A critical look at the past week in boxing
BIGGEST WINNER
Brandon Figueroa – How good is Figueroa? Really well. He told me about his fight with Mark Magsayo on Saturday that he felt he was still considered an easy opponent. Well, if that was the case in the past, it certainly isn’t now. The former 122-pound owner overcame a slow start against a faster, more athletic opponent to knock him down with relentless pressure and win. broad decision, thus positioning himself to claim Rey Vargas’ 126-pound belt. The truth is that Figueroa is a physical freak, an unusually strong, ridiculously fit fighter who always seems to be at his best when things get tough. “It was a tough fight, he’s a tough guy,” said Stephen Fulton Jr., who beat Figueroa. Ya think? I compare Figueroa to Leo Santa Cruz, another aggressive puncher who is very good at knocking down opponents. However, I think Figueroa (24-1-1, 18 KOs) can be more durable than Santa Cruz. That will make him hard to beat no matter who the opponent is. Vargas could be in trouble.
THE BIGGEST FAILERS
Mark Magsayo couldn’t stand the pressure of Brandon Figueroa. Esther Lin / Showtime
Mark Magsayo – Where do I start? I guess given the fact that he initially gained 0.8 pounds from his 126-pound limit on Friday, it was a result of difficulty losing weight or a miscalculation. Either way, that’s not a good omen. His fighting tactics are quite effective, especially in the first third of the match. However, the holding became ridiculously excessive. He justifiably lost two points because of that, although the deductions had no effect on the outcome. And while he performed very well on himself, he clearly lacked in the second half of the game. His inability to gain weight may have played a role in that but you can be sure the main reason is due to Figueroa’s relentless pressure and physical prowess, which can be overwhelming. Positive thing? Manny Pacquiao’s protégé is faster and more athletic than Figueroa, which allows him to dash in, deal damage, and exit in the early rounds. And his explosive punch combo got everyone’s attention. He is a good fighter. He’s just been with the wrong person.
MOST QUESTION POINT?
Figueroa-Magsayo – Sean Gibbons, Magsayo promoter, angry about scoring in the match against Figueroa. The official scores were 118-108, 117-109 and 117-109, meaning one referee gave Figueroa 10 innings and two gave him 9 innings. Judge Zachary Young fed Figueroa the last nine rounds. “You can’t, no matter how you add it up, score in round four [through] 12 for Brandon Figueroa. You can’t do it,” Gibbons told reporters. “…This man fought hard. And everyone witnessed the fight. Even if points are deducted, [it] maybe 15-13, 14-14. But September 17? NO.” Magsayo, who left the ring without being interviewed immediately after the game, said: “If I don’t [get] two deductions, I [thought] I will win the war. I hit him with clear, powerful punches. He feels it. He’s injured.” I agree that the point is too broad, though not outrageous. I scored 115-111 for Figueroa, seven innings to five. And I understand that Gibbons wants to stand up and fight for his boxers. However, the right person won. He dominated the last nine innings even if you lost to Magsayo by a round or two.
BIGGEST WINNER II
Armando Resendiz understands the importance of his achievements. Esther Lin / Showtime
Armando Resendiz – The 24-year-old Mexican youth chooses the right time to deliver the goods his best performance like an expert. Lightweight transition to supermiddleweight transition to middleweight has had an unsettled 2021, delivering a split decision for trail runner Quilisto Madera and losing to Marcos Hernandez in a unanimous decision. He went back to stopping another cruiser, Heber Rondon, in two rounds last October, which resulted in knocking out former unified 154-pound champion Jarrett Hurd on the Figueroa-Magsayo card. . He was prepared. Of course bigger and stronger than Hurd – as well as fit – he fought more forewarned opponents, maneuvered harder than he did, and was never injured. That’s why he was so much ahead when the scheduled 10-round match was stopped after nine innings because of a terrible cut in Hurd’s upper lip. Resendiz (14-1, 10 KOs) celebrated wildly afterwards. Why not? He’s just taken an important step towards becoming a legitimate middleweight competitor.
BIGGEST WINNER III
Teenager Elijah Garcia (left) fought like a veteran against Amilcar Vidal. Esther Lin / Showtime
Elijah Garcia – Nineteen years old? Someone checked Garcia’s birth certificate. The teen from Phoenix fought with the maturity of a veteran against the more experienced Amilcar Vidal (16-1, 12 KOs) and was previously undefeated on the Figueroa-Magsayo card, withstood an attack. ferocious attack from Vidal and return fire in an entertaining match. scrap. And then Garcia delivered most impressive moment on the TV part of the card. He injured Vidal with a right hook and then a series of difficult shots, sending Vidal to the ground. Referee Jack Reiss took a quick look at Vidal and decided he couldn’t continue, it was the right decision. The fourth round knockout was like a premiere party for Garcia (14-0, 12 KOs), who seemed to have the physical and mental tools to succeed in boxing. He says he wants to win a major world title at the age of 21. His performance on Saturday was a sign that anything is possible.
BIGGEST FAILERS II
Jarrett Hurd (right) has a confrontation moment with Armando Resendiz. Esther Lin / Showtime
Jarrett Hurd – Maybe it’s too early to knock out Hurd (24-3, 16 KOs) but he’s not in his strength. He appeared to be a budding star in his title defense against talented tennis player Julian Williams in 2019. Since then, he has been 1-3 down, losing to Williams, Luis Arias and now is Resendiz after returning from a 21-month break. He performed well enough against Resendiz to make me think he should keep trying. Perhaps the long break had made him callous, now not. At the same time, it doesn’t seem like he has the physical advantage at 160 pounds that he has at 154. I suspect that Hurd’s future in boxing will depend more on his determination. anything else. How badly does he want to regain his status as an elite warrior? Is he willing to put in hard work and hard work to achieve success? We will see how this plays out.
