Marlon Starling vs. Pipino Cuevas

Boxing; Breland Gets Draw But Loses Stature

By PHIL BERGER, SPECIAL TO THE NEW YORK TIMES
Published: April 18, 1988
LEAD: There were no victory parties after the World Boxing Association welterweight title fight Saturday night. Neither the champion, Marlon Starling, nor the challenger, Mark Breland, was in a festive mood after their rematch here ended in a disputed draw.
There were no victory parties after the World Boxing Association welterweight title fight Saturday night. Neither the champion, Marlon Starling, nor the challenger, Mark Breland, was in a festive mood after their rematch here ended in a disputed draw.
With the decision of the judges, Starling still had his title - a champion retains his crown in the event of a draw - but it was hardly the thrill that Starling had anticipated. As he put it afterward, ''I'm happy to have the title, but I wanted it my way.''
By the reaction of the fans, who booed and shouted obscenities when the result was announced, Starling had the fight his way in every respect but the decision of the judges.
Yet Starling's career is not likely to be damaged by the draw. As the W.B.A. champion, he is still alive and well in the current Home Box Office series aimed at accelerating Julio Cesar Chavez, the W.B.A. lightweight champion, into an eventual title match in the welterweight division. Chavez Wins by Knockout
Chavez kept his part of the bargain when he knocked out a game Panamanian, Rodolfo Aguilar, in six rounds in a co-feature here.
It remains to be seen if Chavez will work his way up to the welterweight division by January, the date HBO has set for Chavez's bid for the title.
Chavez's promoter, Don King, said his fighter would meet Jose Luis Ramirez, the World Boxing Council lightweight champion, in August here. King also mentioned Roger Mayweather, the W.B.C. junior-welterweight champion, as a potential opponent for Chavez before he fights as a welterweight.
Meanwhile, Starling has a mandatory defense due against Tomas Molinares of Colombia. But Starling's promoter, Cedric Kushner, was expecting to meet today with Mickey Duff, manager of the W.B.C. welterweight champion, Lloyd Honeyghan, about a possible Starling-Honeyghan match this summer.
''The other possibility,'' said Kushner, ''is Breland against Honeyghan, and Starling against Molinares, with the winners fighting in a unification bout.'' Questions About Breland
There are serious questions, though, about whether Breland will be moving in such fast company so soon after his disappointing performance Saturday night. Or whether he belongs there.
Against Starling, Breland was unable to keep the champion at arm's length in order to get the leverage he needed on his punches. Breland's jab was mechanical and lacked sting, and Starling moved past it with impunity. Once he had Breland at close range, Starling repeatedly beat him to the punch and, at that distance, Breland was frequently off balance when he missed, making himself a choice target for Starling's counterblows.
In losing to Starling in an 11-round knockout last August, Breland spoke of fighting in a sort of mental haze. However, in the weeks before the rematch, his handlers depicted him as a fighter with a laser focus.
Yet Breland was not much more concentrated in his effort this time around. He appeared tentative and, in the word used by his cornerman, Lou Duva, ''lackadaisical.''
In Conference Room 13 at the Las Vegas Hilton, which was to have been used for a Breland victory party, the postfight mood was subdued. While Shelly Finkel, Breland's manager, spoke of Breland's fighting again -two or three bouts before another attempt at the welterweight title -others in Breland's camp seemed less certain of the fighter's future.
Duva, for example, said: ''I was just totally surprised about his lack of desire. The last two weeks in training he looked so good. So strong. I can't believe the drastic change in his makeup tonight. He didn't look like he had mental strength. The kid is no quitter. I don't know what happened to him.''
Joe Fariello, the fighter's trainer, said: ''I was totally disappointed with Mark's performance. If they gave the decision to Starling, I would have said Mark deserved to lose. He fought like a guy trying not to lose, or trying to survive rather than win. It affected his punching. He didn't throw punches.''
Between rounds of Saturday's bout, Fariello was heard shouting at his fighter: ''Show some life. You're throwing punches like a girl.''
Fariello's recommendation was for Breland to be matched against tough opponents rather than rebuilding his psyche against setups.
''I'd have him fight top fighters,'' Fariello said. ''If he's capable of beating them, he beats them. If not, then let him get out of boxing.''



Again, please don't reference encounters that you're not familiar with.

 

Starling wins a wide decision over 15 over Cuevas.

 

warchild - that is one of the most comprehensive schoolings i have ever seen on ESB. Kudo's for a job well done. I really enjoyed the read and definitely learnt some from these two posts.

:bowdown

 

I have my doubts on weather or not Rooster will ever finish his education. Thank goodness, there are jobs out there for the less fortunate.

 

:good

 

What else would we expect from a poster who worhips the mushroom?

 

he didnt have ANY arsenal. Thats' why he kept losing fights he was expected to win. "Go the cards" what next? atsch

 

Face the facts-you didnt see Cuevas in the 1970's. I can see right thru you.

 

Someone like you would have been schooled by warchild but that's because you're less than a man you bald *** :yep

 

Pipino wouldn't be able to land a clean shot on Marlon, and that would be the diffence.Marlon would win a wide unanimous decision over a befuddled Cuevas.

 

Marlon will have to fight.....otherwise he gets blown out.

Have Marlon call Angel Espada first before signing the contract.....for some fight tips.

 

Starling with ease....... Cuevas too slow to land a hook.....

MR.BILL:bbb

 

I hope redrooster died.

 

I think Cuevas. As much as I like Starling, I think Cuevas was more proven and had a more solid reign. Starling got lucky beating a guy like Breland who really was not proven as a professional, yet Mark did have a great amateur career.

 

Beat Honeyghan as well. As Jose Baret was a strong puncher who ha no chance with Starling. Starling arguably beat Breland twice and gave Curry the hardest fights he had at 147 (Honeyghan aside)

Starling was freakishly strong. So much so that it was he taking the fight to Nunn in their fight.