Angulo Only Highlight of HBO Tripleheader

HBO had a rare - for HBO - tripleheader this past weekend. None of the fights was really headline quality but each was interesting in its own way.

First, up-and-coming super welterweight Alfredo Angulo (15-0) suffered a cut over his right eye in the first round but still had little trouble pounding out a fifth round TKO over late sub Cosme Rivera (31-12-2). Rivera, a welterweight has lots of heart but couldn't match Angulo's firepower.

Next, super welterweight Sergio Martinez (44-1-2) scored a seventh round TKO over Kermit Cintron (30-2-1) when Cintron was knocked down late in the round and referee Frank Santore reached the count of ten and waved a stop to the fight as Cintron rose to his feet. However, Martinez's celebration was cut short when ring officials apparently got Santore to change his mind and, after two-and-a-half minutes of confusion between rounds, allowed the bout to go on. Cintron fought a bit better after being granted a second chance but he still needed - and received - more help from the referee in order to earn a draw. Santore penalized Martinez a point in the final round for rabbit punching when it was Cintron's continual ducking directly in front of Martinez that was creating the problem. When the scores were announced, two of the three judges joined Santore in denying Martinez the victory that he deserved. The final scores were 116-110, 113-113, 113-113.

Finally, Nate Campbell (33-5-1) lost his WBA, IBF and WBO lightweight belts when he failed to make the 135-pound weight limit for his bout with Ali Funeka (30-2-2). Campbell looked flat (or old) most of the night but did manage to score knockdowns in rounds two and eleven. The much taller Funeka outworked Campbell in most of the other rounds and - despite the knockdowns - appeared to do enough to gain the decision. However, bad judging was on display in this bout as well with final scores of 115-111, 114-112 and 113-113 in favor of Campbell.

Of the six fighters on display, Alfredo Angulo was the only one who moved his career forward. Fans want to see the fighters in the ring determine the outcome of a bout ... not three judges who often appear to be watching an entirely different fight (or have their own agendas). Angulo's ability to render the judges irrelevant gives him a chance to be a star.