[Previous entry: "Joey Gilbert in Baltimore Tonight for Return Bout, Kicking off Huge Plans!"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "Rob Frankel Defeats Ramon Montano"]
10/30/2008 Archived Entry: "Cristobal Cruz Claims IBF Title in a Close One"
Cristobal Cruz Claims IBF Title in a Close One
Story and Photos by Ricardo Ibarra
andSalidotrade.jpg)
Cruz (left) and Salido trade
Securing a spot among the best fighters in the featherweight division seemed like a long-shot for one of northern Mexico’s toughest veterans. After forty-eight professional fights, eleven of those losses, it seemed to many that Cristobal Cruz would never reach that position. Fighters like him rarely do. Fighters that are considered tough professionals, but lacking in overall technical boxing ability usually come up short when faced with a technically superior fighter.
Then this past Thursday, October 23rd at the Northern Quest Casino of Airway Heights, Washington, Cruz (37-11-1 23KOs 126 lbs.) surprised many boxing observers as he used his dogged determination to secure the vacant IBF featherweight title with a close split decision victory over the favored and technically superior Orlando Salido (31-10-2 20KOs 126 lbs.).
Early on in the bout Salido effectively used his boxing ability to outland the aggressive Cruz. Using angles to avoid the oncoming assault, Salido effectively countered on the inside as his opponent stepped into the pocket, landing with solid hooks to the head and body. The bout was close throughout the first six rounds, but Salido seemed to have the edge, consistently out landing Cruz and buckling his knees in the sixth with a solid right hand.
Cruz remained undeterred, continuously applying pressure and trading with Salido on the inside. His determination paid off in the late rounds as Salido began to slow. Down the stretch of the fight Cruz was clearly the busier fighter, out working his opponent with the crisper combinations.
The bout was very close as was reflected in the judges’ scorecards. The final tallies read 115-113 Salido and 116-112 twice for Cruz, giving the Tijuana, Mexico native the biggest win of his career and a clear position among the top featherweights in the world.
In a four round special attraction, ’08 Olympian and former world amateur champion Demetrius Andrade (1-0 1KO 155 lbs.) made a successful entry into the professional fight game with an impressive second round TKO over game but outmatched Patrick Cape (4-3 2KOs 148 ½ lbs.). Andrade was too quick and accurate for Cape from the start of the bout, pressing with hard combinations out of a southpaw stance. A series of body shots dropped Cape for an eight-count at the end of the first round. Andrade quickly picked up the pace in the second round, depositing his opponent on the canvas once again. The referee mercifully stopped the bout at 24 seconds of the second round, awarding Andrade his first victory as a professional prize fighter.
Russian super middleweight prospect Maxim Vlasov (14-0 5KOs 168 lbs.) kept his undefeated record in tact with an eight round majority decision win over Don Mouton (7-3-1 7KOs 164 ½ lbs.) of Houston, Texas. Vlasov controlled the early portion of the fight working from the outside with a solid jab and quick right hands. Mouton was able to close the distance in the middle rounds, pressing Vlasov into an inside fight where Mouton was able to do some damage. By the seventh round Vlasov was once again out landing Mouton, managing to hurt him with a solid right hand. He maintained a steady work rate until the final bell, keeping Mouton subdued and on the end of his punches. The official scores read 76-76, 78-74 and 77-75 for Vlasov.
Abiague opens up to the body
In a four round Jr. Bantamweight fight, Portland, Maine’s Jorge Abiague (1-0 115 ½ lbs.) pitched a shutout over Las Vegas, Nevada’s Mario Gonzalez (0-1 115 ½ lbs.). Abiague easily out-boxed Gonzalez with quick combinations and lateral movement. Gonzalez pressed forward throughout the fight, but was continuously met with accurate counter punches. All three judges scored the bout 40-36.
A four round lightweight bout between Portland, Oregon’s Ben Metts (1-1 1NC 1KO 137 lbs.) and Seattle, Washington’s Francisco Reyes (0-1 1NC 135 lbs.) ended in disappointing fashion after a head-butt opened a deep cut over the forehead of Metts in the second round. Both fighters had their moments in the bout, trading heavy punches from the start. Reyes appeared to have a slight edge in the first round, landing at a higher rate. In the second round Metts pressed early, bringing the fight to Reyes and finding his mark with three and four punch combinations. It was in one of those instances that Metts stepped in to trade where he found himself on the receiving end of an accidental head-butt. After a quick examination by the ringside physician, the fight was wisely stopped. The bout was ruled a no contest.
The nationally televised card was promoted by Banner Promotions and Joe Deguardia’s Star Boxing.
MORE PHOTOS TO FOLLOW...
