Caught the ESPN2 Tuesday road show out Laredo, Texas way ... tough little southpaw slinger Joe Hutchinson facing durable Durango, Mexico visitor Fernando Mena ... surprise treat was a ten round pier-sixer.
Li’l Joe was quicker out of the gate in opening stanza ... Mena opted for the tentative stance ... then round two and Mena is on his fanny ... straight left hand following a flurry of punches.
Continued with Hutchinson doing the chuckin’ and Mena the catching thru candle three ... and then it got hot-n-heavy with Mena getting a round four wake up call ... and sudden-like Fernando looks the stronger and bigger banger of the two.
Still, the seasoned and proven pro Li’l Joe, enjoyed the advantage of much quicker hands that produced salvos and combinations to the body and head ... and when the fatigue factor came into play come them closing rounds the wily Hoosier knew how to cope.
To his credit, the durable Mena closed the final stanza in fine fashion against a near exhausted Hutchinson ... and with it a tough call for the judges - tally went 96-93 twice for Hutchinson and dissenting vote of 95-94 for Mena.
Hutchinson now goes to 29-4-2, 13 KO’s while Mena drops to 17-4, 15 KO’s.
Co-Feature offered light heavies Orlando "The Warrior" Rivera and Jesus "Chuy" Ruiz in a non-stop bombs away affair ... my card had Ruiz with slight edge after five rounds ... also had "The Warrior" doing battle with badly cut right eye from opening candle - fite halted because of the wound between rounds five and six.
Ruiz clearly the better in the science department than a physically stronger Rivera, who now at age 39 got a late start in the pro boxing biz - Ruiz now 17-3, 15 KO’s & Rivera 9-2-2, 4 KO’s.
Bonus quickie arrived with fill-in lighweight contest ... local pride and joy undefeated Americo Santos vs. Elias Mingucha ... the 20-year old Santos did the expected with TKO at 4-seconds mark of round two.
Mingucha enters fray at 4-2-1 and not a knockout in sight ... Santos arrives all nine wins via knockout ... Elias gave it his best but walks into a swarm of bees at opening bell ... quickly down from right hand ... up but then down again from left hook. Gamed his way thru the round but was a cooked entity come candle two.
Post Script: During ringside interview Li’l Joe claimed taking fight on two weeks notice thus the fatigue factor ... believable when recalling the war with Gatti and other company he’s been in with ala "Hit-man" Hatton, Teddy Reid and others. Wants do-over with Gatti ... I say scratch it ... at age 32 take the safe route out of Dodge.
Semper fi,
GEL
07-09-03
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