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Inoue, Tank Davis Teach Moloney, Santacruz Hard Lessons in Giving Due Respect to Foe By Teodoro Medina Reynoso PhilBoxing.com Sun, 01 Nov 2020  Not only Leo Santacruz and Jason Moloney somewhat underestimated their respective weekend foes, Gervonta 'Tank' Davis and Naoya 'The Monster' Inoue. They also did not give due regard and respect to their touted opponents' ability to put them away given the opportunity, or in the case of Inoue, at his will or choice. As a result both paid dearly for their folly, losing by way of their first career knockout defeats. Davis needed six hard fought rounds to put away Santacruz but he scored the more impressive and dramatic knockout, suddenly sending the Mexican collapsing in a heap with a ponderous well timed left uppercut near the end of the fateful sixth round. Santacruz was already senseless before he hit the canvas near the ring apron prompting the referee to dispense with the count and wave the fight off. Inoue took a round more but his counter right that felled Moloney for the full count was but a delayed denouement, a foregone conclusion after he had earlier downed his Australian challenger with a similar shot in the sixth. That hard knockdown was a rude awakening for Moloney who had earlier showed little awe and respect the punching power of the Japanese unified world champion. The realization came quite late for the Australian who had declared before the fight that if he hurt Inoue sooner or later, he would not let him off the hook like he said Nonito Donaire did. Actually, despite the common ending, the two fights were in contrast to each other. Santacruz, in departure to most expectations that he would box defensively and smartly using his height and reach advantage, stood toe to foe and even at many times took the fight to the stockily built Davis. The proud Mexican two division champion might have been miffed by pre-fight predictions that he would lose to the power punching American, mostly by knockout. Surprisingly, the fighter also known for his alias as Terremoto had been successful from the opening bell, troubling the smaller Davis with his long jabs and bristling volume punching assaults. He even had Davis on the floor in the second round but the referee called it either a slip or a push. Emboldened further, Santacruz continued with the strategy of bringing the fight to Davis with long jabs and volume punching in the next three rounds, forcing the American to miss with his shots, including his vaunted uppercuts and reducing the American to countering with single shots for most parts. Davis, however, though hit and jarred more often in the exchanges, showed no ill effect from the Mexican hard punches. Perhaps sensing that he was trailing on scorecards, Davis upped his pressure in the fifth and began targeting Santacruz body for which he would later be warned for low blow. 
Davis turns his back on a fallen Santacruz to head to a neutral corner. The sixth started like the previous rounds with Santacruz throwing most of the punches but Davis now applying more pressure. In one instance, Davis seemed to have Terremoto hurt with a hard punch but the Mexican came back with a bristling attack of his own that forced Davis on the ropes. After that, the two fighters engaged in a spirited action near a corner with Santacruz swinging with his usual combinations. Davis seemed to have waited for this opportunity and after timing a Santacruz missed shot that left him momentarily open, connected a well placed uppercut that separated the Mexican from his senses. The Inoue-Moloney was competitive only in the first few rounds with both fighters having their moments. Moloney was able to get Inoue's attention and ire, with a hard punch to the face for which the Australian was stung later by the Japanese with a blow to the face and later the body. But Moloney seemed unperturbed and in the sixth round, he tried to surprise Inoue by doubling his jab. To his own surprise and horror, Inoue merely took a step aside and blasted him with a counter hook preempting his second shot. Moloney took the mandatory count and was a different fighter after that, his confidence all but vanishing, despite words of encouragement from twin brother Andrew on his corner. Inoue seemed bent on punishing Moloney for his gumption and playfully tormented the Australian for the remainder of the round, hitting him with painful shots to the face and body, sapping whatever is left of his fighting spirit. 
Inoue finally decided to stop playing with the prey in the next stanza and ended his misery with a quick counter from yet another seemingly half hearted jab from the Australian. Moloney had also said before the fight that Inoue was a special fighter but he could be beaten as Donaire came close to doing. Inoue indeed showed signs he was beatable in his last fight versus Donaire but the Filipino was a multi weight division titlist and is a surefire Hall of Famer. It was a folly on Moloney's part to think that he was half as tough and accomplished as Donaire. The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.  |
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