Behind The Results
Fortified by a thumping East Fife win at the weekend, Eric addresses his weekly global digest with new found relish.
November 5
Cancun, Mexico: Cruiser: Giacobbe Fragomeni (27-3-1) W TKO 6 Eduardo Ayala (17-34-4). Light Fly: Adrian Hernandez (20-1-1) W TKO 3 Erik Ramirez (27-9-1). Laboured win for 41-year-old former WBC champ Fragomeni.
Struggles against tall Mexican but finally wears him down and stops him. Fragomeni lost his last two, which were world title fights, and Ayala without a win in his last twelve. WBC No1Hernandez too fast and too accurate for Carlos Zarate trained Ramirez. Left hook puts former WBC straw champ Ramirez down and referee stops it. “El Confessor” Hernandez now in line for shot at new champ Keb Baas.
Pasig City, Philippines: Fly: Brian Viloria (28-3,2ND) W TKO 7 Liempetch Sor Veerapol (19-8-1). Fly: Rodel Mayol (27-5-2) W TKO 7 Pompetch (14-3). Light Fly: Denver Cuello (25-4-6) W TKO 1 Kongkrai Kiatpracha (17-12). Light: Al Sabaupan (14-0-1) W PTS 10 Arnel Donal (10-1-1). Light Fly: Marlon Tapales (15-1) W PTS 10 Rey Migrino (12-14-2). Viloria, 29, takes time to dominate tough Thai. Former WBC and IBF light fly champ floors Thai with body shot in fifth and drops him twice with body shots in seventh for finish. Just a workout for former WBC light fly champ Mayol who finally wears down game but crude Thai. First fight for “Kid Rapido” since losing his title to Omar Nino Romero in June. Cuello, 23, gets early night as he blows away poor Thai in first. Only one loss in his last 22 for Cuello, and next up will be a title shot at Giovanni Segura for WBA title at the end of the month. Southpaw Sabaupan wins controversial fight as Donal losses three points in head clashes, but Sabaupan escapes censure after flooring Donal with very low blow. Scores 95-92 by all three officials.” Bulldozer” Tapales, 17 makes it seven wins in a row with unanimous verdict over Migrino.
Chelm, Poland: Cruiser: Mateusz Masternak (21-1) W PTS 12 Ismail Abdoul (36-19-2). Super Middle: Roman Shkarupa (24-2-2) W PTS 6 Ruslans Pojonisevs (12-11-1). Once again Abdoul shows his durability. Masternak making the fight and tries to finish it in last, but Belgian veteran stays the distance. Scores 120-108 from all three officials. Masternak, 23, has eight in a row by KO/TKO streak broken, but wins vacant IBO Inter-Continental title. Ukrainian Shkarupa, 31, wins every round against Latvian. Scores 60-54 twice and 60-53.
Catano, Puerto Rico: Welter: Jose Miguel Cotto (32-2-1) W TKO 4 Chris Henry (24-21). Feather: Jesus Rojas (16-1) W PTS 6 Rey Lopez (31-9-3). Jonathan Vidal (12-0) W KO 1 Chris Fernandez (3-3-1). Cotto, 33, has little trouble with lanky late sub Henry. A ferocious body attack weakens the 6” taller Bajan who is floored in second and saved by the referee after taking a series of head shots in the fourth. Now 24 by KO/TKO for Jose, elder brother of Miguel. Jose drew with Thai Prawet for the WBA secondary title in 2007, but was stopped by Saul Alvarez in May. Poor Henry, 37, having his first bout in almost two years. Prospect Rojas, 23, a stable mate of the Cotto brothers, and recovering from upset loss to Jose Beranza, given good test by experienced Colombian Lopez. Floors Lopez in second and holds off strong finish from older man. Two officials see Rojas a clear winner on scores of 59-54, but one sees it 57-56 for Lopez, 36 who lost to Cris Mijares for the vacant WBC interim in 2006. Vidal, 21, makes it eight by KO/TKO, five in the first round.
