Antonio Pitalua vs. Cosme Rivera III RBR

I only tuned in partway into the third round, and Rivera was using lots of outside movement and landing counters as Pitalua rushed in on him and seemed to be well in control. Probably a Rivera round.

The Telemundo commentators have him up 29-28.

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Round 4

Rivera is really tagging Pitalua well from outside, staying two or three steps beyond what pace his stubby-legged fellow veteran can match and cracking his bullwhips with left hooks to the body and soggy-noodle rights just lobbed over the top. Pitalua for his part thrusts out woefully short body jabs and tries to body up against Rivera for naught as the taller man slinks off the ropes and keeps moving away from the Colombian's power. Rivera is giving Pitalua a bit of a boxing lesson until he gets a bit careless and eats a stiff jab, rocked slightly. Back to movement and long whipping counters from outside. Soft body shots by Rivera, reaching in. Now a slightly less soft shot to the gonads, unseen by the ref. Some clinching.

10-9 Rivera

 

Round 5

Rivera is keeping his legs splayed wide and two-stepping just outside of Pitalua's reach, tossing out long overhands with mostly his right and body digs with mostly his left. A few nondescript long, sloppy, soft, ambidextrous flurries for good measure. Not terribly effective stuff by Rivera, but effective enough. He's scoring and not allowing Pitalua to get close enough to do so - not at a very high rate anyway. A couple of good right hands by Pitalua through two and a half minutes - and those only when he charges through a few slaps to his 'fro. Hook-2 combo to the face by Rivera, thrown with his back to the ropes. Rivera turns his back, trots away from Pitalua, spins 180 degrees and pops him flush with a little spinning torque before backing up again.

10-9 Rivera

 

Round 6

Rivera is landing some better stuff from outside now, measuring his right hands more patiently and landing them with a bit more heat. Pitalua has his head rocked back as he comes forward, trying to jab his way in but unable to cut off the ring as Rivera keeps moving and sniping. Pitalua's feet are just so much slower. Rivera is almost caught in a corner but bashes his way out with left and right uppercuts as Pitalua labors to lands a high left hook. Pitalua leans into him against the ropes and Rivera lands a long uppercut flurry that makes him hold (and included some elbow use). Overhand right by Pitalua! His first really good shot! Rivera takes it well, holding up his forearm to block any further attacks and then moving around Rivera to pop him with hooks to the face that land as often with wrist as knuckle.

10-9 Rivera

 

Yeah, Telemundo has it 59-55 for Rivera.

Apparently Pitalua started out strong in the 1st but it's been all downhill since.

Definitely in the three-and-three-quarter rounds I've caught, he's been looking very ineffective.

 

Round 7

Big spearing right hands up top by Pitalua! Landing!! Rivera backs up to the ropes and then skirts off to the left. Big right hand to the hairline again by Pitalua! He just keeps marching forward and letting the missiles fly as Rivera hops around the ring along the ropes. A couple of soft uppercuts by Rivera as he leaps around Pitalua. Rivera lands a good solid left hook to the face while backing up to the ropes but runs out of room and is speared with a right hand! Down moments later! Ruled a slip! Incorrect! (delayed reaction to the shot). Pitalua keeps coming forward, now looking to be more in a groove as Rivera comes apart at the seams a bit and panics. Rivera is still hugging the ropes but moving in more erratic patterns and not throwing anything back Pitalua's way.

10-9 Pitalua

 

:good

A solid night of action. (except for those assholes who will only watch stuff with commentary in English)

 

Round 8

Pitalua is going for it, rushing in and shying Rivera away with wild hooks upstairs. Rivera is getting off lots of long pit-pat shots off the back foot but getting cracked with some head-turning rights and the occasional hook. All head shots from Pitalua. BIG RIGHT HAND by Pitalua, anti-aircraft ordnance. Pitalua has a big mouse on his face, and Rivera just a bit of swelling by his left eye - but it's Pitalua landing the telling blows here in the last two rounds.

10-9 Pitalua

 

Nah, he'll be alright. His "legacy" will be defended by his delusional nut-lickers (is that metaphorical necrophilia? :think) come hell or high water - and is easily propped up now on account of DeMarco's still-fresh upset of Linares.

They'll of course say that he beat a prime Pitalua, and this one in the ring tonight is shot.

 

Round 9

Thudding rights by Pitalua, now going to the body and sending Rivera tumbling back a few steps with each one. Rivera tries to lean in and trade and gets his face spun around with a short hook. Jabs to the body by Pitalua. Rivera isn't moving as quickly anymore. He tries to keep his arms an active blur of long uppercuts, but Pitalua is ignoring them (and the grotesque swelling of half his face, which has to be affecting his vision) and coming forward to chip away effectively at Rivera's body.

10-9 Pitalua

 

Since the 3rd, I've had 4 rounds to Rivera and 3 to Pitalua.

Taking the Telemundo guys' word for it that they split the first two, that makes it 85-84 for Rivera with momentum firmly in hand for Pitalua.

It's anybody's night heading into the championship rounds.