IT COULD have been nothing or it could have been a harbinger of illfate that would follow, but the beautiful sombrero worn so proudly by Joel Casamayor as he walked gingerly into the ring, got caught on the ropes and fell when he bent down to enter the ring.
And so he swooped into the ring crown-less with his bald plate fully exposed to the whole world. As the night?s events would later reveal, the sombrero would not be the only thing that Casamayor would lose.
CHECKERS. It was expected to be a chess match, but I would characterize it more as a game of checkers. Joel?s pesky left straight preceded by a long jab had Marquez befuddled in the first two rounds. But the latter would check that in the middle rounds with booming straight right hands of his own.
Casamayor would again resurge and check Marquez? aggression by adjusting his punching distance and reconnecting with that straight left. Check that again by pressing forward and throwing uppercuts by Marquez.
In the 11th, Casamayor got lazy following an exchange and stepped back with his hands down?fully exposing his bearded mug.
It was all that Marquez needed as he clipped the retreating Cuban and down he fell. The follow-up flurry unleashed by Marquez was a lesson for all would-be-champions.
Not all of the punches landed and Casamayor definitely tried to fight back, but Marquez?s feet was planted so well and he was positioned so strategically inside that his blows would not be denied their mark.
THE MAN. Early in the fight, Casamayor seemed to be the stronger fighter, and I attribute this to the fact that he has been in the 135-pound division longer while Marquez was just testing the lightweight waters.
But the bounce in those 37-year-old legs is gone. A younger ?El Cepillo? would have employed a lot of lateral movement and better punch resistance. Still, he put up a good fight. A lesser fighter in there with him that night would have folded.
Afterwards, Marquez? marked face betrayed the signs of battle but he was clearly happy and satisfied with the rousing victory. If Manny Pacquiao has bigger fish to fry, then Marquez is more than willing to establish himself as the man in the lightweight division.
THE MAN NAMED JOAN. My groundhog day came to a grinding halt when I learned quite belatedly that Joan Guzman?s fight with Nate Campbell had to be cancelled after the former elected to cancel the bout.
He was reportedly too sick or too weak after trying unsuccessfully to make the weight, and didn?t want to endanger his health.
Now I know better than to cheer for guy named Joan. Ballooning in-between bouts is arguably quite commonplace for boxers, nowadays. But to reach more than 170 lbs when you are fighting at 135 is downright irresponsible and unprofessional.
DOMINGO?S SUNDAY. Michael Domingo may be ALA Gym?s best-kept secret. But last Sunday at an event dubbed ?Daytime Boxing? which he headlined, that secret may be finally out.
Up against a feared slugger and former world champion in Ratanachai Sor Vorpain, Domingo confirmed that he has definitely stepped up in class. After sampling the Filipino?s nasty hooks to the body, Vorapin started clinching, holding and mauling him during breaks. He also demonstrated some impressive headlocks and takedowns that would have made Randy Couture green with envy.
But Domingo who has fought all over Asia, in France and the USA, refused to be goaded into a slugfest and maintained his composure. He continued to box and break down his tiring and bloodied opponent.
Quite impressive for a guy with a pedestrian record of 37 wins, 14 losses and 16 KOs. This guy has really blossomed under ALA Gym?s tutelage. Note to future Domingo opponents: Don?t look at his record. Look out for his right hand.
THE LAST ROUND. It?s on former Cebu Governor Vicente ?Tingting? De la Serna and his twin daughters, Carrie De la Serna-Unchuan and Marie de le Serna and Tita Nora Zosa, who recently celebrated their birthdays. Cheers!
