What more can be said about what transpired on Saturday night in Oklahoma as Alex Saucedo vs. Lenny Zappavigna? It has to be seen to be believed.
Firstly, In a barnstorming Arturo Gatti v Micky Ward-Esque fourth round, super-lightweight Lenny Zappavigna beat the living daylights out of Alex Saucedo.
The onslaught was a sickening barrage of punches.
A bloodbath is not a word used lightly for the entire fight. Although for two solid minutes, you had to question whether Saucedo is made of steel or stone.
Secondly, only cuts and bruises to his face signaled his humanity. Saucedo is one tough son of a gun.
The round is being well-documented in the media. Rightly so, backed up by the astonishing fact that Saucedo eventually came out on top when stopping Zappavigna in the ninth.
Both fighters displayed the scars of a severe battle. Zappavigna subsequently announced his premature retirement at 30 immediately after the fight.
So much appreciation for LennyZ who told us this was his last fight tonight. Congratulations on a wonderful career. You are nothing but class and a true warrior! @trboxing pic.twitter.com/t0WJn3IeDV
— Carl Moretti (@CarlMoretti) July 1, 2018
Whether the Aussie could be persuaded back for a higher profile rematch and a bigger payday is yet to be made clear. But Saucedo now stands on the verge of a world title shot against Maurice Hooker.
Whatever lies in their future, boxing fans sure won’t forget their recent past in a hurry. Furthermore, Alex Saucedo and Lenny Zappavigna deserve the plaudits from an all-out war.
Phil Jay is the Editor of WBN. An Auxiliary member of the Boxing Writers Association of America since 2018. And a member of the Sports Journalists’ Association. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
