by Cliff Rold

Now an impressive 28-1-1 in major title fights, 39-year old WBO Jr. Flyweight titlist Omar Narvaez (43-1-2, 23 KO) of Trelew, Chubut, Argentina, took another step towards catching the great Julio Cesar Chavez’s record of 31 wins in title contests with a majority decision over 28-year old Felipe Orucuta (29-3, 24 KO) of Nicolas Romero, Mexico, on Friday night at the Anfiteatro Municipa in Villa Maria, Cordoba, Argentina. 

The bout was a rematch of a May 2013 contest that was hotly debated amongst those who saw it.  Narvaez removed cause for debate this time around, surging in the final two rounds to insure his title.  Both men weighed in below the division limit of 115 lbs. at 114 ½.  The referee was Celestino Ruiz.   

Starting much like their first fight, the 5’7 Orucuta used his four-inch height advantage to establish his long left jab.  Narvaez did little to get inside.  An Orucuta right to the body late in the frame may have been the best punch of an uneventful round.  Narvaez, ever defensively sound, wasn’t touched clean with much.

Picking off Orucuta’s shots on his gloves, and giving up some single body shots, Narvaez got closer in round two.  A few brief exchanges favored the southpaw champion, Narvaez able to land some quick chops before the action returned to range.

A couple of stiff Narvaez left hands late in the third enthused the crowd.  Otherwise, the round appeared to strongly favor the challenger.  Orucuta’s greater activity, even as he struggled to land clean consistently, controlled the bulk of the frame.

Action improved in round four.  Orucuta continued to land to the body and worked the jab.  Narvaez found a home for the straight left earlier in the round and was able to pot shot when Orucuta came forward.  Round five was more of the same, Orucuta walking into left hands while firing freely and landing to the body.  Narvaez complained of elbows, drawing a warning from the referee.  A head clash drew no blood, a fortune for both men.

Working off the ropes for much of round six, Narvaez took blows to the body and some occasional shots upstairs.  His left hand still did the most eye catching work, landing quick and clean with the occasional looping right hand to compliment it.  Narvaez continued to pick at him in the seventh with matters heating up in the eighth.

Despite suffering a cut in round eight over his left eye on what appeared a clash of heads, a more determined Orucuta went hard to the body and landed more upstairs.  The effort increased in a solid ninth.  Still taking the single shots of Narvaez, Orucuta pressed and demanded the frame by outworking the veteran.  The cut was contained by round nine and would not be a factor for the duration of the fight.

The trend continued in the tenth as Orucuta continued a rally in the second half.  Simply outworking the veteran, Orucuta’s three minutes of activity carried enough contact to favor him.  Responding in the eleventh, Narvaez came out with both hands moving and it worked.  In perhaps his best round of the fight, Narvaez landed rights and lefts to protect his title.  With one round to go and several close rounds, much remained in the balance.

Pressing the action in the twelfth, it was the older man showing the youthful spirit of a challenger.  The wild swings of Orucuta were opportunity for Narvaez, his left hand rocking a charging Orucuta backwards.  Suddenly, it was Orucuta going backwards with little answer for the man in front of him.  As the bell rang, it looked like Narvaez had done enough to keep his title.

It turned out to be the case, but not before a gasp of drama as the first score came in at 114-114.  It was overruled at 116-112 twice for Narvaez.  

In his previous fight, a fourth round knockout of Antonio Garcia, Narvaez became the first fighter to record ten consecutive in two weight classes.  He previously held the WBO Flyweight title from 2002-10, defending 16 times.  It is the second most consecutive title defenses of a major title at 112 lbs.

While it seems an unlikely mark to catch at his age, Narvaez at eleven straight defenses is chasing Thailand’s Hall of Fame great Khaosai Galaxy for the record at 115 lbs.  Galaxy made 19 consecutive defenses of the WBA crown from 1984-91.  Narvaez’s lone loss in title contests came in a failed 2011 attempt at a Bantamweight crown, losing a turgid decision to Nonito Donaire.

Despite his title fight statistics, Narvaez has yet to engage in a unification fight in either of his two weight classes.  A showdown with talented WBC titlist Carlos Cuadras (30-0, 24 KO) would be fascinating showdown between the men regarded by many as the two best in their class.

 

The card was broadcast in the US on TyC, promoted by Osvaldo Rivero.

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene and a member of the Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com