When Julio Caesar Chavez Jr. pulled out of the Top Rank PPV, ?In Harm?s Way? early last week because he said he had flu-like symptoms, (chills, weak in the knees and cold feet), after he heard the late fill-in for Alfonso Gomez would be the rugged Pawel Wolack, it seemed the Anaheim card was doomed. Thank goodness promoter extraordinaire Bob Arum didn?t give up on the card. While we are giving thanks let?s throw some the way of Chavez Jr. for relieving boxing fans of his tired SPOILED BRAT act once again.
With a little last minute shuffling Arum put WBC Lightweight Champ Humberto Soto vs. Urbano Antillon in the top slot and it turned out to be one hell of a Main Event! Who would have thought that one week out from the great Marquez vs. Katsidis scrap that we would be saying that Soto vs. Antillon could be the best Lightweight title fight in 2010?
It would be hard to make an argument against the ?In Harm?s Way? tussle.
For 12 rounds these two Mexican warriors went at it a nonstop pace that left many at ringside wondering how they both lasted the entire night. Bombs were dropping at a rapid clip and when Soto wasn?t peppering Antillon with rapid uppercuts the never take a backward step Antillon was letting loose with his own fair share of artillery fire.
This one was close and very hard to score. Making things even more difficult was the fact that Antillon was deducted a point for a low blow, call it a very a questionable low blow in round 5. It was a round that Urbano won on 2 scorecards but with the penalty it evened it up. With final scores of 115-113 and 114-113 twice, a little quick arithmetic tells you this should have been a majority decision Draw.
Don?t feel bad for Urbano though, after the fight Arum told the crowd of 3,200 that Antillon would get another title shot on the Soto vs. Brandon Rios card next year. Arum said IBF Champ Mickey Vazquez would be Antillon?s next title challenge. Maybe an immediate rematch was in order for Antillon but if he and Soto take care of business next year you can be sure to see them in another war before 2011 comes to an end.
As for Chavez Jr., who was supposed to be on the verge of a fight with Miguel Cotto if he was victorious, this pull-out did him no good at all and the powers that be have already put him on the back shelf. The truth is he should fit right in with the rest of the tomato cans in that cupboard.
Dunno About Donaire
I know a lot of my brethren at ringside were very impressed with the performance of the new WBC Interim Continental America Bantamweight Champ Nonito Donaire on Saturday night but the dismantling of Volodymyr Sydorenko didn??t do much for me. Oh sure, The Filipino Flash looked brilliant with his 4th round KO, but what did it really accomplish? Sydorenko had fought just twice in the last 2 years and with the loss he is 1-3 in his last 4 fights. If Donaire wasn?t blue in the face from all the ?make a statement? talk he was blathering, I was. Seems to me if he really wanted to make a statement he would have accepted a spot in the Showtime Bantamweight tournament set to kick off this weekend.
If Counting To Ten Is Wrong Your Name Is Marlon B. Wright
I?m not sure if you caught the fight from Canada between Renan St-Juste and Sebastian Demers on Friday night, but if you didn?t see it you missed referee Marlon B. Wright at it again. You may remember Wright, he is the one who ruined a sensational finish by Librado Andrade in his first fight with Lucian Bute. Wright?s concern for Andrade being in the neutral corner while Bute was all but KO?d in round 12 saved Lucian and his title on that night.
On Friday night he did it again.
In round two St-Juste nailed Demers with two left hands that sent Demers down and thumping the back of his head on the canvas hard?he was out! Instead of counting Wright went Keystone Cop and started chasing St-Juste around the ring in a useless attempt to get him into his neutral corner. Never mind Demers who was clean out and possibly choking on his mouth piece. Finally Wright went over to Demers and counted, ?9-10?, and then he waved it off?good job Marlon.
Check out www.Pound4Pound.com for all the lates boxing news
