Official 2012 Boxing Thread: JMM/Manny IV - FOTY.

[AEA18]

Originally Posted by Marvin Hagler

I'm sorry.

But if your name isn't Floyd Mayweather, you can't box people to a decision anymore.

You HAVE to knock people out.

The Campillo-Cloud fight
marquez-pac 3 fight.
Huck-Povetkin
This fight

Sad but true. 

Abril gave Rios a boxing lesson for 12 rounds tonight and lost a split decision 

 

 

[you go boy]

How rios won that fight is beyond me

 

[marvin hagler]

Originally Posted by AEA18

Originally Posted by Marvin Hagler

I'm sorry.

But if your name isn't Floyd Mayweather, you can't box people to a decision anymore.

You HAVE to knock people out.

The Campillo-Cloud fight
marquez-pac 3 fight.
Huck-Povetkin
This fight

Sad but true. 

Abril gave Rios a boxing lesson for 12 rounds tonight and lost a split decision 

 

Rios didn't win MORE than 2 rounds..
Scumbag Bob Arum strikes again....

 

[gunna get it]

Dog, the one Judge had it 116-112 for RIOS...

Seriously. just think about that #*%#

 

[sir rob a lot]

....I'm at Mandalay Bay. & I don't even want to watch JMM, yo. Our sport (and its integrity) takes another hit. #BobArumistheDevil

 

[sir rob a lot]

For what it's worth, I scored it 117-111, Abril (9 rounds to 3)....and Bam Bam's fans are just rachet as he is. Real talk. Lol.

 

[tcurda]

That fight makes me hate boxing now. Rios is a certified bum. Hoped Abril wuda got the decision to  eliminate at least one the bums they are trying to line up for a Pacquiao fight!

 

[mfr3shm]

They aren't going to give Abril a rematch.

 

[shaunhillftw49]

nothing for marquez to couter hah
fedchenko might be tired

 

[marvin hagler]

Like I said.

I'm not even watching the Marquez fight.

@#%% got me so disgusted with boxing lately.

I'm watching Michael Spinks-Eddie Mustafa Muhammad now.

 

[AEA18]

Originally Posted by MFr3shM

They aren't going to give Abril a rematch.

Rios already said he is not fighting @ 135 any more. So unless Abril moves up to 140lbs there will be no rematch.

 

[arstyle27]

Abril won his fight. Not pretty, but he won without a doubt. JMM would've knocked Fedhenko out if there was one more round, but that being said, it was a pretty boring fight.

 

[shaunhillftw49]

Originally Posted by arstyle27

Abril won his fight. Not pretty, but he won without a doubt. JMM would've knocked Fedhenko out if there was one more round, but that being said, it was a pretty boring fight.

Agreed, do find it hilarious that the same dudes crying about Carlos Molina schooling Kirkland and complaining "he held to much" are saying Abril is great
Both employed the exact same tactic
Ref warned Abril in the 2nd ad he still continued.
That said, he won and it should be either him or Alvarado fighting JMM

 

[gunna get it]

No way Did Abril Hold as much as molina.

Abril just put his Body on Dumb *%% bam Bam and he had No answer for his "Mayweather" lean back and roll, there was ALways an arm free for Bam Bam , ALWAYS. and he had No answer. Molina was Hugging Kirkland and clutching both his arms.

it's a damn shame how bad Rios & his Corner looked.

 

[aepps20]

It's at the point where you expect this nonsense to happen each weekend.

 

[lesgodsonc0]

Originally Posted by MFr3shM

They aren't going to give Abril a rematch.

Of course not...esp when Arum is involved.

They're still gonna try to justify Rios deserving to fight JMM...who should box circles around him.

 

[AEA18]

 

[sir rob a lot]

Alright, alright...Let's keep things in perspective,

I think boxing fans have too short of memory. One fight and you turn 180 degrees on a fighter..

Even after Saturday's fight, I think Brandon Rios can be competitive with JMM at Jr. Welter.

Bam Bam was DRAINED. It was blatantly obvious he outgrew the 135-lb weightclass...against Murray. I was not surprised that he was sluggish against Abril because of that bout in December.

Yes, I believe Abril won the fight. I just honestly believe that wasn't the best Brandon Rios in the ring on Saturday.

There is no way Alverado gets a fight with JMM. Too much risk and not enough reward for JMM.  I would love to see Alverado vs Rios.

