CESAR CANCHILA W12 GIOVANNI SEGURA

While Miguel Cotto’s loss to Antonio Margarito was an upset it was by no means a shocking one because everyone knew that this was the most dangerous fight so far for the unbeaten Puerto Rican. The big surprise was reserved for the chief supporting fight in which little-known Colombian Cesar Canchila came off the floor to outfight, outpunch and decisively defeat the previously unbeaten Giovanni Segura.

Canchila’s unanimous decision win earned him the vacant WBA interim light-flyweight title — 11 years after another at-the-time obscure Colombian, Mauricio Pastrana, shocked Michael Carbajal in a Las Vegas title fight in the same weight class.

Segura was a huge favourite — at the MGM Grand sports book he was -900. Things started well for the Mexican-born southpaw switch-hitter from the Los Angeles area as he wobbled Canchila a bit in the first round and dropped him with a right hook in the second. By the third, though, Canchila was fighting his way back and after that he just kept winning round after round.

It was as if Segura had forgotten everything he had ever learned about boxing. He just kept winging away with big, wild swings and hooks. The Colombian was the more well-schooled, better-skilled fighter and in a number of the rounds he was outclassing Segura.

There were big misses on both sides but Canchila was the more accurate. Segura suffered a swelling under the right eye, Canchila was cut over the right eye and had blood inside the mouth, but the Colombian was the one dishing out most of the punishment and growing in confidence.

In the 10th round I thought that Segura was in danger of being stopped, and although he tried to finish strongly he continued to get the worst of it.

This fight showed the danger in underestimating boxers with supposedly built-up records: sometimes they can really fight.