Durban, South Africa: Cruiser: Thabiso Mchunu (9-0) W PTS 12 Daniel Bruwer (21-2-1).There’s not making the weight, and there’s not even coming close to making the weight. Southpaw Mchunu, 21, did the latter, being almost 7lbs over the limit and losing his South African title on the scales. Former national light heavy champ Bruwer could have won the vacant title if he had won the fight, but he let Mchunu drag him into a brawl and paid the price, losing on a wide unanimous verdict. The weight for this division in South Africa is 190lbs, which is 10lbs below the limit elsewhere, perhaps no one told Mchunu. Bruwer once challenged for the South African super middle title, so he has weight problems of his own.
Madrid, Spain: Bantam: Stephane Jamoye (19-1) W TKO 11 Giovanni Jaramillo (9-1). Bantam: Ivan Ruiz (12-0) W TKO 1 Karim Quibir Lopez (31-5-1,1ND). Belgian prospect Jamoye retains European Union title with late stoppage of Colombian-born Spanish champ Jaramillo. Former European Union champ Quibir, 34, returns after almost three years and is halted inside a round.
Bangkok, Thailand: Straw: Kwanthai (31-0-1) W PTS 12 Pigmy Kokietgym (42-6-2). Kwanthai wins vacant WBA title in close fought battle with fellow Thai. No knockdowns but plenty of action. Kwanthai takes early rounds, but Pigmy comes on in middle. Kwanthai edges later rounds but close split verdict. Scores 116-112, 115-114 and 114-115. Pigmy had been unbeaten in his last 31.
Fargo, USA: Super Middle: Edwin Rodriguez (17-0) W TKO 9 James McGirt Jr (22-3-1,1ND). Light Heavy: Marcus Johnson (20-0) W TKO 3 Kevin Engel (18-4,1ND). Middle Andy Kolle (23-2) W KO 1 Francisco Osorio (12-8). Welter: Antwone Smith (19-2-1) W TKO 5 Martinius Clay (13-27-4,2ND). Light Middle: Ishe Smith (22-5) W TKO 2 Alex Quiroz (14-9-1). Super Middle: Aaron Pryor Jr (15-2) W PTS 8 Dyah Davis (18-2). Strength and power of “La Bomba” just too much for McGirt. Dominican-born Rodriguez, 25, gradually wears down McGirt, 27, who tires and is not firing back when the referee stops it. Rodriguez wins WBC USNBC title with win No 12 by KO/TKO and has won eight of his last nine inside the distance. McGirt 4-3-1 in his last eight is found wanting at this level.
Mismatch as former top amateur Johnson, 24, outclasses game former Rodriguez victim Engel. Floors him in third and fight stopped. Johnson has 15 wins by KO/TKO but needs better opposition. Second one round blow-out in succession for “Kaos” Kolle, 28, who now has 17 by KO/TKO. Only losses for Kolle have been to Paul Williams and Andre Ward, but Osorio no test as the 34-year-old Colombian has lost six in a row, five by KO/TKO. Antwone Smith, 23, bounces with a win but Clay no real test. Smith was halted by Lanardo Tyler in an upset in July, but Clay now has nine losses in a row. Ishe Smith, 23 also with much needed win after losses to Daniel Jacobs and Fernando Guerrero. Colombian Quiroz, 35, has lost six of his last seven. Family revenge as the son of Aaron Pryor beats the son of Howard Davis, the man who beat Aaron to take the berth on the US Olympic team in 1976. Too tall at 6’4”, Pryor has little trouble in taking the unanimous verdict on scores of 79-73 twice and 78-74.
November 6
Las Vegas, USA: Feather: Juan Manuel Lopez (27-0) W TKO 8 Rafael Marquez (39-6). Super Middle: Glen Johnson (51-14-2) W KO 8 Allan Green (29-3). Light: Daniel Attah (25-6-1,1ND) W KO 2 Marvin Quintero (20-3). Super Feather: Diego Magdaleno (17-0) W TKO 4 Derrick Campos. Light: Mickey Bey Jr (16-0) W PTS 6 Eric Cruz (7-6-3).Big win for Puerto Rican as he halts Mexican Marquez who retires in his corner with a damaged shoulder. Southpaw Lopez, 27, staggered Marquez in the third, but was himself badly shaken in the fourth and lost a point in the same round for pushing the Mexican’s head down. Finally power and strength tell as he hurts Marquez, 35, in fifth and again in the seventh. In the eighth there were signs that Marquez had injured his shoulder and he pulled out at the end of the round.
