Benjamin Flores vs. Trevor Bryan RBR

From the very little I saw, Flores was pretty game in there, but honestly went in with the worst possible game plan. For a guy that is usually somewhat dull & defensive oriented he was hell bent on proving his machismo tonight versus a bigger, younger, natural heavyweight. Doesn't make a lot of sense unless Flores knew he wasn't going to win (especially with Don King angling to make this for a piece, however nominal, of the heavyweight title pie, safe to assume on behalf of his guy Bryan) and just wanted to redeem himself a bit for some of his past stinkers and leave the fans putting a little more respect on his name once he's gone.

 

Can't believe they streamed the whole undercard just to completely drop the ball for the only fight on the card that held even remote interest for anybody outside Phoenix.

 

Bryan carried both Galen Brown (stopped 28 times) and Derric Rossy the distance...the latter 10 rounds, failing to capitalize after dropping him in the first. So yeah, embarrassing, but I would expect that Flores would still be on his way to losing a decision (either fairly or via DKP tinkering) right now if not for his odd choice to brawl with Bryan.

 

The actual best scalp on Bryan's résumé might still be Elieser Castillo. They fought in 2014.

(yes, Castillo was in his forties then, but Flores is pushing forty himself right now...and honestly lacks a defining career victory with all of his so-so best very likely trumped by the iron-chinned lanky Cuban southpaw's handful of greatest over Lawrence Clay Bey, Corey Sanders, Paea Wolfgramm, Uriah Grant, and Ross Puritty...not to mention Tim Witherspoon and DaVarryl Williamson very nearly made that list, with Castillo losing by MD to both and dropping TOS along the way... Plus, even at forty something he did last six rounds with Bryan without going down once - a whole lot more than can be said for BJ at 39...)

 

I take it back...Ding-A-Ling Wilson is a better scalps than 2-3 of those, but Darnell alone isn't better than all five of those wins for Castillo...and what's Flores' second best ever? Nick Iannuzzi? Anthony Caputo Smith? Old blown up former lightweight Hugo Pineda? MEH.

 

Half a dozen officially-ruled knockdowns.

 

Well tbf, he didn't run tonight from Bryan, who is a bigger (if probably not p4p harder punching) man and, unlike Ding, a real heavyweight...but fair point nonetheless, and if this was too little too late to let Flores redeem himself for the likes of the Wilson performance then so be it, fair play.