Tag: Luis Nunez

Good, bad, worse: 115-pounders set standard for best-vs.-best action

Good, bad, worse: The elite 115-pounders setthe standard for best-vs.-best action.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

The lightweights could learn from the junior bantamweights.

While the top 135-pounders talk incessantly about fighting one another, the 115-pounders are actually doing so, which isn’t lost on devoted fans.

Titleholder Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez this week finalized the third fight in their classic rivalry, which will take place March 5 in Temecula, California. Meanwhile, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Carlos Cuadras will meet for a second time on Feb. 5 in Glendale, Arizona. The winners of those fights are expected to face one another in one more can’t-miss showdown of elite warriors.

And get this: Estrada, Gonzalez, Sor Rungvisai and Cuadras have already fought one another a total of 10 times. How many elite fighters in any other division face each other that often?

I hope the lightweight stars – and anyone else reluctant to face best possible opposition – are paying attention.

Of course, the junior bantamweights are handled by people who are willing to work with one another. The top lightweights are more divided by promotional and managerial rivalries, which makes is difficult to make fights. That’s an ongoing problem in boxing, with no end in sight.

I also have a hunch the 135-pounders and their handlers are more concerned about the impact a loss might have on their earning power. Guess what? Fans have never cared about losses as long as they get competitive, entertaining fights.

Estrada, Gonzalez, Sor Rungvisai and Cuadras have a combined 15 losses and the coming fights will still do good business because fans know what they will get, great wars.

Give the fans what they want. It’ll pay off.

 

BAD

Luis Nunez prevented what would’ve been a miserable night for Dominican prospects Friday on Showtime.

Nunez (16-0, 12 KOs) knocked out Carlos Arrieta (14-1, 8 KOs) of Puerto Rico in the 10th and final round of their 130-pound bout, his second consecutive victory over a previously unbeaten opponent on national TV in the U.S.

He appears to have the ability and power to become a major player between 126 and 130 pounds.

That can’t necessarily be said for his countrymen Edwin De Los Santos and Starling Castillo, who also were unbeaten going into Friday’s card in Orlando, Florida.

De Los Santos (13-1, 12 KOs) looked like a beast in the opening round but soon faded when it became clear he couldn’t take out William Foster III as he had overmatched opponents in the Dominican Republic.

Foster withstood the early pressure and outworked De Los Santos the rest of the way to win a split decision that should’ve been unanimous.

Finally, short, stocky Otar Eranosyan (11-0, 6 KOs) stole the show by overwhelming Starling Castillo (16-1, 12 KOs) with relentless pressure, which made it difficult for the Dominican to do anything. The Georgian won a unanimous decision in the eight-round lightweight bout.

Those who watched “ShoBox: The New Generation” on Friday will want to see Eranosyan fight again. And he could become a player at 135 pounds. How does a showdown of “Pitbulls” – Eranosyan vs. Isaac Cruz – sound?

 

BAD

Jake Paul was just talking … er, posting. That’s what he does.

Tony Bellew blasted the YouTuber-turned-boxer after Paul declared on social media that he carries the sport of boxing. “You couldn’t carry the jockstrap of a proper BOXER son,” Bellew, the former cruiserweight champ, responded on Twitter.

I had the same reaction initially. I wanted to say to Paul, “A Canelo Alvarez workout would generate bigger pay-per-view numbers than your fights,” even if that’s not true. I thought better of it, though.

Paul’s shtick is pushing people’s buttons, that and doing outrageous things. That’s how he gets attention. And the attention translates to money, of which he has a great deal.

He’s smart. And, yes, he’s bringing news eyes to boxing. That can’t be bad.

Also, he has never claimed to be an elite boxer, only a beginner who works hard and is learning quickly. That’s true. He knows after a few years in the gym that he’ll lose if he faces a more-advanced boxer.

I’m impressed with Paul’s savvy. And I’m mildly amused by him, both out of the ring and in it. He definitely deserves some props for the viral shot that ended Tyron Woodley’s night last month.

My advice to Bellew and others who think (with only minimal justification) that Paul is hijacking boxing: Don’t take him too seriously. He’s not hurting anyone except the non-boxers he faces.

