Tag: Jovanie Santiago

Weekend Review: O’Shaquie Foster makes most of big opportunity

Weekend Review: O’Shaquie Foster made the most of a big opportunity against Rey Vargas on Saturday in San Antonio.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER

O’Shaquie Foster – The new 130-pound beltholder was correct when he said after his break-through victory on Saturday that his style could pose problems for anyone. His combination of natural gifts and well-honed ability – particularly on defense – defused everything veteran Rey Vargas tried to do at the Alamodome in San Antonio, which resulted in a one-sided decision and the Texan’s first world title. And remember: Vargas was no easy mark. The Mexican was unbeaten and a two-division titleholder going into the fight for the vacant WBC title, although he was moving up in weight. And Foster (20-2, 12 KOs) made him look ordinary. And if he can make Vargas (36-1, 22 KOs) look ordinary … well, the others at or near his weight have been put on notice. I don’t know whether Foster is going to become a fan favorite because he’s primarily a technician but he’s going to be awfully difficult to beat.

 

BIGGEST LOSER

Rey Vargas – The 32-year-old from Mexico City is actually in a good position. Yes, he suffered the first loss in his 14-year career, a fate that is difficult for any fighter to swallow. And he failed in his bid to join a select fraternity by becoming a three-division champion. At the same time, he can say, “Hey, it was a stretch for me to move up to 130 pounds.” He seemed to imply after the fight he wasn’t comfortable at the weight, saying through a translator “The weight might have been a little difficult, maybe the power’s a little different. But I said from the beginning, it’s more the legs and stuff.” Vargas remains the WBC 126-pound titleholder. He can simply go back down to featherweight, where he won’t give up any advantages in terms of size. And if he decides to give 130 another go, he’ll probably have his hand raised the next time. It’s not as if he was blown out by Foster; he was competitive. Vargas has more success ahead him.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Foster said after the fight that he expects to make two mandatory defenses before he can think about unifying 130-pound titles, which is the result of winning a vacant title. First is line is No. 2-ranked Eduardo Hernandez, a 25-year-old slugger from Mexico. Hernandez (33-1, 30 KOs) isn’t the boxer Vargas is but he’s naturally bigger and a knockout artist. He would have to hurt Foster to beat him, which is possible if Foster isn’t careful. Hernandez can discombobulate anyone. He also can be hurt himself, as we saw when Roger Gutierrez stopped him with a single right hand in the first round in 2019. The second mandatory? That will be sorted out over the next several months. … Welterweight contender Mario Barrios (27-2, 18 KOs) stopped smallish Jovanie Santiago (14-3-1, 10 KOs) in the eighth round on the Foster-Vargas card, which keeps him relevant. The San Antonio native had lost his two previous fights, to Gervonta Davis (at 140) and Keith Thurman (147). Barrios landed more and more punishing blows as the fight progressed and the stoppage was brutal, which was a strong statement for him. Can he compete with the top 147-pounders? That will be difficult because he’s a limited boxer but he’ll always come to fight and has power.

News item: Canelo Alvarez (58-2-2, 39 KOs) and John Ryder reportedly are near a deal to fight on May 6 in Jalisco, Mexico, near Alvarez’s hometown of Guadalajara. I get that Alvarez wants to fight at home for the first time since he stopped Kermit Cintron in 2011. He wants to reward his fans. It’s just difficult to get excited about his opponent. Ryder (32-5, 18 KOs) is a solid fighter, as the Londoner has proved against quality opposition the past few years, but he’s not a serious threat to the pound-for-pounder. The matchup reminds me of the 1993 Julio Cesar Chavez–Greg Haugen fight that drew 136,000 to Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Great event, not competitive. Alvarez’s planned subsequent fight would be a challenge: He reportedly wants to face light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol a second time in September. Bivol defeated Alvarez by a unanimous decision last May. … I was pleased to hear that Anthony Joshua says a meeting with Deontay Wilder is inevitable. No one cares whether a title would be at stake. That matchup would be a blast. I was less pleased to hear that Wilder said he’d like to face mixed martial artist Francis Ngannou. That’s not a fight; it’s an execution. Wilder reportedly is frustrated with negotiations with Andy Ruiz Jr.

