Behind The Results week ending 12 July, 2010
Eric Armit offers the latest instalment of the best global boxing digest on the web. Simples.
July 8
Johannesburg, South Africa: Super Middle: Tinteyi Mardizo (9-6) W KO 3 Mike Schultz (15-2-2). Cruiser: Dan Bruwer (21-1-1) W RTD 7 Sean Santana (4-6). Zimbabwean Mardizo, 27, proves his first round kayo of Schultz was no fluke as he retains his WBO African title. Schultz boxes carefully in the first two rounds and probably shading the fight until nailed with Mardizo’s favorite overhand right and counted out.
Former South African light heavy champ Bruwer returns after almost two years away and his condition looks to need some work. Floored in the third, Bruwer was not certain of victory until Santana pulled-out with a cut over his left eye.
Winnipeg, Canada: Super Middle: Larry Sharpe (25-8) W PTS 8 Jose Corral (18-16). Light Welter: Chad Brisson (22-2) W PTS 8 Jose Corona (8-12). “Razor” now 36, in what was rumored to be his last fight, takes a comfortable unanimous verdict over Mexican Corral, 29, on scores of 80-71 and 79-73 twice. Southpaw Sharpe lost to Scott Dan for the Commonwealth title in 2006 and also lost to Darren Barker in a non title fight in 2008. Brisson, 30, ends his four year retirement with a majority verdict over Mexican. It was a tough comeback for Brisson and some thought the Mexican deserved the verdict, but scores were 77-75 twice for Brisson, who had ten wins in a row when he walked away, so now it is eleven. Game Corona has now lost seven of his last eight.
July 9
Atlantic City, USA: Welter: Mike Jones (22-0) W KO 5 Irving Garcia (17-5-3). Welter: Lanardo Tyner (24-3) W TKO 9 Antwone Smith (18-2-1). After a couple of even rounds Jones takes over and bombards Puerto Rican Garcia with vicious combinations. Garcia fading when floored with what looked a borderline punch and counted out. Again 27-year-old Jones looks the goods and ready for better things. M.J. retains NABO and NABA titles. Only the second fight in two years for Garcia, 31. Upset as Texas-based Tyner, 34, beats highly touted Smith. Smith has best start but Tyner closes the right eye of Smith and then concentrates on the body. Tyner the stronger and Smith goes down in ninth and calls it a day. The losses for Tyner were to Saul Alvarez, Mike Arnaoutis and Lamar Peterson so he had mixed in good company, but Floridian Smith, 23, was on a run of impressive victories.
Denver, USA: Light Middle: Erislandy Lara (12-0) W KO 1 Bill Correa (8-4). Much too easy for the talented Cuban who floors poor Correa twice and halts him in just 154 seconds. That makes it seven by KO/TKO for southpaw Lara, but I can’t think this is the kind of fight he defected for. Puerto Rican Correa, 24, has yet to go the distance in losing or winning a fight. Lincoln, USA: Light: John Molina (21-1) W TKO 11 Henry Lundy (18-1-1). Come-from-behind win for 27-year-old Californian Molina. After being out boxed by previously unbeaten Lundy, Molina scored a knockdown in the eighth and then has Lundy hurt and defenseless in the eleventh for the stoppage win. Molina lifts Lundy’s NABO title and makes it 17 by KO/TKO and three wins in a row since his loss to Martin Honorio in November.
Rayong, Thailand: Straw: Pigmy (42-5-2) W PTS 12 Jack Amisa (19-12-2). Super Fly: Duangpetch (50-1-1) W PTS 6 Henry Barongsay (9-12-3). Sixth defence of WBC Asian title for Pigmy (Kokietgym), 22, and he is now unbeaten in his last 31. Indonesian Amis, a loser to Pigmy in 2007 is without a win in his last seven. Routine workout for 30-year-old southpaw Duangpetch who is now unbeaten in 50 fights going back to 2000, the longest unbeaten run of any active fighter, but the Indonesian has just two wins in his last eleven fights, so you can see how much this statistic means.. Duangpetch’s name is mud; no I mean his real first name is Mud.
Prato, Italy: Light Middle: Francesco Di Fiore (11-5-1) W PTS 10 Lenny Botai (11-1). A real war between two “mature novices” (both 32) sees Di Fiore edge out hometown fighter Botai on a majority verdict to take his national title on scores of 96-94, 96-94, 95-95.
Coburg, Australia: Super Bantam: Allan Jay Tunacao (10-2-3) W PTS 12 Dan Iannazzo (17-1). All-out two-fisted aggression of Filipino Tunacao, 22, just too much for previously unbeaten “Baby Face” Iannazzo and Tunacao wins vacant PABA title, but weird scoring 119-110 (!), 115-113 and 113-115. Sydney, Australia: Light: Ryan Langham (12-1) W PTS 6 Jack de Asis (21-14-4). Another continuing his comeback as 28-year-old southpaw Langham wins a unanimous verdict 58-56 on all cards against Filipino de Asis. Langham retired after being stopped by Lenny Zapavignia for the Aussie light title in 2007, having first had Zappavigna on the floor .Filipino de Asis, also 28, is no mug having beaten Anthony Marcial and drawn with Thai Sod.
