Torrez and the TopRank squad win again in Vegas.
On Saturday night at the Palms Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, seven undefeated boxers risked their records—and all seven maintained them.
Five of the nine fights ended in knockouts; the other four went the distance. Credit to Top Rank matchmakers for finding opponents tough enough to stand up to these young talents. We only saw one first-round finish, and that was the expected result for Contreras in his anticipated debut. Anytime an amateur standout debuts, they’re likely to steamroll and dominate their undermatched opponent. Now that he’s passed that first test, he’ll soon see stiffer competition.
There were no draws or disqualifications—it was a mostly clean night of boxing in front of a packed crowd in the Pearl Theatre at the Palms. I sat in a great seat in a balcony box over the ring and documented each fight of the night.
Torrez Jr. vs. Vianello
The main event kicked off with a battle of ring walks. Vianello entered the arena first, rising from a knee in the locker room to the epic Hans Zimmer tune “Now We Are Free,” from the Gladiator film. Standing tall and wearing a gladiator’s face mask, Guido looked every bit the warrior he claims to be. The crowd booed, but this writer felt the energy of a confident fighter behind the mask.
Torrez Jr. walked second, and as the crowd saw his approach on the big screen, they roared in approval. He wore no warrior’s garb—only a poncho-like robe hung on his shoulders. His face was locked into a focused glare. A piano player broke into a powerful rendition of “Moonlight Sonata.” If any song could best Zimmer’s composition, this was the one. Electric energy filled the intimate arena, and before he even mounted the ring stairs, the kid from Tulare had already won the round before the first—the walk.
The opening bell rang and Torrez Jr. leapt from his corner with an urgency that he would assert throughout the contest. Feinting and flexing, Torrez led the dance on his front foot. A patient and maybe tired-looking Vianello circled away with a long, pawing jab and a loaded rear-hand punch. The clash was inevitable, and quickly the two heavyweights became entangled in messy clinches. The American’s forward assault and the Italian’s intentions to hold his feet and counter created repetitive sequences of Torrez smashing in and Vianello holding, trying to control the aggressive puncher who had placed his head on his chest.
Before the end of the first round, referee Thomas Taylor had become entangled in the fight, as he had the tough task of controlling these big men. Hits behind the head and forearms to the throat accompanied the holding tactics of Vianello. In the second round, an annoyed-looking Vianello lost a point when Ref Taylor punished him for holding.
The theme of the fight was set, and they battled it out in this stalk, collide, and brawl style that favored Torrez Jr. He landed the cleaner punches and continually forced the action. As the rounds passed, the aura of impending doom diminished, and my prediction of the fight going the distance looked to be a proper premonition.
Richard eventually found his lead hook counter, and Guido was feeling it. Torrez would catch him clean with the hook over the jab—a classic open-stance exchange, notable here considering Torrez’s height disadvantage. His ability to punch hard above his own head is a sight to see. Unfortunately, he never followed up on these clean hooks, and the Gladiator survived again and again.
In the eighth, Torrez landed a picture-perfect left hand that rocked Vianello—the best shot of the fight. The crowd roared to their feet, and it looked like the Gladiator would fall. He hadn’t won the crowd. The emperor would show no mercy. It was time for him to face his fate. But again, he survived, weathering the storm with clinches and pushes.
In the final two rounds, Torrez attempted to recreate that one big punch but failed to land the killing blow. Vianello had some moments and managed to throw a few combinations before the terror from Tulare was again glued to his chest.
The fight finished with a clear scoring edge for Torrez Jr. I had it 99–90, but there were some swing rounds in there for sure.
