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Talking Boxing's Recap of Last Week
SAT August 9, ANDRES ANTONIO CARRIEDO - The first weekend of August featured three solid cards aired on premium networks. The remaining four weekends of the month will feature zero cards aired on premium networks. Such is the state of promotional and network competition in boxing. Thankfully, the competition in the ring matched the competition in the decision makers' desks. Four of the five live fights contested on either HBO or Showtime this weekend saw advanced prospects, title challengers and championship level fighters in tough, contested fights. The fifth fight featured a solid prospect, Jorge Teron, in a step up fight.
The biggest fight of the weekend saw Joshua Clottey systematically breakdown former two division titlist and former undisputed 147 lb. champion, Zab Judah over nine grueling rounds at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas, NV. Judah outboxed Clottey through the midway point of the third round. However, the relentless foot pressure by Clottey mixed in with the thudding body shots the Ghanian began landing started to wear down the popular Brooklynite. To his credit, Judah outboxed Clottey in the sixth and had his moments in both the seventh and eighth rounds after getting battered with lead rights, left uppercuts and a two fisted body attack through the third, fourth and fifth rounds.
Clottey picked up the pace in the ninth and the clearly winded Judah reverted mostly into a defensive shell. About a minute into the round, Judah and Clottey were grappling on the inside before Judah backed off and Clottey snuck in a clean splitting left uppercut that appeared to open a deep cut over Judah's right eye. The official ruling by referee Robert Byrd was that the cut was caused by an accidental head butt while the two fighters were grappling. In any event, Clottey won the deserved unanimous decision nod by scores of 86-85 twice and 87-84.
Clottey's win vaults him into the upper echelon of the 147 lb. division. Miguel Cotto remains a major player beneath recognized champion Antonio Margarito. Titlists Andre Berto and Paul Williams are players in the division as are Shane Mosley, Carlos Quintana and Luis Collazo. However, the division that many like to refer to as "the deepest division in boxing" is starting to thin out a little bit. Clottey's win moves him into the top tier and Judah's loss drops him from legitimate title contention.
Another interesting thing to note is that Judah weighed 147 lbs. 24 hours AFTER the weigh-in. This is now the third time Judah was weighed less than 150 lbs. during a 147 lb. title fight. Manny Pacquiao has regularly weighed in the mid-high 140 lb. range during his 130 lb. and now 135 lb. campaign. One has to question why Judah is so adamant about fighting in the 147 lb. division.
Meanwhile next door on Showtime from the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, WA, Vic Darchinyan became a two division titlist by thoroughly dominating his IBF 115 lb. title challenge of Dimitri Kirilov. Darchinyan, who lost his IBF 112 lb. title by fifth round KO last July against Filipino upstart, Nonito Donaire, looked sensational in handing Kirilov his first KO loss in his ten year career. Darchinyan found the range for his straight left early in the fight and used it to great effect throughout. Kirilov did not land any significant punches until the third round when he began to pull back and counter the forward charging Darchinyan with his left cross. However, the Australian based Armenian maintained control of the action throughout before dropping his Russian foe twice in the fifth round. Kirilov, who looked worn, but possibly capable of rising to his feet, instead took the 10 count from referee Earl Brown at 1:05 of the fifth round.
Kirilov has now lost to four well respected world class foes in Spend Abazi, Masamori Tokuyama, Luis Perez and now Darchinyan. His only truly notable win has come against 2000 US Olympian and perennial contender, Jose Navarro. It appears as though Kirilov is on the fast track to becoming a trial horse former titlist for up and coming fighters. Darchinyan, on the other hand, appears well positioned for unification matches with titlists Cristian Mijares and Fernando Montiel or a rematch with Donaire. A big money fight with 115 lb. star and former two division titlist, Jorge Arce may also be another option for Darchinyan.
