Boxing (10-10-09)

[H2O Man]

Saturday, October 10 - New York, New York (PPV) - junior featherweights: Juan Manuel Lopez (26-0, 24 KOs) vs. Rogers Mtagwa (26-12-2, 18 KOs); featherweights: Yuriorkis Gamboa (15-0, 13 KOs) vs. Whyber Garcia (22-6, 15 KOs)

Juan Manuel Lopez and Yuriorkis Gamboa will be showcasing their skills on a PPV card this weekend, in what may be the final step before facing each other in 2010. Although the featherweight/ junior featherweight divisions do not get the attention that most of the larger weight classes do in the corporate media, boxing fans know that they will be seeing two of the most skilled and exciting fighters in the sport on Saturday. The possible match between these two will indeed be one of the true "super fights" of the decade.

Gamboa had some 250 amateur fights, including winning a 2004 Olympic title, before defecting from Cuba. As Teddy Atlas points out on ESPN’s FNFs, the Cuban fighters with this level of experience often have the ability to transition to the professional ranks, much faster than do amateurs from countries such as the USA. This is due to the experience against world-class competition, and their physical maturity. Gamboa, for example, is 27 years old.

Yuriorkis stands just under 5’ 6", has a 65" reach, and fights comfortably anywhere between 126 and 130 pounds. He is orthodox, has great hand and foot speed, and can deliver powerful shots in rapid combinations. His one weakness thus far has been being decked four times, although one was the result of an elbow, rather than a punch. The three real knockdowns do not appear to be due to a weak chin, so much as to bad balance. (As a general rule, a fighter’s center of balance is in the middle of their chest, and should form a triangle, so to speak, with their feet. When a fighter "reaches" with a punch, without shifting the lead foot, or when they straighten up and throw punches, they can far more easily be decked without being hurt. Balance is everything in boxing.)

Gamboa, ranked 10th by The Ring, has won the NABF Super Featherweight, the WBC International Super Featherweight and the WBO NABO Featherweight titles. His televised fights have drawn the attention of the boxing community, including his explosive first round flattening of tough Johnnie Edwards on ESPN FNF, and second round KO win over previously undefeated contender Marcos Ramirez on HBO’s BAD. He definitely has the ability to win a world title in 2010.

His opponent, Whyber Garcia, is a tough 28-year old from Panama. Almost all of Garcia’s fights have been in his home country,. In his four fights away from home, he has lost three; one lose in his lone fight in Venezuelo (to Edwin Velero in one round), and two of three in the United States. Also, four of his six loses came by way of TKO. Although he has a "puncher’s chance" against Gamboa, it seems likely that he will suffer his 5th knockout loss.

Juan Manuel Lopez started his amateur boxing career at the age of 10, in Puerto Rico. His amateur record was 126-24. He also fought in the 2004 Olympics. The 26-year old southpaw stands 5’ 7", and has a 69" reach. Since turning professional in January, 2005, he has fought at between 120 and 127 pounds. In his most recent fights, he’s been 121 lbs. He owns the WBO Super Bantamweight (aka Jr. Featherweight) title.

Lopez’s record correctly suggests that he is a "fighting machine." He is aggressive, yet has very good defensive skills. He has scored a number of early knockouts; but more impressively, in his fights against better opposition, his non-stop aggression and uncanny punch output has made it impossible for anyone to go a full 12 rounds with him (his last 8 fights were scheduled for 12). It is this work ethic, combined with superior balance, patience, and self-discipline in the ring that will make him an extremely dangerous opponent for Gamboa when they eventually meet.

Lopez is facing journeyman Rogers "The Tiger" Mitagwa, of Tanzania. He is 30, and has been fighting professionally since 1997. When Rogers first came to the USA, in 2000, after fighting for several years in Africa, he was considered a good prospect. He had a number of victories over other good young fighters in Philadelphia. Although he has for for a couple paper titles – and did win one – he wasn’t quite able to win the big fights. And while he is definitely coming into this fight to try to pull off an upset, in what could well be his last big fight, he is an "old" 30 in terms of boxing years. It seems unlikely that he will be able to maintain the intense pace that Lopez fights at.

This should be an interesting card, and should help hold boxing fans over until the start of the Super Middleweight round robin tournament. Enjoy the fights.

[H2O Man]

1. Rumor has it

that Kate Hudson will be watching the fights.

