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With less than a week to go until Ricky Hatton’s ‘Homecoming’ at the City of Manchester Stadium, I’m trying to build a picture of the man who is to face the ‘Hitman’ on one of the biggest nights of the year!
The Mexican-born Juan Lazcano now fighting out of California has suffered two defeats in the past 10 years to ‘Vicious’ Vivian Harris and Hatton victim – Jose Luis Castillo. A former lightweight world champion, Lazcano’s record now stands at 37 wins (27 by KO) 4 losses (1 by KO) and 1 draw.
His last fight against Harris in a WBC Light-Welterweight Eliminator resulted in a point’s loss. Last week in a previous article, having admitted I hardly knew anything about Hatton’s next opponent – I watched the Lazcano – Harris eliminator match and gave my account of the fight (see link: https://www.saddoboxing.com/7273-juan-lazcano-2.html ).
Here is my brief account of another Lazcano bout from October 21, 2006 at the Don Haskins Center, El Paso, Texas, where he faced Mexican – Manuel Garnica in a 10-Round, WBA Junior Welterweight Eliminator.
Lazcano was off to a slow start and did very little in the opening round of the contest, hardly throwing a punch in the first two minutes of the frame. However, Garnica kept busy with long-reaching rights and lefts.
Round two was better for Lazcano, he was busier and landed a couple of solid rights but there was some grappling during this round.
In the third round Lazcano threw one or two left uppercuts, but was phased by a left shot from Garnica that landed to the body and he took a step back. It’s clear that Garnica is throwing more body-shots than Lazcano and he has another good round but Lazcano lands a solid right in the closing seconds of the frame.
As they go back to their corners at the end of the fifth, Garnica’s corner tell him he is not going to knock Lazcano out and urge him to make Lazcano miss with his shots and keep notching up the rounds.
It’s a strong sixth round for Garnica who forces Lazcano back on the ropes in the last half-minute of the frame.
As they come out for the ninth round, Freddy Roach tells Lazcano he is behind on the scorecards. It appears to be the ‘kick’ he needed because he throws a solid right in the first minute of the round, but undeterred – Garnica presses forward. There has been little use of a jab from Lazcano and in the last twenty seconds he lunges forward to throw a left that causes him to topple off-balance.
“Wake-up!” Roach tells Lazcano as they come out for the tenth and final round. Lazcano seems to listen to his trainer’s advise as he goes after Garnica in the opening seconds forcing his opponent backwards over the ropes – pressing him back and Referee Sam Garza reprimands him.
It’s a messy last round but both men slug-it-out in the closing seconds and despite the bell clearly signalling the end of the contest, Lazcano continues to throw wild punches and both men end up in the corner locked together and head-butting each other long after the bell. The crowds are in uproar and ‘boo’ their disapproval.
Lazcano wins by split decision: 98-92, 94-96, 97-93
Again the crowd ‘boos’ their disgust at the outcome and this is Lazcano’s ‘home-town’!
Afterwards, Lazcano told presenters he felt he had clearly done the better job and had pressured Garnica. Garnica said he wanted a re-match!
This will be the ’Hispanic Causing Panic’s’ first fight outside of America – and where better than in front of a crowd of 55,000 at the City of Manchester Stadium! Lazcano had better adopt a quicker start when he faces the ‘Hitman’ this Saturday night, otherwise it might be a ‘quick finish’!
