Solo Boxeo en UniMás: Alex Saucedo vs. Wilberth López & Mike Alvarado vs. Matthew Strode RBR

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Mike Alvarado vs. Matthew Strode, 10 rounds @ welterweight

 

Round 1

Alvarado is pushing forward, rapping a left jab off the starboard cheek & earlobe of Strode. Backing up, Strode is popping his own jab into the crowning point in the middle of Alvarado's forward-bent dome, and pushing both forearms out to slow his advance. Big uppercut inside and pair of slapping hooks up top by Alvarado, pushing with his body-weight fully behind each punch, scoring a knockdown that is half-shove as Strode tumbles ass over teakettle. Ruled correctly a KD by the ref, although it was partially a stiff-arm. Punch did land. Strode is on his bike the rest of the remaining minute, shoring up his defenses with his elbows turned out. Alvarado stomps his way through Strode's moat and keeps jabbing and hacking with the right.

10-8 Alvarado

 

Mike gonna stop this kid, despite being shot to bits. Strode was looking shook on his stool during the break.

 

Round 2

Alvarado is winging rights over the top after jabbing his way in on Strode, keeping his gloves bunched up by his chin and shoulders hunched forward as he stalks. A couple of flurries on the backfoot are the extent of Strode's argument. He is pushed repeatedly into the ropes where Alvarado catches him with the volleyball-spiking right hand. Strode's jabs to keep his pursuer at bay fail to get Alvarado's respect. Marching through Strode's weak hooks at the body and backing him up in straight lines with double and triple line drive stiff jabs on the face, Alvarado is able to cuff Strode across his temple with a fat arm-punch left hook and wobble him. Strode backed up, dinged on the nose by a pair of stiff jabs, and down. He makes overtures to beat the count but the ref thinks "you're getting your ass torn apart, kid. Live to fight another day".

TKO2!!!

 

Strode has a weird career. He is my age (technically a couple of months older) but only in his seventh year in the sport. He fought Gary Balletto (remember him from Season 2 of boxing reality show The Contender?) and got TKO'ed and took 8½ years off. In his "comeback" he started 4-0 but is now on an 0-3 skid.

 

Lupe Contreras conducting a bilingual interview with Alvarado. Lupe asks his questions in Spanish and then repeats them with translation into English before Alvarado gets to answer.

 

"Mike you've been open about your problems inside the ring and out. Tonight we saw a strong looking Alvarado with a rapid and ferocious performance. Was this about making a statement"

"Absolutely this was a statement. I'm grateful to get the opportunity from Top Rank and I'm looking to reestablish myself"

"You've got three victories in a row, you're 36 years old - do you think a world title is still in the cards for you?"

"Definitely. I'm working hard and staying disciplined. I love what I do and will be wringing out the best of what I have left in me from now on."

"What's next for you?"

"Drawing board, see what Top Rank wants to do, etc. I'm going to be in the gym either way, I'm hungry. Got the fire in me, just want to fight..."

 

Alex Saucedo vs. Wilberth López, 8 rounds @ welterweight

 

Round 1

Saucedo is sinking and headbutting or parrying his way through López's rangy, pawing southpaw jab. López is tagged by a left hook as Saucedo gets inside low on him. Saucedo continues to bore his way in, staying low, guard tight, rowing out the left glove to intercept López's right as the long jab continues to unfurl in slow but steady multiples. BIG knockdown scored by Saucedo in the final half-minute, swooping in with an uppercut behind the jab as López tries standing his ground with a 1-2. López survives until the bell in retreat.

10-8 Saucedo

 

Round 2

López is doubling his jab and feinting with left uppercuts to keep Saucedo honest. Saucedo is keeping his right toe just inside the lead foot of López. Saucedo is brushing aside López's jabs with a backhanded motion with his left. Saucedo taking aim with a throwaway left jab, getting the measure of López and feeling out range but just kneading the air with it. Saucedo walks López into the ropes and bangs his liver with a heavy plunging left, hips twisting in for extra torque. López tries desperately to fend him off with a 1-2 planting his feet briefly in front of the ropes but quickly pivots away in light of Saucedo ducking, slipping and rearing his fist to counter. Hard body jabs by Saucedo. Lead right by Saucedo reaching in between the guard as López is skirting along the ropes.

10-9 Saucedo

20-17 Saucedo

 

At least one more fight on the broadcast after this, either Kavaliaskas vs. Echeverria or Conlan vs. Chanez, time will tell.

 

...and if Cholo makes quick work of López, we might even get both. (whichever had been planned to be left off coming on tape delay)