In an earlier post today I said somebody ought to tell Manny Steward that Andy Lee is no where near ready for Pavlik. Brian Vera just told him that loud and clear. After winning the 1st round big, and then taking rounds 2 and 3, beginning in the 4th the only way Andy Lee could stop a Vera right was with his face! Vera was also having some success doubling up on the jab, and making the fight a brawl on the inside. Going into the 7th I had it 57-56 Lee. With 3 rounds a piece Lee was 1 point ahead because of the 10-8 in round 1. Going into the 7th Vera was unmarked and full of energy. Lee was bloody, battered, and out of gas. The stoppage may have been a bit premature, but the knock out looked inevitable. In another post earlier today I said that Lee appeared to be the real thing, and that until someone proved he's not, I would regard him as such. I had only seen his TV debut, one other fight, and some stuff on You Tube, so i was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. The truth is he looked dreadful in this fight. If what we saw tonight is Andy at his current best, I would pick guys like McKart, Ornelas, and Marquez to beat him. He does not even belong in the ring with Rubio, Zuniga, or Duddy level fighters. Even during the earlier rounds when Lee appeared to be winning, Vera caught him with 5 flush right hands that I counted in rounds 1 and 2. I kept thinking that if Vera was catching him with those looping, telegraphed punches, Pavlik would send him out on a stretcher, and so would Taylor and Abraham. I guess it's back to the drawing board for young Andy. The question now is what happens with Top Ranks commitment to put him on two Pavlik Undercards followed by a title shot? Boo
I tell you I am shocked at Lee's lose to Vera while I thought Lee was over rated I never thought he would lose to club fighter like Vera.:admin I always thought while Lee was talented but I thought he was untested in terms of being tough because had never been in a dog fight with a top guy, so I thought any talk of him fighting Pavlik was crazy:nut
I too expected Andy to walk right through Vera in a 6-8 round one-sided beat down. I kept looking for the highly praised speed, power, and solid boxing skill I heard so much about. None of those things were evident at any point in this fight. Boo
How hurt was Vera in round one? Has Vera improved that much since losing to Corrdigan? Lee is only 23 so there's plenty of time for improvement. Was he not conditioned enough for this fight but Vera was in great condition?
Actually, the knock down in round 1 was reallly a slip. Watch it again in slow-mo. Lee got the benefit of the doubt because Vera was staggered a few seconds before, but the actual knockdown was a slip, IMO. Vera was off balance and trying to throw a punch at the same time. Can't complain too much, but Vera was NEVER hurt and recovered immediately.
Vera was not hurt in the 1st round. It barely qualified as a knock down. I think the term "exposed" gets used way to much on ESB. However, it seems appropriate here. Andy Lee climbed in the ring with some one who is his own size, and still has a heart beat for the first time. The result was Vera came from behind, walked Lee down and bloodied him up in rounds 4, 5 , and 6. The ref called the fight in the 7th. The stoppage was a bit pre-mature, but Andy was thoroughly battered, and seemed to be out of gas. Vera on the other hand was unmarked, seemed fresh, and could not ****ing miss with those looping right hands. Boo
