Miguel Cotto vs. Saúl Álvarez RBR

Round 1

Martinez is throwing straight combos at the body from outside. Mojica is having trouble finding range and getting off on the taller man. Mojica is starting to gain purchase with slapping left hooks on the body in the finale minute, barking as he throws them. Martinez is jabbing through Mojica's wrists and throwing his own bursts of body-punching, also barking.

10-9 Martinez

 

Same reason Pérez vs. Crolla II, while the rightful main event on Sky/Awe today, was considered a mere afterthought in the wake of Abraham vs. Murray by most of these knuckleheads. :-(

 

Silver title. Sometimes they're scheduled for 12, and sometimes 10.

 

Round 2

Martinez is having trouble keeping Mojica off him, not getting leverage on his jabs or hacking side-wound rights delivered in a short arc from up by his own ear into Mojica's left. Mojica is just swarming in, using lots of weaving and rolling, and firing as many straights as he can muster. Spirited effort by the feather-fisted Mojica, applying heavy pressure and shutting Martinez down. Big left hook by Martinez as Mojica dances out on his toes, missing. Martinez catches Mojica late with a 1-2 and backs him into the ropes but all his follow-up punches miss, and he is unable to steal the frame.

10-9 Mojica

19-19

 

Fun little undercard treat here.

So was Zhilei vs. Goode, for that matter. I'm happy to have tuned in for this YouTube preliminary coverage so far. :good

 

El Bandido is quite good, but, the sparkling areas on his resume all come with caveats that give me pause before showering him with accolades over the results (or even how good he looked in getting them).

JuanMa was shot, Cotto's little cousin was always B-grade to begin with, Belmontes has sparring partner mentality, and Tomlinson was stylistically made to order.

Most telling I think are his schooling of then-unbeaten prospect Bennett (arguably doing it more impressively than Jonathan Maicelo) and his knockout of generally tough Camargo, who did come in with a dozen stoppage losses already but was only put out cold a couple of times before that.

Miura on the other hand is the only guy in that match-up to have fought an elite (in his fellow Takashi) and he acquitted himself very well that night...and has been improving.

 

Round 3

Martinez is still getting out-punched on the inside by the less talented fighter but savvier ring general - and busier, grittier man - in Mojica. Lots of nice exchanges. Toe to toe. Martinez really struggling to get the distance he wants, though he is putting his all into obtaining it.

10-9 Mojica, close

29-28 Mojica

 

Round 4

Martinez is catching some of Mojica's body shots on his elbows now and working short little jabs on the face. Martinez is waiting, bent forward as Mojica doubles a body hook, not getting through. BIG wide left hook up top by Martinez, missing as Mojica ducks but Martinez is lying in wait with a short right hand on the nose as Mojica comes up.

10-9 Martinez

38-38

 

Digging this.

 

Round 5

Martinez is slapping hooks into the side of Mojica's head while the Mexican rips into his body with paint-scraper uppercuts with both hands. Martinez is taking pot shots with his right hand lead on the outside, having finally gotten the range he wants. Mojica comes forward and dribbles a long combo into Martinez's guard, barking in punctuation with each shot. Martinez is jabbing on the step-by, gliding around the Corona logo and making Mojica follow him. Big body shots swapped. Martinez gets in a few rapid short left hooks on the hairline, kneading with them, not fully retracting his arm between punches.

10-9 Martinez

48-47 Martinez