Jamel Herring suggested that he needs to “tighten up” before his expected fight against former champion Carl Frampton.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.
***
Jamel Herring wasn’t pleased with his performance against Jonathan Oquendo on Saturday in Las Vegas. Although he retained his junior lightweight title, he didn’t do it in the manner he planned as he won via disqualification after numerous intentional head-butts by Oquendo in an odd and uneven performance Saturday night.
And now Herring isn’t quite sure what the future will hold for him inside the squared circle.
The champion took to social media to express his disappointment with his performance and suggest he needs to “tighten up” before his expected fight against former champion Carl Frampton.
I accept all criticism, I’m not going to run and hide from it. Nor will I celebrate or making any excuses about tonight. If anything I’m more frustrated, and I need to tighten up for Frampton, simple as that.
Herring may see his next defense pushed back because of a nasty gash he suffered against Oquendo. The cut, courtesy of a fifth-round head butt, caused the fight to be stopped when Herring proclaimed at the end of the eighth round that he couldn’t see.
Prior to that, his outing wasn’t the kind you’d write home about. He dropped Oquendo with a vicious uppercut in the third round but found himself in an unwarranted dogfight against a lesser-skilled opponent. Herring allowed Oquendo to suck him into his fight and made it much harder for himself than expected.
Later in the evening, Herring tweeted from the hospital seemingly unsure about continuing his boxing career after the underwhelming outing and showing what appeared to be a case of burnout caused by the demands of the sport.
Sitting in a hospital, alone, while being called out with all sorts of negativity is something else. I’m not angry, I’m not sad, just deep in thought. I will still fulfill my obligations against Frampton, but that fight may be my last. Lost too much time from my family as it is🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/xAxYPbU5Dk
It’s alarming for the 34-year-old champion to display this level of uncertainty while he’s in the midst of hitting his stride as a professional. Perhaps he was caught up in the moment and the feeling will pass. He may feel differently should he put on a better performance against Frampton. For now, though, there are concerns about how much longer we’ll see Herring in a boxing ring.
Jamel Herring suggested that he needs to “tighten up” before his expected fight against former champion Carl Frampton.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.
***
Jamel Herring wasn’t pleased with his performance against Jonathan Oquendo on Saturday in Las Vegas. Although he retained his junior lightweight title, he didn’t do it in the manner he planned as he won via disqualification after numerous intentional head-butts by Oquendo in an odd and uneven performance Saturday night.
And now Herring isn’t quite sure what the future will hold for him inside the squared circle.
The champion took to social media to express his disappointment with his performance and suggest he needs to “tighten up” before his expected fight against former champion Carl Frampton.
I accept all criticism, I’m not going to run and hide from it. Nor will I celebrate or making any excuses about tonight. If anything I’m more frustrated, and I need to tighten up for Frampton, simple as that.
Herring may see his next defense pushed back because of a nasty gash he suffered against Oquendo. The cut, courtesy of a fifth-round head butt, caused the fight to be stopped when Herring proclaimed at the end of the eighth round that he couldn’t see.
Prior to that, his outing wasn’t the kind you’d write home about. He dropped Oquendo with a vicious uppercut in the third round but found himself in an unwarranted dogfight against a lesser-skilled opponent. Herring allowed Oquendo to suck him into his fight and made it much harder for himself than expected.
Later in the evening, Herring tweeted from the hospital seemingly unsure about continuing his boxing career after the underwhelming outing and showing what appeared to be a case of burnout caused by the demands of the sport.
Sitting in a hospital, alone, while being called out with all sorts of negativity is something else. I’m not angry, I’m not sad, just deep in thought. I will still fulfill my obligations against Frampton, but that fight may be my last. Lost too much time from my family as it is🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/xAxYPbU5Dk
It’s alarming for the 34-year-old champion to display this level of uncertainty while he’s in the midst of hitting his stride as a professional. Perhaps he was caught up in the moment and the feeling will pass. He may feel differently should he put on a better performance against Frampton. For now, though, there are concerns about how much longer we’ll see Herring in a boxing ring.
Jonathan Oquendo was ready to retire from boxing as recently as last year. Now he’s fighting for a world title.
Jonathan Oquendo was thinking seriously about retirement as recently as 2018.
