Behind the Results, w/e 12th February
February 10
Panama City, Panama: Light: Ameth Diaz (29-10,1ND) W TKO 4 Eric Castro (8-3-1). Light Welter: Alberto Mosquera (16-0,1ND) W PTS 11 Cristian Ruiz (15-1). Welter: Charley Navarro (19-4) W KO 1 Jose Hurley Zuniga Montano (19-8-1,1ND). Super Feather: Irving Berry (19-2-2) W PTS 8 Julio Camano (8-4,1ND). Heavy: Luis Pineda (22-9-1) W PTS 6 Walter Palacios (20-17-2). Feather: Vicente Mosquera (25-2-1) W TKO 6 Segundo Herrera (4-13-1).
“Cloroformo” Diaz, 27, lives up to his name as he floors Castro, 25, in first and again in the third to bring about stoppage and retain his WBA Fedelatin title. Second win for Diaz since crushing loss to Korean Jihoon Kim in May last year. Hot southpaw prospect Mosquera makes successful third defence of his Fedelatin title as he outclasses Nicaraguan Ruiz. His speed, power and ability see him win every round. Scores 110-99 from all three officials. Mosquera, 23, one to watch, has twelve wins by KO/TKO. Ruiz, 24, record deceptive as this was his first real test.
Venezuelan Navarro disposes of poor Colombian in just 32 seconds. A former top amateur, Navarro, 31, in his last fight lost a close decision to Viacheslav Senchenko for the WBA secondary title in August. Montano, 38, having his first fight since November 2008. Berry, 25, finds it hard work rebuilding. Having to overcome a knockdown in the first, he only scrapes by modest Camano on a majority verdict, needing the help of a point deduction against Camano in the fourth. Scores 78-72, 76-75, 75-75. After a run of 16 wins, Berry was halted in seven rounds in December by Argentinian Jonathan Barros for the vacant WBA secondary featherweight title.
Former WBC cruiser challenger Pineda wins easily in six over Nicaraguan. Pineda needed the win after losing five of his last six. Return to the ring of former WBA super feather champion Mosquera who takes a little while to shake off the rust before stopping Herrera. Mosquera's fight with Edwin Valero in 2006 was a dramatic slug fest as Mosquera climbed off the floor twice in the first round and then had Valero down in third before being stopped in the tenth. Mosquera was jailed for murder in the same year only to eventually be declared innocent, and is resuming his career.
February 11
Hyogo, Japan: Straw: Kazuto Ioka (7-0) W TKO 5 Olyedong (35-1-1). Fly: Ryo Miyazaki (13-0-3) W KO 5 Lookrat Kiatmungmee (7-3). Amazing result as six fight novice Ioka crushes champion Olyedong to win the WBC title. A left hook from the 21-year-old puts Olyedong down in the second, but then Thai boxes on the retreat countering the young Japanese fighter. Olyedong seemed to be getting some sort of rhythm when a vicious left uppercut to the stomach puts the Thai down in such agony that the referee does not even bother with a count. A former eight-time national amateur champion who amassed a record of 95-10 with 64 wins by KO/TKO; Ioka is also the nephew of former world champion Hiroki Ioka. For 25-year-old Olyedong this was his seventh defence, but perhaps the warning signs were there when he was floored and only held on to his title with a draw against Pornsawan in September. OPBF champ Miyazaki, 22 kayos Thai in non title fight.
Atlantic City, USA: Heavy: Eddie Chambers (36-2) W PTS 12 Derric Rossy (25-3). Super Middle: Don George (21-1-1) W TKO 1 Cornelius White (16-1). Super Bantam: Rico Ramos (19-0) W PTS 10 Alejandro Valdez (23-5-3).Welter: Ricardo Williams Jr (17-2,1ND) W TKO 6 John Brown (24-19-2). Chambers won this fight on a unanimous verdict as he had too much skill and speedy for the bigger and slower Rossy. Rossy started well, but Chambers, 28, had warmed up by the fourth and, after scoring well in that round, put Rossy down with a right in the sixth. Rossy had some success in the ninth, but was cut over the right eye and faded at the end. Scores 120-107, 117-110 and a way out 115-112.This was Chambers first fight since being stopped by Wladimir Klitschko in March, and was an IBF eliminator, so he remains very much in the picture. Rossy, 30 had won seven in a row since losing to Alex Dimitrenko in May 2008.
