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EL UNIVERSAL

Saturday 16 December 2006

LIMON WINS
LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE!

Story by Miguel Trelles

Last night Rafael Limon became the first Mexican fighter to win an International Boxing League world championship when he stopped Japan's Teruki Nakata on cuts in the 13th round of an extraordinary contest at Guadalajara's Arena Coliseo. The bout was the final of the league's Lightweight World Championship tournament and the first boxing match since 1989 to last in excess of twelve rounds. Under IBL rules all world title fights will be scheduled for fifteen rounds and last night's was the first of the three held to date to extend into the 13th round. Limon followed up a 5th round stoppage of George Chaney in the quarters and a unanimous decision win over Brian Mitchell in the semis with a determined, convincing effort against the brave Nakata, the win securing Limon his second world title. He had been the WBA's junior-lightweight champion before signing with the IBL.

The fact that two former junior-lightweight titlists were contesting the first IBL lightweight championship bout had been the subject of some criticism, with a number of observers saying that regardless of the result the winner could not really be recognised as a credible champion, despite the fact that both Limon and Nakata weighed-in within a pound-and-a-half of the 135-pound limit. The critics had also compared the combatants to the trio of outstanding "alphabet" lightweights who had taken part in two of the year's biggest bouts - Patricio Marquez, Joe Brown and Francisco Ortiz. Speaking during a press conference earlier this week IBL president James Molk had issued a brief, concise retort.

"Well, Marcelo Franks is the current WBA heavyweight champion," Molk said. "Marcelo, Franks. No offense to the guy but tell me, is that credible? Is it? We've got two guys who are amongst the best lightweights in the world fighting for our title. That's credible as far as I can see."

Like Limon, Nakata had also been shooting for a second world championship belt as he had given up the WBC's junior-lightweight title prior to joining the league. He defeated the Englishman Michael Ayers and his compatriot Hiroshi Kobayashi in the preliminary bouts and stepped between the ropes feeling confident, despite being in hostile territory. During the fight's astonishing opening five frames the momentum literally swung from round-to-round. In the 1st Limon came out firing, catching Nakata cold with a succession of flush power shots. A crunching uppercut some thirty seconds in was followed by a cage-rattling combination, a couple of solid left hooks and a stinging left to the body. But Nakata responded strongly in round two, holding his own through its top half before staggering Limon with a late four-punch salvo. Limon's recovery was swift, though, and he peppered Nakata with rapid-fire shots throughout round three, some nasty swelling already evident under the #2 seed's right eye.

Despite that Nakata showed that he was still in the contest with a convincing 4th. He controlled the opening two minutes and then had Limon reeling on the back of a booming straight right. Clearly frustrated during the intermission Limon immediately stole back the momentum by dominating round five, the bushy-haired slugger landing some effective shots early before backing Nakata up through the final minute with a left hook and a sharp, jolting combination. Determined to retain the upperhand Limon was even more aggressive in the 6th. He punished Nakata and had him on the verge of defeat. Limon was breaking down the Japanese fighter with some crippling body work, Nakata clutching at his ribs as he returned to his corner. Admirably, Nakata rallied superbly in round seven to put himself right back in with a chance. He hurt Limon with a brutal body shot, wobbled him with a left hook and then kept him off balance with a series of blows through the final minute.

Nakata maintained control during the opening minute of round eight, catching Limon with a pair of hard left hooks, one to the body and one to the head. Nakata was proving to be the aggressor, throwing a greater volume of punches and pressuring Limon with every opportunity. But when Limon unleashed a right cross near the round's midpoint the momentum shifted back to him once again. His follow up was fantastic, a crushing left hook chased by a piercing jab and a right rip to the ribs. Nakata was shaken, Limon's outburst stealing the round and the driver's seat. The swelling under Nakata's right eye was growing worse with every passing round. Limon poured on the pressure in the 9th, further adding to Nakata's problems when he cut him on the right eyebrow with a left hook. It came after Nakata had been stunned by a pair of head-snapping uppercuts and a straight right, Nakata also absorbing a wicked left to the body before the round ended.

Limon continued to dominate in round ten, Nakata's eye swelling approaching the hideous stage. The Mexico City native was in complete command, tagging Nakata with a pair of hard body shots, a right to the jaw and a jolting cross. Nakata would not give in but when referee Richard Steele led him to a corner to have his wounds examined late in the frame it appeared that the decision would be taken out of his hands. The two combatants had clashed heads moments earlier, the collision re-opening Nakata's cut. After a lengthy examination the ringside doctor allowed the fight to continue, Limon putting an exclamation point on his efforts in the round when he tagged Nakata with a pair of left hooks. The action finally slowed in round eleven, Limon easing off and Nakata more than happy to join him. Despite the lack of action Nakata's cut was checked for a second time just after the two minute mark, the doctor once again giving him the all clear.

Round twelve signalled the beginning of the end as Limon sent his man to the canvas twice during the frame. The first knockdown came one minute in, a left hook putting Nakata on his back. Up at eight, he was down again less than a minute later from a paralysing blow to the midsection. Nakata was doubled over in pain but beat the count again, making it to his feet at five. Nakata was a spent force, unable to do anything but clinch through the final minute of the round. Steele appeared to be on the verge of ending it but didn't, the fight crossing into a territory that had not been traversed in any previous contest for some seventeen years, the 13th round. The frame progressed with little action until Limon connected with a left hook about twenty seconds from the bell. The shot once again opened the cut on Nakata's eyebrow, leading to Steele halting the fight again. Time had run out for Nakata as the doctor advised Steele that the bout should be stopped due to the severity of both the cut on Nakata's eyebrow and the swelling under his eye.

And so at the 2:45 mark Steele waved his arms and led a distraught Nakata to his corner, Limon collapsing onto his back in the middle of the ring and bursting into tears, arms stretched to the heavens. His corner crew joined him to celebrate and the parochial crowd erupted, their night-long support reaching a crescendo. Soon after the IBL's World Lightweight Championship belt was placed around Limon's waist, the 5'5" pocket rocket jubilant as he was paraded around the ring on his cornermen's shoulders. Remarkably Limon had landed an average of over 35 punches per round, Nakata eighteen. Limon connected with a grand total of 464 punches, having thrown 1,066 (an accuracy rate of 43.5%). Nakata had unleashed an even greater number of blows, landing 234 of 1,626 (14.4%).

(article to be continued)