Main Event- Gervonta Davis vs. Hugo Ruiz 12 rounds for Davis's WBA super featherweight title.
One of the most important questions boxer's ask themselves in the ring is, “Quien es mas macho?”
Who is the toughest here?
Who is the bully and who is the victim?
The cross-examination usually begins with the opening bell, and the interrogation can continue across all the available rounds without a complete answer. But sometimes the resolution of the query comes sooner, particularly when the “Quien es mas macho?” is immediately loud and clear.
“Tank” Davis came out smoking and put an explanation mark on the evening in the primary pugilistic period. He asked the mean question in seconds and answered it brutally within minutes. A violent outpouring of pain and punishment, meant to freeze “Cuatito” in his tracks. Throw in a facial fracture for good measure and Ruiz flashes back to Osaka September 2016. That night his nose took a horrible smashing from repeated headbutts vs Hozumi Hasegawa. The damage in that fight was so great that Hugo took nearly two years off from boxing. And in his next big step up, his next big chance at a belt. He gets pulverized. Oy vey!
Jab felt horrible watching how he sunk to the canvas after Gervonta's wicked right hook around the guard landed. He was broken and on the deck. It certainly seemed to Jab that Hugo Frederico Ruiz Dominguez was thinking hard. He was asking himself THE most important questions boxer's ask themselves in the ring, “Do I still want to do this?”
There seemed to be a hint of something new in this performance by the belt-holder and brainchild of “Money.”
Maybe Davis was motivated by the intrusions of his erstwhile mentor/tormentor Floyd Mayweather Jr. Forget motivated, he was pissed off at all the hoops his boss makes him jump through. Forbid this, demand that, carrot and stick, it's making “Tank” sick!
So, Gervonta Davis does what good boxers and valid champs do, he let his hands to the the talking in the ring. His combinations screaming, his jabs providing punctuation, he was the town-crier yelling the news. But Jab heard the undertones and connotations as “…get off my back Floyd!”. Tapping into his anger seemed to provide a release, “Tank” got to unload and the target was neutralized. Thus ending a difficult and trying camp, and an easy bout.
Floyd will never be satisfied, and Davis seems to sense that already.
Two more years and then what Tank? Quo vadis?
“Tank” Davis wins the 1st defense of his WBA super featherweight belt by KO of Hugo Ruiz at 2:59 of round 1, Jab picked the winner by KO correctly.
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Mario Barrios vs. Richard Zamora in a 10 round junior welterweight prizefight.
“El Azteca“ Barrios did what a “prospect“ does, he took the nicely selected, tough Mexican opponent and used a few rounds to illustrate his boxing superiority. The perfect foil in the form of a rare gem, “Diamante“ Zamora was at least as hard as the fabled stones of purest carbon. He took tremendous shots, never flinched, threw back every punch he knew. Where would we be without our cherished Mexican boxers? Muchas gracias por todo mis hermanos. ESO!
The referee Ray Corona did a great job. He was watching Zamora closely, and he gave him every chance to land that lucky one. Knowing that Zamora would never quit, the ref was forced to step in at 2:16 of the 4th round and save Zamora from himself and from Barrios.
Mario Barrios is just 23 years old, but he has been a pro boxer for over five years and is undefeated with 23 wins. He has Virgil Hunter in his corner, they have grown together over the past two years and they have achieved 6 KOs in a row. “El Azteca“ looked great last night, he fought with patience and skill. So why wait?
Prospects can go stale, they need challenges and good opposition to develop and learn. It is time for the “El Azteca“ to go to battle for real. Jab Hook suggest Viktor Postol as goal for late in 2019, just box another half-step up opponent in the spring and that will set it up.
Jab Hooked predicted the correct winner and the referee stoppage, but picked the 3rd round for the end.
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Javier Fortuna vs. Sharif Bogere, lightweights boxing 10 rounds in a prizefight.
“Stinker” can be found on page 912 in Jab Hook's Dictionary of Boxing Terms (to be published posthumously in 2040). It reads, “…a boxing contest which consists mostly of shoving and holding, clinching and hanging, off balance swipes, and swatting backhands with a bit of drooling and bleeding added for effect…”.
We suffered through such a bout from Carson, California as the main card kicked off.
Jab got paid to comment, so he had to watch it. But he feels your pain if you too were getting fed up with antics and the sloppy show of shenanigans far shy of the sweet science. But did it have to go all 10 rounds? Jab's disappointment in the bout is probably clear by now, but why? Fortuna does not get it, and his pattern of missteps in the ring belie his hubris.
If you're waiting for a description of the action, please watch the circus replay yourself. Jab cannot stomach it again. Hey Javier, you are less than you think you are. Jab prays Fortuna steps up soon and gets exposed. Sorry, but the “Bumble Bee” reminds me a bit of the Broner Boner, and Jab hates to waste his boxing time on fakers.
Sharif Bogere started well and was boxing effectively in the early rounds, but he fell into Fortuna's sloppy style in the second half of the bout. Things got worse in the last minute of the 6th round when a long, deep cut over Bogere's right eye was opened by a head clash. Then the referee ruled a double trip to be a knockdown for Bogere, literally adding insult to injury. “Stitch” Duran had it under control, but it did leak again in the closing rounds.
Javier Fortuna continues to be inconsistent and unprofessional in his career, such a waste of talent.
A tough fight/wrestling match to judge, Jab's score was 95-95 after 10 rounds. The judges and the ref did a good job, it's a shame the boxers did not. Fortuna won by unanimous decision. 96-93 on all the score cards.
Jab picked the UD win for Fortuna correctly and was 3 for 3 on the Carson card.
Jab Hook's 2019 predictions: 16 of 19 correct on February 10th = 84%
(2018: 92 of 112 correct = 82.1%, to date 108 of 131 correct = 82.4%)
Check NYFights.com this week for more from Jab Hook.
“Jab Hook”, aka “Brooklyn” Joe Healy is a boxing expert commentator for DAZN.de, a professional cutman from the BOXWERK gym, and a licensed referee/judge in amateur boxing. A lifelong aficionado born in Brooklyn and living in Munich, “The Sweet Science” is his passion. Please feel free to contact him as Jab Hook on FaceBook, at [email protected], or on Twitter https://twitter.com/BoxAficionado
