Jamel Herring is scheduled to defend his 130-pound title against Carl Frampton on Feb. 27 in London.
Jamel Herring is set to face his biggest test yet. Carl Frampton is poised to make history.
Herring will defend his junior lightweight title against Frampton, a former two-division titleholder and 2016 Fighter of the Year, on Feb. 27 in London (ESPN+), according to multiple reports.
Herring (22-2, 10 KOs) will be making his third defense of the belt he won by easily outpointing Masayuki Ito in May 2019. He defeated Lamont Roach by a unanimous decision the following November and beat Jonathan Oquendo by disqualification after eight rounds because of repeated head butts this past September.
The Oquendo fight was scheduled for July but it was postponed twice because Herring tested positive for COVID-19 two times.
Frampton, who won titles at 122 and 126 pounds, will be attempting to become the first fighter from Northern Ireland to become a three-division champ.
The Herring-Frampton fight was originally planned for June in Belfast but it was pushed back because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’m really excited that the fight is finally happening,” Herring said. “More importantly it’ll be an honor to share the ring with a true warrior and class act such as Carl Frampton. It may be the biggest fight of my career to date, but I’ll be more than ready for the task ahead.
“There’s a lot on the line, and I know he’s aiming to make history. But he’ll have to wait another day because I plan on returning home with my title in hand.
“I’ve been training very hard for this fight, and went back to what got me to my world title from sparring the likes of Terence Crawford and other top talent across the nation. I can’t wait to put on a great show!”
Said Frampton (28-2, 16 KOs): “I’m delighted to finally get a date nailed down for this fight that has now been talked about for over a year. I have the upmost respect for Jamel as a fighter and as a man.
“But there is nobody stopping me on becoming the island of Ireland’s only ever three weight world champ, one of Britain’s only ever three-weight world champions and potentially have one foot in the Hall of Fame.”
Jamel Herring is scheduled to defend his 130-pound title against Carl Frampton on Feb. 27 in London.
Jamel Herring is set to face his biggest test yet. Carl Frampton is poised to make history.
Herring will defend his junior lightweight title against Frampton, a former two-division titleholder and 2016 Fighter of the Year, on Feb. 27 in London (ESPN+), according to multiple reports.
Herring (22-2, 10 KOs) will be making his third defense of the belt he won by easily outpointing Masayuki Ito in May 2019. He defeated Lamont Roach by a unanimous decision the following November and beat Jonathan Oquendo by disqualification after eight rounds because of repeated head butts this past September.
The Oquendo fight was scheduled for July but it was postponed twice because Herring tested positive for COVID-19 two times.
Frampton, who won titles at 122 and 126 pounds, will be attempting to become the first fighter from Northern Ireland to become a three-division champ.
The Herring-Frampton fight was originally planned for June in Belfast but it was pushed back because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’m really excited that the fight is finally happening,” Herring said. “More importantly it’ll be an honor to share the ring with a true warrior and class act such as Carl Frampton. It may be the biggest fight of my career to date, but I’ll be more than ready for the task ahead.
“There’s a lot on the line, and I know he’s aiming to make history. But he’ll have to wait another day because I plan on returning home with my title in hand.
“I’ve been training very hard for this fight, and went back to what got me to my world title from sparring the likes of Terence Crawford and other top talent across the nation. I can’t wait to put on a great show!”
Said Frampton (28-2, 16 KOs): “I’m delighted to finally get a date nailed down for this fight that has now been talked about for over a year. I have the upmost respect for Jamel as a fighter and as a man.
“But there is nobody stopping me on becoming the island of Ireland’s only ever three weight world champ, one of Britain’s only ever three-weight world champions and potentially have one foot in the Hall of Fame.”
Junior lightweight contender Shakur Stevenson defeated overmatched Toka Kahn Clary by a shutout decision Saturday in Las Vegas.
Shakur Stevenson got in his work. Now it’s time for the big names at 130 pounds.
