NO. 9

GELASIO PEREZ HUERTA

Lucas Matthysse vs. Vivian Harris, Mexico City, 2010

Quick stoppages are a part of boxing but there was no excusing Huerta’s premature halt to this junior welterweight crossroads bout. Thanks to his inexplicable actions, Matthysse was credited with a fourth-round TKO that he did not earn.

Huerta stepped between the fighters and forcibly removed Harris’ mouthpiece after Matthysse landed one clean right hand with 22 seconds left in the round. The punch snapped the former beltholder’s head back but that’s all it did. Harris, who had been punching back, was not seriously hurt, wobbled or even glassy eyed. And he certainly wasn’t defenseless.

What’s pathetic about Huerta’s stoppage is Matthysse didn’t need his “help.” The Argentine up-and-comer had suffered a swollen right eye but he was in command of the bout and appeared to be wearing Harris down with a concentrated body attack.

Huerta not only robbed Harris of a fighting chance in the fight, he probably prevented Matthysse from scoring a legitimate stoppage. ÒÇÇ