Behind the Results, w/e 19th December 2010
Our Eric is one of tens of thousands of travellers crossing his fingers that the weather breaks so he can enjoy Christmas in the Granite City. Otherwise he'll be dining with elks overlooking a frozen fjord. Anyway, from his wooden eco-lodge in Norway the boxing anorak's anorak files another weekly global digest.
December 16
Azana, Kazakhstan: Middle: Gennady Golovkin (20-0) W KO 3 Nilson Tapia (14-3-1,1ND). Ridiculously easy defence of secondary WBA title for Golovkin. Kazak boxer hits too hard for modest Colombian. Golovkin, 28, softens Tapia, 25, up in second and then goes to work in third and finishes Tapia with a left hook to the body. Now 17 by KO/TKO for Golovkin who was a World Junior champion, won a silver medal at the Olympics and a gold medal at the World Championships. Golovkin was the interim champion, but was upgraded so that the WBA could get more sanctioning fees.
Brindisi, Italy: Super Feather: Antonio De Vitis (19-1-1) W TKO 7 Zsolt Nagy (15-20).In front of his home fans De Vitis, 31, goes over old ground as he again beats Hungarian Nagy. Now ten by KO/TKO for De Vitis and his fourth win over Nagy, who has lost eight of his last nine. Nagy lost to Paul Truscott, Steven Smith and Troy James here.
Durban, South Africa: Middle: Khaphathe Mpambanyeni (6-1-1) DREW 12 Chris Buthelezi (15-12-2). Poor, untidy title match between a novice and a journeyman with neither dominating. Mpambanyeni retains title in first defence. Buthelezi has been unsuccessful in challenges for the South African title at super middleweight, light middleweight and now middleweight, in that order.
December 17
Miami, USA: Light Heavy: Tavoris Cloud (22-0) W PTS 12 Fulgencio Zuniga (24-5-1). Heavy: Odlanier Solis (17-0) W DIS 10 Ray Austin (28-5-4). Super Middle: Ricardo Mayorga (29-7-1,1ND) W TKO 9 Mike Walker (19-6-2). Heavy: Darrel Madison (16-1) W PTS 10 Mike Marrone (19-2). A tougher than expected defence for Cloud against a game opponent who had no real chance of winning Cloud,28, in second defence of the IBF title he won by beating Clinton Woods last year, cut in a clash of heads in the second and hurt in the fourth, but too strong, punched too hard for Colombian Zuniga. Zuniga just really a beefed up middleweight was down in the fifth and again in the last. He lost to Lucien Bute and Denis Inkin in super middle title fights and back in 2003 lost to Daniel Santos for the WBO light middleweight title.
Against Cuban Solis, Austin boxes like a 40-year-old, which is what he is. Austin has the height and reach advantages, but the strength lies with Solis, 30, who controls the fight. Solis on his way to a clear points win then he scores heavily and with Austin hurt both fighters get tangled in the ropes as the bell sounds. After they untangle Austin smacks Solis with an illegal punch and is disqualified. “La Sombra” Solis, 30, is now mandatory challenger to Vitali Klitschko for the WBC title, but at 6’1” and 260lbs you wonder whether he will have the mobility to trouble the Ukrainian. Austin owes his position to the influence of Don King and not to anything he had done in the ring.
Mayorga is Mayorga. The former WBA/WBC welter and WBC light middleweight champion from Nicaragua shows ring rust as he swings and muscles his way through eight rounds, with some clowning thrown in. Floors Walker, 32, in the ninth and keeps punching when Walker down. Referee deducts two points, but fight really over. Walker does not get a chance to recover and fight stopped. Mayorga tried to break away from King by entering UFC type bouts, but court ruled for King, so now Mayorga, 37, is back in the mix. Five losses in a row for Walker.
New York southpaw Madison, 33, simply outboxes Marrone. Has too much skill for once promising Floridian, 26, and wins wide unanimous verdict on scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92.
