Casamayor Puts In Time, Stops Vargas
Paul-John Ramos
21.12 - Miami, Florida - Junior lightweight contender Joel Casamayor allowed no surprises with his fifth-round knockout of former sparring partner Yoni Vargas at the American Airlines Arena on Friday night. It was Casamayor's second stay-busy fight since his controversial decision loss to Acelino Freitas in January, about which Casamayor has not spoken in kind and been more than happy to take out on lesser opposition.
Casamayor (28-1, 18 KOs) wasted no time in denting the inferior Vargas (23-4, 12 KOs), whose boxing relationship with the Cuban dates back to their amateur years. It was clear from the opening four rounds that Casamayor has progressed since, as he overwhelmed Vargas with quick feet and darting gloves. Most effective were Casamayor's jab and straight left, which landed at will as Vargas hopelessly reached out, sometimes with both hands, to stop them. Vargas tried his best to slow Casamayor down with body shots, but the only damage caused were two warnings from referee Armando Garcia for low blows.
By round five, Vargas had slowed to a tiptoe from Casamayor's attack and began to seep blood from underneath his right eye. Inside the frame's closing minute, Casamayor, 134, Miami, Florida via Cuba, let fly a series of left hooks that sent Vargas to the mat. Vargas, 134, Westminster, California via Mexico, got to his feet at the count of eight, only to be leveled a second time by more Casamayor lefts that met no resistance. Vargas looked ready to try yet again, but his corner threw in the towel at 2:28 of the fifth, the second straight bout in which Casamayor's rival corner has asked for mercy.
Casamayor has shown great bitterness over the Freitas loss, in which he abandoned his skills to roughhouse and lost an important point for what may have been a slip rather than a knockdown. With another easy night of work behind him, it seems just a matter of time before Casamayor again meets Freitas in the ring, especially with the limited choice of talent at 130 pounds.