If JMM is still set to headline Cowboys Stadium in July, I'd like to see him fight Danny Garcia or...wait for it...Zab Judah. Obviously, because of the GBP-TR rift, the latter has more of a chance for fruition than the former.

JMM-Judah, Alverado-Rios, Gesta-Vasquez? (some are saying Gesta is line for a title shot)

That's a pretty tough card to me.

 

[trimane24]

If they knew that they couldnt make the wieght for the Murray fight why would they accept the fight? Shouldnt Garcia or his manager had told Debouf that they couldnt make it? How much say does a trainer have in that kind of circumstance?

 

[gunna get it]

Carlton E. (Bronx, NYC): I saw your comments on your FaceBook page about it being virtually "impossible" to defeat a Top Rank fighter who they have big plans for without a KO, and how you think the Top Rank banner is corrupt. I understand based on the Rios fight, but aside from that, how would you support that statement?

Vivek W.: We continue to see Top Rank fighters get gift decisions and other unjustifiable actions, and to be quite frank, it's getting old. I have great respect for Arum and what he brings to the sport, but lately, I don't think anyone can support what's happening. There have been many close, questionable calls, but in this case with Rios, it was clear robbery, yet Rios and Arum had the nerve to even go as far as coming out publicly blaming the referee for not "taking points". They later tried to support this by saying that Abril "went backwards too much" and didn't play the role of the aggressor. Is this sport called Boxing or Brawling? You mean to tell me a skilled fighter who isn't there to be hit can't get a nod now, despite landing the more effective blows?

Rios got his butt kicked from one end of the ring to the next, barely landed anything flush the whole night, and knew clearly that he had lost the fight, but in the end was able to walk out like a hero because his promoter has a vested (and invested) interest in him and his future. The sad part is that Rios will get another big money fight and enjoy more elevation in his career as a result of losing his title at the scale, failing to make weight again, and getting the nod in a fight that he clearly lost. What kind of message does this signal? A brief look in the Top Rank rear-view mirror tells us exactly what signal it sends. Just look at the history.

Abril was ripped off an additional $50K in incentive money that he should have won easily, yet Clottey earns an extra $1M for "a good effort" in a fight that many felt he didn't even try to win (Pacquiao). Margarito had been banned from practically every jurisdiction in the sport, yet gets licensed by the same state (Texas) where Clottey was paid this extra million dollars to put on a show for the same company (Top Rank). Chavez Jr. gets a DUI only days before he steps in the ring for the same company and in that same state (TX) and receives no professional ramifications. Pacquiao gets beat from pillar to post in a fight that wasn't even close (Marquez), yet gets the nod......the list goes on.

Now Rios fails to make weight twice, looks very marginal against both men, yet still remains on the brink of fighting the sports co-P4P leader? I'm sorry, but I can't support this kind of stuff. Think about all the chaos surrounding the Top Rank stables. Everything from avoiding randomized drug testing to support a cleaner sport, to supporting criminal acts (Margarito) and questionable scorecards shows us precisely what we have on our hands.....and I hope there's some soap in the building because this 'grease' is grimy and it will smear the name of the sport far easier than it will ever fade away.

I can't speak for any other media members, but I'm just as comfortable watching a fight from my couch with my son and family as I am sitting on media row. I'd rather be hated for being honest than loved for lying. Keep your credentials! But don't dare expect me to disgrace my name or my word by supporting this garbage! Bottom line: Top Rank is looking real criminal right now. The fact that we're on the brink of getting Rios (vastly untested) against Pacquiao, yet couldn't get Mayweather vs. Cotto until Cotto detached himself from the Top Rank stables, tells us exactly what's going on behind closed doors, and it's all driven by money and agenda-filled politics. I have no doubt in my mind that Top Rank is playing with a dirty deck. If you don't see that, I can't help you, my man!

 

[proshares]

Danny Garcia is absolute trash, I would NEVER pay to watch him headline a PPV card. Never in my life, JMM would rip his #$% apart. Zab is always at his dullest when the lights are shining brightest. Pass on that one too. Everyone wants to see Rios/JMM. Why would they wait for another tune up bout to be completed? Everyone is always giving Rios a pass and giving him excuses to being Joan Guzman lite with the scales, let's see if all his talk about being beter at 140 is true and put him in with the best.

 

[sir rob a lot]

Jay, thanks for sharing that, boss! Where's that from, though?

