Sebastian Andres Lujan

This no-frills puncher fought last week on the revived Solo Boxeo Tecate, and looked pretty good (for who and what he is).

His opponent, Mr. Jailer Berrio, wasn't very impressive on paper and didn't show much in the way of skill to make you think that his record belied any deeper truth. He was game, though - and went savagely at Lujan himself a few times, almost appearing as though he were looking for the KO victory despite a clear casting in the "boxer" role of the matchup.

Lujan did his cosa-cosa, archetype of the nothing-cute modern Argentine torso demolitions expert that he is. His ground-floor approach had Berrio wincing from early on, although he did catch him with a few surface-to-air missiles right in the penthouse suite. This was the type of dominant bullying of the type of opponent that makes Lujan look good that makes you wonder why he hasn't been more successful.

Then you remember Antonio Margarito.

Now, it's not to be inferred that my opinion of Margarito is especially high - it isn't. He is, however, 100% kryptonite for a certain type of fighter...one that, just as Berrio and his ilk do for Lujan, make him look far better than he is. Slow power punchers are Margarito's favorite prey. It isn't that he's unknockoutable as assumed by many for so long. It's that the key to hurting him is power and speed. If Lujan wound up and took a few unobscructed cracks at Margarito's chin, he'd likely crack it. The problem is that for all his power Lujan is painfully slow of hand. Margarito simply flurries in this kind of fighter's face, not allowing them to get their punches off the way they want to. His workrate and stamina create the appearance of invulnerability as he seems to walk through everything that these big hitters can muster, although upon inspection they're only mustering arm punches. Against someone even more powerful than Lujan (and even slower) in Garcia, Margarito was even able to showboat and look downright Whitakeresque. Throw him in with a Mosley, or anyone else who is a) considerably faster, b) at least as strong, and c) mentally composed enough to not be perturbed by the nonstop activity and he's going to be in trouble every time.

Style make fights, though - and just because Lujan probably loses 10/10 against Margarito, and Margarito isn't necessarily the greatest welterweight out there, doesn't mean that the limited but effective (in the right circumstances) Lujan couldn't pick up a belt before he's through.

Imagine Lujan-Berto, for instance? :think



Oh, on the same card there was a great little two-way fireworks display between unbeaten Marcelino "Nino" Lopez and tough local gatekeeper Alberto Santillan. Very competitive, and a trial by fire for the young Lopez, who came off in the end looking like a very good prospect, and a little further advanced in his in-ring education. It is recommended you seek out video if you missed it. Good action.

 

Thirteen months on, and that win streak gets a nice ribbon tied on it with the nationally televised pummeling of Mark Jason Melligen last night. :happy

Hopefully the Iron Man with that fun "slow-motion Maravilla" style can land a date with any of those guys you mentioned. :deal He has certainly earned it.

 

Well, this got quickly (and predictably) buried in a sea of Klitschko-Haye threads.

Show some love for the Argentine ape-man! :good

He and Jonathan Barros racked up nice victories for the white 'n' blue on back to back nights this weekend. Both used grit, pressure, and relentless output to get it done.

 

Actually a few people did make that "poor man's Niccolino" comment during the FNF RBR.

 

He has put in years of hard work since then, with mixed success (but gaining some momentum now).

I hope he gets a crack at a world title before he's through. SNV knows that plenty of far less deserving *******s have gotten them.

 

It's kind of a signature Argentinian thing.

Barros tried a little of it tonight (but doesn't move his head nearly as well).

Martinez does it.

Maciel does it a bit.

Narvaez definitely does it.

The only high-level guys I can think of offhand that really don't are Maidana, Matthysse and Barrios - who are more just brawlers willing to take it on the chin rather than worry about making you miss. (which Lujan himself does regress into at times)