Leo Santa Cruz, Amir Khan and Nonito Donaire All Win Big

By Randy De La O


Seemed like old times yesterday. I came home from work and watched a fight on CBS. When was the last time we saw a fight on free TV? Relatively free anyways, we still have to pay for cable but it still brought back memories of 70's and early 80's when both CBS' Sports Spectacular, and ABC 's Wide World of Sports, regularly aired big name fights on the weekend. The fights were held at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. I can't remember the last fight held there.

Photos: Big Joe Miranda

Leo Santa Cruz successfully defended his IBF Bantamweight belt against Albert Guevera, an unheralded and unknown fighter from Mexico. Santa Cruz found himself in a tougher than expected fight with Guevera, who showed a lot of smarts and moxie in this fight. He made a good showing against the champ but ultimately lost a 12 round unanimous decision. Guevera looks to have  lots of potential and showed a big heart. We'll be seeing him again.

Photos: Big Joe Miranda

Later that evening, at the same venue,  but airing on Showtime, Amir Khan and local fighter Carlos Molina, fighting for the vacant WBC Silver Light Welterweight title, fought up to the 10th round of a scheduled 12 rounder. The fight was correctly stopped by Molina's corner, after their fighter had taken a sound beating from Khan.  Khan,  trying to reposition  himself as  viable force  in boxing, took another step in that direction. His chin however remained untested in last night's fight. A game Carlos Molina showed courage in his fight but, at least in this stage of his career, he was over matched and taken to school in this fight.. A fighter can learn from a loss like this and grow or he can let it get to him and regress. It's up to him.

Photos: Chris Farina / Top Rank

Over on HBO, the real main event of the evening, was Nonito Donaire vs Jorge Arce, fighting at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Donaire was defending his WBO Super bantamweight title. Donaire was the favored going onto this fight, and rightly so. The surprise (for me at least) was not that he won but the ease in which he did so. Donaire pretty much had his way with the always game Arce, knocking him down with a right hand in the second round and then stopping him in the third round with a sensational left hook. Expect bigger and better things from Donaire in 2013. He's the real thing. It was a good day for boxing yesterday.

Al Bernstein on Khan and Garcia

Video Courtesy of CRHarmony on Youtube.com

Khan vs Garcia Fight Video

This video of the Khan vs Garcia fight starts at the end of the third round and the first knockdown.

 

Danny Garcia Stops Amir Khan

Photo by Chris Cozzone

By Randy De La O

Amir Khan lost last night in his fight with the formerly unheralded Danny Garcia. He didn't just lose but was knocked for a loop by a left hook near the end of the third round and never fully recovered. He was knocked down two more times in the forth, overwhelmed by a charging and determined Danny Garcia. Referee Kenny Bayless stopped the fight at 2:28 of the fourth round, after asking Khan if he was alright. Khan responded positively and wanted to continue but the ref could see what we couldn't and called and end to the fight. Khan wanted to continue but it was a good stoppage. Sometimes a fighter needs to be saved from himself.

Garcia was the epitome of confidence coming into the fight but he was definitely the underdog. His anger and indignation at been thought of as an “sure win” for Khan paid off. I don't think anyone will underrate him again.

A word about Khan: Sometimes, or maybe all the time, the way a fighter loses says more about a man than all his victories combined.  Khan showed a big heart in his fight with Garcia. When he was hurt he never looked for the easy way out. He took his licking like a man, at one point waving to Garcia to come and get him, still believing he could find a way to win. He was going to go down swinging. What more can we ask of any fighter? Fighters get caught and fighter sometimes lose, it's part of the sport. No shame in losing if you give your best. After the fight, in his post fight interview with Max Kellerman, he offered no half-hearted excuses. Khan showed some real class last night.

The fight was reminiscent of the Victor Garcia vs Josesito Lopez fight a couple of weeks ago, when Lopez was in the same underdog/underrated opponent position and went on to stop Ortiz by breaking his jaw in the ninth round. Josesito, a natural 140 pounder moved up in weight to fight Ortiz. Now he is being asked to move up one more weight class to fight Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. To my way of thinking, a more meaningful fight would be for Lopez to stay at 140 lbs and fight Danny Garcia. This would be a fight fans fight and a much more competitive fight. I don't expect that to happen but it would be the right fight to make.

Does Amir khan deserve a rematch? Despite the big loss I think he does, if only because Khan gave  Garcia his big shot. I don't think he'll get it but it would be the right thing to do.

(Note to Canelo: Don't take the underdog for granted!)

Amir Khan Wins Technical Decision Over Paul McCloskey

AP

2011-04-16

By Randy De La O

As expected Amir Khan of Bolton, Lancashire, defeated Paul McCloskey of Northern Ireland in a fairly one sided fight last night. Though he dominated the fight, with speed and hard punches, many of his punches were missing the mark. There is not much to say about this fight. Winning a fight you are supposed to win is a good thing I suppose but again it makes it hard to know where he stands in the overall picture of the 140 lb division, despite the fact that he is the WBA Junior welterweight champion.

The fight was stopped in the 6th round after an accidental clash of heads that caused a cut over the left eye of McCloskey. Maybe it's not for me to say but the cut had just happened and McCloskey should have been allowed to continue the fight. McCloskey, for his part was cool under pressure and fought gamely despite losing every round. Still, whether the fight was stopped or allowed to go on, it would not have made any difference, McCloskey was in over his head in this one.The fight went to the scorecards with all the judges awarding Khan a 60-54 decision victory.

Up next for Khan will be WBC and WBO Champion, American Tim Bradley, this coming July. Khan will have his hands full with Bradley. This is a fight to look forward to.

Related articles

• "Results: Amir Khan-Paul McCloskey and Full Undercard" and related posts (badlefthook.com)
• Boxing: Amir Khan defeats Paul McCloskey (theglobeandmail.com)

Barrera vs Khan

The fight will remain posted here unless removed by Youtube.com

Marco Antonio Barrera vs Amir Khan

By Randy De La O

I did not see last night's fight between Amir Khan and Marco Antonio Barrera, at the M.E.N Arenain Manchester,  and I don't want to rain on  Khan's parade. From all I have read and heard about the fight, Khan did a great job, he was quick and accurate, and fought with confidence, and considering the devastating loss he suffered last September at the hands of Briedis Prescott, it was quite an accomplisment to comeback and beat a future hall of famer. It was a huge step up to take on Barrera. It took some real nerves.

However, I cannot help but feel the fight was inconclusive, even without seeing it. The fight was stopped in the fifth round due to an accidental headbutt. The rules are that a fight stopped within the first four rounds is ruled a "No Contest". The headbutt that resulted in the cut occurred in the first round.  My understanding is that it was a horrendous cut from the beginning.  Why wait for the fifth round?


The cut itself and the blood that flowed into Barrera's eyes  obviously affected Barrera's vision, as well  as his performence against Khan. Barrera, past his prime and obviously not the fighter he once was has still fought a decent level of competition, fighting and winning against guys like Paulie Ayala, Rocky Juarez, beating fellow Mexican and future hall of famer, Erik Morales in their rubber match, as well as going the distance with, albeit  losing by decision to Manny Pacquiao, in a valiant effort in their second fight (no shame there). 

My point is: While Barrera is clearly aging he has proven himself not to be completely washed up. So one has to wonder, did Khan beat  Barrera because he was the better fighter last night? Or did he win because Barrera, affected by the cut and the blood flowing into his eyes, was unable to fight at his peak? A win is a win is a win, and I'm not going to taint Khan's victory for him. He won and should be congratulated. But if I was Khan, I would want to remove all doubt.  I would want it to be conclusive.