Q: Did Rene Arredondo take a dive for Carlos Palomino back in '97 on ESPN?

I've not seen that fight but Arredondo didn't have the best chin him the world. Unless theres a compelling piece of evidence to suggest he took a dive I'd say it was a genuine KO.

 

I was actually at this fight at the Hollywood paladium and was surprised how easy Arredondo folded that being said, Arredondo was a big punching former JW champ but he never had a good chin and was washed up by this fight..... Rumor has it that Arredondo came into this fight half drunk so he probably didnt care and decided to take the easy way out... This was co-Main event with the comebacking Gerrie Coetzee and Iran Barkley... Although both washed up this was an exciting fight.



PS; Even if Arredondo took the easy way out, Palomino turned out to be suprisingly good at around 50ish... He later went on to give Wilfredo Rivera all he wanted in losing a close decision... Same Rivera who gave Mosley all he wanted and was robbed against Pernell Whittaker around the same time.

 

We were at the fight, as Carlos was a friend of ours. Sitting ringside, it was apparent that Arredondo was not faking anything. In fact, he was out on his feet. Carlos, unlike many former fighters, was never out of shape, and while he may not have had the same foot speed he'd had twenty years earlier, he had tremendous power in his legs. Multiple marathons worth of leg strength, in fact. The punch he hit Arredondo with came out of that power source, and it was a significant shot.

 

Re: "I thought Palomino looked slow and off-key against Wilfredo Rivera..."

In point of fact, Carlos was fitter - notably so - than the far younger Rivera. The final 5 rounds were a completely different fight than the first 5, and once Carlos found his rhythm, he started to dominate. Had the fight been twelve rounds, he would most likely have won on either a knockout or a TKO.

 

Legit win.