Bad Left Hook Fight Preview: Timothy Bradley v. Luis Carlos Abregu

by Scott Christ on Jul 15, 2010 12:18 PM EDT in Boxing Fight Previews

Timothy Bradley moves up in weight to stay active this Saturday night. (Photo by John Gichigi/Getty Images)

This Saturday night, Timothy Bradley makes his HBO and welterweight debuts, and Alfredo Angulo returns to action as well. Let's look at both fights.

Welterweights, 12 Rounds
Timothy Bradley v. Luis Carlos Abregu

Bradley (25-0, 11 KO) is regarded by just about everyone on the planet as the No. 1 fighter in the hot 140-pound division, but without a marquee fight to take in his own weight class, he moves up to meet fellow Gary Shaw Productions fighter Luis Carlos Abregu (29-0, 23 KO) at 147 pounds.

I won't beat around the bush about who I think will win this fight. I simply believe Timothy Bradley is too good for Abregu, with way too much overall talent, and that he'll win a decision on Saturday.

But those who might view this as an easy fight are missing a possible wrinkle here. Bradley is a terrific young fighter with all the ability, outside of a huge punch, that one can really hope to have. He's quick, he's smart, and he's tenacious. He's been down and gotten up. He's met adversity and then outboxed its ass against Kendall Holt. And last time out against Lamont Peterson he was ferocious.

Abregu is pretty basic. He's got power, but he's still raw. That power, though, is very real, and he's going to have a pretty big size advantage. At 5'10", he'll tower over the 5'6" Bradley, and he'll have a three-inch reach advantage, too. I don't think it's enough to pull off the upset, but I do have that little itch that says this is a very, very dangerous fight for Tim Bradley, and yet again Bradley shows his willingness to not just feed on a stay-busy guy. Bradley could well sweep the cards in this one, but he has to be constantly aware of Abregu's big right hand. Bradley UD-12

Junior Middleweights, 12 Rounds
Alfredo Angulo v. Joachim Alcine

Alcine is 34 years old and has fought just twice since he lost his title and unbeaten record to Daniel Santos by KO-6 in July 2008. He won that belt in a dreadful Showtime main event against Tarvis Simms in 2007.

After losing to Kermit Cintron last year, Angulo shredded Gabe Rosado and Harry Joe Yorgey (inarguably the nastiest beating of 2009 on a major stage), and earlier this year pounded out a good win over Joel Julio. If Alcine boxes and moves and stays out of Angulo's wheelhouse, he can give him some trouble. But Alcine sometimes seems to lose his focus and has always seemed to lack either motivation or direction to me. That might just be me, but because of that I see Angulo eventually bringing down the thunder in a major way. Angulo TKO-7

Tweet Comment 49 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

It’s slightly counterintuitive that Kermit Cintron, of all people, was able to outbox Angulo, but that more natural boxers haven’t been able to. Maybe the key to beating Angulo isn’t boxing ability but a good punch.

by taco pal on Jul 15, 2010 12:43 PM EDT reply actions

Cintron

I was thinking about Cintron v Paul Williams the other day and it’s quite interesting to me that Kermit was outboxing Williams(albeit for 3 rounds) but yet was Ko’d by a plodding (yet relentless) fighter like Tony Margarito twice.
Obviously Margo and Williams are totally different fighters but i was just thinking maybe Cintron should have shown more of his boxing ability and not got drawn into a fire fight with Cheato.
After the Williams fight i am starting to think he could have more dimensions to his boxing than i did previously.

by Matt Mosley on Jul 15, 2010 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Cintron’s pairing with Ronnie Shields appears to be paying serious dividends.

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Jul 15, 2010 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Plus, Angulo was pretty sick that night if I remember right.

by jcarr71 on Jul 15, 2010 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions

I can’t remember if I heard that or not but it sounds familiar (I think). I do think Angulo learned a lot in that fight, too. He took that loss very well, never bitched or moaned about it, and just got right back to work. I think he’ll lose his share of fights, but he’s going to have a memorable career.

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Jul 15, 2010 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions

I think I remember it being discussed even before the fight that he was sick. There is credence to the idea that the power is what beat him though. He got buzzed really early and it took a long time for his full aggression to return. He was doing well by the end after he had several rounds to recover. That is always one of those close fights that everyone remembers as being lopsided for some reason.

by jcarr71 on Jul 15, 2010 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions

The Dog may have been sick before that fight.

Pray for Nick Charles

by Kid Blast on Jul 15, 2010 3:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh, I see you beat me to the punch, Carr

Pray for Nick Charles

by Kid Blast on Jul 15, 2010 3:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Call me Jordan. Ted, right?

by jcarr71 on Jul 15, 2010 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions

It's about time they got Angulo moving I think

"All the time he's boxing, he's thinking. All the time he was thinking, I was hitting him." - Jack Dempsey

by Drunken cutman on Jul 15, 2010 1:13 PM EDT reply actions

I really want to see Angulo-Margarito

In fact, it’s the only Margarito fight I’d actually WANT to see.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Jul 15, 2010 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah,me too.

Even though i can’t stand the guy anymore i would love to see this just because they are pretty much mirror images of each other,both in looks and style.
I would hope Angulo gets him out of there around 9 or 10 in a war! :)

by Matt Mosley on Jul 15, 2010 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions

This post has nothing to do with the great Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and therefore I move for its immediate removal! Seconds?

I KID!

