Behind The Results

Such is Senor Armit's diary, he regrets to inform his loyal readers that he will be unable to submit his anecdote-rich column Snips and Snipes this week.  Too busy downing pints (of orange juice - the Scotsman claims to be teetotal) on expenses in airport bars.  I ask you.  We'll have to make do with his more than adequate global boxing digest, Behind The Results. 

October 28

Los Angeles, USA: Feather: Gary Russell Jr (13-0) W PTS 6 Lupe De Leon. (8-12). Super Feather: Yakubu Amidu (17-2-1) W PTS 6 Noe Lopez (6-6). Easy one for southpaw prospect Russell, 22, as he wins every round against De Leon. Scores 60-54 from all three judges. Only one win in his last eleven for De Leon. Amidu, 25, almost equals Russell. Wins easily with two judges giving him every round and one making it 59-54. Ghanaian Amidu's losses have been to current WBC champion Ricky Burns for the Commonwealth title and a majority verdict defeat against IBF lightweight title challenger Ali Funeka.

Tokyo, Japan: Super Fly: Takuya Kogawa (17-1) W T DEC 6 Danilo Pena (22-8-2). Messy fight with the wild Filipino champion and the more technically adept Japanese fighter constantly clashing heads. Pena floored in the third and cut in head clash. Southpaw Pena cut again in fourth. Kogawa piling up the points with his jab and when heads clash again in the six and Pena's cut by his right eye is too bad to continue. It goes to the scorecards with Kogawa winning on scores of 59-54, 59-55 and 57-56. Kogawa, 25, wins vacant OPBF title.

October 29

Montreal, Canada: Middle: David Lemieux (24-0) W KO 1 Hector Camacho Jr (52-4-1,1ND). Welter: Antonin Decarie (24-1) W PTS 10 Irving Garcia (17-6-3). All over in three minutes. Hard puncher Lemieux, 21, shakes Camacho with a right and then puts him down for the count with another at the end of the first round. First defence of his WBC International title for Canadian who has only been taken the distance once in his 24 fights. Camacho, 32, came in on a run of nine wins and this was only the second time he had failed to last the distance. Lemieux impressive, but ready for better tests. Decarie struggles with useful Garcia and only just gets away with a majority verdict. Scores 97-93, 96-94 and 95-95. First fight for Decarie, 27, since loss to Souleymane M’baye for vacant interim WBA title in May. Puerto Rican Garcia only one win in his last five, but all good opposition, and unlucky in this one.

Mexicali, Mexico: Feather: Cesar Vazquez (21-0) W TKO 2 Antonio Meza (24-9-1).Middle: Noe Gonzalez (25-1) W TKO 9 Antonio Arras (21-9,1ND). Welter: Victor Cayo (26-1) W KO 1 Javier Gomez (9-6). Light Middle: John Jackson (8-0) W TKO 4 Manuel Martinez (9-1). Super Middle: Julius Jackson (9-0) W PTS 6 Memo Garcia (5-4).Farce as Meza is 6kgs over the day before the fight and somehow makes the weight by fight time. Vazquez gets it over quickly with two knockdowns in the second round to retain his WBC Mundo Hispano title. Now 14 by KO/TKO for 24-year-old Vazquez. Uruguayan Alcobo Gonzalez, 31, makes it ten wins in a row as he wears down, floors and halts Arras. Gonzalez lost to Felix Sturm for the WBA title in 2007 and has a stoppage win over Mariano Carrera, also a WBA champ until his drugs test results came in. Rubbish as former WBA interim title challenger Cayo puts away poor Gomez in first. Sons of Julius Jackson get routine record padding wins.

St Petersburg, Russia: Middle: Gennady Martirosyan (21-2) W TKO 3 Victor Sa (22-5). Light Welter: Brunet Zamora (20-0-1) DREW 12 Denis Shafikov (25-0-1). Light Heavy: Dmitry Sukhotsky (16-1) W TKO 6 Aleksy Kuziemski (19-2). Light Heavy: Yuriy Barashian (26-5) W TKO 6 Yuri Potanin (0-2). Cruiser: Alex Kotlobay (19-2-1) W TKO 7 Laszlo Hubert (28-7). Usual Martirosyan fight. Goes to war from the first bell. Not a big puncher, but just keeps throwing them and some hurt. Sa, from Portugal, not able to stop the flow. Floored twice and stopped in third. Second defence of his WBA European title for Armenian-born 30-year-old Martirosyan. Sa, 37, lost to Kreshnik Qato for WBFoundation title in April 2008. Excellent boxing match between unbeaten fighters.