The former 126-pound titleholder outclassed Toka Kahn Clary to win a shutout decision in a 10-round fight Saturday inside the MGM Grand “bubble” in Las Vegas, making him 2-0 in his second weight class.
Stevenson (15-0, 8 KOs) had his way with Clary, outboxing him, outworking him and landing the bigger, cleaner shots. His body shots were brutal. He also was an elusive target, as Clary (28-3, 19 KOs) landed only 9% of his punches, according to CompuBox.
Clary, a tough veteran, realized fairly early that he was in over his head and went into survival mode. He became more concerned with protecting himself than landing punches, which might’ve prevented Stevenson from stopping him.
As it was, Stevenson easily won every round. All three judges scored it 100-90, as did Boxing Junkie.
It was more of a showcase — a workout? — for the gifted Stevenson than it was a competitive fight.
Shakur Stevenson celebrates with his team after his victory. Mikey Williams / Top Rank via Getty Images
“He got a lot of experience,” Stevenson said of Clary. “He been around for a long time. I know him from since back in the amateurs. He know how to survive, he came in there to survive, and that’s what he did.”
Stevenson, ranked No. 1 by the WBO and No. 2 by the WBC, made it clear who he’d like to face next year.
WBO 130-pound titleholder Jamel Herring is expected to defend against Carl Frampton next month or in February. Also, WBC champion Miguel Berchelt, who has recovered from the coronavirus, is expected to defend against Oscar Valdez.
Stevenson wants the winner of the Herring-Frampton fight. Then, with the WBO belt in tow, he wants to unify against the Berchelt-Valdez winner. In other words, he plans to clear out the division
“I want the WBO belt first,” he said. “The winner of out of Frampton and Jamel have to come see me. And after that we’re going to go straight for Berchelt.”
Stevenson demonstrated once again on Saturday that he has the ability to pull it off.
Junior lightweight contender Shakur Stevenson defeated overmatched Toka Kahn Clary by a shutout decision Saturday in Las Vegas.
Shakur Stevenson got in his work. Now it’s time for the big names at 130 pounds.
The former 126-pound titleholder outclassed Toka Kahn Clary to win a shutout decision in a 10-round fight Saturday inside the MGM Grand “bubble” in Las Vegas, making him 2-0 in his second weight class.
Stevenson (15-0, 8 KOs) had his way with Clary, outboxing him, outworking him and landing the bigger, cleaner shots. His body shots were brutal. He also was an elusive target, as Clary (28-3, 19 KOs) landed only 9% of his punches, according to CompuBox.
Clary, a tough veteran, realized fairly early that he was in over his head and went into survival mode. He became more concerned with protecting himself than landing punches, which might’ve prevented Stevenson from stopping him.
As it was, Stevenson easily won every round. All three judges scored it 100-90, as did Boxing Junkie.
It was more of a showcase — a workout? — for the gifted Stevenson than it was a competitive fight.
Shakur Stevenson celebrates with his team after his victory. Mikey Williams / Top Rank via Getty Images
“He got a lot of experience,” Stevenson said of Clary. “He been around for a long time. I know him from since back in the amateurs. He know how to survive, he came in there to survive, and that’s what he did.”
Stevenson, ranked No. 1 by the WBO and No. 2 by the WBC, made it clear who he’d like to face next year.
WBO 130-pound titleholder Jamel Herring is expected to defend against Carl Frampton next month or in February. Also, WBC champion Miguel Berchelt, who has recovered from the coronavirus, is expected to defend against Oscar Valdez.
Stevenson wants the winner of the Herring-Frampton fight. Then, with the WBO belt in tow, he wants to unify against the Berchelt-Valdez winner. In other words, he plans to clear out the division
“I want the WBO belt first,” he said. “The winner of out of Frampton and Jamel have to come see me. And after that we’re going to go straight for Berchelt.”
Stevenson demonstrated once again on Saturday that he has the ability to pull it off.
Leo Santa Cruz said he plans to take his father-trainer’s advice and avoid a war with Gervonta Davis on Saturday.
