Weekend Roundup: Johnston Reclaims Title from Bazan
Dateline: 02/28/99Friday: On ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights, Israel ‘Pito’ Cardona (31-2, 23 KO) pounded on Joel Perez (24-3-2, 13 KO) until, after seven rounds, Perez decided he had taken enough punishment for one night. Cardona held on to his USBA and NABF lightweight titles and may be next in line for a shot at IBF champ Sugar Shane Mosley, but in his post-fight interview didn’t sound particularly eager to get in the ring with one of boxing’s top pound-for-pound fighters.
Also televised: Super middleweight Kabary Salem (10-1, 7 KO) handed Joseph Laryea (14-1, 9 KO) his first professional defeat, outworking the previously undefeated fighter to earn a 10-round unanimous decision.
Welterweight Tybius Flowers (11-3, 6 KO) knocked out previously unbeaten Victor Rosado (10-1, 7 KO) in the first round of their scheduled four rounder.
Light heavyweights David Lawhorn (5-1-1, 2 KO) and Manuel Cintron (5-1-1, 4 KO) fought to a four-round split decision draw.
After a week off, Friday Night Fights will return on March 12 with Hasim Rahman (29-1, 24 KO), looking to bounce back from his controversial TKO loss to David Tua, taking on Michael Rush (17-3-1, 10 KO).
Saturday: On HBO’s Boxing After Dark, one fight lived up to the high standards set by this series, while the other came up short. Reggie Johnson (39-5-1, 24 KO) defended his IBF light heavyweight title with a workmanlike (i.e., dull) unanimous decision over challenger Will Taylor (15-2, 11 KO). Taylor, who spent seven years in prison, knocked Johnson down with a short right in the 12th round but didn’t do anything to try and finish off the champ (apparently electing to conserve his energy for an unwarranted post-fight celebration). Johnson was the more accurate fighter throughout (outlanding Taylor 243-198) and won by scores of 115-112, 115-112 and 114-113. Johnson may get a unification bout next with Roy Jones Jr., but (like David Telesco last week) didn’t do anything to create public demand for such a fight.
The evening’s excitement was provided by the WBC lightweight title rematch between champion Cesar Bazan (34-3-1, 23 KO) and former champion Stevie Johnston (26-1, 14 KO). Bazan took the title last June by outworking the smaller (and previously undefeated) Johnston. This time Johnston fought a much smarter fight and would simply not be denied (outlanding Bazan 323-259). Bottom line: Bazan fought just as well as he did last time; Johnston fought MUCH better. While the fight was competitive throughout, there was no doubt that Johnston had done enough to reclaim his title. Yet Mexican judge Memo Ayon (who should have his judging credentials revoked) predictably saw the fight in favor of his countryman 116-113. The other judges had it 115-112 and 114-113 for Johnston. A third bout between these two is certainly possible, but the thought of Stevie Johnston taking on IBF champ Sugar Shane Mosley is much more appealing.
