Last Saturday morning here in Kuwait (Friday night ET) I wasn't able to finished watching the entire Boxcino lightweight tournament on "Friday Night Fights" via live-streaming. Thanks to Ryan Bivins of sweetboxing for his usual efforts in uploading every FNF edition. Actually this is my first time to watch a boxing tournament. And I don't even know what Boxcino is, that it was already aired in the past by FNF in 1997, wherein former junior lightweight and lightweight champion Acelino "Popo" Frietas was the champion. Searching few keywords on Google let me know few things about Boxcino.
On Sunday night I was able to watch the entire fight and here' my review.
[Also: Ring of Gold Results: Sonsona Dela Torre and Ancajas big time winners]
Chris Rudd UD-7 Yakubu Amidu
Chris Rudd (13-1, 8 KO) won an upset towards a very competitive and veteran opponent from Ghana, Yakubu Amidu. The bout was initially scored by the judges as a draw. But to my surprise, the tournament has a unique rule compared to a regular professional boxing match. The bout is scheduled for 6-rounds. But in the case of a draw, which happen to be the case for this bout; the bout is extended for another one round as a "tie-breaker". So, the bout went round 7, for the judges to once and for all score the round and hopefully break the draw. Although, personally, I have Rudd winning in the regular regulation because he was able to beat Amidu (21-5-2, 9 KO) from outside, which is Rudd strength because he's the taller fighter. And while from the inside, Rudd, is also competitive (Amidu should have capitalize fighting from inside because of his height disadvantage). But anyway it was too close that I don't bothered by the judges called it a draw. The deciding round even convinced me more that Rudd deserved the win. In round 7, Rudd stick to his advantage and fought from outside, smartly shifted to southpaw stance to keep Amidu at bay. Amidu wasn't able to counter that move and can't force the action from the inside. With the win Rudd advances to the semi-final round.
Petr Petrov UD-6 Fedor Papazov
Two Russian collides. Petr Petrov gave Fedor Papazov firs t defeat as a pro. Both guys were trading hard shots that I'm surprised why the fight came to the final bell? I mean, after exchanging hard shots I expected someone will go down. Petrov wrestled the semi-final spot because I think he's the one who is more accurate and consistent during the heated exchanges. He also followed up shots after every exchanges that caught clean Papazov that now dropped to 14-1 (9 KO).
Miguel Gonzalez SD-6 Miguel Mendoza
This match-up has been so far was the downside of the Boxcino lightweight tournament because as you know Gonzalez (23-3, 16 KO), has a style that wasn't crowd-pleasing to the point that people in the arena booed the fight. Gonzalez won to the scores of 58-56, 58-56, and 56-58. What I observed in this fight is that both have slower hand-speed compared to the first two bout. Take note that all these match-ups are in the lightweight division and they look too tired after the sixth round.
Fernando Carcamo TKO-2 Samuel Neequaye
This final bout was the only match-up in this Boxcino lightweight tournament that ends with a stoppage. In the first round although Neequaye (21-1, 15 KO) was knockdown; it was obvious that he wasn't hurt. It has something to do with the position of his feet that made him down after he was hit to the body. Personally, I have Neequaye won that round. He landed the harder shots in the first round. But one flaw I noticed from him -- his defense. In round two, Neequaye's flawed defense (he put his guard too low) was exploited by Carcamo. Carcamo (16-5, 13 KO) caught Neequaye clean shots during exchanges. He wobbled Neequaye several times before referee Jay Nady stepped in to stop the fight.
The Boxcino lightweight tournament will resume on March 28 for the semifinal round with the below match-up.
- Chris Rudd vs. Petr Petrov
- Miguel Gonzalez vs.Fernando Carcamo
On February 28 in Hammond, Indiana Boxcino Middleweight tournament will kick-off. Another eight middleweights will battle.
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