Now 27 by KO/TKO for Junama who retains WBO title for the second time. Former IBF bantam and WBC super bantam champ Marquez may have been to the well too often after a punishing four bout series against Israel Vazquez. Junama could be on the way to greatness. Big win also for veteran Johnson as he kayos Green to earn a place in the Super Six semi-finals. The 41-year-old Jamaican had hurt Green at the end of the third but was behind on two of the three cards when he knocked Green out. Former IBF light heavy champ Johnson weighed the lowest he has for a fight in the last ten years. Green, 31, had boxed well, but the Tulsa man sealed his own fate by coming in with his head down and Johnson’s blow almost looked to land at the back of his head. It was the first time “Ghost Dog” Green had lost inside the distance.
Minor shock as Nigerian veteran Attah, a “non puncher” flattens Mexican Quintero with a left hook right cross combination. Southpaw Attah, 33, a former WBA & WBO super feather title challenger was having only his second fight in two years, having lost his comeback fight on a second round stoppage to Antonio DeMarco in July. Quintero, also a southpaw, had lost only one of his last 17.Southpaw prospect Magdaleno, 24, floors poor Campos three times and halts him in round four. In his first fight since December Bey 27, continues his stuttering career with wide unanimous verdict over Puerto Rican. Floors Cruz in second and hurts him again in fourth. Scores 59-53 twice and 60-53.
Newark, USA: Light Welter: Zab Judah (40-6,2ND) W PTS 12 Lucas Matthysse (27-1,1ND). Light: Robert Guerrero (28-1-1,2ND) W PTS 10 Vicente Escobedo (22-3). Light: Adrian Broner (18-0) W TKO 1 Ilido Julio (40-20-1). Welter: Sadam Ali (10-0) W TKO 2 Gary Bergeron (12-7). This was a must win fight for southpaw Judah, 33, and he did, but only just. The former WBC, WBA and IBF champ built up an early lead with his faster and more accurate punching, but Argentinian banger Matthysse, 28, went for the body to slow the older man down. A head clash in the eighth saw Judah suffer a cut by his left eye which bothered him throughout the fight, and the brawling Matthysse was warned a couple of times for rough tactics. The body shots almost worked as Matthysse put Judah down in the tenth and swept the last two rounds. Judah’s early dominance gave him the win by the narrowest margin on scores of 114-113 twice and 113-114. This was for the NABO title and an IBF and WBO eliminator so Judah, with his fourth win since losing to Judas Clottey for the IBF welter title in August 2008, is back in the picture with a final eliminator against South African Kaizer Mabuza. Matthysse did himself no real harm and showed he was good enough to compete with the best. He can come again.
Impressive performance from former IBF feather and super feather champ Guerrero. “The Ghost”, 27, outclasses Escobedo, 29, floors him in third and sixth and wins wide unanimous decision on scores of 100-88, 98-90 and 96-92. Escobedo only lost on a split verdict to Mike Katsidis for the interim WBO title in September 2009. Broner, 21, also impressive as he floors Colombian veteran Julio, 39, twice and stops him in 94 seconds. Now 15 by KO/TKO for “The Problem”, the last nine in a row. Julio has lost five of his last six, but combined total records of his five victors were 86-2-1, so all tough. Olympian Ali, 22, a former USA and National Golden Gloves champ, has it easy against Bergeron.
Buenos Aires, Argentina: Super Feather: Vicente Rodriguez (29-2-1) W PTS 10 Miguel Lombardo (15-10-1). “El Mono”, 25, takes a while to catch up with tricky southpaw Lombardo, but floors him in eighth, and although Lombardo fights back over last two rounds the interim Argentinian champ wins a majority verdict, which should have been unanimous. Scores 98.5-95, 98.5-95.5 and 97-97.
Halifax, Canada: Feather: Tyson Cave (11-1) W KO 7 Darby Smart (11-4). The “Prince of Hali” wins meaningless vacant WBC Canadian, American, Mexican title. Southpaw Cave a former top amateur, too classy for Darby, 40, and knocks him out in seventh. Cave's only loss was on a stoppage against Will Casey in April. Darby having his first fight for four years.