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Weekend Review: O’Shaquie Foster makes most of big opportunity

Weekend Review: O’Shaquie Foster made the most of a big opportunity against Rey Vargas on Saturday in San Antonio.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER

O’Shaquie Foster – The new 130-pound beltholder was correct when he said after his break-through victory on Saturday that his style could pose problems for anyone. His combination of natural gifts and well-honed ability – particularly on defense – defused everything veteran Rey Vargas tried to do at the Alamodome in San Antonio, which resulted in a one-sided decision and the Texan’s first world title. And remember: Vargas was no easy mark. The Mexican was unbeaten and a two-division titleholder going into the fight for the vacant WBC title, although he was moving up in weight. And Foster (20-2, 12 KOs) made him look ordinary. And if he can make Vargas (36-1, 22 KOs) look ordinary … well, the others at or near his weight have been put on notice. I don’t know whether Foster is going to become a fan favorite because he’s primarily a technician but he’s going to be awfully difficult to beat.

 

BIGGEST LOSER

Rey Vargas – The 32-year-old from Mexico City is actually in a good position. Yes, he suffered the first loss in his 14-year career, a fate that is difficult for any fighter to swallow. And he failed in his bid to join a select fraternity by becoming a three-division champion. At the same time, he can say, “Hey, it was a stretch for me to move up to 130 pounds.” He seemed to imply after the fight he wasn’t comfortable at the weight, saying through a translator “The weight might have been a little difficult, maybe the power’s a little different. But I said from the beginning, it’s more the legs and stuff.” Vargas remains the WBC 126-pound titleholder. He can simply go back down to featherweight, where he won’t give up any advantages in terms of size. And if he decides to give 130 another go, he’ll probably have his hand raised the next time. It’s not as if he was blown out by Foster; he was competitive. Vargas has more success ahead him.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Foster said after the fight that he expects to make two mandatory defenses before he can think about unifying 130-pound titles, which is the result of winning a vacant title. First is line is No. 2-ranked Eduardo Hernandez, a 25-year-old slugger from Mexico. Hernandez (33-1, 30 KOs) isn’t the boxer Vargas is but he’s naturally bigger and a knockout artist. He would have to hurt Foster to beat him, which is possible if Foster isn’t careful. Hernandez can discombobulate anyone. He also can be hurt himself, as we saw when Roger Gutierrez stopped him with a single right hand in the first round in 2019. The second mandatory? That will be sorted out over the next several months. … Welterweight contender Mario Barrios (27-2, 18 KOs) stopped smallish Jovanie Santiago (14-3-1, 10 KOs) in the eighth round on the Foster-Vargas card, which keeps him relevant. The San Antonio native had lost his two previous fights, to Gervonta Davis (at 140) and Keith Thurman (147). Barrios landed more and more punishing blows as the fight progressed and the stoppage was brutal, which was a strong statement for him. Can he compete with the top 147-pounders? That will be difficult because he’s a limited boxer but he’ll always come to fight and has power.

News item: Canelo Alvarez (58-2-2, 39 KOs) and John Ryder reportedly are near a deal to fight on May 6 in Jalisco, Mexico, near Alvarez’s hometown of Guadalajara. I get that Alvarez wants to fight at home for the first time since he stopped Kermit Cintron in 2011. He wants to reward his fans. It’s just difficult to get excited about his opponent. Ryder (32-5, 18 KOs) is a solid fighter, as the Londoner has proved against quality opposition the past few years, but he’s not a serious threat to the pound-for-pounder. The matchup reminds me of the 1993 Julio Cesar Chavez–Greg Haugen fight that drew 136,000 to Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Great event, not competitive. Alvarez’s planned subsequent fight would be a challenge: He reportedly wants to face light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol a second time in September. Bivol defeated Alvarez by a unanimous decision last May. … I was pleased to hear that Anthony Joshua says a meeting with Deontay Wilder is inevitable. No one cares whether a title would be at stake. That matchup would be a blast. I was less pleased to hear that Wilder said he’d like to face mixed martial artist Francis Ngannou. That’s not a fight; it’s an execution. Wilder reportedly is frustrated with negotiations with Andy Ruiz Jr.

[lawrence-related id=35582,35575,35570]

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Mario Barrios batters, drops, stops Jovanie Santiago in eighth round

Welterweight contender Mario Barrios battered, dropped and finally stopped Jovanie Santiago in the eighth round Saturday in San Antonio.

