Cotto-Alvarez Preview

In the sport of Boxing it can at times be cliché to hear the phrase “One of the most anticipated fights” in the build up to an event that has all the makings of a “Big Fight.” Sometimes such anticipation can lead to fans feeling let down when the actual fight does not live up to the build up that preceded it.

Such was the case earlier this year when the long-awaited battle between a future Hall of Famer’s Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao finally took place after nearly a decade of anticipation. Unfortunately for Boxing fans, the actual fight failed to live up to the anticipation of what was billed as “The Fight Of The Century.”

In many ways, the battle ended up being a quintessential Boxing exhibition by Floyd Mayweather who scored a lopsided twelve round unanimous decision over Pacquiao in a bout that lacked the drama and moments normally associated with a “Big” or “Super” fight as bouts of that magnitude are at times billed.

A common question that will be asked following such a fight regardless of what happens in the ring is when will there be another fight that is considered a “Big” or “Super” fight. The answer to that question will be this weekend as multi-division world champion Miguel Cotto makes the second defense of his WBC Middleweight world championship against former WBC Jr. Middleweight world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV.

Stylistically, this is a fight that has action written all over it. Both fighters are offensive minded and have the ability to get an opponent out of there with one punch. Each however, also possess Boxing ability and when it comes to a battle between two boxer/punchers it will be interesting to see how the fight is fought. Will it be a tactical battle between two world-class boxers who may be equal in terms of punching power or will it be a toe to toe war?

In one corner will stand defending champion Miguel Cotto. Cotto, who won the WBC Middleweight world championship in June of last year with a dominating tenth round stoppage of two-division world champion Sergio Martinez has seen a resurgence in his career since the addition of legendary trainer Freddie Roach prior to his fight against Delvin Rodriguez in October 2013.

In three fights with Roach in his corner including his title defense earlier this year against former two-time Middleweight world champion Daniel Geale, Cotto has scored three straight knockouts. A key component that has been present in each of those fights has been Cotto’s ability to make his left hook the focal point of his offense in landing it to the body and head of his opponent.

Cotto has also been effective in executing lateral movement in order to put himself in positions to land the left hook as well. Rodriguez, Martinez, and Geale had no answer to counteract Cotto’s left hook or his hand speed. As this fight approaches this observer feels that Cotto’s left hook will again be a focal point of his offense against Saul Alvarez.

Standing across the ring from Cotto on Saturday night will be former WBC Jr. Middleweight world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Alvarez emerged as a rising star in the sport with a one punch knockout over former WBC Welterweight world champion Carlos Baldomir in September 2010.

The twenty-five year old Alvarez has scored victories in forty-five of his forty-seven professional fights and made six successful defenses of the WBC Jr. Middleweight world championship including victories over the likes of Alfonso Gomez, Kermit Cintron, Shane Mosley, and Austin Trout. Alvarez’ lone defeat came in a unification bout against Floyd Mayweather in September 2013.

Although a valid argument could be made that Alvarez has yet to score a victory against a fighter who is considered a current superstar in the sport, Alvarez has become a legitimate star since his victory over Baldomir including drawing massive crowds for his fight with Austin Trout at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX where over 39,000 people attended and for his last fight earlier this year against James Kirkland in Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX that drew over 31,000 spectators.

In covering Alvarez’ fight against Floyd Mayweather in 2013, this observer stated that in a tactical Boxing match sometimes it is a simple as who has the quicker hands. Despite losing that fight, Alvarez was not disgraced and did give a good account of himself against a fighter widely considered to be the best pound for pound fighter in the world.

In thinking of how this fight might be fought, I believe a key might be who is able to establish the pace of the fight. After all, Cotto and Alvarez are two offensive minded fighters who look to put pressure on their opponents. It will be interesting to see who will be able to take the initiative and dictate how the fight is fought.

It is logical to assume that there might be a feeling out process early on due to both fighters knowing what the other can do and having a healthy respect for their opponent’s punching power. Although Alvarez was simply outpointed in his fight against Mayweather, he was unable to cut the ring off and to trap Mayweather consistently throughout the fight.

Even though Miguel Cotto is a different fighter stylistically than Mayweather, he has shown in his last three fights the ability to use lateral movement to not only put himself in positions where he can land his left hook and land combinations, but perhaps more importantly his tactics have made it very difficult for opponents to build any significant momentum. It is important that Alvarez find a way to execute his offense more frequently than he was able to against Mayweather.

In his last fight in May of this year, Alvarez scored a thrilling third round knockout over a very “Game” James Kirkland. The fight between Alvarez and Kirkland was as this observer described it a “Shootout.”