Anyway, jokes about the mayhem I mostly missed aside, I really don’t like this fight. It reminds me of not quite as bad (but still annoying) version of Haye versus Harrison. You’ve got one guy with a big punch who you know will never amount to anything against a guy with great potential and ability who has a weak chin. You know who is going to win this fight 99/100 times and move on to big fights that everyone wants to see, but you have to sit there terrified that that one goddamn punch is going to land and ruin everything you want to see.

by jcarr71 on Jul 15, 2010 3:51 PM EDT reply actions

I hope if Bradley wins that Abregu fights Said Ouali after on TV somewhere. I’d sit down and watch that one.

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Jul 15, 2010 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn’t describe Bradley as having a “weak chin”,if that is who you were referring to.
Not at all.

by Matt Mosley on Jul 15, 2010 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

he’s dentable, but not weak.

"All the time he's boxing, he's thinking. All the time he was thinking, I was hitting him." - Jack Dempsey

by Drunken cutman on Jul 15, 2010 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions

He was knocked down,was it twice in the Holt fight?Has he even been down any other times?
Holt can bang man,and anyway Bradley got straight back up and won.
Joe Calzaghe went down 3 times or so in his career but no one would ever say he had a weak chin.
Fighters get decked sometimes,especially when they fight real opponents.

by Matt Mosley on Jul 15, 2010 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions

I feel like I've seen him hurt at least one other time

Back in his Shobox days. Not sure who though. Maybe Miguel Vazquez.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Jul 15, 2010 6:11 PM EDT up reply actions

He didn’t really seem to me to be dazed either time he got knocked down by Holt. It was more like he just got knocked over.

by taco pal on Jul 15, 2010 6:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Not seen Abregu, but out of interest, how does he compare with Jr Wiitter?

by Phill on Jul 15, 2010 4:36 PM EDT reply actions

Totally different fighters. Abregu is a plodding brawler with limited skill. Witter was higher-regarded at 140 than Abregu is at 147 and it’s not close. I do like Abregu as a TV fighter, but unless Bradley fights stupidly or just gets blasted with something huge, Timbo should win this fight pretty handily. He’s just a lot more talented.

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Jul 15, 2010 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Abregu is an all offense fighter

Check out Abregu vs. Irving Garcia on Youtube, which was a very good fight that only lasted 4 rounds.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Jul 15, 2010 6:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks Brickhaus..

I’ll have a squint at that.

by Phill on Jul 15, 2010 6:30 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Yep. That WAS a fight and a half. Sucker for a right hand though.

by Phill on Jul 15, 2010 7:04 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

He is an animal. His fight with Irving Garcia has to be seen to be believed. He survived heavy bombs from

Garcia before he came back to take out a gassed Garcia in spectaular fashion. Simply a great action fight.

Pray for Nick Charles

by Kid Blast on Jul 15, 2010 9:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Check this out. Bradley needs to be careful with this beast.

http://www.google.com/search?q=Luis+Carlos+Abregu&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&prmd=nivo&source=univ&tbs=vid:1&tbo=u&ei=r7E_TK9XgvzwBpT7wIYL&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=9&ved=0CEcQqwQwCA

Pray for Nick Charles

by Kid Blast on Jul 15, 2010 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks for the link,Ted.

I hadn’t seen this fight and it was quite a war.
Abregu is obviously a hard puncher but Bradley is a little dynamo with great abilities who reminds me a bit of Manny Pac with less power.
I think SC has pretty much summed it up in his preview,as usual and i don’t see Bradley losing this one.

by Matt Mosley on Jul 16, 2010 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions

The Garcia Fight

is surely one if those that takes something out of a fighter and although i doubt Bradley can KO Abregu,i think he wins this going away.
I’m gonna watch Abregu’s last fight against Gutierrez before this w/end’s fight as i have it on dvd from the Valero-DeMarco undercard but i don’t think i will change my mind much on this one.
Hopefully it will be a good fight but i see Bradley boxing his way to a clear,possibly wide UD and not getting too involved.

by Matt Mosley on Jul 16, 2010 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions

I just can’t see what others rate about Witter, he was slippery, but he’s as boring as hell to watch. But, I note he took Bradley to a split decision.

by Phill on Jul 15, 2010 4:41 PM EDT reply actions

Junior was tricky at his best and 140 wasn’t very good then either. I like him as a fighter more than some do, but his reputation was mostly built on the widely-held idea that he would have been kryptonite for Ricky Hatton. I still wish we’d have gotten to see that fight, and still fear that we actually WILL now that it means nothing.

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Jul 15, 2010 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions

You may be right, but I read the other day that Hatton had “officially retired” (Talksport). I actually think that Witter is/was viewed by most as the ‘baddie’ against Hatton the ‘goodie’. Who knows.. If he was a different weight, he may have actually been popular enough to fill a phone box.

by Phill on Jul 15, 2010 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree with how you describe Witter,Phill but i would also say that SD was a hometown decision.Bradley won by quite a few rounds as far as i remember.
It would have likely been a UD in the US.
Bradley has raised his game since then too.

by Matt Mosley on Jul 15, 2010 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Meaning he was good then but is even better now.

by Matt Mosley on Jul 15, 2010 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions

hatton

has said on many occasions that he won’t give Witter a payday off his back.He really doesn’t like him does he?
Ricky’s loaded so he doesn’t need what could still be a tricky fight.
Hatton might have slipped further than Witter too,imo.

by Matt Mosley on Jul 15, 2010 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Ricky was in a very powerful position

Of being able to create a lot of interest in his fights without needing to take on solid opponents. The fact that he then went out of his way to make bloody challenging fights is a real credit to him.

"All the time he's boxing, he's thinking. All the time he was thinking, I was hitting him." - Jack Dempsey

by Drunken cutman on Jul 15, 2010 6:30 PM EDT up reply actions