Mario Barrios injected life into his career.

The welterweight contender, who was coming off consecutive losses, dropped Jovanie Santiago and then stopped him in the eighth round of a scheduled 10-round bout on the Rey Vargas-O’Shaquie Foster card Saturday in San Antonio.

The official time of the stoppage was 1:42.

The fight was competitive for a few rounds. Then Barrios, fighting in his home town, stepped up his aggression and seemed to land more and more punishing shots at the fighter progressed.

By Round 8, Santiago (14-3-1, 10 KOs) was taking a beating but had yet to hit the canvas. Finally, about a minute into the round, the Puerto Rican went down from left to the body.

Santiago got back to his fight only to absorb more hard, accurate shots from Barrios that prompted his trainer to stop the fight.

“It feels amazing,” Barrios said. “It took me a while to get that groove, to get that rhythm. I felt great.”

Barrios (27-2, 18 KOs) was stopped by Gervonta Davis in 11 rounds in 2021 at 140 pounds. He then moved up to 147 to face former titleholder Keith Thurman and was outpointed a year ago.

Mario Barrios batters, drops, stops Jovanie Santiago in eighth round

Welterweight contender Mario Barrios battered, dropped and finally stopped Jovanie Santiago in the eighth round Saturday in San Antonio.

Mario Barrios injected life into his career.

The welterweight contender, who was coming off consecutive losses, dropped Jovanie Santiago and then stopped him in the eighth round of a scheduled 10-round bout on the Rey Vargas-O’Shaquie Foster card Saturday in San Antonio.

The official time of the stoppage was 1:42.

The fight was competitive for a few rounds. Then Barrios, fighting in his home town, stepped up his aggression and seemed to land more and more punishing shots at the fighter progressed.

By Round 8, Santiago (14-3-1, 10 KOs) was taking a beating but had yet to hit the canvas. Finally, about a minute into the round, the Puerto Rican went down from left to the body.

Santiago got back to his fight only to absorb more hard, accurate shots from Barrios that prompted his trainer to stop the fight.

“It feels amazing,” Barrios said. “It took me a while to get that groove, to get that rhythm. I felt great.”

Barrios (27-2, 18 KOs) was stopped by Gervonta Davis in 11 rounds in 2021 at 140 pounds. He then moved up to 147 to face former titleholder Keith Thurman and was outpointed a year ago.

Gary Antuanne Russell beats up, stops Jovanie Santiago

Gary Antuanne Russell beat up and then stopped Jovanie Santiago after six rounds on the Nordine Oubaali-Nonito Donaire card Saturday.

There are now two important boxers named Gary Russell.

Gary Antuanne Russell, a younger brother of the long-reigning featherweight champ Gary Russell Jr., turned what was supposed to be a test against Jovanie Santiago into a brutal beat down on the Nordine Oubaali-Nonito Donaire card Saturday in Carson, Calif.

Santiago, who went the distance with Adrien Broner in his previous fight, quit on his stool after the sixth round of the scheduled 10-round junior welterweight fight.

Russell, who has stopped all 14 of his opponents, came out firing at the opening bell and was never really challenged. He fought with controlled aggression, landing precise, hard shots that quickly broke Santiago (14-2-1, 10 KOs) down.

Russell landed a right hook that forced Santiago to take a knee in Round 4 and battered him almost at will thereafter. The former U.S. Olympian delivered a particularly brutal beating in Round 6, which convinced Santiago and his handlers that enough was enough.

Russell, only 24, wasn’t ranked by any of the four major sanctioning bodies going into the fight. You can bet will be soon.

 

Gary Antuanne Russell beats up, stops Jovanie Santiago

Gary Antuanne Russell beat up and then stopped Jovanie Santiago after six rounds on the Nordine Oubaali-Nonito Donaire card Saturday.

There are now two important boxers named Gary Russell.

Gary Antuanne Russell, a younger brother of the long-reigning featherweight champ Gary Russell Jr., turned what was supposed to be a test against Jovanie Santiago into a brutal beat down on the Nordine Oubaali-Nonito Donaire card Saturday in Carson, Calif.

Santiago, who went the distance with Adrien Broner in his previous fight, quit on his stool after the sixth round of the scheduled 10-round junior welterweight fight.

