Moore Suffers Tough Loss

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Irish Voice Sport

Moore Suffers Tough Loss

June 11, 2008

By Declan O’Kelly

Light middleweight James Moore (15-1) suffered his first defeat as a professional when Gabriel Rosado (10-2) beat him by unanimous decision last Wednesday night in Brooklyn. The Co. Wicklow native, just off a career best win over former world title contender J.C. Candelo in March, will be bitterly disappointed with the manner of this defeat – a very questionable judging decision on his national TV debut on ESPN 2’s Wednesday Night Fights.

Rosado (152.5 pounds) was in red trunks while Moore (154.5 pounds) entered the Aviator Sports Arena wearing his regular white shorts with green trim.

Moore started the fight well, using his jab to set up combinations and fighting well on the outside, taking the first three rounds — or so most thought — with relative ease. In the fourth round Moore did some more good work off the jab, but then stood toe to toe with the strong Rosado and was rocked with some heavy right-handed punches that wobbled his legs.

Moore managed to hold on to the bell, but in the fifth he was caught again with right-handers from Rosado and was knocked to the canvas midway through after a series of punches. Moore complained angrily to the referee that he had been hit on the back of the head, but he was lucky to make it out of the round.

To his credit, Moore rebounded well in the sixth and started boxing again, more than holding his own. He closed out rounds seven and eight punching more and seemingly outworking his opponent. The showboating Rosado, looking to land his dangerous right hand, hardly threw a punch in the seventh and was sparse with his shots in the last.

Though most would agree it was a close fight, none could have predicted the cards of Carlos Ortiz, Kevin Morgan and Tony Paolillo, who scored the fight to Rosado 78-73, 77-74 and 76-74 respectively.

“If you look at compubox, I guarantee you I landed more punches in every round. When I heard the scores I thought I had won. A unanimous decision like that, and it is supposed to be my backyard, please,” a clearly frustrated Moore told the Irish Voice after the fight.

Moore added that he was in no doubt that he clearly won the last two rounds and the first round, and that he felt he outboxed Rosado for two and a half minutes of most rounds.

Trainer Harry Keitt was upset about how referee David Fields let so much go during the fight, saying he could clearly see elbows, rabbit punching and illegal punches from Rosado.

“I knew it was a close fight and that guy (Rosado) put up a good effort, but the guy did not put on a winning effort. James was not spectacular, he wasn’t 100 percent and he wasn’t himself. I wanted James to use his jab more and he was giving the guy too much respect,” said Keitt.

“We would give this guy a rematch any day of the week. I don’t know what fight the judges were looking at. One judge gave the fight 78-73, only giving James two rounds? It wasn’t James’ best performance, but I thought he performed well enough to win this fight and I had him winning by one or two points.”

For Rosado it was huge joy mixed with relief afterwards. “You know I know I won the fight, but it is scary playing in someone’s hometown, especially when he has such a big following, but I was praying I would get it,” he said.

The Philadelphia fighter was not at all surprised at one of the judges giving him the fight 78-73.

“I thought I won every round. Probably the first round I was a little off and not in the rhythm of the fight, but I felt I won seven rounds clean. I never felt uncomfortable during the fight and I always felt I had the fight in my hands.”

Moore will meet with management and matchmaker (Celtic Gloves and Bruce Silverglade) this week to plan his next move, but the 30-year-old is keen to get back in the ring, and fast. Talk of a rematch is very much on the agenda, but whether it will be his next fight or one or two down the line is up for discussion.

The one silver lining out of this defeat is that fighters who were once hesitant to take on Moore might now not see him as such a dangerous opponent, and the Irishman can use that to his advantage.

Rosado is no world-beater, but he came into the fight in excellent physical condition and was ready for battle. After his win against Candelo, Moore told press that he had been in camp for six weeks and had thought of nothing but that fight. If that was the formula he found to beat the former title challenger, then maybe it is the blueprint he should use to get back to winning ways.

In other news, London Irish welterweight Steve O’Meara moved to 2-0 with a second round TKO victory over professional debutant Dontre King at the Blue Horizon in Philadelphia. O’Meara, like other Philadelphia-based Irish boxer, middleweight Simon O’Donnell (6-1), had Tim Witherspoon working his corner.

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