ESPN Knockout: Óscar Rafael Valdez Fierro vs. Richard Medina Jr. RBR

Before the commercial break I caught the commentator saying "los mejor pelea de la noche" - calling that "best fight of the night" so far. It did set a pretty high bar.

 

They're bringing in some Sonora boxing luminaries into the ring to soak up some crowd love and recognition: Tyson Márquez, José Luis Castillo , and... Camila Anae Zamorano.

Uh...with all due respect to "La Magnifica" (she's cute, and she's 12-0)...she doesn't really belong in the same breath with a pair of the region's absolute legends.

 

Óscar Rafael Valdez Fierro vs. Richard Medina Jr., 10 rounds @ super featherweight

 

Valdez looks weirdly gaunt.

 

Ricky has a half inch height advantage, and a full decade age advantage. (24 vs. 34 years old)

 

Round 1

Medina is jabbing with Valdez, keeping his left foot inside Valdez's. Right hand by Valdez, hitting shoulder. Double jab to chest and waist by Medina. Valdez again jabs in and tries a flailing right hand, crowd reacts but it washes up against Medina's back. Valdez jabbing the body, then a hook-2 up top. Valdez grazed by the hook but ducks the right hand. 1-2-3 by Medina stepping in, gets Valdez trotting away. Both score jabs simultaneously. Medina walking forward, catches a Valdez hook on the back of his right glove. Chopping right hand by Medina just before Valdez clinches. Ref quick to break them. Valdez fakes a jab up top and throws a right at the body, out of range. Medina measuring him, showing the jab feint.

10-9 Medina, close

 

Tarjeta de Carlos Irusta - 10-9 Valdez.

Medina will need to distinguish himself a lot more in these rounds given the presence of the partisan Sonora crowd. They're making everything Valdez throws sound more impactful, could sway the judges.

 

Round 2

Valdez is jabbing into the chest, getting walked into the ropes, and then flying into Medina to clinch. Valdez scores a nice jab and then ducks past Medina. Body shots by Medina, rumbling Valdez into a corner. Valdez jabs into the guard, ducks a counter flurry, and clinches. Valdez scores a chopping right darting in. Medina with two right hands up top and then a big left hook on the body. Valdez clinches. Medina draws the jab lead and loads up a looping right but the bell rings so he pulls it.

10-9 Medina, super close

20-18 Medina (guessing the judges have the opposite, though)

 

Yep, could have predicted that... Irusta has 20-18 for Valdez.

 

It's weird to see a former two division champ desperately tying up to avoid exchanges with a 16-3 kid.

 

Round 3

Medina jabbing on the front-foot. Valdez working in and out with lefts on the body and rights up top. Low blow, time out, time in. Lots of clinching, initiated by Valdez. Medina with good body and head combinations. Valdez with a double jab up top, crowd screaming but neither landed. Valdez misses a jab over the shoulder of Medina, then goes for a hook but it splashes off the left arm.

10-9 Medina, close

30-27 Medina