For all the on-going and post-fight reactions to tonight's big double-header on Showtime. Preliminary fights begin two hours earlier on Showtime Extreme. Keep everything in this thread.

Jack

Administrator

Ortiz: 146.5 lbs
Lopez: 144.75 lbs
Matthysse: 138.75 lbs
Soto: 139.5 lbs

Lopez/Ortiz: I'll go with my gut feeling and say that this could possibly be an upset...

1. Ortiz could possibly be overtrained, after two long training camps of fights that fell through.
2. This year, thus far, "last-minute" opponents have made a great account of themselves and either been robbed or have exposed the star fighter (ex: Campillo, Nunez (in the Lattimore fight), Lopez in the Vargas fight (last year)
3. Ortiz could possibly have a mental lapse if things dont go his way early, or Lopez shows some balls.

Now, if Lopez fights a stupid fight and hands his ass to Ortiz, then the assumed outcome will occur. It's clear that Lopez is the smaller man here, but he has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Another kicker is the the fact that Canelo fight has already been announced, which is added mental pressure for the mentally-faint Ortiz.

Matthysse/Soto: I haven't seen much of Soto over the recent years, but this is boxing, so anything could happen.

1. Soto has been at 140 for over a year, so he should be comfortable tonight.
2. Soto has a height advantage, not sure how that will play in his favor.
3. Matthysse punches with conviction, and all intentions on sending his opponent to the moon.
4. If Soto plays the "Mexican-type fight" role in a smart manner, but effectively cutting off the ring (rather than just walking towards Lucas), then we'll see how Matthysse adjusts.

Overall, this is a great card!

I think for Lopez/Ortiz, I will go for Ortiz by a close decision. I think the judges will be on-edge to try to be fair after Bradley-Pacquiao, so Delahoya's "house fighter" advantage might be neutralized a bit. Now is Victor gonna fight like against Berto in a FOTY type situation, OR is he gonna wanna run and hide and smile ala Delahoya if things don't go his way? (Mayweather?) Lopez has a great chance if the Ortiz that fought Mayweather shows up. If the Ortiz that fought Berto shows up, he'll win around 116-112.

On the other fight, I am gonna take Soto by SD, maybe controversial. Matthyssee almost ALWAYS comes out on the short end of the stick in one SD loss after another. So this is gonna be one of those 115-113 Soto, 115-113 Matthyssee and a two-wide 117-111 Soto type of outcome. It won't be the type of robbery associated with Bradley-Pacquiao, it will also come down to Lucus not being busy enough in close rounds, where Soto may be favored, but not outrageous in the results. Lucus just won't do enough again!

Jack

Good stuff Jack! Along with my theories of overtaining, overlooking, and mental lapses, you're correct. I think Ortiz will use his size advantage and try to bully Lopez. He actually came in bigger than the muscular Berto and had his way with him for most of the fight.

As for the possibility of Matthysse getting robbed, that TOTALLY slipped my mind, maybe because I didn't see this one going the distance. Another thing that you have to look at when you bring up the Matthysse robberies, is the fact that both of those guys (Judah and Alexander) are slick as shit and are both fast starters, Judah more so than Alexander.

Matthysse allowed Judah to bank those early rounds, then he beat Judah's ass in the middle rounds, and left the latter rounds in the air. That was my same assessment for the Alexander fight, but now that I went back and looked at it, they were going tit-fot-tat, problem is, again, Matthysse was a bit too relaxed early on in the fight (maybe because he wanted to be the counterpuncher).

Being the fact that he's been robber twice, he will more than likely start quick tonight. He HAS to be first, and follow up on any good shots that he places. All that we know about Matthysse is that he's a BIG puncher, but we haven't seen him stop anybody in the U.S., which could have served as his demise when it came down to the cards. No doubt that this fight tonight will be a war...while it lasts.

Charlo vs. Douglin - Gotta love the middleweight division.

Douglin's pressing the action, but Charlo's not runnng away. Close first round.

Great first round for Charlo and Douglin!

Charlos's sharp as shit with his jab and ESPECIALLY that right hand! Dammit is that right hand symbolic! He doesn't give a FUCK if Duglin is a southpaw, he's fighting him like he's orthodox.

Douglin had some good lefts hands that landed, but for the most part, he missed a lot of them.

Charlo 10 - 9

Why is Douglin so damn cool? He still didn't get the round, but he landed a couple of left hands.

PS: No way in hell my mom could be my trainer...she gave me enough shit trying to teacher me how to drive.

