LAS VEGAS – No promoter has a better feel than Top Rank for the passion ethnic rivalries breed. As “Firepower” weekend was about Manny Pacquiao against Miguel Cotto, Friday night’s nine-fight appetizer card was about Filipinos against Latinos.
It was also about a warning to Pacquiao: Little good can result from making a war of attrition with a Latino volume puncher.
Set in an innovative sunken arena at Mandalay Bay’s House of Blues and televised by Azteca America, Friday night’s card had four Filipinos and a lot more Latinos, providing a wide variety of styles and outcomes.
But first the main event.
If you’ve ever asked yourself “what would Manny Pacquiao look like if he were half as fast and had never met Freddie Roach?” your answer has seven syllables and hails from Zamboanga Del Norte: Federico Catubay. Fighting out of a southpaw stance and winging overhand-left leads from opening bell to closing, the Philippines’ Catubay (25-16-3, 14 KOs) spent Friday night absorbing enough punishment from Mexican Alberto Rosas (31-5, 25 KOs) to lose his IBF super flyweight eliminator bout to Rosas, unanimously, by scores of 116-112, 117-111 and 117-111.
Catubay had all Pacquiao’s intensity and bravado – ending most every exchange with his arms spread – but little of his countryman’s polish. Serving as yet another cautionary tale for Pacquiao (on the odd chance he was watching), Catubay proved on the eve of “Firepower” that going toe-to-toe with a Latin volume puncher is never a wise route to take.
MARK MELLIGEN VS. MICHEL ROSALES
The night’s co-main event featured Mexican versus Filipino in a spirited and satisfying 10-round welterweight scrap between Mexico’s Michel Rosales (25-3, 21 KOs) and the Philippines’ Mark Melligen (16-2, 12 KOs). Rosales would prevail by split-decision scores of 96-94, 92-98 and 96-94.
In a style that bore certain resemblance to a Mexican prizefighter to be featured on Saturday’s undercard, Jesus Soto-Karass, the lanky Rosales pushed forward, crossed his feet over and never ceased to pressure his smaller southpaw opponent, despite being hit flush with numerous left crosses. In the end, Rosales’ pressure and volume would impress Vegas judges more than Melligen’s clean punching and balanced attack.
Z GORRES VS. LUIS MELENDEZ
In a grueling10-round bantamweight fight, Filipino favorite Z Gorres (30-2-2, 15 KOs) outclassed Colombian toughman Luis Melendez (26-4-1, 21 KOs) for 29 minutes and 30 seconds before being caught by a left cross and dropping hard to the canvas. Gorres hung on till the final bell and ultimately prevailed by unanimous-decision scores of 98-90, 98-90 and 97-91.
The night then took a tragic turn as Gorres collapsed in his corner moments after having his hand raised in victory. Ringside paramedics were called into action and Gorres was removed on a stretcher with an oxygen mask over his face. He underwent brain surgery and is reported to in critical condition as of 10:30 PM local time.
UNDERCARD
After TV Azteca went off the air, Texas featherweight Roberto Marroquin (11-0, 8 KOs) made quick work of Kenyan Anthony Napunyi (10-5, 5 KOs), stopping him with a short, crisp left hook at 0:31 of the third round. Cheered on by his mother – presiding from the nearby balcony – Marroquin showed good technique and spirit in remaining undefeated.
Friday’s sixth bout saw local Las Vegas ticket-seller Diego Magdaleno (12-0, 3 KOs) remain undefeated in an eight-round super featherweight match with Brazilian Josenilson Dos Santos (10-1, 6 KOs). Magdeleno, a light-hitting boxer who nevertheless engages opponents fiercely, won by unanimous-decision scores of 78-74, 78-74 and 77-75.
The evening began with an entertaining super-flyweight scrap that saw Californian Angel Magdaleno (3-0-2, 1 KO) take the ‘0’ from Puerto Rican Rafael Miguel Tapia (4-1-1, 2 KOs), stopping him at 1:48 of round four.
15rounds.com will have full ringside coverage of “Firepower” on Saturday.
Photos by Chris Farina/Top Rank
Are they covering a round by round account of the fights
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