Takashi Uchiyama makes first belt hostage defense on May 10
by Scott Christ on Feb 27, 2010 4:21 AM EST
in Boxing News Analysis
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As you might have feared, WBA junior lightweight titlist Takashi Uchiyama is taking the first step toward essentially holding his title belt hostage in Japan, as it's being reported that Uchiyama will face woefully unqualified Venezuelan Angel Granados on May 10 at Saitama Super Arena.
Uchiyama (14-0, 11 KO) easily routed fluke titlist Juan Carlos Salgado to win the belt in June, and the 30-year-old is a legit top player at 130 pounds, boasting a strong amateur pedigree and good, solid ring skills.
Granados (18-8, 8 KO) lost a decision to Likar Ramos in November, his last ring outing. That fight was for Ramos' interim WBA title, which is now held by Jorge Solis. Granados did score a 36-second knockout of Juan Castaneda Jr. last June, but that's not looking so impressive now that Castaneda was also knocked out in 1:38 by Francisco Contreras on February 5. The best win on Granados' record now is probably a 2003 KO of Miguel Acosta, who has come on strong since then and last year knocked out Urbano Antillon.
This is one of those absurd title fights that has absolutely no business happening and serves only to fatten the pockets of a "champion" who apparently has no real ambition (here's looking at you, fellow WBA beltholder Felix Sturm) and a sanctioning body that will give a green light to just about anything.
It feels pointless to complain about fights like these sometimes, but you know, I'll never get over wanting this sport to seem more like a sport and less like it's nothing but business in situations like this. In the end, I guess I can just hope that when Uchiyama inevitably chews this guy up and spits him out, the WBA has a plan for what's next, like maybe matching Uchiyama with Jorge Linares, should Linares get past Francisco Lorenzo in his next fight. Or anything else that's remotely credible, so that we don't wind up with a complete joke of a title being defended by a very talented boxer.
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There was nothing flukey about Salgado's
knockout of Linares.
I think there’s something fluky about every first round stoppage at the higher levels of the sport. If they fought 100 times, that was the one time Salgado stops him in one.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Feb 27, 2010 5:55 AM EST up reply actions
Interesting definition of fluky.
I’d say lucky, but fluky works alright. I would think titlists would work hard for an instant re-match clause if the fight ends in the first two rounds or something, but I guess I’m unfamiliar with lower/mid-tier fighters’ leverage in negotiations.
There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.
Well I don’t mean it as a definition and maybe you wouldn’t use the word “fluky.” “Lucky” works just as well. I don’t mean to call Salgado out or anything. I thought nothing more of Paul Williams stopping Carlos Quintana in one round in their rematch, and Paul Williams is a fantastic, proven fighter. I don’t think much of Green stopping Jones in one. I don’t think much of the vast majority of Edwin Valero’s one-rounders, except, “That dude can punch, and most of those guys aren’t good.”
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Feb 27, 2010 6:55 PM EST up reply actions
I beleive that this can be applied to some of Mike Tyson's fights too
"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on Feb 28, 2010 8:21 AM EST up reply actions
The talent level wasn't the same
(comparatively) in Tyson’s day as it was in Ali’s, for sure. But watching him fight, you knew he had some kind of special combination of speed, agility and power that had never been seen before.
That said, sure. A lot of his fights ended quickly because his opponents had no idea how to deal with him. I’m just not so sure that it’s reasonable grounds to indict his abilities in the ring. He was like a 220lb Manny Pacquiao out there.
There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.
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