WBA light flyweight champion Hiroto Kyoguchi stopped Esteban Bermudez in the main event of a Friday night card from Mexico on DAZN. I won’t lie, my attention was not given to this fight, which has the traits of a fight of the year-type bout. Why? 

The NBA Playoffs between the Celtics vs Warriors, offered better entertainment value to me. 

Isn’t that the problem though with the lower weights. 

Kyoguchi puts forth a masterful performance, as bad decisions had been occurring all night, and saw himself lose a point, and said ‘you know what f’it I am stopping this guy.” Then he did it in the seventh round. 

The problem for me isn’t the size of the fighters, it is the roadmap. The NBA Finals creates the best of the year, a great boxing fight creates trajectory or hopes for where a fighter is heading. With the lower weights, great fights happen, but the context is not always given, and the context is often what creates emotional attachment. 

I love the super flyweight division, because seven to ten fighters have been televised. I am a huge fan of DeeJay Kriel, because I saw him fight at the lower weights, but it is a disservice to the fans and fighters when lower weight fighters are trotted out anonymously. 

The lower weight fights are like the foreign films of cinema. You have some great films, but how many people will read subtitles? It will always limit the audience. 

In the lower weights, you have great fighters fighting in epic wars, but the understanding of where it ranks in history is lost on me. That kind of matters a lot to me as I age, as I want to watch stuff that builds to the next mega-event.

These division seemingly are meant either for someone who wants to completely cover the sport in all divisions or those who love watching the best fights possible. Seemingly that should be everyone, but I don’t know if I fit in that category. 

Time is limited, and highlights will do. 

Congrats to Kyoguchi, a massive win in his career for the two-weight world champion, and for continuing his legacy, but we really have to invest a bit into who the top guys are in the division or some sort of road map at times for me to tune in over other interests. 

Kyoguchi is the most interesting offensively gifted lower weight fighter I have seen since “Chocolatito” Gonzalez and “Bam” Rodriguez

undercard

Rocky Hernandez shocked me getting a first-round KO of Jorge David Castaneda in a lightweight bout. Hernandez caught Castaneda early in the first-round and that was all we saw, as Castaneda coming off two upset wins, was stopped on the ropes. For Hernandez, who has had a failure of a pro career so far, this was a good win to get back in the mix. The performance was all-gas, and no brakes from Hernandez, who might have been gassed out by round three if a stoppage didn’t come. 

WBA super bantamweight Mayerlin Rivas, who is trained by Rigoberto Alvarez, put on a clinical world title defense by winning every minute of every round, up until a fourth round stoppage of Karina Fernandez. Rivas looked generational in this performance. 

Super middleweight Diego Pacheco got a stoppage win, and after the fight it was suggested he might be fighting Lerrone Richards. Pacheco didn’t know who Richards was, but when he found out Richards was part of Matchroom and DAZN, was keen to the idea. Pacheco is Matchroom’s best chance at an organic homegrown world-champion. 

Jesus Martinez got an impressive KO to start his career which we included above.

In his first fight as a signed fighter to Matchroom Anthony Herrera fought Kennyn Valenzuela, to a draw in 118 lbs division, as one judge scored four round 10-10, which is pretty bad. For Herrera, he should’ve won, but lost out on a marquee moment with his new promoter, as he could’ve separated a bit more to make it more decisive, but now has a draw on his record.

Peter Kahn managed 140 lbs Aaron Aponte got a hard fought win six-round win over Leo Leon Martinez on the undercard, that was ruled a split, but should have been a clear unanimous decision. Aponte will need to tighten up his defense on the inside as he rises up the ranks, but all-and-all a solid test for a young fighter, who is proving himself in the pro ranks as he is signed to Matchroom Boxing.

Harley Mederos got a first-round KO off-television.