This past Saturday night on the steps of the Ohio river in downtown Pittsburgh, PA , Roy Jones Jr and TNT Promotions showcased their stable of talent in the Pittsburgh area.
In the main event Pittsburgh bred Monty Meza-Clay faced off with former title challenger Emmanuel Lucero in a 8rd contest at the Rivers Casino. While the weather concerns may have moved the fight up by the PA commission it did little to deter the two men who exchanged hard shots for all 8 rounds, both men displayed heart after taking one another best shots, however after the final bell Meza-Clay would walk away with a majority decision win.
Lucero who has not won in over a year showed that he still had some fight left in him as he took Meza-Clay’s best shots and stood at until the final bell. While Lucero showed courage, Meza-Clay failed to capitalize on a fighter who was there for the taking. It was the second time in as many fights that Meza-Clay won on 2 of the 3 judges scorecards. While he was the stronger man, Meza-Clay also allowed Lucero to dictate most rounds by allowing Lucero to corner him and take unnecessary damager on the ropes.
While the fight was in the middle of the ring, Meza-Clay was able to use his superior speed to avoid Lucero’s counter punching and in the end it was the difference in the fight.
While Meza-Clay is still a visible name in boxing, where he goes from here is hard to say. His style makes for exciting fights and he is still good enough to surprise some fighters looking to use Meza-Clay as a name. If he is looking to be a legitimate contender then he needs to sit down with his trainer and stick to whatever game plan they put in place, but winning by majority or split decision against journeymen is not the way.
However if he has found his place in the fight game, staying close to home and making himself a name stay in the Pittsburgh area is what he plans to do, then he has a good thing going. It was a good sized crowed at the River Casino for Meza-Clay and the other local fighters and once again Roy Jones JR and TNT promotions made it a great local event. While many fight fans were waiting for the Amir Khan fight on HBO the locals in Pittsburgh proved that they don’t need HBO to enjoy a good night of boxing.
And then…
The Rivers Casino outdoor stage is one of the better places to enjoy a night of boxing. With the skyline on Pittsburgh just down the way, it would be a great place for ESPN Friday night fights. The local fans come out in bunches, if you add a good amount of locals on the undercard and it would be a show to see live.
Maybe it’s just me, but does anyone put their hand over their heart when the National Anthem is being played? Did I miss the memo when we as a society stopped?