Jermall Charlo dominates, but can’t stop Juan Montiel

Jermall Charlo dominated Juan Montiel en route to a near-shutout decision Saturday in Houston.

Let the criticism begin.

Jermall Charlo dominated Juan Macias Montiel in defense of his middleweight title, winning a near-shutout decision Saturday night at Toyota Center in Houston.

However, he couldn’t do what almost everyone thought he would do — stop the overmatched Mexican, which certainly will have brought out the doubters.

Charlo, making the fourth defense of his belt, outclassed and outworked Montiel, picking the challenger apart much of the fight with his jab and hard, accurate power shots.

The Houston native landed 46% of his power shots, according to CompuBox. He also outlanded Montiel overall 258-127.

And, yes, there were a few moments when it seemed as if Charlo would end the fight inside the distance. He hurt Montiel early in Rounds 5 and 6 and followed with barrages meant to finish the job.

However, Montiel, obviously durable and in excellent condition, survived it all and actually had his best rounds down the stretch.

Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs) continued to land more punches than his opponent but Montiel (22-5-2, 22 KOs) connected on some hard, eye-catching blows in the last third of the fight, when it was clear he needed a knockout to win.

Montiel wasn’t particularly good but he definitely was resilient, although that wasn’t reflected on the scorecards. Charlo won 120-108, 119-109 and 118-109. Boxing Junkie scored it 120-107 for Charlo.

And it should be noted that all of Montiel’s victories have come by knockout, meaning he can punch. Thus, Charlo also demonstrated a good chin.

Of course, some will give Charlo credit for a convincing victory. Others will question his power, particularly in light of the fact that Jaime Munguia stopped Montiel in 2017.

Bottom line: He got the job the done and it wasn’t close. He’ll now focus on getting big-name opponents into the ring.

[lawrence-related id=21256,21252]

 

 

Jermall Charlo dominates, but can’t stop Juan Montiel

Jermall Charlo dominated Juan Montiel en route to a near-shutout decision Saturday in Houston.

Let the criticism begin.

Jermall Charlo dominated Juan Macias Montiel in defense of his middleweight title, winning a near-shutout decision Saturday night at Toyota Center in Houston.

However, he couldn’t do what almost everyone thought he would do — stop the overmatched Mexican, which certainly will have brought out the doubters.

Charlo, making the fourth defense of his belt, outclassed and outworked Montiel, picking the challenger apart much of the fight with his jab and hard, accurate power shots.

The Houston native landed 46% of his power shots, according to CompuBox. He also outlanded Montiel overall 258-127.

And, yes, there were a few moments when it seemed as if Charlo would end the fight inside the distance. He hurt Montiel early in Rounds 5 and 6 and followed with barrages meant to finish the job.

However, Montiel, obviously durable and in excellent condition, survived it all and actually had his best rounds down the stretch.

Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs) continued to land more punches than his opponent but Montiel (22-5-2, 22 KOs) connected on some hard, eye-catching blows in the last third of the fight, when it was clear he needed a knockout to win.

Montiel wasn’t particularly good but he definitely was resilient, although that wasn’t reflected on the scorecards. Charlo won 120-108, 119-109 and 118-109. Boxing Junkie scored it 120-107 for Charlo.

And it should be noted that all of Montiel’s victories have come by knockout, meaning he can punch. Thus, Charlo also demonstrated a good chin.

Of course, some will give Charlo credit for a convincing victory. Others will question his power, particularly in light of the fact that Jaime Munguia stopped Montiel in 2017.

Bottom line: He got the job the done and it wasn’t close. He’ll now focus on getting big-name opponents into the ring.

[lawrence-related id=21256,21252]

 

 

Isaac Cruz outpoints Francisco Vargas in fight that turns ugly

Isaac Cruz outpointed Francisco Vargas in a fight that turned ugly Saturday in Houston.

This is Isaac Cruz’s time, not Francisco Vargas’.

