Really shallow month for good-to-great fights on American TV. You've gotta do some digging to see this month's good stuff, but there was definitely good stuff.
Past winners:
- January 2009: Antonio Margarito v. Shane Mosley (53%)
- February 2009: Juan Manuel Marquez v. Juan Diaz (93%)
- March 2009: Ricardo Cordoba v. Bernard Dunne (81%)
- April 2009: Carl Froch v. Jermain Taylor (49%)
This month's contenders:
Carlos Abregu v. Irving Garcia, May 1
Abregu and Garcia both tasted canvas before the unbeaten Abregu stopped Garcia in four. A lot of folks missed it, because it was on Shobox and not all that hotly-anticipated or anything, and it was also a mere one day prior to Hatton-Pacquiao, so nobody could much be bothered with lesser fights, but it wound up being the most competitive fight of the weekend, too, and the best fight shown on American TV this month.
(For anyone wondering why Hatton-Pacquiao isn't here, it's because it was a two-round mauling. It was memorable and classic and stunning, but not exactly "good.")
Ricardo Torres v. Raul Pinzon, May 15
I'm putting this here not because I've seen the full fight, but because someone might have, and because it adds up to at least being pretty good. Former 140-pound titlist Torres moved up to 147 after failing to get down to 140 for a rubber match with Kendall Holt in December, and he matched up with Pinzon, a lightly-regarded fellow Colombian who had lost by first round TKO to Saul Alvarez in December in his previous bout. But Pinzon floored Torres in the fourth and seventh rounds before the favored man rallied for three 10th round knockdowns, stopping the underdog's upset bid in the final frame.
Giacobbe Fragomeni v. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, May 16
Really good cruiserweight title fight, but not without controversy. 39-year old WBC titlist Fragomeni defended on his home turf against 27-year Wlodarczyk, and both guys came pretty hungry. Fragomeni was the aggressor for much of the fight, and was dropped in the ninth on a left. Mere moments later, it looked like Wlodarczyk might be putting him away as he floored him again, this time with a right hand. But referee Ian John-Lewis ruled no knockdown due to a shot that landed from Wlodarczyk while Fragomeni was down, and gave Fragomeni recovery time. That may have saved Fragomeni's hide, because he was in some trouble. The fight wound up a draw.
Toshiaki Nishioka v. Jhonny Gonzalez, May 23
Gonzalez put Nishioka down in the first round and was looking sharp through the second. In fact, it looked like he would cruise past the visitng Japanese titleholder, with the Mexican fans urging him forward. But Gonzalez -- as happens with him -- got caught in the third, this time by a picture-perfect left hand that all but knocked him out flat cold. He got up, but was staggering so badly that referee Kenny Bayless had to call it off then and there. For a three-round fight, you can't ask for a lot more.
Daniel Geale v. Anthony Mundine, May 27
Never say that Aussie fans aren't some of the sport's most passionate. Their "big fights" rarely resonate on the world stage to any great degree, but Geale-Mundine features a rocking crowd and some outstanding atmosphere, plus two guys putting on a hell of a show. It was a very, very close fight that went to Mundine on the scorecards. Geale was knocked down in the second round, which wound up being the difference on judge Marcus McDonnell's scorecard. McDonnell gave it to Mundine, 114-113, while the other cards were 116-113 Mundine and 115-112 Geale.