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HBO World Championship Boxing Recap

November 22, 2008

MGM Grand-Las Vegas, Nevada

Catch-Weight (157.5 pounds) 10-Round Match:

James Kirkland (23-0, 20 KO's, 156 pounds) vs. Brian Vera (16-1, 10 KO's, 157 pounds)

Kirkland had a solid amateur boxing career in the United States where he compiled a record of 134-12. He had a strong chance to make the 2004 Athens Summer Olympic boxing team, but decided to turn pro in 2001 rather then wait around for the Olympics.

A resident of Austin, Texas, Kirkland is being pushed as one of Golden Boy Promotions top young prospects. He is here to get a highlight reel victory on a high profile show.

Kirkland's last match was a technical knockout victory at 1:59 of round 2 over Ricardo Cortes on September 5, 2008 at Music Hall in Austin, Texas. Cortes was the fourth straight opponent Kirkland had stopped before the end of round 2.

Kirkland is unranked by The Ring magazine, but the number 8 ranked boxer in the world at 154 pounds by boxrec.com.

Vera came to prominence as a cast member on season 3 of "The Contender" reality series. He lost his first match on that show via knockout at 1:32 of round 2 to Jaidon Codrington on September 8, 2007 at the Contender Arena in Los Angeles, California. Vera was knocked down twice in the second round of that match. That seems to make Vera tailor made for highlight reel knockouts by young prospects.

Golden Boy Promotions tried to get that result out of Vera in his last match. Vera faced a top Golden Boy Promotions prospect in the undefeated 2004 Irish Olympian Andy Lee on March 21, 2008 at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. The match started out according to plan as Lee knocked down Vera in round 1. However, Vera eventually turned the tide of the match when Lee ran out of gas in the middle rounds of a scheduled 10-round match. Vera had Lee in real trouble when the referee stepped in to stop the contest 2:17 into round 7. There was some controversy at the time, because Lee had begun to punch back when the referee stepped in to stop the match. However, Lee's Hall-of-Fame trainer Emanuel Steward said the stoppage was fine and had the match continued Lee could have been seriously injured. That ended the controversy.

Vera is unranked by The Ring and the number 58 ranked boxer in the world at 160 pounds by boxrec.com.

At 24-years-old, Kirkland is 2 years younger then the 26-year-old Vera. Vera has the height advantage standing 5' 10.5" tall, while Kirkland stands 5' 9" tall. Kirkland has the reach advantage with a 23.5" arm length measured from the armpit to the end of the fist, compared to the 23" arm length of Vera. Vera, who competed at 168 pounds on "The Contender", will be the heavier boxer in the ring having unofficially rehydrated to 171 pounds approaching match time. Kirkland has only unofficially rehydrated to 165 pounds approaching match time. Kirkland will employ the southpaw stance and Vera will box out of the orthodox stance.

The unified rules of boxing are in effect for this event. All of the judges keeping official score of this match from ringside are from Nevada. The referee is Vic Drakulich. Harold Lederman will be HBO's unofficial scorekeeper for this event.

Kirkland comes out very aggressive and takes round 1 on Lederman and my scorecard, 10-9. A left to the body has Vera stumbling and his glove nearly touches the mat with 2:47 to go in round 2. Kirkland follows up the damaging left to the body, and a combination that is capped by a left uppercut drops Vera with 2:40 to go in round 2. Vera is up and has successfully answered the referee's count with 2:32 to go in the round. The referee then pauses the action, because it appears Vera has been cut on his left ear. The boxer is claiming it is from illegal punches. HBO is reporting that the cut is above Vera's right ear and was caused by an unintentional clash of heads right before Vera went down. The action is resumed with 2:28 to go in the round. Vera appears only slightly hurt when he continues. With less then 5 seconds to go in round 2, Vera is hit with a right hand that deflects off his left shoulder and into his chin. That sends Vera spinning down into the ropes for the second knockdown this round. Vera is claiming he was off balance and it was a slip. However, the fall was caused by a punch and the referee got the call right. Vera is fine to continue and the bell sounds to end the round before anymore punches can be thrown. Kirkland wins round 2 on everyone's scorecard, 10-7. On replay it does not appear the headbutt factored in the first knockdown. Vera seems eager to deliver the highlight reel knockout for Kirkland that he was unwilling to give Lee. Kirkland wins round 3 on Lederman and my scorecard, 10-9. After 3 rounds, Lederman and I both have Kirkland ahead in this contest that is so bereft of skill it has become a glorified tough man contest, 30-25.

Kirkland wins an awful round 4, 10-9. Vera has decided he is only going to throw wild right hand power punches, while keeping his hands down to make sure he does not block any punches. Kirkland has countered that by throwing mainly hard left hand power punches and mixing in the occasional right hand with very little on it. The southpaw seems to like Vera's idea of not keeping his hands up, also. This match is looking very amateurish. If Vera were capable of mounting a sustained offense of more then just right hands, he would be able to knock Kirkland out quickly. Kirkland wins round 4 on Lederman's scorecard, 10-9. The southpaw wins round 5 on Lederman and my scorecard, 10-9. Vera has taken a lot of clean hard punches to the head and is not competitive in this match. Therefore, Vera's corner may want to start thinking about stopping this to protect their charge. Through 5 rounds, Vera has landed 47 of the 305 total punches he has thrown, for an awful 15% total connect percentage. Conversely through 5 rounds, Kirkland has landed 187 of the 366 total punches he has thrown, for an unhealthy 51% total connect percentage. Vera has a small cut under his right eye to start round 6. Kirkland appeared to take round 6 off, but still dominated it. He wins it on Lederman and my scorecard, 10-9, and is ahead in the match after 6 rounds, 60-52.

The southpaw easily wins round 7 on everyone's scorecard, 10-9. Kirkland catches Vera with a right hook behind the ear for a knockdown with 1:50 to go in round 8. Vera never saw that punch. Vera tells the referee he is not hurt and is allowed to continue with 1:37 to go in the round. With 1:17 to go in the round, Vera takes a few clean punches in the corner and the referee steps in to end the match. That was more of an accumulation of punches stoppage, rather then the referee stopping the match, because Vera was too hurt to intelligently defend himself. It was agood stoppage by the referee.

The official outcome from Michael Buffer is that: at 1:45 of round 8 the referee has called a stop to this contest making the winner by technical knockout and still undefeated, James "The Mandingo Warrior" Kirkland. (Apparentlythe Austin, Texas resident took his nickname from the name Ultimate Warrior wrestled under in Texas.) The win moves Kirkland to 24-0 with now 21 wins coming by way of knockout.

The final punchstat numbers help explain the stoppage, because Kirkland landed 283 of the 532 total punches he threw, for an inhuman 53% total connect percentage. Vera landed 64 of the 470 total punches he threw, for a terrible 14% total connect percentage.

Kirkland dominated this match, but did not look good in the performance. His defense was non-existent for most of the match and he appeared to get tired early. Kirkland showed very little offense besides his left hand, until the right hook for the third knockdown.The southpaw will probably be on the undercards of some HBO Boxing After Dark events, before he gets another high profile opportunity like this. Kirkland says he wants Alfredo Angulo next. However, his people are smart enough to not let that match happen for a while.

Vera is a mediocre boxer. He is a good opponent for young boxers. Vera is bereft of defense and showed little offensively except a big right hand that he telegraphs. Had Lee not run out of gas, Vera would have done what he was supposed to do in March. There is lots of work for this type of boxer in the sport.

The first match was awful and should be avoided like that Lions-Titans game on Thanksgiving.