Live from press row, welcome to FightHype.com's exclusive ringside blog. I will be your host on this magical journey, though I do want to specify that power for my laptop is currently being rationed so if I disappear for an extended period of time, it's not you, it'e me (same thing I have told many a girl).
So, I'm here at the Frank Erwin Center in beautiful (and hot as hell) Austin, Texas. I hate to say it, but there are a ton of empty seats in the arena. Though we have yet to go "live" on air, the fact that all the undercards have been completed and yet the place is less than 50% full is not a good sign.
So nothing of any real note to mention regarding the undercards. I will say that Houston-based jr. middleweight prospect Jermell Charlo had a tougher than expected fight with the unhearlded Carlos Garcia. Still, it is a good sign that Charlo managed to weather the battle and pull out the victory (aided by some very favorable scores).
The buzz at press row was surrounding jr. welterweight Keith Thurman. Unfortunately, we are robbed of an opportunity to appraise the Florida prospect as his bout with Franciso Garcia is ruled a no decision following an accedential clash of heads in the first round. It's a shame...
I have to hand it to the PR crew here at UT. They have gone out of thier way to accomodate many of our requests. Free Wi-Fi, free parking...hell, it's all good in the hood, save for the fact that I can't get any damn power!
List of fighters in attendace include Rocky Juarez, Bernard Hopkins (handling PPV commenting duties), Juan Diaz and Victor Ortiz. I will say this, hands down, the most popular person in the arena is Victor Ortiz. Everywhere he goes, he is mobbed by a throng of fans looking for autographs and pictures. To Ortiz's credit, he handles it all very well and has the biggest "Kool-aid" smile I've ever seen.
More celebrites to report: James Kirkland is in the house, along with Jesse James Lejia and Raul Martinez. Kirkland gets a huge reception from the crowd.
JULIO DIAZ vs ROLANDO REYES
ROUND ONE
Diaz is announced to a very loud reception. Reyes, not so much. Cautious opening moments. Diaz is looking to establish his role as the Alpha Male in the ring. Diaz misses with an overhand right, but rips a hard hook to the body of Reyes. The lull in action has the crowd restless and booing early. Reyes seems to hear the cries for action and responds with some wicked hard right hands that are partially blocked by Diaz. Diaz looks to retaliate with some thudding hooks to the body as Reyes lays on the ropes. I give the round to Diaz.
Diaz 10 Reyes 9
ROUND TWO
Little activity has the boos out early. No action seems to be the theme of this fight as neither fighter looks to want to take the lead. Diaz gets the round just becuase.
Diaz 20 Reyes 18
ROUND THREE
Diaz is far more active in the round and is actually taking on the semblance of a fighter. Good for him. Reyes looks like he is just happy to be here and is making no real attempt to actually try and win this fight. So far, the crowd is NOT into the fight. On a side note, the Frank Erwin Center is starting to fill up and while not even close to the crowd in Houston, it is nonetheless pretty lively. All things considered, I gave the round to Diaz.
Diaz 30 Reyes 27
ROUND FOUR
Diaz is better than this, but Reyes lack of interest in actually fighting is keeping the counter-punching Diaz at bay. Needless to say, the crowd is not rooting for either man, but rather for something, anything, to happen in the ring. Reyes does the unthinkable and lands a hard right hand. Diaz misses the counter and Reyes fires off a quick salvo that lands nicely. Reyes closes the round in pretty decent fashion. I give him the round.
Diaz 39 Reyes 37
ROUND FIVE
Diaz lands a good hard right to start the round. Seizing an opening, Diaz springs forward and lands a hard combo. Reyes lands a decent counter uppercut, but does not follow up. Why? You tell me. Reyes seems to be trying to time a counter uppercut as Diaz charges forward. He missed, but opens up a suprising assault and DOWN GOES DIAZ! A left hook falls the Cali fighter! Diaz is hurt and Reyes smells blood. Another barrage is launched and Diaz can't weather the storm. Down goes Diaz again! The fight is waived off!!! Reyes knocks out Diaz!!!
