Lara Vs Castano
Lara still isn’t official for March 2 on SHOWTIME, but it’s expected to be announced shortly. This is an important fight for the 35-year-old Lara, who needs a victory over the.
By Joseph SantoliquitoBrian Castano retained his WBA Super Welterweight World title following a twelve-round war with former world champion Erislandy Lara that ended in a draw.
The body work in #LaraCastano has been @Laraboxing @brian_boxipic.twitter.com/ugO3ClhlzT
- Erislandy Lara Santoya (born 11 April 1983) is a Cuban-American professional boxer who has held the WBA (Regular) light middleweight title since 2019. Previously, he held the WBA light middleweight title from 2014 to 2018 (promoted to Super champion in 2016), and the IBO light middleweight title from 2015 to 2018. As of September 2019, he is ranked as the world's second best active light.
- In his last three fights he has won over Emmanuel de Jesus, Michel Soro (Michel Soro vs Brian Carlos Castano) and Cedric Vitu (Brian Carlos Castano vs Cedric Vitu). Lara vs Castano is valid for the WBA World super welterweight title (Castano’s second.
- Lara will challenge WBA (Regular) super welterweight champion Brian Castano in the main event of a card from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Prior to the loss to Hurd, Lara was on a six-fight win streak that stretched back to December 2014.
- Cuba's Erislandy Lara, right, punches Argentina's Brian Carlos Castano during the ninth round of a WBA super welterweight championship boxing match Saturday, March 2, 2019, in New York.
Brooklyn, N.Y. — Hitting Erislandy Lara was once akin to snatching a feather in a wind tunnel. The southpaw Cuban expatriate was tough to land on even when standing right in front of his opponent.
That version of Erislandy Lara may now be a memory, but he is still a top tier fighter. So is young Argentinian Brian Carlos Castano, as 7,329 fans at Barclays Center discovered on Saturday night.
Castano (15-0-1, 11 KOs) retained the WBA “regular” super welterweight title with a split-draw against Lara (25-3-3, 14 KOs) on Showtime Championship Boxing.
Judge Kevin Morgan ruled for Castano, 115-113, John McKaie had it 115-113 for Lara, and Julie Lederman had it 114-114.
Unsurprisingly, both fighters thought they won.
“It was a great fight, but I saw myself winning eight rounds tonight,” said Lara, fighting for the first time in 11 months—since losing to WBA and IBF 154-pound world champion Jarrett Hurd. “My punches were much more effective. He did have pressure, but I was dominating the pressure.
“Again, I demonstrated I’m not old. I’m still fine-tuned. If we have to fight him again, I’ll fight him. Hurd or Castano. Anybody, I’ll have the rematch with both.”
The pair combined to throw 1,688 punches in what was a non-stop back and forth duel. Castano kept a fast pace throughout, attempting to wear Lara down with volume, particularly to the body. But Lara was up to the task, leading with the jab and countering effectively. After 12 rounds, the draw verdict seemed fair.
“It was a good fight,” Castano said. “A clash of styles. I know I won the fight. I feel I was robbed. He’s an elusive boxer. I knew that, I prepared for that. I think it was a good fight but I won.”
“I would give him the rematch if he wants. I can also go ahead and fight any other champion that wants to fight me. I’m ready for whoever they put in front of me. Hurd or anyone else.”
and trading in the middle of the ring at the end of the 10th. #OrtizHammer @kingkongboxingpic.twitter.com/XH9Aetjb2D
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) March 3, 2019Luis Ortiz dominates in win over Christian Hammer
One fighter no one should want to anger is heavyweight Luis Ortiz. But Romanian Christian Hammer tried his annoying best. Hammer’s histrionics included a constant smirk, mixed in with head shaking and some nods here and there.
It didn’t matter to Ortiz, who pressed the action in a one-sided affair.
Ortiz’s 10-round unanimous decision over Hammer (24-6, 14 KOs) was an easy score. Joseph Pasquale scored it a shutout, 100-90, while judges John Basile and Waleska Roldan each had it 99-91 for “King Kong.”