Cruz, 23, landed the cleaner, harder punches en route to a wide unanimous-decision victory over his 36-year-old opponent in a fight that turned ugly on the Jermall Charlo-Juan Montiel card Saturday in Houston.

Cruz (22-1-1, 15 KOs) took the fight to Vargas from the outset, winging — and landing — hard punches to both the head and body, although he never hurt Vargas.

Vargas (27-3-2, 19 KOs) is known as one of the great brawlers of his generation but, perhaps wary of another brawl, held back against Cruz, boxing at times and engaging when he had openings.

That allowed him to survive but he didn’t do enough to win rounds. Cruz won 100-89, 99-90 and 97-92. Boxing Junkie scored it 98-91.

Cruz used his head a number of times when the fighters were entangled. That reached its ugly peak when one last butt caused a horrible gash above Vargas’ right eye with 30 seconds remaining in the fight.

The ring doctor allowed the fight to continue because it was almost over, after which a bloody Vargas went down as a result of wild flurry of punches.

With the victory, Cruz took another step toward his first title shot. Vargas, who has been in so many wars, will have to decide whether he wants to continue.

[lawrence-related id=21252]

Isaac Cruz outpoints Francisco Vargas in fight that turns ugly

Isaac Cruz outpointed Francisco Vargas in a fight that turned ugly Saturday in Houston.

This is Isaac Cruz’s time, not Francisco Vargas’.

Cruz, 23, landed the cleaner, harder punches en route to a wide unanimous-decision victory over his 36-year-old opponent in a fight that turned ugly on the Jermall Charlo-Juan Montiel card Saturday in Houston.

Cruz (22-1-1, 15 KOs) took the fight to Vargas from the outset, winging — and landing — hard punches to both the head and body, although he never hurt Vargas.

Vargas (27-3-2, 19 KOs) is known as one of the great brawlers of his generation but, perhaps wary of another brawl, held back against Cruz, boxing at times and engaging when he had openings.

That allowed him to survive but he didn’t do enough to win rounds. Cruz won 100-89, 99-90 and 97-92. Boxing Junkie scored it 98-91.

Cruz used his head a number of times when the fighters were entangled. That reached its ugly peak when one last butt caused a horrible gash above Vargas’ right eye with 30 seconds remaining in the fight.

The ring doctor allowed the fight to continue because it was almost over, after which a bloody Vargas went down as a result of wild flurry of punches.

With the victory, Cruz took another step toward his first title shot. Vargas, who has been in so many wars, will have to decide whether he wants to continue.

[lawrence-related id=21252]

Angelo Leo gets past Aaron Alameda by majority decision

Angelo Leo defeated Aaron Alameda by a majority decision on the Jermall Charlo-Juan Montiel card Saturday in Houston.

Angelo Leo is fortunate that he doesn’t have consecutive losses.

The former 122-pound titleholder, who lost his belt to Stephen Fulton in January, defeated Aaron Alameda by a majority decision on the Jermall Charlo-Juan Montiel card Saturday night in Houston.

One judge had it 95-95 but the other two scored it for Leo, 98-92 and 96-94. Boxing Junkie scored it 95-95, a draw.

Leo (21-1, 9 KOs) and Alameda (25-2, 13 KOs) threw and landed about the same number of punches and both had good moments in a competitive, back-and-forth fight.

The winner did good body work, which is typical of him. But one could argue that Alameda landed more eye-catching punches, including a number of uppercuts.

Any score between 96-94 either way would’ve been acceptable. The 98-92 card of judge Eva Zaragoza didn’t reflect what happened in the ring.

With the victory, Leo, who lost a clear decision against Fulton, took a significant step toward another shot at a title.

And even in defeat, Alameda demonstrated that he can fight on even terms with a top junior featherweight for a second consecutive fight. He gave Luis Nery all he could handle in a unanimous-decision loss in September.