Russian southpaw Shafikov, 25, gets off to a good start and it his speed and accuracy against the technical skills of 36-year-old Cuban-born Italian. “Djingis Khan” Shafikov has big sixth round with Zamora badly hurt, but as Russian tires the older man stages a strong finish. Scores 114-114 twice and 115-113 to Zamora so a majority draw and Zamora retains WBA Intercontinental title for fifth time, but locals felt Shafikov, who holds a win over former WBA champ Raul Balbi, a clear winner.

A clash of two former Juergen Braehmer victims saw the strength and punching power of Russian Sukhotsky prevail. He found himself on the floor in the first few seconds of the fight, but was not badly hurt. After that Pole Kuziemski just did not have the power to hold him off. Sukhotsky, 29, landed a big right cross in the second which split Kuziemski’s nose, and wobbled him badly in the third. Kuziemski boxed his way through the fourth and fifth, but the heavy punching of Sukhotsky had him wobbling and hurt when Mickey Vann stopped the fight. Now eleven by KO/TKO for Russian who was having his second fight since being controversially halted by Juergen Braehmer in a WBO title fight in December. Kuziemski, 33, was also halted by Braehmer in 2009 for the interim WBO title. This fight won Sukhotsky the WBA version of the European title and the WBO Intercontinental title.

Kotlobay, 30, looking a bit gun shy after kayo loss to Enzo Maccarinelli in April, shows little until Hungarian southpaw Hubert gives him a wake-up call with some hooks in fourth. Puts Hungarian under pressure and floors him twice in seventh. Hubert turns away and referee stops fight. Kotlobay wins vacant WBC Baltic title. In his first fight since January 2009 former two-time world title challenger Barashian, 31, shows rust but eventually halts Potanin, 47. Ukrainian southpaw lost to Hugo Garay for the vacant WBA title in July 2008 and also lost to Zsolt Erdei for the WBO title, but was overweight for that bout.

Guayama, Puerto Rico: Light: Fernando Torres (16-1-1) W KO 3 Juan Ramon Cruz (16-10-1). Light Middle: Jonathan Gonzalez (10-0) W KO 1 Jimmy LeBlanc (12-18-4). Torres, 26, impresses as he outboxes experienced Cruz and then flattens him with an uppercut. Torres wins WBA Fedcaribe title, but seven losses in his last eight for Cruz. Prospect Gonzalez maintains 100% record as he kayos LeBlanc in first. All ten by KO/TKO for “Mantequilla” Gonzalez, a Pan American Games silver medalist and 2008 Olympian. LeBlanc needs to find another hobby as he has lost nine of his last ten, three inside a round.

Warren, USA: Heavy: Chauncy Welliver (45-5-5) W TKO 3 Brad Gregory (12-6). Poor match as Welliver, 27, wins every round and hands out a beating to Gregory. No knockdowns but referee calls it off in third. Welliver, who also holds the New Zealand title, retains WBC Continental Americas title. Only loss in last 27 was to Odlanier Solis in 2008, but standard of opposition second rate at best. Gregory now lost five of his last six, and all by KO/TKO.

Charlotte, USA: Kevin Johnson (23-1-1) W TKO 4 Charlie Davis (19-21-2). Johnson given a gift for his return. First fight for Johnson, 31, since losing every round to Vitali Klitschko in his challenge for the WBC title in December. Floors 39-year-old Davis in third and finishes him in fourth. Butler, USA: Cruiser: Brian Minto (35-4) W TKO 3 Pierre Karam (18-4-1). Minto, 35, has an easy one in his first bout since being destroyed by Marco Huck in a challenge for the WBO title in May. Minto suffered an early shock when late sub Karam opened a cut by Minto’s right eye in the first round. That success was short lived as the taller Karam was floored and badly hurt as the round ended. Worried about the cut, Minto tried to finish the fight in the second, but despite scoring heavily could not put the Australian away. However, Karam refused to come out for the third round making Minto the winner and new WBC Continental Americas champion. Only the second fight in six years for Karam and his last was 18 months ago.