“Da Bomb” George, 26, finished the over-hyped White in just 122 seconds. A combination put White down and he was then floored twice more. Now 17 by KO/TKO for George, but he was given a reality check in losing to Cisco Sierra on a technical decision in July. White’s impressive looking record had been built on the Texas circuit against poor opposition. A much better fight, and match, saw prospect Ramos stay unbeaten in his toughest test so far. Ramos, 23, scored heavily over the first two rounds, but then the power and aggression of the taller southpaw Mexican made it a war. Ramos handled the pressure well and stuck to his boxing, but Valdez, 27, was also scoring with some heavy hooks. Ramos went down in the tenth after a clash of heads, something that had been a feature of the fight, and suffered a cut, but it was not ruled a knockdown, and Ramos finished strongly. It was closer than the 97-93 twice and 98-92 scores for Ramos suggest. Valdez had given Fernando Montiel a tough time for a couple of rounds in 2009, before a clash heads ended it as a no decision, and lost to Hozumi Hasegawa for the WBA bantam title in 2008.
Southpaw former Olympic silver medalist Williams launched another attempt to get his career into gear with an easy win over 42-year-old Brown. Williams led from the first and punished Brown heavily before bringing things to a close with two knockdowns in the sixth. Williams, who stopped Ajose Olusegun in the Olympics, was a hot prospect when he first turned pro, but was jailed in 2005 for selling drugs. It was the first fight in ten months for Williams. Early in his career Brown had three shots at the IBF super featherweight title and one at lightweight, but has won only one of his last 14.
Montreal, Canada: Welter: Antonin Decarie (25-1) W PTS 10 Shamone Alvarez (21-4). Welter: Ionut Dan Ion (28-1) W T DEC 6 Steve Forbes (35-9). Welter: Kevin Bizier (14-0) W KO 1 Edgar Ruiz (22-9-1). Light Heavy: Nicholson Poulard (16-3) W TKO 1 Patrick Tessier (4-12-2). Impressive display by 28-year-old Decarie. After slow start he takes over with his fast combination punching and outboxes Alvarez. A right hand puts Alvarez down in the fifth. Another registers a knockdown in the seventh, and also leaves Alvarez with a cut over his left eye. Alvarez tries to get into the fight over the last two rounds, but Decarie a clear winner. Scores 99-89, 98-90 and 97-91. Second win for Decarie since losing to Souleymane M'Baye for the interim WBA secondary title in May. Alvarez looking down the slope after losing three of his last four.
Romanian southpaw “Jo Jo Dan” gets unsatisfactory win as Forbes cut in clash of heads in the sixth round and unable to continue. Dan in front 58-56 on all three cards. Dan, 29, lost a split decision to Turk Selcuk Aydin for the WBC silver belt in June. Forbes, 33, has never been the same fighter since he lost his IBF super featherweight title on the scales in 2002, and is 3-6 in his last nine.
Bizier, 26, blasts out Mexican Ruiz. Left hooks do the damage as Ruiz is floored three times and it is all over in just 84 seconds. Ten by KO/TKO for Bizier. The 38-year-old Ruiz had gone the distance with Cory Spinks and Vern Forrest, but is a spent force now. Poulard, 33, gets the job done even quicker as he floors and halts late sub Tessier in 77 seconds. Poulard, the brother of Jean Pascal, has lost only one of his last 16.