New York, USA: Welter: Dmitriy Salita (32-1) W TKO 3 James Wayka (16-10-1). Ukrainian-born Salita claims New York State title after easy win over late sub Wayka. Body punches too much for modest Wayka who is floored twice in second and twice in third. Second win for Salita since crushing 113 second blow out by Amir Khan in fight for vacant WBA title last December. Only two wins in his last six for Wayka, and how a guy from Minneapolis can fight for a New York State title is beyond me.
Chicago, USA: Middle: Osumanu Adama (17-2) W PTS 12 Angel Hernandez (30-8). Cruiser: Carl Davis (14-3) W PTS 10 Arthur Williams (47-16-1). Light Middle: David Estrada (24-6) W TKO 5 Frank Gonzalez (13-6). Rugged Ghanaian Adama, 29, wins vacant IBO International title. Sharper and quicker than Mexican Hernandez, 35, Adama always in front and never lets veteran get into fight. Adama wins on scores of 120-108 twice and 119-109. Davis, 37, in his first fight since April 2009 starts the quicker and forces a standing count in fifth. Seems to wake former IBF cruiser champ Williams, 46, who then makes more of a fight of it and it is fairly even from that point on. Davis almost puts Williams down again in the last round and wins unanimous verdict on scores of 96-93 twice and 97-93. Estrada, 31, too good for game Gonzalez, 34, dictates the fight then scores two knockdowns in fifth for stoppage. Local fighter Estrada has 15 wins by KO/TKO, but has lost the big fights. Four losses in a row for Dominican Gonzalez.
Monroeville, USA: Light Heavy: Ismayl Syllakh (14-0) W PTS 10 Rayco Saunders (20-13-2). Heavy: Travis Kauffman (21-1) W DIS 4 Ross Thompson (27-15-3). Light Welter: Mike Faragon (13-0) W PTS 6 Jamar Saunders (5-9-1). Welter: Hasting Bwalya (6-0) W Justin Johanson (1-2-2). Good learning fight for Ukrainian Syllakh. He has the speed and reach to dominate the fight and wins wide decision on scores of 99-89, 99-88 and 99-89, but can't put away the experienced Saunders. Only the second time that Syllakh, 25, has been taken the distance. Kauffman gets easy win as opponent Thompson seems to want to fight the referee and gets docked a point for almost attacking the third man at the end of the second round. After copious amounts of clinching and holding and disputes with the referee, Thompson finally thrown out in the fourth. Prospect Faragon too good for game Saunders and takes wide unanimous verdict on scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55. Zambian former Olympian and Commonwealth Games competitor Bwalya, 25, makes it five by KO/TKO.
San Diego, USA: Super Bantam: Chris Martin (21-0-2) W PTS 8 Yogli Herrera (22-14). Super Feather: Ronny Rios (13-0) W PTS 8 Adolfo Landeros (20-17-1). Having to face a late sub may have thrown the “SD Kid2, But Martin not his usual classy self. Tentative at the start, he lets Herrera come into the fight in the middle rounds, but finds his form over the last two rounds and wins a unanimous decision. Scores 80-72 twice and 78-74, which did not do justice to Herrera.
Brilliant display by Rios. Outboxes experienced journeyman for the first few rounds and then fights him on the inside and dominates all the way. Wins on scores of 80-72 on all cards.
East London, South Africa: Super Bantam: Macbute Sinyabe (15-1) W TKO 7 Pfariso Neluvhalani (4-4-1). Bantam: Zolani Tete (14-1) W KO 1 Sipho Nkadimeng (4-8-3). A couple of poor matches as two top class fighters take on two novices. Sinyabe retains South African title for fifth time as he easily outclasses Neluvhalani and forces stoppage in seventh. All of Sinyabe’s wins have come by KO/TKO. Southpaw Tete finishes Nkadimeng in 140 seconds. First fight for Tete since losing to Mouti Mthalane for IBF title in September.
Ratchaburi, Thailand: Bantam: Thangthong (21-0) W PTS 12 Nick Otieno (21-6). Wide unanimous points win for Thai over useful Kenyan. Scores 119-110 twice as Southpaw Thangthnong, IBF No 7, 32, wins vacant WBC International title. Piove di Sacco, Italy: Super Feather: Devis Boschiero (27-0-1) DREW 6 Alex Bone (6-9-2). Where do they get these results from? Spaniard with an at best modest record enters the unbeaten guy’s home town and gets a draw. Could be Boschiero distracted by court case hanging over him, but Spanish-based Ecuadorian gets his best result by far. Bone lost to Andy Murray here last December.
