Monday, January 8, 2024

Boxing Challenge: Tony Weeks Strikes Again

   The star of Saturday night's kickoff to the boxing year wasn't either victor of the two featured bouts. Still, referee Tony Weeks stepped up to draw attention to himself and why it could be time for Weeks to consider retiring from officiating.

In the Las Vegas main event from Golden Boy, Vergil Ortiz returned for the first time in over a year and stopped Fredrick Lawson in the first round.

Lawson isn't known for a stern chin and with Ortiz coming off a long layoff, one could easily see Ortiz scoring an easy stoppage but not this easy.

Ortiz was scoring with some punches and Lawson did buckle off the first right hand but Ortiz didn't seem to have Lawson in major trouble when Weeks stepped in.

Lawson was selected to make Ortiz look good and this didn't change the result but he was never given a chance thanks to Tony Weeks, who should be thinking about giving the game up if his recent work becomes a pattern of stopping fights too soon.

Ortiz called out WBO champion Tim Tszyu and Ortiz's promoter Oscar De La Hoya claimed that they would even travel to Australia for the encounter.

I think that is a very interesting fight and would be all for that deal to be signed.

Tony Weeks had a presence in the co-main event due to his past work.

Veteran Ismael Barroso was dominating Rolando Romero last year in a fight for the vacant WBA junior lightweight title when an ineffective Romero flurry caused Tony Weeks to step in and stop the fight, giving Romero the title, and the lesser connected Barroso the shaft that is still being talked about months later.

Romero has not fought since due to injury and in the rare case that I approve of an interim title coming into play, Barroso faced England's Ohara Davies, who looked impressive last year in a win over countryman Lewis Ritson to qualify for the title attempt.

Barroso would receive some justice as he floored Davies twice in the first round with right hands before the fight was stopped with the ringside doctor on the apron with Davies standing but in severe distress.

It's easy to feel good for Barroso, who was on his way to a win against Rolando Romero, at the age of 41, and the win over Davies should either earn him a rematch against Romero for the full title or he could be even given the full title should Romero vacate it to fight Ryan Garcia for a larger payday.

After all, if you are going to cash in, cash in for as much as you can.

Golden Boy also unveiled another junior welterweight for the first time under their banner as Arnold Barboza, formerly of Top Rank, dominated Xolisani Ndongeni, winning every round before Ndongeni's corner ended the fight after round eight.

Barboza might be a contender caught in the middle between as not valuable enough to draw a big payday for the best of the division but too risky to fight in an optional defense.

Boxing Challenge 

TRS: 5 Pts
Ramon Malpica: 4 Pts
Vince Samano: 1 Pt

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