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11/12/2005 Archived Entry: "Hispanics Show 'Pride & Glory' as Lazcano KO's Burton, Hernandez Edges Cordoba!"
Hispanics Show 'Pride & Glory' as Lazcano KO's Burton, Hernandez Edges Cordoba!
By Juan C. Ayllon at ringside
Juan Lazcano celebrates his knockout victory (photo by Neil Manaligod)
CHICAGO, November 11, 2005 – It was ugly and frustrating at times, but the results were immensely gratifying in the end, as Courtney Burton slumped in a corner on the canvas, a gloved fist to his aching head, and a deafening roar enveloped his conqueror, Juan "The Hispanic Causing Panic" Lazcano, who stood triumphantly in a neutral corner.
Earlier, local light welterweight Jermaine White said that Burton was ready and predicted that he would likely fight at a pace that Lazcano wasn’t accustomed to, adding, “We sparred hard rounds. I forced him to!”
And thus, the taller former IBA Lightweight Champion, Juan Lazcano, found himself for much of the fight stymied in his efforts to get adequate punching room, as Burton—whose head regularly found a place on Lazcano’s shoulder or chest—gave him no room as he alternatively grappled, bulled forward and flailed unceasingly with both fists. In all fairness, however, Lazcano also held, in an effort to stem the avalanche of blows from his non-stop assailant.
That said, the heavy handed Lazcano still managed to land the stiffer and cleaner blows throughout and, more importantly, dig thudding, energy sapping body blows in the dozens through the rounds.
Arguably, this helped pave the way to his victory in the ninth, when he managed to get Burton off of him long enough to land a vicious, two fisted assault to the head, punctuated with a thudding left hook to the jaw that dropped a dazed Burton for the count. Time of the knockout was one minute into round nine.
Lazcano, who weighed in at 141 lbs., rose to 35-3-1 and 27 knockouts, while Burton, 139 lbs., fell to 21-5-0 with 11 knockouts.
In the co-main event, Jose Andres Hernandez, 129 lbs., 18-2-0, 13 knockouts, won a rugged and close unanimous decision victory over twice as experienced Armando Cordova, 198 lbs., 21-19-1, 16 knockouts.
Breakdown of fights:
Lazcano vs. Burton:
After a cautious first round in which Lazcano boxed smartly behind a high guard and Burton circled and probed, Burton unfurled his smothering and mauling attack, taking care to avoid allowing Lazcano opportunities to get full extension and leverage on his punches.
Round one: Gloves held high, Lazcano probed with the jab. Burton jabbed and came in behind a quick right left that hit shoulders. Lazcano jabbed down the middle and hooked over the left. Lazcano dropped in a hard right over the top and some hard hooks in close. Stepping in close, Burton dug a right to the body. Lazcano popped with the jab at will and rapped him with a stiff jab near rounds end.
In round two, Burton jabbed and circled, while Lazcano maintained a high guard. Burton landed a right hook over the top. Burton clubbed over the top. The two missed it up at close quarters. Lazcano hit Burton to the back of the head with a right hook and was warned. Lazcano held with the left hand and dug rights to Burton’s abdomen.
Lazcano drove Burton to the ropes with a series of hard rights, but was held close by Burton to avert any real damage.
Lazcano (left) and Burton mix it up in close (Neil Manaligod photo)
Round three, Burton attacked with jabs and rights. Lazcano dug tow stiff left t the midsection. Lazcano jabbed and opened up with a potent volley of left and rights. Burton surged back, placing his head in close and banging away to Juan’s sides and head. Lazcano dug a hard hook to the stomach. Burton swung with both fists but caught sharp lefts and rights as he pressured Lazcano on the ropes. Bulling Lazcano to the ropes, he banged in lefts and right s to the body. The two grappled in close. Lazcano whipped in hard lefts and rights to Burtons midsection, spun out and slugged away at rings center.
Round four, Burton pressured. Bulling in, head forward, with lefts and rights, he kept his head safe while he whacked away. Lazcano ducked under a blow and nailed him with several jarring rights. He snapped Burton’s head back, who never the less, surged forward, both fists blazing. Burton mauled him along the ropes. The two wrestled in close, as Lazcano grabbed Burton’s elbows for a breather. Lazcano banged away with both fist hard, snapping Burton’s head back with a right hook.
Still, Burton pressed unrelenting and dug a left, then a right hook to the body. He bounced a hook to Lazcano’s head. Lazcano slugged back hard with both fists. On the ropes, Lazcano flurried to his body, and Burton fired back hard with a bruising two-fisted flurry to the head, a thudding right over the top punctuating matters at the bell.