Russell, who has stopped all 14 of his opponents, came out firing at the opening bell and was never really challenged. He fought with controlled aggression, landing precise, hard shots that quickly broke Santiago (14-2-1, 10 KOs) down.

Russell landed a right hook that forced Santiago to take a knee in Round 4 and battered him almost at will thereafter. The former U.S. Olympian delivered a particularly brutal beating in Round 6, which convinced Santiago and his handlers that enough was enough.

Russell, only 24, wasn’t ranked by any of the four major sanctioning bodies going into the fight. You can bet will be soon.

 

Good, bad, worse: Oscar Valdez’s masterpiece, Adrien Broner’s dubious victory

Oscar Valdez recorded a career-defining win over Miguel Berchelt while Adrien Broner was lucky to get a decision against Jovanie Santiago.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkUCINYpVkM

It remains to be seen whether Oscar Valdez will evolve into a great fighter but he certainly was great for at least one night.

Everything he has learned and dreamed of came together to produce one of the more remarkable performances in recent memory, utter demolition of Miguel Berchelt that was punctuated by three knockdowns and what probably will be the Knockout of the Year in Round 10.

Remember: Berchelt was considered one of the best fighters in the world pound-for-pound – he’s Honorable Mention on Boxing Junkie’s list – and was on a hot streak heading into the fight.

Indeed, he was no ordinary titleholder, of which there are many. He was a fighter who seemed to be heading in the direction of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, a superb fighter in his prime. And Valdez outclassed him.

That’s why the magnitude of Valdez’s accomplishment cannot be overstated. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Of course, we shouldn’t be shocked. Valdez (29-0, 23 KOs) was an outstanding amateur; he was a 2008 Olympian for his native Mexico. He reigned as a featherweight titleholder for three years. He obviously has punching power, as his record indicates. And he’s tough. He fought through a broken jaw to beat Scott Quigg.

However, he didn’t look great in his previous two fights. Late replacement Adam Lopez put him down in the second round of their fight before he was knocked out himself in seven. And while he stopped Jayson Velez in the 10th round this past July, something was missing.

Nothing was missing on Saturday.

Valdez was too quick for Berchelt, as new trainer Eddy Reynoso said he would be. He was too athletic; Berchelt couldn’t corner him consistently enough to turn the tide. He was too powerful, as the three knockdowns and a monumental fight-ender demonstrated.

And, most important, he was just too good for Berchelt. If Oscar Valdez wasn’t considered one of the best fighters in the world before Saturday, he is now.

***

BAD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hx9vBHgkrg

I don’t want to be too hard on Adrien Broner in the wake of his controversial unanimous-decision victory over Jovanie Santiago on Saturday in Uncasville, Conn.

“The Problem” hadn’t been in the ring for more than two years, which probably played a role in his slow start in the fight. He reportedly lost 35-plus pounds, which also could’ve affected his performance.

And Santiago, a relative unknown going into the fight, appeared to be a capable, tough opponent who could end up becoming a contender.

All that said, the version of Broner we saw in the ring was not a legitimate threat to 140-pounders like Josh Taylor, Jose Ramirez and Regis Prograis, as he wants to portray himself. I doubt he could even beat next-tier 140-pounders like Jose Zepeda or Viktor Postol.

The judges had Broner winning 117-110, 116-111 and 115-112 but I thought Santiago deserved the decision, scoring it 114-113 (seven rounds to five) for the Puerto Rican. And I know I’m not alone.

Broner, 31, was typically inactive, landing an average of only 8.2 of 28.2 punches per round. That sort of output didn’t work in his most-recent setbacks – including losses to Mikey Garcia and Manny Pacquiao — and some would argue it wasn’t enough against Santiago.

Maybe, as the ESPN broadcasters suggested, he remains gun shy after taking so many big shots in his loss to Marcos Maidana in 2013.

Of course, it’s important to note that Broner picked up his pace in the second half of the fight against Santiago, which might indicate that he needed to shed rust from his layoff.

And he said after the fight that he planned to get right back into the gym to continue his comeback, which is a good sign. He also said he wants to fight regularly to avoid falling back into his self-destructive habits. Smart.

