The Top Puerto Rican Boxing Prospects: May 2014 by M.DeTyrone

1.                  Jose “Sniper” Pedraza 16-0 (10 KO) [Super Featherweight]

2.                  Felix Verdejo 12-0 (8 KO) [Lightweight]           

3.                  Keith “Machine Gun” Tapia 11-0 (7KO) Santurce – [Cruiserweight]

4.                  Gamalier Rodriguez 23-2-3 (15 KO) – Bayamon [Featherweight]

5.                  Prichard “Digget” Colon 9-0 (9KO) – Orocovis [Jr. Middleweight]

6.                  McJoe Arroyo 14-0 (7 KO) - Fajardo [Super Flyweight]

7.                  Jonathan “Mantequilla” Gonzalez 18-0-1 (14 KO) [Jr. Middleweight]

8.                  Carlos Ivan “Twin Dream” Velasquez 15-1 (11 KO) [Super Featherweight]

9.                  Luis “El Artesano” Cruz 21-2 (16 KO) – Las Piedras [Lightweight]

10.              Thomas Dulorme 21-1 (14 KO) – Carolina /D. Republic [Jr. Welterweight]

11.              McWilliams Arroyo 14-1 (12 KO) – Ceiba/Fajardo [Flyweight]

12.              Jesus M. Rojas 19-1-1 (14 KO)  - Caguas [Featherweight]

13.              Luis Rosa 17-0 (7 KO) – Connecticut, USA [Super Bantamweight]

14.              Reylando “El Maestro” Ojeda 13-0 (8 KO) – San Juan / Canovanas [Lightweight]

15.              Emmanuel “Manny” Gonzalez 14-0 (7KO) – NYC [Super Featherweight]

16.              Jayson “La Maravilla” Velez 22-0 (16 KO) – Juncos [Featherweight]

17.              Emmanuel Rodriguez 8-0 (5 KO) – Vega Baja [Super Flyweight]

18.              Frank “Notorious” Galarza 14-0-2 (9KO) – Brooklyn , NYC [Jr. Middleweight]

19.              Juan Carlos Velasquez 12-1 (5KO) - Catano [Super Featherweight]

20.              Luis “Orlandito” Del Valle 19-2 (13 KO) – Bayamon [Super Bantamweight]

21.              Robert J. Acevedo 8-2 (5KO) – Bayamon/Miami, Fl. [ Super Middleweight]

22.              Edgardo “Sasso” Lopez 9-0-1 (4KO) – Catano [Super Featherweight]

23.              Jonathan Oquendo  24-3 (16 KO) – Vega Alta [Featherweight]

24.              Jorge “Destroyer”  Melendez 28-3-1 (26 KO) – Manati [Jr. Middleweight]

25.              Jose “Wonder Boy” Lopez 13-0 (11 KO) – Carolina [ Super Bantamweight ]

26.              Michael Perez 19-1-2 (10 KO) – Newark , NJ [Jr. Welterweight]

27.              Angel Fret 16 -0 (13KO) – Vega Alta [Super Bantamweight]

28.              Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa 7-0 (4KO) PR/Brooklyn, NY-  [Light welterweight]

29.              Vicente Miranda 16-1 (9 KO) – Bayamon

30.              Israel Vazquez 9-0-2 (6 KO)

31.              Wilkins Santiago 10-0-1 (1KO) -  Ohio, USA [Light Middleweight]

32.              Gabriel Bracero 23-1 (4 KO) – Brooklyn, NYC

33.              Frank Santo de Alba 10-1-2 (4KO) – Bayamon / Pennsylvania, USA

34.              Jose Martinez 10-0 (7 KO)

35.              Luis “La Roca” Hernandez 10-1 (6KO) – Rio Piedras

36.              *Dusty Harrison-Hernandez 22-0 (12KO) – Washington D.C.

