Segura dethrones long time champion Calderon Unifying the light flyweight division
By Mark LeRoy: Tonight witnessed a rare occasion with the two top fighters in the light flyweight division squaring off at the Coliseo Mario 'Quijote' Morales, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.
Long reigning WBO champion Ivan Calderon (36-0-1, 6 Kos) from Puerto Rico faced off against hard hitting Giovanni Segura (24-1-1, 20 Kos) in a classic Puerto Rico vs. Mexico contest that has produced some memorable battles over the decades.
This was a great matchup of styles and the bout had many permutations, the aforementioned Mexican vs. Puerto Rican factor, Southpaw vs. Orthodox, young vs. old, puncher vs. Boxer and WBO champion Calderon vs. The WBA champion Segura. Not to mention the real possibilities of cuts playing a part in the outcome with Calderon being prone to cut easily.
Such was the interest in the battle of the little guy’s former champions Wilfredo Gomez, Carlos Ortiz, and Felix Trinidad where ringside to watch the highly anticipated bout, and current WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez, all in attendance to watch the unification bout between Iron Boy and El Guerrero Azteca (Azteca Warrior).
Calderon entered the arena to pyrotechnics in a red hot atmosphere in his home town of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. The opening round lived up to the hype as Segura stalked Calderon who remained elusive while employing his defensive mastery to win the opening round.
Calderon’s speed and timing was exceptional as he countered the stalking Segura with clean crisp shots. Segura was struggling to cut off Calderon in the 24 foot ring; that was suited to the Puerto Rican.
Segura’s aggression was relentless in the fourth as he launched a vicious sustained attack to Calderon who was pinned against the ropes, but effectively countering from the there. The Mexican continued to plough forward in the fifth, with the crowd on their feet in a fight that was already in fight of the year candidate territory. Nearing the end of the round Calderon went to the canvas but was ruled a slip.
Before the start of the sixth Calderon complained, he could not see from his right eye, for a brief moment it looked like the fight would be stopped.
The fight resumed to the elation of the crowd, both slugged centre ring in a close but sensational sixth round that witnessed Calderon recover from the injured eye.
Segura hadn’t been involved in a fight that he won past 6 rounds since 2006, whereas Calderon had been the championship distance on 6 occasions since 2006.
The seventh slowed in comparison to the previous rounds but still witnessed more action than most other title fight rounds I’ve witnessed this year.
Calderon opted to trade in the eighth but was overcome by the relentless whirlwind attack that forced Calderon to take a knee where he remained while referee Jose Hiram Rivera counted him out.
Integrated sports must be applauded for putting on an action packed card.
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