ESPN2 FNF: Argenis Mendez vs. Rances Barthelemy & Caleb Truax vs. Ossie Duran RBR

Damn. Teddy Atlas threw Lubin's handlers under the bus, saying they begged and pleaded to have Lubin put on TV if there was free time on the broadcast, making them sound grubby and desperate.


He wasn't that impressive tbh but Santiago - as Teddy was quick to point out before the first bell (claiming "I always have something" when his co-host asked if he knew a damn thing about either guy...basically meaning "Yeah, I can always glance at Boxrec like any schlub at home.." :yep) had been extremely inactive and was in no shape to make anyone look all that good or last more than a minute with anyone halfway decent.

 

Yes. The main event. Next.

At least, it'll be a good fight if the champ does well - scoring with lots of sharp counter punches in exchanges.

If Barthelemy has his way he'll mug and make it scrappy on the inside or stink it out trying to walk Mendez down with his jab on the outside.

The prettier it is, the better Mendez is probably doing. :yep He is always aesthetically pleasing to watch, and Barthelemy is. If they meet in the middle we should be decently entertained and have a competitive match.

 

Alright, that's cool, sorry to blow up, I'm just getting sick of people questioning scores in close bouts like that where there is lots of wiggle room leaving a wide range open. To be fair you weren't a complete dick about it, all you did was question it...but too often people (usually nut-huggers of whomever I have losing) will jump down my throat in situations like that and demand explanation.

I said all night that Duran was having moments and that I could see more rounds going his way. :good Truax happened to just shade a bunch of them IMO.

 

By the way, the odds in the co-feature were:

Caleb Truax (1/14). Draw (30). Ossie Duran (7)

:!:

A mere fifteen dollar bet would have returned you $465. Had Duran not looked so faded when Korobov thrashed him I'd have been advocating for a draw here, too... Truax falls exactly in the sphere of mediocrity, that not-quite-a-club-fighter-but-not-quite-contender-material space, where Duran has so often found himself forcing tough contests in the past.