Mares vs Agbeko II & Moreno vs Darchinyan: Video Highlights
by Scott Christ on Dec 4, 2011 4:52 PM EST
in Boxing Fight Videos - Highlights
Email
PrintHere's the Showtime Sports recap of last night's exciting bantamweight double-header from Anaheim. If you still haven't seen these two fights, make it a priority to do so. The main event was very good, and the co-feature introduced U.S. TV viewers to Anselmo Moreno, who pretty much smoked Vic Darchinyan last night and made himself a very interesting potential opponent for Mares.
On the topic of Moreno, I actually expected he'd beat Darchinyan, because while Vic is still a good fighter, he's aging, he's predictable, and his punch hasn't really carried up to 118, which means that I generally chuckle when he talks about fighting at 122 or even 126.
[ Related: Mares Beats Agbeko, Moreno Downs Darchinyan ]
But he really dominated that fight. He made Darchinyan look second rate. If anything, Moreno is just getting better. This guy's only 26 years old, and already in his career he's gone to Germany to lift a title from Wladimir Sidorenko, then went back and successfully defended it in a rematch, has two road title defenses in France, beat Nehomar Cermeno in Venezuela before beating him in Panama (Moreno's home country), and put some stank on it last night beating Vic and making him look the fool at various points.
As for the main event, it was a really good fight, and in my view Mares clearly won. Agbeko complained after the fight, but he lost.
23 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Mares is really a bit special, isn't he?
The way he copes with cuts is highly impressive, especially for such a young fighter. Although he appears to lack something in punch power, he’s got pretty solid fundamentals, a very good chin and, most importantly of all, incredible mental strength.
"Occasionally, there is a boxing match that, in its demonstration of skill, courage, intelligence, hope, seems to redeem the sport - almost. Perhaps boxing has always been a sport in crisis, a sport of crisis."
He’s a terrific talent, and his mental strength impresses me as much as it does you. He’s also a dirty fighter — it just has to be accepted, I guess.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
He is dirty, but I find it easier to accept his dirtiness than, say, Andre Ward, because Mares also invariably makes for good fights.
"Occasionally, there is a boxing match that, in its demonstration of skill, courage, intelligence, hope, seems to redeem the sport - almost. Perhaps boxing has always been a sport in crisis, a sport of crisis."
by Oli Goldstein on Dec 4, 2011 6:07 PM EST up reply actions
Did you ever see Mikkel Kessler’s face? Ward didn’t need to throw low blows, he just rammed his head into him.
"Occasionally, there is a boxing match that, in its demonstration of skill, courage, intelligence, hope, seems to redeem the sport - almost. Perhaps boxing has always been a sport in crisis, a sport of crisis."
by Oli Goldstein on Dec 4, 2011 6:24 PM EST up reply actions
There’s a lot of fighters who fight based on how that bout dictates the action, a give and take. I would classify Ward here. I don’t think it’s being dirty, just brawling or rugged. Boxing isn’t necessarily the cleanest sport. However, I think Mares just generally fouls and takes illegal shortcuts during his fights. I’ve seen it vs. Darchinyan and now twice vs. Agbeko. Last night it wasn’t so much low blows as continually pushing Agbeko’s head down. Mares still won the fight in my book, so it didn’t affect the outcome, but it takes something away from how I view him overall.
Mares still won the fight in my book, so it didn’t affect the outcome, but it takes something away from how I view him overall.
How do you view Floyd Mayweather? I mean, fouls like pushing someone’s head down are Floyd’s forte. Throw in elbows, forearm crushes, punching on the break, holding and hitting. Same goes for Andre Ward, as far as I’m concerned. They all do it, Mares was just ridiculously overt with it in the first Agebko fight.
"Occasionally, there is a boxing match that, in its demonstration of skill, courage, intelligence, hope, seems to redeem the sport - almost. Perhaps boxing has always been a sport in crisis, a sport of crisis."
by Oli Goldstein on Dec 4, 2011 7:01 PM EST up reply actions
And that’s my point. Mares IS overt with his infractions, period. If you heard him during the interviews last night, he all but admitted to the low blows in the first fight, saying as long as Mora wasn’t taking a point, he was going to continue to foul. Floyd and Ward don’t do this. I personally don’t see it the same way. And that’s the problem I have. Mares has the talent to not need to take shortcuts. It’s a pattern I’ve seen in all his fights is the point I was trying to make.
