the what fights did you watch today\scorecard thread.

Here’s my take on this one:

Livingstone Bramble v Ray Mancini 1

Somehow never watched this before. The writing was on the wall in this one as early as the 4th although Bramble started to gain the ascendancy from the 7th round on. From there, I didn't give Mancini a round. Tough to watch a likeable champ take a beating like that but credit to Bramble for battling a tough fighter in a hostile arena.

1 9-10 (Mancini edges an all-action opener but gets a bad cut for his troubles. An omen?)
2 9-10 (Mancini probably edging it due to volume although Bramble is throwing short effective shots)
3 10-9 (another hard-fought, close and competitive round. Mancini started it well before Bramble switched to southpaw and started landed good, hard shots)
4 9-10 (Mancini won the round but Bramble is taking everything he throws without effect whereas Bramble's shots seem to be visibly bothering Mancini)
5 10-9 (tough round to score. Mancini still throwing more but Bramble snaps Ray's head back with every punch he lands)
6 9-10
7 10-9 (Bramble switches to southpaw again and lands with more frequency)
8 10-9 (Bramble gaining in confidence now as he starts to land harder shots and Ray is looking ragged. The momentum is definitely with the challenger.)
9 10-9 (Ray is clearly in trouble - he can't seem to hurt Bramble, who is pot shotting and staggers Mancini, squaring him up. This is a war of attrition but the writing is already on the wall)
10 10-9 (closer round as Mancini tries to pick his shots a bit rather than wade in but gets tagged increasingly as the round goes on)
11 10-9 (Mancini surviving in there on toughness now as he is thoroughly outgunned)
12 10-9 (crazy to think if this had been a 12 rounder, Mancini would have retained his title. Bramble has swept the last 6 on my card).
13 10-9 (Mancini still slugging away gamely but it's futile - Bramble is dominating him)
(126-121)
14 Bramble TKO Mancini (ref steps in with a perfectly timed stoppage)

 

And here’s mine on the rematch:

Livingstone Bramble v Ray Mancini 2

Much better performance from Mancini this time, who learned a bit from his performance in the first fight and applied more intelligent pressure, pacing himself, picking his shots and not disregarding his defense.

Bramble was just as strong and smart as the first fight, but with fewer opportunities to counter. He looked to be pulling away to a comfortable victory before Mancini rallied in the championship rounds but a couple of strong rounds at the end saw him home.

1 9-10 (close)
2 10-9 (great action)
3 9-10 (close again)
4 10-9 (Bramble landing banging shots towards the end of the round to take it)
5 10-9 (Mancini cut again, not as bad as the first fight)
6 9-10 (great action - Mancini fought back well after a shaky start)
7 10-9 (this is a back and forth, round by round)
8 9-10
9 10-9 (Bramble back on top)
10 10-9
11 10-9
12 9-10 (close. Mancini's best round for a while)
13 9-10 (good round for Mancini)
14 10-10
15 10-9 (close. Fine final round)
Bramble 144-142 Mancini

 

Just wanted to point out mate the punchstats had Bramble landing almost 2 to 1 vs Mancini like 600 to 300 difference. But I didn't think it was quite that one sided honestly.

I think Bramble deserved to win but Mancini certainly did better than what the punchstats betrayed.

 

Fogger, I checked this fight out today and then checked the search engine to see if anyone else had. And you were the only one.

Acelino Freitas v Jorge Barrios (jr. lightweight title)

Round 1: 10-9 Freitas
Round 2: 10-9 Barrios
Round 3: 10-9 Freitas
Round 4: 10-9 Barrios
Round 5: 10-9 Barrios
Round 6: 10-9 Freitas
Round 7: 10-9 Barrios
Round 8: 10-8 Barrios (scores a knockdown)
Round 9: 10-9 Barrios
Round 10: 10-10 Even
Round 11: 10-9 Barrios (both Barrios and Freitas score knockdowns but Barrios carried the freight most of the round)
Round 12: Freitas drops Barrios and then drops him again, but the ref calls it a slip. However, Barrios got up staggering badly and the reef immediately calls it off.