December 18
Quebec City, Canada: Light Heavy: Jean Pascal (26-1-1) Drew 12 Bernard Hopkins (51-5-2,1ND). Welter: Paul Malignaggi (28-4) W TKO 6 Mike Lozada (36-7-1). Super Middle: Peter Quillin (22-0) W KO 1 Martin Desjardins (7-19-4). Welter: Kevin Bizier (13-0) W RTD 3 Ronnie Warrior (13-4-1). Heavy: Tyson Fury (13-0) W PTS 8 Zack Page (21-33-2). Super Middle: Daniel Jacobs (21-1) W TKO 5 Jesse Orta (7-14-2).Light: Pier Olivier Cote (14-0) W TKO 1 Cesar Soriano (21-26). Already a Hall of Fame cert, Hopkins, 45, comes close to replacing George Foreman as the oldest man to win a title of the four major sanctioning bodies. Pascal puts Hopkins down with a right for a controversial count in the first round and floored him again with hook in the third, but could not finish the job either time. Hopkins was the aggressor for most of the rounds after that with a concerted body attack with Haitian-born Canadian Pascal landing fewer but harder punches. Hopkins clawed back the leeway and in the end was unlucky not to life the WBC title as Pascal retained on a majority draw. Scores 113-113, 114-114, and 114-112 for Hopkins. “The Executioner” claimed that the punch that put him down in the first was an illegal one, landing on the back of his head, and no count should have been applied. Without that 10-8 round Hopkins would have won. The former world middleweight champion taking part in fight No 26 for a major title, has not won a fight inside the distance since 2004, and that lack of a big punch at this weight/level also was a handicap.
“Magic Man” Malignaggi, 30, takes a while to adjust to the welterweight poundage (he weighed 148 ½ lbs) and his Mexican opponent's style. Gets on top with heavy right hands and Lozada begins to lose interest. Lozada, 27, deducted a point in the sixth for wrestling and barrage of hard shots brings end. Only the sixth win by KO/TKO for former IBF light welter champ who lost in a challenge to Amir Khan for the WBA title in May. Lozada challenged Edwin Valero for the WBA super feather title in 2007 and lasted 72 seconds.
Big right from “Kid Chocolate” Quinlan, 27, and usually durable Desjardins, 31, counted out with seven seconds left in the first round. Now 16 by KO/TKO for Quinlan and his second win after a long layoff. Only one win in his last eleven fights for Desjardins. Combination punching of Bizier, 26, too much for southpaw Warrior and he fails to come out for round four. Now nine by KO/TKO for former top amateur and first time Warrior has failed to last the distance.
Useful eight rounds for Fury, 22, as late sub Page puts his usual survival tactics on show. Fury always in command, but Page, 37, never in any trouble. At 6’9” tall and with a 56lbs weight advantage this was always going to be just a workout for Fury who won every round on all three cards as scores of 80-72 from the officials show. Page was in danger of losing his losers tag after wins over Sebastian Koeber and Kevin McBride, but he is back to being old reliable loser, but has only lost thee of his fights by KO/TKO.
“Golden Child” Jacobs given an easy one in his first bout since shock loss to Russian Dmitry Pirog in July. Outclasses Texan Orta and corner throws in the towel with Orta taking punishment. Orta had won only one of his last nine going into the fight. Cote finishes Mexican Soriano in 30 seconds. Soriano, 32, had lost on points in five previous visits to Canada.