Bobby, I don't disagree with you, fam. I'm just looking at options presented. If he's set to headline in July, his options are limited as Pac-Bradley & Khan-Peterson will all be fresh out of their respective bouts. You're right, JMM-Rios will probably be next. I'm just sayin', I think JMM should reconsider because of the risk-reward. & I just don't think Rios deserves it. Honestly, after Bam Bam's last two performances I think JMM-Rios has lost a lot of public appeal.

For some reason, I like the kid, Danny Swift. No arguments from me that he's not ready to headline. But with a top-5 PPV name like Marquez, & considering the options, I think it'd do marginal numbers (comparable to the other options). That fight's not happening, though.

 

[gunna get it]

its from Vivitek mailbag. I gotta find the link, I will post it in a few give me a second

Edit

---

[h1]Vivitek W.
[/h1][h1]
[/h1][h1]LEFT-HOOK LOUNGE: IS IT IMPOSSIBLE TO BEAT TOP RANK FIGHTERS LIKE RIOS AND PACQUIAO?[/h1]By Vivek Wallace | April 16, 2012

Boxing Scribe Vivek Wallace brings his Left-Hook Lounge mailbag to FightHype.com, answering questions for fans and giving his own unique perspective on all the latest current events in boxing. This week, check out his response to fans as they discuss the controversial decision in Saturday's Rios vs. Abril fight, recent comments made by Brandon Rios, the confidence of Miguel Cotto, and much more.

---

Carlton E. (Bronx, NYC): I saw your comments on your FaceBook page about it being virtually "impossible" to defeat a Top Rank fighter who they have big plans for without a KO, and how you think the Top Rank banner is corrupt. I understand based on the Rios fight, but aside from that, how would you support that statement?

Vivek W.: We continue to see Top Rank fighters get gift decisions and other unjustifiable actions, and to be quite frank, it's getting old. I have great respect for Arum and what he brings to the sport, but lately, I don't think anyone can support what's happening. There have been many close, questionable calls, but in this case with Rios, it was clear robbery, yet Rios and Arum had the nerve to even go as far as coming out publicly blaming the referee for not "taking points". They later tried to support this by saying that Abril "went backwards too much" and didn't play the role of the aggressor. Is this sport called Boxing or Brawling? You mean to tell me a skilled fighter who isn't there to be hit can't get a nod now, despite landing the more effective blows?

Rios got his butt kicked from one end of the ring to the next, barely landed anything flush the whole night, and knew clearly that he had lost the fight, but in the end was able to walk out like a hero because his promoter has a vested (and invested) interest in him and his future. The sad part is that Rios will get another big money fight and enjoy more elevation in his career as a result of losing his title at the scale, failing to make weight again, and getting the nod in a fight that he clearly lost. What kind of message does this signal? A brief look in the Top Rank rear-view mirror tells us exactly what signal it sends. Just look at the history.

Abril was ripped off an additional $50K in incentive money that he should have won easily, yet Clottey earns an extra $1M for "a good effort" in a fight that many felt he didn't even try to win (Pacquiao). Margarito had been banned from practically every jurisdiction in the sport, yet gets licensed by the same state (Texas) where Clottey was paid this extra million dollars to put on a show for the same company (Top Rank). Chavez Jr. gets a DUI only days before he steps in the ring for the same company and in that same state (TX) and receives no professional ramifications. Pacquiao gets beat from pillar to post in a fight that wasn't even close (Marquez), yet gets the nod......the list goes on.

Now Rios fails to make weight twice, looks very marginal against both men, yet still remains on the brink of fighting the sports co-P4P leader? I'm sorry, but I can't support this kind of stuff. Think about all the chaos surrounding the Top Rank stables. Everything from avoiding randomized drug testing to support a cleaner sport, to supporting criminal acts (Margarito) and questionable scorecards shows us precisely what we have on our hands.....and I hope there's some soap in the building because this 'grease' is grimy and it will smear the name of the sport far easier than it will ever fade away.

I can't speak for any other media members, but I'm just as comfortable watching a fight from my couch with my son and family as I am sitting on media row. I'd rather be hated for being honest than loved for lying. Keep your credentials! But don't dare expect me to disgrace my name or my word by supporting this garbage! Bottom line: Top Rank is looking real criminal right now. The fact that we're on the brink of getting Rios (vastly untested) against Pacquiao, yet couldn't get Mayweather vs. Cotto until Cotto detached himself from the Top Rank stables, tells us exactly what's going on behind closed doors, and it's all driven by money and agenda-filled politics. I have no doubt in my mind that Top Rank is playing with a dirty deck. If you don't see that, I can't help you, my man!