The official time of the stoppage was 2:17 in round five. Who knew Reyes had it in him? This may be the end of Diaz's career. Not sure if he can rebound from such a damaging loss.
More downtime as we wait for the next fight....
CARLOS HERNANDEZ VS. VICENTE ESCOBEDO
Let me set the scene for you. Lights dim and Mariachi music blairs as Escobedo makes his way to the ring. Greetos rain down from the stands as the Latino crowd gets crunk. Hernandez enters the ring to some sort of tribal-porn music. It's odd, captivating and weird all in one. Not a very big reception for the Texan though. Hmmm....
ROUND ONE
Okay, I was wrong. Once they officially announced Hernandez, the crowd went wild. Good for them. Action starts fast as Hernandez fires a left hook that misses wildly. A follow-up hook lands and prompts Escobedo to fire a salvo in return. Already we have matched the action of the Diaz-Reyes fight. Hernandez is a banger who is bringing the fight to Escobedo. Hernandez lands a hard hook to the ribcage on the inside. Escobedo is looking to counter, but Hernandez's tenacity is making it hard for him. Escobedo looks worried as Hernandez digs to his ribs. Boom! A right hand lands on the button and down goes Hernandez!!!! Holy shit that was unexpected. Round to Escobedo.
Escobedo 10 Hernandez 9
ROUND TWO
Hernandez seems to have shaken off most of the cobwebs as he goes right back to stalking Escobedo. A left hook lands flush for Hernandez. Escobedo looks to establish some distance by firing out his jab. BOOM! Another right hand floors Hernandez. Escobedo looks sharp and is clearly pulling away in the fight. Hernandez doesn't seem "hurt" per se, but Escobedo looks to be warming up. A straight right buckles Hernadez's knees. Escobedo is just too much. Round to Escobedo.
Escobedo 20 Hernandez 18
ROUND THREE
Escobedo is clearly looking better under the tutelage of Nacho Bernstein. Hernadez seems more cautious in his approach this round and is looking to be a bit more defensive-minded in his attack. Escobedo is making good use of that jab. Escobedo is hurt! Hernandez is all over the Woodland, CA native. Escobedo is in trouble as Hernandez digs in and fires some punishing blows. Can Escobedo stand up under such an assualt? Is Hernandez now emboldened by his success and the roar of the crowd. Great round and one that has the crowd on their feet. Round to Hernandez.
Escobedo 29 Hernandez 28
ROUND FOUR
Hernandez comes out firing and lands a wicked uppercut that pops Escobedo's head back. Escobedo is trying to fight off the hard-charging Hernandez, but the San Antonio-based vet is all over the young Escobedo. Escobedo connects with a good counter right, but Hernandez is undaunted and digs hard to the body. Hernandez is a beast and is putting on an inside-fighting clinic. Round to Hernandez.
Escobedo 38 Hernandez 38
ROUND FIVE
Hernandez lands a hard right hand. Escobedo counters with a hard right of his own. This fight is a battle of position. Escobedo wants the fight to be on the outside, while Hernandez wants to fight on the inside. A hard counter left hook lands flush for Escobedo. Hernandez keeps on him, digging hard hooks to the body. Like Teddy Atlas says, "he's putting money in the bank" with those body shots. Escobedo is going to need to dig down deep to survive as Hernandez continues his crippling body attack. A cut forms on the forehead of Hernandez. Hernandez's round.
Escobedo 47 Hernandez 48
ROUND SIX
Head down and arms swinging, that is how Hernandez fights. Escobedo seems to have found a home for the uppercut and lands a couple for good measure. Hernandez still presses the action with his body attack and uppercuts as Escobedo ties up on the inside. The two fighters trade hard shots but Hernandez seem to absorb them better. DOWN GOES ESCOBEDO! In reality, it was more of a slip than a punch by Hernandez. Escobedo rallies back to land a hard left hook to end the round. Round to Hernandez.
