Mauricio Herrera: a Force in the Junior Welters after defeating Provodnikov

By Boxing News - 01/08/2011 - Comments

Image: Mauricio Herrera: a Force in the Junior Welters after defeating ProvodnikovBy Francisco Hernandez: Last night at the Cox Pavilion, Las Vegas, Nevada we were treated to a great fight between Mauricio Herrera and Serbian Ruslan Provodnikov. Mauricio Herrera demonstrated he has what it takes to fight any of the best at junior welterweight and beat them on a good night. Ruslan Provodnikov a native of Siberia has probably after Marcos Maidana, the most crunching punching power in the light welters. This ESPN televised fight had more action than anything you will probably see in some of the Pay per View fights programmed for this year of 2011.

Herrera used quick stinging hard jabs to keep Provodnikov off of him. The effects of those punishing jabs showed on the right side of Provodnikov’s face, which was swollen and purple beneath the right eye. Provodnikov whose fighting style is similar to Wild Card gym stable mate Manny Pacquiao, landed some of his heavy shots on Herrera who was able to take most of them well, but those punches also had their effect, as Herrera fought with his left eye looking like a purple baseball. After his right eye was practically closed, Herrera could have easily thrown in the towel and given up, but he continued to fight with that handicap to aggressively win the fight.

Mauricio Herrera showed how to box a heavy puncher without running away like a headless chicken as we saw recently in Khan vs. Maidana. Herrera’s jab was impressive. Most fighters today don’t use the jab because they either don’t know how to throw it or they throw it so weak that it is more of a liability than a weapon. The jab is usually very weak and almost a caress, when thrown as you are running away. Casual fans should watch this fight to learn why a good stiff jab is so important to keep a heavy punching brawler off of you without having to run for your life. Herrera’s jab had power behind it. Ruslan Provodnikov is accustomed to just walking through his opponents like a bulldozer, with pure aggression, but they must not be teaching him head movement at the Wild Card gym because he ate all of Herrera’s stinging stiff jabs which stopped him in his tracks, bruised him up, and he couldn’t penetrate to the inside of Herrera’s guard.

Mauricio Herrera’s weakness is his right hand though, he has no power in that hand otherwise he could have knocked out the Siberian tiger Provodnikov. His trainers should work on that right hand to make it better. Mauricio Herrera should be considered a member of that group of junior welters that can deliver great fights. On a good night Herrera can beat any of the top junior welters.

In other action on the card:

Demetrius Andrade UD 8 Alberto Herrera



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