I would suggest he spend as much time as possible working on his craft — and his mindset — because he’s a long way from where he wants to be.

***

WORSE

Jovanie Santiago (right) did good body work against Adrien Broner most of their fight. Amanda Westcott / Showtime

I’m not big on conspiracy theories but it’s difficult to understand the scoring in the Broner-Santiago fight. And a decision by Mohegan Sun officials, who oversaw the fight, added to my disgust.

I thought the fight was close and could’ve gone either way. Judge Glenn Feldman had it 115-112 for Broner, which was reasonable. That’s not the case for Tom Carusone and especially Peter Hary, who scored it 116-111 and 117-110 for Broner.

That means Hary gave Broner nine of the 12 rounds, which wasn’t reasonable.

I’m also not big on CompuBox statistics, which I believe are sometimes inaccurate and certainly inconclusive. However, they often provide another perspective from which to analyze a fight. And the numbers seemed to reflect reality on Saturday.

Consider that Broner didn’t out-land Santiago in any round yet Hary gave him nine of them. Yes, Broner had some success with his jab but Santiago landed 2½ times more power shots (124 to 49) than he did. Even if CompuBox is off — and I’m not saying it was — it’s clear that Santiago landed more meaningful blows.

Doesn’t make sense.

And while a point deduction for punching after the bell in the fourth round played no role in the decision – thank goodness – it was a genuine head scratcher. A commission official acknowledged what was clear on replay video, that both fighters threw punches after the bell rang.

According to the broadcast team, the official justified the decision to dock only Santiago a point because his punch came “way after the bell.” Huh? It was almost as if they wanted Broner to win.

Again, doesn’t make sense.

I don’t have a problem with Broner getting the decision. He rallied in the later rounds to close the gap, from my perspective. At the same time, scores that are far too wide and a strange decision by the officials leave a bad taste in my mouth.

***

RABBIT PUNCHES

As Broner has said, A.B. is going to be A.B. He’s going to make outlandish comments. That’s who he is and it’s obviously one reason people find him interesting.

However, his profanity-laced tirade against unofficial Showtime scorer Steve Farhood was unnecessary. Farhood scored the fight as I did, 114-113 for Santiago, which obviously irked Broner.

“F— Steve Farhood,” he said to punctuate his comments on the subject.

The guess here is that Broner has had objections to Farhood’s scoring or comments in the past, which might explain his over-the-top anger. That doesn’t excuse his reaction, though. Everyone who knows Farhood knows he’s an honest and capable broadcaster. He didn’t deserve that verbal attack. …

Otto Wallin (22-1, 14 KOs) probably isn’t in the class of Tyson Fury (against whom he lost a decision) or Anthony Joshua but he might be the next best thing.

The 6-foot-5½-inch Swede looked sharper than ever against 6-foot-7 Dominic Breazeale (20-3, 18 KOs) on the Broner-Santiago card, outclassing the former title challenger to win a well-deserved unanimous decision.

Wallin is quick and athletic for a man his size. He’s a good, disciplined boxer. He doesn’t have unusual power but he can do some damage. Breazeale’s battered face was an indication of that.

And you have to love Wallin’s post-fight comments. He was asked who he’d like to fight next and he responded by saying he only wants to get better.

I believe he’s a legitimate threat to any heavyweight contender and could one day pose a problem even for Fury or Joshua. …

Robert Easter Jr. (23-1-1, 14 KOs) gave a strong performance in his unanimous-decision victory over Ryan Martin (24-2, 14 KOs) on the Broner-Santiago card. His jab should be a model for other fighters. It found the mark the entire fight and threw Martin completely off his game.

Easter, a former lightweight titleholder, is ready to face a contender at junior welterweight.

[lawrence-related id=17977,17966,17962,17959,17956]

Good, bad, worse: Oscar Valdez’s masterpiece, Adrien Broner’s dubious victory

Oscar Valdez recorded a career-defining win over Miguel Berchelt while Adrien Broner was lucky to get a decision against Jovanie Santiago.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkUCINYpVkM

It remains to be seen whether Oscar Valdez will evolve into a great fighter but he certainly was great for at least one night.

Everything he has learned and dreamed of came together to produce one of the more remarkable performances in recent memory, utter demolition of Miguel Berchelt that was punctuated by three knockdowns and what probably will be the Knockout of the Year in Round 10.

