Boxing Round By Round: Fernando Montiel – Pramuansak Phosawan

The final bout on the Saturday night HBO Latino broadcasted Mexico vs. Thailand Golden Boy Promotions card from the Desert Diamond Casino in Tucson was a good one. WBO Super Flyweight Champion Fernando Montiel took on undefeated Thai fighter Pramuansak “The Machine Gun” Phosawan. Montiel had only lost once in thirty three bouts while Phosawan has been the WBO Asia Pacific Super Flyweight titlist since his third professional bout and had defended the crown seventeen times.

Round One: The final bout of the evening starts with Montiel coming out jabbing. Early on at least, Phosawan seems to be at a reach disadvantage, and is not reacting well to the early jabs of Montiel, instead backing straight up and flailing his arms. Montiel seems content keeping his distance and jabbing, as he has rarely charged in and is keeping his distance. Neither fighter threw many punches during the first, and it was a fairly uneventful round. Montiel takes it for his ability to keep his distance and jab.

Round: Montiel 10-9

Round Two: Picking up right where he left off in the first round, Montiel started jabbing and Phosawan began throwing straight right hands. The fighters seem a bit more willing to trade this round, as both fighters are lunging in with straight rights, with Phosawan landing more frequently then Montiel. With about a minute to go, both fighters still seem to be figuring each other out. Neither is putting together any combinations, and neither is really landing any of their punches. The fight has been fairly uneventful so far, and both fighters have yet to commit to a game plan. Even round, as neither fighter threw much at all.

Round: 10-10
Fight: Montiel 20-19

Round Three: The third round starts with Montiel immediately throwing an overhand right that doesn’t connect. Phosawan is attempting to corner Montiel, but Montiel is feinting with the jab and that sends Phosawan running backward every time. If he wants to win the fight, Phosawan is going to have to raise his guard, and be more aggressive. Montiel has been very inactive, choosing to fend off Phosawan’s punches and feint his jab rather then throw any actual offense. The bell sounds and the fans have so far voiced their displeasure for the first three rounds, so lets hope the main event picks up in round four. Even though neither fighter did any damage to each other, Phosawan still gets the round for at least attempting to trade.

Round: Phosawan 10-9
Fight: 29-29

Round Four: Much like the last round, Montiel starts off throwing a lead left hook that fails to land and goes overtop of Phosawan’s head. That was the only real action of the first minute, and both fighters have now been very tentative during the first ten minutes of the fight. Montiel is jabbing a bit more now and is also attempting to follow up, though he has failed at landing any follow up shots so far. With about a minute and ten seconds left in the round, Phosawan lands an overhand right to Montiel’s chin and Phosowan proceeds to throw his arms in the air taunting Montiel. Phosowan is taunting a lot this round, putting his right hand in the air, sticking his chin out, and every time he does that, Montiel attempts to make him pay by trying to catch him when his defenses are low, but he has failed thus far though. That was Montiel’s round, for he was able to dictate the pace of the round, that pace being very slow and meticulous.

Round: Montiel 10-9
Fight: Montiel 39-38

Round Five: So far, Montiel has been the less active of the two fighters and is getting caught with Phosawan’s lead left hook almost every time it’s thrown. Phosowan has yet to land a follow up on the hook, throwing wide with his right hooks every time he lands. This fight definitely hasn’t been a crowd pleaser thus far, as almost every time they attempt to exchange punches, one of the fighters clinches. With five seconds left, Montiel walks straight into a Phosawan right hand. Even with the big punch late in the round, Montiel took the round.

Round: Montiel 10-9
Fight: Montiel 49-47

Round Six: Montiel has been the more disciplined of the two fighters so far, but he has also been the least active, which could cost him rounds in the judge’s scorecards. Phosawan is much more wide and wild with his punches, but is landing at a higher rate and beating Montiel to the punch. So far in round six, the fighters have been more willing to trade, fighting at a closer distance. Even at that closer distance, the action is still limited but Montiel is throwing first more, and has landed his right hook several times throughout the round. Towards the round’s closing, Montiel lands a right hook that puts Phosawan on the ropes where the Thai becomes entangled. The round closes and it was the most eventful so far, with Montiel clearly getting the better of it.

