Robson Conceicao outworked Xavier Martinez to win a wide decision Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Robson Conceicao bounced back impressively.
The 2016 Olympic gold medalist from Brazil, who lost his 130-pound title challenge against WBC champ Oscar Valdez in September, dominated previously unbeaten Xavier Martinez to win a wide decision in a 10-round bout Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Conceicao (17-1, 8 KOs) got off to a strong start against Valdez but lost focus or energy, which allowed Valdez to rally and win a close decision.
The 33-year-old from Salvador, Bahia didn’t allow that to happen against Martinez (17-1, 11 KOs) at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, simply outworking his opponent to win round after round.
Martinez had moments, including a left hook that rocked Conceicao late in the third round. However, that was the exception.
Ray Woods, the trainer of Martinez, implored him between rounds midway through the fight to get busier but he never matched the pace of Conceicao, who fought with the passion of a fighter determined to avoid consecutive losses.
Thus, the final scores weren’t surprising: 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92. Boxing Junkie scored it 99-91 for Conceicao, nine rounds to one.
“I learned a lot from that Oscar Valdez loss, and that’s why I was able to dedicate myself,” Conceicao said. “I wasn’t discouraged by what happened that evening. I know who I am, and I knew if I put in the work, I could have this type of performance.
“But my mind is set on Valdez, and I definitely want that shot.”
The fight was billed as a WBC title eliminator. That means Conceicao, ranked No. 3 by the sanctioning body, could meet Valdez again if the champion can get past fellow titleholder Shakur Stevenson on April 30.
If Stevenson wins, Conceicao will be a strong candidate to get another shot at the title.
“I know I should be the champion,” Conceicao said. “I know I beat Oscar Valdez. He has a fight against Shakur Stevenson, and I think Shakur is going to win. But as a fan and a fighter, I want Oscar to win because he owes me a fight.”
Meanwhile, Martinez vowed to put the setback behind him and move forward.
“I thought it was closer,” he said. “I know I didn’t do enough to win. I sat back too much. I didn’t listen to the game plan fully. It is what it is. I’m not going to be a sore loser. He did his thing tonight. It wasn’t my night. I’m not done. This is just the beginning.
“I know I hurt him twice. I didn’t listen to my corner fully. I’m going to hold my head high and keep going.”
Robson Conceicao outworked Xavier Martinez to win a wide decision Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Robson Conceicao bounced back impressively.
The 2016 Olympic gold medalist from Brazil, who lost his 130-pound title challenge against WBC champ Oscar Valdez in September, dominated previously unbeaten Xavier Martinez to win a wide decision in a 10-round bout Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Conceicao (17-1, 8 KOs) got off to a strong start against Valdez but lost focus or energy, which allowed Valdez to rally and win a close decision.
The 33-year-old from Salvador, Bahia didn’t allow that to happen against Martinez (17-1, 11 KOs) at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, simply outworking his opponent to win round after round.
Martinez had moments, including a left hook that rocked Conceicao late in the third round. However, that was the exception.
Ray Woods, the trainer of Martinez, implored him between rounds midway through the fight to get busier but he never matched the pace of Conceicao, who fought with the passion of a fighter determined to avoid consecutive losses.
Thus, the final scores weren’t surprising: 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92. Boxing Junkie scored it 99-91 for Conceicao, nine rounds to one.
“I learned a lot from that Oscar Valdez loss, and that’s why I was able to dedicate myself,” Conceicao said. “I wasn’t discouraged by what happened that evening. I know who I am, and I knew if I put in the work, I could have this type of performance.
“But my mind is set on Valdez, and I definitely want that shot.”
The fight was billed as a WBC title eliminator. That means Conceicao, ranked No. 3 by the sanctioning body, could meet Valdez again if the champion can get past fellow titleholder Shakur Stevenson on April 30.
If Stevenson wins, Conceicao will be a strong candidate to get another shot at the title.
“I know I should be the champion,” Conceicao said. “I know I beat Oscar Valdez. He has a fight against Shakur Stevenson, and I think Shakur is going to win. But as a fan and a fighter, I want Oscar to win because he owes me a fight.”
Meanwhile, Martinez vowed to put the setback behind him and move forward.
“I thought it was closer,” he said. “I know I didn’t do enough to win. I sat back too much. I didn’t listen to the game plan fully. It is what it is. I’m not going to be a sore loser. He did his thing tonight. It wasn’t my night. I’m not done. This is just the beginning.
