Hugo Fidel Cazares vs. Alberto Rossel for WBA super flyweight title on Televisa

It's competitive, and it's halfway over - tune in.

 

For the three rounds I've been watching, "Chiquito" has been doing a good job of turning like a weathervane and catching shots on his forearms, throwing jabs and counter uppercuts off the backfoot and lateral step. Cazares has been heading him off and plugging away, content to play the role of slugger and trying to wither the smaller man with his strength, which finally forces Rossel to take a knee late in the 7th.

 

El Increible is slamming Rossel with long right hands as the plucky little challenger finds his circles shortening and pace slowing. To his credit, Rossel is blasting Cazares with enough stinging little quick-handed salvos to prevent him from walking right through and pounding on him with more than one clean blow at a time. The one at a time are adding up, though - and Rossel is looking vulnerable though brave.

 

Rossel goes down off another powerful right hand and finds the third man in the ring giving him a gentle hug and words of encouragement and consolation as he pushes himself back up. Rossel seems displeased with the call but moreso with himself, and gives a bit of a grin and a shrug as if to say "OK, yeah, he got me fair and square, but damn it...why couldn't you just give me another chance in spite of myself?"

That was a good showing from Cazares in his 2nd successful defense - nothing too polished, but not a caveman performance either. Just good old fashioned Mexican pressure laid thick on undersized prey.

 

Oh, this is brutal.

They're interviewing Rossel's mom in Villa El Salvador, Peru via satellite for some reason. She looks so sad.

 

There's a full replay being shown on the heels of the Ishida-Alvarez card, right now. :good

It's a nice little contest, and the diminutive Peruvian will win you over with his chutzpah.