|
Diego Corrales
|
The question entering last noche’s battle for the WBO lightweight bauble between undefeated Acelino Freitas and Diego Corrales was more about the Corrales chin construction than anything else - and the chin proved more than up to the task.
It’s been many moons since I last wagered on pro boxing, and doubt I’ll ever again enter that area of the unknown. Still, were I a cornered raton, I’d have backed the bigger punching Diego over the Brazilian banger with the questionable glossy reumé - and the pick would have returned a few pesos.
It was all Freitas over them opening four stanzas - as in 4-oh - had the much quicker moves while darting in, out, left and right, much like a pugilistic surveyor searching for a soft spot on the canvas for future reference.
However, along with the quickness, was Freitas scoring repeatedly during them early happy frames with accurate power punches on the Diego sweet spot, and with it, came an ominous warning sign cautioning that the smooth roll would later convert to a rough ride further down that pugilistic pike.
Come stanza five the Freitas express began making local stops … the slowed version had Corrales closing the gap and more able to shorten the punches … and entering a pivotal stanza eight, my unofficial had Acelino sitting on a comfortable 5-2 edge in rounds and 68-65 using the fragile points system.
But number eight would become the Corrales show . Freitas down from a right hand-left hook combination … and the gap shortens … in stanza nine a Corrales monster right hand drops Freitas a second time … and the 10-8 round bulges to 10-7 when referee Ortega charges Freitas an extra debit for spitting out the mouthpiece.
No matter, the curtain dropper arrives at 1:24 mark of ten when a third knockdown courtesy of another Corrales right hand drops the Brazilian who beats the count but voluntarily calls it a night.
Corrales goes to 39-2, 32 by knockout and Freitas suffers first loss and is now 35-1, 31 KO’s.
Post Scripts: Corrales ~ Unquestionably a force at 135 … equalizer to the other "names" at lightweight is the size and punching power … could use the jab a bit more to complement the big combos. The chin will always make for added interest wherever Diego visits.
Freitas ~ easy to say after the fact, but the Freitas-Gregorian fite back in January showed a very sloppy Freitas … wins by a proverbial country mile but also smudged what was impressive resumé loaded with knockout victims. So much for the written word. No credibility damage in calling it no-mas last nite, was pretty much a done deal after them 8-9 candles. The final knockdown was more a coup de grace thing than anything else. The one called "Popo" is still a commodity at ‘35.
Ref. Michael Ortega ~ could be one of the better ones today but for a surfacing need to display "control" over things. The mouthpiece spitting out after being heavily dropped needed no point reductions … also the quick trigger finger first time spotting low blow another bit of "looka-me" nonsense.
GEL.
Edited by Elisa Harrison.
|
|
© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2004
|