The puppet dilemma

A couple of very difficult to cross blocks have been placed on the way to the lightweight crown. One is called Adrien Broner and the other Miguel Vázquez. Two champions not suitable for all public but that show that the pugilato can be considered more a sport of strategists than of brutes. The first is a species of mollusk whose defense has been impenetrable, while his moderate attack allows him to win his matches with looseness. The second, originally from Guadalajara, Jalisco, has patented a trembling technique, harsh, pragmatic and in perpetual motion. Indifferent to the booing of the public desiring blood or to the passionate own of the visceral spirits. In spite of his little commercial style, the Vázquez Puppet is a champion that has consolidated its monarchy in the 135 pounds faced opposition much more qualified than the one that the popular stars of the moment have known, which takes to us to ask once more, ¿ What is more important on the road to glory: talent or charisma? Who deserves more merit: a millionaire like Saul Alvarez, who since before becoming a champion has refused to face true classmates of the same category, or a worker in the quadrilateral as the puppet, ready to fight against athletes of the caliber of Breidis Prescott and Timothy Bradley?

This December 8 the Puppet dominated a Filipino of aggressive nature called Mercito Gesta. Tagalog seemed to represent the perfect antidote to the infallible strategy of the Tapatio. However, and as it is popularly said, the Puppet has wet the gunpowder. Vazquez saw himself as a day laborer ready to execute a methodical plan, full of tricks, among which are the hug, the somersault and the push. This for twelve strenuous assaults. A tactic executed with accuracy. Without improvisation. Vazquez is in his right to fight that way. No need to justify it, Sweet Science practitioners seldom do, but their performance above the knot seems to say, “I am the one with the longest arms. It hurts me to fight in short. I have legs, condition and good reflexes. I can move … I want to win. ” “I do not seek to be Arturo Gatti,” the puppet would add in that imaginary dialogue. He would be perfectly right. Miguel Vázquez is a rarity in more than one sense: he is Mexican but he is not a fajador; Instead of climbing to heavier divisions, low from welter to lightweight, and looks comfortable at that weight; He cares more about judges than the public; It maintains an unshakable faith in his jab , which he uses to place the straight right, again and again. As it says in the little book. There will be someone who takes to face to Gesta that should have cut the exits to Vázquez; To strike him to the body to tire him and to stop moving; Having been more violent, not letting him rest, all of which is much easier said than done. Mercito is still a great boxing promise, his problem is that he challenged a guy whose specialty is to nullify any attack. The Filipino did everything in his power to exchange punches with the chess player. He cuckolded. He made fun of his footprint. He even pretended to be touched to draw him to the ropes. None of this worked. That puppeteer who pulls the strings of Miguel Vázquez proved to be very cold-minded. Each episode was more of the same: Vazquez entering and exiting with effective combinations while rotating around Gesta, who remained in the center of the ring, trying to do damage with shots that did not reach his goal. There are those who prefer to see the show that provides a new coat of paint on the wall of your home while it dries slowly. As has been said, the actions of Puppet Vazquez are not for the unwary. His is a version of boxing for beginners only. For those attending the boxing show not to get philosophizing about its meaning beyond the ring, or to participate in the trending topic, but because they have learned to love all forms of this sport. For those that the voice of announcer Michael Buffer makes them vibrate and live outstanding to the classifications published by the World Boxing Council. A fight of Miguel Vázquez is the equivalent in the baseball to a duel of pit; To a zero zero in the soccer; To a game defined by field goals in the American; One without big dunk in basketball; To any golf tournament. Puppetry the problem is no longer how to win, that apparently has settled well in your mind, is another problem that always occurs in professional boxing and that is fundamental: how to sell?