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12/02/2006 Archived Entry: "Ndlovu edges Castillo in a battle of Fire and Ice"
Ndlovu edges Castillo in a battle of Fire and Ice
By Juan C. Ayllon at ringside
Photos by Tim Reigle
Ndlovu (left) and Castillo mix it up as referee Pete Podgorski looks on
CICERO, Ill. – Outside, the onslaught of frozen snows snarled traffic and closed schools. Inside the warm Cicero Stadium, gloved combatants wrought havoc on spectators’ passions, whipping them up into a pitched fever.
Fire and ice—that’s how different their approaches were. In vying for the International Boxing Federation Super Bantamweight Title eliminator, Ricardo Castillo was a fiery workhorse, somewhat temperamental and given to initiating exchanges. His opponent, Taklani Ndlovu, was steely, phlegmatic and prone to countering with cruel efficiency. Both delivered hurtful blows. Fighting hard throughout, both had their moments. In the end, “ice” prevailed, as Ndlovu garnered a disputable split decision over 12 rounds.
Providing a hint of things to come, Castillo (122 lbs., 32-2, 22 KO’s) christened the bout with a hard smacking jab to the midsection. He would work, pounding the body mercilessly throughout the bout. Ndlovu (120 lbs., 26-3, 17 KO’s) missed with a looping left hook over the top. Although working the body a great deal himself, his target of choice appeared to be the head.
The two traded jabs.
As things heated up, Castillo dug a right hook to the hip, the sort that have a way of hampering movement over a period of time. Castillo just missed with a right counter but landed another moments later. Another right glanced Ndlovu’s jaw. Shielded from view of referee Pete Podgorski, Castillo dug a left hook under Ndlovu’s waistband. Castillo pressed forward with both fists flailing for the final 30 seconds of the round.
Castillo worked the body often and hard in the second round as the two took to heated warfare in the trenches. In his exuberance, Castillo also banked a generous portion of low blows. Early on, he landed a pair of hooks below the waistband. Podgorski warned him after another right strayed low. Trading at close quarters, it happened again: another Castillo left landed and then a right.
Ndlovu must have thanked God for groin protectors.
Castillo pounced. More low lefts ensued.
Then, Ndlovu repelled Castillo’s attack with a thudding right to the head. Regrouping, Castillo dug a low shot to the right hip. The two ripped sharp punches at point blank range as the tightly contested second round ended.
In the third, Ndlovu dug a left-right combination to the body. Coming together forcibly, Castillo complained of a head butt. Rocking side to side, Castillo dug a left and right to the waist of Ndlovu. Ndlovu attacked with both fists pumping. Castillo dug a right to the body and left to the head. Ndlovu hammered Castillo with a very low left. This drew loud complaints from Castillo.
During a pause in the action, Podgorski suggested Castillo caused the low blow when he forced Ndlovu’s head down by tugging down on his neck. Resuming, Ndlovu slung hard blows to Castillo’s head. The two traded wicked blows in close. Castillo ripped Ndlovu low and, coming up top, rocked him with a thudding right to the head. Ndlovu tried to hold. Castillo yanked free and Ndlovu fell forward.
After Ndlovu rose, Castillo tried to capitalize, throwing his body behind a furious assault of looping lefts and rights on Ndlovu, who covered and managed a few return shots in the waning moments of the round. However, for all the fuss, Ndlovu appeared lucid, perhaps even bored as the bell tolled.
The fourth was a rugged give and take affair with a great deal of heavy infighting. The two traded in close, heads to shoulders. Ndlovu thumped Castillo’s left side with a very hard left. Trading furiously, Castillo capped another surge with a chopping right to the head and a low right-left combination. They jolted each other in close. Suddenly, Ndlovu appeared to stun Castillo with a left hook to the jaw. Seeking retribution, Castillo tore into him with both fists at the end of the round.
In the fifth, both traded hard blows, with neither fighter dominating.