37.              Alberto Mercado 8-0 (2KO) – Las Piedras

38.              Jose Martinez 10-0 (7 KO) - Las Marias [Bantamweight]

39.              Javier Flores 9-0 (8 KO) – Hartford, Connecticut, USA

40.              Rafael Vasquez 10-1 (8KO)

41.              Emmanuel Rivera 9-1 (5 KO)

42.              John Karl Sosa 9-0 (6 KO) – Caguas [Jr. Welterweight]

43.              Edgardo Laboy 7-0 (4 KO) [Featherweight]

44.              Miguel “No Fear” Cartagena 12-1 (5 KO)

45.              Eliezer Gonzalez 14-0 (9 KO) – Cupey Alto [Jr. Middleweight]

46.              Jonathan Vidal 17-2 (9 KO) – San Juan [Bantamweight]

47.              Antonio “Carita” Nieves 5-0 (2KO) – Ohio , USA

48.              Jose Aguirre 6-0 (4 KO) – Manati

49.              Janiel Rivera 10-1-2 (6KO)

50.              Edwin Soto 9-0-2 ( 4 KO)

51.              Kevin Nieves 6-0 (3KO)

52.              Starling Cordero 7-0 (4KO)  - Carolina [Bantamweight]

53.              Andy Mejias 14-0 (6KO)

54.              Alberto “El Explosivo” Machado 5-0 (3KO)

55.              Fransisco Almestica Garcia 6-0 (4 KO) – [Welterweight]

56.              Alex “The Brick City Bullet” Perez 18-1 (10KO) – Newark, NJ [Welterweight]

57.              Charlie Clemente 6-0 (4KO) – Carolina [Super Flyweight]

58.              Carlos Narvaez 6-0 (5 KO)

59.              Jonathan Perez 5-0 (3KO) – Moca [Jr. Welterweight]

60.              Fransisco “Pechuga” Vargas 2-0 (2KO)

61.              Braulio Santos 11-2 (10 KO) – Carolina [Featherweight]

62.              Jeffrey “Dinamita” Fontanez 15-0 (11 KO) – Caguas [Lightweight]

63.              Jorge Diaz 17-3 (10KO)

64.              Daniel Rosario 7-0 (6KO) - Caguas

65.              Angel “Tito” Acosta 6-0 (6KO)

66.              Osenohan Vasquez 6-1 (1 KO) – Jersey City , NJ

67.              Abner “Pin” Cotto 17-2 (7KO) [Lightweight]

68.              Yomar “The Magic” Alamo 4-0 (4KO) – Aguas Buenas

69.              Christopher “Pitifo” Diaz 3-0 (2KO)

70.              Kenny Galarza 16-2 (15KO) – Ponce / Juana Diaz [Jr. Welterweight]

71.              Miguel “El Loco” Robles 12-4 (5 KO) – San Juan

72.              Edwin Rodriguez 5-0 (4KO) [Super Flyweight]

73.              Emmanuel De Jesus 10-0 (6 KO) – Canovanas [ Jr. Middleweight]

74.              Antonio “Cacique” Ortiz 4-0 (3KO) - Humacao

75.              Miguel Marrero 7-0-2 (4KO)

76.              Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez 13-1-1 (11 KO) - Caguas [Flyweight]

77.              Kenneth Rivera 5-1 (4KO) [Featherweight]

78.              O’Nell Negron 9-1-2 (8KO)

79.              Camilo Perez 9-2 (4 KO) – Carolina

80.              Jorge Maysonet jr. 12-1 (10KO) – Catano [Jr. Welterweight]

81.              Miguel Soto 11-2 (11 KO) – Arecibo

82.              Dennis Galarza 2-0 (1KO)

83.              Luis Saul “El Zurdo” Rosario 2-0 (2KO)

84.              Noel Echevarria 11-3 (6 KO) – North Carolina, USA [Lightweight]

Side Note: 

1.         Jose “Sniper” Pedraza 16-0 (10 KO) [Super Featherweight] Ranked: WBA #9; WBC #5; IBF #8; IBO Super Feather Weight Champion.

4.         Gamalier Rodriguez 23-2-3 (15 KO) – Bayamon [Featherweight] Ranked: NABO Champion; WBO #6; WBC #34.

6.         McJoe Arroyo 14-0 (7 KO) - Fajardo [Super Flyweight] Ranked: IBF #10; WBC #28.

7.         Jonathan “Mantequilla” Gonzalez 18-0-1 (14 KO) [Jr. Middleweight] Ranked WBC #9; IBF #7. 

10.       Thomas Dulorme 21-1 (14 KO) – Carolina /D. Republic [Jr. Welterweight] Ranked: WBA #2; IBF #4; WBC #4; WBO #8; NABF Champion.

