PADDY BARNES FOUGHT gamely but was ultimately destroyed by a debilitating body shot in the fourth round of his first world title as a professional.
Cristofer Rosales will fly back to Managua, Nicaragua with his WBC belt as hand luggage following a picture-perfect finisher at Windsor Park in what was the first defence of his title.
Two-time Olympic bronze medalist Barnes was attempting to become a world champion in what was only his sixth fight as a professional but suffered a crushing first defeat in boxing’s punch-for-pay ranks.
Though it was doubtless being edged by Rosales at the time of the stoppage, this was an engaging contest while it lasted.
Barnes started on the front foot and after finding his range sneaked an unorthodox straight left through Rosales’ guard. The Nicaraguan fired a few testing flurries which sent Barnes scurrying, warming up as the opening round progressed, but the Irishman just about held his own with some neat work behind his jab.
A minute into the second the pair stood and traded at centre-ring. Barnes didn’t take the bait when Rosales attempted to goad him into a firefight, but they went hell for leather once more shortly afterwards as Barnes found his back to the ropes. It was the home fighter who finished more effectively, though, mixing it up to Rosales’ body and head in the final 30 seconds.
His confidence conspicuously imbued, Barnes started the third with a fluid attack and nifty footwork which took him out of range, but Rosales closed the gap and planted four unanswered shots on Barnes’ whiskers. The challenger drew a portion of the third-full crowd to its feet with a sharp three-punch combo to body and head – a right hook upstairs the cherry on top – but Rosales’ heavier hands found enough meat for the champion to conclusively take the round as he turned up the heat.
Barnes responded well to begin the 4th, a couple of powerful hooks to Rosales’ jawline rousing if also conspicuous in their inability to budge the teak-tough visitor.
The finish was all the more jarring in that, while Rosales was dictating the pace and edging proceedings, the fight had seemingly settled into a ‘you go, I go’ pattern.
But in an exchange along those lines, Rosales let rip with a right uppercut to Barnes’ solar plexus which immediately struck as a curtain-caller.
Instantaneously robbed of all oxygen, Barnes collapsed to his knees before writhing around on the canvas in agony. By the referee’s count of six, it was plain that the home faithful’s shrieking attempts to resurrect him Jamie Conlan-like were made in vain.
Rosales curtailed his celebrations somewhat with Barnes still grounded long after the fight was waved off. When he finally regained his feet, Barnes paid the champion his dues.
At 31 there remains scope for Barnes to come again, but tonight proved his world-title ambitions to be premature. As to whether he fancies a scenic route back into contention remains to be seen.
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Was a fantastic fight whilst it lasted. Cannot understand why paddy did not want to bring it to the later rounds. Fought fire with fire too much. A symptom of fighting in a hometown stadium.
@Sean og S: I’ve never seen a country lose so much in every sport. I mean do Ireland ever win anything, seriously?
@Tyler Williams: you’d miss the ole red thumbs….
@Tyler Williams: have you ever heard of Rugby?
@Tyler Williams: the Irish women’s hockey team.
@Ciara Ni Mhurchu: literally 3 days ago TJ Doheny became a world champion boxer
@Tyler Williams: troll/10 marks for that
@Tyler Williams: We’re a country with a population of 5m. The US is a country with a population of approximately 325m – and yet, you do not win everything “in every sport”. As a nation, you have yet to embrace the only true global sport, football (not handeggball) because you play it so badly, to watch the US national team is an offense to the senses. Also, FYI, the national Irish rugby (a far superior game in comparison to NFL) team, as well as our club sides, regularly dominate the global and european leagues.
He was up against a brillant boxer.
@Gerry W: you were a brilliant boxer yourself Gerry before you picked up that injury
@Flembomb: Consistent
Looks Knacker ed
@John O Reilly: you must be knackered yourself John. Way past your bedtime
@Brian Les: are you a les
@John O Reilly: …bian?
Olympics a different game, he was found out.
@Greedylocks: Sure he only turned pro because he was too old to make another Olympics and went to the only other place he could make cash and got found out.it’s the main reason we have good amatures and no good professionals, the funding they got in the amature game was too much to risk by turning pro.
Looking at the guys each had fought coming in this was a fairly predictable result. Too much far too soon. Had fought 5 absolute club fighters whereas Rosales has been mixing it in near world class for years.
What time is Fury on at?
@Gone Fishing: now
@Gone Fishing: Furry who?
@Tiarnan Guinée: Turned it on for the square off with Wilder, styles make fights, should be a cracker jacker.
@john: He is from the same place as James McLean, the bloke you have a photo of on your Twitter feed. 100% Irish.
@Tanks a Minion: McLean’s s Derry man. Not the same place at all
Went way way way can I say way again too early for a title shot ,,, he will be no doubt about that ,,, superior boxer with experience against him ,,