Jesus N. (Rock Hill, SC): There were reports published about Rios' response to the media members criticizing him about his weight. As a member of the media, what are your thoughts on the matter and what do you think this says about Rios?

Vivek W.: I like to look at all angles on any given topic, not just mine. Unfortunately in this case, neither of the angles I see support him or his position very well. In one breath, you wanna just say that he simply can't make the weight, so it's time to move forward. What makes it difficult for me to support him, however, is the fact that his attitude towards the matter was pathetic and I really think that it just adds a deeper element of disgust. Many through the years have talked about Floyd Mayweather and how he runs off at the mouth, but I've always maintained that when a man takes his craft as serious as Mayweather does and actually fine-tunes his talent so precisely to the point where he can actually back it up, I will gladly let him talk because there's literally nothing you can say!

In the case of Rios, you have a fighter who has not only shown poor discipline by ballooning up in weight between fights, but has made poor business decisions on top of it. He failed to make weight once. Okay, cool. He has a date planned, the opponent backs out, so he needs a new dancing partner. There were men at 140 pounds just like at 135. If you know your opponent at the weight class you could barely make backed out, wouldn't it be most logical to take this opportunity to simply move up to the comfortable weight and find a dancing partner there rather than attempt to do it again when you know you can't?

Beyond that, he spent his entire camp talking about how great his training was, and how his new dietician was so instrumental in helping him understand how to eat better and still retain his speed, power, and energy. If the dietician and his training was working so well, how in the hell didn't any of them realize he was not on target to shed the weight by weigh-in day? The fact that he spoke so confidently about making the weight, yet knew within his heart he wasn't on target to do so, tells me that this is a man whose mouth is a lot more stable than his mind. For him to set the tone like everything was fine, fail at the scale, and then have the 'cajones' to curse out members of the media who question him is an absolute slap in the face.

Calling members of the media "fat mutha-f**kas", and tearing down the same men and women who built him up......that kind of stuff coming from a man who has done absolutely nothing solid in the sport (but sign with the only promoter bizarre enough to support his antics) is unacceptable to me. I think Rios needs to do a little more in the ring before he tries to run his mouth on why members of the media need to support his cause. Until then, he's just another face in the crowd. What he needs to do is give us action equivalent to his words. Until then, he's all bark and no bite in my book. Nothing personal. I like his heart and his talk. I just want to see him back it up against real competition. So far, twice in a row he has looked quite ordinary against men many didn't even know. Think about it......

Derrin L. (Atlanta, GA): There was a quiet confidence about Miguel Cotto that I was kinda feelin' on the HBO 24/7 show. Last week on FightHype there was an interview posted where his team spoke about his chances and how confident he is. On the other hand I didn't think Mayweather seemed to be taking him very serious on the show. Do you feel this was a good observation or not?

Vivek W.: I continue to say that, in my humble opinion, Cotto probably has more confidence now than he ever has. After learning that brawling isn't the most efficient or smartest path to victory in the process of those losses, he has also developed a more intelligent style to combine with that confidence. I won't go out on a limb and say that this means Cotto wins the fight, but I will say it certainly can't hurt his chances. I don't know if I understand your sentiment that Mayweather "isn't taking Cotto seriously" though, especially considering the intensity in which he has trained thus far.

Don't let the little skits with 50 Cent and the other usual suspects on HBO's 24/7 fool you. Floyd Mayweather has taken everyone serious that he's faced over the last 15 years. There's no way in the world you take some of those cupcakes serious and somehow fall asleep at the wheel against one of the perennial figures of your era. Just doesn't happen. Mayweather has been extremely sharp in the gym, and is coming off a fight just a few months ago.

His shape was already incredible, but staying close to the sport without another long intermission also does something for his overall skill and fluidity. I think some will be surprised at how well Mayweather handles himself at this weight, and how natural he looks at this size. I expect the absolute best Mayweather, and short of him peaking too soon, I'd say you can expect that too.

 

[proshares]

Originally Posted by Sir Rob A Lot

Jay, thanks for sharing that, boss! Where's that from, though?

Bobby, I don't disagree with you, fam. I'm just looking at options presented. If he's set to headline in July, his options are limited as Pac-Bradley & Khan-Peterson will all be fresh out of their respective bouts. You're right, JMM-Rios will probably be next. I'm just sayin', I think JMM should reconsider because of the risk-reward. & I just don't think Rios deserves it. Honestly, after Bam Bam's last two performances I think JMM-Rios has lost a lot of public appeal.