Berlin, Germany: Cruiser: Marco Huck (31-1) W PTS 12 Denis Lebedev (21-1). Cruiser: Yoan Pablo Hernandez (23-1) W KO 1 Ali Ismailov (18-4-1). Heavy: Alex Povetkin (21-0) W PTS 10 Nicolai Firtha (19-8-1). Heavy: Francesco Pianeta (21-0-1) W KO 1 Mike Middleton (13-20-1,1ND). Heavy: Kubrat Pulev (10-0) W PTS 8 Paolo Vidoz (26-10).Light Heavy: Dustin Dirks (18-0) W PTS 8 Alpay Kobal (7-10-2). Huck retains WBO title on close split decision over Russian puncher Lebedev. Serbian-born Huck, 26, boxes the early rounds whilst southpaw Lebedev, 31, is looking for the big punch to end it. Huck picking up the points with his better boxing, but then seems to tire and Lebedev takes over in the middle rounds. Huck drags up some energy from somewhere and stages a strong finish. Scores 115-113 twice for Huck and 116-112 for Lebedev. Fifth defence in twelve months for Huck. Lebedev had won his last eight by KO/TKO including Enzo Maccarinelli and Alex Alexeev so was a dangerous opponent.
Controversial win for 26-year-old Cuban southpaw Hernandez. Former WBO title challenger Ismailov, 36, was knocked over by a hard combination and fell out of the ring. His feet were tangled in the ropes and he was unable to untangle himself and make it to his feet by the ten count. In some circumstances a boxer who falls out of the ring is given a 20 second count, but no such leeway for Ukrainian-born Azeri Ismailov. This was a WBA eliminator. Ismailov previously lost a split decision to Victor Ramirez for the WBO title in May 2009.
Povetkin boxes his way to wide unanimous verdict over modest Firtha. Big problem for Russian is that he has to do it with one hand after injuring his right early in the fight. Scores 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92 but the last thing Povetkin needs is another lay off. He won an IBF elimination tournament in 2008 by beating Eddie Chambers, and is still waiting for his shot after various injury setbacks. Pianeta gets an early night as he finishes poor Middleton with a body punch after just 70 seconds. Now 13 by KO/TKO for tall Italian southpaw who has also beaten Mike Marrone, Johann Duhpas and Matt Skelton, and drawn with Albert Sosnowski. Match a disgrace really as 42-year-old Middleton had lost five of his last seven fights and had only one fight in over three years. “The Cobra” Pulev, 29, gets in some useful rounds against fading former European champ Vidoz. Pulev wins 80-72 on all of the cards. Vidoz, 40, has lost his last four. Dirks, 21, taken the distance by Frenchman Kobal, 34, and wins wide unanimous decision on scores of 80-72 twice and 80-71.
Tijuana, Mexico: Light Welter: Erik Morales (51-6) W PTS 12 Francisco Lorenzo (35-9,1ND). A tough defence of his WBC Silver belt for “El Terrible”. Dominican Lorenzo forcing the pace and Morales looking to keep it at a distance. Lorenzo, 39, loses a point for low blows and rabbit punches in third, and Morales, 34, scores a knockdown in fifth. Morales then boxes for a few round, but pours it on in the last two rounds looking for a stoppage. Wins a close unanimous verdict over former WBC interim feather champ Lorenzo on scores of 116-111, 115-112 and 114-113. Morales won the Silver Belt by beating Willie Limond in September. Lorenzo has won only two of his last seven fights, but was in contention in this one.
Mar del Plata, Argentina: Light Fly: Luis Lazarte (48-9-2,1ND) DREW 12 Ulises Solis (32-2-3). Welter: Rodolfo Martinez (39-4-1) W PTS 12 Mariano Robledo (10-3-1). “El Mosquito” almost lived up to his name. The little Argentinian was being outfought by Mexican Solis and used all sorts of foul tactics to change the flow, including trying to bite Solis on the ear. Lazarte has two points deducted for those infractions and then started to get into the fight and do some scoring of his own. Despite this “Archie” Solis looked a clear winner with one judge scoring it 117-109 for Solis, but somehow the other two officials saved Lazarte’s IBF title by each scoring it 113-113 for a majority draw. Second defence for 39-year-old Lazarte. Unlucky Solis, the brother of WBC interim feather champion Jorge, is a former holder of this title.
Martinez wins vacant IBF Latino title with a close unanimous decison win over relative novice Robledo. Martinez was stopped by Jan Zaveck in a challenge for the IBF title in April. This was the first time that Robledo had been in a fight scheduled for more than six rounds. The judges scores 118-117, 116-115 and 118-113.