Remember: Berchelt was considered one of the best fighters in the world pound-for-pound – he’s Honorable Mention on Boxing Junkie’s list – and was on a hot streak heading into the fight.

Indeed, he was no ordinary titleholder, of which there are many. He was a fighter who seemed to be heading in the direction of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, a superb fighter in his prime. And Valdez outclassed him.

That’s why the magnitude of Valdez’s accomplishment cannot be overstated. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Of course, we shouldn’t be shocked. Valdez (29-0, 23 KOs) was an outstanding amateur; he was a 2008 Olympian for his native Mexico. He reigned as a featherweight titleholder for three years. He obviously has punching power, as his record indicates. And he’s tough. He fought through a broken jaw to beat Scott Quigg.

However, he didn’t look great in his previous two fights. Late replacement Adam Lopez put him down in the second round of their fight before he was knocked out himself in seven. And while he stopped Jayson Velez in the 10th round this past July, something was missing.

Nothing was missing on Saturday.

Valdez was too quick for Berchelt, as new trainer Eddy Reynoso said he would be. He was too athletic; Berchelt couldn’t corner him consistently enough to turn the tide. He was too powerful, as the three knockdowns and a monumental fight-ender demonstrated.

And, most important, he was just too good for Berchelt. If Oscar Valdez wasn’t considered one of the best fighters in the world before Saturday, he is now.

***

BAD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hx9vBHgkrg

I don’t want to be too hard on Adrien Broner in the wake of his controversial unanimous-decision victory over Jovanie Santiago on Saturday in Uncasville, Conn.

“The Problem” hadn’t been in the ring for more than two years, which probably played a role in his slow start in the fight. He reportedly lost 35-plus pounds, which also could’ve affected his performance.

And Santiago, a relative unknown going into the fight, appeared to be a capable, tough opponent who could end up becoming a contender.

All that said, the version of Broner we saw in the ring was not a legitimate threat to 140-pounders like Josh Taylor, Jose Ramirez and Regis Prograis, as he wants to portray himself. I doubt he could even beat next-tier 140-pounders like Jose Zepeda or Viktor Postol.

The judges had Broner winning 117-110, 116-111 and 115-112 but I thought Santiago deserved the decision, scoring it 114-113 (seven rounds to five) for the Puerto Rican. And I know I’m not alone.

Broner, 31, was typically inactive, landing an average of only 8.2 of 28.2 punches per round. That sort of output didn’t work in his most-recent setbacks – including losses to Mikey Garcia and Manny Pacquiao — and some would argue it wasn’t enough against Santiago.

Maybe, as the ESPN broadcasters suggested, he remains gun shy after taking so many big shots in his loss to Marcos Maidana in 2013.

Of course, it’s important to note that Broner picked up his pace in the second half of the fight against Santiago, which might indicate that he needed to shed rust from his layoff.

And he said after the fight that he planned to get right back into the gym to continue his comeback, which is a good sign. He also said he wants to fight regularly to avoid falling back into his self-destructive habits. Smart.

I would suggest he spend as much time as possible working on his craft — and his mindset — because he’s a long way from where he wants to be.

***

WORSE

Jovanie Santiago (right) did good body work against Adrien Broner most of their fight. Amanda Westcott / Showtime

I’m not big on conspiracy theories but it’s difficult to understand the scoring in the Broner-Santiago fight. And a decision by Mohegan Sun officials, who oversaw the fight, added to my disgust.

I thought the fight was close and could’ve gone either way. Judge Glenn Feldman had it 115-112 for Broner, which was reasonable. That’s not the case for Tom Carusone and especially Peter Hary, who scored it 116-111 and 117-110 for Broner.

That means Hary gave Broner nine of the 12 rounds, which wasn’t reasonable.

I’m also not big on CompuBox statistics, which I believe are sometimes inaccurate and certainly inconclusive. However, they often provide another perspective from which to analyze a fight. And the numbers seemed to reflect reality on Saturday.

Consider that Broner didn’t out-land Santiago in any round yet Hary gave him nine of them. Yes, Broner had some success with his jab but Santiago landed 2½ times more power shots (124 to 49) than he did. Even if CompuBox is off — and I’m not saying it was — it’s clear that Santiago landed more meaningful blows.

