Photo by Ismael Gallardo/RBRBoxing
Robert Contreras is back to recap the action that was this past weekend.
PBC on Fox Meltdown
Free boxing returned to televisions around the United States. The action provided a lot of talking points—some bad… mostly bad. OK, all bad.
We could talk about how the stool went 2-0 on the night against Amir Mansour and Aron Martinez. Or Danny “No-Look Hook” Garcia’s uncanny ability to hit opponents with his eyes closed.
But this writer will let RBR’s Paul Johnson fill you in on what went down inside the ring.
Let’s talk about Gus Johnson outside of it.
Johnson, one corner of the broadcast team, repeatedly made a fool of himself as a sportscaster and a human being.
He was drowning in his own hyperbole, per usual (do we really all love Floyd Mayweather, Gus?).
And he really outdid himself by shoving insensitive narratives down viewer’s throats all night. Most shockingly, exploiting undefeated Sammy Vasquez’s PTSD, who served eight years with the National Guard.
Kenny Keith, of the Tale of the Tape boxing podcast and a veteran himself, was not amused:
As a Vet, I find it despicable that this announcing crew would discuss a soldiers PTSD, regardless if they had that information or not.
— Kenny Keith (@KennyKeithJr) January 24, 2016
Mansour’s drug trafficking was a common topic, too. Which wouldn’t be too bad if the PBC ever talked about how light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson, basically the company’s flagship fighter, spent nearly 20 years in prison for his violent role in a prostitution ring.
Or how about heavyweight Travis Kauffman’s dark history?
Apia, Somoa
Joseph Parker TKO8 Jason Bergman
Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images
Moving away from the travesty that was PBC’s latest installment, Joseph Parker did his best to prove himself the heavyweight division’s most promising prospect.
The fearsome phenom was extended past seven rounds for just the second time in his career against Jason Bergman (25-12-2, 16 KOs).
A swift left hand from the American that snapped Parker’s head back in Round 1, proved Bergman, a broad to the beam heavyweight, didn’t show up to just roll over. But he didn’t exactly have any intentions of really trading blows with the Kiwi.
Bergman spent the majority of the fight sliding his back along the ropes, hesitant to engage with Parker’s mighty fists. The 24-year-old Parker wasn’t abashed. He calmly stalked his man, showing off likely the fastest hands in the weight class.
Watching heavyweight up-and-comer @joeboxerparker‘s nice KO win from this weekend: https://t.co/dQ3p07tsb7 #boxing @kevinbarrynzl
— Dan Rafael (@danrafaelespn) January 25, 2016
The Fox Sports team was impressed. They went as far as saying the young lad’s mitts were quicker than those of even Muhammad Ali and Floyd Patterson. That’s the kind of hype surrounding a talent like Parker. As so, he reeled off combinations high and low.
Playful lefts touched Bergman’s torso only to be followed by monstrous guard-splitting right hands. One checked Bergman’s chin in the seventh round that sent him crashing to the canvas for the second knockdown of the fight. The first one came in the opening stanza, courtesy of a left hook.
Round 5 saw the Kiwi begin to double up on his left hooks. His wrists snapped shots into Bergman’s liver and before the veteran could react, he would eat another left to the face.
A two-fisted volley in Round 8 dropped Bergman who was positioned on all fours before barely making it to his feet, securing that referee John Conway would stop the abuse.
Parker’s combinations trickle down with fluidity. Two years younger than Anthony Joshua, he has twice the technical polish.
Saturday at Montana, USA
Luis Ramon Campas DQ7 Anthony Bonsante
Yory Boy Campas (106-17-3, 81 KOs) fought last weekend. Yes, that Yory Boy – the one who fought for his first world title in 1994, beating Felix Trinidad for three rounds before being pummeled in the fourth.
The 44-year-old Campas was handed the victory on Saturday after Anthony Bonsante, 45, lifted Campas in the air and threw him to the mat, all but guaranteeing a disqualification.
The debacle ended Campas’ 126-fight career, one made up of nearly three decades of body-punching bloodlust.
He began his career at a 56-0 mark and was never actually put to sleep.
Some highlights of his include stopping Raul Marquez for the IBF super welterweight belt, withstanding brutal onslaughts from Fernando Vargas and Oscar De La Hoya, giving Tony Ayala Jr. a lashing for stepping back into the ring following his imprisonment, and a 12-round thriller with John Duddy in 2006, much past Yory Boy’s best days.
Saturday at Baja California, Mexico
Jose Zepeda TKO1 Ammeth Diaz
José ‘Chon’ Zepeda vence al panameño Ammeth ‘Cloroformo’ Díaz https://t.co/rdBSTyV1m0 pic.twitter.com/tUy46ehe8K — Desde El Ring (@desdeelring) January 24, 2016
Jose Zepeda’s last bout, three months ago, came to an end in Round 1 on advice from the ringside physician. This time Zepeda (24-1, 21 KOs) ended things on his own terms.
Thirty seconds into the very first round, the California native struck Ammeth Diaz (32-12, 23 KOs) with a sweeping right hand to the cranium that Diaz was forced to chase down with a left cross to the midsection.
The exact same combination put Diaz down just a minute later. The Panamanian, a decent talent but an inconsistent one, couldn’t beat referee Jacinto Arambula’s 10 count.
Zepeda returns to the win column following an unlucky two-fight skid.
In June 2015, the California native earned a title shot against WBO-recognized lightweight champion Terry Flanagan. He was, however, unable to answer the bell for Round 3 after suffering a bizarre dislocated shoulder.
The 26-year-old Zepeda is still the No. 1-ranked contender to Flanagan’s WBO title. He would be wise to begin clamoring for a rematch.
Juan Carlos Sanchez Jr. UD10 Jhon Gemino
What a sad sight it was. Juan Carlos Sanchez Jr., a war-torn former champion, may be shot as a fighter at just 25.
Sanchez went into his native Mexico expecting an easy win against Jhon Gemino (12-6-1) following a thorough beating at the hands of a resurgent Cesar Juarez last June.
But the Pinoy sparkplug did not oblige.
Gemino, who looked half the size as “Zurdito” Sanchez, rolled under his opponent’s lazy long jabs and clubbed him with both hands.
Where Sanchez attacked with predictable one-twos, Gemino fired jabs in at varying angles. In close range the Mexican’s midriff was Gemino’s punching bag.
The first half of the bout was a feeling out process.
By Round 7, however, it was all Gemino. Sanchez, who has never turned down a brawl, attempted to charge at the smaller man but was met with flurries of punches.
Sanchez managed to rattle Gemino in the ninth and steal back a round. The Pinoy, though, jogged off the daze and returned to work in the final stanza, bouncing in from every angle with more assaults – simultaneously charging forward and stamping in uppercuts from both hands.
It was all for not; the three Mexican judges saw to it that Sanchez was given the victory on the cards.
The 23-year-old Gemino, despite his ugly record, may have a future in this sport. He’s riding a three-fight losing streak but he had a great bounce to his step and he can operate with both hands well. The only knock against him is his small size for a junior featherweight.
The 122-pound division has not treated Sanchez well, either. He is now 2-1 (should be 1-2) since jumping up from super flyweight where he was last seen outpointing Zolano Tete before being knocked out.
