Bad Left Hook Live Boxing Results and Commentary: Yonnhy Perez v. Joseph Agbeko II and Vic Darchinyan v. Abner Mares

A big thanks to HBO & Showtime for counter-programming 4 fights that I want to watch after suffering through 2-3 months of nothing earlier in the year!

As problems go, “too many good fights on” isn’t a bad one to have, but it woulda been nice if HBO had, say, pushed their card back to 10.

Scott, if you put a thread up for the HBO card, I would appreciate it. I can even do a little commentary, if you like (and Brick isn’t already on it). I’d do it myself, but yours look so much better with the images and all (though I can do a bare bones one if you want me to). If you do, please put a “no spoilers” warning in the post, as Showtime is replaying their card immediately after the HBO card, and I hope to watch it fresh.

I will be watching the first half hour of the Showtime card here.

iiiiiiitttt’ssss SHOWTIME!

And it’s Steve instead of Gus. Hot dog!

I’m excited. And deeply annoyed at HBO.

4 man tourney trend is a great thing for the sport.

Just get to the fights. Please.

Didn’t King King bring in a blonde on a leash once?

That skull scarf is really creepy. Yikes.

I have a bag of chilli seasoned cheese popcorn that I’m going to devour….along with some Bushmills..the wife is doing her Christmas cards…

So I’m going to say now that being 34 years old is not something in Vic’s favor, and if he starts looking old really soon (even tonight), I’m not going to be surprised. 34 year old bantamweights aren’t common.

I can’t remember ever seeing this referee in my life.

The referee reminds me of my high-school vice principal.

Vic has his “I’m going to eat this guy’s face” look tonight.

Feeling out first minute as they size up one another. Vic shoots a straight left. Left again. Mares with a little shot up the middle, kind of a tentative uppercut. Actually Vic might be trying to box, he’s pretty reserved so far. But we said that against Tomas Rojas too. Mares going to the body. Darchinyan UNLEASHES some power shots. Mares bleeding from the forehead, probably a clash of heads. That’s streaming pretty damn good, over the left eye. That could be an issue. Mares sneaks in a right, then ducks a laser left. Good first round, now we see where it goes.

Darchinyan 10-9

Close round.

10-9 Mares. More combinations; I think the cut stemmed his momentum, though.

Darchinyan lobstering around now. Mares complains about a low blow. Right hand by Mares. Darchinyan loads up a left that comes in too far to land clean. Nice combination from Mares, good looking stuff. Mares landing well to the body and starting to show his skill. BIG LEFT AND DOWN GOES MARES! Just a flash knockdown, he’s right up. That’s Vic Darchinyan for you. First time he’s ever been down. This was Abner’s round until that.

Straight left by Vic. Vic looking for home run shots with his left. Another good one just misses landing flush. His left is there for him. Mares looks a little tight to me. Right hook Darchinyan catches Mares coming in. Both throw at the bell.

Darchinyan 10-8
Darchinyan 20-17

Mares’ round, and there it went. Interesting fight; Mares can definitely hit Vic more frequently, but I’m not convinced he can miss the loaded up shots as much as I expected.

I feel like I’m watching a Diane Sawyer interview

Both guys are just that little bit off on a lot of shots, but the cleanest stuff seems to be coming from Vic. Mares starting to really look tight. Darchinyan wants the big shots. Good left to the body by Vic. Right hook by Vic thuds off the top of the head. Vic bouncing around the ring, trying to find a moment to open up with something huge. And that’s neutralizing Mares, who just doesn’t seem to be all there. And that blood is really flowing, too. Mares with a nice shot as they both throw. Both men throwing heavy shots at center ring now. Good right by Mares! His best punch, and then Vic cracks him right back with a left.

Darchinyan 10-9
Darchinyan 30-26

That’s about the same level as Barrera vs. Khan

Mares isn’t looking bad at all, but he’s getting tagged pretty regularly.

Mares is not fighting his fight. Ah, the frustration of youth.

Doctor now

Oh, come on.

Anyway, 9-9 round for me

Mares lands a right, and he’s coming in fast this round. Left hook Mares. This might be ready to “pop off,” as they say. Who they are, I’m not sure. Vic with a big left. Left hand Vic, but Mares counters and Darchinyan dances away. Both guys are very aware that the other can fight, if you will. Darchinyan with a left. Mares starting to handle the pace very well. Referee calls time and TAKES A POINT from Mares for a low blow. He did warn him before. But boy, Mares is just getting steamrolled with bad luck so far in this fight. This is like Delvin Rodriguez’s career boiled down into four rounds.

