Thompson Boxing: Manuel Méndez vs. Gilberto Espinoza & Isaac Zárate vs. Ramiro Robles RBR

Round 4

Méndez is walking forward, blocking Espinoza's light combos with a crossed-arm defense, then lunging with a jab and tossing a can-opener right behind it while charging in off the back heel. Méndez is backing Espinoza up against the ropes and scoring thumps downstairs. Double jab up top for Méndez misses, but he grazes with a right hand as Espinoza steps out the side door throwing pot shots and shifting to southpaw and back to orthodox. Lots of hands-down lateral trotting by Espinoza as Méndez is at rest or tanking forward in low-gear.

10-9 Méndez, close

39-37 Méndez

 

Round 5

Méndez is ducking in place as Espinoza threatens with the right jab, feinting and feathering up & down with it but not actually snapping it out. Méndez dives in and eats a soft left uppercut. Espinoza switches to orthodox and does more of the same in reverse, baiting with the left jab and catching Méndez on the way in with the right uppercut. Méndez is opening up with wide looping rights and throwing left hooks at the upper skull & ear, missing as Espinoza fires through his bursts with light counters in combination. Méndez is ducking inside swinging wildly and missing.

10-9 Espinoza

48-47 Méndez

 

Round 6

Méndez is having a difficult time getting past the long left jab of Espinoza, who is now further trolling Méndez by lobbing his right hand over the top and letting it gently kiss the uppermost crest of Méndez's scalp. Espinoza switches to southpaw, then back to orthodox, meting out light pot shot two-pieces. Méndez throwing one big power shot at a time, mostly right hands slashing up high, and missing. Méndez tries burrowing into the chest while pressing Espinoza against the ropes but can't lay a glove too cleanly on him. Méndez is tripling up the jab up top, missing two and grazing the chin once. Méndez is caught in the armpit with a right uppercut as he ducks past Espinoza, tired. Espinoza is southpaw, flipping out jabs off his right knee and leaning in with pitter-patter left hands to keep Méndez quiet. Exchange before the bell, Méndez ratcheting up the aggression but Espinoza then landing a 4 punch combo to get off the ropes.

10-9 Espinoza

57-57

 

Round 7

Méndez is now giving Espinoza a taste of his own medicine, himself shifting to southpaw while hunkering down low & pressuring, exploding from a crouch with a stiff jousting right jab. Méndez scoring well tapping on the sternum with both fists keeping Espinoza skewered against the ropes. Espinoza is pawing a left jab and sliding backward in a straight line, and is caught by a line drive right that sends his neck wobbling. Méndez is dipping and weaving to either side, not the fastest upper body movement but just erratic enough to keep Espinoza flailing and missing as he retreats.

10-9 Méndez

67-66 Méndez

 

Commentator talking about the appeal of guys like Crawford & Wilder, saying that regardless of what you think of their ability or style, you have to appreciate them putting boxing on the map in states where it previously wasn't (Nebraska and Alabama, respectively).

Gotta be honest, I really DGAF what people in either of those states watch as far as sports - or do, period.

 

Round 8

Méndez is shoving Espinoza against the ropes and whooping his torso with both hands, just spraying out avulsive punches at close range to flay his chest and ducking when Espinoza counters with jabs & 1-2s. The pattern repeats itself numerous times, Espinoza running until he runs out of room and then uneasily standing his ground throwing jabs & 1-2s, missing as Méndez ducks very low, and then fleeing as Méndez claps the body and starts trying to bulldoze him into the ropes and work voluminous uppercut combos.

10-9 Méndez

77-75 Méndez

 

Steve Kim has it 80-72 Méndez.

 

Official cards:

Marty Denkin 78-74
Zac Young 77-75
Rudy Barragan 79-73

UD for Manuel "Tormenta" Méndez

 

First win in 14 months for Méndez, who picked up his second KO loss on this exact date in 2017 and then picked up his second draw in November. This is arguably his biggest wins since he snatched the zero from Popó Freitas' nephew Vitor with a body shot KO in under three minutes in late 2016.

 

Isaac Zárate vs. Ramiro Robles, 8 rounds @ featherweight

 

I don't think you can conscionably call yourself "Dinamita" when you're 14-3-3 (2)...

 

Round 1

Zárate is caught immediately with a triplet of right hooks by Robles. Zárate circles away from his fellow southpaw and starts to carve him up with jabs, blasting him with lefts on the face and letting his outer elbows make some extra glancing contact as he performs his follow-through and drops to either side rhythmically to slip punches. Zárate down, two-armed push by Robles with his foot pressing down on Zárate's to boot (no pun intended). Zárate is casually sidestepping into the corner and lulling Robles, jabbing and then hooking off the jab. Robles takes his bait and rushes in, countered, but having the presence of mind to duck with the shot to ride it and snapping upright off his bent knees to score his own unanticipated shot on Zárate.

10-9 Zárate

 

Round 2

Wild overhands from Robles, connecting on just one for every five thrown but with his full body weight behind them. Zárate again slows the pace down and begins threading in counter left uppercuts on the bottom of the jaw. Zárate high-fives Robles to block a right hook with his left palm. Light body combos from Zárate while circling. Robles comes in pelting the body with underhanded blows and wrestling his way inside. Zárate seemed mildly hurt for a moment but recovered instantly. Robles sashays in behind a right jab, missing very wide, caught on the shoulder of Zárate and hurled across the ring like a sack of potatoes. Zárate is buzzing the hairline with his jab on the backfoot and ducks against the ropes as Robles lashes at his sides with tidal punches.

10-9 Zárate, close

20-18 Zárate

 

Steve Kim gave Robles the 2nd, that's fair.

 

Really bad cut on Zárate.