Solo Boxeo: Miguel Berchelt vs. Cristobal Cruz RBR

The young "Scorpion" versus the old "tough ass Indian". :bbb

(seriously that is what Cruz's ring name means :yep)

 

Round 1

Berchelt darts in and sticks the long jab into Cruz's face. Cruz ducks and windmills his right into the air while Berchelt lands a plunger jab and sidesteps. Smooth circling and jabbing on the outside by Berchelt. Cruz is more jittery in his movement, falling in with sloppy overhands but able to back Berchelt up into the ropes with them. Cruz drops in a few to the body. Berchelt regains control with his jab. Berchelt draws Cruz in with a jab feint, falls back into a deep seated crouch as Cruz lunges and misses with both hands, and counters while snapping upright.

10-9 Berchelt

 

Round 2

Berchelt and Cruz are both warned for pushing down on each other with elbows & forearms to the base of the skull as they jockey for position on the inside and both bob wildly. Time in. Berchelt lands the jab backing up but Cruz is barreling in with wrecking ball body shots. Berchelt knocks him away with a left hook. Big combo by Berchelt, lefts to the body and rights to the head. Cruz opens up with overhands, pushing Berchelt into the ropes but paying the price, countered hard. Cruz pushes a jab past Berchelt's neck and then a right hand on the other side, grazing the shoulder blade but doing no real damage. Hard 1-2 by Berchelt. Cruz holds. Berchelt keeps finding his range and nailing Cruz with the 1-2 even as Cruz repeatedly flies and dives in with looping punches. Long hooks by Berchelt. Cruz reaches out with a jab and takes Berchelt's bypassing jab right in the teeth.

10-9 Berchelt

20-18 Berchelt

 

Round 3

Berchelt is pushing off with his left forearm as Cruz grinds into him and sends lacrosse sticks up into the sides and back of his head. Lots of shoving and rabbit punching by Cruz. Berchelt is doing his best to slide back and deal with it using clean punches in response. Cruz down. Not ruled a knockdown. Ref saw a foul. It was a shot downstairs but seemed OK to me, will need to see a replay. Time in. BIG LEFT HOOK BY CRUZ! He slams Berchelt hard into the ropes. Berchelt digs down and lands several unanswered powerful body shots, lifting Cruz off his feet.

10-9 Berchelt

30-27 Berchelt

 

Round 4

Berchelt is getting tapped into submission on the ropes by the woodpecker jab of Cruz, thrown like a hatchet in rapid succession. Berchelt spins his way off the ropes and rocks Cruz with a 1-2. Berchelt keeps the leather flowing to hold Cruz in check for the rest of the round.

10-9 Berchelt but close.

40-36 Berchelt

 

Round 5

Berchelt is getting nudged backward with the jab of Cruz and then caught with big left uppercuts on the bottom of the chin. Berchelt is being penned in on the ropes as Cruz goes berserk on him, leaping up with both fists lashing out. Berchelt COUNTERS AND DROPS CRUZ with an upper-hook! Cruz beats the count and reenters the fray. Berchelt slides his feet back, maintaining range, lining up the 1-2 and laying his gloves on Cruz with no breaks in between. The ref sashays in to split them and save Cruz (much to his chagrin!)

TKO5!!

 

Stopping the grizzled Lacandón is quite the statement.

It's only been done four times now in just shy of sixty pro bouts...and only twice in eleven years.


...and Cruz isn't exactly in the habit of scrapping with stiffs...