For some reason, I like the kid, Danny Swift. No arguments from me that he's not ready to headline. But with a top-5 PPV name like Marquez, & considering the options, I think it'd do marginal numbers (comparable to the other options). That fight's not happening, though.

I get you man but even with that JMM/Rios fight not being a fight that will be marketed well, I can't see the other two getting in there.  Garcia has such wide punches that JMM would eat him up.  Hell, Morales almost did.  If I'm JMM, I may wait and see if he'll get another shot at Manny in November.  Besides, what will go through Arum's head if JMM/Rios goes through at 140 and JMM demolishes him?  He'll never get that 4th fight.  I think win or lose, Khan is at 147 next.

Rios needs to shut up about his weight problems already.  As soon as Gamboa pulled out, they should have made a fight at 140 or even a catchweight with Abril.  Too many excuses.  Why go after the media when you put this on yourself?  It's just like that clown Linares going after the media saying they never stepped in a ring.  Who would know about you two if it weren't for these same writers praising you?  Worry about your chin, chief.

 

[proshares]

Fights from this past weekend.

Spoiler

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A roundup of the past week's notable boxing results from around the world:


Saturday at Mexico City

Juan Manuel Marquez W12 Sergey Fedchenko
Junior welterweight
Wins a vacant interim junior welterweight title
Scores: 119-109, 118-110 (twice)
Records: Marquez (54-6-1, 39 KOs); Fedchenko (30-2, 13 KOs)
Rafael's remarks: Coming off November's controversial majority decision loss in a welterweight title bout against Manny Pacquiao -- the third controversial result of their epic trilogy -- Marquez desperately wanted a fourth fight with his great rival. It did not happen because Pacquiao and Top Rank's Bob Arum instead picked junior welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley Jr. for Pacquiao to fight on June 9. Marquez was disappointed and considered retirement, but (not surprisingly) he got over that and decided to fight on. But with no big-name opponent available -- he still hopes for Pacquiao again in November -- Marquez, 38, returned to Mexico City, his hometown where he had not fought since 1994, his second year as a professional.

Even though Marquez was facing the unknown Fedchenko, 31, of Ukraine, he was motivated to be at home and to be in the first sports event at the new Mexico City Arena, which drew a raucous crowd of 22,400 for his homecoming.

Marquez, the true professional that he is, came in in tremendous shape even though it might be understandable if he was not at his best, because this was the classic sort of "in between fight." He was coming off a mega fight and has another possible big one on his mind, but that did not stop Marquez from looking sharp as he settled into the junior welterweight division in the main event of Top Rank's split-site pay-per-view card that also featured fights from Las Vegas.

Marquez, a former three-division champion, picked up an interim belt to make him a quasi four-division titleholder as he easily outboxed and outslugged the game Fedchenko, who had little to keep Marquez off him and had almost no offense to speak of. Although a good boxer, Fedchenko was nowhere near Marquez's level and seemed like he wanted just to survive in the late going.

Marquez bloodied his nose and methodically beat him up round after round, although Fedchenko never seemed in danger of being knocked down or knocked out, even though Marquez never stopped gunning for it. There were some good exchanges and Marquez's fans seemed to dig what they were seeing as he rolled to the victory.

Although Marquez hopes for a fourth Pacquiao fight in the fall, plans are in the works for him to return July 14 to headline a pay-per-view card at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Top Rank has mentioned Brandon Rios as a possible opponent, but Rios looked horrible in a highly controversial split decision victory against Richard Abril in the Las Vegas portion of the pay-per-view. Other possibilities include Mike Alvarado, who won a sensational battle on the Las Vegas part of the show, and Mercito Gesta, who also won in Las Vegas (but is nowhere near ready for Marquez). And maybe, just maybe, Top Rank can reunite with Mexican legend Erik Morales and put on that fight, one so many have wanted to see for years.



Saturday at Las Vegas

Brandon Rios W12 Richard Abril
Lightweight
A lightweight title remains vacant
Scores: 116-112, 115-113 Rios, 117-111 Abril
Records: Rios (30-0-1, 21 KOs); Abril (17-3-1, 8 KOs)
Rafael's remarks: There are controversial decisions, bad decisions and then there are outright robberies. This was an outright robbery, a theft of the highest order which should simply be viewed as an Abril victory. The outpouring of anger toward the decision was overwhelming on social media, as it should have been, because the decision was a farce. It was probably the second-worst decision I have seen in 13 years of covering boxing, beaten only by the shameful split decision Joel Casamayor was given against Jose Armando Santa Cruz in a 2007 lightweight championship fight.