Ndlovu began the sixth jabbing well. He appeared calm, even serene, whereas Castillo appeared more forced and agitated. Ndlovu wasn’t going anywhere. After Castillo dug a series of short chopping blows, Ndlovu fired a series of clipped, crisp blows and bounced a potent right hook off Castillo’s jaw. Storming back, Castillo slammed a left and right hook into Ndlovu’s sides. However, he passed on the follow-up, remaining on his toes and eying Ndlovu, who steeled himself for the counter.
Ndlovu landed a crisp right over Castillo’s jab that drew gasps from the crowd in the seventh. Castillo sailed into him with a furious assortment of digging hooks to the waist and head. Ndlovu covered and countered crisply. They resumed trading in close. Suddenly gaining some space and leverage, Castillo erupted with a furious series of lefts and rights that roused the crowd and had Ndlovu fighting back hard at the bell.
In the eighth, the two fought more from long range. Castillo continued to target the waistband area. A right appeared to stun Ndlovu and certainly roused the crowd. The two traded three and four punch bursts of blows in close in the remaining minute of the round. Again, neither dominated.
This pattern of give and take continued through the 10th.
In the 11th, Ndlovu buckled Castillo’s legs with a smashing right to the head. Castillo slugged back hard, then held. Castillo jarred Ndlovu with a looping right to the head. The two traded power shots in close. Looking for a breather, Castillo held. A right hook to the ribs nearly doubled Castillo over. Moments later, a pair of rights caroming off Ndlovu’s head jarred and drew loud cheers.
Cheers of “Meheeco! Meheeco!” erupted in the 12th and final round. Ndlovu blasted with a searing left-right-left combination. Castillo exploded back. Ndlovu jabbed and crossed Castillo sharply. Then, he ate a right to the head. Another followed. Spinning the weight of his body behind his blows, Castillo drove Ndlovu back repeatedly. However, Ndlovu countered effectively as they traded hard, hurtful short blows. A brief pause, then an explosion of aggressions followed. In the end, neither wrested control in the violent closing moments.
The closeness of the bout was confirmed by the judges mixed, albeit close scores. Their scores read 116-113 for Castillo, 116-112 for Ndlovu and 116-112 for Ndlovu, rending Ndlovu the winner by split decision.
Afterwards, Ndlovu said matter of factly, “It was close. He was a bit heavy. He came in a bit heavy yesterday.”
True, but it appeared to Jacob Chavez of Fightnews.com and I that although it was very close, Castillo showed enough aggression and work rate to edge the cooler headed, stronger and more durable Ndlovu.
Afterwards, Castillo wept openly.
Sharp shooting Guillermo Valdez (119.5 lbs., 16-2, 12 KO’s) stopped determined Samuel Lopez (119 lbs., 17-3-1, 6 KO’s) at the beginning of the seventh.
Kneeling in his corner, his jaw muscles quivering, Valdez mouthed a silent prayer. Crossing himself, Valdez rose and took it to Lopez moments later.
Valdez began round one with a spearing jab to the head and several heavy jabs to the midriff. He smacked Lopez’ head hard with a left hook.
Shorter by several inches, Lopez was already bleeding on the outside of his left brow.
Driving him back with a series of jabs and straight lefts, Valdez systematically battered Lopez while effectively blocking most return fire.
In the second, Valdez appeared very composed, his punches crisp and straight. Coolly, he blocked and ducked under most of Lopez's winging blows. Lopez bounced an overhand left to the head, then retreated as Valdez pressed matters. A looping left caught Valdez behind the ear, finally. Circling out, Valdez regrouped and reestablished the jab.
Boxing smoothly in the third, Valdez repeatedly jolted Lopez's head with the right jab and mixed hooks and crosses with good effect. Lopez seemed largely ineffective as he mostly missed or caught shoulders and arms with his looping blows.
The fourth, a straight left rocked Lopez. However, moment later, Lopez caught him with a big left to the head. This appeared to stun Valdez and momentarily stemmed his surge. The two traded blows. The round ended with Valdez battering Lopez.
Lopez began the fifth with swarming blows briefly before being repelled with that telephone pole jab of Valdez. Lopez's right side appeared to bother him, as he subconsciously brought his right elbow in tight after a volley. His head snapped back from a searing assortment of jabs, crosses and hooks.