Round: Montiel 10-9
Fight: Montiel 59-56

Round Seven: Both fighters meet in the center of the ring with Montiel throwing the first punch, an uppercut that lands under the untucked chin of Phosawan. Phosawan attempts to counter but, like the early rounds, he was too wide with his left hook and it sailed over the head of Montiel. The fighters create distance, with both occasionally lunging in to throw a hook or a straight. With about ten seconds left in the round, Montiel gets trapped but lands a big right uppercut at the bell with his back to the ropes. Montiel took that round yet again.

Round: Montiel 10-9
Fight: Montiel 69-65

Round Eight: The round starts with an immediate clinch, and the referee orders the fighters to separate. Neither fighter looks particularly winded, though now that Montiel has started throwing punches; he is starting to pick apart Phosawan’s defenses. The first half of the round consists of the regular combos, both fighters throwing the occasional hooks, and of course, Montiel is landing more and is the sharper of the two. With around thirty seconds left, Phosawan lands what appears to be a low blow that drops Montiel, but the ref calls it a knockdown. Montiel gets up and the round ends
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Round: Montiel 10-9
Fight: Montiel 79-74

Round Nine: Montiel comes out throwing his jab and his straight right hand early on in round nine. Both fighters are laying on each other, attempting to wear one another out. For the first time in the fight, at a point of fairly high activity, Phosawan is getting the better of Montiel. Montiel looks to be a bit tired, as he is once again just trying to coast through the round without being dealt a serious blow. Phosawan hasn’t been able to land a big shot to Montiel’s chin all night, yet he doesn’t look to be frustrated. With twenty seconds left in the round, Montiel hits with three hooks to the body, and then connects with a straight right upstairs. Montiel’s round.

Round: Montiel 10-9
Fight: Montiel 89-83

Round Ten: Phosawan seems to be showing some signs of fatigue, as his guard is all the way down below his waist. Montiel looks to have recognized this and is pressing the action and squaring himself up to Phosawan. Phosawan has swelling above his right eye, and that is allowing Montiel to hit with the left hook every time he throws it. With about ten seconds left, Phosawan charges in with a straight right hand, and is tagged with a left hook to the jaw at the bell.

Round: Montiel 10-9
Fight: Montiel 99-92

Round Eleven: The round starts with Montiel jabbing away and he seems to be fighting with a sense of urgency, cocking his right hand back and trying to connect with the one shot that will end the fight. The swelling on Phosawan’s right eye is getting bigger and bigger and is starting to look like Hasim Rahman’s swelling in his bout with Evander Holyfield. It is very bad, and Montiel is taking full advantage, throwing the lead left hook every chance he gets. But Montiel hasn’t been able to follow up on the hook, and that is what is keeping Phosawan upright. Montiel’s round.

Round: Montiel 10-9
Fight: 109-101

Round Twelve: Amazingly, this round is being allowed to take place, something difficult to understand considering that the swelling above the eye of Phosawan is massive. Montiel comes out jabbing, and Phosawan comes out with a little more bounce in his step, though any effort he makes of getting inside is deterred by Montiel’s left hook. A minute into the round, Montiel throws Phosawan down, but it is ruled a knockdown, and Phosawan is given the standing eight count. Montiel continues after the “knockdown” with his barrage of left hooks; Phosawan simply can not see them. With ten seconds left, Phosawan lands a huge straight right hand that sends Montiel backwards, but it appears to be to little to late as the bell tolls and Montiel looks to have locked up an almost certain victory.

Round: Montiel 10-9
Fight: Montiel 119-110

The official scorecards are read and Fernando Montiel retains the WBO title with marks of 112-114, 112-115 (twice). Montiel moves to 32-1 (24) while Pramuansak Phosawan in defeat sees his resume decline to 29-1-1 (17).