11.       McWilliams Arroyo 14-1 (12 KO) – Ceiba/Fajardo [Flyweight] Ranked: IBF #9; WBC#17.

15.       Emmanuel “Manny” Gonzalez 14-0 (7KO) – NYC [Super Featherweight] Ranked: WBC #15.

16.       Jayson “La Maravilla” Velez 22-0 (16 KO) – Juncos [Featherweight] Ranked: IBF #11; WBC #2.

17.       Emmanuel Rodriguez 8-0 (5 KO) –  Vega Baja [Super Flyweight] Ranked: WBC #40.

20.       Luis “Orlandito” Del Valle 19-2 (13 KO) – Bayamon [Featherweight] Ranked: WBC #6.

25.       Jose “Wonder Boy” Lopez 13-0 (11 KO) – Carolina [Super Bantamweight] Ranked: WBC #26; FECARBOX Champion.

27.  Angel Fret 16 -0 (13KO) – Vega Alta [Super Bantamweight] Ranked: WBA #13.

30.       Israel Vazquez 9-0-2 (6 KO) Ranked: WBC #40.

46.       Jonathan Vidal 17-2 (9 KO) – San Juan [Bantamweight] Ranked: WBC #31.

Sources:

WBA OFFICIAL RATINGS AS OF MARCH 2014

WBC Rankings APRIL / ABRIL 2014

WBO Rakings as of April 2014

IBF Ranking as of April 2014

Redemption and Adversity: Saul “Canelo” Alvarez M.DeTyrone

Napoleon Bonaparte once said, “Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed on an equal or great benefit.” After the abysmal performance by the now 23 year old Saul “Canelo” Alvarez against Floyd Mayweather jr. Canelo sought redemption by fighting “El Perro” Angulo due to Angulo’s shameful non-performance Canelo won by a ten round TKO. That was not even the case but the fact that Canelo didn’t even make 154 lbs. and ended up paying Angulo a substantial  amount of money for an extra pound, and the fight was at the weight limit of 155 lbs. Making Canelo a Middleweight.

Redemption is an act of redeeming or atoning for a fault or mistake; deliverance from sin; salvation. I can’t fault Saul “Canelo” Alvarez for being accused by many fans for being a creation, but he is a product of the boxing industry. An industry that is looking for the next Mexican boxing star in the Jr. Middleweight division that can become cross over to the USA and world mainstream sports market just like Oscar De La Hoya once did. 

 If Canelo was seeking some kind redemption in the eyes of the boxing fans the opposite effect occurred that resulted in the fans at the Angulo fight throwing objects at him and his team, then you had a network announcer and boxing great suspecting Angulo was bought and paid for, and many fans validating their common suspicion that Canelo is a network creation and investment.

Canelo was built up by winning the vacant WBC Light Middleweight title against an unranked 148 lbs. Matthew Hatton.  The fans ate it all. Then he had five successful defenses vs. Ryan Rhodes, Alfonso Gomez, Kermit Cintron, Shane Mosley, and Josesito Lopez. As a result, of the lesser opposition the fan base demanded and pressured the network and promoters that he fights a legit Jr. Middleweight. So, he faced Austin Trout coming off a victory over Miguel Cotto.  In 2013 Canelo faced Austin Trout at the Alamodome, in San Antonio for the WBC & WBA Light Middleweight title. Resulting in a victory for Canelo and quickly he was thrown in against Floyd Mayweather jr. at a catch weight. 

