By Miguel Maravilla at ringside
Undefeated IBF #4, WBC #5, WBO #8, WBA #12 super welterweight Charles ‘Bad News’ Conwell (18-0, 13 KO’s) of Cleveland won a ten round majority decision over the Dominican Republic’s Juan Carlos Abreu (25-7-1, KOs) in a WBC title eliminator Saturday night on the Zepeda-Prograis undercard at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. Judges scored the fight 98-92, 96-94, and 95-95.
Conwell suffered a nasty gash on his left eye that bled profusely.
The blood continued to flow from Conwell’s cut in round two as his vision appeared to be affected, Abreu landed some hard right hands in targeting the cut. Abreu stood close to Conwell in round three, leading with his head and making difficult as Conwell’s cut got worse with the bleeding. In the fourth, Conwell pressed but continued to bleed from the cut on his eye, Abreu stayed inside leading with his head. Conwell had a good moment in the fifth connecting with a solid combination but the cut continued to open up as Conwell finished the round bleeding from the cut on his left eye.
Trickling blood from the left eye once again in the sixth, Conwell connected with a solid right that stopped Abreu’s momentum. In the seventh, the blood continued to flow but Conwell connected with a shot to the body that appeared to bother Abreu, stopping his momentum to close the round. Fighting on despite the cut and blood, Conwell stood in the pocket mixing it up with the hard hitting Abreu that brought everything he had. Late in the fight in the ninth, the momentum appeared to be shifting in Conwell’s favor as Abreu looked tired but the blood continued to flow from Conwell’s nasty cut on his left eye. The tenth and final round, Abreu pressed and stood inside as Conwell countered despite the blood flowing from the cut suffered early on in the fight.
Conwell beat him with one eye. It sucks having blood in your eye!
That eye cut created a lousy situation for Conwell’s rhythm, but I gathered the following regarding Conwell because I am trying to determine how his style will hold against Fundora:
1) He has a good chin.
2) He adjusted to adversity and kept fighting (character building).
3) I hope he uses his jab more.
4) Be careful of uppercuts by keeping in those elbows and staying off the line.
5) More body shots because it has high heat.
6) He has solid power.
7) Work on his head movements more.
8) He is physically strong.
9) He needs to set up his power punches better by getting in range.
10) Could be a victim of an opponent with a big right hand, but I am not sure because a cut to the eye is no joke.
11) Continue developing his counterpunching because a high pressure/high punch volume fighter may create problems in the judges’ eyes (getting outworked).
12) For now, I do not believe he is ready for Fundora.
So far, I will continue keeping my eyes open for Conwell. Let’s see how he looks against Harrison and/or Garcia. Maybe Smith down the road. Fundora will more than likely stay at 154 for a while.
I think Fundora scrapes him! Seriously!! I wasn’t terribly impressed as he has NO head movement, stays right in front of you with no angles and gets hit too much. IDK, but I’m not sold on him??!!
“Let’s see how he looks against Harrison and/or Garcia”
Because you’re the matchmaker right?
Hopefully team Conwell reads your report so they will best know how to guide his career
Charles’s maternal half brother recently lost a fight in a major upset. Charles, I know you are still hurting over “the Death”. If that was too much for you, get out of the sport. You need therapy, dude. Get the therapy you need. Then decide if boxing is for you.
First time I have seen him fight and was expecting to watch a budding superstar. Not that impressed, solid without being being spectacular
The cut obviously affected Conwell. Blood, or anything for that matter, streaming into your eye can make life very difficult in the ring. Just look at Tyson Fury against Otto Wallin. Boxing is difficult enough with two good eyes, let alone one. I’ve had torn retinas in both eyes & despite two surgeries, my right eye will never be the same again.