Abril took Rios to school and had the decision stolen from him plan and simple in front of 3,705 at Mandalay Bay and the Top Rank pay-per-view audience. While judge Adalaide Byrd's 117-111 scorecard in favor of Abril reflected reality, the cards from Jerry Roth (116-112) and Glenn Trowbridge (115-113) were shockingly bad and an utter absurdity. You could make more of an argument that Abril won the fight by shutout than you could give seven -- or even eight! -- legitimate rounds to Rios, who was lethargic and lacked snap on what few punches he threw. He did nothing to actually win rounds because he barely landed anything. Abril, meanwhile, controlled the fight from start to finish with superb ring generalship. His defense was terrific as used the shoulder tuck the same way Floyd Mayweather Jr. does so expertly. Rarely did Rios land anything clean. And while the long and lanky Abril did do some holding, he also landed a lot of well-timed right hands, long jabs and combinations while essentially standing in front of Rios and almost daring him to hit him. Abril, 29, a Cuban living in Miami, may not be the flashiest fighter or the most exciting, but since when does that have anything to do with scoring a fight?

Rios, 25, of Oxnard, Calif., looked as bad as he ever has after a series of quality wins. But he should not have been trying to make 135 pounds anymore. It showed in his performance. He blew weight for the second fight in a row; at Friday's weigh-in, he scaled 137 pounds -- two heavier than the lightweight limit -- and was ineligible to win the vacant title. Abril, the interim titleholder, could win it (and should have). But even after Rios left the scale with time to still make the weight, he was 139 pounds when he came back. Why he and his team elected to try for 135 pounds again is a mystery, especially after Rios looked like he was on the verge of collapsing from trying to make weight in December but missing the mark.

Rios was stripped of his title then and was going to try to win it back against Abril. But a lack of professionalism and maturity caused him to miss 135 again. Of course, he tried. Nobody is saying that he did not put in work to make the weight. But he and his team, including manager Cameron Dunkin and trainer Robert Garcia, obviously should never have accepted the bout at 135 pounds in the first place. Once they did, it was his obligation to make it. They probably took it at 135 because Rios was originally supposed to face former unified featherweight titlist Yuriorkis Gamboa in a major HBO bout. However, Gamboa bailed on the day of the March news conference to announce the fight and Abril -- who had gotten into a scuffle with Rios at that Miami news conference -- was brought in to replace him (and the card was shifted from HBO to a Top Rank pay-per-view card when HBO decided it was not interested in Rios-Abril).

Abril should not be forgotten after this career-best performance. He deserves another opportunity. Rios is obviously destined to fight at junior welterweight, where he will probably be a lot stronger since he won't have to kill himself to make (miss?) weight. But in trying to do so to fight Abril, Rios was utterly ineffective and he has nobody to blame but himself, even if two judges were watching a different fight than most everybody else. That has happened far too much in boxing lately. Just in the past couple of months, we've already seen controversial outcomes in the James Kirkland-Carlos Molina and Tavoris Cloud-Gabriel Campillo bouts. But those are child's play compared to this disgraceful decision.

Mike Alvarado W10 Mauricio Herrera
Junior welterweight
Scores: 99-91, 97-93, 96-94
Records: Alvarado (33-0, 23 KOs); Herrera (18-2, 7 KOs)
Rafael's remarks: What a fight! Alvarado and Herrera not only made the best fight of the night on this Top Rank pay-per-view card and the best fight of the weekend, but they put in the blood, sweat and toe-to-toe combat to be talked about as a candidate for fight of the year after this all-action slugfest. For Alvarado, 31, of Denver, it was his second memorable battle in a row.

In November, Alvarado was badly cut and trailing when he rallied to stop Breidis Prescott in the 10th and final round in thrilling fashion on the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez III pay-per-view undercard. This time, Alvarado was leading most of the way but in an all-out brawl with Herrera, 31, of Riverside, Calif. Herrera made a bit of a name for himself 15 months ago when he upset prospect Ruslan Provodnikov via decision on "Friday Night Fights."

