When developing a blue-chip boxing prospect, how you match him can determine how far he will go. Golden Boy has done a great job matching welterweight Joel Iriarte (10-0, 9 KOs), as they seem to see him as part of their future.
On Saturday night in Anaheim, Iriarte faced Rock Myrthil (17-3-1, 13 KOs), who gave him all he could handle, including two rounds (the second and third) where Iriarte was buzzed from punches. Iriarte said that his footwork was the main reason for the stumble, but sitting near ringside, it looked to me like he got hit with a solid shot, which surprised him a bit.
It’s all part of the learning process, but what separates staying at the same level or advancing is how you come back from it. Sitting ringside was Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto, who could share war stories about that very thing. Iriarte maintained his composure and stopped Myrthil in the sixth round after breaking his opponent down.
Was the slow start caused by the weight cut? Iriarte is 6’1” and making welterweight must be tough. “Obviously, I’m a big 147-pounder, thankfully, I make weight pretty easily,” said Iriarte, who quieted any talk of the weight cut being a factor. “Weight cuts aren’t tough for me. It’s kind of a young man’s game with that and recover as quick and as best as you can. Thankfully I have a good team around me to help me do that.”
This guy was a pretty tough opponent with 17 wins, so I just want to continue to pick up my opposition,” Iriarte told FightsATW. “Hopefully, I can get a main event fight by the end of this year. That is something big, and I have a ton of support here, even in Anaheim, so I think it would be good for my career to have a main event fight by the end of this year.
So the question is how long Iriarte can campaign at welterweight, and is there a timeframe in mind before moving up to 154? “The goal is to become undisputed at 147 before moving up.”
Iriarte has an action-packed boxing style that has attracted the attention of fans in Southern California. If he can continue to win and make weight safely, it’ll be interesting to see what he can do at 147, as the division’s pool is as young as it’s been in a while.
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