Georgetown, Guyana: Heavy: Shawn Cox (12-1) W TKO 1 Tony Augustin (2-2-1). Carrying a few pounds of excess weight former top amateur Cox from Barbados, a southpaw, floors and halts Guyanan novice. “The Sniper” 35, has eleven by KO/TKO but local opposition poor. Cox competed at the 1998/2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games and won a gold medal at the 2005 Commonwealth championships beating Tony Jeffries. He was also a Pan American Games silver medalist and won a bronze medal at the World Military Championships, but may have left it late to turn pro.

October 30

Buenos Aires, Argentina: Welter: Diego Chaves (17-0) W TKO 1 Jose Mosquera (7-2-1). “La Joya” floors poor Colombian three times in 90 seconds and it is all over. Now 13 by KO/TKO for Chaves, 24, who retains WBO Latino title for second time.

Brisbane, Australia: Fred Mundraby (12-0-1) W DIS 8 Falazona Fidal. Middle: Jarrod Fletcher (4-0) W TKO 3 Brad Pole (2-2). “The General” Mundraby, 22, handling Indonesian with ease, but Fidal constantly breaking the rules. Gets two points deductions and is finally thrown out in the eighth. Former amateur star Fletcher, 27, too good for Pole. Fletcher won the gold medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games where he beat Obodai Sai, Craig McEwan, James DeGale and Adonis Stevenson, and competed at the 2008 Olympics. He holds the PABA title which he won in his third fight.

Airlie Beach, Australia: Light Welter: Steve Wills (14-0-2) W KO 2 Sanatanong. Mismatch as “The Surgeon”, 26, disposes off obscure Thai, (who was using another fighter’s name) in third defence of his WBO Asia Pacific title, First fight for Wills since big win over Chad Bennett in December.

Rama, Canada: Cruiser: Troy Ross (24-2) W PTS 10 Carl Handy (24-8-2). Heavy: Neven Pajkic (15-0) W PTS 8 Andreas Sidon (34-10,1ND). Good workout for Ross, 35, against clever and durable Handy. Southpaw Ross scoring heavily throughout but did not escape free as Handy punches caused two cuts around Canadian’s eyes. First fight for Guyanese-born former undefeated Commonwealth champ since cuts loss to Steve Cunningham for vacant IBF title in June. Scores 100-92 twice and 99-91.Only guys to stop “Kojak” Handy, 35, have been O’Neil Bell, former IBF super middle champ Alejandro Berrio and current champ Lucien Bute. Sarajevo-born Canadian champion goes after German from first bell looking for kayo. Pajkic, 33, lands plenty, but Sidon, 47, soaks it up. German down at end of seventh but survives last round. Scores 80-72 twice and 80-71. Pajkic holds World Boxing Board title-yes there is yet another sanctioning body out there.

Cartagena, Colombia: Straw: Raul Garcia (29-1-1) W PTS 12 Luis De La Rosa. (14-1-1). Light Fly: Jesus Geles (11-1-1) W PTS 12 Omar Soto (15-6-1). Feather: Daulis Prescott (21-0,2ND) W PTS 10 Jose Carmona (10-1). Super Middle: Alex Brand (11-0) W TKO 6 Manuel Banquez (6-2-1). Light: Darley Perez (17-0) W TKO 1 Ernesto Vasquez (14-11-1). Super Fly: William Urina (16-0) W KO 7 Genilson Jesus Dos Santos (19-1). 114-113 x 2 112-115. Great fight as former IBF champ Garcia needs all of his southpaw skills and experience to overcome the aggressive hard punching De La Rosa. Garcia scoring well with body punches, but hurt by big punches from young Colombian champion on numerous occasions. Floored in the second and on the verge of being stopped in the seventh, Garcia puts his skills to use to outbox De La Rosa over last two rounds and wins interim WBO title on wafer thin split verdict on scores of 114-113 twice and 112-115.