In round five, Burton swarmed Lazcano on the ropes as Lazcano sought to tie him up, then slug back. It was ugly. Lazcano dug a right to the head, Burton countered with a hard right and banged back with a left to the head. Lazcano cracked with a potent right up top while Burton slugged away with both fists. Lazcano banked a series of punches to Burton’s midsection. Gaining some room, Lazcano finally opened up with a jarring series of blows at rings center before Burton bulled him into the ropes. As the two continued slugging and grappling at close quarters, Lazcano dug a very heavy left to the beltline, prompting Burton to yell, “Low, low!”
“That wasn’t low,” quipped one of the timekeepers.
The ref said, “Both of you keep them up.” Burton continued backing Lazcano up.
Round six, the two slugged in close at a frenetic pace. Lazcano dug another left hook to the beltline and peppered with jabs, then a right that had Burton ducking. The two slugged at close range, with Lazcano again digging heavy body shots. Lazcano banged four shot to Burton’s head, but Burton slugged away furiously with both hands. Lazcano began landing cleaner blows as he retreated and Burton continued to maul. Lazcano flurried to Burtons belly and held as Burton rained down the punches in spades. Lazcano, gaining room, speared Burton’s head with a vengeance and landed a right to the head at the bell.
In between rounds, Lazcano’s wife implored, “Juan, wake up! You’re giving the fight away!”
In round seven, Lazcano borrowed a page from Ali, as he spryly backed up and jabbed to Burton’s Joe Frazier, who pressured with both fists blazing. Burton caromed a hook off Lazcano’s head. Leaning against Lazcano on the ropes, he banged away with both fists. Lazcano fired back with a hard right, a low left and a furious assortment of rights and lefts jarred Burton and forced him to hold on. After the break, Burton continued to lean on Lazcano and maul away with both fists. Burton landed a hard right over the top and pushed Lazcano into a corner. Lazcano dug two hard lefts to the body and a couple hard rights and a right hook to the head. Forcing Lazcano onto the ropes, Burton leaned on him and banged away with furious lefts and rights. Like an apt lineman, Burton got under Lazcano and repeatedly drove him backwards with his legs.
The two slugged with a savagery in close at the beginning of round eight. Lazcano bounced a right uppercut off Burton’s head. Burton swarmed in close, both fists pumping. As Burton backed him into a corner, Lazcano pushed him hard to the ground. Reengaging, Lazcano bounced a pair of uppercuts in close. Lazcano dug about a dozen thudding blows to the beltline as Burton swarmed. They traded on the ropes. Lazcano landed a hook a right and another to the body as he finally got room. Opening up with both fists, he bobbled Burton’s head about before being driven to the ropes to smother his offense. Clearly angry with one another, the two traded punches after the bell.
In the ninth, Burton slugged with both fists as he backed Lazcano to the ropes. Finally gaining precious space to leverage his punches, Lazcano rocked Burton, batting his head this way, then that, with jarring lefts and rights, dropping him hard in a corner with a whistling left hook to the head. His legs splayed in front of him, Burton held his sore head as he sat on his haunches. He was finished. Time of the knockout was 1 minute into round nine.
His trainer, Freddy Roach said, “I kept asking him to keep him on the end of the jab and back him up, but easier said than done. He was fighting Courtney’s fight…he finally got some distance and he knocked him out.”
Lazcano’s beautiful wife added, “He needed some rounds since the last fight was a little bit early; he knocked him out in the first round. Both of them were tired, the other guy kept hugging him, and he came out on top. He needed some rounds and he came out on top.”
Jermaine White said, “It was close, but I thought Lazcano pulled out more rounds because of cleaner, harder punching.” He added with a smile, “Yeah, I want next!”
Lazcano said, “I want the big fights. I needed the rounds. I got the rounds. Next year, I want the big, big fights and the big money!”
Jose Andres Hernandez, 129 lbs., 18-2-0, 13 knockouts, vs. Armando Cordova, 198 lbs., 21-19-1, 16 knockouts:
Hernandez (left) and Cordoba mix it up!
Round one, Hernandez fought with a nervous energy, as he jabbed and circled. He landed the first hard punch of the fight, a stiff right. He landed a stiff right. Cordoba landed a hard right to the head. then backed Hernandez to the ropes. Hernandez circled out. He landed a right left to the head.
In round two, the two traded jabs. Hernandez landed a left hook over the top. And another left.
Suddenly, Hernandez struck pay dirt, dropping Cordoba with a big right hand.
After Cordoba rose, Hernandez raked the body with a pair of right hooks to the body. He landed a stiff right but was repelled by a powerful right. He caught another right to the head, but countered with a big right of his own. Cordoba bounced a glancing right off his head. Hernandez landed a borderline low left to the body. He was carrying his left low. He landed a right to the jaw.
His corner said, “He’s landed the right hand and he’s forgotten he has a left.” They yelled, “Throw the left hook!”
Hernandez landed a heavy right. He caught a right to he head, but countered with his own. Hernandez landed a pair of rights near rounds end.
