Pound For Pound Lists Better Recognize
When you look at most boxing pound for pound lists, you are hard pressed to find a fighter in the less glamorous flyweight division anywhere near the top 10; however, that is all about to change. It’s not that there hasn’t been a little guy worthy of cracking the top 10, he’s been here all along and goes by the nickname of “Chocolatoto”.
Nicaraguan Roman Gonzalez (40-0 34 KO) defeated Japan’s Akira Yaegashi (20-4 10 KO) in Yaegashi’s backyard to take his WBA Light Flyweight title. With the win, Gonzalez captured his third world title in as many weight classes, shades of Alexis Arguello.
In the third round, Roman landed an uppercut that dazed Yaegashi but he was able to remain coherent enough to exchange with the Nicaraguan who obliged by landing a left hook dropping the champion. He was able to beat the count and survive the round.
Over the next five rounds there were some good exchanges but Gonzalez was the superior fighter boxing effortlessly while landing solid body shots, jabs, and left hooks. In the ninth round with his eye swelling, Yaegashi was again deposited on the canvas courtesy of a five punch combination from the challenger. This time he would not be able to get up causing referee Michael Griffen to stop the contest. At the time of the ninth round TKO, Gonzalez was leading on all three scorecards, 79-72 X2 and 80-71.
So what’s next for the new champion? Maybe he gets the winner of Giovanni Segura vs. Juan Francisco to unify the belts. No matter who his opponents are, they better be ready to face one of the top P4P fighters in the world.
Gonzalez had been on the Standing-8’s P4P list at eight since the inception of the site, he now moves to six.
(Portions of this snippet used in an article written for and contributed to Behind The Gloves.)
A No-Nonsense Problem
Adrien Broner (29-1 22KO) was uncharacteristically civil in defeating Emmanuel Taylor (18-3 12KO) by unanimous decision with scores of 116-111 on two cards and 115-112 on the third. Broner knocked down Taylor with a swift counter uppercut in the final round. Taylor wasn’t really hurt, but rather more surprised by the shot.
The fight was twelve rounds of some of the highest technical skill you will see in a fight by two fighters. Each combatant landed body shots by way of hooks or jabs, straight rights/lefts and hooks to the head, and moved and countered beautifully. No slight on Taylor, Broner was just a little bit quicker and slicker which allowed him to steal several close rounds.
After the fight, Broner stated he wanted Lucas Matthysse next. So, about Matthysse…..
A Well Oiled Machine?
Matthysse (36-3 34KO) had been a bit vulnerable in his last two fights, losing and hitting the deck against Danny Garcia and winning and again hitting the deck against John Molina Jr. On Saturday night, Matthysse was supposed to get a “test” from power punching Roberto Ortiz (31-1-1 24KO) but it was Ortiz who failed his own test.
Matthysse knocked out Ortiz with a wicked left hook to the body in the second round. Ortiz looked like he was going to be able to continue as he rested on one knee and listened to referee Benjy Esteves give the customary ten count. Concurrent with Esteves saying”ten”, Ortiz rose to his feet. Esteves then waived off the fight in a somewhat controversial stoppage. Not really a lot of answers here other than Oritz doesn’t take a great body shot.
So, like Broner, Matthysse also was thinking the same as he reciprocally stated that he wanted to face Broner next. In the words of legendary referee Mills Lane, “Let’s Get It On!!!”
The Other AB Also Wins In His Return Bout
Andre Berto (29-3 22KO) looked strong in winning a unanimous decision against a game Steve Upsher (24-4-1 6KO). Berto’s surgically repaired right shoulder was a non-issue. Berto landed power shots and looked as quick as he always has. One area of concern is that Upsher landed numerous power shots of his own. As Berto’s competition rises, he will not be able to withstand continued power shots from bigger punchers like the one’s he took form Upsher.
The Day Of The Jackal
Carl Frampton defeated Kiko Martinez in their rematch on Saturday. See story in preceeding article.
Standing-8 