Geles comes down from flyweight, and wins interim WBO title with majority decision over Puerto Rican Soto. A cut suffered by Soto, 28, in the second round hampered him, but he stayed right in the pocket and used his experience to pile up the points and looked unlucky to lose a majority verdict in his fourth attempt at a “world” title. Scores 115-113 twice and 114-114. It was the better boxing of Geles against the swinging power of Soto.

Prospect Prescott given a scare by fellow-countryman Carmona. Bout even but knockdown scored by Prescott in ninth swings it. Scores 95-93, 94-93 and 96-92. Brand, 33, another leaving it late to turn pro, but too good for local opposition. Banquez pulls-out claiming injury, but taking a beating as Brand makes it eleven by KO/TKO. Now 14 by KO/TKO for 27-year-old Perez as he blows away Vasquez in one to collect vacant WBO Latino title. Good match on paper, but Urina up against Brazilian with heavily padded record and puts him away in seventh to win vacant WBO Latino title. Urina, 24, has 13 wins by KO/TKO. Nine of the victims of Dos Santos had never won a fight, and only one had won more than he had lost.

Paris, France: Middle: Hassan N’Dam N’jikam (25-0) W PTS 12 Avtandil Khurtsidze (22-2-2). Cruiser: Steve Herelius (21-1-1) W PTS 8 Roman Kracik (31-5-1).Super Bantam: Ali Hallab (8-0-1) DRAW 10 Amor Belahdj Ali (8-0-1). N'jikam, 26, wins interim WBA middleweight title but has a scare against rock-hard Georgian. N'jikam probably took more punishment in this fight than in his other 24 put together. Kurttsidze, 31, kept crowding the talented Cameroons fighter to the ropes and inflicted cuts on the taller N'Jikam in the second and ninth rounds. N'jikam kept picking up the points with his quick, accurate punches and finished strongly but the controversial scores of the two judges who both had it 115-114 were more accurate than the 117-111 of the other official. Khurtsidze was on a 16 bout winning streak.

WBA interim champion Herelius turns up to fight, but Kracik just turns up. Southpaw Herelius, 34, does his best and wins clear decision, but poor fight. Great little fight between boxer Hallab, 29, and aggressive southpaw Belahdj, 24, for vacant French title. It was the power punches of Belahdj against the lighter, but more numerous of former World Amateur Championships bronze medalist Hallab, and the judges could not split them, so they have to do it all over again.

Rostock, Germany: Middle: Sebastian Sylvester (34-3-1) W PTS 12 Mahir Oral (28-3-2). Heavy: Kubrat Pulev (9-0) W PTS 8 Dominick Guinn (33-7-1). Middle: Mariusz Cendrowski (21-2-2) W TKO 3 Tom Troelenberg (21-2). Light Kim Poulsen (14-1) W PTS 6 Alex Shorokhov (3-4). Impressive defence of his IBF title by Sylvester. Badly cut in second he starts to dominate from fourth in which he batters Oral for three minutes. Floors game Oral, 30, in eighth, ninth and tenth but can’t finish it. Third defence for 30-year-old “Hurrikan”. Scores 117-107 twice and 119-106, not bad for a fighter who was kayoed in one round in his first pro fight. Better performance than his controversial draw with Roman Karmazin in June. Oral’s only loss since 2004 was a stoppage defeat by Arthur Abraham in a challenge for the IBF title in June 2009.

Bulgarian Pulev gets another good scalp, but fight uninspired. Guinn starts better but then fades and Pulev, 29, seemed to want the win more and did most of the work. Scores 80-72 twice and 79-73. Fifth win in the year for Pulev who had kayoed former WBA title challenger Matt Skelton in four rounds. Despite having won his previous five, Guinn 35, going nowhere. Pole Cendrowski shows Troelenberg that it is not always a good idea to go over old ground. Cendrowski 33 took away Troelenberg’s unbeaten record with a points win in June and this time it was even easier as he halted the German in three. Dane Poulsen makes it eleven wins in a row as he easily outpoints mediocre Russian on scores of 59-55 twice and 58-56.