Floyd and Ward don’t do this
What do you mean? They foul because they know they won’t have points deducted. Ward repeatedly headbutted Kessler knowing it would bust him up, just as Floyd repeatedly fouls knowing the referee won’t notice. I personally can’t see the difference, but fair enough, I guess we just see it differently!
"Occasionally, there is a boxing match that, in its demonstration of skill, courage, intelligence, hope, seems to redeem the sport - almost. Perhaps boxing has always been a sport in crisis, a sport of crisis."
by Oli Goldstein on Dec 4, 2011 7:25 PM EST up reply actions
I’d have to look back at the Kessler fight to say for sure. Seems like ages ago…oh wait, it was lol. But I was trying to say that the style of the fight and the opponent can dictate different actions (holding and hitting, punching off the break, etc). From every Mares fight I’ve seen (admittedly just 4 or 5, you may have seen more), he’s initiating these actions and our other 2 examples in this case (Ward & Floyd) are more often than not reacting. And I only feel this way because I think opponents of Ward & Floyd see tactics like that as being disruptive to those guy’s game plans. But again, that’s just the way I see it and if we disagree, no problems here.
Disappointed Moreno didn’t care to take the Donaire fight because from what I saw last night he’s a better challenge to him than anyone from 118 to 122 save for maybe Nishioka.
I’d give Moreno a much better shot than I would Nishioka, actually.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
just on styles
Not that Nishioka is “overrated” or anything.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
What do we make of Moreno’s performance? I hadn’t seen him before and I was impressed, although my enthusiasm is tempered by the fact that Darchinyan didn’t have a good game plan and didn’t adjust. How good is Moreno?
The problem with Vic is he has a game plan and doesn’t implement it. There is no way Angelo Hyder told him to fight like that, he’s too crafty and too smart.
Moreno looked great and I was impressed with how he managed to avoid the power punches early, it could be a case of his style matching up well so I’ll be interested to see his next fight.
Roll 'Damn' Tide
Yeah, I should have clarified that Vic didn’t follow the plan. His corner was clearly telling him to throw more right hooks, as was I lol. Also when they fought in close, he had opportunities to fit some uppercuts in.
Regarding Moreno, that was my question. Was this a case of his opponent’s style making him look better? I was leaning towards yes, partially…I did see a lot of elusive defensive and slick counterpunching though.
I’ve seen him plenty at this point — he’s a really skilled fighter. Not a puncher, but legit No. 3 in that division now, if you’re counting Nonito as still there, and legit No. 2 if you’re not. Moreno didn’t get anything handed to him. He went on the road for almost all of his good wins. He deserves the GBP push.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
Yeah, it was my first time seeing Moreno, although I had heard plenty about him, including, as you pointed out, not being a big puncher. Funny thing…I realized he had nice defense and good counterpunching ability, but he even beat Vic the few times they traded in power exchanges as well.
The fact he has won road decisions several times now holds a lot of weight with me. Means he was pretty convincing in his effort.
Mares/Moreno is obviously the fight at 118 to make right now. There’s several big fights to make at that weight that can headline the likes of a Showtime show and sell a couple tickets, and I think if you’re Mares, you should exhaust those before running to 122. Even if Mares beats Moreno, I doubt he does it easily, and you have the potential for two fights there, there’s a fight with Arce that seems obvious, there’s Kameda, there’s Yonnhy Perez around if he can get himself a big win…at 122, where do you go? A spent Marquez, Montiel, or Mijares? Steve Molitor? There just isn’t the same sort of guy there at 122 and the kind of fights the public in the Americas (or even Japan) would demand or really want to see.
Is Mares-Moreno soon in the cards?
would be great to crown the true successor to Donaire’s brief reign at bantamweight.
I think this is the fight to make now also and I’m more intrigued by it now than I would’ve been before. I know I stated above about Mares’ fouling/infractions, but the kid is good. I’m really impressed how he handles adversity i.e. cuts. A faceoff with Moreno would be a matchup of styles that would produce a good fight. I now believe when facing the right opponent, Moreno can be in a fight that’s plenty exciting.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanShots on Bad Left Hook
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
