:boxing: Boxing Bits ::03.31.09:: Soto, Montiel, and Chambers Victorious

Not quite a good weekend for boxing progeny, with one suffering a major setback and the other barely making it through, whereas most of the prospects underwhelmed...


:Fri.03.27.09:
Eddie Chambers MD Samuel Peter (Heavyweight) [ESPN2]
--OK match, though Chambers didn't establish himself as a major contender in the division, and Peter (more active here than against V. Klitschko last year, though that's not really saying anything at all) still has a climb to make to get back to the top. Both men, however, need to trim off the fat if either wants to get there...

Shawn Estrada TKO1 Ray Craig (Super Middleweight)


:Sat.03.28.09:
[C] WBC Super Featherweight Champion Humberto Soto TKO4 Antonio Davis

[C] (Vacent WBO Bantamweight Championship) Fernando Montiel KO3 Diego Oscar Silva

[c] (WBC Continental Americas, Latino Super Welterweight Championships) Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. UD(10) Luciano Cuello [PPV]
--In part one of "Bottom-Feeder Eater" Night, the legend's son had quite the difficult night apparently, as he had a hard time overcoming Cuello en route to Win #39 of 40 (one 2005 draw with Carlos Molina that was later avenged). Having thinly escaped another draw, promoter Bob Arum began invoking the names of Oscar De La Hoya, John Duddy, and...Manny Pacquiao as his next opponents. This, however, is completely laughable given that Chavez has spent a little over half of his career padding it against fighters with either hardly much experience or abysmal records (gotta get to 100 like his father, somehow), and could probably get schooled by a fading De La Hoya if he's too self-assured. Of course, in that situation, it would be ideal for the roles to be a reverse of when De La Hoya twice defeated a fading Chavez Sr. on his way up. However, unlike Jr., De La Hoya at least had better competition prior to those match-ups. In short, Arum needs to get Chavez Jr. against higher-caliber, more challenging opponents before rushing to ink a deal against a Pacquiao, or else the whole entourage can kiss his lofty aspirations good-bye on one bad night...

Andre Direll TKO6 (RTD) Derrick Findley (Super Middleweight) [Showtime]
--In part two of "Bottom-Feeder Eater" Night (at a different location), Direll totally outshined the smaller Findley. Really, this fight was over in the second round, when Findley got caught bad near the end of the round, with Direll pouncing on him with vicious shots and power punches. Rather than of wrapping things up in the next round, Direll stretched the one-sided action needlessly until the sixth round, when Findley's corner threw in the towel.

This is neither the first time he's done this, nor is it the first he's done so against a smaller man that posed no threat to him. Andre Direll is essentially the boxing equivalent of a narcissist: someone with obviously impressive skills who would rather fight lesser opponents (in size and skill) that he can take his time in "battling" to admire his own abilities and look good doing so, than actual real competition. It's hard to admire someone that insists on sticking with "baby food" material than moving up to more "solid food" to build a credible and respectable career on. The level of competition that some young, and very covered, prospects are fighting is exactly what leads to a number of them fizzling in tough, top-level fights against better-prepared pugilists. Direll is only one of many that think their abilities and physicality is all they need, but that will only get you so far and often that path makes for a remarkable fall when those blessings diminish with age and against better opposition...

Chazz Witherspoon TKO3 Travis Fulton (Heavyweight)

[c] (Vacent IBA Intercontinental Light Middleweight Championship) Harry Joe Yorgey KO9 Ronald Hearns [Showtime]
--Tommy Hearns's son suffered his first lost in spectacular fashion in a decent bout with the unknown Yorgey. Three knockdowns (the last two being particularly bad) spelt the end for him, whose one given knockdown, heart, and (unrefined) skill couldn't make up for poor posture and good awareness-of-moment reactions from Yorgey. If Hearns had started earlier and improved his skills (and he certainly had some) and style, he could have possibly been a force in the division. But being 30 with only 22 fights fought makes it harder to come back from a bad night like Saturday's and get yourself back to the spotlight.

Anthony Direll KO1 Dominique Azeez (Super Middleweight)
--Younger brother of Andre Direll, who has essentially fought only relative "tomato cans"...like brother, like brother, I suppose (even worse so for him)...

[c] (Minnesota State Middleweight Championship) Andy Kolle TKO3 Anthony Bonsante
--Bonsante, of Contender fame, finally retired, though having never obtained victory in much of any of his most major fights...