King's Box: Anthony Mercado Reyes vs. Victor Vázquez & Raeese Aleem vs. Alcides Santiago Cintrón RBR

Round 5

Vázquez is backed up by a nice stiff jab from Mercado, who seems to have found a second wind and is bouncing on his toes going left. Vázquez now starts to stalk and push in a southpaw jab, looking to set up a big gavel overhand left. Mercado is landing counter 1-2s on the face but seems to have hurt his hand, shaking his wrist as he trots away. Vázquez smells blood and drives Mercado into a corner, bullying him with body shots and clubbing two-fisted combos across the top & back of his head as Mercado bows forward and tries covering his chin. Impressively consistent body work by Vázquez. Mercado ROCKED by a looping left at the bell, held up by the ropes! No count given by the ref, though!??! Mercado wobbles all the way to his corner on shaky legs. Seriously how was that not ruled a knockdown? It was AT the bell.

10-9 Vázquez (should be 10-8, however, especially given the ref's call on Vázquez earlier)

47-47

 

Mercado's going to need immediate medical attention once this concludes.

 

Round 6

Vázquez is throwing half a dozen shots per burst as the profusely bleeding Mercado attempts to hold. Mercado looks dizzy, and his legs are practically gone. He's staying by the ropes. He falls while trying to clinch, ref waves his arms to say not a knockdown. Wild overhand right by Mercado falling in, very slow and sluggish, and Vázquez is just peppering him with shots at medium-close range. Vázquez ramming his left forearm down across Mercado's face even when he misses with his short chopping blows. VERY slow and lackluster overhands from Mercado as he tries fighting his way off the ropes. A minute left in the sixth. Big left hook on the body from Mercado, then a big overhand right on Vázquez's left temple! WOW! Mercado finding a vestige of energy just as Vázquez starts to flag. Mercado having a solid thirty-second stretch here. Mercado grins at Vázquez while trotting wide to his right to catch his breath and regroup. Right hand and left hook by Mercado, blocked and deflected but skimming the back of Vázquez's head.

10-9 Vázquez

57-56 Vázquez

 

@rorschach51 you agree with the commentators? Low-key FOTY candidate here? Of course we're the only two here watching it so nobody's going to believe us that an 11-4 vs. 10-4 match-up actually produced a legit FOTY contender.

 

Round 7

Vázquez is caught with a couple of flip-up jabs by Mercado at long range. BIG overhand right by Mercado, shaking the wrist as soon as he lands. That hand is broken, ladies & gentlemen - but he's still winging it hard in a last-ditch effort to get the W. Vázquez is wilting, and is pressed up against the ropes flurrying, eating several big left hooks, his head snapping back sharply. Vázquez's neck is liquefying. Mercado staying a pace off to crack the right hand whip but just close enough to bobble the head of Vázquez all over with left hooks as he remains trapped on the ropes.

10-9 Mercado

66-66

 

All comes down to round 8, man, what good shit.

 

The commentators are saying they believe Vázquez has a broken jaw (to go along with Mercado's clearly fractured right hand)

Brutal fight.

 

Round 8

Vázquez is pressuring. Mercado countering off the backfoot. Mercado chopped in the face with a two-piece falling against the ropes and blinks his eyes shut for a long, concerning moment while his head lolls, but he rallies back a moment later and hurts Vázquez with an overhand right! Vázquez now sweeping in body shots, twisting at the waist, putting everything into his scything punches at the sides of the waistband. Mercado dives into Vázquez's midsection, barely able to pull himself up by Vázquez's trunks, exhausted. Mercado doing more holding than punching now, but does zap Vázquez with a stiff jab falling in. Vázquez working the body, 8 punch underhanded combo downstairs. Mercado cracks him with a right hand upside the bean. More body digs by Vázquez.

10-9 Vázquez

76-75 Vázquez

 

That was legitimately better for me than Golovkin vs. Canelo II, or Tanaka vs. Kimura, Gassiev vs. Dorticos or Wangek vs. Estrada, to compare with a few of the much higher profile frequently name-checked 2018 fights on the short list. What else has there been that was amazing, I forget?

 

Official cards:

76-75
77-74
77-74

UD for Anthony Mercado Reyes