Good, bad, worse: 115-pounders set standard for best-vs.-best action

Good, bad, worse: The elite 115-pounders setthe standard for best-vs.-best action.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

The lightweights could learn from the junior bantamweights.

While the top 135-pounders talk incessantly about fighting one another, the 115-pounders are actually doing so, which isn’t lost on devoted fans.

Titleholder Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez this week finalized the third fight in their classic rivalry, which will take place March 5 in Temecula, California. Meanwhile, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Carlos Cuadras will meet for a second time on Feb. 5 in Glendale, Arizona. The winners of those fights are expected to face one another in one more can’t-miss showdown of elite warriors.

And get this: Estrada, Gonzalez, Sor Rungvisai and Cuadras have already fought one another a total of 10 times. How many elite fighters in any other division face each other that often?

I hope the lightweight stars – and anyone else reluctant to face best possible opposition – are paying attention.

Of course, the junior bantamweights are handled by people who are willing to work with one another. The top lightweights are more divided by promotional and managerial rivalries, which makes is difficult to make fights. That’s an ongoing problem in boxing, with no end in sight.

I also have a hunch the 135-pounders and their handlers are more concerned about the impact a loss might have on their earning power. Guess what? Fans have never cared about losses as long as they get competitive, entertaining fights.

Estrada, Gonzalez, Sor Rungvisai and Cuadras have a combined 15 losses and the coming fights will still do good business because fans know what they will get, great wars.

Give the fans what they want. It’ll pay off.

 

BAD

Luis Nunez prevented what would’ve been a miserable night for Dominican prospects Friday on Showtime.

Nunez (16-0, 12 KOs) knocked out Carlos Arrieta (14-1, 8 KOs) of Puerto Rico in the 10th and final round of their 130-pound bout, his second consecutive victory over a previously unbeaten opponent on national TV in the U.S.

He appears to have the ability and power to become a major player between 126 and 130 pounds.

That can’t necessarily be said for his countrymen Edwin De Los Santos and Starling Castillo, who also were unbeaten going into Friday’s card in Orlando, Florida.

De Los Santos (13-1, 12 KOs) looked like a beast in the opening round but soon faded when it became clear he couldn’t take out William Foster III as he had overmatched opponents in the Dominican Republic.

Foster withstood the early pressure and outworked De Los Santos the rest of the way to win a split decision that should’ve been unanimous.

Finally, short, stocky Otar Eranosyan (11-0, 6 KOs) stole the show by overwhelming Starling Castillo (16-1, 12 KOs) with relentless pressure, which made it difficult for the Dominican to do anything. The Georgian won a unanimous decision in the eight-round lightweight bout.

Those who watched “ShoBox: The New Generation” on Friday will want to see Eranosyan fight again. And he could become a player at 135 pounds. How does a showdown of “Pitbulls” – Eranosyan vs. Isaac Cruz – sound?

 

BAD

Jake Paul was just talking … er, posting. That’s what he does.

Tony Bellew blasted the YouTuber-turned-boxer after Paul declared on social media that he carries the sport of boxing. “You couldn’t carry the jockstrap of a proper BOXER son,” Bellew, the former cruiserweight champ, responded on Twitter.

I had the same reaction initially. I wanted to say to Paul, “A Canelo Alvarez workout would generate bigger pay-per-view numbers than your fights,” even if that’s not true. I thought better of it, though.

Paul’s shtick is pushing people’s buttons, that and doing outrageous things. That’s how he gets attention. And the attention translates to money, of which he has a great deal.

He’s smart. And, yes, he’s bringing news eyes to boxing. That can’t be bad.

Also, he has never claimed to be an elite boxer, only a beginner who works hard and is learning quickly. That’s true. He knows after a few years in the gym that he’ll lose if he faces a more-advanced boxer.

I’m impressed with Paul’s savvy. And I’m mildly amused by him, both out of the ring and in it. He definitely deserves some props for the viral shot that ended Tyron Woodley’s night last month.

My advice to Bellew and others who think (with only minimal justification) that Paul is hijacking boxing: Don’t take him too seriously. He’s not hurting anyone except the non-boxers he faces.

