the what fights did you watch today\scorecard thread.

Felix Trinidad KO8 Oba Carr

I've seen just about all of Trinidad's championship efforts, save this one. Remarkable really, how consistent in tenor and effort his fights of this period seem to be. I love watching this guy. Trinidad is immensely powerful and strong but he doesn't go all Julian Jackson or Earnie Shavers about it; he knows the value of combination punching even with a banger of his pedigree and he is always throwing multiple kill shots at you.

Carr is a fine fighter. There's really nothing in his effort here or many other fights to give him anything but credit for how he went aboiut his business. He just had the almost unbelieveable bad fortune of coming into his own just as not one or even teo great fighters were reaching their peaks at the weight, but THREE. Poor ******* had to fight for space at the trough with Trinidad, De La Hoya AND Quartey. Life just ain't fair soemtimes.

Carr comes out fast, throwing quick one-twos and finding the mark before he dances away out of trouble. Trinidad is patient and calm, even when he's decked in the second with a scorching left-right up the middle. This happened to him a lot back then, so he seems more annoyed with himself than hurt. Sure enough, he comes out even more focused in the third and just keeps intensifying his scyth-like attack round after round until poor Carr, who simply doesn't have the guns to compete with a tank like this, is floored twice in the eighth. He rises a second time only to be pummeled again, and the referee rescues him at the right time. He was cooked.

1. Carr
2. Carr (10-8)
3. Trinidad
4. Trinidad
5. Trinidad
6. Trinidad
7. Trinidad
8. Trinidad floors Carr twice, and a followup flurry ends it.

67-65 Trinidad at the time of the stoppage.

 

Sal, I had the first round Even, which was the only difference in our cards. I had it 68-65 for Trinidad. Beautiful fight. Speedy combos and dynamite punches abounded.

 

Wilfredo Gomez v Alfredo Layne (jr. lightweight title)

Round 1: 10-9 Layne
Round 2: 10-9 Gomez
Round 3: 10-9 Gomez
Round 4: 10-9 Layne
Round 5: 10-10 Even
Round 6: 10-9 Gomez
Round 7: 10-9 Gomez
Round 8: 10-8 Layne (scored a knockdown)
Round 9: Layne stops Gomez

Total through 8 completed rounds: 76-76 Even (actual scores: 77-75, 78-73 and a 77-74 all for Gomez)

Y'know, I've never seen this fight before and I must admit that it was entertaining. It must have been around the 5th round that Gomez said to himself, "Man, I wish I had trained for this." But truth be known, he was probably just that far gone because early in the fight he looked like he was fighting underwater but eventually warmed up. As usual, the judges had to be intimidated by the raucous Puerto Rican crowd because their scores didn't appear to be giving Layne credit for much. I think it was Lou Moret who had it the widest. He gave every round to Gomez except for the 8th and that was probably only because of the knockdown. A shot that Gomez never recovered from. But don't think I'm giving Layne any super-plaudits here. He was 13-5 with no recognizable wins on his ledger and only 2 fights previous to this he was stopped in 6 by Kamel Bou Ali. So, how was he the #1 contender? Now, I'm not naive of course. I know the sleeping arrangements the WBA had with Panama at this time. But did they have any shame at all naming him the #1 contender? Whatever the politics involved, the fight was bombs-away and I enjoyed it for the controlled mayhem.

 

I remember watching Layne's KO of Tomas Rodriguez on the undercard of Gomez-Lockridge. Unspectacular effort from two unspectacular fighters, but it was clearly aired to set up the notion of a title try for Layne against either Gomez or Lockridge. Lockridge would have beaten him, even though by then he'd started to fade a little.

