Fox Sports 1: Luis Ortiz vs. Monte Barrett RBR

Diego De la Hoya vs. Jaxel Marrero, 6 rounds @ featherweight

 

:happy Glad to see DDLH; had believed this was a heavyweights-only show, big relief.

The kid needs & deserves exposure. He won't stack up to Oscar, but he also is legitimately talented and not getting by on nepotism. (in fact, his relationship with ODLH is, from my understanding, fairly cold and strictly business)

 

It should be, yeah.

 

Round 1

De la Hoya is stepping in with the 1-2 and drops Marrero hard with a drilling right cross. Marrero circles and holds up his forearms to block, dipping and rising at mid-range as De la Hoya continues to get his measure with jabs and crosses, occasionally leading with left uppercuts sliding in. Good responsible defense by Marrero, but not taking many chances.

10-8 De la Hoya

 

DDLH is looking sharp.

 

Round 2

De la Hoya is throwing jabs into the guard and rights on the belt line. Marrero hops around, catching jabs on the forearms and firing his own jab stepping forward, getting countered with combinations, De la Hoya finishing with hooks to the body or powerful rights upstairs and keeping Marrero shy, backing outside.

10-9 De la Hoya

20-17 De la Hoya

 

Round 3

De la Hoya is stalking Marrero and throwing flurries when the flighty and smoothly mobile Puerto Rican beaches himself on the ropes. Nice hook and straight combos by De la Hoya, pounding on the guard of Marrero. Nothing coming back. De la Hoya is getting through with only a clean shot or two here and there but is completely shutting Marrero down and often knocking him physically across the ring and/or into the ropes.

10-9 De la Hoya

30-26 De la Hoya

 

Stats halfway:

De la Hoya 43 of 155, 28%

Marrero 8 of 38, 21%

 

:?

He is more refined - and exciting to watch - than Breazeale or Washington, despite having significantly less experience.

 

Round 4

De la Hoya is continuing to harry Marrero with a steady, balanced front-foot attack, never letting up, varying his shots. Body to head, straight flurries and hooks. Marrero keeps moving, using the full ring, pausing to jab once in a while and getting ripped by the long quick left hook of De la Hoya. Marrero recovers and moves hurriedly.

10-9 De la Hoya

40-35 De la Hoya