Solo Boxeo: Manuel Avila vs. Ricky Lopez & Alan Sanchez vs. Miguel Angel Munguia RBR

Like Brian Viloria, Escalante is a Pinoy-Hawaiian.

Similar build, too. Slight but strong, not overly muscled but well-defined.

 

Round 3

Escalante is sticking the right jab to the body. Cupul is plodding along after him, as the largely pro-Mexican crowd tries to chant him back into it. Escalante is really working that right jab down low very well, bending completely over to the side and making Cupul labor to reach down at him. BIG counter right hook by Escalante as Cupul swoons in with some wide shots.

10-9 Escalante

29-28 Escalante

 

Round 4

Escalante is extending the right jab to the body, overcoming Cupul's great reach advantage by bending forward and hurtling his upper body in with the jab before reeling it out again before Cupul can react. Nice right hook up top by Escalante, up on his toes. Lots of clinches as Cupul swings his arms out behind him in a dragnet. Cupul begins to march Escalante to the ropes and dig in some heavy body shots. Escalante's hands are much faster, though, and he's able to score repeatedly with straight stinging counters to the face even as Cupul gets in underhanded whacks to the body.

10-9 Escalante

39-37 Escalante

 

Round 5

Escalante jumps around Cupul and puts in lefts to the body. Escalante is way too quick. Cupul tries to corral him against the ropes, using his own body as a barrier and trying to just smother Escalante. Too much quick lateral movement, and Escalante is able to steer off the ropes and keep peppering Cupul's long body with quick straight shots. Frequent clinches as Cupul walks in on him, standing tall and swinging out wide with hooks as Escalante ducks in. Wild attacks by Cupul, going for a knockout. Escalante moves his head and bends to the side, hitting the body and tying up. The crowd is screaming, hoping to encourage Cupul to land the big shot. Their arms tangle. Ref splits them. Right jab and shoeshine to the body by Escalante before darting outside. Another, same sequence. Cupul is trying to decapitate him with big hooks but missing badly. One straight right hand gets through and snaps Escalante's head back, under the bottom rope, so that he almost gets caught under and garrotted by it, but for some quick reflexive neck work! FLUSH straight left lead by Escalante at the bell.

10-9 Escalante

49-46 Escalante

 

Cupul climbs the turnbuckle and waves to the crowd, sticking his arms up in a V for victory.

They are appreciative...but delusional, if they're expecting him to get this...hopefully...

 

Official cards:

Marty Salmon 49-46
Kermit Bayless 49-46
Marshall Walker 48-47

UD for Bruno Escalante

 

Draw, 114-114. There were some close rounds Cotto "stole" on my card, so I can see 116-112 Trout. People agreeing with the judges' cards - especially the 119-109 - are as off the mark as anyone saying Cotto won.

 

Main event!

 

Manuel Avila vs. Ricky Lopez, 8 rounds @ super bantamweight

 

Round 1

Avila doubles his jab as Lopez jumps off and fades to his left. Avila takes aggressive steps in, lunging with his lead knee bent. Jabs up top by Avila. Lopez covers up as Avila throws straight shots into his guard and momentarily traps him on the ropes. Flush right gets through for Avila and Lopez's head jerks back involuntarily. Wild combo by Lopez, missing a hook as Avila slides back. Left hook and overhand right by Lopez, missing as Avila turns and steps to the side, getting his arm in the way. Hooking exchange, and Avila lands but eats a right hand with Lopez getting the last word.

10-9 Avila

 

Round 2

Avila is out-jabbing Lopez on the outside, and beating him to the punch with his 1-2. Lopez waits and gets pecked at with jabs, or leads and gets countered with straight combos. Lopez is driving through with right hands and missing, but they're butting heads and Avila has some marking under his eye. They clinch against the ropes and Avila lands a short uppercut under the ear of Lopez. Lopez rolls his left glove in for a pseudo-jab and follows with a big overhand right. Avila backs up and lines up a straight counter right. Overhand right by Lopez, and Avila jumps clear.

10-9 Avila

20-18 Avila

 

Round 3

Lopez is squatting and throwing his jab to the body. Avila answers back with the 1-2 to the head. Lopez connects with one of his overhand rights, and it's a brawl!! More overhands by Lopez. They clinch and Lopez carries Avila to the ropes, landing overhands with his right while pushing with his left and chest. Avila is pinned. The ref helps him out. Lopez loads up a big side-winder to the body with his right, landing under Avila's left elbow. Avila tries to jab from outside, but has circled out of his own range. Lopez comes charging in with sweeping hooks to the body. Avila times him and lands a short counter hook, and Lopez is ruled knocked down!! Gloves touched the canvas! Eight count applied! Lopez argues a bit, and goes back at it, trying to make up the call by going hard after Avila.

10-8 Avila, though it was about to be 10-9 Lopez and suddenly become close on my card.

30-26 Avila