 

Sal, I had a re-look at Gomez' record just now and wasn't aware of the proximity of the robbery and near-robberies that were taking place down in San Juan. So as I said, I had Layne-Gomez even at 76-76, but all 3 judges had Gomez comfortably ahead. The fight before that was the Lockridge debacle with Gomez winning the title on 2 cards and the third even. I had it 146-142 for Lockridge and I don't believe I have seen any cards on this thread that didn't have Rocky ahead. The fight before that was the Azumah Nelson fight, which I scored 97-95 for Nelson before he stopped Gomez in the 11th. But Gomez was actually leading on 2 cards with the 3rd even. Again, I don't believe I have seen one card on here that had Gomez ahead. I'm not going to say these judges were paid off, but I do think they were scared spitless. I recall the staunch Harry Gibb looking the other way of Gomez' dirty antics in the Zarate fight and the ref in the Azumah Nelson fight looking the other way of Gomez' countless low blows. Again, I didn't realize these fights were in succession and I'm surprised none of the magazines called attention to this. One can see the volatility of the San Juan crowd during exchanges involving Gomez. They back their man to the hilt. But one wonders what these officials must be feeling and what is being spouted at them before and during these contests to turn them into shrinking violets.

 

COVID finally got me so watching some fights while isolating.

Fernando Vargas vs winky wright

Round 1: 10-9 Vargas. Close
Round 2: 10-9 wright. Close.
Round 3: 10-10 even. Too close to call. Great round
Round 4: 10-9 Vargas. Close again. This fight is excellent
Round 5: 10-9 wright. Nightmare fight for a judge.
Round 6: 10-9 wright
Round 7: 10-9 wright. Close
Round 8: 10-9 wright
Round 9: 10-10 even
Round 10: 10-9 Vargas
Round 11: 10-9 Vargas. Close
Round 12: 10-9 Vargas

My score: 114- 114 draw

Judges scores: 114-114 draw, 115-113 and 116-112 for Vargas by MD.

Great fight! I'm not usually a fan of southpaw boxers bc they tend to be low volume punchers but wright really fought a brilliant fight. I think if he had kept the gas on the last few rounds he would have gotten the decision. But could have gone either way. As an aside Larry merchant was seriously enamored with Vargas.

Fernando Vargas vs Ike Quartey

Round 1: 10-9 Vargas
Round 2: 10-9 Vargas
Round 3: 10-9 Vargas. Close
Round 4: 10-9 Quartey. Thought it was an even round but Vargas deducted a point for low blows.
Round 5: 10-9 Vargas. Close.
Round 6: 10- 9 Vargas. Great round
Round 7: 10-9 vargas
Round 8: 10-9 Vargas. Close
Round 9: 10-10 even. Quartey landed best punch of the fight but Vargas evened it up at the end and Quartey looked hurt.
Round 10: 10-9 Vargas. Close.
Round 11: 10-9 Vargas
Round 12: 10-9 Vargas.

My score: 119- 110 Vargas

Official scores: 116-111, 114-113 and 116-111 for Vargas by UD

Great competitive fight but honestly I thought it was almost a shutout for Vargas. He outjabbed the jabber and his footspeed getting him off the center line made him a nightmare for Quartey.

Vargas had a way of getting guys to fight his fight it seems to me. And damn if he wasn't exciting to watch.


Yesterday I watched Victor Galindez vs Eddie mustapha Muhammad. I was still too covid-brained to score it but I thought Galindez won that one clearly which the judges obv agreed.

 

It's odd, but me, my wife and our three daughters have never had it. At least as far as we know. Must be the last ones standing. Is it more like a cold or a flu for you, or different altogether? Hope you feel better.

 

My wife and daughter haven't gotten it yet far as we know but feels like a matter of time.

The first day of symptoms was awful and like a flu but the fever and covid brain has cleared so now it's like a head cold. I'm totally functional again (this is day 3) but still contagious for at least another 2 days or so.

Thanks for the well wishes hope you and your family continue to avoid it. Coincidentally enough I probably got it sparring with a friend last Friday night.

 

See? Boxing IS dangerous.

 

I’ve been fortunate so far but my brother’s entire family has caught it — and never at the same time from each other. My brother said it completely kicked his ass. He runs a few miles a day several times a week and a week after full recovery he went out to run again and said he had to pull up after about 100-200 yards because he was so winded … took him forever to get that back.

Take care of yourself. I hope you get to feeling better and that you find good fights to help you through the down time.