Luis Nunez stops Carlos Arrieta in the 10th and final round on ShoBox

Dominican prospect Luis Nunez stopped Carlos Arrieta in the 10th and final round Friday night on ShoBox.

Luis Nunez is making the most of his opportunities.

The 22-year-old Dominican prospect, fighting in the main event on “ShoBox: The New Generation” for a second straight time, knocked out game, but overmatched Carlos Arrieta on Friday at Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Nunez (16-0, 12 KOs) now has back-to-back victories over previously unbeaten opponents on national TV in the U.S.

It looked as if Arrieta (14-1, 8 KOs) was going to give Nunez problems early, as he fought at a fast pace and landed some eye-catching punches. His body work was particularly effective.

However, Nunez, never hurt by anything Arrieta threw, picked up his own work rate and landed the bigger, more damaging punches to take control of the fight and wear his Puerto Rican opponent down in the scheduled 10-round junior lightweight bout.

Nunez seemed to be cruising to a one-sided decision when, about a minute into the final round, he landed a big counter right hand that didn’t put Arrieta down but hurt him badly.

And Nunez took advantage, unleashing a flurry of unanswered punches with Arrieta’s back against the ropes that prompted referee Frank Gentile to step in and save the losing fighter from further punishment.

The official time of the stoppage was 1:41 of the 10th round.

Nunez, who trains at his manager’s gym in Reading, Pennsylvania, defeated a reluctant Jayvon Garnett by an impressive shutout 10-round decision in his United States debut this past September.

Two dominating performances in a row on a high-profile stage suggests that we’re going to see a lot more of him.

In preliminary bouts, also featuring unbeaten prospects, relentless Otar Eranosyan (11-0, 6 KOs) put Starling Castillo (16-1, 12 KOs) down twice in the opening round and went on to win a unanimous decision in an eight-round lightweight bout.

Eranosyan, from the country of Georgia, maintained suffocating pressure on his Dominican counterpart, never giving the taller Castillo room to land many effective punches.

“Pitbull” put Castillo down with an overhand left midway through the opening round and again with a counter right a few seconds before the bell.

The scores were 79-71, 80-70 and 80-70.

And William Foster III (14-0, 9 KOs) defeated Edwin De Los Santos (13-1, 12 KOs) by a split decision in an eight-round 130-pound bout.

De Los Santos, a slugger fighting outside his native Dominican Republic for the first time, came out aggressively in the first round and had some success but seemed to fade shortly thereafter.

Meanwhile, Foster, from New Haven, Connecticut, withstood the early storm and maintained a busy pace to win the decision.

Two judges scored it for Foster 77-74, five rounds to three. The third somehow had it by the same score for De Los Santos, who lost a point because of a foul in Round 4.

 

Luis Nunez stops Carlos Arrieta in the 10th and final round on ShoBox

Dominican prospect Luis Nunez stopped Carlos Arrieta in the 10th and final round Friday night on ShoBox.

Luis Nunez is making the most of his opportunities.

The 22-year-old Dominican prospect, fighting in the main event on “ShoBox: The New Generation” for a second straight time, knocked out game, but overmatched Carlos Arrieta on Friday at Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Nunez (16-0, 12 KOs) now has back-to-back victories over previously unbeaten opponents on national TV in the U.S.

It looked as if Arrieta (14-1, 8 KOs) was going to give Nunez problems early, as he fought at a fast pace and landed some eye-catching punches. His body work was particularly effective.

However, Nunez, never hurt by anything Arrieta threw, picked up his own work rate and landed the bigger, more damaging punches to take control of the fight and wear his Puerto Rican opponent down in the scheduled 10-round junior lightweight bout.

Nunez seemed to be cruising to a one-sided decision when, about a minute into the final round, he landed a big counter right hand that didn’t put Arrieta down but hurt him badly.

And Nunez took advantage, unleashing a flurry of unanswered punches with Arrieta’s back against the ropes that prompted referee Frank Gentile to step in and save the losing fighter from further punishment.

The official time of the stoppage was 1:41 of the 10th round.

Nunez, who trains at his manager’s gym in Reading, Pennsylvania, defeated a reluctant Jayvon Garnett by an impressive shutout 10-round decision in his United States debut this past September.

