Solo Boxeo: Marco Antonio Periban vs. Lester Gonzalez RBR

This is on slight delay (only about 15 minutes to start; I've fast-forwarded through the entire undercard and will be zipping through the between-rounds downtime as well)

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Round 1

Periban is pushing the high jab as Gonzalez dances around, an unwilling target, being a pest and firing quick salvos back at him. The strong Periban jab is the steadiest blow between their two arsenals, landing consistently, but Gonzalez is putting in work and making it difficult.

10-9 Periban

 

Round 2

Periban is tagged by some left hands! Gonzalez is making some noise!! Rocking Periban back with lefts!! Periban finally makes his stand, holding his ground in the middle of the ring and taking back over with the 1-2. Over and over Periban pumps the 1-2. They're going to WAR. Hard uppercut to the body by Periban. Gonzalez is moving around on the outside, peppering in his right jab as Periban looks to land another uppercut. Right hand by Periban. Big left hand over the top by Gonzalez, missing.

Very close, Periban almost stole it back...but I'm going with Gonzalez.

10-9 Gonzalez

19-19

 

Round 3

Periban is dropping right hands to the body and circling around as Gonzalez lets his hands fly. Gonzalez is completely unafraid of Periban's considerable power, even after having felt it. In fact, Gonzalez is acting as though he thinks he is the puncher. GONZALEZ LANDS A HARD CLAPPING LEFT TO THE FACE driving Periban back. Lunging 1-2 by Periban, a bit off balance. Gonzalez is throwing him off his rhythm with all his short steps, tiptoeing around and throwing long combos. Periban just edging it with his jabs and his rights to the body.

29-28 Periban

 

Round 4

Periban circles and lobs straight combos, mostly getting blocked. Gonzalez waits his turn and comes clapping in with the left hand, pushing Periban back. More shots thrown by Periban, neither really landing. Periban circling out away from Gonzalez's power hand, the left, and Gonzalez is ducking low under the path of the Periban 1-2.

10-9 Periban

39-37 Periban

 

All these rounds are CLOSE.

This is a big shock.

Periban is a prospect who's elicited high praise from all who've seen him. Here he's fighting on very even terms with a guy who's got a really ugly record. Either Gonzalez is better than you'd think, or MAP is getting a bit exposed here...or it's just an unfortunately disastrous styles match-up...

A card with Gonzalez up would be totally reasonable at this point.

 

Round 5

Periban is coasting, circling left, throwing jabs when Gonzalez comes stalking in. Periban is keeping his distance. Hook by Periban to deter Gonzalez from clapping in with a left. Double right hand by Periban. Overhand right. Gonzalez takes a chopping right to the nose willingly while loading up on a big right hook and left hand. Gonzalez works the body. Left uppercut by Gonzalez. Big rally in the final half minute. Left hand over the top. Periban fires back, 1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2!! Rapido!!

10-9 Periban

49-46 Periban but unbelievably close rounds.

 

Round 6

Periban finally gains the clear upper hand, just drowning Gonzalez with jabs and right hands and putting him into a corner. GONZALEZ answers, stunning Periban with a left hand. It's only a brief reprieve, as Periban starts to slam away with jabs and rights again and mix in some left hooks to the body. Gonzalez gets his ear muffs up to block as the big kid shoves him back across the ring. Gonzalez is breathing heavily, chest rising and falling exaggeratedly as the body shots may be getting to him...hands dropping. Tape on Gonzalez's gloves comes loose and the ref pauses to have it fixed. Time in. Big 1-2 by Periban. Left hand by Gonzalez. ANOTHER, flush and hurting Periban! Backing him up!! Left and right uppercuts to the body by Periban, leaning down on the smaller man and resting his head on him. Uppercuts by Periban!!

10-9 Periban

59-55 Periban

 

Round 7

Gonzalez is keeping his elbows tucked in close together, hoisting his arms up to block when Periban throws a heavy right cross behind the jab, and lining up his left hand. Gonzalez chopping Periban with it at will. The tape on Gonzalez's right glove comes loose again. Another pause to fix it. Time in. Periban throws a right hand, caught on the glove by Gonzalez. Grazing jab to the forehead by Periban. Hard left hands coming forward by Gonzalez. Periban goes to the body and gains back some ground, almost getting Gonzalez to the ropes. Gonzalez leans away from a right hand, letting it hit his shoulder. Big combo by Periban, powerful but blocked. Gonzalez keeps his guard up as Periban starts to possibly punch himself out. Right hook up top and left hand to the body by Gonzalez, both blocked. Gonzalez down, slip. BIG LEFT HAND by Gonzalez at the bell.

10-9 Gonzalez

68-65 Periban

 

Round 8

Periban reaches with his jab and Gonzalez chops past it with his left. BIG looping right by Periban, missing badly and nearly spinning him around into a 180-degree pivot on the ball of his lead foot. Gonzalez is bouncing around, keeping his arms up. HARD left hand lead by Gonzalez, knocking Periban's head back. Periban summons up his shores of energy and throws a HUGE combo, 1-2-1-2-1-2 but Gonzalez lays back on the ropes and blocks every bit of it. Clinch. Gonzalez is staying close, firing lefts past Periban's head but also preventing Periban from landing his right cross with the proper spacing. Lots of leaning in together and missing. Slapping shot behind the head by Periban as Gonzalez ducks in front of him. Gonzalez stalks with his hands down. Left to the body by Gonzalez. HARD COUNTER RIGHT BY PERIBAN. Uppercuts by Periban blocked. Gonzalez circles right and lands his right jab.

10-9 Gonzalez

77-75 Periban

 

WTF? It's over?? What happened to rounds nine and ten?? Did someone quit?? Or was this bumped down to an 8-rounder??

They're cutting their gloves off...

 

Gonzalez retired in his corner?!?!?!?!??!?!?!??!? :blood

He was in the fight!

 

Anyway, it goes down as a TKO8/RTD8 for Periban...a win is a win...but he just came through the toughest test of his career, and may be lucky to have been spared another six minutes.

Very bizarre. Gonzalez was doing just fine.

I'm still not clear on whether the end was called by the referee, Gonzalez himself, or his corner.