FS1: Jose Manuel Lopez vs. Mike Arnaoutis & Francisco Vargas vs. Jerry Belmontes RBR

Well in a manner of speaking that is what Spence was doing.

 

He showed truckloads of bravery and solidified his reputation as "The Rocky of Riverside", but yeah. I spent most of it cringing.

 

Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Carlos Rodriguez, 8 rounds @ super featherweight

 

Rodriguez can bang and has actually fought lots of very decent fighters, but mostly down in the flyweight range.

 

Round 1

Diaz is rowing out the right jab in up and down forward motions to measure out the range and then putting in the left hand. Rodriguez is backed up, holding both gloves under his chin and rolling the left out defensively to pick off Diaz's jabs, unsuccessfully. Rodriguez ducks and swings a wide right to the body and gets countered by a quick 1-2. Diaz waits on the outside, respectfully, biding his time.

10-9 Diaz

 

Yeah, he didn't get the single-frame blitz Spence did but it's a far more nuanced and complete performance. I project Diaz will go further (and have since both Olympians turned pro)

 

CompuBox stats in the first:

Diaz 27 of 60, 45%

Rodriguez 14 of 39, 36%

 

Round 2

Rodriguez is getting caught by 1-2s and right hook/left cross combinations at mid-range but is standing in and managing to bring his own jab up and touch Diaz on the mouth with it. Diaz is pulling back to slip Rodriguez's left hook and countering with hard power shots, the left hand lead straight down the pipe and the perfectly turned over right hook.

10-9 Diaz

20-18 Diaz

 

Round 3

Diaz is placing his right jab with patient accuracy, tracking Rodriguez's movements with his eyes and then carefully timing his quick sharp thrusts in. Jabs on the belt line by Rodriguez while circling to his right. Combination by Diaz pressing forward, exhaling loudly through his teeth as he stuffs a left hand into Rodriguez's eyes. Rodriguez plugs a right on the name embroidery atop Diaz's trunks but pays for it as Diaz lets go several punches in combination, right hooks and straight lefts with a few dropped onto the midsection. Rodriguez hurls up a right hand from a crouch and partially lands when Diaz raises his left glove in the way. Rodriguez follows with a left hook and grazes but gets countered and driven back. Left hand landed on the jaw by Diaz at the bell as Rodriguez is twisting and rolling with it.

10-9 Diaz

30-27 Diaz

 

The doctor checked on Rodriguez in the corner between rounds.

Apparently he found nobody puking.

Rodriguez answers the next bell, although his nose is bloodied and he is getting tattooed...