Now, we have Canelo still looking for redemption by fighting at a 155 lbs. catch weight the crafty and elusive 31 year old Cuban southpaw Erislandy Lara 19-1-2 (12KO) and the current WBA World Light Middleweight Champion. The majority of Canelo fans strongly believe just because Lara was dropped by Angulo two times in their fight that Canelo will do the same, and will KO Lara. Many of these fans forget that Lara won the Angulo fight by TKO and then face Trout resulting in the Cuban giving yet another boxing lesson. They dismiss that fact that Lara’s amateur pedigree was among the best for what was then his weight class of welterweight, and they also disrespect the fact that he’s a product of the Cuban boxing school. They fail to recognize that Angulo was or is a pressure boxer with dangerous punching power, on the other hand, Canelo lacks that one punch KO power, he lacks stamina after the six rounds, and he’s not a pressure boxer. He fancies himself a boxer-puncher and stylist very uncommon for a Mexican boxer at the 154-160 division. His team seems to embrace the belief that Canelo is a boxer-puncher / boxing stylist.

Lara with a 75” reach, foot work, and power has the abilities and tools to box circle around a flat footed Canelo, and break down his stamina for a late round TKO stoppage. I don’t see many exchanges in this fight or a Lara standing still become a target for Canelo’s repetitive punch combinations. I can see Canelo playing the boxer-puncher and trying to counter and Lara just boxing. Wouldn’t be surprised that not many sparks and punches will be thrown and you’ll have a Canelo winning a controversial decision on what the fans will call a bore fest. A boxer like Canelo is an investment to defeat him the opponent must KO him or hurt him multiple times, in my opinion, if they desire to win or obtain a decision from the judges.

The Search for Boxing Greatness and Immortality M. De Tyrone

On June 6^th, 2014 at Madison Square Garden, NYC it doesn’t get any better two modern day Latino gladiators will meet in the ring in a pro-Cotto environment.  One proud Argentine Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez 51-2-2 (28KO) defends his WBC Middleweight Title vs. Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto 38-4 (31KO) one is trying to achieve greatness and the other is fighting father time, the countless boxing injuries, and is trying to remain relevant in the sport of boxing. Ultimately this has the making of an epic showdown between two modern day gladiators at the historic Madison Square Garden.

William Shakespeare said, “Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them,” Only one boxer in this era has fought the best opponents, never accused of cherry picking, and has never been alleged to be involved with any performance enhancement drugs, or nutritionist with past involvements with any sort of performance enhancement drug. That boxer has been Miguel Cotto a modern day gladiator and a throwback to the boxers of the golden years. Miguel Cotto is in search of greatness by becoming the first Puerto Rican to win a world title in four weight divisions, in search of stamping his own legacy in this era next to Floyd Mayweather jr. and Manny Pacquiao. Will Miguel Cotto achieve that extra greatness on June 6th 2014 at Madison Square Garden by winning the WBC Middleweight title? Miguel Cotto has a difficult task against a stronger and more powerful opponent the Argentine Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez.

Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez at 5’10” with a reach of 73”  and record of 51-2-2 (28KO) has been in the sport of boxing for some time now and has been ranked among the top pound for pound boxers in the world by the boxing sports media. Martinez has been calling out Cotto, Pacquiao, and Floyd Mayweather jr. Avoided by various boxers at 154 lbs. and 160 lbs. outside the WBA middleweight champ Gennady Golovkin.  Martinez has defeated all the opponents put in front of him at middleweight; be that as it may, his last two victories have been pyrrhic resulting in various injuries and a controversial victory over Martin Murray in front of his Argentine country men in 2013. In 2012 Martinez fought Julio Cesar Chavez jr. who is basically just a crude club boxer that uses his weight advantage against his opponents, has a legendary surname due to his father and the support of the WBC. Martinez just schooled for 11 rounds a Chavez jr. until the 12^th round when Chavez jr. caught Martinez with a shot that dropped him and from that point it Martinez was on survival mode.