The key to victory for Leo Santa Cruz on Saturday might not be that complicated: Just listen to dad.
Santa Cruz, who faces Gervonta Davis on pay-per-view from the Alamodome in San Antonio, has the instincts of a warrior. When things get hot, he naturally jumps directly into the cauldron.
His mission in the junior lightweight bout Saturday will be to resist his own urges because Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) is one of the most powerful punchers pound-for-pound in the sport and will be the bigger man in the ring.
At least that has been the instructions of his father, Jose Santa Cruz, who is also his trainer.
“I’m Mexican, I have a big heart,” Santa Cruz said during a virtual news conference Wednesday. “My dad is telling me to be a smart fighter, not get hit with a big punch. You know me. … I’ll want to brawl with him, make it a war.
“I’m going to listen to dad. He’s the smart one. He tells me what to do. And as the fight is going, he’ll tell me how to fight him and find a way to beat him.”
Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19 KOs) is no slouch. “El Terremoto (The Earthquake)” has won world titles in four divisions with a combination of volume punching and grit.
The potential problem for him on Saturday is that size and strength difference. Santa Cruz fought at 126 pounds only two fights ago and Davis is a big 130-pounder, which is one reason most people are picking Davis to win.
Santa Cruz pursued a fight with Davis in part to challenge himself. Well, he got what he wished for.
“Tank is my hardest fight, the strongest [opponent] of my career,” he said. “I think the [Abner] Mares and [Carl] Frampton fights helped me to get great experience for this fight, against Gervonta Davis.
“I learned a lot from those fights and ever since have learned a lot more.”
He went on: “Tank is the bigger guy. I know he hits hard. We in sparring have been training with bigger guys and we’ve been able to take their punches. Hopefully we’ll be able to take Tank’s punches too.
“… All the fans, they want you to make it a a war, they want a back-and-forth war. I know with Tank I can’t do that. I have to fight smart, try as had as I can to listen to my dad and do what he tells me to win the fight.”
Davis was a 4-1 favorite as of Wednesday afternoon, which is a considerable spread for boxing.
Santa Cruz was asked about the odds twice during the news conference. And he had similar answer both times: He doesn’t care.
“I don’t really take offense,” he said. “Everybody has their opinions, they can say what they want. My job is to go out there and prove them wrong. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
Leo Santa Cruz said he plans to take his father-trainer’s advice and avoid a war with Gervonta Davis on Saturday.
The key to victory for Leo Santa Cruz on Saturday might not be that complicated: Just listen to dad.
Santa Cruz, who faces Gervonta Davis on pay-per-view from the Alamodome in San Antonio, has the instincts of a warrior. When things get hot, he naturally jumps directly into the cauldron.
His mission in the junior lightweight bout Saturday will be to resist his own urges because Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) is one of the most powerful punchers pound-for-pound in the sport and will be the bigger man in the ring.
At least that has been the instructions of his father, Jose Santa Cruz, who is also his trainer.
“I’m Mexican, I have a big heart,” Santa Cruz said during a virtual news conference Wednesday. “My dad is telling me to be a smart fighter, not get hit with a big punch. You know me. … I’ll want to brawl with him, make it a war.
“I’m going to listen to dad. He’s the smart one. He tells me what to do. And as the fight is going, he’ll tell me how to fight him and find a way to beat him.”
Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19 KOs) is no slouch. “El Terremoto (The Earthquake)” has won world titles in four divisions with a combination of volume punching and grit.
The potential problem for him on Saturday is that size and strength difference. Santa Cruz fought at 126 pounds only two fights ago and Davis is a big 130-pounder, which is one reason most people are picking Davis to win.
Santa Cruz pursued a fight with Davis in part to challenge himself. Well, he got what he wished for.
“Tank is my hardest fight, the strongest [opponent] of my career,” he said. “I think the [Abner] Mares and [Carl] Frampton fights helped me to get great experience for this fight, against Gervonta Davis.
