The finals for Friday Night Fights got their schedule for Boxcino finals got turned around. It should have had the lightweight finals first, instead of the middleweights. That way middleweight finalist Brandon Adam could have learned what his game plan should have been against the taller Willie Monroe, Jr.
It’s one thing to think you have a clear mental picture of what should be done, but it’s even better to see it done before your own eyes. Petrov could have been a visual aid, provided in graphic detail of how it’s done, meaning Lesson 101 “How to beat a taller man”.
The shorter Petrov got his jab going, mainly to Carcamo’s body. He used good head movement, side to side, up and down, coupled with movement at the waist. He quickly escalated the action by throwing combinations, beating to the punch Carcamo’s efforts to counter. Petrov wisely moved to his left, away from the southpaw Carcamo’s power left hand. He continually used inside angles by stepping around Carcarmo, requiring Carcamo to reset. For Carcamo, it was like being able to load the gun, but unable to pull the trigger, because the target kept moving.
Petrov kept wearing down the taller man. By the seventh round, Petrov had Carcamo where he wanted him, and started really loading up on his shots. His punches came from every direction, overhand rights, straight shots to the body, lefts hooks to the head, two of which had Carcamo reeling and wobbling as the round ended.
When he stumbled back to his corner, everyone decended on him with worried eyes, and questions about “Are you alright?” There was the doctor, the referee, and all of his corner men. Trainer Joel Diaz had already yelled at him between the previous round, telling him that he wasn’t going continue letting absorb more punishment, and would stop the fight if Carcamo didn’t show him something. Somehow Carcamo convinced them with an urgent plea that he wanted to go one more round. Reluctantly they agreed.
Petrov swooped in on the vulnerable Carcamo, nailing him with multiple shots, with a few really hard shots to the head. Carcamo couldn’t fight back, or protect himself. Forty seconds into Round 8, the referee had seen more than enough, and he stepped in and called a halt to the beating. Petrov 35-4-2 (17 KO) captured the lightweight tournament championship. Carcamo slips to 17-6-0 (13 KO).
The taller Willie Monroe, Jr. had three things Carcamo didn’t, or at least he didn’t display them. First, he used his jab. Secondly, he used his feet, and thirdly he used his speed. The shorter Brandon Adams tried to catch up with Monroe, but failed to cut off the ring, and ended up being a follower. Initially Adams tried to step in with a jab to the body, but he paid for it by getting hit with a counter right hook from the southpaw Monroe.
All too often Adams would offer a “tell”, which Monroe would read and use to beat Adams to the punch. Specifically, the orthodox Adams would try to use his right, but would load up on it too much, telegraphing his intent. When Monroe wasn’t countering, he proved to be too elusive for Adams, who would find himself lunging straight ahead, when Monroe had already stepped off to the side. When Monroe would get under Adams power shot, Adams would end up smothering himself, being in too close to do anything.
A big difference also was Monroe’s speed. Not only was Monroe fleet of foot, he also had a big edge with hand speed. Those times when Adams managed to find his range, it didn’t matter, because Monroe had a better defense. In addition he was able to rip off lightning combinations, employing short shots and uppercuts.
Adams just couldn’t find the key to turn things around. There were a few exchanges when he landed some shots. That was when he did what he did what he needed to do, punch at the same time as Monroe. But, it wasn’t enough. Monroe racked up round after round. After ten, he was the clear winner, as he captured the middleweight boxcino title.