Ortiz, however, wanted a little more than just winning. The massive southpaw heavyweight wanted to make a statement to the rest of the heavyweight division and felt he failed in doing so.
“The fight wasn’t what I was expecting,” admitted Ortiz. “It was a hard fight and my corner really had to work with me. It was a hard fight. After I got the rhythm, I heated up a little bit.
“Every heavyweight out there should know that I still have it at 40. Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder, I’m ready. I fought a fight that I hadn’t for years, which is box and work. So, I’m not disappointed I didn’t knock him out. I showed some of my boxing skills tonight.'
Ortiz (31-1, 26 KOs) showed good movement and power. He also used his jab exceptionally well, and got rounds in, though he didn’t want to go all 10.
Hammer won the eighth on some scorecards, but it was mostly a virtuoso performance by Ortiz.
The onslaught from Ramirez proves too much for @bryanlaroca in Round 9. #DeGraciaRamirezpic.twitter.com/QUHZkD16ue
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) March 3, 2019Eduardo Ramirez shocks Bryan De Gracia
Eduardo Ramirez’s ninth-round TKO over Bryan De Gracia seemed to come out of nowhere. What started as a mundane affair quickly gathered momentum in the fifth round. That’s when De Gracia and Ramirez swung wildly at each other in a corner, with De Gracia getting the better of the exchanges.
In the sixth, De Gracia (24-2-1, 20 KOs) momentarily stunned Mexico’s Ramirez with a right to the chin. Southpaw Ramirez retreated, trying to catch the approaching De Gracia (22-1-3, 9 KOs) with uppercuts.
De Gracia, meanwhile, waded forward and kept trying to shoot the straight right, the same right that had landed in the sixth. After the seventh, however, referee Benjy Esteves Jr. began taking a closer look at Ramirez between rounds.
In the eighth, Ramirez appeared more content to wrestle than to punch. De Gracia, however, could not time Ramirez as he lunged forward. Though the eighth did feature one big connect, when De Gracia bounced a right off the top of Ramirez’s head.
What changed everything was when Ramirez finally landed a beautiful right uppercut in the ninth, putting De Gracia in serious trouble. De Gracia was stumbling and out on his feet. Ramirez bore in and tore up the wounded De Gracia. Ramirez continued to unload until Esteves jumped in at 2:10.
At the time of the stoppage, judges Ron McNair and Robin Taylor both had De Gracia ahead, 77-75, while Steve Weisfeld had it 76-76.
“I’d like to dedicate this fight to my deceased grandfather,” said Ramirez, who was given just over a week’s notice for the fight. “This win is in memory of him. I definitely knew it was close but my corner kept telling me to keep going and going, and that’s when I caught him.
“I didn’t just come here to fight. I came here to do something and I did it.”
Bantamweight southpaw Antonio Russell (13-0, 11 KOs) found himself in a scrap in an eight-rounder against tough Mexican Jose Maria Cardenas (16-4, 13 KOs). The times Russell seemingly had Cardenas backed to the ropes and in trouble, Cardenas battled back.
The decisive moment came when the ringside doctor stepped up on the ring apron and waved it over at :22 of the sixth round, as Russell was pounding away at the defenseless Cardenas.
In a scheduled 10-round cruiserweight bout, Edwin Rodriguez (31-2, 20 KOs) outlasted Mitch Williams (16-7-3, 11 KOs) by unanimous decision.
On the undercard, middleweight Aaron Anderson (4-0, 3 KOs) remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Chukka Willis (4-10, 2 KOs). Welterweight Tyrek Irby (7-0, 2 KOs) won by six-round decision over Dennis Okoth (2-2-1, 1 KO). Welterweight Richardson Hitchins (8-0, 4 KOs) stopped David Morales (13-10, 13 KOs) after Morales’ corner waved it over after the third round of a scheduled eight-rounder. Super featherweight Leduan Barthelemy (14-0-1, 7 KOs) won a unanimous eight-rounder over Miguel Angel Aispuro (11-7-2, 7 KOs).
For a closer look at Lara vs Castano, check out our fight night page.