“I learned a lot from those fights and ever since have learned a lot more.”
He went on: “Tank is the bigger guy. I know he hits hard. We in sparring have been training with bigger guys and we’ve been able to take their punches. Hopefully we’ll be able to take Tank’s punches too.
“… All the fans, they want you to make it a a war, they want a back-and-forth war. I know with Tank I can’t do that. I have to fight smart, try as had as I can to listen to my dad and do what he tells me to win the fight.”
Davis was a 4-1 favorite as of Wednesday afternoon, which is a considerable spread for boxing.
Santa Cruz was asked about the odds twice during the news conference. And he had similar answer both times: He doesn’t care.
“I don’t really take offense,” he said. “Everybody has their opinions, they can say what they want. My job is to go out there and prove them wrong. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
Jamel Herring will face former two-division titleholder Carl Frampton sometime in January, Herring told ESPN.
Jamel Herring evidently has put a difficult bout with Jonathan Oquendo behind him.
The junior lightweight champ, who won by disqualification in a foul-filled fight on Sept. 5, will move on to a showdown with former two-division titleholder Carl Frampton sometime in January, he told ESPN.
Herring and Frampton were expected to do battle in November but the date was pushed back because of damage above Herring’s right eye.
“The timeline apparently now is that they’re looking at January,” Herring told ESPN. “I actually wanted to come back in December.”
Herring’s fight with Oquendo was brutal, as the Puerto Rican repeatedly butted the champion. A clash of heads in the fifth round, which was deemed an intentional butt, caused a cut above his right eye.
Finally, after Round 8, Herring had had enough. He told referee Tony Weeks that he couldn’t see out of the eye and the fight was stopped. It was declared a DQ because the cut resulted from a foul.
Herring was accused by some of quitting immediately after the fight.
He later said he had a scratched cornea and a damaged orbital socket, which he believes originated in a fight against Denis Shafikov in 2016, which Herring lost.
“I apparently had an old fracture in my face that didn’t properly heal right. That fracture probably came from the Denis Shafikov fight,” Herring told ESPN. “So I’ve been through worse. It’s not a matter of quitting.
“The doctor thought I had an old fracture that didn’t heal properly, so when [Oquendo] kept head-butting, it was basically shifting into my right eye socket, and that was also causing an issue. That’s what they put on the medical records, as well, on the notes.
“So it was basically the lens on my eye being scratched up and an old injury that was irritated again. … It wasn’t the blood like I thought it was, because my eye was so bloody. I thought it was the blood filling into my eye.”
Bob Arum, Herring’s promoter, told ESPN that pushing the Frampton fight back a few months was no issue.
“The guy has to heal, first, there’s no reason to rush it,” said Arum, CEO of Top Rank. “We’re going to be busy, we have a lot of shows, including the [Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury fight on Dec. 19]. So we’ll punt it to January. What’s the hurry?”
Jamel Herring will face former two-division titleholder Carl Frampton sometime in January, Herring told ESPN.
Jamel Herring evidently has put a difficult bout with Jonathan Oquendo behind him.
The junior lightweight champ, who won by disqualification in a foul-filled fight on Sept. 5, will move on to a showdown with former two-division titleholder Carl Frampton sometime in January, he told ESPN.
Herring and Frampton were expected to do battle in November but the date was pushed back because of damage above Herring’s right eye.
“The timeline apparently now is that they’re looking at January,” Herring told ESPN. “I actually wanted to come back in December.”
Herring’s fight with Oquendo was brutal, as the Puerto Rican repeatedly butted the champion. A clash of heads in the fifth round, which was deemed an intentional butt, caused a cut above his right eye.
Finally, after Round 8, Herring had had enough. He told referee Tony Weeks that he couldn’t see out of the eye and the fight was stopped. It was declared a DQ because the cut resulted from a foul.
Herring was accused by some of quitting immediately after the fight.
