by James Slater – Last night, at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, unheralded Mexican Miguel Vasquez shocked previously unbeaten Colombian puncher Breidis Prescott by beating him via a well deserved ten-round split decision points victory. The man from Guadalajaro won by scores of 96-93 and 95-94, while 26-year-old Prescott was given the nod by a score of 97-92 on the card of the third judge. Vasquez improved to 25-3(12). Prescott fell to 21-1(18).
In round number one it looked as though the long-armed Colombian – who, of course, shot to fame last September when he sensationally destroyed hot prospect Amir Khan inside a minute – would have things his own way. Flooring the underdog with a left jab to the head, Prescott looked to be the boss. But the tough Mexican who has never been stopped fought back and countered Prescott’s wild and sometimes looping power punchers well. Looking classy at times, Vasquez then had the favourite bleeding and swollen..
His left eye almost shut, Prescott could not land the punch he was looking for in his at times reckless bid to end matters. Simply put, the Mexican fighter many fans had not previously heard of knew too much for the bigger puncher. Vasquez’s quick jab worked very well for him, and his counters and combinations were on target too.
Nicknamed “Titere,” Vasquez will now be looking to get himself a big pay day and maybe even a shot at a title. A pro since January of 2006, the talented Mexican has lost only to Saul Alvarez (twice, once in his pro debut and again in June of 2008) and current WBO 140-pound champion Timothy Bradley. In scoring his career-best win last night, Vasquez may have ended the big-time run of Prescott.
Prescott’s own future does look to be in some doubt. A big puncher he may be, but if Prescott doesn’t get his opponent out of there he is susceptible to being out-boxed as he was last night. If Amir Khan – who still may one day take a revenge rematch with Prescott – needs to look at a tape of how to beat the man who flattened him in his only loss, he needs only to acquire last night’s bout.
Was Prescott simply a fighter who got lucky when he beat Khan? Or is he still a man who can win himself a meaningful title? This is what many fans will be asking themselves today. Yes, the Khan rematch would still sell, especially in the UK, but Prescott has definitely lost a lot of his mystique.