Golden Boy Promotions/Nokia Fight Night Club RBR

Jessie Vargas, 10-0 (5) vs. Ernesto Zavala, 21-4 (9) is up.

Live LEGAL stream: www.ringtv.com

 

Round 1

Zavala, all wiry muscle, comes out aggressive with a right jab and straight left hand. Vargas is like a leaner Victor Ortiz, constantly coming forward but not recklessly, guard high, letting go with fluid combinations but nothing earth-shattering, just trying to peck his way through with speed. As I say that, Vargas drops Zavala with a hard right hand. Vargas backs Zavala up into the ropes and alternates between lefts hooks and short right hands, keeping his elbows tucked up to his chest. Zavala manages to worm and jab his way out of danger.

10-8 Vargas

 

Round 2

Vargas comes out with his elbows still tucked, poised to throw more straight punches, his jab hand tomahawking toward Zavala. He backs Zavala up but doesn't throw. Zavala jabs off the backfoot but isn't trying to engage. Vargas opens up with a chopping right and Zavala is backed into the ropes. Zavala grabs and hits, and Vargas digs to the body. The Ortiz comparison is looking more and more valid. Vargas raises both arms and pushes Zavala into position, pushing his opponent's arm down, and then starts throwing. This is a little Ward-Green-like - except Zavala is putting up a bit more of a fight off the ropes. Zavala leans Vargas back out into open water and they continue to trade in the pocket. Good stuff. Vargas with a hard hook-uppercut combination. Zavala defending well but getting the worse of all the exchanges. Zavala blocking with his shoulder and trying to set up a counter 1-2 but Vargas' handspeed too much for him.

20-17 Jessie Vargas.

This is shaping up to be an exciting 6 rounder unless something big lands.

 

Round 3

Zavala tries to stand up to Vargas, advancing behind the southpaw jab, but Vargas puts his head down and plugs away down low. Zavala is slippery, able to get away from the infighting, and letting his own hands go when Vargas pins him down, mostly pitty-pats but not allowing Vargas to be the only one scoring. Vargas begins to throw a bit harder but is mostly sailing behind Zavala with his power punches, maybe a bit smothered by the close range. They switch positions and it's Zavala with Vargas on the ropes, but Vargas shortens his punches backs up and pushes him off to the adjacent set. Vargas keeps his head tucked down and his elbows tucked up into his chest, effectively covering both his chin and body, and physically pushes Zavala back. Zavala pokes through his elbows and around his gloves, the busier fighter for the moment.

Good Zavala round but he didn't quite win it.

 

Round 4

Zavala picks up where he left off, outworking Vargas. Vargas landing the harder shots and able to physically push Zavala around when he's tired of covering up and absorbing the light rain of leather, but he is getting outhustled. Vargas with a short hook as they're pushing apart, and he begins throwing like a madman one hand after the other for several seconds. Vargas slips, may have punched himself out slightly. Zavala gets his right hand trapped and whacks Vargas' body with the left. Vargas now jabbing and moving, then falls in and leans his shoulder against Vargas, doing more effective inside work. Vargas times him with a couple of power shots but is still throwing very little.

I actually give that round to the veteran.

39-36 Vargas

 

I missed it due to technical difficulties; you need the up-to-date version of Adobe flash player! :twisted:

From the sound of the live chat, it was a good one. Both in their second pro fight, right?

 

Round 5

Zavala comes out winging the right jab in multiples, peppering in a left hand for good measure. Vargas lets him dart in and out and resumes walking forward. Vargas just skitters forward and jabs as Zavala nervously tries to evade. A couple of the jabs catch Zavala in the face, despite his constant foot movement. Vargas not loading up the right hand, just jabbing and sometimes turning over quick little hooks when Zavala's circling slows. Zavala pops out his right shoulder and elbow to defend, and waits for openings to go to the body of Vargas. Vargas just not busy.

48-46 Vargas - 3 rounds to 2 with the knockdown. He's still got this even if he loses the last round, unless Zavala can deck him.

 

Round 6

Vargas is pissed off all of a sudden, and absolutely pounds Zavala into the ropes with hooks and right hands, brutal assault to the grill and the ref jumps in.

 

Showcase time for featherweight prospect Gary Russell Jr., 9-0 (6).

He's in soft against 36 year old Rodrigo Aranda, 8-12-2 (2).

 

Round 1

Russell has FAST hands. Well, hand - since he's only showing the right jab so far. Oh, there's a left - yeah, it's got a quick release (and retraction) too. Aranda hopping on his toes and moving away from the buzzsaw-like Russell. Russell not giving chase, just sliding patiently into position and only jabbing when he has Aranda at the end of it. Aranda being very negative, pawing outward with both gloves to try and swat Russell's punches and doing everything he can to not allow him to get in range. Russell leans the the left side of his body around and finds him with a quick left hand that sprawls Aranda on his butt. Aranda gets up and finishes the round.

10-8 Russell.

We're establishing a pattern here of favorites dropping their man in the first...

 

Round 2

Russell now using his footwork to get right up in Aranda's face, popping the jab and keeping his body turned sideways to let counters cascade off his back. Aranda desperately tries to land a counter right, sensing the increase in Russell's aggression. Russell times one of these attempts and looses a straight left right over Aranda's right, and knocks him back into the corner, then follows up with a two-handed attack. Ref waves it off (he had previously warned Aranda in the corner between rounds to show him something, as the 1st was so one-sided).