Aix-en-Provence, France: Super Bantam: Jeremy Parodi (29-1-1) W TKO 7 Dario Azuaga (79-20-2,2ND).Light Heavy: Mehdi Amar (21-3) W TKO 8 Juan Nelongo (21-10-1). Parodi, 23, returns to the winning column with a late stoppage of experienced Paraguayan. Parodi lost his unbeaten record on a majority verdict against Arsen Martirosyan for the vacant WBC International title in May. Azuaga, once known as “El Indio De Oro” is now 36, and with 103 bouts behind him is just a trial horse now. Former French super middle champ Amar halts 40-year-old Spaniard, who lost to Clinton Woods for the EBU title in 2000.
Billy, France: Light Welter: Willy Blain (22-1) W TKO 4 Ionut Trandafir Ilie (13-6-1). Middle: Hussein Bayram (33-3) W TKO 3 Mihai Macovei (7-9). Gentle comeback for southpaw Blain as he hands Romanian fourth loss in a row. “Little Leonard” Blain,32, a former top amateur, who lost on an unlucky hand injury stoppage to Lamont Peterson for the interim WBO title in April 2009, was having his first fight for a year. Bayram, 34, made it nine wins in a row and 18 by KO/TKO as he floored and halted another Romanian. Two of Bayram's losses have been to Zaurbek Baysangurov and Sergeii Dzinziruk in European title fights, so he only loses to the best. Macovei now lost eight of his last nine.
Henin-Beaumont, France: Fly: Hassan Azaouagh (8-6) W PTS 12 Alain Bonnel (13-18). Light Heavy: Thierry Karl (28-4) W PTS 6 Arturs Kulikauskis (7-5-1). Azaouagh, 24, gains revenge for a loss last year and wins clear unanimous decision to take vacant French title in good fight with experienced Bonnel. Scores 97-92 twice and 97-93. Karl, 26, has to go the distance to take verdict over Latvian southpaw. Karl had won six in a row by KO/TKO, including four first round finishes, so he got in a few rounds in his preparation for fighting for the vacant European title.
Clichy la Garenne, France: Light: Anthony Mezaache (19-6-3) W TKO 4 Konstantins Sakara (6-16-1). Super Feather: Daouda Sow (6-0) W PTS 6 Jevgenijs Fjodorovs (5-18-2). Mezzache, 32, too good for poor Latvian. Body shots finish it in fourth. Former undefeated European champ rebuilding after shock stoppage loss in USA to club fighter Carlos Vinan in July, blowing the Frenchman's chance of a world title shot. Mezzache won the European title by beating Jon Thaxton in February 2009, but never defended the title. Olympic silver medal winner Sow, 27 puts Latvian down with a left hook, but lacks a real punch and can't find the finisher. Has to settle for a wide points victory.
Providence, Guyana: Super Bantam: Leon Moore (26-2) W PTS 10 Brelior Teran (12-8-1). Middle: Raul Frank (28-5-3,2ND) W PTS 8 Denny Dalton (16-9-1).Controversial win for 5'10” tall southpaw Moore. “Hurry Up”, 31, wins first five rounds, but then Venezuelan Teran, 25, takes over with some rough stuff. Moore down in sixth and in again in the tenth but beats the count just as the final bell rings. Scores 94-93 twice and 94-94. Teran better than his record shows as he went the distance with Alex Munoz and beat Alex Espinoza. In his first fight in two years, Frank, 40, takes unanimous verdict over Dalton. Frank is a former IBF welter title challenger, fighting a technical draw and losing against Vern Forrest. Dalton was halted in three rounds by Gary Lockett in 2001. first bell. Perez unleashes another two punch combination and it is all over.
Tokyo, Japan: Feather: Jonel Alibio (16-10-2) W TKO 6 Naoki Matsuda (33-9-4). Light Welter: Motoki Sasaki (35-8-1) W KO 7 Geisler AP . Mixed night for the imports. Filipino Alibio, 25, won the OPBF title in a brawl with heavy favourite Matsuda. The champion was cut on the forehead by a clash of heads in the first and the brawling Alibio also floored Matsuda, 34, briefly in the second. Matsuda blazed back to floor Alibio in the third. Alibio lost a point for rabbit punches in the third, but floored the Japanese fighter with a right in the sixth, and the towel was thrown in. Matsuda, making his second defence, had kayoed former WBC champion Rudy Lopez and lost to Guty Espadas Jr in a WBC eliminator. Sasaki, 35, made a successful first defence of his OPBF title, but not before having trouble with the inexperienced Indonesian champion. A left hook finished the tiring challenger in the seventh. Sasaki, a former OPBF welterweight champ, who lost to Vyacheslav Senchenko for the WBA secondary title, has 22 wins by KO/TKO.
