Masao Oba vs Betulio Gonzalez- The best fight I have watched this year

I'll have to watch that; I recently scored a rather tepid match between Gonzalez and Shoji Oguma that nonetheless had some drama in that one seemed to clearly sweep the first half of that fight, and then Oguma came back to take the second half, even if winning the rounds only incrementally. Betulio lost his mind at hearing the decision, but had no reason to complain about it, I thought. I had Oguma up by a point at the end.

Beulio's fight with Guty Espadas was tremendous too.

 

Here is my card for Gonzalez-Ohba. 5 point must system in effect.

Round 1: 5-4 Ohba
Round 2: 5-4 Ohba
Round 3: 5-4 Gonzalez
Round 4: 5-4 Ohba
Round 5: 5-4 Ohba
Round 6: 5-4 Ohba
Round 7: 5-4 Gonzalez
Round 8: 5-4 Gonzalez
Round 9: 5-5 Even
Round 10: 5-4 Ohba
Round 11: 5-4 Gonzalez
Round 12: 5-4 Gonzalez
Round 13: 5-4 Ohba
Round 14: 5-5 Even
Round 15: 5-4 Gonzalez

Total: 69-68 Ohba

I was so impressed with Gonzalez. So sharp and so economical with his shots. I can see why he had something like 45 KOs to his credit. He didn't really solve the height and reach issue that Ohba presented until the 7th. After that he was playing catch-up and came up just shy in the scoring. What's noticeable is the complete lack of bodywork. They were head-hunting from start to finish. A really good fight and Gonzalez looked like he could have easily done another 5 rounds while Ohba was dragging that last round.

 

I think I posted it in the "fights I watched today" thread. I'll find it.

 

Brilliant fight. Ohba's last fight against Chionoi was just as stunning, too. The guy really was the Sal Sanchez of the Flyweights, one of the great what ifs.

 

Here's what I wrote recently on it.


Last week I finished Betulio Gonzalez-Shoji Oguma II. I have to say, for flyweights it was pretty devoid of action and dull, except for the drama that built in the second half of the fight as Gonzalez fought his way back into it.

The first half saw both waiting for the other to commit, so little was thrown or landed. Oguma was just a little sharper and quicker and banked round after round. After nine rounds, I had him running away with it, 7-2. All the rounds were close, but he was winning almost all of them.

Then Gonzalez started winning rounds. At first it seemed too little too late as all Oguma had to do was win one more round to put him over the top. And I waited and waited for that decisive round to come and it just never came. Suddenly, I realized that after 14 rounds I had it dead even at 7-7. Miraculous comeback by Gonzalez. It wasn't exactly a free for all in the 15th, but both fought as if they needed the round. On my card, they did. It was like the others in that there wasn't much to choose from and it could probably have gone either way. I had it for Oguma, finally, finally giving him that round to put him over the top.

Gonzalez went nuts in protest, but I don't see too much reason for him to complain. Far too close in every round and everything seemed very inconclusive the whole way.[/QUOTE]

 

A tremendous era for Flyweights.