Mares 10-9
-1 to Mares
Darchinyan 39-35

I’m not crazy about the point deduction, but he warned him a few times.

That wasn’t a Superman punch, that was a Batman punch

Stylistically, this is a pretty fascinating fight, though I have Vic soundly ahead.

Mares just went low again. Uppercuts from Mares now. Darchinyan is just all over the ring in this fight. Darchinyan being warned for stiff-arming Mares in the face. Now he gets warned with a moment’s stop, and he makes faces like it should be OK. Vic’s a weird dude. Left to the body by Darchinyan. This is a mean little fight now. Mares reacts to another little glove-in-face tactic. Mares with a great left hook. Darchinyan is throwing big bombs. MARES WITH HUGE SHOTS! HOT DAMN!

Mares 10-9
Darchinyan 48-45

Mares is starting to land hard shots.

Vic looks old. I thought he was starcrossed from the start, but he has plenty of time to show who is he here.

great fight….the ref is being instrusive but the fighters are making it so…..low blows, stiff arms…head butts…not an easy fight to ref…

Abner Mares owns.

does Darchinyan not like Mares’ body attack? He looked hurt after a left hook in, I believe the third round.

And it looks like the cut on Mares is a bit more under control now.

Vic looked surprised that Mares was still standing after that one. It SOUNDED like a shotgun.

Great round.

Mares DIGGING with body shots and I think he’s hurting Vic. Darchinyan taking a pounding in the corner! Vic looking tired. Oh man, this is turning in a big, big way. Darchinyan has moved so much I think he’s worn himself out. Mares is picking up the pace. Left hand Darchinyan! Mares fires back. Mares is starting to stalk Vic now. Left hook Mares. I will also say that just like last year against Agbeko, Vic does not look QUITE as powerful at 118. He just doesn’t. NOt that he can’t still crack, but he’s not as brutal.

Mares still going to the body. Sticking with that despite getting a point taken for low blows shows real commitment. Pretty great stuff by a young, bloodied fighter. I’m becoming a big Mares fan here. HUGE LEFT HAND BY DARCHINYAN! Good God! And Mares barely budges! This kid can fight. Mares with another good counter. Another shot by Darchinyan, right on the money. Damn good round.

Mares 10-9
Darchinyan 57-55

This is why I love guys who do good body work.

Vic hasn’t brought his power up to bantamwt, which is why he’s landing but with less effect…

Massive Mares round with a few flashy Vic moments. Either Mares has a great chin, Vic really isn’t a bantamweight, or, gulp, both.

And Vic is complaining about low blows? /wank gesture

I thought if this was a brawl, Mares would’nt be able to take Darchinyan’s shots, boy was I wrong!

Helluva fight.

Good little counter hook by Vic. Darchinyan still moving around constantly. COUNTER SHOT AND DOWN GOES VIC DARCHINYAN! Darchinyan thought he slipped, apparently. But we’ll see. He doesn’t look hurt, but you just never know. What a fight this is becoming. I like that Tarver calls him “Victor Darchinyan.” Good left by Vic. Nasty left uppercut inside by Vic. And there’s a straight left mostly blocked by Mares. GOOD left by Vic. He can’t dent Mares. He just can’t dent him now.

Mares 10-8
65-65

Replay: Darchinyan was off balance, feet didn’t appear to be tied up. Jab landed.

That might have been a slip, but Vic’s footwork was so awful, let it slide.

hell of a fight

Did someone just call Vic a well-rounded fighter?

He’s swiping at it from time to time

Hook by Mares, now a straight right. Darchinyan just looks like he’s lost steam outside of his one-at-a-time bombs. His combos look like they’re just for show. But he’s settling back in to a bit of a rhythm here, too. Hard left by Vic. Mares got one in, too. Straight left by Vic. Another left by Vic, that one a but of an uppercut. Left hook Mares. Right hand by Mares. Real close round with 20 seconds to go. Left hand Darchinyan is just short. Both throw but don’t land to end the round.

Darchinyan 10-9
Darchinyan 75-74

Mares’ output seemed to be a bit down that round, and Vic was landing cleaner than he had been for a few rounds.

