Boxing In Argentina: Garay Leads Way On Big Week In The Land Of Silver

It was a massive week of fights in Argentina this weekend and the action began early as Hugo Hernan Garay met Yuri Barashian for the vacant WBA Light Heavyweight title in famed Luna Park Stadium in Buenos Aires on Thursday.

Australian Danny Green was scheduled to defended his WBA crown against Buenos Aires man Garay but had retired instead, vacating the crown and paving the way for the title bout against Ukrainian southpaw Barashian.

When the contest commenced, Garay displayed clear advantages in speed and ability to take the early rounds against the visitor, who studied Garay as the Ukrainian conserved energy for the long battle ahead.

By the middle rounds, Garay was throwing a shutout with a perfectly balanced attack to the head and body. It seemed if Barashian would never find his way into the fight but the southpaw was soon to make a shambles of that perception.

Barashian started to trade on even terms as the effects of Garay’s efforts slowed the Argentine down in the eighth and in the ninth, Barashian ramped it up and began to rock the local hero with damaging left hand power shots.

This strategy nearly won the day for Barashian as Garay was close to being out on his feet in the tenth and had to use all his experience to hold on and survive the best that the European could dish out.

The final two rounds saw Barashian flagging this time and Garay re-gathered himself to cautiously outbox his rival enroute to posting a 120-108, 118-110 and 118-111 unanimous decision victory.

After two near misses at the WBO title in 2004 and 2005, Garay makes his third grab at world honors count and captures the vacant WBA title in front of an adoring hometown audience.

The 27 year old from the Tigre section of Buenos Aires improves to 31-3 (17) with the biggest win of his career while European Champion Barashian sees a 19 fight win streak snapped to fall to 25-4 (17).

Our coverage stays in Buenos Aires on Friday as heavyweight Hector Ricardo Sotelo, 18-9-2 (6), dropped former WBO Latino Cruiserweight titlist and crosstown rival Adolfo Obando, 10-12-2 (2), in the fifth frame before posting a six round unanimous decision at Unidad Penitenciaria 23.

There was a good card at Estadio Delmi in Salta, where undefeated South American Welterweight Champion Luis Carlos Abregu, 22-0-0 (19), dropped challenger, ex-WBC Mundo Hispano Light Middle titlist Roberto Hernan Reuque, 30-2 (19), twice in the second before knocking him out in the third to defend the title for the first time.

Also on the bill, Carlos Adan Jerez, 27-9-3 (14), won a six rounder over fellow Cordoba man Amilcar Edgardo Funes Melian, 17-6 (14), at light middleweight.

Our final Friday bout took place at Estadio Juan Bautista Rocha in Rio Gallegos where veteran Jose Pedro Ramon Saez, 15-7-2 (8), held prospect Luis Armando Juarez, 8-0-1 (9), to a draw in a six rounder at featherweight.

Saturday saw South American Super Feather Champ Roberto David Arrieta, 28-13-4 (11), knock out challenger Diego Humberto Mora, 10-9-3 (4), in the third at Club Cochico in Victorica.

At Club Deportivo Castelli in Buenos Aires there was heavyweight action as big punching prospect Santander Silgado, 15-0 (14), crushed the seasoned Luis Oscar Ricali, 24-21-2 (17), in two rounds.