Mexico City, Mexico: Light: Ramon Ayala (18-1-1) W PTS 10 Carlos Velasquez (15-10-1,1ND). Super Bantam: Giovanni Caro (18-8-4) W PTS 12 Brelior Teran (6-8-1). “Nino de Oro” Ayala, 21, retains WBC Youth title. Dominates bout against Nicaraguan and scores a knockdown in fifth on the way to a unanimous verdict on scores of 98-91, 97-92 and 96-93. Ayala is unbeaten in eleven since a kayo loss to David Rodela in 2008. Usual war for “Ruso” Caro as he batters his way to wide verdict over Venezuelan Teran. Caro down in the seventh and badly cut in a clash of heads in the last. Teran loses points in third and eleventh for head work. Caro retains Fecarbox title on scores of 118-107 twice and 117-109. Teran, 25, is a former Fecarbox champ.
Puerto Madryn, Argentina: Claudio Abalos (21-10-3) W PTS 12 Oscar Veliz (28-17-2,1ND). Styles do not match so a disappointing fourth meeting between these two. Southpaw El Chino Abalos, 29, lands the few scoring punches and retains Argentinian title and collects the South American title from hometown fighter Veliz. Scores 100-95, 98.5-96 and 99.5-95.5. Abalos now ahead 2-1-1 in their series.
Gregorio de Laferrere, Argentina: Super Feather: Domingo Damigella (35-5) W PTS 12 Cris Borges (10-4). “World” title win for 42-year-old Damigella as he takes unanimous verdict over novice Brazilian Borges to win the WBC title-World Boxing Commission that is! Damigella lost to Steve Robinson for the WBO featherweight title in 1995, and is a “champion” 15 years later. This was only the second fight in five years for Borges having previously fought as a light flyweight.
Curuzu Cuatia, Argentina: Super Bantam: Sergio Santillan (26-11-3) W KO 2 Reginaldo Carvalho (19-11-1). Easy for 36-year-old “”El Tigre” as he kayos 39-year-old Brazilian in second round to win vacant WBC Latino title. Santillan lost to Bernard Dunne on points back in 2006. Carvalho lost to Omar Narvaez for the WBO fly title in 2004. Humble, USA: Heavy: Gene Hill (22-1) W PTS 6 Andy Greeley (14-33-3, 1ND). Huffing, puffing and some slow ponderous punching sees local Hill win wide unanimous points win over travelling loser Greeley. Don’t let the figures fool you, Hill’s defeat came against Zack Page, the only decent fighter he has met’ and his 5’11” 261lbs weight tells you all you need to know about his conditioning.
July 10
San Juan, Puerto Rico: Feather: Juan Manuel Lopez (29-0) W TKO 2 Bernabe Concepcion (28-4-1). Super Fly: Nonito Donaire (24-1) W TKO 8 Hernan Marquez (27-2). Bantam: Jonathan Oquendo (19-2) W KO 9 Eden Sonsona (21-6). Cruiser: Carlos Negron (10-0) W PTS 4 Gustavo Enriquez (15-10). Heavy: Victor Bisbal (17-1) W KO 1 David Whittom (10-13-1). Explosive first round sees Lopez, 27, hurt then floor Filipino Concepcion, only to get wild looking for a finish and himself get floored by a left hook near the end of the round. Southpaw Lopez back on the attack at the start of the second and floors Concepcion heavily. Filipino beats the count but another stunning pair of punches puts him down and hurt badly enough for the referee to waive the count. First defence of his WBO feather title for former WBO super bantam champ Lopez and 26 wins by KO/TKO. Concepcion, 22, lost to Steve Luevano for the WBO title on a disqualification, and earned this shot at Lopez by beating Puerto Rican Mario Santiago. Concepcion had lost only one of his last 23 fights. Next up for Lopez is Rafael Marquez in a fight to savor.
Despite problem in making the weight, and puzzling tactics of deciding to box southpaw for the early rounds Donaire scores another stoppage win. Marquez had early success with his southpaw left, but the fight changed when Donaire switched to his normal orthodox guard. Filipino Donaire, 27, floored Marquez with a left hook in the fifth and then finished the fight with a left uppercut in the eighth. Nonito, the former undefeated IBF fly champ, wins vacant WBA interim title, but may now move up to bantam as there seems no likelihood of a return with Vic Darchinyan. Marquez, 21, loses for the second time in a row after 27 straight wins.
Big win for 26-year-old Puerto Rican Oquendo. Both fighters fighting rough with a few low blows flying about. Oquendo turns the fight in the eighth as he drops Filipino Sonsona, 21, and puts him down again in the ninth for the count. Oquendo's losses have been a disqualification and a stoppage by Juan Manuel Lopez. Sonsona had won his last six. Negron, 6’6” tall, takes no chances and uses his height and reach to win every round against modest opposition. Too easy for Bisbal, 30, who finishes Canadian with a body shot after 153 seconds. Now ten wins in a row for former top amateur Bisbal, and seven losses in a row for Whittom.
