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Woods-Johnson, Valero-Mosquera reviewed
www.ringtalk.com
JOHNSON-WOODS III FINALLY & VALERO-MOSQUERA TOO!
08 September, 2006 by Cliff Rold
SPANNING THE VISUAL GLOBE FOR BOXING!
Landover, MD-Like the old opening moments of “Wide World of Sports” announced, “24-K” can be counted on to “span the globe” to make sure that my loyal readers stay well informed of boxing’s happenings. Unlike Howard Cosell and Jim McKay, I can do it right from my couch with a little videotape and some extra time. For the last two nights, that meant catching up on 22 excellent rounds of fistic action in the light heavyweight and junior lightweight divisions.
JOHNSON RUNS INTO ANOTHER ROADBLOCK!
The first of those bouts took place last Saturday in England as homegrown IBF titlist and Ring Magazine #5 contender Clinton Woods (40-3-1, 24 KOs) finally managed to defeat (sort of) #2 Glenn Johnson (44-11-2, 29 KOs) of Jamaica by decision. It was their third meeting with a disputed draw in their first, and a Johnson win in the second. If it was up to me, Glenn would be up 3-0. Beginning in the first round, Johnson’s heavy pressure style allowed him to land first and most often, rattling Woods as he attempted to ward Glenn off with a jab and sharp right counter. That frame went clearly to Johnson while Woods was able to keep it close in the second and third, still being out landed by wide margins in a fight that shrunk to close quarters. That would be the last seen of Woods for a few rounds and Johnson’s momentum began to roll downhill on him.
JOHNSON APPEARED TO OPEN WIDE LEAD ON CARDS!
Through seven rounds, this scribe had Johnson up 7-0 with, as mentioned, only the second and third close. That’s not to say Woods didn’t have moments. However, as was the case earlier this year with Juan Manuel Marquez-Chris John at featherweight, those moments seemed sandwiched between consistent pressure and cleanly landed punches to the body and head. That would change in the eighth round as Woods was able to outland Johnson early and late in the round to narrow Johnson’s lead. It was the precursor to his worst moment of the ninth. A right hook in the ninth would have Woods reeling into the ropes. Johnson would level him with more hard shots, but not the one that could ice his game foe on Woods home turf. It appeared though that the end was near when the bell rang to end the round.
WOODS BATTLES BACK IN CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS!
That was not to be the case. In the final three rounds, Woods would war through nine minutes that testified to his courage and will as a fighter. He outworked a suddenly tired Johnson in the tenth and stepped on the gas again in the eleventh. In the final round, both warriors let it all hang out with Johnson staggered, only to battle back with rough hooks and shots to the body. The crowd roared their approval at the conclusion of the bout, safe in the knowledge that they had just seen the best light heavyweight fight of 2006. They roared again when Woods was awarded a narrow split decision.
WOODS & JOE BIGGEST UK BOUT IN MANY MOONS
For Woods, the stage is set for a potential British superfight with World super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe (41-0, 31 KOs). It should be a chance for a decisive win for Joe, but one never knows in these regional turf skirmishes. Calzaghe’s bout with Rickie Woodhall in 2000 was expected to be one-sided and worked out to be one of the most exciting bouts at 168 this decade. The aggressive style of both fighters should make for a classic clash and chance for both to shine on what will certainly be a rarity…a fight to look forward to on HBO that isn’t on Pay-per-view first (Calzaghe is expected to make his HBO and 175 lb. debuts together). For Johnson, it is another close call that didn’t go the way of the ‘Road Warrior’ but not the end of the world. A rubber match with Antonio Tarver could still net both a hefty payday and, given the action they bring, I’d have no problem with Woods-Johnson IV.
KO BEST WAY TO ELIMINATE HOMETOWN CALLS!
Johnson knows without saying that the best way to eliminate the hometown calls is with a knockout. That’s all Ring #6 130-lber. Edwin Valero (20-0, 20 KOs) knows how to deliver. On August 5, in front of one of the most hostile crowds ever seen, Valero headed into Panama to face local WBA 130 lb. titlist Vicente Mosquera (24-2-1, 12 KOs). Since that date, fight fans throughout the United States waited for the footage to circulate with anticipation just shy of what one could expect were there to be a sequel to E.T. That has been accomplished in the last week, and it was well worth the wait.
VALERO-MOSQUERA LIVES UP TO HYPE!
The first round was a wild affair, marked by two of the hottest ring girls ever seen. Ever. Serious. I’m moving to Panama. Oh, yeah, and then the fight...Valero came right out slinging with both barrels as has become expected from a man who began his career with 18 first round knockouts. For a moment, a 19th first round finish seemed in reach. While two knockdowns were scored in the frame, it was the second that was most damaging, landing Mosquera on the seat of his pants clearly hurt. Through that fog though, a battle broke out with Mosquera landing a right hand that clearly hurt Valero and sent his countrymen into a frenzy. The back and forth bomb-throwing from both men continued through the second and into the third when Mosquera was able to land a left and right in the corner that sent Valero crashing to the floor.
PRECIOUS TIME DENIED MOSQUERA BY FOOLISH FANS!
Make no mistake. The phenom Valero was hurt and Mosquera would have had a chance to finish him off…if not for his own fans. In their ecstasy at the knockdown, Mosqeura’s idiot fans started chucking debris into the ring (beer cups etc.), affording Valero at least ten, maybe fifteen seconds, extra recovery time. They worked and Mosquera never got close again. Both fighters would have moments landing hard shots but Valero never lost control again of the fight after the fourth. A hard right hand in the seventh erased any remaining competitiveness and a dangerous drubbing began. In the ninth and tenth particularly, the crowd subdued, Valero landed one flush power punch after another until Mosquera’s corner stopped the fight and perhaps even saved his life. They should have stepped in a round earlier.
WHERE & WHAT NOW FOR VALERO?
Of course, the buzz now at 130 is what next for Valero? With stars like Marco Antonio Barerra and Manny Pacquiao, along with Jorge Barrios and Joan Guzman, the answer out to be none of the above. Valero has speed and boy does he have power. What he doesn’t have is an ability to get his chin out of the air and it would cost him against the elite. Currently still under medical suspension in the U.S. for a motorcycle head trauma, it has been posited that Valero’s technical faults could be corrected if he had a chance to work at better gyms more often in the States. That may be the case, but until that day Valero must be judged by what we see. He’s fun, and when he’s fighting all fans should be as close to the action as possible, but his flaws would get him beat and beat bad at this stage. That isn’t to say I’d feel the same four or five fights down the road. Valero is as blue-chip a future star as there is. He just isn’t yet what many think he can be. It will be a blast waiting to see if he gets there.
THAT’S ALL FOLKS!
All told, between my LA weekend and these two fights, I couldn’t have asked for better boxing action this week. Many may not realize it, but the world of pugilism is shrinking rapidly and the chance for fans to find new faces in places they never could look before is upon us. Woods-Johnson and Valero-Mosquera are just the tip of the iceberg in ‘spanning the globe’ in an age where technology is making boxing fandom as exciting as it has ever been.
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really want to see both of these fights
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Originally Posted by Starr
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