El Paso, USA: Light Middle: Hector Camacho Jr (53-4-1) W PTS 8 Juan Astorga (14-6-1). Heavy: David Rodriguez (34-0) W TKO 2 Matt Hicks (13-6). Poor show for the spectators as southpaw Camacho, now 32, comes in at 166lbs for a fight originally contracted for 154 and shows no condition and no inclination. Showboats, clowns, holds and very little else in a poor fight that has the crowd booing from the first. Camacho wouldn't and poor Mexican Astorga couldn't. Camacho wins on scores of 77-73 from all three officials. Rodriguez pads his record with another meaningless win. Late sub Hicks gives it a try. Rodriguez, 32, floors Hicks with a low punch and then lands two more body shots whilst Hicks is down, and all the referee does is count over Hicks. This is the home town of Rodriguez don't forget. Hicks floored again and in no condition to defend himself. Now 32 out of 34 by KO/TKO for Rodriguez and not one real test in the bunch.
Saint-Quentin, France: Super Feather: Guillame Frenois (21-0) W PTS 12 Eusebio Osejo (17-9-2). Light Heavy: Tony Averlant (15-5-1) W PTS 8 Jonathan Profichet (10-8). Bantam: Jerome Thomas (10-0-1) W PTS 6 Roberto Santos de Jesus (11-4). Super Middle: Hakim Chioui (16-1-1) W TKO 4 Kirilas Psonko (4-10-1). Southpaw Frenois, 27, wins, and goes the distance again. Gets wide unanimous verdict over Nicaraguan to retain IBF International title, but again shows his lack of any punching power. Averlant, another non-puncher, overcomes cut to outpoint Profichet. Although having a very ordinary record Profichet showed he could be dangerous when he kayoed previously unbeaten Chioui last March.
Thomas back on winning groove as he outboxes ordinary Brazilian who loses for the fourth time in a row. Thomas drew with Joaquin Cespedes for the vacant European Union title in December. At 32 Thomas, one of the most successful amateur in the history of French boxing, has left it very late to turn pro, and with his physical disadvantages, will find it hard to get to the top. Chioui is back on the winning trail as Lithuanian Psonko took a beating before retiring in his corner at the end of the fourth round. Psonko, 24, lost on points to Commonwealth champion George Groves in Groves’ first fight.
Fairfield, USA: Super Middle: Peter Quillin (23-0) W TKO 4 Dennis Sharpe (17-6-3). “Kid Chocolate” Quinlan, 27, has it easy against modest Sharpe. Hands-out steady punishment for three rounds then hurts Sharpe badly with an uppercut and the fight stopped. Poor Sharpe is getting the tough ones. He has failed to win any of his last eight and this was his sixth opponent in a row with an unbeaten record. The combined records of his last six opponents is 61-0.
Miami, USA: Middle: Ermosele Albert (24-4-1) W TKO 9 Lester Gonzalez (11-3-1).Nigerian “Bad Boy” Albert wins brutal battle against Cuban southpaw. The 36-year-old Albert attacks relentless from the first round with Cuban firing back with jabs and uppercuts. They go toe-to-toe in middle rounds and head clashes result which see Gonzalez, 33, badly cut on nose. War continues with Albert on top and due to the nose injury Gonzalez does not come out for the ninth. Albert retains IBO Latino title. Three losses in a row for game Cuban.
February 12
Muelheim, Germany: Cruiser: Steve Cunningham (24-2) W PTS 12 Enad Licina (19-3). Cruiser: Yoan Pablo Hernandez (24-1) W TKO 7 Steve Herelius (21-2-1). Super Middle: Arthur Abraham (32-2) W TKO 2 Stjepan Bozic (24-5). Light Heavy: Eduard Gutknecht (20-1) W PTS 8 Olek Cherviak (9-2). Light Heavy: Karo Murat (23-1) W PTS 8 Chris Cruz (12-12-1). Middle: Dominic Britsch (21-0) W PTS 8 Joe Rea (7-2-1). Heavy: Francesco Pianeta (22-0-1) W PTS 8 Samir Kurtagic (9-2). Cunningham dominant in retaining his IBF cruiser title. Serbian Licina in the fight in the early rounds, but then the skill and technique of Cunningham allow the champion to take control and box his way to a unanimous verdict. Scores 118-110, 117-111 and a too generous (to Licina) 115-113. First defence in his second spell as IBF champion for Cunningham.
