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Over 10,000 fight fans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada were bound to get their money’s worth with three world class bouts, brilliantly lined up by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions this past Saturday night They certainly did, but the heated action came in the two co-main event features before Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera cautiously defended his WBC Super Featherweight Title for a second time against Rocky
Juarez in the main event.
Fight fans have grown accustomed over the years to seeing Barrera, 63-4 (42), engage in furious battles in the ring, and the paying crowd at the MGM voiced their displeasure with loud boos throughout the course of Barrera’s measured but clear 117-111,115-113 (twice) victory.
During their first encounter back in May, the 32 year old Barrera often stood toe to toe and traded punches with the younger, stronger Juarez and it nearly cost him his title in a split decision victory. This time around, Barrera was content to box in circles from the outside, employing a consistent jab and tying Juarez up on the inside, effectively smothering Rocky’s punches.
Juarez, 25-3 (18), of Houston, did his best work in the mid rounds but never really got untracked and was seemingly chasing Barrera around the ring for most of the night. A swollen right eye from a left uppercut early in the bout may have affected the Texan as he was unable to cut off the ring to trap Barrera and essentially allowed the Mexican boxing icon to control the fight.
Barrera deserves full credit for showing his versatility in the ring, fighting his fight, and doing what it takes to defend his title against young, ambitious fighters such as Juarez. Barrera has been giving fight fans entertaining battles since 1989, and on Saturday night, he chose to go home to his family with an unmarked face after easily defending his title against a worthy challenger.
Impressive stuff, and besides, the young warriors on the undercards were happy to take over Barrera’s old style of letting fists fly ’til the very end.
In fight of the night, ex WBO Bantamweight Champion Jhonny Gonzalez moved up in weight and gave WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Israel Vazquez all he could handle before succumbing to the strong and highly conditioned champion at 2:09 of the tenth round.
Gonzalez put Vazquez down on the canvas twice with left hooks in the fourth and sixth rounds and was ahead on all the scorecards when referee Kenny Bayless was forced to stop the fight after Gonzalez’s trainer, Oscar Suarez, wisely waved the white towel.
After a close first round, the Golden Boy promoted Gonzalez, 33-5 (28), would use a consistent jab, surprisingly good defensive boxing skills and enough power punching to prevent the stronger, more compact Vazquez, 41-3 (30), from working his way inside as
planned.
In round four, a wide left hook from Gonzalez clipped Vazquez high up on his head with enough force to knock him on the seat of his pants. The champion was more surprised and perhaps embarrassed from the knockdown than hurt.
Gonzalez was gaining more and more confidence with his success and started to open up with power punches, hurting Vazquez and sending him to the canvas again with a flush left hook in the sixth round.
Vazquez did well to recover from the second knockdown, getting up and successfully trading punches with Gonzalez, who was trying to finish him off. Although clearly losing the round, Vazquez went back to his corner having gotten the better of Gonzalez in the final exchange of the round.
Vazquez continued his aggression and changed the momentum of the crowd pleasing, fast-paced fight in his favor against a tiring Gonzalez in round seven. Two left hands and a quick right put Gonzalez down on the canvas. Not enough time was left in the round for the more experienced man to do any more damage but it was the turning point of the fight since it was the first round Vazquez had won a round since the opening frame.
Vazquez continued to outland and wear down a game Gonzalez in rounds eight and nine as both fighters faces were marked up quite a bit from their epic battle. A nice combination of punches finally put down Gonzalez in the tenth round and after a long look at his corner, Jhonny rose up at the count of eight to continue, but his corner decided the 25 year old had
enough for the night against a true champion in Israel Vazquez.
The opening title bout on the HBO PPV telecast showcased the speed, skills and punching power of Dominican Joan Guzman as he outlasted rugged Argentine Jorge Barrios to capture the WBO Super Featherweight Title.
The scoring was a surprise to many as it turned out to be a split decision victory for the undefeated Guzman, with two judges having him ahead 115-112, 114-113, and a dissenting vote from 90 year old Bill Graham who scored it for Barrios, 114-113.
Interesting to note that if referee Vic Drakulich hadn’t deducted a point for a questionable low blow from Barrios in round six, the fight would have been scored a draw.
Rumors of Barrios’ struggles to make weight during fight week were realized at the scales on Friday when he failed to make the 130 lb limit, coming a pound and a half over and being stripped of his WBO Super Featherweight Title, allowing only Guzman the ability to gain the title with a victory.
Questions about Barrios’ motivation to get up for what was now a non-title fight for him were quickly answered when the prideful Argentine withstood a vicious first round assault of two-fisted punching from the energetic Guzman, who may have been looking to take advantage of a weight-drained opponent.
Guzman visibly stunned the tough-chinned Barrios a few times but the South American hard man swung back with bad intentions, got thru the round and the crowd at the MGM Grand were in for an early treat.
The versatile Guzman, 26-0 (17), would alter his attack, coming forward at times, forcing Barrios backwards, and then sitting back and counterpunching, often with quick left hooks. Guzman showed he can also take a punch as Barrios had the former super bantam pressed up against the ropes, landing some good shots.
Although outclassed a bit in terms of ability and clearly at a speed disadvantage, Barrios, 46-3-1 (33), never stopped trying and made things interesting in the mid to late rounds when Guzman slowed down a bit to recharge his batteries after such a fast pace. Barrios showed why he’s held championship belts by continuously pressing forward, landing more shots, and winning rounds.
Guzman also showed that he has a championship heart when he moved forward and took it to Barrios again in the tenth and eleventh rounds to ensure his victory. Barrios came back to take the final round on all the judges scorecards, but by then it was too late.
Now a major belt holder at 130 pounds, Joan Guzman looks capable of beating any fighter in today’s deeply talented super featherweight division. And fight fans certainly haven’t seen the last of Jorge Rodrigo Barrios. At thirty years old, and making the 130 pound weight limit since his pro debut in 1996 at the age of 20, it may just be time for Barrios to move up to the 135 pound lightweight division.
