Villasana Stands Up to Champion : Nelson Keeps WBC Featherweight Title on a Decision

Marcos Villasana stood resolute for 12 rounds, but like his countrymen who suffered last year’s earthquake and for whom the fight was meant to benefit, he was no match for a natural disaster. And though Villasana survived Azumah Nelson, he didn’t beat him.

Nelson, the World Boxing Council featherweight champion from Ghana, handily defended his title at the Forum’s “Fight for Life” Tuesday night, although he could only bloody the top-ranked challenger from Acapulco and not bow him.

“I can’t hit any harder than that,” said Nelson, 27, who was extended the full 12 rounds and scored a majority decision. “This guy can take a punch.”

Perhaps to that extent, Villasana, 25, characterized Mexico perfectly. The benefit card, which included a gallery of former champions all fighting for free, was meant to show Mexico’s resilence, that it can come back from the ravages of last year’s earthquake. The card was meant to raise at least $100,000 for the cause and a sizeable attendance may have guaranteed that. Certainly the crowd was satisfied with what it got, a valiant struggle by an out-manned fighter.

Nelson, 125 1/2 pounds, appeared to dominate as soon as the third national anthem was played. He exhibited curious strategies to be sure, one round stinging Villasana exclusively with jabs, another using mainly a ripping left uppercut.

Some rounds he fought outside. But in two, he slunk in his own corner, and the two fighters, forehead to forehead, battled inside.

Almost always, Villasana (34-4) got the worst of it. By the eighth, he was bleeding from the bridge of his nose. In fact, he complained afterward that his vision was reduced thereafter.

Nelson (23-1) was unable to floor Villasana, who had been a fixture in local cards at the Olympic Auditorium the past few years. Nevertheless, he felt confident enough to clown about, smiling to his corner, or pogoing about in the middle of the ring. Once when the crowd was chanting “Me-hee-co,” he seemed to dance to the music.

The scoring was a surprise to ringsiders afterward as Dr. James Jen Kin had it even, 114-114. It appeared part of the benefit to Mexicans. Judge Rudy Orgega had it 116-113 in favor of Nelson and Lou Filippo had it 116-112 for the Ghanan. This certainly surprised Nelson, who said he assumed he had won the fight big.

Afterward, Nelson, who always has to fight in the challenger’s homeland (and the Forum was essentially Villasana’s homeland Tuesday night), made his pitch immediately to fight World Boxing Assn. champion Barry McGuigan. “Bring her on,” he said of McGuigan, explaining, “I always call her a girl.”

Meanwhile, Villasana’s handlers had lifted him aloft, and he was carried out as if he had won the championship. The fans, predominately Mexican, seemed to agree. It was a night for charity all around.

Hector Lopez, Mexico’s silver medal winner from the 1984 Olympic Games, appeared to have his way with veteran Juan Antonio Lopez, battering him and bloodying him repeatedly. However, Hector, 126 1/2 pounds, was unable to put the veteran Lopez, 130, away.

Nevertheless, the 10-round decision was unanimous, and Hector Lopez, who now fights out of Glendale, remained undefeated in his eight professional fights.

For most of the fans, the featured attraction was the procession of former Mexican champions who boxed exhibitions for the benefit card. The exhibitions, though staged with 10-ounce gloves instead of 8-ounce gloves, were remarkably intense, given the age and condition of most of the ex-champions.

Perhaps the most curious of the bouts involved former bantamweight champion Rafael Herrera, who looked in wonderful shape for a 41-year-old man nearly eight years out of the ring. He won a four-round decision over Alfredo Menses. The two had met in 1965 and 1966, Herrera winning then as well. Some things don’t change.

Ruben Olivares, 38, who held bantamweight and featherweight titles in the early ‘70s, gained a draw from sentimental judges in his fight with Roman Almager, despite being bloodied. Olivares, an actor in Mexico, acted as if he were ready for a comeback.

The judges had to get even more sentimental to award a decision to Carlos Zarate, the man who best exemplified the long string of Mexican bantamweight champions until stablemate Lupe Pintor edged him out in 1979. Zarate, who had never fought again, was apparently sufficiently impressed with his own training for the benefit to announce a comeback. However, his showing against young and eager Adam Garcia impressed no one but the judges. His high forehead gave his age of 35 away.