Total through 11 completed rounds: 107-102 Barrios (actual scores: 106-104 Barrios, 106-103 Freitas and a 105-105 with the bout even after 11)

Damn! If you're looking to see something fought as sharp as a Castillo-Corrales war, you came to the wrong fight. But if you were looking for a no-nonsense brawl, then you found it. Freitas has absolutely no fundamentals to speak of and Barrios is just a dogged fighter that wants to get at you. On top of that, these two hated each other and that equates to mayhem. I will say the bravest thing I saw in this fight was the Barrios corner. The doctor stated between rounds 6 and 7 that Barrios had a ruptured eardrum. And between that and the various free-bleeding cuts he was suffering, to be sent out for the 12th round after that skull-rocking knockdown he suffered at the end of the 11th. Let's just say his corner deserved a Christmas present from Barrios that was ticking very loudly. Again, great brawl.

 

Yes, this was a good one. I don't remember what I was expecting when I chose to watch the fight but I am really glad i did.

 

Wilfred Benitez vs Bruce Curry 1

1 Curry
2 Benitez
3 Curry
4 Curry scores 2 knockdowns great round
5 Curry scores a knockdown
6 Curry
7 Benitez
8 Curry
9 Benitez
10 Benitez

6-4 to Curry or 96-92 using 10 point must system.

I went back and watched this fight and i forgot how good of a fight this was an excellent scrap, i think Benitez was very fortunate not to be stopped and alot of modern referees would've stopped the fight. Benitez literally had no legs in rounds 4 and 5 i'm not quite sure how he got through it TBH.

A few things to note this fight was scored on a round basis not the 10 point must system. In rounds i had it 6-4 for Curry but if i was using 10 point must system Curry would win by a landslide 96-92. I think Benitez did get a huge gift here and the 7-3 scorecard for Benitez is baffling in all honesty a horrible scorecard.

Funnily enough Curry was a substitute for Duran i wonder how that would've panned out ? i know Benitez did actually beat Duran when they fought. But i don't think Benitez beats Duran in 1977 especially not in the form he was in vs Curry.

But all in all a great fight but a huge gift for Benitez no way he deserved to win this no matter what scoring system you use.

 

Wilfred Benitez vs Bruce Curry 2

1 Curry
2 Even
3 Curry
4 Benitez
5 Benitez
6 Benitez
7 Benitez
8 Benitez
9 Benitez
10 Benitez

7-2-1 or 98-93

No controversy this time after a relatively slow start in the first 4 rounds, Benitez opened up in the 5th round and controlled the fight from that point on picking off Curry with some nice boxing skills.

Overall Benitez's defence was alot better in this fight as he got caught with very little flush unlike the first fight, the 1st fight seemed to be an off night for Benitez and the real Benitez turned up in the 2nd fight.

 

Wilfredo Benitez vs Roberto Duran

1 Benitez
2 Duran
3 Benitez
4 Benitez
5 Benitez
6 Duran
7 Duran
8 Benitez
9 Duran
10 Benitez
11 Benitez
12 Benitez
13 Duran
14 Benitez
15 Benitez

145-140 Benitez

Very good performance from Benitez and he didn't fight an overly defensive fight either, he was right in punching range of Duran and just out boxed him. Even when Duran had Benitez along the ropes he couldn't really pin down Benitez at all.

A few things i want to point out Duran's punches didn't seem to have much oomph on them and he did seem a tad flat in all honesty. Not to take anything away from Benitez who fought a great fight and i think it was a stylistic issue for Duran, but he did seem to lack a bit of fire and his punches didn't seem to have quite the same impact. In actual fact it was Benitez's right hand that was having an effect on Duran.

At the end of the fight i didn't like the bad sportmanship from Duran when he pushed Benitez away when he tried to embrace Duran but i guess that's his character.

Two judges had it 145-141, 144-141, which i didn't think was too bad overall, although 6 rounds for Duran is a bit generous but the 143-142 scorecard for Benitez was ridiculous.

All in all a very good performance from Benitez.

 

Acelino Freitas v Diego Corrales (jr. lightweight title)

Round 1: 10-9 Freitas
Round 2: 10-9 Freitas
Round 3: 10-9 Freitas
Round 4: 10-10 Even
Round 5: 10-9 Freitas
Round 6: 10-9 Corrales
Round 7: 10-10 Even
Round 8: 10-8 Corrales (scores a knockdown)
Round 9: 10-7 Corrales (scores a knockdown and Freitas is docked a point for continuously spitting out his mouthpiece)
Round 10: Corrales drops Freitas again and Freitas retires upon arising

Total through 9 completed rounds: 86-84 Corrales (actual scores 85-83 and 85-84 both for Corrales and an 85-83 for Freitas)

Corrales had a slow start in this match where he seemed unsure what to do with Freitas' movement and appeared to be open for Freitas' wild attacks. But slowly, he got into the fight and just chopped and chiseled with short hooks until Freitas waved the white flag. Decent contest.