He later said he had a scratched cornea and a damaged orbital socket, which he believes originated in a fight against Denis Shafikov in 2016, which Herring lost.
“I apparently had an old fracture in my face that didn’t properly heal right. That fracture probably came from the Denis Shafikov fight,” Herring told ESPN. “So I’ve been through worse. It’s not a matter of quitting.
“The doctor thought I had an old fracture that didn’t heal properly, so when [Oquendo] kept head-butting, it was basically shifting into my right eye socket, and that was also causing an issue. That’s what they put on the medical records, as well, on the notes.
“So it was basically the lens on my eye being scratched up and an old injury that was irritated again. … It wasn’t the blood like I thought it was, because my eye was so bloody. I thought it was the blood filling into my eye.”
Bob Arum, Herring’s promoter, told ESPN that pushing the Frampton fight back a few months was no issue.
“The guy has to heal, first, there’s no reason to rush it,” said Arum, CEO of Top Rank. “We’re going to be busy, we have a lot of shows, including the [Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury fight on Dec. 19]. So we’ll punt it to January. What’s the hurry?”
Jamel Herring emerged victorious over Jonathan Oquendo on Saturday but might be at a crossroads in his career.
GOOD
Fighters who cut their teeth in the Cuban amateur school are often not much fun to watch. They’re generally technical wizards, guys who are more geared to boxing circles around you and winning fights than entertaining fans.
Yordenis Ugas falls into that category. He provides thorough victories, not thrills.
The 2008 Olympic bronze medalist gave Abel Ramos a boxing lesson on Sunday night at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, fighting behind his stiff jab and landing more than enough power punches to win the fight and a secondary welterweight title going away.
The judges didn’t see it that way, awarding him a curious split-decision victory (see WORSE below), but we saw what was saw: A skillful, seasoned fighter at 34 who demonstrated again that he can compete with anyone at 147 pounds.
Ugas’ abilities are obvious. He has average punching power at best but does everything else at a high level. That includes his defensive skills. He took a couple of big shots – the last one out of carelessness in the final seconds – but he was an elusive target for Ramos, who landed only 17% of his punches.
And I liked Ugas’ fire. He was intense, not mechanical like some technicians. He fought with controlled aggression, which told me that he’s both smart and hungry, that he still wants to be recognized as the best 147-pounder in his mid-30s.
I don’t know whether that will happen. The division is unusually deep in talent, with Errol Spence Jr., Terence Crawford and Manny Pacquiao leading the way. And fights are difficult to make, as we see every day.
However, if he gets his chance against one of the above or another top 147-pounder, you have to like his chances of having his hand raised. Some believe he was robbed when he lost a split decision to then-world titleholder Shawn Porter in March of last year.
The next time might be different. Ugas (26-4, 12 KOs) certainly has what it takes.
BAD
By the eighth and final round, Jamel Herring was fed up with Jonathan Oquendo’s tactics and the blood in his eye. Mikey Williams / Top Rank
I hesitate to criticize Jamel Herring after what he went through before and during his title defense against Jonathan Oquendo on Saturday.
The junior lightweight beltholder tested positive for COVID-19 twice, which resulted in two postponements of the fight. He battled through the virus to train for most of 20 weeks. And he was in with one of the roughest (dirtiest?) characters in the sport.
That’s why I sympathize with him.
The facts are the facts, though. He went to the dark side of boxing: He quit.
Oquendo was deemed to have employed intentional head butts throughout the fight, one of which caused a deep cut above his right eye that bled profusely. And by the end of the eighth round Herring was fed up.
The ring doctor asked Herring whether he could see, which is another way of asking whether he wanted to continue. He responded, “no.” Referee Tony Weeks had no choice but to stop the fight at that point, giving Herring a victory by disqualification.
“It just got ugly,” Herring said afterward.
Well, a lot of fights get ugly. Herring’s eye wasn’t swollen shut, which might’ve been a good reason to quit. He had blood in it. Boxers persevere with blood in their eyes all the time. They fight through inevitable adversity.
