[Video/Photo Gallery] PBC on Spike Recap 6/12/15 – Lara and Beterbiev Outclass Foes

Photo Credit: Lucas Noonan/Premier Boxing Champions

CHICAGO — Erislandy Lara and Artur Beterbiev had their way last fight in easily defeating their respective foes of Delvin Rodriguez and Alexander Johnson. Thus far,  Friday nights under the Premier Boxing Champions brand has been for “showcase cards” and each star fighter needed only a round or two to make that abundantly clear to their overmatched opponents.

ERISLANDY LARA UD10 DELVIN RODRIGUEZ: How disheartening is it to literally get hit with the same punch over and over for 10 rounds? Lara held court at ring center and used his speedy straight left to turn Rodriguez’s head into a speedbag. He appeared to land about 20 clean lefts in the first round alone. Rodriguez isn’t a pressure fighter, and any thought of attempting that strategy went out the window after eating those counter shots. That reduced him to the hopeless tactic of fighting Lara at mid-range.

“It was very uncomfortable in there for me tonight,” Rodriguez said. “He was sharp and giving me lots of weird angles to work with.

“He was always looking to land his left. He caught me once to the body though and that took three or four rounds to shake off.”

The lack of body punching was the one glaring negative against Lara. When it became clear that Rodriguez had no chance after being dropped in the sixth, the boos started to ring out from fans impatient that Lara was not pressing a finishing combination.

“Delvin was really just trying to survive in there, so I knew what I was doing was working,” Lara recalled. “I was trying to bait him to come in, but it wasn’t working. So I had to get aggressive in there.”

Scores were a unanimous shutout of 120-107. Lara is now eyeing not just the big name at 154, but also the most prominent fighters competing at middleweight.

“I’m going to sit down with my team and Al (Haymon),” Lara explained. “The future is clear. We want the best. We want Floyd Mayweather. We want Miguel Cotto. We want Gennady Golovkin at 160 pounds.”

ARTUR BETERBIEV TKO7 ALEXANDER JOHNSON: Light-heavyweight phenom Artur Beterbiev kep his prefect KO record intact (9-0, 9 KOs) with a gradual deconstruction of Alexander Johnson. Beterbiev was faced with a southpaw foe who tried to play spoiler in fighting from long-range and clinching in close to prevent inside fighting.

Beterbiev adapted by roughing up Johnson in clinches with clubbing hooks and bringing consistent pressure. By the fifth, Johnson was getting trapped on the ropes and abused with power shots. A hard jab and later a right put Johnson down twice in the fifth. A check left hook and an overhand right floored him twice more in the seventh for the finish.

Johnson was a late substitute and the first man to take Beterbiev past four rounds.

“This is a big plus for me and great experience for my pro career,” Beterbiev said. “I’m very happy to have gone past four rounds tonight.

Nothing was really working that well for me tonight though. I like to box smart and find the right openings. Maybe the righty to lefty switch in the last week made a difference.”

Beterbiev might find himself on the fast track to a title shot against WBC champion Adonis Stevenson, who’s in dire need of credible opponents.