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Wold Cup Boxing Is Such A Funny Thing
TUE November 1, BUSTER PARIS - Jhonny is teeing off on Sor’s head and is so in control of the fight that it looks like an odd speed bag workout. Sor is really bleeding now and remarkably throwing bombs that when connect momentarily stagger Jhonny, but there’s three problems for Sor:
* All he’s doing is head hunting.
* The sound of his sand reaching the end of his hourglass is getting much louder with every stream of blood from that cut.
* ‘Ding --- Thwump’ - at the exact moment of round six’s closing bell an enormous left hook to the head drops him hard.
And I thought this fight was going to be a snoozer – boxing is such a funny thing.
Saturday night, October 29th at the Desert Diamond Casino in Tucson, Arizona Golden Boy Promotions presented us with a new concept for boxing – the “World Cup” - and Mexico vs. Thailand would have the honor of being the first ever World Cup set of fights.
There were 4 matches in all:
Hugo Cazares vs. Kaichon Sor Vorapin for the WBO Light Flyweight Title.
Daniel Ponce de Leon vs. Sod Looknongyangtoy for the vacant WBO Super Bantamweight Title.
Jhonny Gonzalez vs. Ratanachai Sor Vorapin for the WBO Bantamweight Title.
Fernando Montiel vs Pramuansak Posuwan for the WBO Super Flyweight Title.
Boxing is such a funny thing – I was convinced that Jhonny Gonzalez (31 wins / 4 losses) vs. Ratanachai Sor Vorapin (65 wins / 9 losses) was going to be a no brainer and a boring fight ending with Sor Vorapin walking away with his WBO Bantamweight belt around his waist and young Jhonny wondering what the heck happened.
My reasoning was simple - Ratanachai Sor Vorapin has more experience, is the current champ and is a Southpaw to boot - and if that weren’t enough Gonzalez entered the ring looking utterly scared and completely unsure of himself.
Boxing is such a funny thing.
Rounds 1 and 2 were a feeling out process and uneventful. Gonzalez seemed stiff and nervous and the shots that Sor Vorapin was landing were strong and on target.
It’s just a matter of time I thought and I was pleased with myself for being so smart in knowing how this fight was going to go.
My self-congratulatory party was broken up at the end of round 3 when out of nowhere Jhonny knocked Ratanachai down – twice!
Gonzalez now seems completely comfortable and in the 4th round comes out hard to close the show. Sor is cut and Jhonny is giving him a serious beating in one corner and then continues the beating in another corner just across the ring.
Sor Vorapin is throwing hard shots as well, but they are just the retaliations of a wounded animal, but without that important element of being dangerous.
The 5th round and Sor Vorapin is launching some nice uppercuts and following up with hooks. He is aggressive, determined and in no way is he giving up.
Boxing is such a funny thing.
I had written Ratanachai off in the 3rd round and the 4th round simply confirmed for me that he was done and yet here he is fighting hard in the 5th and he’s doing more than just surviving, he’s building, but again, boxing is such a funny thing and as I look more closely he’s looking more and more beaten up. He’s bloodied and his face is swelling.
The 6th round and Gonzalez is using Ratanachai’s head as a plaything. It’s Jhonny’s fight now. The blood is streaming from Sor’s cut, but he’s still game, he’s still throwing hard-hitting shots that when they hit they instantly, but only momentarily slow down Gonzalez, but like I said it’s Jhonny’s fight.
Then it happens - at the exact moment of the closing bell a clobbering left hook to the head dumps Sor Vorapin to the canvas.
‘Ding -Thwump’
Round 7 starts with Jhonny flurrying on Ratanachai and at 22 seconds into the round referee Robert Byrd stops the bout.
Not at all how I thought this one was going to go, but hey – boxing is such a funny thing.
Congratulations to all the winners and to everyone who participated. Congratulations to Oscar De La Hoya and to Golden Boy Promotions for providing us with a great night of boxing – the kind of night that reaffirms your faith in the sport. These fights seemed so sportsman like, seemed so fair, competitive, interesting and honest.
I’m really looking forward to seeing more of these World Cup bouts.
Buster Paris can be reached at: bparis@talkingboxing.com - and always enjoys receiving your thoughts, comments and questions
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