January 2014 in Review

January was an interesting month with very decent boxing bouts, disappointments, brutal KO’s, and a month that has put boxers in a situation in which they must reassess their boxing career. Among these boxers in the tough as nails Puerto Rican out of Philly, King Gabe Rosado who is a throwback to the old school boxers, but recently cuts have hurt his career. Rosado went down back to 154 lbs. after two failed attempts at a middleweight title, but his first fight back at 154 lbs. was against the prospect Jermell Charlo 23-0 (11KO) resulting in a defeat via a unanimous decision. Another boxer is Romanian Lucian Bute fighting out of Canada who was given a boxing lesson by Jean Pascal after the 5^th round TKO defeat at the hands of Carl Froch in Nottingham, England, Bute is no longer the same and it’s has been demonstrated that Bute was more of a marketing creation that a boxing talent. I believe it’s time for Bute to call it quits.

Boxing was a vehicle that took Victor Ortiz out of the bad situation in the early years of his life, however, now it’s time to reassess his boxing career and find other things that will continue helping him through life. After a long layoff Ortiz somehow believed that he was going to bully and use intimidation tactics against the crafty and skillful veteran Luis Collazo, due to injuries, management problems, and with his controversial defeats at the hands of Andre Berto and Ricky Hatton. Collazo became a distant memory to the casual fans, but after the brutal KO of Victor Ortiz this puts him right into the Golden Boy Promotion Welterweight division sweepstakes. For Luis Collazo the Ortiz fight was a pivotal point in his career it was do or die, and he stepped up to the plate and won with a brutal KO. Now what is ahead for Collazo who knows? There is the possible dangerous fight versus Keith Thurman.

The Mikey Garcia vs. J.C. Burgos was expected to be a good fight with Burgos claiming that the WBO Jr. Lightweight title was his and this being his third shot a world title more was expected form him. After Burgos hurt Garcia and then later was hurt. Burgos then decides to call it in for the night and went into survival mode since he could not adjust to Garcia excellent management of distance and power. Garcia has been down and hurt in his last two fights something to look out for in his boxing, as he moves up in quality of opponents. According to reports Garcia will be fighting Yuriorkis Gamboa whose career has been in a steady decline and is looking for relevance. The fight is said to be in May that should be an interesting technical fight with both boxers depending on their management of distance, power, speed, and counter punching abilities.

In Europe the 6’2” Serbian Cruiserweight Marco Huck fighting out of Germany defeated Firat Arlsan via a 6 round TKO, and becomes the WBO Cruiserweight Champion.

The best January KO’s / TKO’s: 

Luis Collazo’s  KO of Victor Ortiz in 2 rounds; Frank “Notorious” Galarza KO’s John “Apollo Kidd” Thompson in 2 rounds; Felix Verdejo’s KO of  Lauro Alcantar in 21 seconds; Marco Huck’s TKO Firat Arslan in 6 rounds.

Prospects that shined in January:

154 lbs. 5’ 7” Eddie “Eboy” Gomez 16-0 (10KO) out of the Bronx, NYC won a 10 round UD versus another undefeated power punching prospect Daquan Arnett. 

154 lbs. 5’10” Frank “Notorious” Galarza 12-0 (8KO) out Brooklyn, NYC won via a 2^nd round brutal KO of  another undefeated boxer John “Apollo Kidd” Thompson.

135 lbs. 5’9” Felix Verdejo 10-0 (7KO) out of San Juan, Puerto Rico won via a 1^st round 21 second brutal KO of undefeated Lauro Alcantar.