May 20, 2006: WBO junior lightweight champion Jorge Barrios (45-2-1, 32 KOs) vs. Janos Nagy (23-0, 14 KOs), 12 rounds, junior lightweights. At the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. (HBO)
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While all the attention is toward the Marco Antonio Barrera-Rocky Juarez fight, this undercard event promises to be just as exciting. Barrios brings his brawling style to a title defense against relatively unknown Hungarian boxer Janos Nagy.
Barrios' last lost was a tough one to take, when he lost to Acelino Freitas by way of 12th-round TKO in August 2003. Barrios knocked Freitas down in Round 8 and Round 11, but Freitas came back and sent Barrios to the canvas in the 11th and 12th rounds. When Barrios was sent down in the last round, he slipped trying to stand on his wobbly feet, causing the referee to stop the fight. At the point of stoppage, Barrios was leading on one scorecard while another judge had the fight even.
Since the loss, Barrios has run off six straight wins, three by way of knockout, including an impressive 4th-round TKO over Mike Anchondo in April 2005, giving Barrios the WBO title. Barrios is an exciting fighter, but has many flaws, including poor defense and a sloppy approach offensively. He does possess KO power and will knock back down to anyone, even to an undefeated fighter like Nagy.
Nagy, known as "Bonecrusher" in his home of Budapest, Hungary, has become a national hero, winning minor featherweight belts (WBO Inter-Continental title and IBC super featherweight title) while racking up 23 wins to 0 losses. This will mark the first fight in Nagy's career in the United States and on major television. Nady is a southpaw and uses it to his advantage, often mixing up his punches to throw off his opponents. In order to beat a slugger like Barrios, Nady needs to counter and fight outside, which absolutely contradicts what Nady, the smaller fighter, will be able to do.
No only is the match up tough for Nady to win, Barrios is plain and simply the bigger and better boxer. He also thrives in the spotlight and can knockout an opponent at any time. Nady brings lots of intrigue into the ring, but Barrios will exit retaining his belt.
Prediction: Barrios by KO in Round 5.