Guadalajara, Mexico: Light Middle: Saul Alvarez (33-0-1) W TKO 6 Luciano Cuello (26-2). Welter: Daniel Sandoval (15-1) W TKO 2 Ramon Alvarez (7-3-1).Super Bantam: Tomoki Kameda (15-0) W PTS 10 Arturo Camargo (23-16-2). Middle: Rigoberto Alvarez (25-2) W KO 1 Alfredo Trevino (4-1). Just 19, “Canelo” looks to be the next Mexican star. He floored game Argentinian Cuello in the first and second rounds and continued to punish him until the referee mercifully called it off in the sixth. Ginger-headed Alvarez wins vacant WBC silver belt, but let’s pass over that rubbish quickly. To put the win into context Cuello, “El Principito”, only lost to Julio Cesar Chavez Jr on a very close decision in March 2009. Sandoval spoils the night for the Alvarez brothers as he halts brother Ramon in the second. All of the wins for the 19-year-old Sandoval have come by KO/TKO. This for the State title.
“Mexicanito” Kameda, at 18 the youngest of the three Kameda brothers, warned for low blows in the third, has Camargo hurt in fifth and sixth, and then keeps the fight at a distance and wins on scores of 100-90, 98-90 and 98-91. Rigoberto was the third Alvarez brother in action and he had the easiest task as he kayoed novice Trevino in 135 seconds. Now 19 by KO/TKO for 32-year-old “El Espanol” but there are a few women who would like to know how Trevino came down from 185lbs in February to 157lbs.
Pasig City, Philippines: Fly: Brian Viloria (27-3,2ND) W PTS 10 Omar Soto (19-7-2). To use a soccer phrase, this was a fight of two halves. For the first five rounds former double world champion Viloria was comfortably in front with his better boxing. Over the second half of the fight the tough little 30-year-old Mexican managed to pressure Viloria and get through with body shots. Hawaiian-born Viloria, 29, swept the last round to take the split verdict on scores of 97-93, 96-94 and 93-97. It was Viloria’s first fight since losing his IBF title to Carlos Tamara in January. Soto, 30 has been unsuccessful in shots at the IBF straw title and WBO fly.
Poughkeepsie, USA: Heavy: Zack Page (21-29-2) W PTS 8 Kevin McBride (34-7-1). Heavy: Nagy Aguilera (16-3) W TKO 1 Rod Willis (14-7-1). Feather: Luis Del Valle (10-0) W KO 4 Pasqual Rouse (20-15-3). Super Middle: Lennox Allen (12-0) W TKO 6 Victor Paz (9-10-1). In a battle of 37-year-olds Page was quicker and busier than returning McBride and boxed his way to a comfortable unanimous decision on scores of 80-72 twice and 78-74. With his recent win over previously unbeaten German Sebastian Koeber, Page is becoming unreliable-he is winning when he is only there to lose. McBride had been out almost three years and it may be the end for the man who ended the career of Mike Tyson in 2005.
A piece of rubbish was all over in 67 seconds as Dominican Aguilera, 24, halted 37-year-old Willis in just 67 seconds. Aguilera had a big win when he beat former WBC champion Oleg Maskaev in December, but was destroyed by another former WBC champion, Samuel Peter in two rounds in March. A bout for the New York State title saw Puerto Rican Del Valle kayo Rouse in four rounds and in an all-southpaw fight Guyanan Allen, 25, halted Paz in six. Paz is 0-9-1 in his last ten.
Fairfax, USA: Welter: DeMarcus Corley (37-13-1) W TKO 4 Damian Fuller (30-8-1). Light Middle: Jimmy Lange (32-4-2) W TKO 2 Jimmy LeBlanc (12-17-4). A battle of veterans is close for three rounds. In the fourth southpaw former WBO light welter champ Corley, 36, found a right hand to floor Detroiter Fuller, 32, and after another knockdown the referee stopped the fight. Four losses in a row for Fuller, three by KO/TKO. Local favorite Lange, 34, floors LeBlanc, 36, three times in the second round from body shots for easy win. LeBlanc has now lost 8 of his last 9 and had been inactive for 16 months so this was no great feat for Lange.
July 11
Nagoya, Japan: Bantam: Malcolm Tunacao (26-2-3) W PTS 12 Kohei Oba (27-1-1). “Eagle Eyes” Tunacao retains OPBF title with a hard-fought win over world rated Japanese champion Oba 25. Southpaw counter-punching style of 31-year-old Filipino just gives him the edge and fight looks closer than the 116-112 verdict rendered by the three Japanese judges. Tunacao is a former WBC flyweight champion. This was a rematch after these two fought to a draw in 2006 when Tunacao was in his first reign as champion.
