3,425 stories on BoxingScene are published under the Cliff Rold byline.
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It was obvious he would get hit going in. The question was whether he could take it and hit back harder. If he could, the Lightweight division might just have the sort of young star it needs in a field of grizzled, thrilling veterans.
By Cliff Rold - The fifth time was not the charm. Unlikely 33-year old WBC 108 lb. titlist Gilberto Keb Baas (35-20-4, 22 KO) of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, made his first defense of the title with a ninth round corner stoppage of 35-year former strawweight titlist Jose Antonio Aguirre (35-10-1, 21KO).
Sometimes, a fight is worth looking forward to in part because of how much is already known about the men in the ring. Sometimes, a fight is worth looking forward to in part because of how much is about to be found out.
By Cliff Rold - The greatest shame might be they won’t keep more of the checks they make this weekend, sanctioning fees needing to be paid and all. One thing can be taken for granted: fights for major belts pay a little better.
Ranked #14 by the WBO at Jr. Welterweight before Friday night, 30-year old Jesus Pabon (17-1, 11 KO) of Carolina, Puerto Rico, took a step closer to a possible alphabet title shot with a walkover first round stoppage of 27-year old Americo Santos (26-4, 22 KO) of Garland, Texas on Friday night at the Palm Bay Center in Palm Bay, Florida.
For good reason, the buzz is already in the air, the marquees already being written.
It might feel like this week is a step down from last. When a hardcore fan’s wet dream of a fight is the cornerstone of a week, the feeling is to be expected.
Filipino-born Southern Californian Nonito Donaire had been a somewhat polarizing figure on the boxing landscape. The talent was obvious. There were some questions to be had about just how strong the resume was, how much his talent had been proven.
by Cliff Rold - Both can be considered among the ten best fighters, of any size, in the world. They are arguably the two most talented fighters in what is, in this moment, the best division in boxing. And both still have a ton to prove. For all his accomplishment, Bantamweight titlist Fernando Montiel has struggled for recognition. Mexico is a glut of fistic talent and thrills. Montiel has always had the former, reflected in title reigns in now three weight classes. It’s been up and down for the latter. His best wins seen in the States (which don’t include the best win of his career generally) have come on pay-per-view undercards or obscure basic cable shows. His two defeats, and two worst performances, were HBO Boxing After Dark spotlights against Mark Johnson and Jhonny Gonzalez. Donaire could be his last, best chance to go emerge from the microscope with the sort of win the whole world can point to as validation for what otherwise looks like a Hall of Fame resume. The Filipino-born Donaire isn’t without the burden of proof either. He displays eye-popping speed, punch variety, and power. He has a couple of wins that left fans with their jaws on the floor…which is where the problem lies. Beyond those couple (Vic Darchinyan and Wlad Sidorenko to be specific), the pickings are a little slim. He’s never had the sort of bad night Montiel had with Johnson, Gonzalez, or even Alejandro Valdez. He also hasn’t seen anything near the range of opposition Montiel has. It’s why Donaire can be seen by some as a top five pound-for-pound player while not meriting rating at all in other corners.
By Cliff Rold - As his face was turned into Bitochki by Antonio Silva last weekend, as what appeared to be the last vestiges of the prime Fedor Emelianenko, arguably MMA history’s greatest Heavyweight, were beaten down, one sound could be heard in the minds ear… …Flush… Make that a double, no triple, flusher. Emelianenko’s second consecutive defeat, outside of the well branded confines of a UFC he never signed with, sandwiched around the year’s biggest story in that league: top draw Brock Lesnar’s first round thumping at the hands of Cain Velasquez for the UFC Heavyweight crown. With those three losses, a lot of payola has hit the commode. When 2010 began, the dollar signs around a marquee reading “Lesnar vs. Emelianenko” (or vice versa) swirled as if caught in a tornado. One day, those two may still eventually find their way towards a cage together. But what could have been won’t ever be again. The best of the big fights are like that. They belong to their moment in time and the timing is everything. Like a perfectly seasoned steak or brilliantly aged bottle of wine, served too late and some of the essential flavor is gone. One still might get a tasty dish. Think about Evander Holyfield-Mike Tyson in 1996; it wasn’t the best of either man but it still satisfied the fistic appetite. It never erased the dream of what might have been in 1990 or 1991 between the two. It is with the fear of lost promise in mind that fights fans, boxing fans in particular this weekend, can breathe a sigh of relief. The Angus beef is ordered at medium rare and the ‘91 Cabernet is being brought up from the cellar. The consensus choice for best fighter in the best division in boxing right now, WBC/WBO Bantamweight titlist Fernando Montiel (44-2-2, 34 KO), is defending against one of the most talented fighters in the world, former Flyweight titlist Nonito Donaire (25-1, 17 KO).