GOOD
Never underestimate a great fighter.
Roman Gonzalez seemed to be finished as top-tier star when he lost back to back fights to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in 2017, including a brutal fourth-round knockout in the second meeting. The death of his longtime trainer and a knee injury that required surgery seemed to seal his fate as a has-been.
“Chocolatito’s” career had run its course. Too old (32), particularly for such a small fighter. Too shop worn, the result of many wars. And too small. He seemed to hit a weight ceiling.
Yes, it was a tall order to think such a little, worn out man could take down unbeaten and rising junior bantamweight titleholder Kal Yafai on the Mikey Garcia-Jessie Vargas card Saturday in Frisco, Texas.
Turned out there were two more factors not everyone took into account: ability and determination.
Gonzalez looked a lot like the pre-Sor Rungvisai Gonzalez against Yafai, who learned the hard way how good one of his boxing idols could be in the flesh. Gonzalez outworked Yafai (landing twice as many power punches as the Englishman), broke him down in brutal fashion and ultimately knocked him out in the ninth round.
The moment Gonzalez’s big right hand put a beaten Yafai down and out in the ninth round was a flash back to a time when the Nicaraguan was considered an absolute marvel. Vintage “Chocolatito.”
Is it time to put him back onto our pound-for-pound lists? No, not yet. Probably not ever again. But he gave us at least one last demonstration of why he has been one of the greatest fighters – in any division – of his generation.
And who knows? He might have more such performances in him. Fighters like Sor Rungvisai and Juan Francisco Estrada await. I wouldn’t put anything past “Chocolatito.”
BAD
There was nothing “bad” about Mikey Garcia’s performance against Jessie Vargas on Saturday. He should be applauded for a solid comeback victory.
The “bad” could describe what might follow.
I believe Garcia proved against a solid opponent that he remains an elite fighter, one who arguably deserves to be on pound-for-pound lists. He fought patiently early in the fight, had his best moments in the middle rounds – including a fifth-round knockdown – and was strong at the finish.
The result: scores of 114-113, 116-111 and 116-111 in his favor. Well deserved.
The problem is that Vargas, as big as he was compared to Garcia, isn’t equal to the likes of Errol Spence Jr., Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia and Keith Thurman. They are true 147-pounders but also better than Vargas, which is where Mikey Garcia ran into trouble in his previous fight.
Spence dominated him en route to a shutout decision in March of last year, which raised questions about the ability of a natural 140-pounder – if that – to compete against an elite welterweight. He got past Vargas. But how would Mikey Garcia do against Porter, Danny Garcia or Thurman?
It might not turn out pretty. Yes, the big, lucrative fights are at 147 but there also is money to be made at 140. That’s where he belongs.
That said, there is one welterweight who wouldn’t have a natural size advantage over Mikey Garcia: the 41-year-old Manny Pacquiao, who also is not a natural 147-pounder. That fight would come down to ability, not any physical advantages.
And Garcia might just have enough of it to give Pacquiao trouble if he gets that fight. He could become a titleholder in a fifth division yet.
WORSE
Deontay Wilder formally exercised the clause in his rematch contract with Tyson Fury that provides for a third fight between them.
That makes sense from a business standpoint, at least in the short term. If he doesn’t take it now, there are no guarantees he’ll ever get a crack at Fury again. And, of course, he’ll make more money in Fury-Wilder III than any other fight.
The decision makes less sense from a boxing standpoint. How could he possibly turn the tables on Fury after what we saw on Feb. 22?
He’s in a similar position to Anthony Joshua after he was stopped by Andy Ruiz Jr. I thought it was a mistake for Joshua to take an immedaiate rematch because of the conclusive nature of the first fight. I thought it would be smarter to rebuild his confidence in one or two less-challenging fights and then face Ruiz again.
Well, we know what happened. Joshua didn’t give an inspiring performance but he thoroughly outboxed a sadly out of shape Ruiz in the rematch to regain the titles and clout he lost in the first fight.
The Wilder-Fury situation is different. Most important, Ruiz is no Fury. No one could outbox the “Gypsy King.” And, at least in terms of boxing ability, Wilder is no Joshua. I’m not sure he can make adjustments necessary to make a third fight with Fury more competitive then their second other than wear a lighter costume into the ring.
I think Fury would have to pull a Ruiz for Wilder to beat him, meaning he would have to enter the ring utterly unprepared for a fight. Fury has a history of volatility but, when it comes to boxing, I don’t see him entering the ring at that sort of disadvantage.
Crazy things happen in boxing, though. And the thought of Wilder beating Fury in their third fight is crazy.