Suddenly, Lopez rocked Valdez with a big left. However, this only made the onslaught worse. Valdez began pummeling him in earnest, really stepping into his blows. In the process, his head was rocked with a right hook. The crowd cheered lustily.
in the sixth, Valdez picked Lopez apart with a punishing jab to head and the midsection. Stubbornly, Lopez slugged back hard with both fists. At one point, clearly frustrated, he held Valdez's head with his right and bounced a series of left uppercuts off Valdez's face. Still, the steady flow of jabs and straight lefts continued bouncing off Lopez's head and body with impunity. Making matters worse, blood now streamed from a nasty gash atop Lopez's scalp at rounds end.
That was it. Referee Gino Rodriguez waved off the bout at one second into the seventh round.
Mike Nevitt (174 lbs., 12-0, 5 KO’s) demonstrated superior speed and savvy in garnering a six round unanimous decision over gritty Paulino Avitia (174 lbs., 15-7, 11 KO’s).
Nevitt started out aggressively in the first, tagging Avitia several times with fast lefts. Nevitt slipped to the canvas on the follow through of a left hook. His speed and aggression clearly troubled Avitia, whom he appeared to stun with a left hook to the head. A right uppercut rocked Avitia. However, Avitia connected with a left hook of his own. Nevitt countered with a stiff right to the head. Nevitt was clearly dominant in this round.
In the second, Nevitt started out as the firsts, driving him back with a crisp jab to the head. A right hook to the back of the head nearly dropped Avitia, who complained. The two clashed heads accidentally. Avitia winced with pain. Nevitt was warned to watch it. This seemed to light a fire under Avitia, who speared with the jab and dug a few hard hooks to Nevitt’s rib cage. He finished the round with a left uppercut to Nevitt’s chin.
The third saw Nevitt step up his aggressions further, reddening Avitia’s face with jabs and lead rights. The two traded at ring’s center. Nevitt knocked Avitia’s mouthpiece with an uppercut. Evan as Nevitt worked him over and under, Avitia fought back bravely, drilling Nevitt’s side with left hooks. A straight right by Nevitt knocked Avitia back several steps. Undeterred, Avitia charged back in. The bell clanged moments later.
In the fourth, Nevitt buckled Avitia’s knees with a looping right to the head. He was out-landing Avitia a good three to one. Avitia lost his mouthpiece and had it replaced.
From ringside, you could hear Avitia breathing loudly through a stuffy sounding nose as he advanced, having his head battered repeatedly by the faster punching Nevitt. Yet, still he advanced, landing a few glancing blows at rounds end.
In the fifth, Nevitt circled fleetly first to one side, then the other. Bouncing on the balls of his feet, he jabbed, hooked and crossed Avitia. Jarred, Avitia roused a sizable Latin contingency. They cheered loudly as he slugged with wanton abandon. H e landed a stiff right that knocked Nevitt back a step. Still out-punched three or four punches to one, he landed the left with authority and unleashed a furious two fisted assault that had Nevitt holding at round’s end.
The sixth, Avitia’s head was bobbled twice with lefts and a right. Suddenly, Nevitt was cut over his left brow, perhaps the result of a cash of heads. Avitia seemed energized by the sight of his bleeding foe. He moved forward with increasing resolve and results. he still caught a walloping. However, Nevitt was no longer pitching a shutout.
A Heavy right snapped Avitia’s head back, as did a three-punch volley capped with a left uppercut to the head moments later. Another digging left to the stomach and a chopping left to the jaw jarred him. A furious and sustained blur of gloved blows to Avitia’s abdomen capped by a left to the jaw appeared to seal the round—and perhaps the fight—in Nevitt’s favor.
Judges scored the bout 59-55, 59-55 and 60-54 for a unanimous decision victory for Mike “Tension” Nevitt.
Can you spell “P-A-D-D-I-N-G, as in padding a fighter’s record? Why else would a fighter with a record of 26-1 take a four round bout against a hopelessly overmatched opponent with half his experience?
