3,425 stories on BoxingScene are published under the Cliff Rold byline.
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Some weeks just kick more ass than others. This is shaping up to be one of those weeks. No one can say for sure. Style clashes, accidental head clashes, or just plain old lack of clash can throw water on what looks to be the embryo of a roaring fire.
by Cliff Rold - It was the 2010 Fight of the Year. Giovanni Segura traveled to Puerto Rico to upend national hero Ivan Calderon, unifying Calderon’s WBO belt to his WBA strap while adding the Ring belt and lineal claim to the throne. In a back and forth game of can you top it, the younger and stronger Segura set the bar too high in the eighth round. For certain, it was the action standard of the year behind us. At least according to the staff voting at BoxingScene and Ring Magazine. ESPN and Yahoo nodded higher on the scale, casting their lot with the Lightweight barnburner between WBC titlist Humberto Soto and valiant challenger Urbano Antillon. The assembled Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) voted in favor of the Jr. Welterweight thriller between WBA titlist Amir Khan and Marcos Maidana. With the benefit of an HBO stage, rather than the limits of independent pay-per-view the other two bouts played out on, Khan-Maidana was certainly the most seen of the contests.
28-year old Welterweight hopeful Antonin Decarie (25-1, 7 KO) of Laval, Quebec, Canada, used two knockdowns and an educated right to earn a rugged ten round unanimous decision over 34-year old veteran Shamone Alvarez (21-4, 12 KO) of Atlantic City, New Jersey in the main event at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Friday night.
When 2009 came to a close, one can only wonder what Tomas Rojas (35-12-1, 23 KO) was feeling. Obliterated in two round by Vic Darchinyan in a shot at the Jr. Bantamweight title, a seven fight unbeaten streak was over. He’d tested the world class again, as he had previously against Jorge Arce, Gerry Penalosa, Cristian Mijares, and Anselmo Moreno.
There’s nothing wrong with the fights on U.S. television this week.
By Cliff Rold - Luis Franco (9-0, 5 KO) of Miami, Florida, was tested for the first time as a professional Featherweight, enduring to snare a thrilling ten-round split decision over 28-year old Leonilo Miranda (32-3, 30 KO) of Sonora, Mexico at the Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, California. Both men weighed in at the Featherweight limit of 126 lbs.
By Cliff Rold - Three-time World Champion. What fighter would not want the description affixed to their career at its close? Most would be happy with one stint, one moment where they could point to being the very best in the world. Rare is the fighter who can lay claim to the highest honors and remain there for years, defending and turning back the challenges of the best his division has to offer. Japan’s Nobuo Nashiro (14-2-1, 9 KO) has not been of that rare, enduring breed. However, this Saturday night in Osaka, he’ll make a play for a hat trick of belts. Win and, at least to those within earshot of him, he’ll be called a three time ‘world champion’ after only 18 professional fights. It won’t be true in any meaningful sense. Looking beneath the number, it comes across as a product of an incredible silliness in this era as bad as at any point in boxing history. Consider the following, and do try to follow along:
It didn’t exceed expectations. Depending on whether one went into Saturday’s Jr. Welterweight unification as pessimist or optimist, it may have failed to meet them.
It came and went. No matter the anticipation, it is the way of most fights. Only a rare few live on longer in the memory of the fans, exist as adjectives for the future. Timothy Bradley-Devon Alexander won’t be one of them. The Jr. Welterweight unification occasionally sizzled but never delivered the steak.
By Cliff Rold - Entering the ring at his lightest weight since the summer of 2008, 29-year old Chris Arreola (30-2, 26 KO) of Escondido, California but didn’t get much time to show what it meant, stopping journeyman 29-year old Joey Abell (27-5, 26 KO) of Coon Rapids, Minnesota, in the opening round on Friday night at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California. Arreola, who sealed victory with a kiss, appeared to benefit from a quick stoppage but the result was inevitable. Arreola came into the bout, his first with veteran trainer Ronnie Shields in his corner, almost seven pounds lighter than in his last appearance at 249 ½. Abell outdid Arreola on the scale, almost nine pounds lighter than his last fight at 236 ½. Abell continued the outdoing in the ring…for about two minutes of the opening round. With Arreola coming forward patiently, Abell used his southpaw right jab and accurate power shots to pass time before Arreola opened up. A right hand while Abell was against the ropes wobbled the Minnesotan. Arreola clubbed Abell with a series of follow up shots, a final right and left sending Abell’s legs splaying.