Big shot by Mares stings Darchinyan! Mares with good body shots after. Now Mares is going after it! Right to the nose by Mares, and an uppercut gets in after! Mares being warned for… I don’t know, the ref needs to chill a little. Or a lot.

Darchinyan with an uppercut now. About a minute left in the round, which has been Mares’ to this point. Mares pressing him and throwing hands yet again. Both landing shots. Vic isn’t moving like he did earlier. It’s more straight back than lateral movement than before. Good straight left by Vic.

Mares 10-9
84-84

What happens to the tourney if there’s a draw?

That cut looks like the Grand Canyon …..

My god, what a chin on Mares!

Story of the fight right now, is the ref saying “You’re holding him!” to…Mares.

Mares coming at him again. Vic looking more for counter shots. He might even serve himself well to throw down and brawl now. They’ve both taken shots very well all night, so i don’t know who — if anyone — would go down, but that might be Vic’s best bet as this has tightened up. Mares has been flashier and just looked like the better boxer most of the time since round three on. 30 seconds left, round can be stolen if Vic can make a rush. Both throw hooks, Mares’ was better. Mares with a straight right that lands clean. Vic lands big, Mares comes back, and they brawl until the bell.

Mares 10-9
Mares 94-93

I don’t care what happens from this point forward, this is the fight of the year for me.

Closeish round, though. There’s been at least two rounds that I think could’ve gone either way.

Mares is going to lose this fight, and I am going to be really angry. And I wasn’t even a fan. There’s my prediction.

This is a hell of a fight. Has a bit of everything, really. Good brawling, good boxing, chippy attitudes on both sides, blood, great chin displays.

Vic can do nothing but swing from his heels. He’s a parody of himself right now.

Mares seems in control now. Vic is right there with him, really, but it feels like Mares’ fight at this point. Both guys are fighting their asses off. Mares with a right, and a left goes a bit low. Mares just landing more. Both are running out of gas, and rightly so. They’ve used a lot. Big left hook by Mares stuns Darchinyan momentarily! Darchinyan eating rights! Vic fighting but doesn’t seem all there! And he ties up. Vic is running on fumes. Vic looking for huge shots, Mares picking at him. Darchinyan, as Steve Albert astutely puts it, looks desperate. Another terrific round.

Mares 10-9
Mares 104-102

This should be a good one

Vic is throwing everything he has out there, but he’s not budging Mares.

Vic might not see the end

Well-deserved standing ovation to start the round.

Mares going right after him! Right hand by Mares. He’s chasing Vic down. He’s the man going forward, has been for much of the fight. Vic’s spent. Mares really firing away, Darchinyan has no energy. Good left by Vic to the body, about all he’s got left. Vic kind of laying on Mares, trying to find him with big lefts. There’s half a round left in another Fight of the Year contender. A wonderful fight. This referee is plain awful at this point, though. But I’ll try to ignore him.

Darchinyan with a body shot. Mares still coming forward and throwing. Vic tying up a lot. But Vic has gotten in good counter shots all round, too. Good chopping left by Darchinyan! Darchinyan doing tons of holding. 20 seconds to go. Good left by Vic! Mares throwing big! Darchinyan with another good left! NOW THEY SWING WITH 10 SECONDS TO GO!

WOW! What a fight!

10-10 for me
Mares 114-112

I don’t think there were enough close rounds to give Vic the fight, honestly. God damn great fight.

Hell of a fight. I do feel that Mares won though.

I thought he landed the bigger shots there

Take in the greatness, everyone, because God knows what we get in a few moments.

Vic was on fumes the 12th round

Thats a lot of blood he lost throughout the fight, and a lot of lefts he ate too

I’m terrified right now. Even more than when I saw Abner’s skull kerchief.

This has to be the fight of the year front runner

115-111 Darchinyan
115-112 Mares
115-111 Mares

ABNER MARES by split decision

I’m

I was terrified after the first score was read.

Phew. Awesome. I want that Perez-Mares rematch, damnit.

NEXT FIGHT NOW

What fight was Hameda watching? He gave FIVE extra rounds to Vic?

“I obviously knew it was going to be a split decision because I closed again.”

…………………………uhhh.

I actually held my breath

Asking the standard “Who are you looking to fight next?” after a tournament fight is pretty stupid. There’s only one right answer: “Whoever’s next.”