Chihuahua, Mexico: Super Fly: Victor Zaleta (17-1) W PTS 12 Lowie Bantigue (17-14-7). Super Fly: Oscar Ibarra (24-4) W TKO 2 Sonny Boy Jaro (31-9-5). Super Feather: Miguel Roman (32-7) W KO 1 Joan de Guia (11-12-4). Mexico win 3-0 over Philippines on the night. It should have been 2-1 or at least 2-0 and one draw. WBC No 3 super fly Zaleta has all sorts of trouble with modest Filipino Bantigue who forces the pace and seems to come out in front. Both fighters cut in ninth, but Bantigue' aggression looks to have given him the edge over better boxing and strong finish by Zaleta. Scores 116-112, 115-113 and 115-112 not popular. Ten wins in a row for “Nene” who wins vacant Cabofe title. Filipino champion Bantigue once went ten fights in a row without a win.

No controversy over win for Ibarra. Jaro came out smoking and they traded punches. Two head shots from Ibarra put Jaro down at the end of the round. Ibarra went to work in the second and put Jaro down again and the referee stopped it. Now nine in a row by KO/TKO for Ibarra, who retains WBC silver title. Jaro lost on a first round kayo in a challenge for the WBA title against Giovanni Segura in November 2009. One punch from “Mickey” Roman and it is all over in 76 seconds.

Managua, Nicaragua: Light: Carlos Velasquez (16-10-1) W PTS 10 Moises Solis (18-2).Straw: Carlos Buitrago (16-0,1ND) ND 2 Eddy Castro (12-5-2.4ND). Super Fly: Darwin Zamora (18-4-1,1ND) NC 2 Henry Maldonado (9-1,1ND). This was not supposed to happen as “opponent level” Velasquez edged out Solis on split verdict. Solis was supposed to be on his way to a world title shot, and Velasquez had won only one of this last seven. Scores 96-95, 96-94 and 93-97. Disappointments in the other two fights as Castro and Zamora both cut in the second round in their fights, so two no decisions.

Cebu City, Philippines: Bantam: AJ Banal (23-1-1) W DIS 7 Luis Alberto Perez (26-4). Light Middle: Mark Melligan (20-2) W TKO 3 Bladimir Hernandez (18-4). Light Welter: Jason Pagara (24-1) W TKO 2 Sapapetch (20-7). Super Bantam: Ramie Laput (39-4) W PTS 8 Larry Canillas (14-3). Controversial ending. “Bazooka” Banal, 21, hurting Perez with body punches and mixing up his attack. Looks to be well in front and on for a possible stoppage win when Perez shakes southpaw Banal with a hard left. They go into a clinch and as the referee says break, and puts his hand on Banal’s shoulder, Perez lands a big right hook which puts Banal down and cut. Referee disqualifies Nicaraguan. Banal was four points ahead on two cards and six on the third at the finish. Former IBF bantam and super fly champ Perez, 32, will protest the result.

Southpaw Melligan, 24, never lets useful Mexican into the fight. Puts on pressure from first, floors him with body punch in third and on second knockdown referee stops it. Fourth win in a row for Melligan since upset split verdict loss to "Mikey" Rosales in November. Third KO/TKO loss in a row for Hernandez, but opposition’s total records going in 54-3-2, so needs a break. Pagar, still only 18, floors poor Thai southpaw three times with body shots for easy win. Now twelve wins in a row and 13 by KO/TKO in career. Laput, 31, gives hard-punching hope “Bon Jovi” Canillas a lesson in how to box. Accurate counter-punching frustrates Canillas, 21, who had won seven in a row by KO/TKO. Scores 78-74, 78-75 and 77-74. Laput coming back from stoppage loss against Zsolt Bedak in December. His only loss in his last 25 fights.

Mafikeng, South Africa: Bantam: Vusi Malinga (20-3-1) W PTS 12 Mike Domingo (40-15-2). Light Middle: Phil Ndou (33-4) W TKO 4 Bhekimpilo Mlilo. Bantam: Silence Mabuza (23-3) W TKO 3 Lwazi Mzolisa (7-2). In first fight in eleven months, former WBC title challenger Malinga, 31, wins IBF eliminator as he takes majority decision over Filipino Domingo in a tough fight. A slow start by southpaw Malinga, but then he begins to outbox the aggressive Filipino. Domingo, badly cut on left eyelid in fifth, goes back to his boxing in rounds nine and ten to get back into the fight, but as Domingo, also 31, tires Malinga sweeps the last two rounds to take the decision on scores of 117-111, 115-113 and 114-114. Malinga destroyed in one round by Hozumi Hasegawa in WBC title challenge in March 2009. Domingo had nine wins in a row coming in. Not sure about what level of eliminator this is as Domingo No 6 and Malinga No 9 in IBF ratings, but as NO 1 and No 2 spots vacant I guess effectively they were 4 and 7.

