing skills more and his
lack of an inside game. Watt had Beltran winning the fight and called the
action straight and professionally. It was a solid showing from him.
Tony
Weeks: With
two decisions in Garcia-Matthysse, Weeks demonstrated yet again why
he is, for my money, the best ref in the sport. During the 11th, when Matthysse
got tangled up in the ropes and then was quickly sent to the canvas, Weeks
correctly ruled it a knockdown. Nothing landed hard on Matthysse. But he went
down from punches and Weeks ruled accordingly, and correctly. In the 12th,
after many low blows throughout the fight, Garcia landed another egregious one
on Matthysse. Without hesitation, Weeks deducted a point. He didn't worry that
the fight was close or that the deduction could affect the
scorecards. It was the right call, and he made it decisively.
Not
The Best Month, Not the Worst Month.
Raymundo
Beltran: In a
just world, the journeyman lightweight would have captured his first world
title by beating Ricky Burns in Scotland. However, the storybook ending had the
final page ripped out, replaced by an unsatisfying conclusion on account
of poor judging. Hopefully, Beltran, a late-blooming pressure fighter with
heavy hands and burgeoning confidence, gets another title shot. In a fairly
weak lightweight division, he may wear the title belt around his waist yet.
Ricky
Burns: With
two lackluster performances in a row, Burns is one of the more vulnerable
champions in boxing. He did have some moments early against Beltran when he
boxed and used the ring to his advantage. Burns escaped with a draw but he will
need to be better in future bouts. Remembering that he got to the top by his
boxing skills and being intelligent in the ring will help.
Lucas
Matthysse: It
wasn't a poor performance from Matthysse against Danny Garcia; he won five
rounds on two of the judges' cards. However, Garcia was the smarter fighter in
the ring, made better adjustments and ultimately landed the more decisive
blows. Matthysse and his team have now been beaten in three distance fights.
He's a fighter who has a ton of power and some underrated boxing skills, but he
makes adjustments very slowly and he will struggle against cerebral fighters.
He'll get another opportunity to win a title at 140, but he's going to
have to realize that often fighters at the top level will be able to take his
power. Plan B's are important.
John
Ryder: It
probably didn't help that Ryder, a Matchroom fighter, was facing Billy Joe
Saunders on a Frank Warren card. Boxing politics aside, Ryder got outworked in
just enough rounds to lose the fight. He clearly had more power than Saunders
did and got to him a few times throughout the fight. However, he
didn't let his hands go enough and had only intermittent success in cutting off
the ring. He still may have a bright future, but he has things to work on.
Ashley
Theophane: Losing
early to Pablo Cesar Cano, Theophane made some nice adjustments by taking it to
Cano in the center of the ring and letting his superior hand speed win rounds.
However, Cano turned it on another gear in the last two rounds while Theophane
faded. Theophane was hurt badly in the 10th and dropped a split
decision (in truth, he lost six rounds fairly obviously). But he will still be
a durable and tricky guy for top junior welterweights on their way up.
Is
This Month Over Yet?
Saul
Alvarez: Although
most boxing observers didn't predict Alvarez to beat Floyd
Mayweather, they did expect a more competitive fight than many of Mayweather's more recent bouts.
However, Alvarez lacked the power, skills or game plan to win more
than a couple of rounds. In addition, Alvarez's refusal to consistently use his size on the inside was a major strategic failing. Alvarez will still be pushed
hard by Golden Boy and Showtime. Expect him to pick up another title next year,
but the talent gap between him and the top fighters in the sport is sizable.
Julio
Cesar Chavez Jr.: Sure,
he landed some good shots on Brian Vera and showed an improved right hand, but
this whole episode with his weight and lack of conditioning was a major net
negative for him. When Mexican fans write on message boards about how Chavez
embarrasses the great Mexican boxing tradition, it's not a good month for
Junior. Chavez's "win" has already been discredited by the
boxing community.
Tavoris
Cloud: At
least Cloud won a few rounds against Bernard Hopkins. Cloud had no answers for
Adonis Stevenson and watching his listless performance, one could reasonably
question how he ever once won a title belt. Cloud landed seven punches a round
against Stevenson and was never able to find range or consistency.
And Stevenson beat him up pretty badly. Cloud's corner mercifully stopped
the fight after seven rounds and I'm not sure where he goes from
here.
Andy
Foster: As the
Executive Officer of the California State Athletic Commission, Foster
presided over a farcical fight week surrounding Chavez-Vera. A commission's
main goal is to ensure fighter safety and Foster's blasé attitude about
Chavez's weight problems was stunning. In addition, Foster clearly didn't
appoint his best batch of judges for Chavez-Vera and had a 79-year-old work 34 rounds before judging the main event. Appointed in 2012, Foster needs to learn from
his various mistakes from Chavez-Vera or he won't be around much longer.
Keith
Kizer: Speaking
of ineffectual commission leaders, Kizer embarrassed the state of Nevada with
his emphatic defense of C.J. Ross' Mayweather-Alvarez scorecard.
Ultimately, his higher-ups rejected his excuses and within days, Ross took an
"indefinite leave of absence." Had Kizer been good at his job, he
never would have selected Ross for the fight after her dreadful score in last
year's Pacquiao-Bradley fiasco. In addition, Kizer has been reticent to remove
poorly performing officials and judges from Nevada's active roster. He needs to
go.
Eddy
Reynoso: Reynoso
claimed that he had four different game plans for Saul Alvarez to beat Floyd
Mayweather. Well, Alvarez wasn't successful in executing one of them. As
Mayweather continued to pile up points, Reynoso had no answers for his
boxer. Alvarez was clearly beaten in the ring and Reynoso was easily
bested in the matchup of the corners.
Ishe Smith: A fighter who had
experienced a healthy portion of tough luck, Smith finally won his first
title belt earlier this year. Making his first defense in front of a home
crowd, Smith decided not to let his hands go in the first six rounds
against Carlos Molina. Belatedly, Smith landed some right hands and won some
rounds, but his performance was vexing and he failed to seize the biggest
moment of his career.
Adam Abramowitz is the head writer and founder of saturdaynightboxing.com.
He is also a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board.
Contact Adam at saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com
@snboxing on twitter
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