Merida, Mexico: Light Fly: Gilberto Keb Baas (34-20-4) W PTSA 12 Omar Nino Romero (30-4-2,1ND). Boxing unpredictable-you bet! Veteran Keb Baas was just there to make up the weight as the fight was in his hometown, but instead he floored Romero in the first and ninth rounds and lifted the WBC title with a majority decision that should have been unanimous. Scores 116-110, 115-111 and a way out 113-113. Keb Baas had kayoed Romero, 34, back in 1998. Baby Luis V, yes there have been four others fighters using that name in the family, once went through a spell of seven fights without a win, and had lost to Eric Morel and Pongsaklek in previous flyweight title shots, but this was his night. Romero was making the first defence of the title he won from Rodel Mayol in June.
Kempton Park, South Africa: Super Middle: Isaac Chilemba (15-1-1) DREW 12 Thomas Oosthuizen (11-0-1). Super Feather: Sipho Taliwe (12-2-1) W PTS 12 Vinvin Rufino (29-12-3). Light Welter: Daniel Dorrego (30-2-1,1ND) W KO 4 Jason Bedeman (13-1-2). Heavy: Flo Simba (8-0) W TKO 5 Mauro Ordiales (23-8). In an untidy bout Chilemba, 23, retained his IBO title in his first defence with a draw against unbeaten South African southpaw Oosthuizen. Their style just did not gel with the 6’4” Oosthuizen failing to use his height and reach advantages as the Malawian forced him to fight inside. Both fighters were cut. “Golden Boy” Chilemba looked slightly unlucky not to get the verdict as he landed the cleaner punches and Oosthuizen's inexperience showed as he seemed to be looking to end it with one punch rather than boxing. Scores 115-113, 113-115, 114-114.
Simba from the DCR (Democratic Republic of the Congo) punched too hard for Argentinian Ordiales. Simba scored two knockdowns in the first and again in the fourth before a right put Ordiales down in the fifth and the fight was stopped. Simba, who is closer to cruiser than heavy, has seven of his eight defeats by KO/TKO. Only two of Ordiales’ fights have gone the distance but he has lost seven by KO/TKO. Mild upset as South African “Tsunami” Talawe gets majority verdict over Filipino Rufino to win vacant WBC International title. Scores 116-112 twice and 114-114. Talawe now unbeaten in his last eight and Rufino,29, had lost only one of his last eight, so good match-up. Argentinian Dorrego 30, kayos prospect Bedeman. The Argentinian has lost only one of his last 30.
Geneva, Switzerland: Heavy: Johann Duhaupas (24-1) W PTS 8 Paul Butler (12-13). Super Middle: Sofiane Sebihi (17-2) W PTS 6 Yoann Bloyer (11-14-2). Super Feather: Patrick Kinigamazi (15-0) W PTS 6 Zsolt Nagy (15-19). Super Middle: Hugo Kasperski (14-1) W TKO 6 Alastair Warren (6-1). Show to celebrate 100 years since formation of Geneva Sporting Club sees Frenchman Duhaupas take comfortable points win over Brit Paul Butler to make it seven wins in a row. Scores 80-72, 79-74, 79-73. Sebihi,31, given good workout by French southpaw Bloyer but again shows his lack of a punch but he wins on scores of 59-54 from all three officials. Rwandan Kinigamazi also has to settle for points win over Hungarian loser Nagy. Scores 59-56, 58-57, 58-56. Nagy has now lost eight of his last nine. Frenchman Kasperski,23, wins vacant WBC Youth title with stoppage of previously unbeaten Brit Warren as he floors and halts him in sixth.
Fairfax, USA: Super Middle: William Joppy (39-6-2) DREW 10 Cory Cummings (17-4-1).Former WBA middleweight champion Joppy used his ring guile to hold off aggressive Cummings31, and looked unlucky to have to settle for a majority draw. Joppy was on top in centre ring, and Cummings did his best work when pressurising the veteran against the ropes. Scores 95-95 twice and 96-94. Joppy beat Howard Eastman for the vacant WBA title back in 2001.