“I know I hurt him twice. I didn’t listen to my corner fully. I’m going to hold my head high and keep going.”
Nico Ali Walsh, the grandson of Muhammad Ali, won his fight Saturday to remain unbeaten.
Nico Ali Walsh won again. And he gave a nod to his famous grandfather in the process.
The grandson of Muhammad Ali knocked out Jeremiah Yeager in the second round of their scheduled four-round bout on the Robson Conceicao-Xavier Martinez card Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Ali Walsh (4-0, 3 KOs) put Yeager (1-2-1, 1 KO) down and hurt him with a big left with about 45 seconds remaining in the final round. Yeager was able to get up only to be met with an Ali shuffle and a combination that prompted the referee to stop the fight.
“I didn’t plan [the Ali Shuffle],” he said. “It was emotional, of course. So much has been going on, but yeah, I didn’t plan on doing that. It’s just something that happened.”
Ali Walsh, who had new trainer Richard T. Slone in his corner for the first time, says he continues to improve.
“I think the main thing was staying calm, which I did,” he said. “Another thing was head movement and defense, which I felt like I did improve on.
“I fought last month. So if I can make those small improvements in this such a short amount of time, who’s telling what I can do in my next fight?”
Nico Ali Walsh, the grandson of Muhammad Ali, won his fight Saturday to remain unbeaten.
Nico Ali Walsh won again. And he gave a nod to his famous grandfather in the process.
The grandson of Muhammad Ali knocked out Jeremiah Yeager in the second round of their scheduled four-round bout on the Robson Conceicao-Xavier Martinez card Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Ali Walsh (4-0, 3 KOs) put Yeager (1-2-1, 1 KO) down and hurt him with a big left with about 45 seconds remaining in the final round. Yeager was able to get up only to be met with an Ali shuffle and a combination that prompted the referee to stop the fight.
“I didn’t plan [the Ali Shuffle],” he said. “It was emotional, of course. So much has been going on, but yeah, I didn’t plan on doing that. It’s just something that happened.”
Ali Walsh, who had new trainer Richard T. Slone in his corner for the first time, says he continues to improve.
“I think the main thing was staying calm, which I did,” he said. “Another thing was head movement and defense, which I felt like I did improve on.
“I fought last month. So if I can make those small improvements in this such a short amount of time, who’s telling what I can do in my next fight?”
Also on the card: Rene Tellez vs. Luis Melendez, junior lightweights
Prediction: Conceicao UD
Background: Conceicao, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist from Brazil, is in rebuilding mode. The slick 33-year-old fell short in his bid to take the WBC title from Oscar Valdez in September, starting strongly but fading in the second half of the fight to lose a unanimous decision. That was Conceicao’s first shot at a major belt. He didn’t select a pushover in his comeback fight. Martinez, a 24-year-old boxer-puncher from Sacramento, California, is on a nice run of victories over quality opponents. That includes a one-sided decision over rugged veteran Juan Carlos Burgos in a wild, toe-to-toe brawl in May of last year, which is his most-recent outing. He got up from two knockdowns to outpoint Claudio Marrero in his previous fight. A victory in what is being billed as a title eliminator would be a big step for the winner. Conceicao and Martinez are ranked Nos. 3 and 14 by the WBC, respectively. Nico Ali Walsh, Muhammad Ali’s grandson, is fighting on the card.
Also on the card: Rene Tellez vs. Luis Melendez, junior lightweights
Prediction: Conceicao UD
Background: Conceicao, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist from Brazil, is in rebuilding mode. The slick 33-year-old fell short in his bid to take the WBC title from Oscar Valdez in September, starting strongly but fading in the second half of the fight to lose a unanimous decision. That was Conceicao’s first shot at a major belt. He didn’t select a pushover in his comeback fight. Martinez, a 24-year-old boxer-puncher from Sacramento, California, is on a nice run of victories over quality opponents. That includes a one-sided decision over rugged veteran Juan Carlos Burgos in a wild, toe-to-toe brawl in May of last year, which is his most-recent outing. He got up from two knockdowns to outpoint Claudio Marrero in his previous fight. A victory in what is being billed as a title eliminator would be a big step for the winner. Conceicao and Martinez are ranked Nos. 3 and 14 by the WBC, respectively. Nico Ali Walsh, Muhammad Ali’s grandson, is fighting on the card.