To open the Showtime Championship Boxing card, 2004 165 lb. Olympic bronze medalist Andre Dirrell continued his ascent from highly lauded prospect to world class contender with a fourth round TKO over the surprisingly competent and quick fisted southpaw Mike Paschall. This was a perfect trap fight for Dirrell, who was coming off of a redeeming and scintillating TKO5 win over respectable fringe contender, Anthony Hanshaw. Paschall, an undefeated, though unknown southpaw, could have been viewed as a step back for Dirrell. That could have led to a tougher than expected 10 round fight for Dirrell, but Dirrell stepped up and took care of the challenge.
Paschall fought a very disciplined fight from the southpaw stance and landed a few quick and well placed straight lefts on Dirrell, especially in the opening round. However, his attempted blitz of Dirrell in the first minute of the fourth round set up counter opportunities for the Flint, MI native. Dirrell then went on the attack and dropped Paschall with a lightening quick southpaw one-two. The Baltimore native Paschall beat the count, but was bleeding profusely from a deep cut on his forehead. The cut prompted a stoppage at 1:32 of the fourth round. In his post-fight interview, Dirrell proclaimed himself ready for a 168 lb. title challenge. That appears a bit over zealous, but his wish for a top 10 contender in his next fight is admirable and probably appropriate. Showtime has done a tremendous job of covering the progression of many 20 something 168 lbers. and can put Dirrell against any of its recent ShoBox 168 lb. victors either on ShoBox or Showtime Championship Boxing to fill out its already impressive final quarter boxing schedule.
On Friday night from the Aviator Sports Arena in Brooklyn, NY, on a ShoBox televised card Ishe Smith derailed the freight train of previously unbeaten prospect Pavel Wolak. Smith used Wolak stubborn and relentless pressure against him by fighting almost exclusively from his back foot. Smith established early round dominance and hit Wolak, the Polish born New York based favorite, with dozens of of body shots, right and left uppercuts and left hooks. Technically, Smith took Wolak apart through the first seventh rounds. Wolak, who applied consistent pressure with both his feet and fists throughout the fight, was much more competitive in the late rounds when Smith began to wear down and fought a stationary clinchfest.
Smith pulled out a surprisingly close unanimous decision by scores of 96-94 twice and 97-93. The win keeps him from becoming a trial horse and instead maintains his fringe contender status. He took advantage of Wolak's inexperience and technical flaws. Wolak, on the other hand, must learn to defend against uppercuts. A bigger puncher with Smith's game plan and talent would be favored to knocked the determined Wolak out. Wolak is still a promising prospect in a fairly weak division. He has the potential to mature into a Juan Diaz-esque pressure fighter on the offensive end, but he'll need to develop his defensive game quickly.
On the ShoBox undercard, six foot lightweight Jorge Teron showed some resemblance to his legendary trainer, 1984 Olympic gold medalist and former world champion, Mark Breland. Teron used his jab and reach to break down experienced fringe contender, Michael Lozada over six one-sided rounds. A series of Teron left hooks to the rib cage mercifully put an end to the beat down at 1:23 of the sixth round. Teron still has a long way to go before he is ready for the elite fighters in the 135 lb. division. At 23 years of age and six feet tall, he has the option of either taking time to develop or moving up to the weaker, prospect rich 140 lb. division.
DLH Sweepstakes
Regardless of how likely the fight is of happening, I still think DLH-Pacquiao is a gimmicky money grabber rather than a genuine blockbuster matchup. Sure I'll watch the fight and buy the PPV, but I do that for most PPVs. But even though I'd strongly favor a DLH-Margarito matchup to a DLH-Pacquiao fight, I don't agree with the apparent consensus that a DLH-Margarito fight is far superior to Mayweather-DLH 2. If Mayweather-DLH 2 is a bad fight so is DLH-Margarito. The truth is neither are bad fights. DLH brings much fanfare to the sport and the sport will miss him when he's gone just as the sport misses Mayweather right now during his self-imposed sabbatical.
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