Upset of the year: Frankel over Rodriguez
By Chris Morris
This one might surprise some folks. For me, the upset of the year, wasn’t an upset so much as an eye opener for me. When I got word that Steve ‘Match Makin’ Mestas was working on a fight between Rob Frankel and Robert Rodriguez, I didn’t like it, for Frankel’s sake. Frankel looked to possibly be on his way out of the sport and this could become a passing of the torch type fight, with the young hungry lion beating the wily old veteran. Mestas has never shied away from putting his fighters ‘in tough’, but I saw this one as a mistake. Frankel was riding a 3 fight losing streak and Rodriguez is not a ‘get on track’ type of opponent. Rob was taking a fucking beating in camp. Manuel Perez and Giovanni Merceron where touching him up and making it look easy at times. My worries increased as the fight approached.
Once they got into the ring and ‘under the lights’, Frankel flipped the switch, as he has so many times before, and put on a stellar performance. He took the young lion to school, despite Rodriguez’ extensive amateur pedigree. In boxing there is simply no substitute for experience and Frankel has a ton.
This fight taught me a lesson in boxing and that I’m thankful for. In our sport there are some guys who are what we call ‘gym champs’. When they spar in the gym with big gloves and headgear, they look like world champions. Then when they get on the small fight gloves, lose the head gear and get under the lights, they are not the same fighter at all, for whatever reason. Rob Frankel is the exact opposite of a gym champ. He looks like complete shit in sparring with the big gloves and headgear. Lesser fighters can take it to him. He looks off, timing is shitty and from outside the ring, he looks like an easy target. He doesn’t hit very hard, as evidenced by his KO percentage. He doesn’t have super fast hands, they are pedestrian at best. He doesn’t use fancy footwork or a steady jab. He doesn’t have a killer left hook or stunning straight right hand.
What he does have is a great chin, willpower, experience and he is one helluva grinder. He keeps coming. You hit him with your best shot and he’s still there, coming forward AND punching. You use footwork to get away and he’s slowly catching up, closing the gap. Before you know it, you are fighting his fight and he grinds em down and wins rounds. Losing a total of 5 rounds, of 24 scored by the judges, against a fighter the caliber and quality of Robert Rodriguez is nothing short of amazing.
Upset of the year: Calzada over Romero & Marquez over Alvarado
By Leann Perez
These are probably my own personal upsets, than an actual upset and is also a tie for me between Alfred Romero vs. Daniel Calzada (the rematch) and Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Mike Alvarado.
Romero and Calzada had fought before back in 2012 and the rematch back in February was to be pure vengeance for Romero. Calzada was the better man in all aspects that night, and it never gave Romero the chance to put his foot on the gas.
Marquez and Alvarado at The Forum in LA was a huge opportunity for Alvarado to redeem himself after the Provodnikov loss here at home last year. Marquez was always a step ahead of Alvarado throughout the fight and almost shot Alvarado out of the ring in the eighth round. Mike quickly answered back in round nine sending Marquez to the canvas from a short right hook. Up quickly after the knockdown Marquez went on to continue what he had started and finished the fight with ease. Alvarado didn’t win, but it was exciting and he took some hard shots from an idol.
UPSET OF THE YEAR: Samuel Clarkson over Izaac Cardona
By Stephen ‘Darkness’ Johnson
November 1, 2014, Clarkson and Cardona engaged in one helluva bout in Denver where Clarkson did an excellent job of boxing, never allowing the heavy-handed Cardona (at the time boasting 9 wins, all 9 by KO) impose his will. Clarkson took home the split-decision win, validating Colorado as a viable entity where any fighter can expect a fair shake.
Upset of the Year: Cameron Kreal over Manuel Lopez
By Eric ‘Sugar Foot’ Duran
It’s simple, Manny Lopez. In May, Lopez dropped a decision to the unheralded, Cameron Kreal. Kreal was a modest 4-5-2 heading into the bout. Granted, Kreal is known to pull of an upset here and there, Lopez lost more than just his “0”.
Top Rank had all eyes on Lopez entering the bout, it was his showcase to a possible contract. Unfortunately, he left Top Rank officials scratching their heads.
The jury is still out on Lopez, hopefully his change in “scenery’ will take him to greener pastures.
