Juan Heraldez draws in a step-up bout with Argenis Mendez!
Young prospect Juan Heraldez (16-0, 10KOs) is looking to step up against former IBF super featherweight champion Argenis Mendez (25-5-2, 12KOs).
This fight is meaningful for both fighters, as Mendez is trying to remain a viable contender while Heraldez needs this test to progress his young career.
The Breakdown
To start the fight, both fighters looked to establish their jabs and set range. Early on, Heraldez’s superior hand speed is showing with his accuracy, while Mendez is showing his experience by attacking the body and showing patience.
It’s very noticeable that Heraldez is being challenged mentally, since he’s forced to take his time and think.
As the middle rounds progress, both fighters are starting to get comfortable and it shows as they both landed some hard right-hands on each other. It appears the young contender has a slight edge so far but, it’s very much a tossup.
In round seven, Heraldez lands a hard one-two that seems to be bothering the veteran, who freezes up and doesn’t throw any punches. This is Heraldez’s best round so far. He utilized his athleticism and speed to land punches while controlling range.
In round nine, Mendez completely turns the tables by landing several strong left hooks, hurting Heraldez visibly.
Round ten would continue the onslaught by the former champion, as he hurt the young prospect several more times. This is a difficult fight to score and a case can be made for either fighter.
The official decision is a majority draw with Mendez winning 97-93 on one scorecard. As for the future, Heraldez has suffered a minor setback and will need to go back to the drawing board.
This result functions as a de facto win for Mendez as he lives to fight another day and could be a live option for a contender or champion looking for a stay-busy type opponent.
By: Corey Cunningham
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