ESPN2 FNF: Brandon Adams vs. Willie Monroe Jr. & Petr Petrov vs. Fernando Carcamo RBR

Top of the hour. :good

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Tonight we see both the ESPN's 2014 Boxcino Middleweight Tournament Final and ESPN's 2014 Boxcino Lightweight Tournament Final. :happy

 

I have Brandon the Cannon and the Yaqui Warrior claiming all the North American title belts (interim & vacant NABO and NABF) at 160lbs and 135lbs respectively along with tourney crown honors - but realistically they are both in 50-50 match-ups.

Monroe has more experience and of a higher distillation of quality, and is the flashier operator. I just really like what Adams showed in the quarter and semifinals and think his ceiling is very high, and this could be his coming-out party.

Petrov also has a proven track record of hanging with, if not managing to spoil or cleanly outbox plenty of decent fighters, only ever getting outclassed or destroyed when stepping up all the way to elite (i.e., Maidana) and he eats bombers for breakfast with his well-schooled guile. However, despite his ugly record I do think Carcamo/Camargo has game-changing, pretty close to world-class power - and is young and improving. At his best I suspect he is capable of doing exactly what Maidana did to Petrov - leave him nowhere to hide and make a rag doll of him.

 

"This is the hurting business; this is baaaaaaaxin'...we have to put that aside for the forty minutes or however long it lasts..."

- Willie Monroe Jr., when Bernardo Osuna asks how one manages to 'flip the switch', referring to him developing a friendship with Brandon as tourney participants.

 

The poll on Facebook shows the opposites of my picks favored, slightly. (Monroe Jr. 59%, Petrov 57%)

 

"Put some water in the basement, take the air out of his tires! "

- Teddy "Awkward Metaphor Mixologist" Atlas, getting you crunk all night while giving the fight plan.

 

Round 1

Adams is claiming the Corona logo, holding up his guard and putting out a couple of light body jabs, diving in underneath Monroe's right jab to plant the right on the body. Adams is stepping halfway in with his left jab as Monroe quickly circles left and pops hard right jabs into his guard, playing catch. Nice defensive posture by Adams, trotting back, chin down, left arm sloped, Monroe chasing with the jab. Turns are being taken, each man stepping in and doubling up his jab, reactions being felt out. Double right jab by Monroe. Jab and right cross flipped up experimentally by Adams reaching in. Quick counter 1-2 by Monroe, scoring lightly over the eyes while dancing past Adams with a sudden explosive move. Adams is raising and lowering his left glove, keeping his guard otherwise assembled, both arms vertical, right glued to his chin. Monroe circles and sprinkles jabs.

10-9 Monroe

 

I don't think it will stay like the 1st, but it definitely won't be as much of a tear-up as the lightweights ought to produce.

 

Round 2

Adams is jabbing at the chest, approaching low, shooting the right hand out in a line drive while dropping his head down and torpedoing in bodily. Monroe buzzes the back of his hairline with the right jab and throw a left cross over his back. Monroe is sliding outside, using the single and double jab and southpaw 1-2 to freeze Adams out. Monroe is skittering back into the ropes and popping the 1-2 into the guard to slow Adams coming in. Stiff run-in left jab by Adams but Monroe counters with a 1-2, tapping across the back of the head and jumping back quickly. Adams jumps in and lands a jab, dips right to slip a Monroe flurry and swats him with a right hand on the temple.

10-9 Monroe

20-18 Monroe