[JonLP24]

2. Now that will get this thread kicking

Sorry I missed it as I didn't see it but that shows me I have to check further down the forum more often. I don't know anything about the fighters except for what you posted above but I do remember Teddy mentioning the Cuban defectors in what I believe was a Rigondeaux fight. I certainly can see how that will boost their maturity as it is really an amazing story for what they go through to do something that they love. I don't know what to add except that I hope you enjoy the fights as I won't be watching. Hopefully they have an ESPN card tonight.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

3. Rogers Mtagwa

You're right that he's a journeyman who seems a little shop worn beyond his 30 years of age. He showed early promise in his career, but his defense isn't very good and he gets hit a lot. He's been in some wars. Did you see the fight on Telefutura (the Spanish station) and Solo Boxeo about a year ago when he fought another journeyman, Tomas Villa? Even though there wasn't a great deal of skill on display, there was as much heart on the part of both fighters as you could possibly want. What a fight! Both guys were hitting each other at will from the first round on. In about round 9, Mtagwa's legs didn't look good and he started to fade. Villa then knocked him down and I thought he was done. I wondered if Mtagwa would even make it out of his corner for the 10th round bell. Somehow, he summoned up the will to get on his feet and he went after Villa, knocking him down and then out. Here's the last few rounds of the fight, a real barn burner:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sPXABfEvW0

Juanma I think should completely outclass Mtagwa. I hope Mtagwa's corner doesn't let him take too much punishment, as I think he has too much heart for his own good. Lopez is well put together and has great skills, being able to fight on the inside and from the outside. I think he might be moving up in weight soon, as he's kind of tall for his weight class.

I completely agree with you about Gamboa. He has great speed and skill but has had some problems with his balance. I think sometimes he squares up too much and spreads his legs too wide, making it harder for him to shift that lead foot with the punch. He may also be letting his fast hands get ahead of his feet in his great aggressive exhuberance. In previous fights, at times he's looked out of control and hasn't used his jab to work his way in. In his last couple of fights, though, he's looked improved to me, exercising a little more patience and more use of the jab and not being as much in love with his blazing hand speed.

I'd love to see these guys face each other. It would be a heck of a fight.

[H2O Man]

4. I didn't see the

fight with Villa, but you are right on target with the point about why the cornermen often let a guy who is "old" in ring age (the opposite of "dog years," I suppose) go on too long. The cornermen often know their man loves fighting, and has the ability to pull it out. And that can make it hard for them to be objective.

When Lopez fought against Filipino Gerry Penalosa, the announcers kept discussing why the fight wasn't being stopped. Penalosa had told them in the pre-fight interview that he loved boxing more than anything. They asked if that included his family? He said yes, definitely. And although he was taking a severe beating, the cagey veteran was able to land some solid combinations on Lopez. So the corner thought, "well, he loves to fight, and he is still landing." The thing is that even though he was landing, as each round went by, his punches had a lot less pop on them. So he was only taking a serious amount of damage to his head -- way, way too much -- in order to attempt to do something that was simply not possible. He took a Manilla beating, but didn't have the ability that a Frazier or Ali had the night they physically destroyed one another, to possibly pull it out. That fight alone will do more long-term damage to the brave Penalosa, than the sum total of his previous career.

Arum will have Lopez fight a unification with Caballero in early 2010, then move up for Gamboa. There is some talk -- but remember this -- of having that fight on the undercard of Mayweather vs Pac Man at Yankee Stadium in June. Arum wants in on what is potentially the biggest one-night promotion in sports.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

5. That fight with Penalosa was brutal

Penalosa was able to block many of Lopez' shots when he was against the ropes but enough were getting in to bust him up. I was amazed at how much punishment the little guy was able to take.

[H2O Man]

6. Outstanding night!

The undercard was good. There were two "live" fights, plus 1/2 of John Duddy's return earlier in the evening on tape. Bob Arum puts on far better undercards than other promoters, especially his old rival, Don King.

Gamboa was explosive. He scored a 4 round TKO. His opponent had planned to counter-punch, and in the first round, did attempt to measure the distance with his right. But Gamboa is extraordinarily fast, and started delivering a hook to the body and then to the head. He was able to land both, before his victim could pull the trigger. Hence, the guy hesitated to engage in the second and third.

The thing is, you are going to get hit, either way. You should at least roll the dice, and try to hit back. He didn't, and he paid the price. The announcers kept saying Gamboa's power is in his right hand, which suggests they haven't been watching closely enough. The first knockdown was from a left-right combination, but the guy was going face-down, even without the right.

Lopez's fight was as intense as any I've seen in years. He attempted to outbox his foe, and had stated he thought he would wear him out in the second half. But this was a "throw-back" fight: like a classic Pep vs Sadler match, each guy was fouling in every round, and those fouls -- which were as intentional as any punches thrown -- took a huge toll. Also, Lopez was trying to out-box the guy, much as Cotto tried to out-box Margarito. With nearly the same result.

Lopez won the first half, but lost the second half. More, he barely escaped being TKOed. The fight could have been stopped in the 12th. Though there were no knockdowns scored, it was as one-sided a round as any I've seen.

I thought Lopez won by a point; my son thought it was a draw; and a friend -- who is a big Lopez supporter -- thought that Lopez lost by 2 points. There really should be a rematch, but there is no way Lopez's people will let that happen.

[JonLP24]

7. Thanks for that

I wasn't able to watch so I enjoy the recap. :thumbsup: