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11/01/2003 Archived Entry: "Vargas Decisions Balletto"
Vargas Bests Balletto in Thriller of a Fight
By JD Vena
PROVIDENCE, RI - In yet another one of New England’s typical fights of the year, Mexican warrior, Gregorio “Goyo” Vargas, defeated hometown favorite, Gary “Tiger” Balletto by a heart-throbbing 12-round majority decision tonight at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Vargas, 136, used his experience and sharp punching, which included a painful body attack, to befuddle and wear down the less experienced Balletto. Vargas, now 44-7-1 with 30 knockouts, won by scores of 115-113, 114-112 and 114-114 (the CBZ’s score).
After feeling him out for two rounds, Vargas threw a fusillade of punches, two of them hard hooks to the temple, which stunned Balletto and sent him into the ropes. Referee Joe Lopino correctly ruled the fall as knockdown, the second of Balletto’s career. Balletto appeared all but out, however, that is when the new hometown hero of Providence and those who watched the fight live on ESPN2 discovered what Gary Balletto is all about.
Since Balletto couldn’t box with Vargas, he smothered him with shorter shots, as opposed to most of the wide punches most are use to seeing him throw. Vargas, who spent a lot of time with his back to the ropes, was able to fend and duck most of them and landed sharp counters, including the trademark, “Mexican liver” punch. Balletto just wouldn’t wilt as most fighters surely would have. Instead, he took rounds six through nine and got himself back into the fight, Vargas also helped Balletto’s cause when Lopino deducted a point from Vargas for his third low blow, though most ringsiders felt Vargas’ foul punches were on the belt line.
With the fight entering the last three rounds, a territory Balletto had never ventured, the wily Vargas took complete control. The determined Balletto, who was defending his little regarded IBU lightweight title just made Vargas work for it. Though he was giving the veteran the openings, he wouldn’t cooperate with going quietly. Balletto, whose nose had been pouring blood since the 3rd round ala Vinny Paz, showed the guts of what makes champions, like Vinny Paz. He fought his way to the end, taking five to land one, which is why the judges scores told the story. Vargas-Balletto was a good story.
It wasn’t as easy as expected but New Haven’s “Bad” Chad Dawson won every moment of every round in his duel with amateur nemesis, Dumont “Dewey” Welliver until Welliver’s corner called a halt to the one-sided contest after eight completed rounds. Dawson, 160, used long punches to damage Welliver, 159, from the outside but showed more respect for a man who has spent most of his career at welterweight.
Welliver’s left eye was swollen from the 2nd round on but Dawson, wouldn’t close the gap or throw enough combinations to pressure the wounded Welliver.. Dawson whose performance did not make it to ESPN2’s broadcast improved to 14-0 with 10 KO’s while Welliver, a one-time prospect is now 14-6-1 with 4 KO’s.
Canadian transplant, Jaime “Hurricane” Clampitt, now fighting out of Narragansett, RI won the vacant IWBF jr. welterweight title by out pointing San Francisco’s Eliza Olson over 10 rounds. Most of the rounds appeared close, especially when the quicker Olson, a granddaughter of Hall of Famer, Carl “Bobo” Olson landed sneaky right hands, but Clampitt's heavier and more consistent punching appeared to win over the judges. Clampitt, now 12-2 with 4 KO’s won by scores of 99-94, 99-92 and a more realistic 96-95. Olson is now 6-2-1 with 2 KO’s.
Joey “The KO Kid” Spina, of Providence, RI usually wins his knockouts with his trademark left hook. Last night Spina, 173, wielded both fists with murderous intentions but ended a competitive fight with Anterio Vines with his right hand. Spina staggered Vines late in the third with his right hand and moments into the 4th and final round, Spina felled Vines with the same punch. Vines bravely made it to his feet and it probably would have been a good time for washed up referee, Harold "Chubby" Gomes to stop the fight but he let Spina do it for him. Gomes counted Vines out at the 2:19 mark. Spina is now 10-0 with 7 KO’s whille Vines is now 3-2 with 1 KO.
Going into her fourth fight. Talia Smith, of Columbus, OH had won all of her three fights by knockout, a rarity in women’s boxing. That is why many expected her to be at the very least, a dangerous test for Cranston’s (RI) Missy “The Fury” Fiorentino. But Smith appeared to be just as overmatched as all of Forentino's opponents as she could only bare 4:15 of "The Fury" until succombing. Fiorentino, 125, was relentless from the opening bell landing over and under with many of her swings. After absorbing a left hook to the head followed by another crunching body shot, Smith fell for a 10 count administered by referee Charlie Dwyer. Whether Fiorentino, now 8-0 with 6 KO’s remains an unbeaten fighter throughout her career or not, sylistically, she is very much the Rocky Marciano of women’s boxing.