Herring didn’t do that. Instead, he threw his hands up and said, in effect, “It’s not worth it.” It was as if he decided at that moment that he was no longer willing to endure the rigors of the sport.
And, indeed, afterward, while indicating he planned to go through with a tentative fight with Carl Frampton, he hinted at retirement. He said he has already spent too much time away from his family.
Herring looked like a fighter with one foot in boxing and one foot out at the end of the fight with Oquendo. His words afterward gave the same impression. Maybe he’ll have a different outlook after processing his experience leading up to and on Saturday night.
Or maybe he’s done. You have to be all in to box.
WORSE
Yordenis Ugas (right) had his way with Abel Ramos, according to most of us. Sean Michael Ham / TGB Promotions
Crazy scorecards have always been a part of boxing and always will be. That doesn’t make them easier to accept.
Ugas gave a strong showing against Ramos, controlling what seemed to be a one-sided fight from beginning to end. The Cuban outlanded Ramos by a 2-1 margin, according to CompuBox.
That’s why the card of veteran judge Lou Moret was so shocking: 117-111 for Ramos, or nine rounds to three. Moret had Ugas winning the first two rounds and gave Ramos nine of the final 10. The other two judges had Ugas winning 115-113.
I had it 118-110 for the winner, which was similar to the scoring of others with whom I spoke Sunday.
I don’t believe the 115-113 scores for Ugas reflected what happened in the ring but I can see an argument for a seven-rounds-to-five card. Ramos fought Ugas on roughly even terms the final three rounds, all of which you could’ve given to Ramos. That means you’d have to find just two more to make it 115-113.
But nine rounds to three for Ramos? No way.
What are we to think?
One theory is that Moret, 76, is past it. I don’t subscribe to age discrimination but that’s a natural thought. More likely Moret just had an off – WAY off – day at the office, which happens to judges.
And I should mention that fights often look different at ringside vs. watching on TV. Moret’s card was separated by only two rounds from those of colleagues Zachary Young and Edward Hernandez Sr. It doesn’t look as outrageous from that perspective.
That said, the perception remains that Moret’s card was ghastly.
Now it’s up to the California State Athletic Commission to take action. If I were running the show, I would talk to Moret and find out how he arrived at his score. I might even sit down with him and have him score the fight again. I would explain my concerns. I would look at other recent fights he worked to determine whether there is a pattern of out-of-line scoring.
And then I would make a decision based on what I believe is best for the sport, which takes a hit every time we see one of these unfathomable cards.
Jamel Herring emerged victorious over Jonathan Oquendo on Saturday but might be at a crossroads in his career.
GOOD
Fighters who cut their teeth in the Cuban amateur school are often not much fun to watch. They’re generally technical wizards, guys who are more geared to boxing circles around you and winning fights than entertaining fans.
Yordenis Ugas falls into that category. He provides thorough victories, not thrills.
The 2008 Olympic bronze medalist gave Abel Ramos a boxing lesson on Sunday night at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, fighting behind his stiff jab and landing more than enough power punches to win the fight and a secondary welterweight title going away.
The judges didn’t see it that way, awarding him a curious split-decision victory (see WORSE below), but we saw what was saw: A skillful, seasoned fighter at 34 who demonstrated again that he can compete with anyone at 147 pounds.
Ugas’ abilities are obvious. He has average punching power at best but does everything else at a high level. That includes his defensive skills. He took a couple of big shots – the last one out of carelessness in the final seconds – but he was an elusive target for Ramos, who landed only 17% of his punches.
And I liked Ugas’ fire. He was intense, not mechanical like some technicians. He fought with controlled aggression, which told me that he’s both smart and hungry, that he still wants to be recognized as the best 147-pounder in his mid-30s.
I don’t know whether that will happen. The division is unusually deep in talent, with Errol Spence Jr., Terence Crawford and Manny Pacquiao leading the way. And fights are difficult to make, as we see every day.
