DON’T BLINK
The Golovkincanelo II undercard showcases some impressive power, but it’s over in a ash
THIS WAS AN EXHIBITION OF MUNGUIA AT HIS MOST SAVAGE
UNDERCARD
MEXICO’S Jamie Munguia was in wild but devastating form as he terrorised poor Brandon Cook for a little under eight minutes. The first round was a painful one for the badly overmatched Cook. Plucky and willing, the big underdog was rocked and socked for fun. Munguia’s aim was ragged but good enough to punish Cook with his long Thomas Hearns-style blasts. The Canadian’s legs dipped from a right hand before a sustained attack had Cook clinging on by the end of the session.
The end was nigh. Even so, Cook started the second with purpose, bravely throwing all he had at the WBO superwelterweight champion. But it wasn’t quite like fighting fire with fire. More a case of throwing paper on it.
The third round was an exhibition of Muguia at his most savage. The fast hands ripped through the air and into Cook’s stomach, ribs, gloves, arms and face. The Canadian had no chance as he retreated to the ropes, trying to cover but finding no escape.
He went down. He got up. Munguia was all over him. The referee Tony Weeks stepped in at 1-53 of the third round. Cook briefly complained but his mission was over. And while he was brave, it was a mission that probably should never have started. Munguia is far from the finished article, but his potential is clear.
The build-up to Spike O’sullivan’s Las Vegas chance against former IBF middleweight champion David Lemieux went from heated to toxic as fight week developed. The culmination of the bad blood was considerably less drawn out.
Lemieux started quickly, targeting the body and increasing the power on shots to the head. Spike would not be overawed, landed a right to the body. Then he swung a little too wildly with his left and dropped his guard in the process. Lemieux watched carefully.
A left jab from Spike briefly sent Lemieux backwards but did nothing to dissuade the Canadian from pursuing his bitter rival. Nonetheless, Spike was encouraged, tried another left hook, left his jaw on display again and Lemieux stepped in and almost took it clean off. The Irishman went down to all fours but he was clearly in no condition to continue. Russell Mora made the right call to end matters at just 2-44.
After the fight O’sullivan was taken to hospital and treated for a broken nose. It was the 14th time he had broken it. For Lemieux, the victory could set up a December showdown with Canelo Alvarez.
Roman Gonzalez breathed new life into a career that was threatening to splutter to a halt after two losses to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai when he savaged Mexico City’s Moises Fuentes in five rounds.
Pressing from the off, the 31-year-old Nicaraguan swarmed all over Fuentes, opening a cut over his left eye with a slashing left hook in the second round. The pressure intensified in the third as Fuentes looked on the brink of going down. But he held tough and, at the start of the fourth, it briefly looked like the snap had gone from Gonzalez’s punches. It hadn’t. Fuentes seemed to sense it though. He rallied from the ropes, suddenly content he could take his accomplished rival’s best. He couldn’t.
The Mexican’s bravery was punished in the fifth when a left hand slammed into Fuentes who foolishly opted to return fire. A follow-up right hook, perfect in form and execution, landed with such force it put Fuentes straight to sleep at 1-44. Referee Robert Byrd did not bother to count.
The promise of super-lightweight
Vergil Ortiz Jnr was emphasised with an impressive two-round blowout of the seemingly overmatched Mexican,
Roberto Oritz. The Dallas, Texas starlet started fast, lashing in blows to body and head before a huge right sent Ortiz tumbling at the start of the second. Ortiz was swiftly finished with a looping whack to the ribs moments later. After rising from the floor before Vic Drakulich could count him out he shook his head as the official asked him to step forward. Enough was deemed enough at 1-03.
Alexis Rocha, of Santa Ana, California, bossed much of his super-welterweightrounder with robust Mexican, Carlos Ortiz to take a unanimous decision. Rocha swept in a stinging right hand in the fourth round that rocked Ortiz, before taking a hefty left hook himself in the next. The final scores (80-72 twice and 79-73) were perhaps a tad unfair on Ortiz, but the right man won the Jay Nady-officiated contest.
Philadelphia’s Jaba Khostiashvilli was made to work hard to retain his unbeaten record as he inflicted the first defeat on plucky Californian, Lawrence King. The San Bernardino supermiddleweight forced the action but, behind the jab and with intelligent feet,
Khositashvilli was awarded the decision via three scores of 58-56. Benjy Esteves was the referee.
Opening proceedings was a quick win for New York’s welterweight prospect
Brian Ceballo who forced referee Nady to rescue Orange, Texas’ David Thomas at 0-34 of the second round.
THE VERDICT Some eye-catching displays of power, but the 90-minute gap between the conclusion of the undercard and the start of the main event is far from ideal.