Also on the card: Rene Tellez vs. Luis Melendez, junior lightweights
Prediction: Conceicao UD
Background: Conceicao, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist from Brazil, is in rebuilding mode. The slick 33-year-old fell short in his bid to take the WBC title from Oscar Valdez in September, starting strongly but fading in the second half of the fight to lose a unanimous decision. That was Conceicao’s first shot at a major belt. He didn’t select a pushover in his comeback fight. Martinez, a 24-year-old boxer-puncher from Sacramento, California, is on a nice run of victories over quality opponents. That includes a one-sided decision over rugged veteran Juan Carlos Burgos in a wild, toe-to-toe brawl in May of last year, which is his most-recent outing. He got up from two knockdowns to outpoint Claudio Marrero in his previous fight. A victory in what is being billed as a title eliminator would be a big step for the winner. Conceicao and Martinez are ranked Nos. 3 and 14 by the WBC, respectively. Nico Ali Walsh, Muhammad Ali’s grandson, is fighting on the card.
Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Packard Music Hall, Warren, Ohio
TV/Stream: FITE
Division: Cruiserweight
At stake: Makabu’s WBC title
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: NA
Also on the card: Trevor Bryan vs. Jonathan Guidry, heavyweights
Prediction: Makabu KO 8
Background: The main reason this rematch is significant is that super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez has indicated he might want to move up to 200 pounds and challenge for Makabu’s title. The Congolese southpaw won his belt by outpointing Michal Cieslak in January 2020. He successfully defended by stopping Olanrewaju Durodola the following December and hasn’t fought since, meaning he will have been out of the ring for 13 months. Makabu fought Mchunu the first time in 2015 in South Africa, where he won what had been a close fight by an 11th-round knockout. He was stopped by then-WBC beltholder Tony Bellew in his next fight. He hasn’t lost since then, a span of nine fights. Mchunu, a South African, has ability. He has won his last four fights, including decisions over Thomas Oosthuizen (avenging an earlier loss) and Denis Lebedev. He was stopped by then-titleholder Oleksandr Usyk in nine rounds in 2016. The 33-year-old last fought in March of last year, when he easily outpointed Evgeny Tishchenko.
Also fighting this week:
Panya Pradabsri (37-1, 23 KOs) will defend his WBC strawweight title against Wanheng Menayothin (55-1, 19 KOs) on Tuesday, Jan. 25 in Bangkok, Thailand (no TV in U.S.).
Jerson Aguilar Hernandez (16-5, 3 KOs) will take on Marcos Rodriguez (10-4, 8 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout Friday, Jan. 28 in Mexico City (EstrellaTV).
Joahnys Argilagos (8-0, 4 KOs) is scheduled to face Michell Banquez (19-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round junior featherweight bout Friday, Jan. 28 in Hialeah, Florida (FITE).
Also on the card: Rene Tellez vs. Luis Melendez, junior lightweights
Prediction: Conceicao UD
Background: Conceicao, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist from Brazil, is in rebuilding mode. The slick 33-year-old fell short in his bid to take the WBC title from Oscar Valdez in September, starting strongly but fading in the second half of the fight to lose a unanimous decision. That was Conceicao’s first shot at a major belt. He didn’t select a pushover in his comeback fight. Martinez, a 24-year-old boxer-puncher from Sacramento, California, is on a nice run of victories over quality opponents. That includes a one-sided decision over rugged veteran Juan Carlos Burgos in a wild, toe-to-toe brawl in May of last year, which is his most-recent outing. He got up from two knockdowns to outpoint Claudio Marrero in his previous fight. A victory in what is being billed as a title eliminator would be a big step for the winner. Conceicao and Martinez are ranked Nos. 3 and 14 by the WBC, respectively. Nico Ali Walsh, Muhammad Ali’s grandson, is fighting on the card.
Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Packard Music Hall, Warren, Ohio
TV/Stream: FITE
Division: Cruiserweight
At stake: Makabu’s WBC title
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: NA
Also on the card: Trevor Bryan vs. Jonathan Guidry, heavyweights
Prediction: Makabu KO 8
Background: The main reason this rematch is significant is that super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez has indicated he might want to move up to 200 pounds and challenge for Makabu’s title. The Congolese southpaw won his belt by outpointing Michal Cieslak in January 2020. He successfully defended by stopping Olanrewaju Durodola the following December and hasn’t fought since, meaning he will have been out of the ring for 13 months. Makabu fought Mchunu the first time in 2015 in South Africa, where he won what had been a close fight by an 11th-round knockout. He was stopped by then-WBC beltholder Tony Bellew in his next fight. He hasn’t lost since then, a span of nine fights. Mchunu, a South African, has ability. He has won his last four fights, including decisions over Thomas Oosthuizen (avenging an earlier loss) and Denis Lebedev. He was stopped by then-titleholder Oleksandr Usyk in nine rounds in 2016. The 33-year-old last fought in March of last year, when he easily outpointed Evgeny Tishchenko.
