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24 year-old NABA Super Featherweight champion, Logan Cotto McGuinness (16-0-1, 8 KO’s), has handled the potentially treacherous transition from boxing prospect to boxing contender with brutal flair.
No longer simply punishing foes while honing his craft, Orangeville’s McGuinness has spent the past two years winning boxing’s hardened critics over with career-best efforts in a succession of fights put forth by promoter Hennessy Sports designed to test his will, as opposed to merely showcasing his skills.
As a result McGuinness has honed his style into a well-rounded blend of polish, poise, and power, combining nimble footwork, fluid combinations, and a crowd-pleasing style, all with fight-ending force.
All of those attributes were there for the world to see last October at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, when McGuinness took the biggest step of his professional career, dropping down from 135 to take on one of the best pure boxers in the world, former world title challenger Benoit Gaudet for the vacant NABA 130 lb. title.
Despite being behind on the judges score cards throughout the first half of the fight, McGuinness was nonetheless unyielding in applying pressure from the opening bell, and finally got to Gaudet in round 11, staggering him along the ropes before flooring the renowned veteran for the count.
Now a full fledged contender on the world boxing scene (WBA’s 8th ranked Super Featherweight) McGuinness has to prove once again that he belongs in the shortlist of top fighters at 130 lbs. when he defends his title against Buffalo, New York’s KO merchant Meacher Major (20-4-1, 17 KO’s) in the main event of “See The Rise”, another stellar boxing card promoted by United Promotions and Hennessy Sports this Saturday, May 12th at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga..
After being stopped by rock-fisted veteran Dorin Spivey in November of 2009, Meacher has rebounded in devastating fashion, notching stoppages in three of his four consecutive wins heading into the battle with McGuinness.
Wielding a blazing two-fisted arsenal, and a track record of facing some of the best in business, including a decision loss to pound-for-pound entrant Lamont Peterson in August of 2005, Meacher’s hand speed and unique punching angles make him a bonafide threat to end McGuinness’ undefeated run, and NABA tile reign.
It’s the kind of challenge that separates prospects from suspects, and contenders from pretenders. And it’s one that McGuinness must overcome to maintain his status as one of boxing’s true young lions.
Such is life on the road to boxing excellence.