In a bout completely uncharacteristic of the rest of this fight card, that’s exactly what heavyweight hopeful Thomas “Night Train” Hayes (230 lbs., 26-1, 16 KO’s) did. He essentially had a light workout in dispatching willing, but grossly outgunned James Franklin (7-6-0, 5 KO’s)—who wore an intense look of concern throughout—inside three rounds. This was a bout that, according to an inside source, the boxing commission was pressured by a top ranking official of Chicago’s political machine into sanctioning.
Round one saw some jabbing by both. It had every appearance of a light sparring session. Perhaps Hayes trying to get in some work and work on his slipping and defense?
In the second, Hayes stepped up his pressure. At rounds end, Franklin sagged onto the ropes and received a standing eight count from an accumulation of punches.
Hayes began zinging blows to the body and head in the third. Franklin tried to keep him honest with the jab and follow-up rights. No matter. A right uppercut dazed Franklin, who was pushed away by Hayes. His legs, gone, he sagged against the ropes. Referee Tim “Silk” Adams waved the bout off at 1:07 into round three.
Eberto Medina (147 lbs., 1-1, 1 KO) battered and ultimately defeated Andrzej Fonfara (146 lbs., 4-0, 1 KO), who showed some toughness, by unanimous decision.
Starting out well behind a sharp jab and stiff rights, Fonfara found himself abused by the shorter, but more powerful Medina, taking a fearful beating to the head in the second and third round. Though weary and beleaguered, Fonfara showed toughness and discipline, jabbing and holding.
Suddenly in the fourth, a right of Fonfara’s dumped Medina onto the ropes. Had the ropes not been there, Medina would have gone down. Fonfara surged and the two traded hard blows in close.
In the fifth, Medina landed first a right and then a left bomb to the head. However, Fonfara took it and kept jabbing and crossing. Bulling forward, Medina took it to his scrappy opponent, moving him bodily with larruping blows.
Judges scored the bout 49-46 twice and 49-45 for Eberto Medina.
Polish heavyweight Art Binkowski—who played fighter Corn Griffin in the movie, Cinderella Man, with Russell Crowe—was spotted at ringside. He said, “I’m coming back to Chicago. I’ve got a contract with Don King.” Binkowski could be heard shouting instructions in Polish for his countryman Andrzej Fonfara.
Wilton Hilario (130 lbs., 5-0) dispatched aggressive Jesse Joe King (134 lbs., 1-1) inside one round. Ticked off that Hilario nearly dropped him with a body bump in a corner, King charged Hilario with an all-out two fisted assault. Bad idea. circling smoothly, Wilton Hilario dropped King with a big right hand. On his knees, King dropped forward, but rose. The two swapped blows. Then, a left hook clearly rocked and dropped King about a minute after action resumed. Referee Tim Adams waved off the fight at 1:58 into round one.
Ivan Rodriguez (121 lbs., 6-3-1) and Benjamin Orozco (120 lbs., 3-1-3) nearly stole the thunder of the night in the second to last bout. Slugging non-stop, they pushed the envelope for pain tolerance, and possibly raised the stock for CT Scans, rattling one another and coming back for more. Judges scored the six round bout 58-56 twice and 59-55 for Ivan Rodriguez.
In a close, non-stop slugging bout, Francisco Lorenzo (131 lbs., 26-3) defeated Cristobal Cruz (130 lbs., 33-8-1) by scores of 80-71, 79-72 and 78-73 for a unanimous decision victory over eight rounds.
So, even as wintery snow and ice enveloped the great Chicagoland area, a greater fire burned brightly inside Cicero Stadium. Once again, Dominic Pesoli's 8 Count and Bob Arum's Top Rank put on a tremendously entertaining evening of fighting that brought a palpable warmth to those in attendance.
Ice, you say? What ice? The giddiness spilled outside afterwards, as one ringside judge--who likes sparring--shadow boxed as he jogged to his car. Laughing, he said, "Bring it on!"
Oh, they did. And then some.
To see more photos, click on the link below, go to "Sports Events," and click on "Nidlovu Vs Castillo" (sic):
http://www.digitaledgephotography.us/