This fight was bombs away early and often. Herrera's face was showing marks by the second round as Alvarado was landing right hands on his left eye. The second and third rounds were hellacious, round-of-the-year kinds of rounds with unrelenting action. Herrera, who elected to fight off the ropes while Alvarado pressured him, began to bust up Alvarado's right eye in the fourth round. Herrera's nose was bleeding in the fifth round. Alvarado seemed to shift into another gear in the second half of the fight. Herrera was doing everything he could do to stay with him, but his left eye was a swollen mess by the seventh round and he probably could not see much out of it. Both men showed tremendous heart in a terrific fight, even though Herrera -- who earned every dime of his $20,000 purse as did Alvarado of his $95,000 purse -- deserved better than one judge having him lose nine out of the 10 rounds.

By stealing the show on a night when Brandon Rios looked terrible, Alvarado made a strong case that it is he, not Rios, who deserves a July 14 crack at Marquez. That is when Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is planning a pay-per-view card at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Alvarado has put in the hard rounds, fought his way up the ladder and he deserves an opportunity. Afterward, Arum said he would be considered for Marquez and Alvarado made his case. "I want Marquez. I am ready for Marquez. I have paid my dues and I do not have any weight issues," he said, referring to Rios' blowing weight for a second straight fight.

Mercito Gesta TKO8 Oscar Cuero
Lightweight
Records: Gesta (25-0-1, 13 KOs); Cuero (15-8, 12 KOs)
Rafael's remarks: Gesta, 24, a native of the Philippines based in San Diego, has been with Top Rank for a few fights and opened the pay-per-view card with a solid victory against Cuero, 26, of Colombia. It was not a spectacular performance, but he got the job done in workmanlike fashion, dropping Cuero twice. He attacked Cuero's body well and landed good right hands. In the fifth round, referee Robert Byrd was a bit overzealous in docking a point from Cuero for holding. It hardly mattered because Gesta was in control. Cuero absorbed a lot of shots and looked very weary going back to his corner after the sixth round. In the seventh round, Gesta, a southpaw, dropped him with a right hook to the body. Cuero's pride got him to his feet by nine but he was falling apart. In the eighth round, Gesta landed a right to the temple that sent Cuero down to a knee. He got up, but he was toast and Byrd stopped the fight at 1 minute, 38 seconds. The loss was Cuero's sixth in his last eight fights but first in that span by knockout. Gesta is not ready for it, but before this fight his name had been mentioned by Top Rank as a possible July opponent for Juan Manuel Marquez. That is way too much right now. Gesta needs more work and a couple of legit opponents before he earns a shot like that.



Saturday at Belfast, Northern Ireland

Tyson Fury TKO5 Martin Rogan
Heavyweight
Records: Fury (18-0, 13 KOs); Rogan (14-3, 7 KOs)
Rafael's remarks: Fury is a heavyweight to keep an eye on. His name has been tossed around as a possible future opponent for champions Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko (although it is way too soon right now) and he already owns a win against Dereck Chisora. At 23, Fury is also one of the younger rising big men, and we do mean big. He is 6-foot-8 and 245 pounds, which was actually a career low. For this fight, Fury, of England, went to the hometown of Ireland's Rogan, a 40-year-old journeyman who, despite only 17 fights, has faced some of the United Kingdom's best, including wins against Audley Harrison and Matt Skelton and two losses to Sam Sexton. In his first fight in 16 months, Rogan, who is 6-3, 228 pounds and is a Belfast taxi driver when he is not boxing, gave Fury all kinds of problems in the early rounds. For some reason, Fury decided to box as a southpaw and it did not work very well. Rogan easily won the first two rounds while Fury looked tentative and was in a bit of a defensive shell. But he came out of it in the third round and dropped Rogan with a clean straight left hand to turn things around, although Rogan did not appear badly hurt. In the fifth round, however, he was hurt. Fury was softening up Rogan with body shots and finally floored him again with a left to the body that sent him to all fours. Rogan barely beat the count from referee David Irving, who was going to let the fight continue, when, just as the round was about to end, Rogan's corner stepped in to the ring to throw in the towel. Rogan was not a happy camper either. It seemed like an ill-timed resignation, especially with the one-minute rest period upon them. After a poor start, Fury came back strong and got a nice victory over Rogan, who dropped to 2-3 in his last five bouts.



