Nino Beats Rubillar For Revenge, Lands Sosa Shot
By James Blears
Xcaret, Mexico - Omar Niño reversed last year's defeat by Filipino Juanito Rubillar with a hard fought deserved unanimous decision over Rubillar in their rematch, and in doing so won the eliminator for the opportunity to take on WBC Champ Edgar Sosa.
A clash of heads round two left Omar with a bad gash to the side of his right eye. Another bad crack of heads towards the end of the eighth did further damage to Omar. So after the round ended it went to the score cards.
Experienced Southpaw Juanito was often hard to hit and agressively counterpunched, having some succes with looping lefts. But Omar, who defeated Edgar Sosa in 2002 showed a better work rate. Juanito who was TKO'd in seven last year by Edgar Sosa, in Mexico City was competitive throughout, but lost by a clear margin.
The NABF's youngest ever champion 19-year-old Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (26-0-1 19 KO's) won with a sensational ninth round KO of game and durable Brazilian Jefferson Goncalo. Robust red head Welterweight Saul broke down Jefferson with sustained heavy body punching, which took its toll on the teak like midriff Jefferson (12-3 with 3 KO's), who came in good shape.Jefferson kept pressing forward but often missed with some wild easily avoided lunges, which Saul with his improved defense easily slipped.
The turning point came in the the sixth when Saul connected with three hard straight rights to the head, in quick succession, piercing the high held hands of Jefferson which had often left his ribs and midriff exposed.
The pace was slowing and multi talented Saul was too languied and relaxed. A calf muscle massage after the eight, followed by some ice water over his head a brisk talking too, gingered him up.
A short powerful right hook to the side of the head wobbled Jefferson after a minute of round nine, and Saul pounced with a devastating flurry polishing Jefferson off with an explosive left right combination, which flattened and levelled him at one minute fifty four seconds.
Co-promoters Pepe Gomez who owns Quequi Newspaper, and Ricardo Maldonaldo opened the show in style with indigenous dancers dressed as Jaguars and fireworks crackling. Saul took his time but his explosive finish showed power and real promise.
Wilberth "Huracan" Uicab made heavy weather of elusive Filipino southpaw BJ Dolorosa winning a unanimous decision, and the vacant NABF Flyweight Title.
Wilberth pursued and BJ who didn't through a jab in agression all night, moved away, sparingly using an accurate left counter, which was enough to almost put Wilberth down in round oneand occsionally sting after that.
But after that limited success, BJ showed less agression than the decorative dragon, which preceded his ring entrance.
Wilberth who was cut under the right eye in the second, went to war from the fifth onwards, punishing BJ to head and body with uppercuts plus sharp left and right hooks, but BJ survived to the final bell in retreat mode.
Jorge "Maromerito" Paez showed switch hitting skill and pot shotting accuracy to stop less experienced lightweight Jose "Lobo" Ramirez in 2.51 of the seventh round.
Young Paez who's shape wasn't as trim as it might be, showed an abundance of skill, but didn't match it with sustained fire power until he connected with a flurry which his opponent wincing in the seventh. The referee then wisely stepped in to call a halt.