Escobedo 56 Hernandez 58
ROUND SEVEN
The replay shows it was Hernandez standing on Escobedo's foot that contributed to Escobedo going down. Escobedo is begining to time the charges of Hernandez and peppers the Texan with a variety of shots. Hernandez doesn't stop coming and is hurting Escobedo with hooks to the body. Hernandez's spirit and resolve are as hard as iron. Not sure if the same can be said for Escobedo. Fights like this make you question how the human body can absorb so much punishment. Close round, but I give it to Escobedo.
Escobedo 66 Hernandez 67
ROUND EIGHT
Hernandez leaps out of his corner looking to crowd Escobedo. The pace slows dramatically as both fighters fatigue from this war. Escobedo lands a hard right hand and follows it up with a two jab combo. Hernandez land a wicked uppercut of his own. If I had to sum up this fight, the word I would use would be grueling. Escobedo traps Hernandez along the ropes and opens up a mutli-punch combo that hurts the hard-nosed vet. Escobedo may have stolen that round.
Escobedo 76 Hernandez 76
ROUND NINE
Hernandez continues his assualt on Escobedo's rib cage, but Escobedo is fighting back. Hernandez's right eye begins to swell shut, but again, you could hit this guy with a truck and he would ask for more. Escobedo has now established his jab. Good for him, as it has been missing for most of the fight. A right hand rocks, and I mean rocks Hernandez. Will power is the only thing that keeps him upright. Escobedo's round.
Escobedo 86 Hernandez 85
ROUND TEN
Here it is, the tenth and final round. Both fighters embrace in the ring in mutual resepct. Escobedo lands a hard left hook as Hernandez keeps on coming. An overhand right ROCKS Escobedo. He had no clue where that punch came from. Hernandez continues on, but Escobedo is the more polished fighter and that skill seems to be an asset. Just as I say that, Hernandez lands another hard right hand. Both fighters are digging deep and giving it their all as the crowd roars them on in respected reverence. This is why fighters fight and boxing fans are fans for life. Hernandez's round.
Escobedo 95 Hernandez 95
Close fight. Escobedo dominated early only to see Hernandez rally back in the middle and later rounds.
Official judges scores: 96-91, 94-93, and 95-91 all in favor for the winner by unanimous decision...Vicente Escobedo!!!
Great win for the young prospect and a lesson that he will never forget. The crowd is still buzzing from the fight. Can't say that I blame them as it was a hell of a fight.
Quick news flash - my ass is officially asleep. I have to say that these are some of the most uncomfortable chairs in the world. Right now, I can't feel anything below my waist.
JESUS CHAVEZ VS. MICHAEL KATSIDIS
The lights go down as Michael Katsidis makes his way to the ring, entering to a deafening chorus of boos. On the other hand, Jesus Chavez enters to a hero's reception. Chavez loves Austin and Austin loves Chavez. Katsidis = not loved in Austin. Chavez = mad love in Austin. Glad I could clear that up for you all.
ROUND ONE
"Chavez, Chavez, Chavez!" That's all you can hear in this place. Katisids lands a jab as Chavez tries to work his way inside. Seems to be a lot of nervous energy in the ring. Both fighters trade body shots. Chavez fires out his jab before ripping a left hook that is blocked by Katsidis. Katsidis lands a nice overhand right to the head. A Chavez right is blocked and Katsidis makes him pay with an uppercut that lands flush. I give the round to Chavez based on activity.
Katsidis 9 Chavez 10
ROUND TWO
Looking at Katsidis' face, I'm predicting blood by the fourth round. Chavez lands a good hook to the body. There is a palatable energy here in the Frank Erwin Center. Katsidis lands two stiff jabs before ripping into Chavez's body with two hooks. Chavez lands a hard looping right hand. Katsidis is displaying some good defense as he blocks most of Chavez's shots. Katsidis lands a hard right hand, then muscles in trying to land some hooks. Close round, but I'm giving it to Katsidis.