Vic’s being classy about this.

i’m in canada and hbo canada is gonna air it in like an hour.

most excuses after a fight…..

I’m not skipping Khan-Maidana for Perez-Agbeko II. I’m just not. I can’t do it. I don’t think it’s as good of a fight.

I’m wating for the blonde on a leash….then over to Khan-Maidana WITH THE SOUND OFF…..

I’ll RBR this one

OK now I’m working on a double shot of 188 Reposado…..

I know this ain’t a beauty contest, but boy, Yonnhy Perez is one ugly dude.

“Avetgo” = “Agbeko” in Tarverland

Perez coming forward to start. These two are starting out where they left off last time – Perez moving forward behind a lot of punches, Agbeko moving backwards behind a lot of punches. Perez throwing a lot, which is flashy, but Agbeko seems to be landing the harder shots, and Agbeko is blocking a lot of punches at this point. Agbeko under control more than the last fight, looking to concertedly counterpunch, and succeeding a great deal. Nice left hook by Agbeko with about 10 seconds left.

10-9 Agbeko

Agbeko seems to be the only fighter to throw a body shot so far. Big right hand by Agbeko. Perez starting to bob and weave more and not just walk forward behind a steady rain of punches. Perez keeps throwing somewhat pitty pat combinations, and Agbeko is countering him with full combinations at times, which is nice. Agbeko seems to have focused a lot on defense and countering, and pretty much doing just that, he had a completely dominant round.

10-9 Agbeko
20-18 Agbeko

I’m so sick of these fat boxers who clearly aren’t in shape.

Looks like I was wrong about rust.

Perez comes out as determined as ever. He seems really focused on throwing his jab now, and the action gets stopped to retape Agbeko’s glove.

Perez gets Agbeko in a corner, Perez lands some nice shots to the body, but Agbeko lands the flashier shots up top. Perez tries a couple of uppercuts, but Agbeko dodges them and fires right back with a couple of hooks over the top. Perez seems to be throwing more punches still, but Agbeko’s punches are stronger and quicker. But they’re also wider, so there’s no reason Perez can’t correct some of his problems and come back later.

Agbeko 10-9
Agbeko 30-27

Agbeko is showing some seriously improved head movement and does great work, even when against the ropes.

The two exchange in the middle of the ring, but Agbeko lands a few good shots. Big right hand by Agbeko gets the crowd going. This Agbeko looks WAY better than the Agbeko who fought Perez last time or beat Darchinyan. He’s fighting intelligent, he’s picking his spots, he’s pretty slick on defense and when he’s throwing, he’s landing with good accuracy.

Agbeko starting to get a little more sloppy now, keeping his hands down and trying to shimmy a bit. Perez still isn’t hitting him, and Agbeko nails Perez with a hard counter. Perez with a cut over his left eye, which was probably from a punch, since these guys really haven’t fought close at all. Agbeko is just landing lead rights over and over again, and Perez seems a little slower than he did in his last few fights.

10-9 Agbeko
40-36 Agbeko

Cut officially ruled to be from a punch. Agbeko with a nice three punch combination to start out the round. Perez is still coming forward, but he’s not throwing nearly as many punches because Agbeko is just slipping them and countering anyway. Perez finally with a nice right uppercut left hook combo, but it just doesn’t have as much impact as the right hook Agbeko counters him with.

Perez with a nice right hand. And another. Perez coming forward and starting to land a little more. Agbeko, still trying to counter, but looping his shots just a bit more. Easily Perez’s best round of the night, but I do think Agbeko still nicked it.

10-9 Agbeko
50-45 Agbeko

Great Round!

Perez and Agbeko get into a firefight in the corner, but Perez got the better of that exchange. Agbeko slips out of the corner and nails Perez with a three punch combo. Perez now getting back to a crazy workrate, has Agbeko stuck on the ropes, and is actually landing volume now. Agebko moves out of the way and hits him back with a few punches. Perez is digging deep here. The two are duking it out now. Bombs away in the middle of the ring.

Agbeko is standing there and trading. Now it’s looking just like the last fight. Both guys have probably thrown over 100 punches in this round. Perez nails Agbeko with a huge shot that rocks him with about 10 seconds left. The tide of this fight has turned, hard and quick. Great round to top it off.