- Topics
by Cliff Rold
In some respects, Erislandy Lara may be having the best professional career of any Cuban since Joel Casamayor. He’s been well featured since his debut, faced a pretty deep swath of the Jr. middleweight division, been part of a pay-per-view event with Saul Alvarez, and now can say he was one half of a Fight of the Year (at least according to the Boxing Writers Association of America).
When he turned pro, Lara and countryman Guillermo Rigondeaux were both seen as tantalizing prospects. In a purist sense, Rigondeaux might be the instinctual choice for the better man and his excellent win over Nonito Donaire counts for a lot.
Lara though has had more opportunity and a greater diversity of wins over the years. His losses to Paul Williams and Alvarez were absurd and debatable, respectively. The loss to Jarrett Hurd last year was a fair defeat but one where Lara engaged in a classic and dug deep to finish.
It’s an interesting debate and one Lara can continue to add to on his side with a win over a younger, hungry talent on Saturday night (Showtime, 9 PM EST). Can the older man keep in the hunt for a Hurd rematch?
Let’s get into it.
Stats and Stakes
Erislandy Lara
Age: 35
Title: None
Lara Vs Castano Full Fight
Previous Titles: WBA super welterweight (2013-18, 7 Defenses)
Height: 5’9
Weight: 153 lbs.
Stance: Southpaw
Hails from: Houston, Texas (Born in Cuba)
Record: 25-3-2, 14 KO?
Press Rankings: #2 (Ring ESPN), #3 (Boxing Monthly, BoxRec), #4 (TBRB)
Record in Major Title Fights: 8-1, 3 KO including two interim title fights
Last Five Opponents: 146-7-1 (.951)
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Faced: Carlos Molina D10; Paul Williams L12; Austin Trout UD12; Saul Alvarez L12; Ishe Smith UD12; Jan Zaveck TKO3; Yuri Foreman KO4; Jarrett Hurd L12
Vs.
Brian Castano
Age: 29
Title: None (WBA sub-title at super welterweight, 2016-present, 2 defenses)
Previous Titles: None
Height: 5’6
Weight: 154 lbs.
Stance: Orthodox
Hails from: Isidro Casanova, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Record: 15-0, 11 KO
Press Rankings: #4 (Boxing Monthly), #6 (TBRB, Ring), #8 (BoxRec)
Record in Major Title Fights: 3-0, 2 KO in interim or sub-title fights
Last Five Opponents: 126-24-6 (.827)
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Faced: None
The Case for Lara: While both men have extensive amateur backgrounds, Lara’s was deeper and more accomplished. That background means a fundamental foundation that only a few have been able to deal with. He is steady off the back foot, working the jab and able to counter and force fighters to reset. Against Castano he will have, for the second fight in a row, someone who likes to throw in bunches. Unlike Hurd, Castano won’t be the same sort of size imposition. Lara will have the edge in height and has considerably longer arms. If he can be first, he’ll slow down the incoming and force the younger man to think. While he’s thinking, Lara can pick off single counters and win rounds.
The Case for Castano: Castano isn’t the quickest fighter but he gets his jab off in multiple, whips a nice right hand around the guard, and lets his hands go in combination when he comes forward. Against an older fighter coming off a grueling battle, energy and activity could be assets even if Castano misses a lot. Hurd made Lara not only fight but fight back in lots of close quarter exchanges. Castano tends to get in and out more. If he can throw off Lara’s rhythm and nail down some early rounds, this will be anyone’s fight down the stretch.
The Pick: Lara has been out of the ring just shy of a year but, at 35, is that a bad thing? Lara hasn’t fought more than twice a year since 2012 so this isn’t really a notable stretch of inactivity. Castano is tough, as he showed in a win against Michael Soro, and he can be smart in choosing when to engage. The problem for Castano is how to overcome the length of Lara. Lara’s left hand, as a cross and uppercut, can be punishing. If Castano comes in and misses, Lara will find holes to land. While the younger man is a live underdog, Lara was still so good in the Hurd fight that it’s hard to think he’s suddenly gone bust. The thinking here is there is enough of Lara, even at 35, to befuddle Castano in too many rounds. The pick is Lara by decision.
Rold Picks 2019: 12-5
Lara Vs Castano
Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com