 

Yoko Gushiken v Jaime Rios II (jr. flyweight title)

Round 1: 10-9 YG
Round 2: 10-9 YG
Round 3: 10-9 Rios
Round 4: 10-9 YG
Round 5: 10-9 YG
Round 6: 10-10 Even
Round 7: 10-8 YG (scores a knockdown)*
Round 8: 10-9 YG
Round 9: 10-9 YG
Round 10: 10-9 Rios
Round 11: 10-9 YG
Round 12: 10-10 Even
Round 13: Gushiken stops Rios

Total through 12 completed rounds: 118-111 Gushiken (actual scores: 118-109, 118-113 and 116-115 all for Gushiken)

*I just wanted to make a notation on that 7th round knockdown. If I was the ref, I would have taken an immediate point away from Gushiken for the most intentional punch when a man is down that I have seen. In some countries or eras, he would have been DQ'd, but he didn't even get a warning.

On to the fight, which I felt was quite good despite the wide scores (of course one has to discount the close score of the Panamanian judge Rodolfo Hill. Did he ever turn in a card that didn't heavily favor the Panamanian?). Gushiken's harder punching and sickening body shots had him leading on my card throughout. But Rios, with his odd bounding about the ring and counter-punching made every round a good round because exchanges were brisk and sharp throughout. Indeed, Gushiken was the worse for wear by the end of the fight with both eyes almost closed. Gushiken switched to head-hunting in the 13th and it paid dividends with the stoppage. I would recommend this fight as action was brisk throughout.

 

@Philly161 I wouldn't mind seeing you score more Vargas fights like the fights he had against De La Hoya, Mosley and Mayorga when you start to recover from COVID.

 

Frankie Warren v Loreto Garza (USBA jr. welterweight title)

Round 1: 10-9 Warren
Round 2: 10-9 Garza
Round 3: 10-10 Even
Round 4: 10-9 Garza
Round 5: 10-9 Garza
Round 6: 10-9 Warren
Round 7: 10-10 Even
Round 8: 10-9 Warren
Round 9: 10-9 Garza
Round 10: 10-9 Garza
Round 11: 10-9 Garza
Round 12: 10-10 Even

Total: 117-114 Garza (actual scores: 116-112, 116-112 and 118-110 all for Garza)

This was a good fight but also the end of the Frankie Warren era. Bittersweet for me as I was always a fan of Frankie's. This style just wasn't meant for longevity, and it was burning out fast. But take nothing from Garza, who fought a smart fight. I will say one thing here, though that was noticeable. I knew Frankie retired after this fight with a detached retina, but something odd happened in the 9th round. The round begins with Frankie leaning to his left in a strange manner. I was wondering what he was doing and then I remembered about the eye damage and wonder if the 8th is when it occurred. I now believe he was trying to get an angle where he could actually focus. He was missing badly this round and couldn't do much unless he was leaning on Garza's chest. What a shame. The pitfalls of the business.

 

Fernando Vargas vs Ricardo Mayorga

Round 1: 10-8 Mayorga
Round 2: 10-9 Mayorga
Round 3: 10-9 Mayorga (close)
Round 4: 10-9 Vargas
Round 5: 10-9 Mayorga
Round 6: 10-9 Vargas
Round 7: 10- 9 Mayorga
Round 8: 10-9 Mayorga
Round 9: 10-10 Even. Great round.
Round 10: 10-9 Vargas. Close.
Round 11: 10-8 Mayorga. KD in the very last second if the round. Dramatic stuff
Round 12: 10-9 Mayorga

My score: 117- 110 Mayorga.

Vargas just so slowed down by this fight. His footspeed gone, his plodding was made for Mayorga. Hard to believe he wasn't even 30 in this fight. It wasn't an embarrassment really just a very steep decline.

I think Vargas from the Quartey fight at 154 vs Mayorga he would beat Mayorga up.

 

Danny Lopez v Juan Malvarez

Checked this out after it was mentioned in a couple of threads. Having a feeling I’ve watched it before but anyway…

No point having a scorecard as it was so short. Malvarez dropped Lopez early in the first and rocked him a couple of times to win the opener. He started the second well, too, and rocked Little Red again. He then got overconfident and walked into a big right hand. I thought he would make it up before the count until he started rolling onto his front.

Short, but sweet for Danny.