By Jake Donovan
More talk has come of Humberto Soto possibly serving as the final opponent of Erik Morales’ legendary career than of the actual opponent he still had in queue.
To his credit, the former three-division titlist didn’t take his eye off the ball. Soto delivered a professional effort in a 9th round knockout win over Japan’s Hiroshi Nakamori in their welterweight bout Saturday evening in Tijuana, Mexico.
As is the case any time Soto fights, nothing came easy of the night. The 16-year ring veteran labored hard to remain a step ahead of Nakamori, a loser of two straight and fighting outside of his native Japan for the first time in his career. Both fighters had their say in several exchanges, but it was Soto who dictated the pace in the early rounds with subtle movement and combination punching.
Nakamori came dangerously close to scoring a knockdown in round four, but the sequence was correctly ruled a push when Soto fell to the canvas after tangling up with his opponent on the inside.
Action picked up considerably in the middle rounds, with both fighters hurt at various points in the contest.
Time was called in round seven when the doctor opted to take a look at increased swelling and a cut around Nakamori’s left eye. The threat of a stoppage didn’t quite yet loom, but was on the table in round eight. Soto hurt Nakamori with power shots upstairs and had the fringe contender in trouble along the ropes.
The former champ was unable to land that final blow to put away his wounded prey before the end of the round, but as it turned out all he needed was a little bit of time. Nakamori barely survived the round but was spent as the fight rolled into round nine. Soto jumped on him, busting open the existing cut as blood streamed down Nakamori’s face.
Cuts and bruises were no longer a factor once Soto managed to put Nakamori down and out, power punching his way to emphatic stoppage win. The fight ended with Nakamori flat on his back while being given immediate medical attention.
Soto improves to 61-8-2 (35KO) with the win, his third straight. Nakamori falls to 33-6-1 (20KO), having now lost three in a row.
Less than a year removed from a knockout loss at the hands of Lucas Matthysse, Soto now finds himself in the unique position of serving as a significant part of Mexico’s rich boxing history.
Presently on the table is a potential showdown with legendary countryman Erik Morales, who was on hand for the fight. Both sides plan to continue negotiations for what figures to be the final fight of Morales’ eventual Hall of Fame career.
Soto has made it very clear – both in negotiations as well as Saturday’s win – that the end is not quite in sight for his own career.
The bout aired live on Televisa’s Sabado de Corona series.
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board, Yahoo Boxing Ratings Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