 

Freitas was leading a lot with his right wasn´t he ?
His quitting looked bad, it was bad, but he did have a small brain bleeding that very few people only in the known heard at the time... he stayed in the hospital for a week as I remember reading in the paper.

 

Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder 1

1 Fury Close round
2 Wilder
3 Fury
4 Fury
5 Fury
6 Fury
7 Fury
8 Fury
9 Wilder 10-8 knockdown
10 Fury
11 Fury
12 Wilder 10-8 knockdown

115-111 Fury.

I gave Fury the benefit of the doubt in a close 1st round round, i thought his jab in last 2 minutes and his combination that rocked Wilder at the end was enough.

I gave Wilder the benefit of doubt in a close 2nd round, Wilder landed a left hook with 30 seconds to go and a decent right hand the most eye catching punch of the round to win a very close round.

Overall i can't see a scorecard where you can give Wilder 5 rounds for a draw, Fury rolled and avoided Wilder's right hand in pretty much every round. And out boxed Wilder with his jab and occasional combinations, not to mention his ring generalship and defence were superior.

No way this fight was a draw.

 

D, this is how I had it and what I wrote:

Wilfredo Benitez v Roberto Duran (Jr. middleweight title)

Round 1: 10-9 Benitez
Round 2: 10-9 Duran
Round 3: 10-9 Benitez
Round 4: 10-9 Benitez
Round 5: 10-9 Benitez
Round 6: 10-9 Duran
Round 7: 10-10 Even
Round 8: 10-9 Benitez
Round 9: 10-9 Benitez
Round 10: 10-9 Benitez
Round 11: 10-9 Benitez
Round 12: 10-9 Benitez
Round 13: 10-10 Even
Round 14: 10-9 Benitez
Round 15: 10-9 Benitez

Total: 148-139 Benitez (actual scores: 144-141, 143-142 and 145-141 all for Benitez)

First off, the scores I felt were ridiculously close. I was a big Duran fan but nostalgia doesn't creep its way into my score. I felt the wire services scores (AP - 147-138 and UPI - 148-139 both for Benitez) were far more relevant than the judges cards.

Secondly, Benitez was absolutely brilliant in this fight and it was amazing how as the fight progressed he actually had the effrontery of attacking Duran's body. Just a brilliant performance.

 

Antonio Esparragoza (Champion) vs. Marcos Villasana (Challenger)
WBA Featherweight Title - 12 Rounds - 6/23/1988

Round 1 - 10-9 Villasana
Round 2 - 10-9 Esparragoza
Round 3 - 10-9 Esparragoza
Round 4 - 10-9 Esparragoza Very close
Round 5 - 10-9 Esparragoza - Also, one point deducted from Villasana for low blows,
Round 6 - 10-9 Esparragoza
Round 7 - 10-9 Villasana
Round 8 - 10-9 Esparragoza Close
Round 9 - 10-9 Villasana
Round 10 - 10-9 Villasana
Round 11 - 10-9 Villasana
Round 12 - 10-9 Villasana Close

My score 114-113 Esparragoza. Actual scores: 116-112 Esparragoza, 116-111 Villasana and 114-114. - Split decision draw.

The point deduction in round 5 cost Villasana the championship. Marcos would get his belt two fights later against Paul Hodkinson.

Good fight throughout. The key difference in the second half of the fight was that Esparragoza was no longer landing upstairs. In the first six round Villasana's noggin was attracted to just about everything Esparragoza threw.

 

Wilfred Benitez vs Antonio Cervantes

1 Benitez
2 Benitez
3 Cervantes
4 Benitez
5 Cervantes
6 Benitez
7 Benitez
8 Benitez
9 Cervantes
10 Cervantes
11 Benitez
12 Cervantes
13 Cervantes
14 Benitez
15 Benitez

144-141 Benitez

@No_name_tard

You asked for my scorecard and here it is.

Benitez had the better of it early on but i thought Cervantes comeback well in 2nd half to make it closer, but Benitez clearly won the last 2 rounds to win a close but clear decision in my opinion.