With the big fight coming up I decided as a preparation I will watch and score the first bout. I watched this fight but didnt score it, my impression is a Martinez win from what I remember but I will try to score it again and fairly. My brother who I trust usually gave it to Williams but he also gave Alexander the win over Kotelnik where as I disagreed so we will see. Round 1-Martinez circling getting Williams to chase. Martinez lands a solid right hook upstairs. Williams doing his thing, a bunch of soft punches hoping to win on output. Left drops Martinez, not real hard of a punch more of a flash KD. Hard left sends Williams across the ring and Martinez pursues putting in some shots of his own. Martinez wants to be all inside. When he isnt punching his defense is to stay all the way out of range. This requires a lot of mobility. Martinezs plan is ultimately to get Williams to come in give up his height and walk into his hard right hook, the best punch in his arsenal. The Martinez KD is hard one they trade left hooks and Martinezs is better. 10-9 Martinez two KDs equal each other out, ten point must and the fact Martinezs was harder I give him the edge. Lederman agrees, though an even round is not outside the realm of possibility. Round 2-Williams starts the round pretty much stabbing with his jab at a far away Martinez who circles out of range. Williams controlling distance Martinez early is being out landed but nothing clean or damaging by either man they tie up and Im impressed on how tough Martinez is on the clinches, he throws with authority to the ribs, smart move against a tall guy like Williams. Right hook by Martinez as Williams comes in like I mentioned earlier. Another clinch where Martinez keeps the hands busy. Two hard lunging right hooks by Martinez and a little body work. Good clean jab by Martinez. Another lunging right hook comes in. Kind of reminds me of Frazier, dont know if Im going too far with that comment but he is leading with that hook like Frazier. Straight left by Martinez another great punch of his, Williams misses with his punches. Good body work by Martinez. Williams manages two good lefts but not enough. 10-9 Martinez he is fighting a perfect counter puncher fight and manages distance well. Lederman agreed with me. 20-18 both cards. Round 3-Two jabs miss for Williams but the left lands. Good even exchange but a good right hook at the end by Martinez. Williams landing more this round but Martinez is still sticking to his plan. Their heads clash as expected with the tall guy coming in far away with his head low and the small man meeting him in the middle. Williams punching straight out using the reach and Martinez just taking a step back and moving the head back a little and Williams cannot connect. Martinez gets in a right hook starts a combo ended with an effective straight left. Martinez has been a very right handed fighter so far but his left when used has been accurate and powerful. They are exchanging more this round but I think Martinez lands better. 10-9 Martinez just clean effective punching Williams was better than the last round but still not enough. Lederman agrees as we both have it 30-27 Martinez. Round 4-Martinez letting the hands go with lefts and rights has Williams covering up. A high volume pressure fighter without one punch power has to be throwing constantly to be effective. He covers up Martinez takes full advantage. Williams gets in his first hard clean combo but Martinez does not look that affected. Martinez lead left something he hasnt done much of but is effective with. Hard jab by Martinez. He sort of reminds me of Calzaghe too with the hands low. Williams very aggressive now. He gets in a few big punches but Martinez still responding. Huge left stuns Martinez who holds on. Cut looks bad on left eye of Williams product of that right hook. 10-9 Williams he landed a good share of hard straight lefts and a few impressive right hooks. Lederman agrees 39-37 both cards. Round 5-williams jabbing and getting the straight left in. Right hook is getting in. From body language I like Williams, he hurt Martinez late in the round. Martinez is out slow and sluggish. Williams is following up and they come together but Williams shoves him off to keep punching. Seems like Williams is carrying some momentum. Jab straight left on the outside is dominating. Big left hand by Martinez after 3 attempts with the right hook. Exchange 3 lands for Williams, one really good shot by Williams, then more Williams. Williams managing distance more but Martinez has a few moments but this is all Williams now. They collide and hit the deck. 10-9 Williams on the jab and outside work and won the exchanges in my opinion. Lederman agrees 48-47 both cards. Round 6-Martinez circling playing range again. Still a fast fight right now. Jabbing contest this round Williams lands more Martinez is harder. Williams counter right hand when Martinez leaps in. 10-9 Williams dictating the action and landing clean. Martinez is dying down. Lederman agrees and its knotted at 57 on both cards, I normally do not agree with Lederman like this. Round 7-Slow round, Williams has him at the end of the round. Williams has the momentum and he is taking over. Good right hook by Martinez but does not stop him in his tracks. Exchange right hands Martinez has the better connect. Martinez really looks flat now, he is moving but not as much and his punches are much fewer. Martinez shows life at the end of the round. 10-9 Williams, Martinez was just flat that round. Lederman agrees 67-66 both cards, pretty easy fight to call so far. Round 8-Williams is jabbing him to death and landing cleanly. Right by Martinez. Double jab and a left by Williams. They go down on a slip. Two good clean shots by Martinez. 10-9 Williams I like the jab here, Martinez will land but not like the early rounds. 77-75 Martinez my card 76-76 Lederman. Round 9-Martinez using the hooks and straight lefts but there is much less on them. Williams is not a very hard puncher but his punches have retained their power and he continues to land. Martinez bouncing a little more as he strikes the body more this round. Couple more Williams jabs get in, seems like Martinez lets them land. Martinez lands a right hook but it does not do much. 10-9 Williams, the jab is connecting he is dominating the pace and the distance. Martinez missing more and eating more. The mobility is dying. The problem is the output is down, he hits harder, cleaner and more accurate but not enough. Lederman agrees, 87-84 Williams 86-85 Williams other card Round 10-Left and a right by Martinez who shows more life this round. Martinez is going in with his left now. Martinez is fighting like a bull in this round charging in forcing punches on the inside. Working in the clinches. 10-9 Martinez, the left was effective; I feel if he used it more early he could have gotten a stoppage just my opinion. Lederman agreed 96-94 Williams 95-95 Lederman Round 11-best round of the fight. Tough even exchanges where both men gave and took. No clear winner this round 10-10 I hate giving out even rounds but I did. Lederman disagrees with Williams 10-9. 106-104 Williams 105-104 Williams Lederman Round 12- Hard round to score great exchanges, great round. 10-9 Martinez clean effective punching 115-114 Williams Pierre Benoist 119-110 | judge: Lynne Carter 115-113 | judge: Julie Lederman 114-114 What was Benoist watching, that is pitiful. The other two are good. Swing rounds are 1 could have been even, 8 me and Lederman disagreed, 11 and 12 were so close. This fight was close and entertaining. I thought Martinez was incredible early but his style of moving and countering was too taxing. He got tired and Williams stayed the same. Then Martinez rallied late to tighten but lose. Sort of reminded me of Froch Pascal. One guy is quick with clean blows but cannot sustain and the pressure fighter wins down the stretch. As far as the rematch, Martinez better be ready to go 12 hard rounds without gassing. Williams needs to be ready for the speed and that right hook. Martinez needs to also use that left more. Prediction for Saturday Ill take Martinez
Even umpires in baseball who judge and score with relative impunity are subject to review from time to time when their judgement is in question. Why is it that people like Pierre Benoist can judge a fight this close 119-110 and not be subject to any kind of scrutiny or review?? Don't people in positions of power (networks, promoters, boxing commissions) see this being detrimental to the sport? What am I missing?
