Xu Can Outworks Manny Robles To Retain WBA Featherweight Title
Xu Can (18-2, 3KO’s) broke down and picked apart Manny Robles (18-1, 8 KO’s) over twelve highly entertaining rounds to defend the WBA “Regular” World Featherweight title for the second time at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, CA.
In many ways, this was rock em’, sock em’ robots as both fighters threw punches in bunches to the delight of the crowd. Both Can and Robles had a sizable contingent of fans cheering loudly on their behalf.
For the first five rounds, both men stood in the center of the ring trading head and body punches. What slightly gave the champion the advantage was his activity and his body-punching.
Can is one of the more deceptive fighters in the sport, looking rather ordinary from a casual viewpoint. Upon closer inspection, his combination of subtle footwork and the diversification of his punches at a high volume is what makes him so effective.
It was that combination and pace and body shots that started to take its toll on Robles in round seven, as Can started landing effective jabs which kept Robles at distance, creating room for follow up right hands and left hooks.
From the mid-round point of the fight, the champ was in control. Robles couldn’t keep up the work rate and didn’t have the one-punch power to turn the momentum. The physical and mental pressure by the 25-year-old (who threw a featherweight record 1565 punches) from Kunming, China was just too much.
When asked after the fight who he wants to fight next, China’s only current world champion made it perfectly clear.
“Next, Josh… you called me out, now I’m here. You say you’re here, I’m here, let’s fight. Josh Warrington, the IBF Featherweight champion of the world!”
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
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