Also fighting this week:
Panya Pradabsri (37-1, 23 KOs) will defend his WBC strawweight title against Wanheng Menayothin (55-1, 19 KOs) on Tuesday, Jan. 25 in Bangkok, Thailand (no TV in U.S.).
Jerson Aguilar Hernandez (16-5, 3 KOs) will take on Marcos Rodriguez (10-4, 8 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout Friday, Jan. 28 in Mexico City (EstrellaTV).
Joahnys Argilagos (8-0, 4 KOs) is scheduled to face Michell Banquez (19-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round junior featherweight bout Friday, Jan. 28 in Hialeah, Florida (FITE).
Brandon Figueroa isn’t the most talented fighter in the world. He isn’t particularly quick or athletic. And while he has solid skills honed over two thirds of his life, no one would confuse him with Vasiliy Lomachenko.
The new 122-pound titleholder is where he is because of hard work, innate toughness and determination, blue-collar qualities that make him a nightmare for any opponent and a favorite of fans.
Luis Nery learned that the hard way on Saturday, when the Mexican got off to a strong start only to wilt under Figueroa’s relentless pressure and have his night ended by a vicious left to the ribs at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif.
Nery was the better boxer, Figueroa the better fighter for the reasons stated above.
“My corner told me to pressure him and that he wouldn’t last. That’s exactly what happened,” Figueroa said.
A friend described Figueroa (22-0-1, 17 KOs) as a smaller version of Antonio Margarito, the physically imposing and seemingly indestructible welterweight from the 2000s. I liked that comparison. Margarito, at his best, was something to behold.
Of course, Margarito eventually fell to better all-around fighters. Is that on the horizon for Figueroa?
The victory over Nery set up a junior featherweight title-unification showdown with Stephen Fulton, a gifted, polished boxer who dominated in his most-recent fight an opponent with a similar style to that of Figueroa, Angelo Leo.
The oddsmakers will make Fulton a significant favorite. Nery was favored too, though. And we saw what happened. Figueroa isn’t the fighter Fulton is but he’s special in his own way.
[lawrence-related id=20310]
***
BAD
Is Luis Nery (left) too small for the 122-pound division? Esther Lin / Showtime
Nery (31-1, 24 KOs) was a force of nature at 118 pounds, a good, athletic boxer with crushing power. Hence his record of 29-0 (24 KOs) before he moved up to 122. He’s 1-1 since, a lackluster decision over Aaron Alameda to win his title and the fight on Saturday.
The obvious conclusion is that Nery is naturally too small to handle elite junior featherweights, an argument that might have some merit.
“Like I said, Nery is a 118-pounder. He needs to say down there,” Fulton said after the fight Saturday.
However, that’s not fair to Figueroa because it minimizes his victory. As we’ve seen in the past, natural 122-pounders have had trouble with his size, strength and pressure. For God’s sake, he went toe-to-toe in a 2019 draw with Julio Ceja, who came in 4½ pounds over the limit.
The point is that Nery might’ve simply tangled with the wrong guy in his transition to a new weight.
Another possibility: Nery wasn’t quite as good as many thought even though he created a stir in his exciting run at 118 pounds. He had ability and punching power but he was always hittable. Maybe such an outcome was inevitable.
Of course, we’ll learn a lot about Nery going forward. We’ll see whether he decides to go back down to 118 pounds, which seems unlikely because he evidently had to work hard to make 122.
More important, we’ll see how resilient he is emotionally. That was a brutal loss in the end, one that could be difficult to overcome. Remember: He reportedly had never tasted defeat either as an amateur or a professional. This is new to him.
His response to the setback could be how he’s remembered as a fighter.
***
WORSE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLtTdNIoSL0
The scoring in the Xavier Martinez-Juan Carlos Burgos 130-pound fight on the Figueroa-Nery card might’ve been accurate but it certainly doesn’t tell the complete story.