Two dominating performances in a row on a high-profile stage suggests that we’re going to see a lot more of him.

In preliminary bouts, also featuring unbeaten prospects, relentless Otar Eranosyan (11-0, 6 KOs) put Starling Castillo (16-1, 12 KOs) down twice in the opening round and went on to win a unanimous decision in an eight-round lightweight bout.

Eranosyan, from the country of Georgia, maintained suffocating pressure on his Dominican counterpart, never giving the taller Castillo room to land many effective punches.

“Pitbull” put Castillo down with an overhand left midway through the opening round and again with a counter right a few seconds before the bell.

The scores were 79-71, 80-70 and 80-70.

And William Foster III (14-0, 9 KOs) defeated Edwin De Los Santos (13-1, 12 KOs) by a split decision in an eight-round 130-pound bout.

De Los Santos, a slugger fighting outside his native Dominican Republic for the first time, came out aggressively in the first round and had some success but seemed to fade shortly thereafter.

Meanwhile, Foster, from New Haven, Connecticut, withstood the early storm and maintained a busy pace to win the decision.

Two judges scored it for Foster 77-74, five rounds to three. The third somehow had it by the same score for De Los Santos, who lost a point because of a foul in Round 4.

 

Luis Nunez seeking another dominating performance on ShoBox

Featherweight prospect Luis Nunez will be seeking another dominating performance Friday on Showtime.

Luis Nunez, the 22-year-old featherweight prospect from the tropical Dominican Republic, had one complaint while training at his manager’s Reading, Pennsylvania gym for his fight Friday night in Orlando, Florida.

“It’s a really cold day,” he told Boxing Junkie on Tuesday.

Other than that? He couldn’t be happier about his blossoming career, which makes sense. He went from a talented, but obscure boxer to fighting on his second consecutive “ShoBox: The New Generation” card on national TV in the U.S.

Nunez (15-0, 11 KOs) will face fellow unbeaten prospect Carlos Arrietta (14-0, 8 KOs) of Puerto Rico in the scheduled 10-round main event at Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.

“It’s definitely crazy,” he said through a translator, referring to his exposure in the U.S. “I give God thanks, first and foremost, and my manager Antonio Tineo and Samson Promotions for helping me make history.”

Luis Nunez (left) and Carlos Arrieta on Thursday made weight for their featherweight bout Friday on Showtime. Ryan Loco / Showtime

Nunez is no secret to those who follow Dominican boxing. He followed a friend to a gym at 8 years old in his native Puerto Plata, fell in love with the sport, became an outstanding amateur (with a reported record of 85-5) and has outclassed everyone he has faced so far as a pro.

That includes capable Jayvon Garnett in his previous fight on Showtime, his U.S. debut. Nunez, fighting behind a formidable jab, was seen as the underdog yet won the 10-rounder by a shutout decision.

That impressive victory opened American eyes to his potential.

“Given the fact it was my first time fighting in the U.S. and people seeing me as the underdog, yes, I think it was a big impression I left behind that day. I wasn’t impressed with myself, though. I know my ability and what I can give, I know the quality boxer I am.”

Does that mean we’ll see an even better version of Nunez on Friday? “Definitely,” he said.

Yes, Nunez, a slick boxer who likes to pressure his opponents, thinks big. He acknowledges that he’s just beginning to make his mark but he believes he’s not far from realizing the dream of every boxer, which is to have a major belt wrapped around his waist.

[lawrence-related id=27332]

However, he understands that he must be patient. The next step is to have his hand raised against Arrieta, which would give him back-to-back victories over undefeated opponents on an important platform.

“It’s difficult to be patient,” he said, “because who doesn’t want to be a world champion? But I will definitely take my time. God knows all. Timing is everything. When the door opens, when an opportunity opens, that’s when my time will be.”

What’s his ultimate goal?

“To win a world title … and keep it for a very long time.”

Luis Nunez seeking another dominating performance on ShoBox

Featherweight prospect Luis Nunez will be seeking another dominating performance Friday on Showtime.

Luis Nunez, the 22-year-old featherweight prospect from the tropical Dominican Republic, had one complaint while training at his manager’s Reading, Pennsylvania gym for his fight Friday night in Orlando, Florida.

