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Six months after their controversial first fight to kick off the 2014 boxing season, “Judgment Day” has finally arrived for Argenis Mendez and Rances Barthelemy. The two collide in a title fight rematch Thursday evening, with Fox Sports 1 to televise the action live from the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.
Mendez attempts the third defense of his 130 lb. title, without having won a single fight since claiming the belt more than a year ago. Barthelemy looks to claim the title in his second try, without having lost.
Make sense? This is boxing, so of course it does.
Barthelemy (20-0-1, 13KOs) was hailed as a newly crowned champ for approximately four weeks in the wake of what was officially ruled as a 2nd round knockout of Mendez in their ESPN2-televised bout this past January in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The action was one way for the six minutes it lasted, with Barthelemy in control and even flooring the Dominican boxer in round two.
Unfortunately for the unbeaten challenger, the fight-ending sequence – a two-punch combination on a spent and defenseless Mendez – came just after the bell had sounded to end round two. Referee Peter Podgorski ruled a second official knockdown scored, deeming Mendez unfit to continue and hailing Barthelemy as a knockout winner.
However, the unbeaten Cuban was forced to give back the title when the Minnesota boxing commission overturned the verdict later that month upon a successful appeal filed by Mendez’ legal team. Barthelemy has fought long and hard in the months that followed for everything from reinstatement as champion to a more favorable purse split.
His team lost every legal battle every step of the way, but the good news is that Barthelemy gets to return to the one place where he briefly proved his superiority – the ring.
As for Mendez (21-2-1, 11KOs), the jury is out on whether or not he still belongs at 130 lb., and if the six minutes of action in the first fight was a fluke.
Will Mendez prove he’s still a force in the 130 lb. division? Will Barthelemy prove that the first fight was no fluke, this time performing his best work within the time limit?
Read on to see how the staff at Boxingscene.com believes tonight’s title fight action in South Florida goes down. [Click Here To Read More]
Mendez attempts the third defense of his 130 lb. title, without having won a single fight since claiming the belt more than a year ago. Barthelemy looks to claim the title in his second try, without having lost.
Make sense? This is boxing, so of course it does.
Barthelemy (20-0-1, 13KOs) was hailed as a newly crowned champ for approximately four weeks in the wake of what was officially ruled as a 2nd round knockout of Mendez in their ESPN2-televised bout this past January in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The action was one way for the six minutes it lasted, with Barthelemy in control and even flooring the Dominican boxer in round two.
Unfortunately for the unbeaten challenger, the fight-ending sequence – a two-punch combination on a spent and defenseless Mendez – came just after the bell had sounded to end round two. Referee Peter Podgorski ruled a second official knockdown scored, deeming Mendez unfit to continue and hailing Barthelemy as a knockout winner.
However, the unbeaten Cuban was forced to give back the title when the Minnesota boxing commission overturned the verdict later that month upon a successful appeal filed by Mendez’ legal team. Barthelemy has fought long and hard in the months that followed for everything from reinstatement as champion to a more favorable purse split.
His team lost every legal battle every step of the way, but the good news is that Barthelemy gets to return to the one place where he briefly proved his superiority – the ring.
As for Mendez (21-2-1, 11KOs), the jury is out on whether or not he still belongs at 130 lb., and if the six minutes of action in the first fight was a fluke.
Will Mendez prove he’s still a force in the 130 lb. division? Will Barthelemy prove that the first fight was no fluke, this time performing his best work within the time limit?
Read on to see how the staff at Boxingscene.com believes tonight’s title fight action in South Florida goes down. [Click Here To Read More]
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