HBO: Miguel Ángel Cotto vs. Sadam Ali & Rey Vargas vs. Oscar Negrete RBR.

This is a mismatch unworthy of a co-feature on HBO WCB, and especially of being the warm-up act to Cotto's farewell.

 

Round 2

Vargas is easily picking Negrete off with the jab while circling to his left. Negrete is battling his way in, hurtling both fists at Vargas' faraway skull, every punch on an incline and extending beyond his reach. Vargas is punishing him with jabs on the face and blistering combos downstairs at mid-range, snapping Negrete just at the end of all his punches. Negrete wearying, output lowering as Vargas picks him off without exiting first gear.

10-9 Vargas

20-18 Vargas

 

I don't know why Vargas opened at just 1/4. Vargas should be as decisive a fave with the bookies as Cotto is. Negrete is outskilled in every area AND outgunned, just isn't to win, all he can do is put up a good fight.

 

Round 1: 10-9 Vargas
Round 2: 10-9 Vargas

20-18 Vargas

 

Not a fan of Vargas' whining.

 

Negrete is starting to make this fight more competitive as of the third.

 

Round 3

Vargas is landing the jab and stepping back, letting Negrete jump in, flurrying madly, aiming high. Negrete opening himself up to hard left hooks on the body, making it easy work for Vargas. Every time he gets close, Negrete tries prying Vargas' arms down from their lofty guard, to no avail. Negrete wasting energy wrestling inside and pulling on Vargas' wrists. Negrete only just grazing the neck of Vargas with his jabs if he's lucky in the exchanges.

10-9 Vargas

30-27 Vargas

 

Round 1: 10-9 Vargas
Round 2: 10-9 Vargas
Round 3: 10-9 Vargas

30-27 Vargas

 

Listen to Lampley praise this bull****. If Vargas was black he would be calling this fight what it is and this fighter what he is a coward bull**** artist.
This guy is nearly 6ft ducking Rigondeaux. Mexican warrior my ass.

 

40-36 Vargas, but Negrete is beginning to have some nice moments in here.

 

Round 4

Vargas is jogging around the ring, clockwise, pushing a double jab into Negrete's hairline. Vargas is backhanding jabs up into Negrete's palms to hold both hands in place before working straight combos on the body. Negrete is hanging back outside Vargas' range, earmuffs on, stepping partway in and then soaking up jabs before charging and wailing on Vargas' own defenses.

10-9 Vargas

40-36 Vargas

 

Round 1: 10-9 Vargas
Round 2: 10-9 Vargas
Round 3: 10-9 Vargas
Round 4: 10-9 Vargas

40-36 Vargas

 

Round 1: 10-9 Vargas
Round 2: 10-9 Vargas
Round 3: 10-9 Vargas
Round 4: 10-9 Vargas
Round 5: 10-9 Vargas

50-45 Vargas

 

Round 5

More of the same. Manny Robles shouting from ringside that Vargas is holding too much, but the bout has been fairly cleanly fought and the ref hasn't really needed to get too involved. Maybe a brief clinch here and there, but quickly broken. Mostly it has been Vargas casually stepping around the perimeter, luring Negrete onto jabs across the eye socket and working combos on the body while Negrete soars at him with flails up top and wild uppercuts at the long narrow midsection of the stick figure champ.

10-9 Vargas

50-45 Vargas