JORGE ARCE TKO end of 9 RAFAEL CONCEPCION

First things first, and Jorge Arce can still fight. There was much of the old “Travieso” about his performance as he battered a game but outgunned Rafael Concepcion into defeat in nine rounds in Mexico City on Monday night. A hint of vulnerability showed, though, when Arce was sent staggering across the ring by a left hook in the fourth round. For a long, precarious minute his boxing career was hanging in the balance.

I saw this fight in two parts. I started watching an internet feed, but after the Jorge Solis fight the scene shifted from the boxing arena to various Mexican Independence Day functions and festivities.

This was disappointing, but later in the evening my pal Mark in Las Vegas phoned to say: “The Arce fight’s over but TV Azteca is replaying it on their website.” So, I got to see it after all: I am not a great fan of watching boxing on a computer screen, but, for a fight of importance, it is better than nothing.

My first thoughts on this fight were of an upset. Then, when I watched the preliminaries on the first attempt at viewing the show, what I took to be a live feed, I thought: “There is no way Concepcion is going to win this fight, not in this arena, on this night.”

Even watching on the internet you could sense the pro-Arce energy crackling through the huge crowd. The spectators were in a celebratory mood. It’s funny how a moment of clarity dawns as a fight is about to start, as if a veil has been lifted and everything becomes crystal clear. This, I thought, would be a good moment to lay off any wagers unwisely made on Concepcion.

It was a letdown when the internet coverage from the arena was discontinued, but the availability of delayed coverage later on was a pleasant surprise.

The size difference in this 115-pound title bout immediately struck me. Arce looked massive in the ring with Concepcion, about two weight divisions bigger, it seemed.

Concepcion’s tactics were a surprise. Everyone anticipated a straight-ahead slugger, but he showed good boxing ability, moving and countering. Arce was going after him, the fire and fury that was absent in his last fight certainly in evidence in this one, but the Panamanian was giving plenty back.

Then came the fourth round. Arce, recklessly aggressive, got hit by a left hook and his legs took on a rubbery look. He tottered back and looked on the verge of going down, the commentator yelling that the Mexican favourite was “mala condiciones!”

This was where Arce’s great fighting heart and his great experience kicked in. He refused to wilt, and by the end of the round he was taking the fight to Concepcion again, to thunderous acclaim from the crowd.

Although the TV Azteca scorer had Concepcion up by a point after five rounds, the Panamanian’s big moment had passed. It was all Arce from the sixth onwards, battering Concepcion on the ropes, really driving in the left hooks downstairs. Concepcion had nothing left but gameness by the ninth and looked worn out, his right eye swollen on top and starting to close, and his corner did the right thing in retiring him at the end of the round.

Concepcion actually turned out to be a more accomplished boxer than I had anticipated, but Arce looked a monster at 115 pounds. He definitely had a scare in the fourth round, but this colourful crowd pleaser isn’t done yet.