Burgos, a 33-year-old from Mexico who has faced a number of big-name opponents, showed up for his fight on the Figueroa-Nery card in prime shape and determined to show that he remains a fighter to be reckoned with.
He largely succeeded, pushing Martinez to his limits by leaving every single ounce of himself in the ring in a tremendous back-and-forth brawl. Burgos couldn’t have fought harder than he did.
The scores? All three judges had it 99-91 for Martinez, nine rounds to one.
Martinez deserved the victory. I scored it 97-93 in his favor, seven rounds to three. The talented all-around fighter from Sacramento, Calif., landed the cleaner, harder punches to win the fight and take another step toward his first shot at a title.
However, I fear that people will see the 99-91 scores and think that the fight wasn’t competitive, which would be a shame given Burgos’ effort. The spectators at the arena knew better. They booed Martinez afterward, not because he had his hand raised but because Burgos didn’t get enough credit from the judges.
I feel the same way about Burgos’ recent results: He’s 1-3 in his last four fights, with losses to Devin Haney, Hector Tanajara and now Martinez. It would be easy to write him off, especially at his age.
He doesn’t deserve that. He demonstrated in inspiring fashion on Saturday that he has a lot more to give.
[lawrence-related id=20304]
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
If only Daniel Roman had more pop in his punches. The former junior featherweight titleholder gave a strong performance against Ricardo Espinoza on the Figueroa-Nery card, withstanding constant pressure to pick apart the capable Mexican and win a wide decision. Roman (29-3-1, 10 KOs) clearly demonstrated that he remains a wonderful boxer and one of the best 122-pounders in the world. He deserves the opportunity to fight for another title he covets. … Light heavyweight contender Joshua Buatsi (14-0, 12 KOs) scored a brutal knockout on Saturday in Manchester, England. The 28-year-old Ghana-born Londoner landed a jarring overhand right to the chin of Daniel Dos Santos (15-1, 8 KOs) and followed with another quick right as the Frenchman was going down to end the fight instantaneously in the fourth round. Buatsi, who is trained by Virgil Hunter, appears to be a legitimate threat to any 175-pounder. He has ability, seems to have a high ring IQ and he clearly can punch. … News item: Triller co-founder Ryan Kavanaugh said that UFC President Dana White nixed a planned exhibition between Oscar De La Hoya and former MMA star Georges St-Pierre, who remains under contract to UFC even though he hasn’t fought in years. I get it … and I don’t. White doesn’t want Triller or anyone to have a free run at his fighters. At the same time, White allowed Ben Askren to fight Jake Paul. Why not let De La Hoya and St-Pierre make some money? And perhaps White could take a percentage of the pot. I have a feeling it has something to do with White’s dislike for De La Hoya. The boxer-turned-promoter probably will get the last laugh, though. He’ll find someone of note to fight and still make a boat-load of cash.
Brandon Figueroa isn’t the most talented fighter in the world. He isn’t particularly quick or athletic. And while he has solid skills honed over two thirds of his life, no one would confuse him with Vasiliy Lomachenko.
The new 122-pound titleholder is where he is because of hard work, innate toughness and determination, blue-collar qualities that make him a nightmare for any opponent and a favorite of fans.
Luis Nery learned that the hard way on Saturday, when the Mexican got off to a strong start only to wilt under Figueroa’s relentless pressure and have his night ended by a vicious left to the ribs at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif.
Nery was the better boxer, Figueroa the better fighter for the reasons stated above.
“My corner told me to pressure him and that he wouldn’t last. That’s exactly what happened,” Figueroa said.
A friend described Figueroa (22-0-1, 17 KOs) as a smaller version of Antonio Margarito, the physically imposing and seemingly indestructible welterweight from the 2000s. I liked that comparison. Margarito, at his best, was something to behold.
Of course, Margarito eventually fell to better all-around fighters. Is that on the horizon for Figueroa?
The victory over Nery set up a junior featherweight title-unification showdown with Stephen Fulton, a gifted, polished boxer who dominated in his most-recent fight an opponent with a similar style to that of Figueroa, Angelo Leo.
The oddsmakers will make Fulton a significant favorite. Nery was favored too, though. And we saw what happened. Figueroa isn’t the fighter Fulton is but he’s special in his own way.
[lawrence-related id=20310]
***
BAD
Is Luis Nery (left) too small for the 122-pound division? Esther Lin / Showtime
Nery (31-1, 24 KOs) was a force of nature at 118 pounds, a good, athletic boxer with crushing power. Hence his record of 29-0 (24 KOs) before he moved up to 122. He’s 1-1 since, a lackluster decision over Aaron Alameda to win his title and the fight on Saturday.