Former WBU light champ Ndou, 33, and weighing almost 30lbs more than his original fighting weight, took a while to get going, but then was too good for Zimbabwean novice and halted him in round four of a poor march-up. N’dou had challenged Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2003. and had been inactive from 2004 to 2009 and had lost a close decision for Lovemore Ndou for the IBO welter title in July 2009. Same for Mabuza, 33, in his first fight since losing in a challenge to Yonnhy Perez in an IBF title eliminator in May 2009. He was too good for eight fight novice Mzolisa and halted him at the end of the third. Mabuza also lost twice to Rafael Marquez for the IBF title.

Monroe, USA: Middle: Bronco McKart (53-9-1) W TKO 7 Michi Munoz (22-6). “Superman” McKart is a world champion again. At least he is with his fans in Michigan. The 39-year-old southpaw had little trouble in winning the vacant UBO title against hand-picked opponent Munoz who proved vulnerable to body punches. McKart had the Topeka-based Mexican down in the seventh and Munoz decided to bow out. McKart, who was WBO light middle champ for about two months in 1996, now claims to be a three-time world champ as he won the IBA light middle title in 1997. Munoz has now lost three of his last four which makes him about the right level to challenge for the UBO title.

New Jersey, USA: Feather: Jorge Diaz (15-0) W PTS 10 Emmanuel Lucero (24-6-1). Light Welter: Ron Cruz (10-0) W TKO 6 Jeremy Bryan (14-2). Hometowner Diaz, 23, remains unbeaten with points win over experienced Lucero. Diaz has a rocky fourth but then eases his way to unanimous decision Scores 99-92 twice and a too close 96-94. Lucero was stopped in three rounds by Manny Pacquiao in an IBF super bantam title fight in 2003. Career of prospect Bryan on the slope after second stoppage loss in his last three fights.

October 31

Sydney, Australia: Middle: Daniel Geale (24-1) W TKO 12 Roman Karmazin (40-4-2,1ND). Light: Lenny Zappavigna (25-0) W KPO Jihoon Kim (21-7). Super Middle: Junior Talipeau (17-1) W PTS 8 Shannan Taylor (50-9-3). Middle: Robert Medley (30-3) W PTS 8 Jason LeHoullier ( 21-4-1). Light Welter: Renee Ganoy (31-11-2) W TKO 3 Guillermo Mosquera (41-10-3). Super Middle: Jamie Pittman (20-2) W PTS 6 Toga Leota (11-5). Huge win for Tasman-born Geale. He sets a fast pace against experienced former IBF light middle champ Karmazin. Good hard-fought contest with Geale’s busier style and better stamina proving vital. A tiring Karmazin hit with a volley and the referee stops the fight with just 30 seconds left. Only loss for Geale, 29, was a split verdict to Tony Mundine Jr in May 2009. Karmazin, 37 had held IBF middle champ Sebastian Sylvester to a draw in his last fight in May, so was not a shot fighter. This was an IBF eliminator, so now Geale hopes to get a shot at Sylvester.

Another huge shock as Zappa, 23, floors South Korean twice in 90 seconds for sensational stoppage. Although Zappa holds the IBO title, this was an IBF eliminator and now Zappa, 16 wins by KO/TKO, hopes to get a shot at IBF champ Miguel Vazquez. “Volcano” Kim, 23, had traded on his chin in beating Zolani Marali and Ty Harris, but lost a points verdict for the vacant IBF title to Vazquez in August. This was the first time he had been stopped. May be the end for “Bulli Blaster” Taylor,38, as he losses clear unanimous verdict to New Zealand-born Talipeau, who competed in the Australian version of “The Contenders”.

Easy for Medley as he wins every round against Yank. Puncher Ganoy comes through again with stoppage of 46-year-old New Zealand based Mosquera. That’s 26 by KO/TKO for Filipino. Former WBA middle title challenger Pittman eases back with points win after shock kayo loss to Joseph Kwadjo in May.