Yeah. Although Douglin's sort of walking into it, but Charlo's got good hands.

Gave the 3rd to Douglin as a comparative round, since he dicked up the first 2 rounds. Their heads are gonna collide soon, I can feel that shit coming...

I can dig it.

Douglin's mother is the first attractive woman pro-trainer I've seen, or least that I can remember. The wig's out of order though.

Gave the 4th to Charlo...he does okay when he uses his jab, but he didn't do it in the 4th.

3 - 1 Charlo

Oh shit!

DAAAAAAMN!!! That right hand put Douglin on his shit! Great scrap for both! He went down like a pine tree in the country.

Charlo by 1-punch KO in the 5th

Yup, the left jab was followed by that powerful right.

Yeah, she aint bad at all. I agree with the lion's mane that she calls a wig.


Okay, a 2-punch KO.

"Lion's mane"...ha!

I will reiterate this...Victor Ortiz is fuckin' CRAZY

Whenever I see Jim Gray, I always expect him to say something snide. I completely support snideness (word?), but Gray's a different breed.

Insane in the membrane.
Got no brain, goin' insane!

Indeed. He always goes for the juggalar, but in a professional and concerned manner. I dont mind it all. It's dickwads like Merchant who ruin it for everybody.

I thought that the opening bouts would go on until 9. Not cool Showtime.

Duh, I get it now. The first match was a first round K.O. I missed that one.

Tell me about it. See yall in an hour!

Yup.

True. Merchant's definitely a dickwad of the highest degree.

Nice segment by Tapia!

Yeah. What happened to his mother was unbelievably tragic. This world can be and is very, very fucked up sometimes.

From what I've read, he actually tried to get help for her when it was taking place, but nobody believed him.

10-rounders are Matthysse's nightmare. His best bet is to finish this fight before the final bell.

Oh no! That's horrible.

Re. Matthyse, he'd better win so that we can get Matthyse vs. Maidana.

I think that I just saw Maidana in the audience. Could be telling...

Soto's legs look kinda bad to me...that's just me though. Why is the ref all in Matthysse's shit so early?

Pretty good first round. good combinations by Soto, which won him the round. Soto DID feel Lucas' power from that left hook though.

10 - 9 Soto

Soto had a higher connect rate, but Matthyse landed a few nice ones. Probably gave that to Soto.

I will say this now...Matthysse will have to fight the ref, the 3 California judges, and Soto.

Looks like he's ready for it.

He's winning the third. The second was close.

Gave the 3rd to Matthysse. That body work was nasty, and Soto did himself NO FAVORS by keeping his fuckin' head straight up to get hit by those overhand rights by Lucas.

Where is Tarver?

In rehab (I joke).

Showtime dropped him because of his positive 'roid test. Well at least they dropped him for tonight.

Looks like they have him laying low since the steroid crap.

Okay guys, who in the hell did you give that 4th round to? Both guys hurt each other and Matthysse is looking a bit groggy, though his punches have elephant strength behind them. Close round...

Matthyse.

He was laying the foundation for what we just saw.

great fight

Shit! 5th round is a 10 - 8 round.

Not so sure he'll make it through the 6th.

Fuck...nevermind...

Great fight for both of them, and Matthysse finally gets a victory! I must say, Soto held his own, but he fought a dumb fight. He was there to be hit, rather setting up some type of movement after he landed.

Soto was taking those overhand rights like Lopez was taking them from Salido.

Somewhere, Devon Alexander is like, "wheeeeeeewwww!!!!!! Glad THAT sh*t is over!"

The first couple of rounds, Sotto was showing more than decent movement, but Matthyse wore him down and then kaboom! I thnk that Soto also overestimated the damage he was causing when he was landing.
Matthyse takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.

Ha! Although, I think that Devon at 147 would beat Matthyse at 147.

Cshel is there a stream you can pm me?

Showtime's got a great evening of boxing next weekend. Nice!

I cant say Soto's movement was that great early in the fight, he was just FIRST. Then as you said, Matthysse started wearing him down. Soto actually hurt Lucas a couple of times, but he was too damn hurt himself to realize it.


Let me check real quick. You aren't missing anything in the meantime...just fillers.

Maybe...probably, but oddly, I like Matthyese better than Maidaina, who has beaten Matthyese a couple o' times in the amateurs or whatnot. I think he'd fare better than Maidana at that weight. That being said, you're probably right.

I see we have to sit through Ortiz's exaggerated story again

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit...not the "people turned their backs on me. My childhood was terrible, my dog consistently ate my homework...." talk AGAIN from Victor?