The obvious conclusion is that Nery is naturally too small to handle elite junior featherweights, an argument that might have some merit.
“Like I said, Nery is a 118-pounder. He needs to say down there,” Fulton said after the fight Saturday.
However, that’s not fair to Figueroa because it minimizes his victory. As we’ve seen in the past, natural 122-pounders have had trouble with his size, strength and pressure. For God’s sake, he went toe-to-toe in a 2019 draw with Julio Ceja, who came in 4½ pounds over the limit.
The point is that Nery might’ve simply tangled with the wrong guy in his transition to a new weight.
Another possibility: Nery wasn’t quite as good as many thought even though he created a stir in his exciting run at 118 pounds. He had ability and punching power but he was always hittable. Maybe such an outcome was inevitable.
Of course, we’ll learn a lot about Nery going forward. We’ll see whether he decides to go back down to 118 pounds, which seems unlikely because he evidently had to work hard to make 122.
More important, we’ll see how resilient he is emotionally. That was a brutal loss in the end, one that could be difficult to overcome. Remember: He reportedly had never tasted defeat either as an amateur or a professional. This is new to him.
His response to the setback could be how he’s remembered as a fighter.
***
WORSE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLtTdNIoSL0
The scoring in the Xavier Martinez-Juan Carlos Burgos 130-pound fight on the Figueroa-Nery card might’ve been accurate but it certainly doesn’t tell the complete story.
Burgos, a 33-year-old from Mexico who has faced a number of big-name opponents, showed up for his fight on the Figueroa-Nery card in prime shape and determined to show that he remains a fighter to be reckoned with.
He largely succeeded, pushing Martinez to his limits by leaving every single ounce of himself in the ring in a tremendous back-and-forth brawl. Burgos couldn’t have fought harder than he did.
The scores? All three judges had it 99-91 for Martinez, nine rounds to one.
Martinez deserved the victory. I scored it 97-93 in his favor, seven rounds to three. The talented all-around fighter from Sacramento, Calif., landed the cleaner, harder punches to win the fight and take another step toward his first shot at a title.
However, I fear that people will see the 99-91 scores and think that the fight wasn’t competitive, which would be a shame given Burgos’ effort. The spectators at the arena knew better. They booed Martinez afterward, not because he had his hand raised but because Burgos didn’t get enough credit from the judges.
I feel the same way about Burgos’ recent results: He’s 1-3 in his last four fights, with losses to Devin Haney, Hector Tanajara and now Martinez. It would be easy to write him off, especially at his age.
He doesn’t deserve that. He demonstrated in inspiring fashion on Saturday that he has a lot more to give.
[lawrence-related id=20304]
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
If only Daniel Roman had more pop in his punches. The former junior featherweight titleholder gave a strong performance against Ricardo Espinoza on the Figueroa-Nery card, withstanding constant pressure to pick apart the capable Mexican and win a wide decision. Roman (29-3-1, 10 KOs) clearly demonstrated that he remains a wonderful boxer and one of the best 122-pounders in the world. He deserves the opportunity to fight for another title he covets. … Light heavyweight contender Joshua Buatsi (14-0, 12 KOs) scored a brutal knockout on Saturday in Manchester, England. The 28-year-old Ghana-born Londoner landed a jarring overhand right to the chin of Daniel Dos Santos (15-1, 8 KOs) and followed with another quick right as the Frenchman was going down to end the fight instantaneously in the fourth round. Buatsi, who is trained by Virgil Hunter, appears to be a legitimate threat to any 175-pounder. He has ability, seems to have a high ring IQ and he clearly can punch. … News item: Triller co-founder Ryan Kavanaugh said that UFC President Dana White nixed a planned exhibition between Oscar De La Hoya and former MMA star Georges St-Pierre, who remains under contract to UFC even though he hasn’t fought in years. I get it … and I don’t. White doesn’t want Triller or anyone to have a free run at his fighters. At the same time, White allowed Ben Askren to fight Jake Paul. Why not let De La Hoya and St-Pierre make some money? And perhaps White could take a percentage of the pot. I have a feeling it has something to do with White’s dislike for De La Hoya. The boxer-turned-promoter probably will get the last laugh, though. He’ll find someone of note to fight and still make a boat-load of cash.
