[Crimson]

Saturday, July 11th, 1992
Trump Plaza; Atlantic City, NJ
Rafael Del Valle 13-0 (9) Puerto Rico WBO
vs.
Bones Adams 25-0-1 (16) Kentucky

AND
Victor Rabanales 27-11-2 (21) Mexico WBC
vs.
Junior Jones 26-0-2 (17) New York

AND
Eddie Cook 17-1 (15) Nevada WBA
vs.
Miguel Lora 39-2 (17) Columbia
One week after Orlando Canizales successfully defended his IBF belt the other 3 world title holders put their belts on the line at the sold out Trump Plaza. The first fight of this "Bantam Weight Title Triple-Header" card featured the recently crowned WBA belt holder Eddie Cook defending against Columbia’s Miguel “Happy” Lora. The camp of Cook had wanted the fight to take place in Cook’s adopted hometown of Las Vegas. However, the Lora camp balked at that and instead wanted the match to take place in Columbia. In the end Atlantic City was settled upon as the site, mostly because it could then be on the same card as the other 2 Bantam Weight Tournament Quarter-Final matches.

Eddie Cook, the hard punching native of St. Louis, had shown himself to be beatable when in 1991 he was stopped inside of 4 rounds by journeyman/fringe contender Dadoy Andjuar. That loss may have been a blessing for Cook, as 2 fights later he was matched up with Israel Contreras for the WBA title. Cook knocked out Contreras in round 5 and suddenly found his stock had risen within the bantam weight division.

On this night Cook was in for what looked like a very challenging defense against Miguel Lora, who was on a roll since his last loss to Gaby Canizales in March of 1991 by KO2. Since that round 2 KO defeat, Lora has reeled off 7 straight impressive victories. The best of which occurred last month, when he soundly whupped Luisito Espinosa over 10 rounds. Now the fighter nicknamed “Happy” was set to regain his claim at the top of the Bantam Weight division with a victory over Cook.

IBF title Orlando Canizales was seated ringside and awaited the winner of the Cook-Lora clash. Kenny Adams, the trainer of Eddie Cook, instructed his charge to go right after Lora in round 1 and not allow him to get into his own flow. Cook came out and attempted to do just that. Cook landed the first significant blow of the fight with a right hand, but Lora immediately replied with a hard combination that appeared to momentarily stun Cook. For most of the round Lora glided around the ring effortlessly avoiding the blows of Cook.

Cook stopped loading up on his punches in round 2 and began to apply steady pressure to Lora. Most of Cook’s punches were missing, but Lora was not terribly active in response. In round 3 Lora sustained a cut to his right eyebrow.

The fourth was an action packed round that could have been scored either way, as they both dealt the other heavy blows. After 4 rounds of action Ringside Expert Markus Heinsohn had it 38-38. Punch stat numbers had it almost dead even at 79-78, with Lora landing more.
The cut was bothering Lora in rounds 5 and 6. Lora found himself fighting Cook’s fight on the inside. Lora was landing his fair share of blows, but the more damaging punches were coming from Cook.
Lora was having his best round of the fight ½ way into the 7th round, but he was being forced by Cook to fight on the inside. That was exactly where Cook wanted him to be so that he could land his powerful uppercuts. With less than 30 seconds to go in the round Lora got caught flush with one of those uppercuts and collapsed in a heap along the ropes! Lora was up at 8 and his cut was once again dripping blood. The corner of Lora rushed out at the bell ending round 7 and practically carried Lora back to his corner.

A tiring Eddie Cook seemed to let Lora off the hook in the 8th. Lora moved and was able to score well using his jab. After 8 rounds Ringside Expert Markus Heinshohn now had Cook up by three points, 77 to 74.

Cooks sudden tiredness was now working well for the also tired Lora. “Happy” was able to land insignificant punches from the outside and tie Cook up when he was able to get to the inside. Sensing the momentum change Cook’s trainer, Kenny Adams implored him, “DO NOT LET THIS SLIP AWAY! ATTACK! GET ON HIM!”

