Pascal, Moreno Win Big: The Post-Weekend Report Card

by Cliff Rold

A little bit of “and new” and a little bit of “and still” marked the fistic landscape this weekend as Jean Pascal firmed his claim to the top of the Light Heavyweight division and Anselmo Moreno made another impressive statement at Bantamweight.

Each won intriguing affairs on Saturday night which set up even more intriguing possibilities for the futures at 175 and 118 lbs. respectively.  Those possibilities involve both the winners and losers on Saturday, particularly where the larger men are concerned.

Let’s go to the report cards, beginning with a look at the Pascal victory over Chad Dawson which saw the Canadian-based Haitian keep his WBC belt and snare the rights to Ring Magazine’s honors and the beginnings of a new Light Heavyweight lineage.

Grades

Pre-Fight: Intangibles – Dawson A; Pascal A/Post: B+; A

Despite his being seen as a heavy favorite in some circles, the pick here was for a Pascal (26-1, 16 KO) upset.  It turned out the pick was a bit too timid.  The thought was Pascal might be able to win some rounds early based on his speed and steal some close ones with the home turf playing a role on the cards in a close affair.

The home turf may have played a role (more on that in a bit) but the speed advantage for Pascal was underrated and allowed him a cushion in the first half of the fight.  Along with the speed edge came an edge in pop with Pascal able to stun Dawson (29-1, 17 KO) with pot shots.  It’s a difficult thing for a fighter used to being faster than everyone else suddenly having to keep up.  It disrupts timing and forces constant adjustments.

Even when Dawson did adjust, he never seemed to be able to keep with anything.  He would let loose a multi-punch barrage, dominate Pascal for a stretch, and then sort of just stop.  It’s unclear if the same would have happened in an eleventh round where Dawson was letting it all hang out.  Dawson rocked Pascal with an uppercut after a fiery assault just moments before.  Pascal blasted home a counter right to keep in the thick, to escape, but Dawson was coming forward when an accidental clash of heads brought the matter into a doctor’s judgment.

This is where the home advantage question really comes up.  In scoring terms, Pascal had clearly won at least seven of the first ten rounds.  However, fans can ask given boxing’s history whether the cut was really bad enough to force an immediate exit.

The answer is both yes and no.  It was a bad cut and I don’t think geography can be assigned the rationale for the doctor’s decision.  Still, fights have been called for less and more in the past.  Earlier this year, Mikkel Kessler was allowed to fight on with equal or worse cuts on Andre Ward’s turf for a few rounds. 

This scribe is old school and believes in the one round philosophy in a big fight, meaning fighters should be informed, ‘you have one round to end this’ before the matter is settled.  Take that round away and Rocky Marciano never gets the Ezzard Charles rematch knockout; Ray Robinson doesn’t avenge the loss to Randy Turpin.  Pascal and Dawson were fighting to be the best Light Heavyweight in the world.  This wasn’t just another fight.  Given Pascal’s career long penchant for weathering storms, and Dawson’s stuttering attacks throughout the night, the smart bet is Pascal survives and maybe even rocks Dawson one more time.

It would have been a superior conclusion to let the round finish and find out.

There was nothing to gnash teeth about in the night’s other big battle as WBA Bantamweight titlist Anselmo Moreno (30-1-1, 10 KO) proved more clearly the second time what was evident the first time he defeated Nehomar Cermeno (19-2, 11 KO).  He’s just the better man.      

Pre-Fight: Speed – Moreno B+; Cermeno B/Post: Same

Pre-Fight: Intangibles – Moreno A; Cermeno B/Post: Same

For full fight coverage, log on to: https://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=30085

What caught the eye in this one was Moreno’s adjustment to Cermeno’s pressure.  Early in the fight, Moreno was looking to leg it out.  Cermeno brought him off his toes for most of the second half of the bout, to his detriment.  Moreno was more effective standing his ground. 

It bears repeating: while not making an assessment of Moreno as being at the same level, there are hints of Pernell Whitaker is his game which cannot be ignored.  He’s not as consistent to the body, but he goes there effectively and has the rare ability to make fighters miss big or just by a little.  A lot of what looked like Cermeno was landing was just barely sliding off gloves and shoulders.  In contrast, when Moreno opened up it was often clean leather.  Not hard necessarily but certainly clean.

What looked to be a close fight at the end of six rounds was largely schooling in the second half.  Cermeno is a sort of dirty fighter but Moreno only complained about the most egregious cup shots.  Moreno wasn’t going to break his rhythm for theatrics.  

Looking Ahead

Moreno’s rhythm now amounts to seven title defenses.  With only a single, split decision loss in a 2002 four rounder, Moreno can make a case that no one has figured out that rhythm yet and, at age 25, he might only be hitting his prime.  As probably the second best fighter in arguably the best weight division in boxing, that’s a scary and frustrating thought for the men in his domain.  It would be a shame if his talents weren’t tested against the other beltholders in his class.  As it stands, he merits pound for pound consideration just a shade behind WBC/WBO Bantamweight champ Fernando Montiel (43-2-2, 33 KO).

Cermeno isn’t done at Bantamweight though his work is cut out for him.  He’ll have to get in line for the hope of a crack at someone like Montiel or IBF titlist Yonnhy Perez (20-0-1, 14 KO).  He might be better suited for the shallower pool at 122 lbs.

At Light Heavyweight, Pascal emerges as the man with whom a new lineage for the division’s true World Championship can begin.  How long he stays there will be decided in the ring but landmines surround him.  Dawson showed that when he let his hands go, he could handle Pascal.  He’s capable of adjustments in a rematch and has a contract which allows for one.

It also allegedly allows for Pascal to take another fight first.  If that fight comes, and monetarily why wouldn’t it, against IBF Super Middleweight titlist Lucian Bute (26-0, 21 KO) may have to wait a while for revenge.  Pascal-Bute is a massive event in Canada and a pick ‘em affair.

So be it.  The anticipation for Dawson-Pascal was partly about the fight, partly about what an upset could do to a landscape growing in worthy what ifs.  Add in Tavoris Cloud (21-0, 18 KO) and the nucleus is in place to keep Light Heavyweight on the hot burner for a while.

Report Card Picks 2010: 21-10

Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com