Kirkland was able to momentarily get Alvarez on the ropes and land punches with both hands in the first round. Although Kirkland was very aggressive in that fight in the early going it was Alvarez who was able to use Kirkland’s aggression against him and found a home for his right hand. Alvarez’ well-balanced attack to the body and head eventually broke Kirkland down, scoring a total of three knockdowns and ending the fight in thrilling fashion in round three dropping Kirkland with a flush right hand to the chin.

It will be interesting to see whether Cotto saw anything in that fight that could work to his advantage against Alvarez. Both fighters are similar in style and it will also be interesting to see if one elects to take the role of counter puncher in this fight.

The bout between Cotto and Alvarez will be the latest chapter in the storied rivalry between Mexico and Puerto Rico in the sport. There is no doubt that the crowd inside the Mandalay Bay Events Center will be white-hot as fans of both fighters will converge to show their support.

If the fight does turn out to resemble the potential fight of the year candidate that it appears to be on paper, Saturday, November 21, 2015 will likely go down in history as a memorable night in the sport of Boxing. This observer is looking forward to it.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Cotto vs. Alvarez takes place on Saturday, November 21st at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV. In the United States and Canada the fight will be televised by HBO Pay-Per-View for $69.95. In the United Kingdom and Ireland the fight can be seen on BoxNation. Check your local listings internationally.

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

Update:

We would like to let our readers know that a preview of the upcoming Miguel Cotto-Saul “Canelo” Alvarez fight for the WBC Middleweight world championship is currently in the works and will be released on Tuesday, November 17th. Stay tuned. “And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

ShoBox 11/14/2015 Results

In a battle of undefeated Jr. Middleweight prospects Jarrett Hurd scored an impressive sixth round TKO over Frank Galarza on Saturday night at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV. The elusiveness of Hurd along with a consistent jab carried the ebb and flow of the fight in the early rounds. Galarza attempted to put pressure on Hurd, but did not throw his jab as he came forward. This allowed Hurd to dictate how the fight was being fought and to counter punch effectively.

Although Galarza was able to occasionally get Hurd on the ropes, he generally was unable to get his punches off first and neglected head movement as he came forward. This allowed Hurd to get the better of most of the exchanges between the two.

As the fight progressed Hurd became more confident and in round four he was able to knock Galarza down with a right uppercut. Galarza was able to get up, but was clearly bothered by the knockdown, the first of his career.

Galarza simply did not have an answer to deal with Hurd’s hand speed, defense, and lateral movement. In round six an uppercut by Hurd set off a combination that staggered Galarza and forced Referee Russell Mora to step in and stop the fight. Official time of the stoppage was :59 of round six.

Jarrett Hurd advances to 17-0, with 11 Knockouts. Frank Galarza falls to 17-1-2, with 11 Knockouts.

Also on this card, in the Super-Middleweight division undefeated prospect Sergiy Derevyanchenko scored a third round TKO over veteran contender Jessie Nicklow. Derevyanchenko’s technique as well as a well-balanced attack to the body and head broke down Nicklow over the course of three rounds. A barrage of punches brought an end to the bout late in the third round. Official time of the stoppage was 2:18 of round three.

Sergiy Derevyanchenko advances to 7-0, with 5 Knockouts. Jessie Nicklow falls to 35-8-3, with 8 Knockouts.

In the Light-Heavyweight division undefeated prospect David Benavidez scored a first round knockout over veteran Felipe Romero. A left hand from Benavidez stunned Romero early in the round and set off a barrage that sent Romero down to the canvas. Benavidez would drop Romero two more times with a follow-up barrage before the fight was stopped. Official time of the stoppage was 2:00 of round one.

David Benavidez advances to 11-0, with 10 Knockouts. Felipe Romero falls to 19-10-1, with 13 Knockouts.

In other bouts:

Former WBC Heavyweight world champion Bermane Stiverne in his first bout since losing his world championship earlier this year to Deontay Wilder was able to overcome being dropped by a right hand in the first round in his bout against longtime contender Derric Rossy to earn a lopsided ten round unanimous decision. Official scores were 95-94, and 96-93 (on two scorecards) in favor of Stiverne.

Bermane Stiverne advances to 25-2-1, with 21 Knockouts. Derric Rossy falls to 30-11, with 14 Knockouts.

Welterweights Charvis Holifield (4-1-1, with 3 Knockouts) and Dwain Victorian (5-3-1, with 3 Knockouts) fought to a six round majority draw. Official scores were 58-56, and 57-57 (on two scorecards) resulting in the draw.

