Shinard Bunch gets robbed of an easy victory by the judges
Showtime is delivering on making British-style domestic level fights, featuring fighters on the rise facing each other before making that move to the next level. The theme continues with a welterweight showdown with prospects Shinard Bunch (15-1, 13ko) and Janelson Bocachica (17-0, 11ko).
Bunch is one of the busiest fighters in boxing. During the 2020 pandemic, he managed to fight five times, and he will be fighting for the sixth time this year. The New York native has over 400 amateur fights and was trained by Yoel Judah, father of two-divisional champion Zab Judah. He would suffer his first career defeat in just his third professional bout against Paul Kroll in August 2019.
Janelson Bocachica enjoyed a successful amateur career with a 60-5 record and a victory over highly touted IBF #11 fighter Brandun Lee to win the 2014 Junior National Olympics. He is known throughout boxing circles for a sparring tape of him knocking down current unified lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez. The unified champion was only 15 years old at the time. Ironically, he defeated another undefeated fighter in Mark Reyes Jr, who also trains out of the same gym as his opponent.
KILLING HIM SOFTLY WITH THE JAB
Bunch came out using the best punch in boxing: the jab. He was landing it at will and followed up with a straight right-hand on occasions. Bocachica looked tight and was having a hard time dealing with the speed and counter-punching of Bunch. He managed to land a stiff right-hand after throwing wild, looping punches trying to get within range.
Bunch remained focused, landing that jab and holding every time the hard-hitting opponent got in close. This tactic had Bocachica throwing wild punches out of frustration while being countered with left and right hooks.
STARTED WARMING UP MAY BE TOO LATE
Bunch was laser-focused, landing that power jab and snapping back the head of his opponent before dropping a hard right-hand. However, Bocachica started finding a rhythm with a good counter right-hand and a few jabs. He was closing the gap and went to the body to slow down the pace of the fight.
It was the first time Bunch was going ten rounds. As he started to slow down, he was allowing his opponent to land more hard body shots and overhand rights. The fight was taking a turn in favor of Bocachica, who landed more good body shots.
MAKING THE ADJUSTMENT
Bunch regained control of the fight going into the final rounds using the power jab. He started letting his hands go with a blistering jab, then right and left hooks as follow-up punches. He found a second wind, hitting Bocachica with body shots. Also, that jab was a killer combined with several overhand rights. He had his opponent going backward, trying to avoid the rapid-fire combinations that ended with a perfect straight right-hand.
Up until the final bell, Bunch was landing at a ferocious pace and finishing with the straight right-hand. It should have been an easy fight to score, but the judges were unbelievably off with their scorecards for some reason.
BAD JUDGING STRIKES AGAIN
One judge scored it 97-93 for Bunch, one had it 96-94 Bocachica, and the last judge scored it 95-95. The fight was declared a draw. 3kingsboxing has it 98-92 Shinard Bunch.
The last two scorecards were absurd. To this author, that shows the judges need to be escorted to the back room and immediately drug tested. There is no way Janelson Bocachica won more than two rounds, three at most.
The sport of boxing needs a serious reality check. Fighters take time away from their families, missing birthdays, holidays, and even the birth of their kids. Having a victory taken away from them in this fashion is killing the sport.
By: Garrisson Bland
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