by Joe Kulyeshie

July 19, 2006 – Wednesday Night Fights is coming to us live from the Hilton Airport Hotel in Ontario, California. Tonight, Antonio Mesquita takes on Santos Pakau. Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas are ringside. Unfortunately, a physician is not and we’ll have no boxing until one shows up!

So let’s go to the tape!

Because the promoter failed to properly arrange for a certified doctor to be present, the fights are on hold. How do these people get a nationally televised card? In lieu of live action, ESPN shows a replay of Kermit Cintron’s “Fight of the Year Candidate” 10th round TKO of David Estrada from this past April.

Finally at the top of the hour, we’re ready for some live boxing! Though it will be tough to match the excitement of the previous fight. One thing we know for sure, we don’t know who’s going to win this next bout!

Fight 1 – Main Event
Welterweights – Antonio Mesquita (32-0, 26 KO) vs. Santos Pakau (27-2-1, 10 KO) – 10 rounds

Set-up: Mesquita has fought nearly all of his fights in Brazil, including beating the same three men a total of ten times. Pakau has built up his record in New Zealand. In his first fight in the United States, he was knocked out in the first round. Pakau took this fight on 8 days notice. Are either of these men the real deal, or are they just creations of safe management?

Round 1
Pakau is more aggressive from the start. He’s coming forward and consistently throwing his jab. In the final minute, Mesquita lands a right uppercut then a left uppercut in quick succession. A little while later a wild right connects. First round was close: the greater output of Pakau versus the superior power of Mesquita. Mesquita did just a bit more damage; round to Mesquita (10-9).

Round 2
Both men exchange wild power shots for the first 30 seconds of the round. Mesquita goes southpaw and lands a left. Mesquita is a bit wild and not as active after the opening flurry. Pakau was jabbing and moving and controlled the action. A fairly close round I give to Pakau (19-19).

Round 3
Mesquita opens the round with a straight right over a Pakau jab that sends Pakau to the canvas! Mesquita chases Pakau with wild looping rights for the rest of the round. He finally catches Pakau with 15 seconds to go with a right uppercut and straight right. Big round to Mesquita (29-27).

Round 4
Mesquita lands a sharp right-left combo 20 seconds in. Pakau is bleeding from a cut over his right eye created in the third round. Mesquita begins hot-dogging it Mayorga-like by dropping his hands and sticking out his chin. Pakau is able to stay alive and make the round competitive, though the bigger punches were landed by Mesquita who takes the round (39-36). Teddy Atlas has the fight scored the same, except he gave Pakau the first and Mesquita the second.

Round 5
Mesquita lands another looping right hand that knocks Pakau down midway through the round. Mesquita follows it up with more hot dogging. Mesquita easily wins the round but should have finsihed this one already (49-44).

Round 6
With one minute to go, Mesquita lands a right, left and another right causing the ref to run in and stop the fight. As he does so, he clips Mesquita who falls and is writhing on the canvas in pain! Is it a charley horse? Did he damage his knee. The ref tells Joe and Teddy he though he gave him a charley horse. Mesquita is still in pain when he leaves the ring. I don’t recall hearing an update on his condition.

Mesquita TKO over Pakau

Mesquita was not at all afraid of Pakau’s power which turned the fight one-sided. Mesquita, on the other hand, would have a puncher’s chance against anyone. His looping punches will have a hard time landing against better competition, but his straight punches could be a factor. Mesquita is a TV friendly fighter who we’ll see again.

Fight 2
Strawweights – Sandra Ortiz (7-3-1, 4 KO) vs. Sarah Goodson (19-15-1, 7 KO) – 8 rounds

Set-up: Goodson takes on Ortiz in the rematch of an April fight won by majority decision by Ortiz. Who will prevail in the second installment?

Round 1
Both ladies are active. Round is close, though neither boxer lands any noteworthy punches. Goodson is more active throwing 88 punches in the two minutes the round lasts. Round to Goodson (10-9).

Round 2
Goodson lands a few big, clean rights this round. Goodson is the stronger woman and that strength advantage is beginning to show. Goodson controlled the round with her activity and superior power. Round to Goodson (20-18).

Round 3
Both boxers slow the pace down this round. No punches of note landed. Ortiz didn’t seem able to land anything, slight edge to Goodson (30-27).

Round 4
Goodson lands a looping right 30 seconds in. Ortiz is able to land some jabs and pawing punches to the body. Goodson lands some looping rights with more effect. Round to Goodson (40-36). Teddy also has it 40-36.

Round 5
Ortiz changes tactics and moves to the inside and stays there, away from Goodson’s looping rights. Ortiz lands a couple of clean punches, while Goodson has trouble finding the mark with her punches. Round to Ortiz (46-49).

Round 6
Ortiz again goes inside and stays there. Goodson is unable to move her. Ortiz does just a touch more while there and gets the round (56-58). Teddy also has the same score.

Round 7
A repeat of the previous two rounds as Ortiz stays on the inside and keeps throwing pawing shots to the body. Goodson is unable to land anything cleanly. Ortiz may have gotten herself back into this fight by just barely ekeing out these rounds. I wish I could give Goodson 9 and a half points. Round to Ortiz (66-67). Teddy scores the round to Goodson giving her a comfortable 68-65 advantage. I don’t see how you could score this round any different than the previous two, they were virtual carbon copies.

Round 8
Ortiz goes to the inside again and has completely neutralized Goodson. Not that Ortiz has done much of anything but avoid Goodson’s looping rights that were landing in the first half of the fight. Goodson hasn’t been able to get anything done. Ortiz is at least scoring with some of her pawing punches. I have to give the round to Ortiz (76-76). Teddy gives the round to Ortiz, but has Goodson winning the fight, 77-75.

So let’s go to the cards:
Unanimous Decision
78-74, 77-75, 79-73
Goodson UD over Ortiz

Well, I think Goodson deserved the victory as the rounds she won were by a wider margin than the rounds Ortiz won. But Goodson seemed to land next to nothing over the final 4 rounds which were virtual replays of each other. Ortiz did what she had to do to keep from getting hurt by the stronger woman.

Happily, this train wreck of a show ends.

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