However, if he gets his chance against one of the above or another top 147-pounder, you have to like his chances of having his hand raised. Some believe he was robbed when he lost a split decision to then-world titleholder Shawn Porter in March of last year.
The next time might be different. Ugas (26-4, 12 KOs) certainly has what it takes.
BAD
By the eighth and final round, Jamel Herring was fed up with Jonathan Oquendo’s tactics and the blood in his eye. Mikey Williams / Top Rank
I hesitate to criticize Jamel Herring after what he went through before and during his title defense against Jonathan Oquendo on Saturday.
The junior lightweight beltholder tested positive for COVID-19 twice, which resulted in two postponements of the fight. He battled through the virus to train for most of 20 weeks. And he was in with one of the roughest (dirtiest?) characters in the sport.
That’s why I sympathize with him.
The facts are the facts, though. He went to the dark side of boxing: He quit.
Oquendo was deemed to have employed intentional head butts throughout the fight, one of which caused a deep cut above his right eye that bled profusely. And by the end of the eighth round Herring was fed up.
The ring doctor asked Herring whether he could see, which is another way of asking whether he wanted to continue. He responded, “no.” Referee Tony Weeks had no choice but to stop the fight at that point, giving Herring a victory by disqualification.
“It just got ugly,” Herring said afterward.
Well, a lot of fights get ugly. Herring’s eye wasn’t swollen shut, which might’ve been a good reason to quit. He had blood in it. Boxers persevere with blood in their eyes all the time. They fight through inevitable adversity.
Herring didn’t do that. Instead, he threw his hands up and said, in effect, “It’s not worth it.” It was as if he decided at that moment that he was no longer willing to endure the rigors of the sport.
And, indeed, afterward, while indicating he planned to go through with a tentative fight with Carl Frampton, he hinted at retirement. He said he has already spent too much time away from his family.
Herring looked like a fighter with one foot in boxing and one foot out at the end of the fight with Oquendo. His words afterward gave the same impression. Maybe he’ll have a different outlook after processing his experience leading up to and on Saturday night.
Or maybe he’s done. You have to be all in to box.
WORSE
Yordenis Ugas (right) had his way with Abel Ramos, according to most of us. Sean Michael Ham / TGB Promotions
Crazy scorecards have always been a part of boxing and always will be. That doesn’t make them easier to accept.
Ugas gave a strong showing against Ramos, controlling what seemed to be a one-sided fight from beginning to end. The Cuban outlanded Ramos by a 2-1 margin, according to CompuBox.
That’s why the card of veteran judge Lou Moret was so shocking: 117-111 for Ramos, or nine rounds to three. Moret had Ugas winning the first two rounds and gave Ramos nine of the final 10. The other two judges had Ugas winning 115-113.
I had it 118-110 for the winner, which was similar to the scoring of others with whom I spoke Sunday.
I don’t believe the 115-113 scores for Ugas reflected what happened in the ring but I can see an argument for a seven-rounds-to-five card. Ramos fought Ugas on roughly even terms the final three rounds, all of which you could’ve given to Ramos. That means you’d have to find just two more to make it 115-113.
But nine rounds to three for Ramos? No way.
What are we to think?
One theory is that Moret, 76, is past it. I don’t subscribe to age discrimination but that’s a natural thought. More likely Moret just had an off – WAY off – day at the office, which happens to judges.
And I should mention that fights often look different at ringside vs. watching on TV. Moret’s card was separated by only two rounds from those of colleagues Zachary Young and Edward Hernandez Sr. It doesn’t look as outrageous from that perspective.
That said, the perception remains that Moret’s card was ghastly.
Now it’s up to the California State Athletic Commission to take action. If I were running the show, I would talk to Moret and find out how he arrived at his score. I might even sit down with him and have him score the fight again. I would explain my concerns. I would look at other recent fights he worked to determine whether there is a pattern of out-of-line scoring.
And then I would make a decision based on what I believe is best for the sport, which takes a hit every time we see one of these unfathomable cards.