Cook was putting everything he had behind his punches in the 10th. This made them even easier for Lora to avoid and he countered with accurate precision, hurting Cook with a right hand. The fighters heads collided during one of the numerous clinches and Cook emerged with a gash over his right eye.

The fight turned into an ugly holding and mauling affair in the final 2 rounds. Ringside Expert Markus Heinsohn had it for Cook 114-113 at the final bell. Lora landed almost 100 more punches than Cook 291 to 198! Ring Announcer Mark Beiro read the decision: 114-113 for Miguel Lora, 116-112 for Eddie Cook, and 114-113 for the winner by split decision and ……NEW WBA CHAMPION……MIGUEL LORA!!!!!
The decision was greeted luke warmly, but not booed.
Miguel Lora Ws12 Eddie Cook (wins WBA title)


Junior Jones administered a boxing lesson to Victor Rabanales for 9 of the 12 rounds. He was simply too fast for the 29 year old Mexican. Jones never seemed to be troubled by Rabanales attack and coasted over the final 4 rounds as Rabanales became more desperate in his attempts to land punches of meaning.

Rabanales threw more punches over the course of the fight, but landed only 18%, compared to a 43% connection rate by Jones. Neither fighter was cut, knocked down, or ever significantly hurt. For each of the first 10 rounds Jones employed a successful strategy of boxing defensively from the outside. During the final 2 rounds, knowing he had the fight won on the scorecards, Jones essentially resorted to covering up. While it was a solid win for Junior Jones, it was not one that is going to win him over a high number of boxing fans.
Junior Jones Wu12 Victor Rabanales

With the Atlantic City boxing fans cheering him on, Bones Adams had high expectations riding on his recently turned 18 year old shoulders. Rafael Del Valle came into the ring an 8-1 underdog, despite having fought and beaten Duke McKenzie by 1st round TKO, while it took Adams until the 6th round to stop McKenzie.

Only having 13 professional fights under his belt seemed to be the betting public’s main cause for lack of faith in Del Valle’s chances to successfully defend his newly won WBO belt. This would be Del Valle’s first fight in the United States and only his second outside of Puerto Rico.

After the fairly pedestrian action taking place in the preceding Jones-Rabanales bout, the Atlantic City fans were disappointed to see things get off to a slow start in the Adams-Del Valle matchup. By end of round 1 a few scattered boos could be heard and the crowd was very restless. Del Valle picked up the pace in the 2nd and clearly won that round, managing to stun Bones with a left hook.

Neither boxer was able to land anything off significance again until round 6, when Adams opened up and had Del Valle stumbling along the ropes. Adams was able to do the same in the 7th round to the Puerto Rican.

The lackluster action returned rounds 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12! The crowd booed and hissed in each of those rounds, but it had no effect on the lack of action. Adams landed 29% of his punches, compared to 18% for Del Valle. Neither fighter was cut or visibly bruised. One judge had it even at 116-116, but the other two saw it similarly for Adams at 119-113 and 119-111. About as unpleasing a fight to watch as you get.

Now Junior Jones and Bones Adams will meet in what at one time looked like a very appealing matchup, but now, after their most recent showings has lost quite a bit of it's previous luster.
Bones Adams Wm12 Rafael Del Valle (wins WBO title)

Coming up next in the Bantam Weight World Championship tournament will be the semi-final unification matches. Junior Jones and Bones Adams will meet on "USA Tuesday Night Fights" September 22nd back in Trump Plaza; Atlantic City, NJ, where they will unify the WBO and WBC titles. Five days later Orlando Canizales will meet Miguel Lora at a still to be determined location in Texas for the IBF and WBA belts on September 27th. The Canizales-Lora fight will be shown live on ABC that Sunday afternoon.

Victor Rabanales vs. a wrestler
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meYHtXW7ig8