In round three, Hernandez jabbed with fury and pressed. Cordoba glanced his head with a right to no effect. Hernandez bounced a hard right over the top. The busier fighter, he pressed, but caught a stiff jab. Raking with jabs, he slammed with a hard right. Cordoba banged in a stiff right and a right uppercut up he middle. Settling down, Hernandez raised his guard and peppered with both fists to close out the round.
Round four, the old pro emerged, as Cordoba asserted himself with a power game. Cordoba bounced a hook off his side, and a right up close. Cordoba landed a hard right but Hernandez banged away with both fist and dog a heavy hook to the body. Cordoba bounced a hard right off Hernandez over Hernandez’ low guard, and two more. Hernandez countered with a heavy right to Cordoba’s head and dug a left hook to the ribs.
The two traded fiercely.
Cordoba dropped in a hard right over the left. And another. Hernandez jarred with a right of his own. Cordoba bounced another right off Hernandez’ head. Hernandez bounced a left off Cordoba, who countered with a stiff pair of rights. Cordoba surged behind s a series of rights.
Round five, Hernandez pumped the jab and remained the busier fighter throughout. Cordoba reached with a right, but Hernandez flurried with a vengeance. He dropped in a right behind the ear.
Moving more, Hernandez dropped in a heavy right, then banged left and right hoosk to the body. Cordoba landed three rights over Hernandez’ low left. Cordoba backed him up as Hernandez remained the busier. He rocked with a right uppercut. Cordoba retuned the favor. Hernandez missed with a wild overhand right.
In round six, Cordoba snapped Hernandez head back with a straight right and landed a pair of hard rights over the top. Recovering, Hernandez pressured and pursued. Hernandez and nailed him with a right on the ropes. Cordoba dropped a long rihg over the top, and Cordoba held.. Hernandez landed and caught a right to the head. Backing up, Cordoba speared with the jab, and sharp rights to head and body.
Hernandez knocked Cordoba’s mouthpiece free and, to the consternation of the timekeepers, without waiting for a break in the action, the referee immediately halted the action to retrieve the piece.
Resuming, Hernandez pounced with both fists. The two traded heavily. Hernandez thudded a right off Cordoba’s face, then another off the side of his head.
In round seven, Cordoba circled and landed a right to Hernandez’ head, another, then snapped his head back with a left. Hernandez landed a hard left. Cordoba pepered with stiff jabs over Hernandez’ low guard. Hernandez bounced a hard rihg off Cordobas chest. Cordoba was rocked with a short right that forced him to grab. Hernandez bounced a hook off the head and body, but was getting roughed up in close to the body. Cordoba speared Hernandez’ closing left eye with a jab. Hernandez jarred with a hard right.
Hernandez scores the critical knockdown
Round eight, Cordoba walked into ah stiff jab. Cordoba lands a heavy right over the top. Cordoba lands a right. Hernandez bounced a hard right, then another that snapped Cordoba’s head back. Cordoba bounced a sharp right hook to the head. Stalking, Hernandez dug a right uppercut to the head and a right hook to the head. Cordoba kept his head on Hernandez’ shoulder, then stunned with a booming right to Hernandez that sent spray flying. Hernandez landed a hard left hook to the head.
In round nine, Hernandez pumped the jab, but caught a stiff right cross over his low left hand. The two traded jabs. Hernandez missed with a hook and caught a right over the top. Hernandez dug a left to the side. Cordoba held Hernandez right arm and punched with his own right. Cordoba kept in close. Hernandez was the busier of the two. Cordoba ripped shots to body in close. Hernandez jabbing and hooking, the two traded rights. Cordoba pressed to the body in the final seconds.
In the 10th round, Hernandez initiated behind a speedy jab and one twos. However, Cordoba countered with a stiff right and a rapier jab, as Hernandez pressed with both fists pumping. Cordoba bounced a right over the top. Cordoba kept him close, leaning o him and seeking to smother Hernandez offense. Finally breaking free, Hernandez bounced a stiff right to the face. He flurried with both fists. He dropped in a right down the middle. An off balance Cordoba dropped to the corner, but escaped. Hernandez pumped with the jab, caught a right over the top, dug with both fists and caught a right to the head.
Judges scored it 96-93 twice and 95-94 for a close, but unanimous decision victory for Jose Hernandez.
Hernandez’ trainer Sam Colonna said, “It was close. It was close. He hit us with some right hands, but he never hurt him. He responded and came back. I think what really helped us was that knockdown.”
Sandoval vs. Lacey:
Although he created a few anxious moments by getting caught over a low guard, With older brother, IBF World Lightweight Champion Jesus Chavez in his corner, Jimmy Sandoval, 8-1-0, stopped Mario Lacey, 130.
