Fighter of the Month– Mauricio Herrera
Losing would’ve been the easiest thing in the world to do.
Herrera, the unknown and unheralded jr. welterweight from Lake Elsinore, California, was merely an opponent for the then undefeated, all-action prospect, Ruslan Provodnikov on Friday Night Fights’ season opener, January 14th.
The ferocious Russian was getting all the press and being sold as a cross between Kostya Tszyu and Mike Tyson. Herrera was just another victim on Provodnikov’s resume, a stepping stone to a top 10 ranking and, perhaps, a title shot by the end of 2011.
But Herrera wasn’t buying it. The boxer-puncher, who was a lot more talented than his press clippings would suggest, kept coming forward and kept hanging tough when he was supposed to fold under the Russian’s much-hyped pressure.
By the middle rounds of their twelve-round contest, it was clear that Herrera not only could hang with his opponent, but was getting stronger and more determined as the minutes passed. When the final bell sounded, it was painfully obvious that Herrera. and not the favored Russian, was in command.
Although some disagree with the judges’ decision in the contest, there is little disagreement that Herrera had defied the odds and, in doing so, had put in the performance of the month.
Bum of the Month: Chris Arreola
It’s bad enough that you choose to pollute the airwaves with a meaningless bout against a no-hoper, but when you actually go out of your way to humiliate that same club fighter on national TV, well, that’s about as low as you can get.
Chris Arreola, who has banked his reputation on being the “regular guy,” barely broke a sweat in his January 28th bout against journeyman, Joey Abell on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights. Literally, Arreola ended the contest with the first real punch he landed.
Then, as his hand-picked opponent was wobbling up against the ropes and the ref was calling an end to the contest, Arreola moved in and planted a kiss on the cheek of Abell.
It was a completely unnecessary and classless move from an alleged tough guy who was literally beaten to tears 16-months ago by Vitali Klitschko.
If this new attitude of humiliating over-matched opponents and flipping off the cameras is part of the most recent “re-birth” of Chris Arreola, then consider us not impressed.
The BTBC Co-Threads of the Month–
The “Official” – and running – I Loath Dan Rafael Thread
MaxBoxing’s Gabriel Montoya comes in to lecture The Boxing Tribune’s forum about the modern mainstream boxing media…The dialogue gets heated and spills out over two threads: A modern message board classic…Come Join The BTBC, boxing’s first and only 100% Troll-Free forum. Rub elbows with The Boxing Tribune writing staff as well as an awesome group of hardcore fight fans.
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