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ESPN Friday Night Fights Recap

April 6, 2007

Mohegan Sun Arena-Uncasville, Connecticut

Welterweight (147 pounds) 8-Round Match:

Juan Buendia (13-1-1, 8 KO's, 146.25 pounds) vs. Israel Cardona (36-6, 28 KO's, 143.25 pounds)

Buendia's last two fights have been the draw and the loss, both versus Jose Ojeda. The loss being the latter of the two and that was in July of 2006.

Cardona is the local fighter from nearby Hartford, Connecticut. Cardona's best fighting days are probably behind him. He has only been in the ring for four rounds of actual action since 2002. The Hartford boxer was a former lightweight title challenger and all indications point to him being way too small for this weight class. The prime of Cardona's career is considered to be 1996-1997.

Both boxers are willing to trade punches throughout round 1. It will probably be scored 10-9, for Buendia. Round 2 goes to Buendia, 10-9. Round 3, again goes to Buendia, 10-9. Cardona is standing very square to Buendia making himself a very easy target. The workrate by Buendia has been phenomenal; throwing over 100 punches in each of the first three rounds. Teddy Atlas has the fight, through three rounds, scored 30-27 for Buendia. It is all Buendia in round 4, and Cardona is beginning to drop his hands a lot. This is resulting in big punches landing to Cardona's head. Cardona has also been admonished about a low blow, which appeared to be mostly out of frustration. He's had some punches drifting low the whole match, but now seems to be acting carelessly in the ring out of frustration. Round 4 is the best round for Buendia yet as he takes it, 10-9.

Buendia again threw over 100 punches in the last round, and is much fresher at this point of the fight then Cardona. Atlas has it a shutout through 4 rounds in favor of Buendia 40-36. New round same story. Round 5 goes to Buendia, 10-9. Round 6 is better for Cardona, but not good enough. I score it for Buendia, 10-9. Teddy Atlas gave the last round to Cardona, 10-9. Mikkel Kessler (who has possibly the greatest accent in boxing today), agrees with Atlas that Buendia is fighting too much on the inside in the last two rounds. Fighting on the inside is the only hope Cardona has of winning the fight. It will give Cardona at least the chance to land a power shot to end the fight. Round 7, I again, score for Buendia, 10-9. Buendia has thrown over 100 punches in all of the first seven rounds of the fight. Buendia throws over 125 punches in round 8 and will win the round, 10-9. This is probably the last match of Cardona's career or at least it should be. Cardona fought this bout like a fighter who clearly doesn't have it anymore. To put Cardona in a boxing ring again in the shape he is in now, would simply be dangerous and his camp knows that. Buendia threw 911 punches in the fight and connected on 306 of them for 34%.

Teddy Atlas scores the fight 79-73 Buendia. I've got it 80-72 Buendia. The official judges scores are: 79-73, 79-73,79-73; all for the winner by unanimous decision, Juan Buendia.