In the first of two swing bouts, Angel Torres, 129, of New Haven, CT out pointed Angelo Torres (no relation), 128, of Lakewood, WA by three scores of 60-54. Angel Torres is now 14-2 with 5 KO’s while the losing Torres is now 7-7-1 with 3 KO.s. In a strange clash of local New Englanders, Martin “The Irish Assassin” Thornton of South Boston, MA landed what many saw as a right hand that floored Bobo “The Bull” Starnino of Providence. Bobo was out on his back but referee, Harold “Chubby” Gomes didn’t wave it over until Bobo said he couldn’t go on. Eventually, Thornton, now 6-1 with 3 KO’s won by 4th round TKO at 2:45. Starnino is also 6-1 with 1 KO.
Promoter - Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & SportsNetwork - ESPN2Attendance - 2,194
Replies: 4 Comments on this article
Harold "Chubby" Gomes , the washed up referee needs to retire because he sucks.. he didnt call any of the holding that Eliza Olson pulled. Jamie Clampitt deserved to win even tho she didnt fight her best.
Posted by no one @ 11/09/2003 08:12 PM EST
Sorry for not seeing this. I actually had the fight 114-114, though the point deducted from Vargas was outrageous. All of Vargas' "low blows" were on the belt line. Looking back, I would have leaned towards Vargas in two of the rounds I scored even, making the fight 115-112. I gave Balletto rounds 2 and 6-9. Balletto was beaten up but though Vargas was blocking and ducking most of Balletto's punches, he was doing a lot of work in some of those rounds.
In his fight with Emanuel Augustus, Micky Ward was smothering Augustus with punches up against the ropes but most weren't hitting Augustus. I thought that Ward's output and the fact that he was pressing the fight was winning him some of the rounds. I honestly felt they were tough rounds to score from my vantage point. Usually, ESPN announcers try to disregard some of the work done by the hometown fighter because they feel as though the crowd is overreacting. The crowd tends to overreact however, in most cases, they know when a good clean shot lands. Either way, I still think that Vargas won.
Mike Nosky of Realboxing.com scored it 114-112 for Vargas with the point deduction.
As for hometown decisions, I can't recall a time recently, when a NE fighter won on his/her home turf and didn't deserve it. If anything, most of the close fights have gone to the visiting fighter. Pemberton beating Sheika by majority nod wasn't a bad decision as many writers at ringside saw it that way. I'd like to hear of a few recent examples if otherwise.
As for Balletto, he took a major risk. I thought he'd be stopped in 8 rounds but he obviously had different plans. His skills will likely never develop but with his courage and punching power, he will have a chance against just about any one at lightweight except, Mayweather of course.
Posted by jdvena@cyberboxingzone.com">JD Vena @ 11/04/2003 01:18 PM EST
I cannot for the life of me see how the judges could score the Vargas/Balletto fight so closely. Given this kind of scoring, is it any wonder that boxers like Ottke rarely leave their own country to make a title defence?
Vargas destroyed Balletto. The last time I saw someone do a workover like that was Hagler v Minter, or some of the lambs to the slaughter that faced Benn/Eubank/Watson.
Given that Vargas had a point deducted, and that Balletto took a 10-8 downturn when he "did" go down (lets face it, he hadn't got a clue where he was,and that he'd just got his nose busted badly), that would mean that Balletto must have taken 5 rounds and drawn a handful more.... not a chance.
The proof of a champion is being able to leave your home town, and being able to take wins. After the performance that Balletto gave (although he has a heart the size of Texas), he will need to serious revise his tactics and methods before taking the step up. His right hand was all over the place, the jab was weak and at times non-existant and despite him having Vargas pinned on the ropes, there were only 2 occasions (both in the same round) when Balletto actually managed to produce some shots from the pressure he was attempting to apply.
My score? 117-111 to Vargas
Posted by Dscaper @ 11/03/2003 12:34 PM EST
JD, did you have Balletto-Vargas a draw?
Posted by research@ibro.net">Dan Cuoco @ 11/01/2003 01:45 PM EST
