Asking for it’: Boxer’s mid-fight taunt brutally backfires

Andrew Reid

Mexican boxer Julian Fernandez has been given a painful lesson in what can go wrong when your confidence doesn’t match your ability.

Fernandez (14-3) was destroyed in his fight with Frank Sanchez 17-0 (13 KO’s) over the weekend, with his Cuban opponent punching him out of the ring in a devastating seventh round knockout.

It wasn’t so much the loss as much as the manner of Fernandez’s defeat that led to him being openly ridiculed by fight fans.
In scenes reminiscent of the Rocky films, Fernandez openly taunted his rival mid-fight, urging Sanchez to punch him in the face.
His Cuban opponent obliged, clocking Fernandez with a fierce left jab that still didn’t deter his Mexican rival.

A fired-up Fernandez gestured with his glove once again at the spot on his face where he wanted Sanchez to hit him, throwing any thought of defence out the window.

The ridiculous strategy brutally backfired later in the fight, when Sanchez gave Fernandez exactly what he’d asked for.
The Cuban smashed him with a pair of huge right hands that sent Fernandez toppling out of the ring.