Doesn’t make sense.

And while a point deduction for punching after the bell in the fourth round played no role in the decision – thank goodness – it was a genuine head scratcher. A commission official acknowledged what was clear on replay video, that both fighters threw punches after the bell rang.

According to the broadcast team, the official justified the decision to dock only Santiago a point because his punch came “way after the bell.” Huh? It was almost as if they wanted Broner to win.

Again, doesn’t make sense.

I don’t have a problem with Broner getting the decision. He rallied in the later rounds to close the gap, from my perspective. At the same time, scores that are far too wide and a strange decision by the officials leave a bad taste in my mouth.

***

RABBIT PUNCHES

As Broner has said, A.B. is going to be A.B. He’s going to make outlandish comments. That’s who he is and it’s obviously one reason people find him interesting.

However, his profanity-laced tirade against unofficial Showtime scorer Steve Farhood was unnecessary. Farhood scored the fight as I did, 114-113 for Santiago, which obviously irked Broner.

“F— Steve Farhood,” he said to punctuate his comments on the subject.

The guess here is that Broner has had objections to Farhood’s scoring or comments in the past, which might explain his over-the-top anger. That doesn’t excuse his reaction, though. Everyone who knows Farhood knows he’s an honest and capable broadcaster. He didn’t deserve that verbal attack. …

Otto Wallin (22-1, 14 KOs) probably isn’t in the class of Tyson Fury (against whom he lost a decision) or Anthony Joshua but he might be the next best thing.

The 6-foot-5½-inch Swede looked sharper than ever against 6-foot-7 Dominic Breazeale (20-3, 18 KOs) on the Broner-Santiago card, outclassing the former title challenger to win a well-deserved unanimous decision.

Wallin is quick and athletic for a man his size. He’s a good, disciplined boxer. He doesn’t have unusual power but he can do some damage. Breazeale’s battered face was an indication of that.

And you have to love Wallin’s post-fight comments. He was asked who he’d like to fight next and he responded by saying he only wants to get better.

I believe he’s a legitimate threat to any heavyweight contender and could one day pose a problem even for Fury or Joshua. …

Robert Easter Jr. (23-1-1, 14 KOs) gave a strong performance in his unanimous-decision victory over Ryan Martin (24-2, 14 KOs) on the Broner-Santiago card. His jab should be a model for other fighters. It found the mark the entire fight and threw Martin completely off his game.

Easter, a former lightweight titleholder, is ready to face a contender at junior welterweight.

[lawrence-related id=17977,17966,17962,17959,17956]

Adrien Broner outpoints Jovanie Santiago in unconvincing effort

Adrien Broner escaped with a controversial decision over Jovanie Santiago on Saturday in Uncasville, Conn.

Adrien Broner escaped with a controversial victory but he certainly didn’t look like a fighter who could replicate his early success.

Broner got off to a slow start against Jovanie Santiago but rallied in the second half of the fight to win a unanimous decision in a 12-round welterweight fight Saturday at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., his first outing in more than two years.

Broner (34-4-1, 24 KOs) got the decision even though the obscure Santiago (14-1-1, 10 KOs) outlanded him in every round and landed more than twice as many punches overall, according to CompuBox.

“That was cool,” said Broner, who had his hand raised for the first time since 2017. “I want to go home and really look at my fight. I haven’t fought in two years. But I felt good, I felt like I won the fight. I felt like I beat him with the jab, honestly.

“But it felt good to get my hand raised.”

Broner did have success with his jab but one could argue that he didn’t throw enough power shots to control the fight, particularly in the first six or seven rounds.

Through Round 7, Broner landed a total of 44 punches. That’s 6.3 per round. Santiago connected on 98 over the same stretch.

The former four-division titleholder began to find his grove in the seventh round, picked up his pace and had an effective series of rounds. Two judges gave Broner Rounds 7-11 while third gave him Rounds 7-10. (Boxing Junkie had Broner winning Round 8-11.)

All three judges gave the final round to Santiago, who outlanded Broner 207-98 overall.

The fight seemed to be close given Santiago’s early dominance and Broner’s rally. However, the judges didn’t see it that way. Peter Hary had 117-110, nine rounds to three in favor Broner. Tom Carusone and Glen Feldman had it 116-111 and 115-112, respectively.

