All Mexican WBC Lightweight Title Bout Soto vs. Antillon
On December 4th, WBC Lightweight Champion Humberto Soto will defend his title against Urbano Antillon. Soto may appear to be slowing down just a tad, but does he still have enough left to by the strong and powerful Antillon?
Soto vs. Antillon Preview
The champ Soto is 53-7-2 with 32 knockouts and 1 no contest. Soto first burst onto the scene in 2005 when he beat Rocky Juarez to win the WBC interim featherweight title in what many people saw as an upset. After one defense, Soto went to junior lightweight. He put together some quality wins to get a WBO title shot against Joan Guzman, whose hand speed was too much for Soto. Soto did, however, win the WBC title during his two fights with Francisco Lorenzo
In the first fight, Soto was disqualified for punching Lorenzo while he was down, something that is still disputed and controversial. Soto won the rematch a few months later in another dirty fight. Soto made a few defenses and then jumped up to lightweight, where he beat Jesus Chavez and then won the WBC Lightweight title by beating David Diaz. Soto’s most recent defenses against obscure opposition have been tougher than most would think. Ricardo Dominguez almost knocked out Soto in their fight and Fidel Monterrosa roughed up Soto even though some of the tactics were a little dirty.
The challenger Antillon is 28-1 with 20 knockouts. Antillon looked like the real deal, having put together a great streak of nine straight knockouts, some of which were devastating. He was dealt a road block in the form of Miguel Acosta. Acosta knocked out Antillon with a nasty uppercut in the 9th round. Many wondered how far the upset loss would push Antillon back, but Antillon has bounced back winning two fights and now gets the biggest fight of his career. How high would Antillon’s stock be if Acosta hadn’t beat him and he still had his own knockout streak going? We will never know.
Soto has become a better boxer as he has gone up in weight. I do believe that Soto has lost some of his punching power as a lightweight, however. He still has plenty of zip on his punches, and can still do damage, but I don’t think he can knock out the likes of Michael Katsidis or Juan Manuel Marquez.
Antillon has a very business-like attitude. His whole demeanor and body language just says that he is coming to finish the guy across the ring from him. He reminds me of Alfredo Angulo in that respect. Antillon is pressure, pressure, and more pressure. He comes forward and lands hard punches upstairs and to the body. Everyone he has faced has felt his power, and he even buzzed Acosta a few times during their fight.
It’s good that Soto has become a better boxer, because that’s what he should do against Antillon. It would be a mistake for Soto to try to bang with Antillon. Antillon is stronger, is the harder puncher and can definitely hurt Soto with hooks to the body on the inside. If Antillon pins Soto up against the ropes, he is in trouble. I expect we’re going to see fireworks because Antillon’s body attack is going to slow Soto down ,and then we’re going to see some exchanges.
Soto vs. Antillon Prediction
I think this will be a very good fight. Soto will box in the early rounds and try to keep distance between him and Antillon. In the middle rounds, Soto slows down just enough so that we see some great action. Soto scores a flash knockdown to put him up going into the late rounds, but Antillon’s body attack during the late rounds put the judges’ scorecards in doubt. I expect Soto to just hang on and win a split decision. Soto keeps his title, but the end is near.