Round one, Sandoval bounced hard right and hook off Lacey’s head, then caught sharp return fire over a relaxed guard. Lacey landed a right to the head. And another. Lacy landed a left uppercut that had Sandoval blinking. And, just like that, Sandoval dropped him flat on his back with a whipping right to the head. To his credit, Lacey rose and even landed a stiff right of his own at the bell.
Round two, Sandoval attacked with a fury, clearly looking to get the knockout.
“Tranquilo, tranquilo, tranquilo [i.e., Relax, relax, relax!],” said older brother Jesus Chavez. “Uno los goncho [i.e., throw the left hook to the liver],” he added.
An overhand right dropped Lacey to his back. He rolled side-to-side and rose in time to beat the count. However, after referee John O’Brien looked him over, he waved it off at 1:27 of round two.
Jimmy Sandoval's record now stands at 9-1 and 8 knockouts, while Lacey slips to 7-12-4 and 6 knockouts.
Afterwards, Jesus Chavez summed it up succinctly, saying, “It was a good fight, I mean,” then walked off to greet ringside admirers.
Cisneros vs. Martinez:
Rudy Cisneros’ fists blazed with frightening power and accuracy as he dispatched hapless Moises Martinez. Martinez waded in and winged looping punches as he drove Cisneros to the ropes. Cisneros—who was warned for pushing Martinez across the ring—utterly out-classed and pummeled Moises Martinez, afterwards, clearly rocking him several times with sweeping right hands and dropping him finally with a concussive right at 1:15 into round one.
Cisneros' record rose to 8-1, 7 knockouts, while Martinez fell to 9-15 with 5 knockouts.
Dr. Stoxen, who trains Cisneros with special core and weight machine abdominal work, said afterwards, “He’s not missed a session. He’s been hitting the rotary exercises with some of the same weights that our heavyweights were using! That’s why he was hitting it so hard.”
Trinidad Garcia, 157 lbs., 4-2-1, vs. Frederick Dean Thomas, 154 lbs., 0-0-1:
Thomas (left) and Garcia trade blows
Round one, Thomas rocked Garcia with a seies of rights, then fell to th ground. Failing to stick and move, he traded and got racked by a apir of rights. Trinidad stunned with a hard right, then fell in close.
The two traded hard shots along the ropes to close out the round.
In round two, Trinidad double jabbed. Thomas drove him back to a corner behind some loping rights, but Trinidad fought his way out. The pace slowed down a bit. The two landed blistering hooks simultaneously. Garcia banged away to the body. Thomas surged with a series of looping blows. The two traded inside, shoulder to shoulder. Thomas closed out the round with a flurry of looping blows.
In round three, Garcia jabbed, but was forced to the ropes with a preponderance of blows. Turning things around, Garcia trapped Thomas in a corner and uncorked an extended volley of punches, raking him with repeated blows to the head. Thomas landed a jarring right uppercut after the fury abated. The two tired. Garcia walked him to the ropes.
Then Thomas uncorked a vicious flurry of lefts and rights. Bleeding badly from the nose, Thomas missed with a wild haymaker and was rocked by a Garcia counter. Both exhausted, the two leaned on each other. Then Trinidad closed the round with another savage flurry.
In the fourth and final round, Garica jabbed, then caught a two fisted flurry. The fresher of the two, Trinidad pressured and walked Thomas around, with Thomas flurrying in spots. Suddenly, Thomas launched a four punch series of lefts and rights. Thomas landed a hard right uppercut. Garcia flurried with heavy rights and lefts. Thomas closed with a vicious right uppercut that drew a gasp from the crowd.
Judges scored it 39-37 for Garcia and the others scored it 38-38 for a majority draw.
Reyes vs. Zepeda:
In a compelling slugfest, Omar Reyes demonstrated a lot of growth and maturity as he slugged and boxed more like a 126 lb. Hispanic version of Sugar Ray Leonard than an “opponent” in dominating hard slugging Barbaro Zepeda enroute to his first win. His scores were 58-56 twice and 59-55 unanimous decision victory.
Reyes now stands at 1-2, while Zepeda's record is now 2-6 with 1 knockout.
Afterwards, Reyes said, “I dedicate this fight to my fans and my family and, most of all, thanks to God for the win. I look forward to another win!”
Rodriguez vs. Carrizales:
Francisco Rodriguez thrilled the crowd as he wasted no time in asserting himself, boxing smartly and trading hard leather, finally knocking out Timothy Carrizales with a left hook to the midsection at 2:10 into round one.
This exciting show was promoted by Dominic Pesoli's 8 Count Productions and Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. Portions of the show were broadcast on Telefutura's "Solo Boxeo de Miller."
IBF Lightweight Champion Jesus Chavez (right) with Neil Manaligod (Juan C. Ayllon photo)
Jermaine White and Rita Figueroa at ringside (Juan C. Ayllon photo)
All photos, unless otherwise specified, by Neil Manaligod