The Puerto Rican slugger was in his mid-30s, had been fighting hard since 2004 and, most important, it seemed as if meaningful opportunities had dried up. He had fought only once in almost three years after he lost a decision to then-featherweight beltholder Jesus Cuellar in 2015, his only major title shot.
Then, with the backing of co-promoter Miguel Cotto Promotions and Golden Boy, the crowd-pleaser was afforded one more run at glory.
Now, at 36, he’s only days away from his second opportunity to fight for a major belt. He faces junior lightweight titleholder Jamel Herring on Tuesday night inside the MGM Grand bubble in Las Vegas.
“I didn’t know I would get this opportunity,” Oquendo told Boxing Junkie through a translator. “I was about to say goodbye to the sport. I thought I only had a few fights left. To get this opportunity is marvelous.”
Oquendo (31-6, 19 KOs) has the reputation of being a durable, reliable fringe contender who will give his all every time he steps through the ropes but come up short.
Jonathan Oquendo (left) shut out Charle Huerta in November, his most recent fight. Kyle Monroe / Hoganphotos-Golden Boy
The product of Bayamon has a few notable victories – a decision over Jhonny Gonzalez that earned him a shot at Cuellar stands out – but he hasn’t fared well in his biggest fights, including setbacks against Juan Manuel Lopez, Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., Abner Mares and (in May of last year) Lamont Roach.
Oquendo didn’t fight for 19 months after the Cuellar setback, stopped journeyman Orlando Rizo and then didn’t fight again for another 13 months. It was around this time that he thought it was time to move on.
It was also around this time that Cotto, the former four-division champion, convinced Oquendo that he had more to give and they geared up for one more run at a title.
Oquendo, feeling strong at 130 pounds, won three fights in four months in Puerto Rico, which earned him a chance to face Roach in a title eliminator at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Oquendo gave a strong performance but ended up on the wrong end of a disputed unanimous decision that was booed by the crowd.
Oquendo didn’t fret. He proved to himself that night that he was still capable of competing at a high level. Roach went on to lose a wide decision to Herring in November while Oquendo shut out Charles Huerta in a stay-busy fight the same month.
Oquendo (right) came up short against Lamont Roach but felt like the winner. Tom Hogan / Hoganphotos-Golden Boy
“I felt like the winner in [the Roach] fight. And I was feeling like my moment would come soon,” he said.
It would, although no one could’ve predicted how it would arrive.
Oquendo agreed in late May – amid the coronavirus pandemic – to face Herring on July 2 inside the bubble at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The challenger, thrilled about the opportunity, went right to work to prepare for what might be his last opportunity to realize his dream of becoming a world champion. Then, on June 23, came the news: Herring had tested positive for COVID-19 and the fight was postponed.
Oquendo’s first thoughts were with Herring and his family. “That was most important,” he said. At the same time, he was worried. When would Herring be able to fight? And would Oquendo still be in the picture when he could?
It wouldn’t be the first time a scheduled fight fell through completely over something unforeseen.
“I was worried,” Oquendo said. “An opportunity to fight for a world title isn’t something given to just anybody. I felt it was slipping through my fingers. I was also worried about the health of Herring and his family.
“Thank God he’s better, thank God everything is set.”
Herring (21-2, 10 KOs) raised some eyebrows – including those of his own team members – when he announced he would go through with the fight only three weeks after testing positive. However, he recovered, follow-up tests came back negative and insists he’ll be ready to defend his title.
Will it be the same old story for Oquendo? A valiant, but futile effort?
The underdog is confident things will be different. He feels particularly strong after he moved up to 130 pounds permanently. And he’s in a good place in his life mentally and emotionally, including his finances. He likes his chances.
“I feel more mature, more intelligent,” he said. “And with the money I’ve been making my mind is clear. I’m not a kid anymore. I’m stronger, wiser at 36 than I was at 25. I think of boxing more as a business now. I’m in a better place now.
“[Herring] has a lot of good qualities. He boxes well, his height, his length. He has lots of advantages. I have one too: Faith in my training I’ve had. I’ll be ready for anything he brings.”
And if Oquendo wins? If he reaches the pinnacle of the sport 14 years into his pro career?
“It would mean everything,” he said. “My whole life, since I was very young, my dream was to become world champion. I’ll dedicate this to those who have believed in me, my fans, my family. It has been their dream too.
“When at 35 I was thinking of saying good bye … to become champion would be amazing.”
