Guzman Decisions Soto

By Boxing News - 11/18/2007 - Comments

Unbeaten World Boxing Organization super featherweight champion Joan Guzman (28-0, 17 KOs) won a one-sided unanimous decision over the tough challenger Humbreto Soto (43-6-2, 27 KOs) on Saturday night at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in
Atlantic City. The final judges’ scores were 117-111, 117-111 and 118-110, for Guzman. Soto, a tough figher used to having his way, found it difficult to match punches with the lightning fast Guzman, who used both quick flurries and excellent defense to stymie Soto’s constant attacks. It was the first loss for Soto in five years, and it wasn’t a case where he made it easy for Guzman, as he never gave him a second of rest without something coming at him.

Soto started off well in the first round, firing huge combinations at Guzman and catching him with some excellent head shots. Guzman, however, seemed to quickly realize he had a fight on his hands and starting firing blinding fast salvos at Soto, backing him off temporarily. Both fighters went at it toe-to-toe in the 2nd round, trading powerful shots with Soto appearing to get the better of it. After this point, Guzman began boxing more, staying on the outside and using his footwork to keep the plodding Soto from getting in close. Guzman still land brief flurries, but he was using them more wisely than in the first two rounds of the fight.

Nothing much changed from then in rounds four through eleven, as Soto constantly came forward with his guard up high, trying to block Guzman’s fast shots so that he could land several big hooks of his own. The technique was a doomed for failure, as Guzman seemed to thrive on the chance to land shots without anything coming back at him. From then on, it was mostly target practice for Guzman, who piled on the points, winning every round from that point.