Angelo Leo gets past Aaron Alameda by majority decision

Angelo Leo defeated Aaron Alameda by a majority decision on the Jermall Charlo-Juan Montiel card Saturday in Houston.

Angelo Leo is fortunate that he doesn’t have consecutive losses.

The former 122-pound titleholder, who lost his belt to Stephen Fulton in January, defeated Aaron Alameda by a majority decision on the Jermall Charlo-Juan Montiel card Saturday night in Houston.

One judge had it 95-95 but the other two scored it for Leo, 98-92 and 96-94. Boxing Junkie scored it 95-95, a draw.

Leo (21-1, 9 KOs) and Alameda (25-2, 13 KOs) threw and landed about the same number of punches and both had good moments in a competitive, back-and-forth fight.

The winner did good body work, which is typical of him. But one could argue that Alameda landed more eye-catching punches, including a number of uppercuts.

Any score between 96-94 either way would’ve been acceptable. The 98-92 card of judge Eva Zaragoza didn’t reflect what happened in the ring.

With the victory, Leo, who lost a clear decision against Fulton, took a significant step toward another shot at a title.

And even in defeat, Alameda demonstrated that he can fight on even terms with a top junior featherweight for a second consecutive fight. He gave Luis Nery all he could handle in a unanimous-decision loss in September.

Angelo Leo gets past Aaron Alameda by majority decision

Angelo Leo defeated Aaron Alameda by a majority decision on the Jermall Charlo-Juan Montiel card Saturday in Houston.

Angelo Leo is fortunate that he doesn’t have consecutive losses.

The former 122-pound titleholder, who lost his belt to Stephen Fulton in January, defeated Aaron Alameda by a majority decision on the Jermall Charlo-Juan Montiel card Saturday night in Houston.

One judge had it 95-95 but the other two scored it for Leo, 98-92 and 96-94. Boxing Junkie scored it 95-95, a draw.

Leo (21-1, 9 KOs) and Alameda (25-2, 13 KOs) threw and landed about the same number of punches and both had good moments in a competitive, back-and-forth fight.

The winner did good body work, which is typical of him. But one could argue that Alameda landed more eye-catching punches, including a number of uppercuts.

Any score between 96-94 either way would’ve been acceptable. The 98-92 card of judge Eva Zaragoza didn’t reflect what happened in the ring.

With the victory, Leo, who lost a clear decision against Fulton, took a significant step toward another shot at a title.

And even in defeat, Alameda demonstrated that he can fight on even terms with a top junior featherweight for a second consecutive fight. He gave Luis Nery all he could handle in a unanimous-decision loss in September.

Angelo Leo gets past Aaron Alameda by majority decision

Angelo Leo defeated Aaron Alameda by a majority decision on the Jermall Charlo-Juan Montiel card Saturday in Houston.

Angelo Leo is fortunate that he doesn’t have consecutive losses.

The former 122-pound titleholder, who lost his belt to Stephen Fulton in January, defeated Aaron Alameda by a majority decision on the Jermall Charlo-Juan Montiel card Saturday night in Houston.

One judge had it 95-95 but the other two scored it for Leo, 98-92 and 96-94. Boxing Junkie scored it 95-95, a draw.

Leo (21-1, 9 KOs) and Alameda (25-2, 13 KOs) threw and landed about the same number of punches and both had good moments in a competitive, back-and-forth fight.

The winner did good body work, which is typical of him. But one could argue that Alameda landed more eye-catching punches, including a number of uppercuts.

Any score between 96-94 either way would’ve been acceptable. The 98-92 card of judge Eva Zaragoza didn’t reflect what happened in the ring.

With the victory, Leo, who lost a clear decision against Fulton, took a significant step toward another shot at a title.

And even in defeat, Alameda demonstrated that he can fight on even terms with a top junior featherweight for a second consecutive fight. He gave Luis Nery all he could handle in a unanimous-decision loss in September.

