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04/14/2007 Archived Entry: "Lorenzo Out-Hustles Cruz, George Flattens Mercedez!"
Lorenzo Out-Hustles Cruz, George Flattens Mercedez!
Photos and story by Juan C. Ayllon at ringside
Donovan George (left) drops Alberto Mercedez in the first round
CICERO, Ill.—The end seemed near. Lanky and fast starting Mexican Crystobal Cruz (34-9-1, 22 KO’s) battered, then dropped muscular New Jersey opponent Francisco Lorenzo (27-4, 14 KO’s) with a left hook that slammed into the ribs in the first round.
Surviving with equal parts toughness and guile, a retreating Lorenzo was warned twice for low blows in the second as Cruz continued swarming and systematically breaking him down.
However, this was no four rounder. This was a 12 round bout for the World Boxing Council - Caribbean Boxing Federation Super Featherweight Title.
Lorenzo (left) and Cruz in a rare respite in the action
Clearly the physically stronger of the two, as early as the third round, Lorenzo landed a jarring right to the head and engaged in thrilling two-fisted skirmishes with the pressing Cruz.
As the bout progressed, Cruz generally pressed forward, punched sporadically and upped his work rate towards rounds end. Lorenzo retreated, but generally maintained the steadier flow of hard, looping blows.
Drawing roars from the crowd, they swapped lefts and rights repeatedly. Suddenly, Cruz lurched forward from a right to the jaw. Regrouping, he again forced the action, while absorbing plenty of return fire.
This, indeed, was a fight.
Cruz dominated in the six and in the seventh, with Lorenzo cut on the outside of his right eyelid, he pounced like a shark smelling blood. Lorenzo swung back like a cornered cat, retreating all the while.
There was plenty of give and take.
Snapping Cruz’s head back with a right, he resorted to occasional low blows, drawing a protest from Cruz. Engaged in hard, two-fisted exchanges in close, Lorenzo was battered backwards at the bell ending the seventh.
In the eighth round, Lorenzo forged what was to be characteristic of the rest of the bout: retreating, he landed a looping right to the head, a left hook to the body, and kept his fists busier as Cruz stalked and punched in spurts.
Lorenzo (left) bounces a left off the head of Cruz
In the 11th, Lorenzo was clearly out-hustling Cruz, who could not seem to be able to replicate his earlier success as he caught more punches than he landed.
In a furious give and take 12th round, Cruz appeared to shade Lorenzo. But was it too little, too late?
The judges apparently thought so, and the largely Latin crowd lustily booed the results: 115-112 twice and 114-113 for a unanimous decision victory for Lorenzo.
After all, like their Mexican food, Cicero crowds prefer their fighters authentic Mexican, as opposed to the Americanized fare often served up north of the border. That, and they embrace the traditional, Latin mold of fighting: aggressive, pressing and unyielding. Despite his Latin surname, Lorenzo hailed from New Jersey, appeared more light skinned African American than Hispanic, and retreated, rather than pressed the action.
George (left) and Mercedez mix it up early on in the first round
By contrast, wearing a newfound red, black and blue Mohawk, Donovan “Da Bomb” George (12-0-1, 10 KO’s) left little to artistic or cultural interpretation, blowing out normally rugged Alberto Mercedes (13-13-1, 9 KO’s) in the first round of their bout.
What started out as a slow jab, circle and cross session quickly turned to a rout, as Donovan George accelerated his attack and battered Mercedes with a well-oiled arsenal long on right handed bombs. Three knockdowns later, it was over, with Mercedes lying on his back in a corner. George won officially by knockout at 2:59 into round one.
Cisneros (left) attacks Simms
Popular former “Contender” contestant Rudy Cisneros (155 lbs., 9-2, 8 KO’s) found the going a little challenging against Leshon Simms (154 lbs., 3-4-0, 2 KO’s), whose fast hands, crisp jab and good footwork appeared better than his record suggested.
At times, Cisneros appeared like he was trying to force the knockout and neglected the jab. Nevertheless, in the third, he buckled Simms knees and knocked his mouthpiece out with a right, as he systematically broke him down to the body with rights and blows to the head.
In the fifth, Cisneros battered Simms around the ring. A right to the jaw had a delayed effect. Covering, Simms pitched forward and to the left, where he stumbled across the ring to the ropes. Righting himself, he covered up as best he could. Furious rights and lefts rained down on him until referee Pete Podgorski intervened. Cisneros had won by technical knockout at 2:20 into the fifth round.
Rudy Cisneros offers thanks, while referee Podgorski (rear) walks Simms to a corner to be checked out
“He had no chance to win,” said Podgorski, summing up why he halted the bout as he did. Good call!
Popoca (left) hammers at Palacios with both fists
A pair of stiff rights to the head caught former Jr. Olympic National Champion Ivan Popoca (145 lbs., 1-0, 1 KO) swinging wide. However, he settled down, rocked and battered Gustavo Palacios (144 lbs., 1-1) along the ropes until referee Pete Podgorski halted the bout in the second round.
“His corner signaled, ‘That’s enough,’ more or less (saying), ‘take him out, and you’re not going to have a problem with us,’” said Podgorski.
Due to personal delays, I missed the other two fights on the card featuring Andrzej Fonfara versus Justin Danforth and Carlos Madrid versus Carlos Vinan. However, you can probably find the results at www.boxrec.com
All said, it was an entertaining night of boxing.
Cheers.
Juan C. Ayllon
News Editor & Staff Writer, Cyber Boxing Zone
Donovan George shares the thrill of his victory with the crowd
