Last noche ESPN 2011 return of Friday Night
Fights ring action delivered the goods, albeit strictly of the club fight
variety when measured against the proven field at jr. welter-jr. middle
division.
Card opens with scheduled eight round jr.
middle showcase of past Olympian Demetrius Andrade in with game but
unskilled Alberto Herrera - all went as choreographed with Andrade enjoying
the height/reach advantage, coupled with his working from the southpaw side.
This one goes the full scheduled eight
candles of Andrade pitching and Herrera catching - and only a good chin and
strong heart kept Herrera upright from start to finish.
Official scoring went unanimous Andrade
80-72, 80-72, 79-73 -- my unofficial agreed 80-72 in points and 8-0 under
round by round method.
Rest of story: Andrade (12-0, 8 KOs) ~ age 22
the big question for the kid who's been feeding off pugilistic pabulum from
day one. No problem here other than listening to the inflated “potential”
accolades. Quick hands yes! However, quick comes in assorted packages - the
pitter-patter variety and/or the stinger power version. Before we stamp
prospect approval the kid needs a serious scalp taken.
Alberto Herrera (7-2-1, 5 KOs) ~ age 29 --
what you see is what you get -- prelim career with no future.
..........................................................................................................................................
Main event closed with Mauricio Herrera
upsetting the Provodnikov apple cart via decision to the uncomfortable tune
of 116-112, 116-112, 115-113 - must have been the medication, or late start
following college football that ran overtime, that saw my unofficial having
it Provodnikov 117-111 in points and 9-3 under round by round method.
Still, fighting, as in figure skating,
scoring carries the ol' beauty in the eyes of the beholder - at least, not
when scored via the hometown decision variety.
Herrera made many stanzas close in scoring
department refusing to quit with badly bruised and puffy left eye - house
medic hack threatened to call it no mas somewhere during the midway and late
stanzas – but the show continued to the finish line.
Provodnikov had puzzled look come the
official scoring … must feel the post WW2 “cold war” was still going on.
Post Scripts: Mauricio Herrera (16-1, 7 KOs)
~ age 30 -- IBF NA strap not big enough prize to remotely convert to legit
title shot among the talent loaded jr. welter field.
Ruslan Provodnikov ( 17-1, 11 KOs) ~ age 26
-- bum decision or not, took his foot off the gas pedal during the run to
the wire that permitted Herrera to steal final stanza twelve. Physically
strong at 140 with good power but seriously lacking in finishing department.
Lesson learned, he'll quickly return to winning ways come next outing. More
solid club fight material than championship level.
Closing thoughts: The Russian arrives with
bruise under eye - word from Tessitore is it came from pre-fight gym
sparring - attests it to how hard Provodnik prepares for his fights. Hmmm... for no fee, I'd gladly email this from Don House (trainer of Zahir Raheem)
that once said, "Cut down on the sparring - fighters with over 20 bouts don't
need lots of sparring." With Provo now finishing 18 past kept
appointments maybe he has only two more outings to qualify?
GEL -
