Jorge Arce vs. Jesus M. Rojas II

I think it's a combination of things..

Arce looked like dog **** in the Angkotta rematch. He's been running very hot and cold in the later part of his career. He came back from the Mijares schooling and looked OK against some contenders, picked up a title - and then got systematically dismantled by Darchinyan. Then started another comeback and got upset by ancient Nongqayi. Then a few good wins including a TD over Angkotta...and the draw with Parra. He was a heavy underdog against Vazquez, and it wasn't just his age. He'd gained a reputation of being so inconsistent for so many years, and failing at the top level. Well, he spanked Vazquez...then went about a mission to "set the record straight" with three consecutive rematches. Destroyed Nongqayi. Went 12 rounds with Angkotta and arguably could have lost that one after blowing his load early...and looked possibly vulnerable to an exhaustion stoppage in the championship rounds. Then destroyed Parra...so...OK, back on track. Knockdown early against Rojas, brilliant - and then WTF? Got his ass kicked for the next 2+ minutes.

The guy is just all over the place. Crazy unpredictable. Part of what makes him fun to watch, but it's never a safe bet with him either way...for or against. Unless he's totally mismatched with someone far above or far below his level (and admittedly, many of us did originally think Rojas was the latter)

As for Rojas, he's an energetic young buzzsaw with real power and a sturdy chin. As far as I know, he'd never been down in his pro career prior to that 1st round against Arce. This was a big step up for him, but he showed he can hang with Arce, and more importantly, take his best and get off the canvas with a vengeful fury.

Also, it may have been a quadruple foul, but for Arce to be THAT hurt by the shot behind the ear when it wasn't that flush tells us that Rojas can indeed crack. That power that had been yet untested at a high level - but had been suggested by his early record and the way he was tossing bums and washed-up fringe guys around - appears to be legit.

So for all those reasons a lot of people are probably thinking that age has FINALLY caught up with Arce to the point where he can't rewind the hands of the clock anymore and dig out another baffling throwback performance.


**HOWEVER**

Rojas tends to have a hard time finding success via means other than KO. Tough old super-journeyman Jose Beranza gave him a boxing lesson several years ago, in Rojas' only loss. Rey Lopez - SHOT TO **** - held him to a SD in his farewell bout in 2010. Jose Luis Araiza - who has otherwise lost 5 of his last 6 to various middling/decent prospects - was within one point on either of two judges' cards of beating him. The dissenting card in their majority draw had Araiza up.

So he isn't a maestro of the sweet science, and he isn't very good at pacing himself and finishing strong. He's a front-runner, and his goal is to blast his way to the top.

Now, there is an ebb and flow to Arce fights. Always is. It's almost never easy for Jorge, but it's guaranteed hell for his opponent. So had the weirdness not occurred at the start of the 2nd, or had Arce been able & willing to continue...sure, it's almost certain that Rojas would have won the round. He may have even knocked Arce down if his equilibrium were still messed up. He'd have perhaps claimed the 3rd as well...and the 4th. Sooner or later, though...Arce was going to rally. He was going to make this kid wonder wtf he had to do to get rid of this old maniac (besides a shitload of consecutive illegal blows ). Just like his countryman Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. did, Rojas would become infected with doubt and start to fight with less confidence throughout the mid/late rounds. Arce would grit his teeth and just start hammering away, shutting out the pain and fatigue. Provided he didn't gas down the stretch the way he did in the Angkotta rematch, he would probably not relinquish control once he'd seized it back from Rojas - whenever that came. And with the 10-8 swing from the knockdown...he would have until the 8th round to seize that momentum back and still get his arm raised.

In a rematch, I don't see Arce having one of his "flat" performances. I don't see him taking Rojas lightly. This will be angry Arce. Rojas will be dealing with Beast Mode from the get-go...and the only ebb and flow could wind up being "Rojas got his ass kicked severely there" in one round to "Rojas only got his ass kicked mildly there" in the next. Good chin or no, we know Arce can drop Rojas - and quite easily. Good power or no, Arce's chin is absolutely iron. Rojas will be dragged to a place he's never been as a pro, by his best opponent to date by far...and meanest-tempered, and most offensively wicked.

I really don't see this going well for Jesus, having poked the sleeping bear. (bear in mind, if you will, the bear was already dangerous before he woke it up!)

Arce by UD10 most likely, or late TKO if Rojas proves to be completely ******ed about making adjustments to survive under heavy pressure or tries something desperate when he sees the door closing on him. :good

DQ if Rojas decides to bail himself out with another "combo".

 

Actually, I'm not so sure about this. :think While his power has definitely carried up to super bantamweight and is to be taken seriously, I think Rojas might be the pure puncher in this match-up.

What I am sure of is that Arce's hardness & resiliency - mental and physical - is far more proven. His chin and heart are two of his biggest assets and really set him apart. (I don't believe he was lying about the behind-the-ear shot ****ing his balance up...watch his movements afterward as he's crawling and sitting...)

Usually when two guys can dish it out and one can't take it...even if that's the guy who dishes out more...

 

What I said...much more succinctly put, all the way back on page 1. :!:

:thumbsup

 

You referring to round 2? There are rules in boxing. Rojas wasn't beating the **** out of Arce within the rules.

If you meant round 1, well...Rojas was giving a fine account of himself and proving (other than the knockdown, of course) that he wasn't mismatched against the Old Troublemaker. He outfought Arce for most of the round...but I'm not sure you can say he was quite "beating the **** out of" him. Landing hard body shots, but still getting hit. It isn't like Arce kept his hands to himself after scoring the KD.