By Nick Bellafatto
Christmas in January for Rocky Martinez
Other than allowing defending WBO junior lightweight champion Roman “Rocky” Martinez (26-1-2, 16 KO’s) of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico to look the part of the busier fighter in a few of the middle rounds, two time world title challenger Juan Carlos Burgos (30-1-1, 20 KO’s) of Tijuana, Mexico for the remainder of the time would look to be the better man so that the resulting draw allowing Martinez to retain his belt should rightfully be deemed an outrage. The final tallies would read 117-111 for Burgos, 116-112 for Martinez, and 114-114 apiece.
In charge at range and slippery inside to nullify Martinez’s close quarters attack, Burgos would unleash a consistent pounding to the body of Martinez that would basically render the champion a shell of a fighter by the latter rounds. The Mexican challenger simply out-landed his adversary to connect with the harder more precise shots in the majority of rounds so that a changing of the guard was in order. Not to be however in what would amount to nothing less than a disgraceful decision as well as cause for an investigative effort as regards judge Tony Paolillo’s 116-112 score total, with the 114-114 tally rendered by John Signorile also considered quite suspect.
