IBR on The Cruelest Sport

There is a military rigidity of thought to welterweight Marcos Maidana, a charming lust for destruction that permits no deviation. This is not to mistake him for being particularly skilled—he is certainly not one of the sport’s more refined practitioners, or even one of its best—but there is something undeniably endearing about his stubborn pursuit of the knockout, and his acceptance of the inevitable abuse endured to secure it. Josesito Lopez has shown a similar commitment to machismo, and expectations for havoc were high when the two met at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, Saturday night. After six grueling rounds, Lopez succumbed to Maidana’s superior firepower, but not before emptying his own clip.

Read FIREPOWER: Marcos Maidana TKO6 Josesito Lopez on The Cruelest Sport.

IBR on The Cruelest Sport

“The first round set the pattern for the remainder of the fight. Khan, 139 3/4, piled on punches at a rate nearing the Fibonacci sequence. No more running from aggression like he was looking for shelter during an air raid, or clinging to his opponent like a life ring in a shipwreck; Khan stepped just out of Molina’s range after unloading, and in the rare moments when he was pressed against the ropes, he landed quick combinations before sliding away.”

Read Reclamation Station: Amir Khan TKO10 Carlos Molina on The Cruelest Sport.

IBR on The Cruelest Sport

“If the value of a product or service is ultimately determined by what it fetches on the market, then Victor Ortiz’ scalp is worth $212,000. This is what Riverside, California’s Josesito Lopez was reportedly paid for facing Juanacatlan, Mexico’s Saul Alvarez Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Lopez was given the Alvarez fight for collecting Ortiz’ scalp over nine vicious rounds in June. He earned every penny against the popular Alvarez, who delivered a merciless beating en route to a 5th-round TKO.”

Read Orcas Tossing Baby Seals: Saul Alvarez TKO5 Josesito Lopez on The Cruelest Sport.