Also in the Welterweight division Sanjarbek Rakhmanov (3-0, with 2 Knockouts) scored a second round TKO over previously undefeated Somner Martin (4-1, with 2 Knockouts). Official time of the stoppage was 2:08 of round two.

In the Jr. Welterweight division Trakwon Pettis (2-0, with 1 Knockout) scored a four round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Marquis Hawthorne (1-1, 0 Knockouts). Official scores were 40-36 (on all three scorecards) in favor of Pettis. 

 

This edition of ShoBox presented three fighters who are all prospects and could be approaching contender status as 2016 approaches. In the case of Jarrett Hurd, who was making his national television debut on the popular Showtime Sports series, it will be interesting to see if he is matched up against a top fifteen contender in his next fight. Based on his performance against Frank Galarza this observer believes it may be time for him to test the waters in his eighteenth professional fight.

In regard to Sergiy Derevyanchenko, he is currently rated number nine in the world by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) in the Middleweight division, despite only having seven official professional fights after previously competing in the sub-professional league known as the World Series Of Boxing, in which amateurs compete in bouts under a professional format, but are allowed to maintain Olympic eligibility. Currently bouts fought under the World Series Of Boxing banner are not recognized as official professional fights.

Although Deryvyanchenko has only had seven professional fights, his overall skill is that of a seasoned fighter and this observer believes he should be given an opportunity to show what he can do against a top contender. Deryvyanchenko has the kind of technique and systematic approach in the way he sets up his offense that could be a potential problem for fighters who are considered top contenders.

As for David Benavidez, it is difficult to say where he stands right now as a rising prospect in the talent deep Light-Heavyweight division. Although Benavidez in comparison has had four more professional fights than Sergiy Derevyanchenko, it is important to remember that Derevyanchenko gained considerably more seasoning while he was competing in the World Series Of Boxing than his record suggests.

Benavidez clearly outclassed an over matched opponent in Felipe Romero and it may be a question of how quickly Benavidez’ handlers want to move him along and test him against a fighter who is considered a top twenty to top fifteen contender. Benavidez has shown in scoring knockouts in ten of his first eleven fights that much like Jarrett Hurd, he may be ready to test the waters.

For former WBC Heavyweight world champion Bermane Stiverne, he was able to bounce back from losing his world championship and scored a convincing unanimous decision. Although Showtime Sports curiously chose not to include Stiverne’s return to the ring as part of its ShoBox telecast, it was announced that WBC world champion Deontay Wilder will make the third defense of his world title on January 16th in Brooklyn, NY in the main event of a Showtime Sports broadcast.

Although no opponent has been announced for Wilder’s next fight as of this writing, it may be a possibility that Stiverne could be in line for a rematch. Stiverne was after all the only fighter to date to go the distance with Wilder in the champion’s thirty-five professional fights.

Whether or not Stiverne will get a rematch against Wilder remains to be seen. It is not uncommon however, for a former champion to receive a rematch against the fighter who was able to take the title away from that champion. If Wilder-Stiverne II does take place in January, Stiverne will become the first fighter to receive a rematch against a knockout artist in Wilder, who outside of his world championship winning bout against Stiverne has continued to knockout his opposition. 

A rematch between the two would generate interest and have the classic storyline of repeat or revenge. It is a fight that this observer believes should be considered.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

 

Premier Boxing Champions 11/13/2015 Results

Former Super-Middleweight world title challenger Edwin Rodriguez scored a thrilling comeback third round knockout over previously unbeaten Light-Heavyweight prospect Michael Seals on Friday night at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, MS.  Rodriguez came out swinging from the outset and immediately put pressure on Seals.

The aggressive approach by Rodriguez appeared to be showing signs of success early in the first round as a barrage of punches sent Seals down to the canvas.  Seals would respond however, by scoring his own knockdown moments later as Rodriguez attempted to continue his assault, dropping Rodriguez with a counter straight right hand. 

 

Rodriguez appeared staggered, but was able to get up from the canvas. Seals would score a second knockdown of Rodriguez with a flush right hand in the closing seconds of the round. Although Rodriguez was considerably more hurt than he was following the first knockdown, he was able to survive the round and the fight continued.

Rodriguez would respond by scoring his second knockdown of Seals late in the second round with a right hand. Seals showed his mettle by getting up and survived the round. In round three Rodriguez would bring the fight to a sudden conclusion landing a flush overhand right that staggered Seals, nearly sending him through the ropes before going down to the canvas.  This time Seals was unable to beat the count. Official time of the stoppage was :24 of round three.

Edwin Rodriguez advances to 28-1, with 19 Knockouts. Michael Seals falls to 19-1, with 14 Knockouts.