Campeche, Mexico: Light Fly: Ramon Garcia (15-1-1) W PTS 12 Omar Soto (15-7-1). Super Bantam: Jorge Arce (56-6-2) W TKO 1 Adolfo Ramos (18-11-1). Super Feather: Jorge Lacierva (38-7-6) W PTS 10 Joksan Hernandez (21-3). Welter: Omar Chavez (25-0-1) W TKO 2 Ignasi Caballero (5-3). Garcia, 28, retains WBO interim title for second time as he has too much speed for Puerto Rican. Scores knockdowns in fourth and tenth, but can't finish the job and settles for a wide points victory on scores of 120-106, 119-107 and 118-108. Ramiro may even surpass brother Raul, who was IBF strawweight champion. Soto, has lost his last three, but the have all been title fights. Bad mismatch, but at least Arce, 31, wraps it up early. Floors poor Colombian Ramos, also 31, early in first and batters away until referee stops it after 126 seconds. Now 43 wins by KO/TKO for “Travieso”. Ramos has won only two of his last eight fights. Painful lesson for prospect Hernandez.
Lacierva, 32, shows the gaps in class as floors Hernandez three times in the first, and wins unanimous decision. Hernandez did well to recover and last the distance, but Lacierva had too much power, skill and experience. Six wins in a row now for “Baby Face” and his only loss in his last 14 was to Celestino Caballero for the WBA bantamweight title. Hernandez had beaten fellow prospects Miguel Beltran and Daniel Ruiz, but this was too big a step up. Chavez, 20, son of the great Julio Cesar, makes it 18 by KO/TKO as he floors and halts Miami-based Spaniard Caballero.
Hanover, USA: Light: Carney Bowman (16-0) W PTS 6 Jason Rorie (6-10-2). “Beeper” Bowman stays undefeated as he wins wide decision over late sub Rorie (Bowman was to have fought Yogli Herrera, but Yogli took the San Diego fight instead). Bowman always in front but Rorie had an awkward style and never stopped trying. Scores 60-54 twice and 59-55.
Colon City, Panama: Feather: Nick Walters (17-0) W TKO 8 Gonzalo Munguia (17-8-3). Light: Evens Pierre (17-1) W PTS 8 Dunis Linan (12-17-2). Axe Man wins again. Walters, 24, just too fast and superior to tough Nicaraguan in all departments. Munguia, 30, tries hard but never really in the fight. Takes a beating and retires at the end of the eighth. Jamaican prospect retains WBA Fedlatin title for second time and makes it 14 by KO/TKO. Munguia was kayoed in four rounds by Roman Martinez in a WBO super feather title challenge in May. Haitian Pierre , 26, comfortable points winner over Linan. Fifth win in a row for Evens since loss to Rosano Lawrence. Scores 80-72 x 2 79-72.
East London, South Africa: Bantam: Phumzile Matyhila (17-1-2) W PTS 12 Ntobeko Duma (3-11-1). Easy first defence of national title for experienced Matyhila as he easily outboxes novice Duma. Sweet Chocolate,35, needed to get back in the winning groove, but this was a one-sided contest. Lyon, France: Cruiser: Rachid El Hadak (21-8-1) W PTS 6 JJ Ojuederie (13-8-1). Light Middle: Frank Haroche Horta (25-8-4) W PTS 6 Ciaran Healy (12-16-1). El Hadak , 37, outpoints31-year-old Londoner. The French and WBA European champion has won seven in a row since losing to David Dolan in 2008. Four points defeats in a row for Ojuederie. Horta also extends unbeaten run as he decisions Belfast’s Irish champion Healy to make eight without loss.
Longchamps, Argentina: Light: Matias Gomez (21-0) W KO 5 Felix Barrientos (14-18-2 ). Usual set-up to pad record for Gomez. “Tsunami” floors and halts 48-year-old Barrientos to keep up his 100% record of wins by KO/TKO, but 16 of Paraguayan’s losses have been inside the distance.