Boxing Junkie scored it 114-113 – seven rounds to five – for Santiago, who lost a point in the fourth round for punching after the bell.

Santiago evidently doesn’t believe a victory was stolen from him.

“No, the decision doesn’t surprise me,” he said. “Broner did a nice job in there. The decision could have gone both ways. He fought a great fight. We were in it to win this fight, and he got the decision.

“I think boxing fans know who I am now, but in this fight I should have applied more pressure, and the fight would have gone my way.”

Broner, who reportedly lost 35 pounds, and Santiago had been set to fight at 140 pounds but agreed to adjust the limit to 147 in the 11th hour. Broner said he plans to fight at 140 going forward.

Three of his four losses have come at 147, including a wide decision against Manny Pacquiao in January 2019.

“I knew he was going to be tough because he’s 14-0,” Broner said of his Puerto Rican opponent. “And anybody with that ‘0’ wants to keep that ‘0’ so they’re going to fight like a bum fighting for a sandwich. I came in, and I got the job done.

“There is a lot of work out there at 140. Right now we’re going to the drawing board with [manager] Al Haymon to see what’s best for me. But I’m definitely going back to the gym and I’m looking forward to getting one of those titles this year at 140.”

[lawrence-related id=17962,17959]

Adrien Broner outpoints Jovanie Santiago in unconvincing effort

Adrien Broner escaped with a controversial decision over Jovanie Santiago on Saturday in Uncasville, Conn.

Adrien Broner escaped with a controversial victory but he certainly didn’t look like a fighter who could replicate his early success.

Broner got off to a slow start against Jovanie Santiago but rallied in the second half of the fight to win a unanimous decision in a 12-round welterweight fight Saturday at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., his first outing in more than two years.

Broner (34-4-1, 24 KOs) got the decision even though the obscure Santiago (14-1-1, 10 KOs) outlanded him in every round and landed more than twice as many punches overall, according to CompuBox.

“That was cool,” said Broner, who had his hand raised for the first time since 2017. “I want to go home and really look at my fight. I haven’t fought in two years. But I felt good, I felt like I won the fight. I felt like I beat him with the jab, honestly.

“But it felt good to get my hand raised.”

Broner did have success with his jab but one could argue that he didn’t throw enough power shots to control the fight, particularly in the first six or seven rounds.

Through Round 7, Broner landed a total of 44 punches. That’s 6.3 per round. Santiago connected on 98 over the same stretch.

The former four-division titleholder began to find his grove in the seventh round, picked up his pace and had an effective series of rounds. Two judges gave Broner Rounds 7-11 while third gave him Rounds 7-10. (Boxing Junkie had Broner winning Round 8-11.)

All three judges gave the final round to Santiago, who outlanded Broner 207-98 overall.

The fight seemed to be close given Santiago’s early dominance and Broner’s rally. However, the judges didn’t see it that way. Peter Hary had 117-110, nine rounds to three in favor Broner. Tom Carusone and Glen Feldman had it 116-111 and 115-112, respectively.

Boxing Junkie scored it 114-113 – seven rounds to five – for Santiago, who lost a point in the fourth round for punching after the bell.

Santiago evidently doesn’t believe a victory was stolen from him.

“No, the decision doesn’t surprise me,” he said. “Broner did a nice job in there. The decision could have gone both ways. He fought a great fight. We were in it to win this fight, and he got the decision.

“I think boxing fans know who I am now, but in this fight I should have applied more pressure, and the fight would have gone my way.”

Broner, who reportedly lost 35 pounds, and Santiago had been set to fight at 140 pounds but agreed to adjust the limit to 147 in the 11th hour. Broner said he plans to fight at 140 going forward.

Three of his four losses have come at 147, including a wide decision against Manny Pacquiao in January 2019.

“I knew he was going to be tough because he’s 14-0,” Broner said of his Puerto Rican opponent. “And anybody with that ‘0’ wants to keep that ‘0’ so they’re going to fight like a bum fighting for a sandwich. I came in, and I got the job done.

“There is a lot of work out there at 140. Right now we’re going to the drawing board with [manager] Al Haymon to see what’s best for me. But I’m definitely going back to the gym and I’m looking forward to getting one of those titles this year at 140.”

[lawrence-related id=17962,17959]