“It’s a really cold day,” he told Boxing Junkie on Tuesday.

Other than that? He couldn’t be happier about his blossoming career, which makes sense. He went from a talented, but obscure boxer to fighting on his second consecutive “ShoBox: The New Generation” card on national TV in the U.S.

Nunez (15-0, 11 KOs) will face fellow unbeaten prospect Carlos Arrietta (14-0, 8 KOs) of Puerto Rico in the scheduled 10-round main event at Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.

“It’s definitely crazy,” he said through a translator, referring to his exposure in the U.S. “I give God thanks, first and foremost, and my manager Antonio Tineo and Samson Promotions for helping me make history.”

Luis Nunez (left) and Carlos Arrieta on Thursday made weight for their featherweight bout Friday on Showtime. Ryan Loco / Showtime

Nunez is no secret to those who follow Dominican boxing. He followed a friend to a gym at 8 years old in his native Puerto Plata, fell in love with the sport, became an outstanding amateur (with a reported record of 85-5) and has outclassed everyone he has faced so far as a pro.

That includes capable Jayvon Garnett in his previous fight on Showtime, his U.S. debut. Nunez, fighting behind a formidable jab, was seen as the underdog yet won the 10-rounder by a shutout decision.

That impressive victory opened American eyes to his potential.

“Given the fact it was my first time fighting in the U.S. and people seeing me as the underdog, yes, I think it was a big impression I left behind that day. I wasn’t impressed with myself, though. I know my ability and what I can give, I know the quality boxer I am.”

Does that mean we’ll see an even better version of Nunez on Friday? “Definitely,” he said.

Yes, Nunez, a slick boxer who likes to pressure his opponents, thinks big. He acknowledges that he’s just beginning to make his mark but he believes he’s not far from realizing the dream of every boxer, which is to have a major belt wrapped around his waist.

[lawrence-related id=27332]

However, he understands that he must be patient. The next step is to have his hand raised against Arrieta, which would give him back-to-back victories over undefeated opponents on an important platform.

“It’s difficult to be patient,” he said, “because who doesn’t want to be a world champion? But I will definitely take my time. God knows all. Timing is everything. When the door opens, when an opportunity opens, that’s when my time will be.”

What’s his ultimate goal?

“To win a world title … and keep it for a very long time.”

Fight Week: Luis Nunez headlines ShoBox card featuring six unbeaten prospects

Fight Week: Luis Nunez vs. Carlos Arrieta will headline a ShoBox card featuring six unbeaten prospects.

FIGHT WEEK

A battle between featherweight prospects LUIS Nunez and Carlos Arrieta highlights a ShoBox card featuring six unbeaten young fighters.

Luis Nunez (15-0, 11 KOs) vs. Carlos Arrieta (14-0, 8 KOs)

  • When: Friday, Jan. 7
  • Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Caribe Royale Resort, Orlando, Florida
  • TV/Stream: Showtime
  • Division: Featherweight
  • At stake: No titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: NA
  • Also on the card: Starling Castillo vs. Otar Eranosyan, lightweights; Edwin De Los Santos vs. William Foster III, junior lightweights
  • Prediction: Nunez UD
  • Background: The three-fight ShoBox: The New Generation card features six undefeated fighters, which is a first, according to the network. The 10-round main event pits Luis Nunez against Carlos Arrieta in a battle of featherweight prospects. Nunez is a 22-year-old former amateur standout for his native Dominican Republic who can box and punch. He’s coming off a shutout decision over previously unbeaten Jayvon Garnett this past September on ShoBox in Oklahoma, his first fight outside of the D.R. He has beaten higher caliber opponents than Arrieta, a 27-year-old from Puerto Rico. Dominican lightweight prospect Starling Castillo (16-0, 12 KOs) will face Otar Eranosyan (10-0, 6 KOs) on the card. Castillo is coming off a unanimous-decision victory over veteran Juan Carlos Burgos in September. Eranosyan is a Miami-based Georgian. Lightweight Edwin De Los Santos (13-0, 12 KOs) is the third Dominican prospect who will be featured on the telecast. He faces William Foster III (13-0, 9 KOs) of New Haven, Connecticut. The six fighters are a combined 81-0 (58 KOs).