Jermall Charlo not impressed with Juan Montiel’s knockout record

Jermall Charlo is not impressed with Juan Montiel’s knockout record going into their fight Saturday.

The most interesting thing about Juan Macias Montiel going into his title challenge of Jermall Charlo on Saturday might be a single statistic: All 22 of his victories have come by knockout.

Is the unbeaten middleweight champion concerned? Not for a second. He points to Montiel’s level of opposition and scoffs.

“Stop with the shenanigans,” Charlo said at the final news conference before the fight at Toyota Center in Houston, his hometown. “The 22 knockouts that he had, you have to go back and look at the resume. He knocked out James Kirkland. James Kirkland is done. What are you saying?

“The other knockouts he had, they were from Mexico somewhere. They never fought before. You have to think about what you’re saying.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AtDUU-du4A

Montiel (22-4-2, 22 KOs) stopped the 37-year-old James Kirkland less than two minutes into the first round in December, his most-recent fight. He drew with veteran Hugo Centeno Jr. in his previous outing.

And those were the Mexican’s only fights outside his native country.

Charlo is coming off a wide decision over the highly respected Sergiy Derevyanchenko in September, arguably the best victory of his career. And, in 2018, he stopped Centeno in two rounds.

“You’re only as good as your last fight,” Charlo said. “I fought Derevyanchenko in my last fight, he fought James Kirkland. There’s levels. And I get a chance to show the level I’m at on Saturday.”

All that said, Charlo (31-0, 22 KOs) insists that he isn’t overlooking Montiel.

He acknowledged that Montiel is “strong.” And he recognizes that title challengers generally work harder than they ever have before. To wit, Montiel said he has never had a training camp like this one.

The last thing Charlo wants to do is slip up in front of his hometown fans.

“Ya’ll think I’m overlooked him?” he said. “… I put my life on the line every time I get in the ring. I didn’t overlook this dude.”

[lawrence-related id=21146,20982,20385,14165,16742]

Jermall Charlo not impressed with Juan Montiel’s knockout record

Jermall Charlo is not impressed with Juan Montiel’s knockout record going into their fight Saturday.

The most interesting thing about Juan Macias Montiel going into his title challenge of Jermall Charlo on Saturday might be a single statistic: All 22 of his victories have come by knockout.

Is the unbeaten middleweight champion concerned? Not for a second. He points to Montiel’s level of opposition and scoffs.

“Stop with the shenanigans,” Charlo said at the final news conference before the fight at Toyota Center in Houston, his hometown. “The 22 knockouts that he had, you have to go back and look at the resume. He knocked out James Kirkland. James Kirkland is done. What are you saying?

“The other knockouts he had, they were from Mexico somewhere. They never fought before. You have to think about what you’re saying.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AtDUU-du4A

Montiel (22-4-2, 22 KOs) stopped the 37-year-old James Kirkland less than two minutes into the first round in December, his most-recent fight. He drew with veteran Hugo Centeno Jr. in his previous outing.

And those were the Mexican’s only fights outside his native country.

Charlo is coming off a wide decision over the highly respected Sergiy Derevyanchenko in September, arguably the best victory of his career. And, in 2018, he stopped Centeno in two rounds.

“You’re only as good as your last fight,” Charlo said. “I fought Derevyanchenko in my last fight, he fought James Kirkland. There’s levels. And I get a chance to show the level I’m at on Saturday.”

All that said, Charlo (31-0, 22 KOs) insists that he isn’t overlooking Montiel.

He acknowledged that Montiel is “strong.” And he recognizes that title challengers generally work harder than they ever have before. To wit, Montiel said he has never had a training camp like this one.

The last thing Charlo wants to do is slip up in front of his hometown fans.

“Ya’ll think I’m overlooked him?” he said. “… I put my life on the line every time I get in the ring. I didn’t overlook this dude.”

[lawrence-related id=21146,20982,20385,14165,16742]