What's new at Ludus Martial Arts
We’re so proud of our team! Find out how they’ve been doing, as well as what else has been going on at our gym lately.
Fair or foul? Watch fighter KO foe split second after touching gloves
Protect yourself at all times?
That might be the message for lightweight Cristian Baez, who failed to heed that adage in a scheduled 10-round bout against Ruben Torres on Saturday in Corona, California.
The fighters were engaged in a spirited battle when, in the seventh round, Baez suffered a flash knockdown. He quickly got up and referee Thomas Taylor gave him the OK to continue.
About Saturday night….. pic.twitter.com/XC27tbhwnh
— Thompson Boxing (@thompsonboxing) August 22, 2022
Then came his mistake. He reached out to touch gloves with Torres, who obliged him but almost simultaneously unleashed a left hook that put Baez flat on his back and knocked him out.
The punch was ruled legal.
Some fans were critical of Torres (19-0, 16 KOs) on social media, saying he showed poor sportsmanship by taking advantage of a goodwill gesture from Baez (18-2, 17 KOs).
Others supported Torres, stressing that fighters know they must be alert at all times.
“Number one rule in boxing is protect yourself at all times,” Torres was quoted as saying after the fight.
You be the judge.
This story first appeared Aug. 24 on Boxing Junkie.
come and try a ludus mma class free!
We want to make sure that Ludus MMA is the right fit for you before asking you to commit to a membership.
That’s why we’d like to offer you a FREE ONE-DAY PASS to our gym.
With your FREE PASS, you can:
- Try as many classes as you’d like,
- Explore the facility
- Talk to our coaches one-on-one about what you can expect as a member