Live Coverage: Valero vs. Zavaleta

by Kevin Gonzalez on Dec 15, 2007 10:47 PM EST in News Comment 14 comments

We're two fights into the PPV card from Cancún. I'll do a live-blog of the main event. Here's what's happened up to this point:

In the opening bout, highly touted prospect Wilfredo Vasquez Jr. and Jorge Cardenas fought to a majority draw. One judge scored the bout 77-75 for Vasquez Jr, and the other two scored it even. I think it's important to note that all three judges were Mexican (as is Cardenas). I had Vasquez Jr. winning 78-74, but it was far from an impressive performance. His record now stands at 9-0-1 (8 KOs). Vasquez Jr, who is trained by his father (a former three division world champion), never fought as an amateur, which doesn't seem to bode well.

In the second bout of the evening, Jorge Linares scored what could be considered a knockout-of-the-year candidate when he stopped a game Gamaliel Diaz in the 8th round. Though Linares dropped Diaz in the fourth round, I had the fight even coming into the 8th. Linares was clearly the better fighter, and his edge in hand speed was noticeable, but Diaz had started to take control of the fight by coming forward in rounds 5, 6 and 7. Linares didn't throw nearly as many punches, but when he let his hands go, he was able to score. Diaz went down on a beautiful straight right hand and lay on the canvas for several minutes, though ultimately he appeared to be okay. I'm sure this KO will eventually be available on YouTube, so look out for it. It's up there with Abraham-Gregor and Donaire-Darchynian.

Hometown boy Rudy Lopez is currently fighting Naoki Matsuda in a rematch of their bout earlier this year. In that one, Matsuda rose from the canvas to knock Lopez out in the 5th. I'll keep you updated on the comments section.

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Lopez-Matsuda

We're in Round 6. I had Lopez winning the first four rounds, but Matsuda came back and dominated the 5th. There's a pretty big cut over the eye of Lopez.

This is a great round. They're trading shots, and Lopez is getting the best of it. I think he took this round too.

My score: 59-55 Lopez

by Kevin Gonzalez on Dec 15, 2007 11:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Cut

By the way, the cut over Lopez's eye was caused by a Matsuda right hand in the 5th. It's pretty nasty.

by Kevin Gonzalez on Dec 15, 2007 11:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Round 7

Close, but I think it's Matsuda's round. He keeps working on that cut over Lopez's eye. The corner seems to be concerned.

Lopez 68-65

by Kevin Gonzalez on Dec 15, 2007 11:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Round 8

Lopez comes out strong, with a sense of urgency. Headbutt, and the referee calls a break. Lopez goes to the corner to get looked at by the doctor. The doc lets it go, and we're back...

Very good, entertaining fight. Even though he's up on the scorecards, Lopez is going to need a knockout to win. There's no way this cut is going to hold up for 5 more rounds. Blood pouring down his face, and Matsuda is trying to work it.

They're trading hard shots; Lopez comes on strong. I think he won this round.

Lopez 78-74

by Kevin Gonzalez on Dec 15, 2007 11:12 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Fight is going to be stopped

The doctor is waving his hand in the corner.

by Kevin Gonzalez on Dec 15, 2007 11:12 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Oh Shit

The doctor stops the fight, Matsuda comes out to celebrate, and Lopez goes over and punches him in the middle of the ring.

by Kevin Gonzalez on Dec 15, 2007 11:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Matsuda wins by TKO

Lopez showed a lack of sportsmanship there at the end. Matsuda was celebrating with his trainer in the middle of the ring, and Lopez came out and punched him in the back, took a step back and made a fighting stance. Obviously, he's frustrated, and he wanted to keep fighting, but it's uncalled for. He was clearly up in the fight, though.

by Kevin Gonzalez on Dec 15, 2007 11:16 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Valero coming up

I'm pretty excited to see Valero fight, even if it's against a nobody. Even if he was fighting tomato cans, his streak of first round KOs is extremely impressive.

by Kevin Gonzalez on Dec 15, 2007 11:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Jimmy Lennon's voice

broke a little when he said "It's Time for the Maiiin Eveeent"

It hasn't been a good night for Mexican fighters thus far (0-2-1) and I don't think it's going to get much better for Zavaleta.

Valero looks like he's from the 70s.

by Kevin Gonzalez on Dec 15, 2007 11:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Round 1

Man, Valero's fast. He's got good hand speed, and looks a little wild.

Zavaleta is in the corner, almost goes down. Valero's killing him. Halfway through the first round. Valero still scoring well. Zavaleta is holding. Valero reminds me of Pacquiao a little bit; maybe because they're both left handed.

Valero catches Zavaleta off balance, and Zavaleta goes down in the closing seconds. No first round knockout, but this won't last long.

by Kevin Gonzalez on Dec 15, 2007 11:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Round 2

Zavaleta keeps coming at Valero with his head down, trying to charge him. The ref reprimands him, but Zavaleta keeps holding. All of a sudden he's turned into Ricky Hatton. Valero with three left hands. The ref keeps warning Zavaleta for holding. He looks hurt, scared. And Valero looks to be in great condition, still scoring well.

Big end of the round for Valero, the ref looked like he was getting ready to jump in. It could be a 10-8 round. This isn't even close. I guess I have it 30-27, but what's the point of scoring it? I don't think it'll go past 4.

by Kevin Gonzalez on Dec 15, 2007 11:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Round 3

Same story. Man, Valero's throwing and landing a lot of punches. Zavaleta's on the ropes. He's got nothing to look for in this fight. Valero lands a big right hand, and the ref steps in. That's it. Zavaleta didn't go down; it may have been a premature stoppage, in the sense that we didn't get to see huge fireworks, but the ref did the right thing. It was clear that Zavaleta had no chance. Valero looked good, but, like I said before, it was against a nobody. Boy, I'd love to see him fight Manny Pacquiao, Joan Guzman or Jorge Linares. He's got the goods. 23-0, 23 KOs.

by Kevin Gonzalez on Dec 15, 2007 11:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Chicanito

Genaro Hernandez is doing the interview.

Valero says he wants to be allowed to fight in the States, so that he can fight all the big names. Then he called out Manny Pacquiao. Who wouldn't love to see that fight? Except that Pacquiao will have his hands full with JM Marquez.

by Kevin Gonzalez on Dec 15, 2007 11:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Well...

that about wraps it up here. Overall, it was a pretty good card. Linares-Diaz and Lopez-Matsuda were both very entertaining fights, and Valero did what was expected of him. In my opinion, though, Vasquez Jr. fell victim to a hometown draw decision. I thought he won his fight pretty clearly, but, then again, he should've left it out of the judges hands. When you're fighting a Mexican in Mexico and all three judges are Mexican, you pretty much have to dominate the fight to get a decision. All in all, this undercard was far superior to the Mayweather-Hatton one.

by Kevin Gonzalez on Dec 15, 2007 11:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs