SHARKIES MACHINE
February 17th, 2002
Photo: TOM CASINO/SHOWTIME
Bojado Pays The Piper
Francisco ‘Panchito’ Bojado (9-0-0-9 KO’s)
Vs. Juan Carlos Rubio (26-6-2-10 KO’s)
Boxing fans finally got the answers to some questions about the abilities of 18 year-old Panchito Bojado. Facing Juan Carlos Rubio under the bright lights of The Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Ct. Bojado was to face his first test. 24-year-old Rubio and Bojado both hail from Guadalajara Mexico.
Before the introductions, Showtime’s Bobby Czyz and Steve Albert sang a choir of praises for Bojado. They talked about his impressive maturity as a fighter at such a young age, his power and ferocity. They spoke about him as though he were an accomplished fighter. When they mentioned his opponent, Juan Carlos Rubio, they said he was soft punching and weak chinned, who lost two of his last three fights and was not even ranked by any of the known sanctioning bodies, another safe fight for Bojado. Not exactly a ringing endorsement.
If you are more than a casual fan of Boxing, you will note that Bojado looks very much like another popular fighter of late, Fernando Vargas, who is also a stable mate under Shelly Finkel. Some of Finkel’s other fighters include Mike Tyson and Zab Judah as well as Jeff Lacy, another rookie fighter who is on the same road to stardom as Bojado. Recently Panchito has adopted the same hairstyle as Vargas with the spiked front, dyed blonde to look like a sun coming up over his head. If you’re a hardcore Boxing fan, you’ve probably noticed a common denominator in character among the fighters in Finkel’s stable, or the lack thereof.
Between fights on Friday Night Fights on ESPN2, Max Kellerman and Brian Kenny interviewed both Jeff Lacy and Panchito Bojado. Both were careful not to say anything outside what their handler’s have instructed them to say. When asked by Kellerman who Lacy wanted to fight, Lacy evaded the question, speaking around it. Bojado did the same when asked the same question. Kellerman fawned all over them during the interview and assured viewers that these were two of the most exciting prospects to watch in Boxing today.
The Fight J.C. Rubio entered the ring looking confident in a blue ‘Sombrero’ hat typical of Mexican festivity. Bojado entered in his red robe, covering his head, looking intense. At the start of the fight, Bojado looked cocky as he sized up his opponent. Bobby Czyz practically had an orgasm praising every breath Bojado took in the opening round. Bojado was aggressive, throwing more punches that missed than connected. Rubio hung tough and got a few good shots in that surprised not only Bojado but the audience who chanted in delight at the prospect of a good fight after watching Glenn Thomas throw his fight against Jeff Lacy moments earlier. Midway into the round, Rubio slipped on the ‘Miller Lite’ logo painted in the center of the ring. This round could have been scored either way.
In second round Rubio was the more effective aggressor, landing at a high connect percentage as opposed to Bojado who seemed unraveled by Rubio’s underestimated skills. Rubio wins the round.
In the third, Rubio seemed the Matador to Bojado’s Bull. Panchito did land a very good left hook while Rubio was in a corner but Rubio answered with an accumulation of punches that had rattled Panchito and bloodied his nose. They both scored well in the round and I called it even.
Bojado looked to be tiring in the fourth round. He never went past the third round in his last nine fights as a pro. Bojado fought wildly, losing his composure at times while Rubio consistently scored. Rubio wins the round.
With a sense of desperation mounting for Bojado, he threw wild punches, looking to land a big shot and end the fight but Rubio outclassed him once again and won the round with skillful Boxing. If you were blind, and had to rely on the audio commentary, you might think Bojado was winning the fight at this point the way Czyz and Albert were calling it. They made a big deal of every punch Bojado threw, even when he missed, they cited his potential knock out power. When Rubio connected, Czyz and Albert hardly seemed to notice let alone mention it. Rubio was finding Bojado easy to hit, especially with combinations. Rubio won the round easily.
Rubio came on strong in the sixth, whaling on Bojado who threw a pair of low blows before referee Michael Ortega paused the action to warn Panchito. By the end of the round Bojado was practically out on his feet after absorbing much punishment to the head and body. Rubio wins again.
By the seventh round it was obvious that Rubio was the superior fighter. In one exchange where Bojado actually did connect with a combination, he pushed Rubio while he was unbalanced and Rubio slipped. Ortega called it what it was, a slip. Bojado lost another round when Rubio got up and went back to work on him.
Rubio controlled Bojado with combinations as Panchito tended more and more to keep his hands down, a sign of fatigue. At 1:39 of the eighth, while Rubio was flurrying all over Bojado, Panchito crouched down and his right glove touched the canvas. Ortega called it a knockdown and gave Bojado a count. Rubio continued to dominate Bojado afterwards, winning the round by two points this time.
After the round, Czyz questioned the referee’s call saying it wasn’t a ‘clean knockdown.’ Apparently Czyz doesn’t know the rules of professional Boxing. Any time anything other than your feet touch the canvas it is considered a knockdown. Czyz blatant bias was despicable for a commentator. Commentators are supposed to be impartial. Neither Czyz nor Albert did their jobs professionally and it’s a disgrace that Showtime would employ such low quality announcers for their Boxing broadcasts.
The ninth round was marred by Bojado’s desperation. He hit on breaks, punched low and was still manhandled by the lightly regarded Juan Carlos Rubio. After the ninth round Bojado complained to his trainer in a whiney tone that his hands hurt. His corner asked if he wanted to quit, to which he said, “No.” I gave him credit for being Spartan enough to go on, especially in a losing venture where he needed a knock out to win. In spite of lacking good Boxing skills, he showed courage and dignity. For that I applaud him. It takes valor just to get into the ring, let alone stay there when you are being bested.
In the 10th round, like a loyal Saint Bernard, Bobby Czyz said that Bojado didn’t need a knock out to win. He suggested that a knock down or even just a dominating round might wrap it up for Panchito. I have no idea what fight he was watching? But if you have a tremendous sense of humor, the team of Albert and Czyz will have you in stitches. Why they would call the fight any other way than what was actually going on is a mystery.
Bojado tried to land a haymaker but failed to connect as Rubio dominated him to end the fight. Rubio leapt in celebration at the sound of the bell and was hoisted up on the shoulders of his corner-men who paraded him round the ring in triumph.
On Bojado’s side of the ring, his camp looked confounded and consoling. Zab Judah stood surprisingly unanimated in Bojado’s corner. I thought Judah was suspended from Boxing for one year? In Football, Baseball, Basketball or Hockey, if you get suspended, you leave the field immediately and don’t come back till you’re suspension ends. Unlike the NBA, MLB, NHL or NFL, Boxing has no National Commission to police the sport nationally or see to its integrity. Boxing is a different world, administered by dubious agents. What applies in one state has no bearing in another.
We could almost hear the theme music from the game show “Jeopardy” as we awaited the judge’s final scorecards.
They read like this:
Melvina Lathan of N.Y., 98-92 for Rubio; Dr. Clark Sammartino of R.I., 96-94 for Rubio; Fred Ucci of N.Y., 96-94 for Rubio
It was a unanimous decision for the real winner. Pleasantly surprised with the decision, it seemed curious that only one of three judges had scored the fight accurately. I do credit the judges for at least rendering honest scores where the winner won. As for the combatants, Rubio fought an unexpectedly good fight against a highly regarded opponent. His stock just went up.
Bojado was exposed as being more the product of hype--than a really good fighter against a lowly regarded opponent. Faced with adversity, Bojado abandoned the jab, lost his composure and even fouled on occasion, demonstrating a lack of finesse and concentration. The same ingredients champions are made of. Watching the grooming of Bojado has been taxing. Too many easy, one round knockouts against fighters who came to lose. There must be some validity to the old saying, “You are what you eat.” Panchito Bojado ate a steady diet of Tomato Cans and was unprepared for the likes of fighters who enter the ring to win. But at 18 years old, time is his friend. Many good lessons linger for young Panchito, let’s hope he learns them. Its best to learn while you’re young that we all have to “Pay the piper.”
Agree or disagree? Send comments to dshark87@hotmail.com
<<Click here>> to post a comment in our forum