Miguel Cotto stands at 5’7” with a reach at 67” and a professional record of 38 victories 4 defeats and 31 KO. His last victory was against the ESPN Friday Night Fights regular Delvin Rodriguez with a 3^rd round TKO in a fight where many “Experts” believed it would be a tough fight for Cotto. However, Cotto won in a convincing fashion. Many missed the point that it wasn’t about the victory but in the fashion that Cotto won.  Cotto is at a height, reach, and a power disadvantage versus Martinez. It’s a hard fight for Cotto to win unless he fights an inside fight thus taking away Martinez athleticism which is a big part of his boxing.  It’s not known how well Martinez has recuperated from his injuries that being a broken hand versus Martin Murray and before that a knee surgery and a fractured left hand after the Chavez Jr. victory. Majority of Martinez’s opponents have been tall and slow.  I can’t recall Martinez fighting an inside fight or defending against a body attack.  A technical Cotto with intelligent methodical pressure to Martinez’s body will be something to look for, if Cotto exchanges vs. Martinez, then he will get KO’d. You have to give credit to Cotto in taking on this fight when others haven’t stepped up to the challenge. A victory by Cotto over Martinez puts him within the top 10 Puerto Rican Boxers of all time, and among one those immortals in boxing history.

 

I give the advantage to Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez if he is 100% physically and can use his athleticism. If Martinez is not 100% physically healthy for the fight then I give Miguel Cotto, a good chance to break down Martinez’s body with a very technical intelligent and methodical pressure for interesting late rounds where both have lacked stamina in their fights. At any rate, this fight looks to be one of the best of 2014. 

The Top Puerto Rican Boxing Prospects: April 2014

1.                  Jose “Sniper” Pedraza 16-0 (10 KO) [Super Featherweight]

2.                  Jonathan “Mantequilla” Gonzalez 17-0-1 (14 KO) [Jr. Middleweight]

3.                  Luis “Orlandito” Del Valle 18-1 (13 KO) – Bayamon [Featherweight]

4.                  Felix Verdejo 12-0 (8 KO) [Lightweight]           

5.                  Keith “Machine Gun” Tapia 10-0 (6KO) Santurce – [Cruiserweight]

6.                  Gamalier Rodriguez 23-2-3 (15 KO) – Bayamon [Featherweight]

7.                  Luis “El Artesano” Cruz 21-2 (16 KO) – Las Piedras [Lightweight]

8.                  Prichard “Digget” Colon 9-0 (9KO) – Orocovis [Jr. Middleweight]

9.                  McJoe Arroyo 14-0 (7 KO) - Fajardo [Super Flyweight]

10.              Carlos Ivan “Twin Dream” Velasquez 15-1 (11 KO)

11.              Thomas Dulorme 21-1 (14 KO) – Carolina /D. Republic [Jr. Welterweight]

12.              McWilliams Arroyo 14-1 (12 KO) – Fajardo

13.              Jesus M. Rojas 19-1-1 (14 KO) 

14.              Luis Rosa 16-0 (7 KO) – Connecticut, USA [Super Bantamweight]

15.              Emmanuel “Manny” Gonzalez 14-0 (7KO) – NYC [Super Featherweight]

16.              Jayson “La Maravilla” Velez 22-0 (16 KO) – Juncos [Featherweight]

17.              Reylando “El Maestro” Ojeda 13-0 (8 KO) – San Juan / Canovanas [Lightweight]

18.              Emmanuel Rodriguez 8-0 (5 KO) – Vega Baja [Super Flyweight]

19.              Frank “Notorious” Galarza 12-0-2 (7KO) – Brooklyn , NYC [Jr. Middleweight]

20.              Robert J. Acevedo 8-2 (5KO) – Bayamon/Miami, Fl. [ Super Middleweight]

21.              Edgardo “Sasso” Lopez 9-0-1 (4KO)

22.              Jonathan Oquendo  24-3 (16 KO) – Vega Alta

23.              Jorge “Destroyer”  Melendez 28-3-1 (26 KO) – Manati

24.              Jose “Wonder Boy” Lopez 13-0 (11 KO) – Carolina [ Super Bantamweight ]

25.              Michael Perez 19-1-2 (10 KO) – Newark , NJ [Jr. Welterweight]

26.              Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa 7-0 (4KO) PR/Brooklyn, NY-  [Light welterweight]

27.              Vicente Miranda 16-1 (9 KO) – Bayamon

28.              Israel Vazquez 9-0-2 (6 KO)

29.              Wilkins Santiago 9-0-1 (1KO) -  Ohio, USA

30.              Gabriel Bracero 23-1 (4 KO) – Brooklyn, NYC

31.              Frank Santo de Alba 10-1-2 (4KO) – Bayamon / Pennsylvania, USA

32.              Jose Martinez 10-0 (7 KO)

33.              Luis “La Roca” Hernandez 10-1 (6KO) – Rio Piedras

34.              Alberto Mercado 8-0 (2KO) – Las Piedras

35.              *Dusty Harrison-Hernandez 20-0 (11KO) – Washington D.C.

