Corley Upsets Bracero “Broadway Boxing”
By: Frank Rivera
Photos By: Frank Rivera/Real Combat Media
A sold out Roseland Ballroom in New York City on Jan 21, 2012 featured, DiBella Entertainment “Broadway Boxing”. The main event of the evening was undefeated NABF Light Welterweight Champion, Gabriel “Tito” Bracero defending his title against former two time World Champion, DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley.
The first round began with both fighters feeling each other out not wanting to to make a mistake. In the second round, the action picked up when Corley threw a overhand left that caught Bracero flush, opening a cut over his right eye that bled profusely for the remainder of the round. As the 10 second warning was announced, Corley landed a hard right hook that sent Bracero to the canvas. Bracero was able to beat the count but was hurt badly and still wobbly from the vicious right hook Corley had just landed.
Bracero came out boxing in the third round, he was moving around trying not stand in front of Corley. He seemed to be settling down when Corley threw a overhand left that dropped Bracero for the second time in the fight. Bracero was able to beat the count but looked very upset with himself for allowing Corley to catch him with the overhand left.
In the fourth round Bracero came out boxing and this time he was staying on the outside of Corley as he started using his jab. He was moving around the ring while, throwing his combinations after setting them up with his jab. The fifth round started out the same way the fourth round ended, with Bracero boxing and keeping Corley from planting his feet. Later in the same round, Corley landed a straight left that sent Bracero backpedaling to the canvas for a third time in the fight. Frustrated, Bracero was able to once again beat the count, he was able to shake off the knockdown and finish the round strong by having the better exchanges with Corley.
As Bracero stood, he had a look on his face as if he had just realized what he has been doing wrong as he walked back to his corner. As soon as round six began, you could see that he was more relaxed then how he looked in the first half of the fight. He was staying on the outside again, moving his feet as he worked behind his jab and throwing combinations. The six was the turnaround point for Bracero as he started to box more affectively into the seventh round. In the 8th round, Bracero was able to score a knockdown over Corley, as his glove touched the canvas from a straight right hand that Bracero threw.
Corley picked up the pressure after Bracero scored the knockdown in the 8th, coming forward throwing the hard punches in hopes that they will find their mark. In the final rounds, Bracero continued to box Corley using his jabs to setup his combinations while utilizing the entire ring. The fight ended in the hands of the judges, they scored the fight 96-90, 94-92, 94-92 all for the winner by unanimous decision, DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley.
I asked Corley if he felt he could have put Bracero away during the fight, especially when he hurt Bracero in the first round. “Yea I did, was trying to really rush it” said Corley. I also asked him about the knockdown that Bracero scored, “Man, my glove touch they say, they was trying to help him out, but hey I’ve seen worst.”
Bracero had this message for all his supporters, “I want to give a special thanks to my team and supporters..last night we took our 1st loss, but its only something that will make me better..I don’t take anything away from my opponent, but those there know I fought my heart out..I didn’t start off fighting smart, but finished off strong like a champ is supposed too. Right when my opponent thought the fight was over, he realized it was just the beginning. This is what true champs are made of. Team Bracero stay tuned, bouncing right back better than ever!!”
Corley handed Bracero his first defeat of his career but it is nothing to be ashamed about. Bracero had a rough first half of the fight, he looked uneasy and very tight . As the fight went on he seemed to relax a little more and was able to battle back from his 3 knockdowns, unfortunate for Bracero, this was a 10 round fight and not a 12 rounder. Bracero showed a lot of heart that night, a warriors heart in that he never gave up even though being knocked down three times in the fight. Hopefully Bracero will take this loss and learn from it, let it make him a stronger fighter because of it. In the end the saying goes, “It’s not how many times you get knocked down, it’s how many times you get back up.”
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