Gary Russell, Jr. and Leonilo Miranda both tipped the scales at 127 pounds for their eight-round HBO bout tonight in Biloxi, MS.
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IBF #2 rated welterweight Randall Bailey (42-7, 36 KOs) won a mostly uneventful ten round unanimous decision over Yoryi Estrella (10-6-2, 7 KOs). Bailey scored a knockdown in the fifth round with an uppercut on the way to a 100-89, 100-89, 98-91 verdict. The IBF’s mandatory challenger, Bailey stepped aside to allow stablemate Andre Berto challenge IBF champion Zan Zaveck in tonight’s main event. Bailey will face the winner.
Comment below from Dan Rafael of ESPN. Rafael's remark: Not surprisingly, Russell, who has perhaps the quickest hands in boxing and is one of the sport's top prospects, ran roughshod over Miranda in a monster mismatch that belonged nowhere near the HBO airwaves. But being in the stable of Al Haymon (Russell's adviser) has its privileges. HBO didn't even have an opponent for Russell until about a week before the fight, unheard of for the network. And to make matters worse, the bout was cut from a scheduled 10-rounder to an eight-rounder -- even more special treatment for Russell, in a move supposedly agreed to because Russell, a southpaw, was dealing with a fragile left hand.
That said, Russell, 23, of Capitol Heights, Md., looked very, very good against a very, very limited opponent in Miranda, 28, of Mexico, who has now lost four of his last six (yet another questionable decision by HBO to approve such a poor opponent). Russell, a 2008 U.S. Olympian, had the overwhelming speed and skill advantage, which he used to pepper Miranda nonstop throughout the bout. Two judges appropriately had it a shutout, but it was quite surprising to see that judge Larry Ingle gave Miranda even a single round, because Russell toyed with his opponent. He jabbed relentlessly, worked the body extremely well, showed strong defense and punched in blazingly fast combinations. At one point in the fifth round, Russell ripped off a six-punch combination. It's doubtful Miranda ever saw more than two or three of the punches. Russell wobbled Miranda a couple of times in what amounted to target practice. The only knock on Russell at all was that he could not drop Miranda.
Russell is an elite prospect with world champion/pound-for-pound potential. If HBO wants to keep televising his fights, it should require his handlers -- Haymon and Golden Boy -- to match him with a much higher grade of opposition based on his amateur background and obvious talent. It looks very much like the kid can handle it.
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2 comments:
IBF #2 rated welterweight Randall Bailey (42-7, 36 KOs) won a mostly uneventful ten round unanimous decision over Yoryi Estrella (10-6-2, 7 KOs). Bailey scored a knockdown in the fifth round with an uppercut on the way to a 100-89, 100-89, 98-91 verdict. The IBF’s mandatory challenger, Bailey stepped aside to allow stablemate Andre Berto challenge IBF champion Zan Zaveck in tonight’s main event. Bailey will face the winner.
Comment below from Dan Rafael of ESPN.
Rafael's remark: Not surprisingly, Russell, who has perhaps the quickest hands in boxing and is one of the sport's top prospects, ran roughshod over Miranda in a monster mismatch that belonged nowhere near the HBO airwaves. But being in the stable of Al Haymon (Russell's adviser) has its privileges. HBO didn't even have an opponent for Russell until about a week before the fight, unheard of for the network. And to make matters worse, the bout was cut from a scheduled 10-rounder to an eight-rounder -- even more special treatment for Russell, in a move supposedly agreed to because Russell, a southpaw, was dealing with a fragile left hand.
That said, Russell, 23, of Capitol Heights, Md., looked very, very good against a very, very limited opponent in Miranda, 28, of Mexico, who has now lost four of his last six (yet another questionable decision by HBO to approve such a poor opponent). Russell, a 2008 U.S. Olympian, had the overwhelming speed and skill advantage, which he used to pepper Miranda nonstop throughout the bout. Two judges appropriately had it a shutout, but it was quite surprising to see that judge Larry Ingle gave Miranda even a single round, because Russell toyed with his opponent. He jabbed relentlessly, worked the body extremely well, showed strong defense and punched in blazingly fast combinations. At one point in the fifth round, Russell ripped off a six-punch combination. It's doubtful Miranda ever saw more than two or three of the punches. Russell wobbled Miranda a couple of times in what amounted to target practice. The only knock on Russell at all was that he could not drop Miranda.
Russell is an elite prospect with world champion/pound-for-pound potential. If HBO wants to keep televising his fights, it should require his handlers -- Haymon and Golden Boy -- to match him with a much higher grade of opposition based on his amateur background and obvious talent. It looks very much like the kid can handle it.
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