36.              Jose Martinez 10-0 (7 KO) - Las Marias [Bantamweight]

37.              Javier Flores 9-0 (8 KO) – Hartford, Connecticut, USA

38.              Rafael Vasquez 10-1 (8KO)

39.              Emmanuel Rivera 9-1 (5 KO)

40.              John Karl Sosa 9-0 (6 KO) – Caguas [Jr. Welterweight]

41.              Edgardo Laboy 7-0 (4 KO) [Featherweight]

42.              Miguel “No Fear” Cartagena 12-1 (5 KO)

43.              Eliezer Gonzalez 14-0 (9 KO) – Cupey Alto [Jr. Middleweight]

44.              Jonathan Vidal 17-2 (9 KO) – San Juan [Bantamweight]

45.              Antonio “Carita” Nieves 5-0 (2KO) – Ohio , USA

46.              Jose Aguirre 6-0 (4 KO) – Manati

47.              Janiel Rivera 10-1-2 (6KO)

48.              Edwin Soto 9-0-2 ( 4 KO)

49.              Kevin Nieves 6-0 (3KO)

50.              Starling Cordero 7-0 (4KO)  - Carolina [Bantamweight]

51.              Andy Mejias 14-0 (6KO)

52.              Angel Fret 16 -0 (13KO) – Vega Alta [Super Bantamweight]

53.              Alberto “El Explosivo” Machado 5-0 (3KO)

54.              Fransisco Almestica Garcia 6-0 (4 KO) – [Welterweight]

55.              Charlie Clemente 6-0 (4KO) – Carolina [Super Flyweight]

56.              Carlos Narvaez 6-0 (5 KO)

57.              Jonathan Perez 5-0 (3KO) – Moca [Jr. Welterweight]

58.              Fransisco “Pechuga” Vargas 2-0 (2KO)

59.              Braulio Santos 11-2 (10 KO) – Carolina [Featherweight]

60.              Jeffrey “Dinamita” Fontanez 15-0 (11 KO) – Caguas [Lightweight]

61.              Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez 13-1 (11 KO) - Caguas [Flyweight]

62.              Jorge Diaz 17-3 (10KO)

63.              Daniel Rosario 7-0 (6KO) - Caguas

64.              Angel “Tito” Acosta 6-0 (6KO)

65.              Osenohan Vasquez 6-1 (1 KO) – Jersey City , NJ

66.              Abner “Pin” Cotto 17-2 (7KO) [Lightweight]

67.              Yomar “The Magic” Alamo 4-0 (4KO) – Aguas Buenas

68.              Christopher “Pitifo” Diaz 3-0 (2KO)

69.              Kenny Galarza 16-2 (15KO) – Ponce / Juana Diaz [Jr. Welterweight]

70.              Noel Echevarria 11-2 (6 KO) – North Carolina, USA [Lightweight]

71.              Camilo Perez 9-2 (4 KO) – Carolina

72.              Miguel “El Loco” Robles 12-4 (5 KO) – San Juan

73.              Edwin Rodriguez 5-0 (4KO) [Super Flyweight]

74.              Emmanuel De Jesus 10-0 (6 KO) – Canovanas [ Jr. Middleweight]

75.              Antonio “Cacique” Ortiz 4-0 (3KO) - Humacao

76.              Miguel Marrero 7-0-2 (4KO)

77.              Kenneth Rivera 5-1 (4KO) [Featherweight]

78.              O’Nell Negron 9-1-2 (8KO)

79.              Jorge Maysonet jr. 12-1 (10KO) – Catano [Jr. Welterweight]

80.              Miguel Soto 11-2 (11 KO) – Arecibo

81.              Dennis Galarza 2-0 (1KO)

82.              Luis Saul “El Zurdo” Rosario 2-0 (2KO)