Jesus Cuellar Wins Ugly Over Jonathan Oquendo

BROOKLYN -- Jesus Cuellar looks foreboding with his bushy, dark eyebrows and menacing glare. If you didn’t know any better, you would figure the Argentinian featherweight standing there posed with his arms folded was far larger than 5-foot-6 and weighed more than 126 pounds.

Cuellar (28-1, 21 KOs) stopped his last three opponents, and the fans filling the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York Saturday night on the Showtime Championship Boxing Danny Jacobs-Peter Quillin undercard were probably expecting more fireworks. Instead, they received a mundane exhibition that caused ringsiders to spend more time conversing among each other about basketball, baseball, college football and other fights, than they did paying attention to what was happening in the ring.

Yes, it was that bad. Almost as tranquilizing as a Guillermo Rigondeaux fight. Other than a flash knockdown in the fourth, and a momentary burst of energy in the eighth, Cuellar pecked, poked, and mostly bored his way to a 12-round unanimous decision over Jonathan Oquendo (26-5, 16 KOs) in the second defense of something called the WBA “world featherweight” title, as opposed to the WBA “super” champion (Leo Santa Cruz).

Cuellar’s victory was far less complicated than keeping track of the WBA titles. The southpaw did slightly more than Oquendo, using tactical spacing and every so often throwing in a jab and trying to follow with something sustained. Oquendo wasn’t willing to play along. So it turned into an agonizing cat-and-mouse game, lacking prolonged action.

By the third round, the crowd had enough. Boos rained down on both fighters. The boredom was punctuated by a Cuellar knockdown in the fourth round and a nice exchange in the eighth. Otherwise, it was Cuellar stepping to Oquendo trying to engage, and Oquendo backing away, leaving Cuellar flailing at air.

Sensing he was trailing, Oquendo did try to go after Cuellar a little more in the 12th round. But Cuellar tied up Oquendo and appeared willing to ride out the decision. The final bell was greeted by derisive applause from the crowd.

Cuellar landed a total of 237 of 994 punches (24%). Oquendo threw 300 less punches, connecting on 167 of 639 (26%). Cuellar was 205 of 550 on power punches (37%), to Oquendo’s 135 of 417 (32%). Cuellar connected on just 32 of 444 jabs (37%). Oquendo landed 32 of 222 jabs (14%).

Judges John McKaie and Kevin Morgan both had it 116-111, with each giving the final two rounds to Oquendo. Judge Robin Taylor had it a shutout for Cuellar, 120-107.

Joseph Santoliquito is the president of the Boxing Writer's Association of America and a frequent contributor to Sherdog.com's mixed martial arts and boxing coverage. His archive can be found here.