I DO not necessarily subscribe to the view that the reason for Rey ?Boom-boom? Bautista?s defeat at the hands of Daniel Ponce de leon was the fact that he may have been rushed too soon into a title bout.
Sure, it could have been a factor, as his inexperience and ring immaturity accounted for his lapses in defense, but more than anything else, it was his shaky chin that betrayed him.
If your chin is your waterloo, it won?t matter much whether it?s your first fight or you?re one hundredth. If it gives, it gives.
Before you bring up the fact that Ponce de leon is one of the hardest punchers around, remember that ?Boom-Boom? also tasted the canvas against Gerardo Espinoza and received a standing eight count against Sergio Manuel Medina.
Remember also that Gerry Penalosa, a more diminutive and less imposing physical specimen than Bautista, lasted all of twelve rounds against de Leon. Gerry even stood there and traded with him the whole time.
El FEROZ. Just like Bautista, Fernando Vargas was a young undefeated prospect going into his fight with veteran powerpuncher Felix Trinidad in December 2000.
He dubbed himself ?Ferocious? and had a fearsome record of 20-0 (18 KOs), to back it up. He was extremely confident and resolute in his belief that it was his time to shine.
He also proudly wore the IBF junior middleweight belt, and owned wins over tough grizzled veterans Yory Boy Campas and Ike Quartey.
And that is why his handlers reasoned out that he was not being rushed into facing one of the greatest champions of the modern era. Fernando is ready for ?Tito?, they proclaimed.
What they did not know was that having a world-class chin couldn?t be taught. Of course, the fact that Vargas? defense consisted mainly of leading with his face during exchanges, did not help matters.
In the very first round, Trinidad deposited Vargas to the canvas twice and it was only through sheer guts and will power that the latter managed to survive until the 12th round. In that fight, Vargas was knocked down five times.
In the years that followed, Vargas would try to rebuild his career. When faced with B-level fighters who couldn?t whack, he would acquit himself very well, beating the likes of Javier Castillejo and Raymond Joval.
But he couldn?t stand up to the superior firepower of A-list fighters like Oscar de la Hoya and Shane Mosely and was knocked out by both.
Bombarded with some serious leather, his brittle jaw could not withstand the hammering and the pounding. It failed him where his courage would not.
Just like what happened to ?Boom- Boom.?
Whether or not he was too green for Ponce de leon may be beside the point. With a shaky chin, who knows, he may never be ready for him at all.
DEFENSE IS THE KEY. I?m not saying that Bautista may never become a champion someday. He can still do it. He just has to work double time on improving his defensive technique. You know, anything that will prevent that jaw from being hit.
Repeatedly.
Lennox Lewis, one of the greatest heavyweights in the modern era, was thought to be one who had a glass jaw, having suffered one-punch knockouts at the hands of Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman.
Current heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko is another example. He wilted under pressure from Lamont Brewster and Corrie Sanders, but was able to come back and revive his career.
It?s doable. The good thing is that Rey is still young and coachable (I hope!)
THE LAST ROUND. It?s on the Ejurango couple Pol and Bebe, who were our gracious hosts at the family-owned Lea?s Sunset View beach resort located at Kawit, Medellin where we watched the World Cup while gulping down several last rounds paired with some grilled ?bali-ad.?