Perez 10-9
59-55 Agbeko

Perez comes forward, lands a huge right hand. This is turning into the second great fight in a row on the same card – how often does that happen? Perez coming forward with punches in bunches, and he’s throwing with a lot more conviction than he was early in the fight. BIG counter right hand by Agbeko, and he gets Perez to back off for 10 seconds. Perez comes right back forward and times a great right uppercut that makes Perez’s head snap back.

These guys are just going crazy! Huge back and forth, winging bombs in the corner. Agbeko finally sneaks out of there. Perez is stalking him, but Agbeko is slipping his punches again and countering. After a couple of rounds of being lured into a brawl, Agbeko is back to doing what he did for the first four rounds. Close, competitive round, but I feel like Agbeko won that one with the bigger shots. I do realize that some folks may have this fight much, much closer than I do though. A few rounds that could go either way have all been scored to Agbeko by me.

10-9 Agbeko
69-64 Agbeko

Perez coming forward. Agbeko with a few counters. There has been a real ebb and flow to this fight, where every time Perez seems to come on a little, Agbeko stops him dead in his tracks with a nicely timed counter, but then Perez comes right back a few seconds later. In that way, this fight is very similar to Martinez-Williams I. A reckless, volume puncher who isn’t fighting that intelligently, but has crazy stamina and some physical advantages, against someone who is moving backwards, countering with big, concise shots, but not landing as many punches. There could be a huge variance in the cards on this one, depending on what the judges favor.

Both guys trying to bomb away on the other to end the round, but Agbeko lands his punches while Perez mostly has his avoided.

10-9 Agbeko

Imagine if these guys were HW’s

Perez moving forward with combinations. Agbeko standing his ground a bit more now but slipping shots.

Press row has the fight 78-74, 78-74, 76-76 for Agbeko, while Tarver has it scored the same as me.

Perez with a nice two shot combination, and Perez FINALLY thinks to move his head when Agbeko tries to counter. Perez with a right cross that lands solidly but doesn’t seem to phase Agbeko. Perez seems to have finally made an adjustment where he’s just not getting hit flush as much. Now that Agbeko isn’t landing with everything he throws, the pace has slowed down a bit. Perez overall with his best round of the fight.

Perez 10-9
88-83 Agbeko

Perez coming forward, with some great body work. For the first time all fight, Agbeko comes forward for a little bit and backing up Perez, but that lasted all of 15 seconds. Perez moving a lot more than he did early on, and Agbeko just isn’t landing those counters as much anymore. Agbeko still more slipper than Perez might have expected though.

Perez with a missed jab. Agbeko counters with a right hand. Perez counters the counter with a right hand. Interesting exchange there, because they were all clearly thought out punches, not just guys throwing wildly. Perez with a nice body punch combination, and Perez is back to throwing arm punches towards the end of the round. Agbeko more active towards the end of the round, and might have stolen it on some cards. I think Perez was a bit more effective that round though.

Perez 10-9
97-93 Agbeko

Abner Mares already back from getting stitches at the hospital, gets interviewed and says he thinks Perez looks tired.

Perez is coming forward and throwing steady, but mostly one at a time (every second or so), but Agbeko, when he throws, fires a combination of three or four punches. Agbeko leanding the lead right hand again. Hands are back down for Agbeko. Perez’s workrate has dropped just a bit for the last minute, and when he’s not throwing a million punches, it’s apparent that Agbeko is the better boxer. Agbeko getting the most aggressive he has all fight, coming forward and throwing combinations. Perez throws a combination at the end of the round, but he looks like he’s punching in water.

10-9 Agbeko
107-102 Agbeko

The crowd with another standing ovation to start the 12th.

Perez no longer going for volume – he’s winging big left hooks now. He’s trying to lure Agbeko into a brawl. It seems he knows he’s better off going for the knockout at this point, and he’s pulled it off before. Agbeko is obliging, standing and trading a bit, but now back to moving backwards. Agbeko with a nice right hand through Perez’s guard.

Agbeko throwing some huge punches now. Not landing, but he’s preventing Perez from coming forward. Agbeko clearly controlled that last round, and the crew calls the fight for Agbeko.

10-9 Agbeko
117-111 Agbeko

Punch stats:

282-899 for Perez
318-983 for Agbeko

But, IMO, Agbeko pretty clearly landed the harder shots in most of the rounds.

UNANIMOUS DECISION

116-112
117-111
115-113

ALL FOR JOSEPH AGBEKO

Early thoughts on Agbeko-Mares, anyone?