King's Promotions: Mykal Tayquon Fox vs. John Arellano & Kalvin Henderson vs. Genc Pllana RBR

Official cards:

Kevin Morgan 79-73 Pllana
Adam Frischia 76-76
Lindsay Page 76-76

Majority draw

 

Mykal Tayquon Fox vs. John Arellano, 10 rounds @ light welterweight

 

Mykal "The Professor" Fox is 6′ 3½″, and "Johnny A" is 6'2". Both are very tall for 140lbs - but, about that, both missed the weight limit. Fox by 2½lbs; Arellano by 3, making this functionally a welterweight contest. Still a lot of height even for welterweights, though.

 

Both men come in with a single professional defeat, but not all defeats are created equal. Fox's was against 17-0 (15) touted Uzbek prospect Shohjahon "Descendant of Tamerlane" Ergashev, in a competitive ten-rounder. Arellano, however, was knocked out in the 1st round by Dushaun Williams, then 0-2 and now 5-20-1... yikes.

 

Arellano is coming off two victories over unbeaten prospects - but neither of them was a big name, and nothing in his win column is anywhere close to Mykal Fox's best scalp (a past it but still capable DeMarcus Corley).

 

Round 1

Arellano is turning in place as Fox uses quick footwork to roam around him placing in long right jabs. Fox is able to swat down most of Arellano's upward strikes and push him down into a genuflecting posture. Fox scoring at will on the outside with that rangy southpaw jab. Arellano is diving in with an overhand right and then switching to uppercuts once he lands inside, but almost nothing is landing as Fox does the "dippy-bird", alternately swaying back to dodge and leaning in to catch Arellano before shoving him back out into jabbing range.

10-9 Fox

 

I honestly think Mykal is the best fighter in his family, not the (literally, as he's ranked way too high by the WBO) overrated Alantez.

 

Interesting. The round clock graphic on the King's Promotions Fight Night broadcast has this listed as round "2 of 8". BoxRec had this down as being a 10-rounder. I missed what the announcer said at the beginning. Guess we'll see.

 

Round 2

Arellano is getting smoothly outboxed on the outside, and then when he lunges in close with the overhand right and left hook, he is parried and either grabbed in clinches or counterattacked with a series of paddling shots up into the chest as Fox stoops down to his level. Fox is stepping in when Arellano doesn't take initiative to close the distance himself, and keeping that right jab unfurled in Arellano's face to set up the rest of his offense, for which Arellano has no answer but to paw ineffectively with his own jab.

10-9 Fox

20-18 Fox

 

Round 3

Arellano is loading up on superman punches, but his aim is consistently misjudged as Fox steps around him. Fox staggers off-balance as they both punch and block each other, feet might have gotten tripped up, and Fox ends up funny-walking all the way across the ring and bouncing off the ropes. The crowd became lively, thinking Arellano had rocked him, before coming to realize it was just an embarrassing momentary loss of balance from which Fox quickly recovers, going back to work and continuing to smoothly outbox Arellano.

10-9 Fox

30-27 Fox

 

Round 4

Arellano is trying everything he can think of, sallying in behind a high inclining jab and then winging the right once he gets close, sometimes attacking first on the body - nothing works. Fox is able to hop around on his toes in wait, getting loose & limber, and planting right jabs on the face of Arellano while preserving distance and forcing Arellano to expend loads of energy stepping to him dizzily, Fox in a new spot every few seconds.

10-9 Fox

40-36 Fox

 

If this really was demoted to an 8-rounder, this is halfway over.