Katsidis 19 Chavez 19
ROUND THREE
Katsidis is already off his stool and in the center of the ring. Chavez misses with a right as Katsidis lands one of his own. This prompts Chavez to open up with a flurry of punches, though most were blocked. Chavez lands an uppercut that snaps Katsidis' head back. Katsidis opens up his own salvo, landing some hard shots of his own. Chavez retorts with a sneaky upercut before retreating away. Katsidis leaps forward and is caught with a counter right hand, but still manages to press some action. Round to Chavez.
Katsidis 28 Chavez 29
ROUND FOUR
FYI - my ass is still asleep. Just thought you should know that. Katsidis lands a good hook inside that prompts Chavez to counter with a hard right hand. Chavez lands a crisp jab. Katsidis digs to the body for some more punishment. This is a pretty evenly matched battle. Chavez is cut on the hairline and his face turns the color of crimson. Like a shark, Katsidis jumps all over his bleeding foe. Katsidis wins the round.
Katsidis 38 Chavez 38
ROUND FIVE
Chavez lands two hard rights and then another flush on the head of Katsidis. The crowd roars its approval before Katsidis lands some shots of his own. Compelling toe-to-toe action is taking place right now as both fighters trade hard shots. Katsidis takes the lead, landing some thudding right hands and hooks that re-open the cut on Chavez's head. Blood flies into the air. Katsidis looks cut himself and seems to be coming on a bit. He wins the round in my book.
Katsidis 48 Chavez 47
ROUND SIX
Chavez tries to establish some distance, but Katsidis closes the gap and lands two hard right hands. Chavez counters with a clipping left hook. Katsidis responds with a flurry of punches that back up Chavez along the ropes. Chavez drops his mouthpiece so time is given. No reprieve for Chavez as Katsidis continues to jump all over him. All the infighting has caused Chavez's cut to bleed profusley. Chavez appears to be a bit tired. Can he last the whole ten rounds? Round to Katsidis.
Katsidis 58 Chavez 56
ROUND SEVEN
Hooks are being traded like commodities on the stock exchange as both fighters tee off on each other's heads. A cascade of blood rains down on those closest to the ring. In this war of attrition, Katsidis seems to be winning. The Aussie brawler continues to get in close and whip hooks to the body and head. Katsidis lands a wicked right hand that wobbles Chavez. Chavez's legs do not appear to be shot. FIGHT'S OVER! FIGHT'S OVER!!! Chavez's corner has thrown in the towel, no longer eager to witness their fighter take further punishment. Needless to say, the crowd is not too happy about this.
Katsidis TKO7
So, we just heard some University of Texas student nail the National Anthem in a truly awesome way. It's always good to see that as nothing ruins a fight quite like a shitty performance of the National Anthem.
EDWIN VALERO VS. ANTONIO PITALUA
PREFIGHT
Pitalua comes out to an upbeat latin beat. Valero comes out to a sort of bachatta-cumbia mix. No hablo espanol so don't ask what was being sung in the songs. If I asked you what we would have seen first, a clean and sober Lindsay Lohan or Edwin Valero fighting in the States, would you have gone with a clean Lohan? I think I would have as well. Okay, what is up with Valero's chest tattoo? I mean, really? The general consensus along press row is that Pitalua has the worst hairstyle ever. It had to be said.
ROUND ONE
What, no KO already? Valero must be slipping. Actually, both fighters seem cautious. Well, that is until a Valero lead left lands in the gut of Pitalua prompting Valero to open up with a wicked flurry. Pitalua seems apprehensive. Probably with good reason. Not sure if I like the way Valero keeps his head held high when throwing punches. Valero whips a hard left to close out the round. Round to Valero.
Valero 10 Pitalua 9
ROUND TWO
"Valero looks kinda crazy," is the thought along press row. BOOM! Down goes Pitalua!!! A vicious shot puts him down hard. Pitalua rises, but is met with another barrage of shots that puts him down again. Pitalua rises yet again and after Valero plays tether ball with his head, the fight is waived off. Good statement win for Valero.
Valero TKO2
The replay shows it was a right hook that put Pitalua on the canvas. The official time of the stoppage was 0:49 in the second round. Well, I have seen Valero. Not sure if I'm sold, but I hope to see more. Okay, off to the press conference.