Also on this card, in the Light-Heavyweight division rising prospect Thomas Williams Jr. scored a second round TKO over veteran Humberto Savigne.  Williams scored a flash knockdown of Savigne with a right hand in round one. Savigne quickly got up from the knockdown and did not appear hurt.

Savigne would score his own knockdown with a right hand of his own later in the round. Much like Savigne, Williams did not appear hurt and was able to get up off the canvas. In the second round Williams would score his second knockdown of Savigne with a combination to the head. Savigne was able to get up quickly, but moments later Williams was able to get a stoppage with a barrage of punches as Savigne was against the ropes. Official time of the stoppage was 1:48 of round two.

Thomas Williams Jr. advances to 19-1, with 13 Knockouts.  Humberto Savigne falls to 12-3, with 9 Knockouts.

In the Welterweight division undefeated knockout artist Bryant Perrella scored a first round knockout over Chaquib Fadli.  Perrella scored a knockdown of Fadli with a combination to the body. Although Fadli did not go down, it was ruled a knockdown due to the ropes holding him up. Perrela closed the show dropping Fadli in his own corner seconds later with a follow up flurry forcing a stoppage of the fight.  Official time of the stoppage was 1:30 of round one.

Bryant Perrela advances to 12-0, with 11 Knockouts.  Chaquib Fadli falls to 13-6, with 7 Knockouts.

In the Middleweight division former world title challenger Fernando Guerrero scored a seventh round TKO over veteran Daniel Souza Santos. After a slow start in the first round, Guerrero took control of the fight in the second round and consistently dished out punishment to Santos. Guerrero was able to knock Santos down in round seven with an uppercut. Although the very “Game” Santos was able to beat the count, the bout was stopped by Referee Keith Hughes.  Official time of the stoppage was 1:45 of round seven.

Fernando Guerrero advances to 28-3, with 20 Knockouts. Daniel Souza Santos falls to 14-9, with 11 Knockouts.

In the Cruiserweight division undefeated prospect Radivoje Kalajdzic scored a first round knockout of veteran Fabio Garrido. Kalajdzic dropped Garrido with a right hand in the opening seconds of the fight. Garrido was able to beat the count on wobbly legs, but the bout was stopped by Referee Fred Steinwinder III just nineteen seconds into the fight.

Radivoje Kalajdzic advances to 21-0, with 14 Knockouts. Fabio Garrido falls to 28-5-1, with 23 Knockouts.

In other bouts:

Middleweight Alantez Fox (18-0-1, with 7 Knockouts) TKO4 over Todd Manuel (10-10-1, with 1 Knockout)  Fight stopped at the conclusion of round four.

Junior Welterweight Nicholas Givhan (16-0-1, with 10 Knockouts) scored a six round majority decision over Juan Santiago (15-15-2, with 9 Knockouts). Official scores: 58-57, 58-56, 57-57.

Also in the Junior Welterweight division, undefeated prospected Darwin Price (9-0, with 5 Knockouts) scored an eight round unanimous decision over Alvaro Ortiz (7-6-1, with 5 Knockouts). Official scores were 80-72 on all three scorecards in Price’s favor.

This edition of the Premier Boxing Champions series certainly provided much excitement with six of the eight scheduled bouts on this card ending in knockouts.  The card also just might have provided a Fight of the Year candidate as Edwin Rodriguez narrowly escaped a knockout loss in the first round against Michael Seals to knock out the previously undefeated prospect in round three in a thrilling encounter. 

Not to be outdone, Thomas Williams Jr. was also impressive in his stoppage of Humberto Savigne.  In a talent deep Light-Heavyweight division it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Rodriguez and Williams heading into 2016. 

It would not surprise this observer to see Rodriguez and Williams possibly pitted against each other in the near future. Rodriguez is currently rated in the top ten in both the WBC and IBF in the Light-Heavyweight division. It is not out of the realm of possibility that Williams, who is currently not rated in the top fifteen by either organization could view a potential fight with Rodriguez as an opportunity to catapult himself into contention for a possible word title opportunity. 

If Thomas Williams Jr. is not in the near future for Edwin Rodriguez, perhaps a rematch with Michael Seals could be viewed as a possibility.  After all, the premise of the Premier Boxing Champions series has been to provide entertaining competitive fights.

  The fight between Rodriguez and Seals had fans on the edge of their seats from the opening bell right until its conclusion. Whether or not the fight ends up in the discussion for Fight of the Year honors remains to be seen.  It was nevertheless a great fight for as long as it lasted and a rematch between the two would likely be welcomed by Boxing fans as well as the Premier Boxing Champions series. The fight is certainly deserving of an encore. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison