Prospects Shine
By Tom Donelson
(IB-March-5-2010) - This past weekend, some young prospects made their imprint on the boxing world. There was Antonio Escalante, a young fighter looking for a title shot. Fighting in his backyard El Paso, Escalante fought the tough Miguel Roman. Roman had a history with Escalante for as young boy, he along with other friends beat Escalante up and Escalante still remembered a youthful pounding.
Escalante is a classic boxer-puncher who can fight inside and box on the outside but against Roman, he was forced outside. Roman sat on Escalante chest and in the early rounds, nailed Escalante with some good shot; first to the body and then to the head. In the early rounds, Escalante attempted to fight inside but Roman established the inside game as his own. Escalante fired from the outside and while he was the more accurate puncher, Roman forced a fierce pace and there was the danger that Escalante would simply wear out.
Escalante showed in this fight an ability to adapt to the situation inside the ring and at the end of the eighth round, he put Roman down for an eight count but he could not finish off the tough Mexican fighter. And in the final minute of the tenth round, he found extra gas in his tank to ensure a win but he did make one serious mistake. After having Roman down near the end of the eighth round, he allowed Roman to recuperate in the ninth round as he simply took the round off. As Roman recovered, he gained strength and at the end of the round, he forced Escalante to retreat and changed the momentum of the fight near the end of bout. While Escalante found the energy to win the final phrase, it could have proved fatal.
The young undefeated Danny Garcia showed ability to see the fight develop in front of him and like Escalante, adjust accordingly. In the early round, the young Garcia was confused by British fighter Ashley Theophane boxing style. The veteran Theophane maneuvered around Garcia to nail him with over hand rights and in the third round, he even attacked Garcia thus forcing the young prospect on his heel.
Starting in the fourth round, Garcia changed his approach by countering the surprising aggressive Theophane with fierce body shots followed with head blows. As the fight progressed, Garcia slightly quicker hands landed with more frequency and Theophane out put slowed. Garcia won a split decision but his work deserved a unanimous selection as the winner. Theophane did win the eighth round and Garcia lost a point for low point in the ninth round, a round that Garcia was winning. Garcia weakness was that he kept his left hand low and Theophane scored an occasional right over the left but Garcia threw the more accurate of the two punchers. Garcia won against a more experienced fighter and showed ring savvy in winning this fight.
The next night in Atlantic City, two more prospects took their turn to see what they learned. Gabriel Rosado was a young fighter who faced a veteran fighter with more professional fight than Rosado had as amateur and professional combined. Saul Roman experience showed up in the early rounds as he pressured the young Rosado and Rosado eyes swelled as a result. When they went toe to toe, Rohan got the better of the exchanged. On one occasion, Rosado went southpaw but this did little to either confuse Roman or stop his movement.
In the fourth round, Rosado changed tactics and started to box. The movement actually confused Roman and this changed the tenor of the fight. In the sixth round, an accidental head butt opened a cut over Romans face.
Rosado boxing style allowed him to stay in the fight and win many of the close rounds. Despite swollen eyes and a cut over the left eye, Rosado used wiles to win over a more experienced fighter. Whether Rosado has a future as an elite fighter will be difficult to know but he did show two things in this fight. He showed heart in surviving a cut and the second thing is adaptability in the ring. Like the other prospects this weekend, he responded to what was in front of him. He adjusted and won the fight.
Undefeated Mike Jones faced veteran Henry Bruseles and like in the first fight, the veteran won the early rounds but Mike Jones picked up the pace in the third round. Jones jab and left hook slowed Bruseles down and his right connected after the left. In the firth round, a left hook and a solid right sent sweating spiraling from Bruseles head. . Bruseles started to back up at the beginning of the eighth round as Jones nailed Bruseles with combination that began with his jab and ended with right to the head and body. Jones’ hand speed took precedence. At the 45 second left in the round, Jones nailed Bruseles with a four punch combination that began a 45 second rally as Jones preceded to control rest of the round. Jones won unanimous decision because he picked up the pace and forced Bruseles to fight. Bruseles boxed the first two rounds and held the initial advantage over a tentative Jones but once Jones committed to fighting, Bruseles was finished and the fight was Jones.
The past weekend saw four prospects at different stages of their career took a major step forward. What they showed was the ability to adjust to their opponent. Jones put the pressure on his opponent who tried to box his way to victory whereas Escalante choose to box when faced with a swarmer. Gabriel Rosado boxed his way to victory when pressured by a veteran whereas Danny Garcia countered a boxer who tried to be aggressive. When a fighter shows ring savvy, this is a fighter who can take the next step from being a prospect to being a contender.