Saturday at Chicago

Edner Cherry W10 Juan Carlos Martinez
Lightweight
Scores: 99-91, 97-93, 95-95
Records: Cherry (30-6-2, 16 KOs); Martinez (19-14-1, 7 KOs)
Rafael's remarks: For years, Cherry, 29, a native of the Bahamas living in Florida, has been on the fringes of contending but he has lost whenever he has stepped up against the best competition, including decisions to Paulie Malignaggi in 2007 and to Timothy Bradley Jr. in a 2008 junior welterweight world title bout. But since the lopsided loss to Bradley, "Cherry Bomb" is 6-0 with a no contest after a tougher than expected majority decision nod against Martinez, 30, of Mexico, who lost his second consecutive fight and is 2-3 in his last five bouts. Fighting in the main event of Telefutura's "Solo Boxeo Tecate," Cherry and Martinez took turns being in charge during the decent scrap. Cherry seemed to do enough to maintain control for the most part and fought very well late in the fight, especially in the 10th round, to seal the deal. However, 99-91 for Cherry on one scorecard seemed very, very generous.



Friday at Las Vegas

Albert Mensah W10 Michael Katsidis
Junior welterweight
Scores: 98-92, 96-94, 95-95
Records: Mensah (20-3-1, 7 KOs); Katsidis (28-6, 23 KOs)
Rafael's remarks: Katsidis, 31, of Australia, has been one of the true warriors of boxing for years and one of the most crowd-pleasing fighters in modern history. But all those brutal and exciting fights have taken their toll and now, after his latest loss, he just might be done. He said before the fight that he would consider retirement if he lost.

Katsidis had fought as a lightweight for most of his career but was moving up to junior welterweight to stay after losing a world title fight by decision to Ricky Burns in November. Katsidis was hoping this fight would re-ignite his fading career (and he was without career-long manager and trainer Brendon Smith, with whom he split following the loss to Burns). But Mensah, 29, of Ghana, had other ideas and turned in a strong performance in the "Friday Night Fights" main event. Katsidis, of course, tried to pressure Mensah from the opening bell, but Mensah, fighting in the United States for the second consecutive fight, did a superb job countering Katsidis and firing back. It was a competitive fight and Katsidis had his moments, including when he appeared to have Mensah in serious trouble near the end of the seventh round. But the bell rang and Mensah was able collect himself for the next round. He dominated the last couple of rounds, landing numerous clean shots, including a pair of left hands that really rocked Katsidis at the end of the ninth round. Katsidis seemed to be fighting almost on instinct in the late going and the decision seemed like an obvious call, although the 98-92 scorecard appeared a bit wide while the 95-95 card seemed a bit generous for Katsidis.

While Mensah notched the biggest win of his career, Katsidis dropped to 1-4 in his last five bouts, a rut that includes losses to Mensah, Burns, Robert Guerrero and Juan Manuel Marquez in a lightweight championship fight. If Katsidis does call it a career, there will be many memorable fights to look back on.



Friday at Cologne, Germany

Felix Sturm TKO9 Sebastian Zbik
Middleweight
Retains a middleweight title
Records: Sturm (37-2-2, 16 KOs); Zbik (30-2, 10 KOs)
Rafael's remarks: In his previous two bouts, Sturm, 33, of Germany, got an outright gift split decision victory against Mathew Macklin last June and was then held to a draw by Martin Murray in December. Sturm had hung onto his belt, but both performances were lackluster and many thought that maybe his downslide had begun. But maybe that was a premature notion because Sturm looked as good as he has in years against Zbik, 30, also of Germany. Zbik had not fought since last June, when he went to Los Angeles and lost a majority decision and his paper title to Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on HBO. He put in a very solid performance against Chavez, but came up just short. Sturm, however, made his 12th title defense by pounding him into submission. Zbik got off to a good start and the fight seemed about even through the first four rounds. But then Sturm got his outstanding left jab working and took over the fight. He threw combinations, landed a number of solid uppercuts and worked both hands well. The jab, however, his best punch, was the difference. He tattooed Zbik with it while Zbik was simply unable to get off enough punches to do any damage. By the fifth round, Zbik's face was showing the marks of consistently being hit cleanly with Sturm's jab. Sturm was in full control, dishing out punishment and masterfully outworking Zbik, who retired on his stool after the ninth round knowing he was a beaten man in what had a been a more entertaining fight than many thought it would be given the technical styles of both men. Sturm ran his record to 12-0-2 in his last 14 fights (if you include the Macklin robbery) but now faces the prospect of a mandatory defense against "regular" titlist Gennady Golovkin, whose pressure style, youth and power could give Sturm trouble.