So plenty was written about the Tim Tszyu-Sebastian Fundora fight, and the rest of the card at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas that took place last weekend. But before we move forward, I just wanted to say a few things about the shows on Friday night in Glendale, Arizona, and then Inglewood, California on Saturday evening, both of which I attended.
So here goes...
- Oscar Valdez got off to a bit of a slow start at the Desert Diamond Arena against the lanky Liam Wilson, who early on utilized his length and reach to keep Valdez off bay. But quickly he got sucked into a fight from in-close and eventually got chopped up by Valdez, succumbing in seven rounds.
Oscar Valdez Puts On A Vintage Performance vs Liam Wilson | HIGHLIGHTS
For Valdez it was a strong bounce back from his disappointing loss to Emanuel Navarrete last summer. A defeat that devastated him emotionally. Some insiders wondered just what he had left in the tank. But what this was in my view was further confirmation that Valdez has been one of the true entertainers the sport had had this past generation. Think about it, just how many boring Valdez bouts have you seen throughout his career?
Not many.
Mikey Williams/Top Rank
He may not be truly elite, but this two-division champion should be appreciated for the way he conducts his business inside the ring, and his willingness to consistently take on tough opposition(Shakur Stevenson and Navarrete, among others).
His manager, Frank Espinoza, told SNAC.com, "I thought it was a great performance, he made great adjustments. The stuff he perfected in training camp worked well under the guidance of Eddy Reynoso, and Carlos Barragan. They had a good game plan, he seemed more settled. Oscar wasn't just going in there and throwing big shots."
Top Rank
In the venue this night were the likes of WBC jr. lightweight titlist, O'Shaquie Foster, and Luis Alberto Lopez, who is the IBF featherweight belt-holder. They were there for a particular reason -- they want Valdez, who captured the WBO interim 130-pound belt(and will most likely be elevated to full champion in the near future).
The Foster fight would be a unification tilt. While 'Venado' would be an-Mexican war. Both are appealing match-ups. When asked if they were leaning in any direction, Espinoza, stated, "We haven't decided just yet. We're going to sit down as a team, and then we're going to make that decision."
Regardless of who he faces next, the viewing public will be entertained.
Mikey Williams/Top Rank
"That's been his pattern ever since he came out of the amateurs," said Espinoza, who has guided his pro career from the beginning. "He's just an action-packed fighter. He's a fan favorite because he gives fights that fans love to see the majority of time.
"He's just a warrior all the way around."
-- The co-main on this night was the grudge match between Seniesa Estrada and Yokasta Valle for the undisputed minimumweight championship. After 10 fast-paced rounds (and at two minutes, I guess most female bouts have a quick tempo) it was Estrada winning across the board, 97-93.
Personally, I had it 98-92 from my vantage point ringside, which I know some of you will find a tad exorbitant in favor of 'SuperBad'. I saw Estrada boxing well, and landing more of the clean punches. Yeah, many of the rounds were pretty close, but the majority of them were controlled by Estrada in my view.
Mikey Williams/Top Rank
What I found interesting was how vociferously the crowd in Arizona reacted to the verdict. They certainly disagreed with the decision that was rendered. Did they really believe Valle won that fight, or do they really just like her?
Regardless, it's clear that there is still very harsh feelings between the sides of Estrada and Valle.
-- Then on Saturday night at the YouTube Theater, Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez captured the WBA cruiserweight belt by out-pointing Arsen Goulamirian by the scores of 118-110 on all three cards. In the past Ramirez has been criticized for being a rather monotonous and overly-methodical fighter. Which is a reason why he hasn't resonated to the Mexican fan-base.
Cris Esqueda/GBP
Well, in this particular fight, Ramirez put forth a fan-friendly performance. He was more than willing to stick inside the pocket and let his hands go, and he showed at the had a set of cruiserweight whiskers.
FIGHT HIGHLIGHTS | Arsen Goulamirian vs. Zurdo Ramirez | @AutoZone
This was a version of 'Zurdo' that the fans can get behind. Ramirez may not be the best cruiserweight in the world (that would be Jai Opetaia), but he brings another recognizable name to the division that is badly in need of them. Here's hoping that Golden Boy can get him two more bouts by the end of 2024.
- In a weekend filled with some really good fights, the best one was the heavyweight humdinger between Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke. This British battle ended in a draw.
HIGHLIGHTS: Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke battle to thrilling split decision draw | NBC Sports
3KR
This weeks episode of 'the 3 Knockdown Rule' Mario Lopez and I welcome the editor of Ring Magazine, Doug Fischer, who paid us an in-studio visit:
THE 3 KNOCKDOWN RULE EPISODE 40 | DOUG FISCHER IN STUDIO
To subscribe on your preferred podcast platform, click on the Linktree:
3knockdownrule - Listen on YouTube, Spotify - Linktree
FINAL FLURRIES
DAZN has the Golden Boy card from Fantasy Springs Casino on Thursday night...DAZN has live coverage of the Matchroom Boxing show from Las Vegas that features Richardson Hitchins-Gustavo Daniel Lemos, and super middleweight contender, Diego Pacheco...The WBO has mandated the Fundora face Terence Crawford as his junior middleweight mandatory....Who will Josh Allen throw to in Buffalo, now?....I can be reached at k9kim@yahoo.com....