Hernandez, 26, wins interim WBA title with stoppage of injured Frenchman in all-southpaw battle. The 6’4” tall Hernandez had tremendous advantages in height and reach and champion Herelius, 34, was having trouble getting inside to land any meaningful punches. The fight was virtually over when Herelius damaged his Achilles tendon in the fourth round. The interval before the start of the fifth was prolonged whilst it was established if Herelius could, or would go on. He bravely chose to continue but was floored heavily with a left the seventh and another punch had him sliding to the floor as the referee stopped the fight. Hernandez has won ten in a row since being stopped by Wayne Braithwaite in 2008. Herelius had won the interim title by beating Firat Arslan in July. During his time in the heavyweights Herelius was stopped by Albert Sosnowski in Manchester in 2007.
“King Arthur” Abraham got the win he needed, but not the way he wanted. The former IBF middle champ landed heavily on Slovenian-born Bozic in the first, but in the second a left hook from Bozic landed on the Armenian’s right elbow. Bozic was in immediate pain and he could not continue due to the injury. Abraham goes on to fight Andre Ward in the Super Six semi-finals. Bozic lost to Dmitri Sartison for the vacant WBA secondary title in November 2009. As expected Kazak’s Gutknecht was given a good eight rounds by Cherviak although the former IBF super middles title challenger ran out a clear winner on scores of 80-72, 78-74 and 79-73. Gutknecht lost to Robert Steiglitz for the IBF title last April.
Ukrainian Cherviak, 29, had upset the odds by beating highly touted Vitali Rusal in December. In his first fight since being halted by Nat Cleverly for the European title Iraq-born Murat has routine points win over Cruz. Scores 80-71 from all three officials. Britsch remains unbeaten with wide unanimous decision over Irishman Rea. Scores 80-70, 80-71 and 79-71. Pianeta given trouble by Austrian-based Kurtagic and wins narrow unanimous decision on scores of 78-75, 77-75 and 78-76.
Buenos Aires, Argentina: Super Fly: Omar Narvaez (33-0-2) W PTS 12 Victor Zaleta (17-2). Straw: Sammy Gutierrez (27-5-2) W TKO 6 Renan Trongco (8-3). Narvaez retains WBO super fly title with a wide points win over young Mexican and retains WBO super fly title for first time. Zaleta probably won or shared the first two rounds, but then the experience and firepower of “El Huracan” takes over. Work rate, skill and technique of champion too much for Zaleta and Narvaez pours it on over the last three rounds, but Zaleta survives. Scores 119-108 twice and 120-107. Narvaez is now undefeated in 19 world title fights.
Early shock for Gutierrez as Filipino novice puts him down in the first round. “Guty”, 25, hurt, but finishes the round strongly. From second a sustained body attack slows and tires Trongco. Gutierrez loses a point in sixth for use of the elbow as he goes out for a finish. A barrage of punches render the Filipino defenseless and referee stops it. Six wins for Gutierrez since losing to Raul Garcia for the IBF title in 2009. This supposedly for the vacant interim WBA title, but how novice Trongco qualifies only the WBA know as he had only one ten round fight previous to this.
Guadalajara, Mexico: Marco Antonio Barrera (67-7,1ND) W TKO 2 Jose Arias (15-2). Super Feather: Martin Honorio (29-5-1) W TKO 3 Adrian Tellez (11-7-1). Super Fly: Jonathan Lecona Ramos (7-8-2) W PTS 8 David Gaspar (16-3-1). Too easy for star Barrera. He floors Arias in both the first and second rounds and fight stopped. Only the second fight in almost two years for Barrera who is looking for a title shot at lightweight to become a four division champion. Arias, 37, record misleading as he was out of the ring from 1999 to 2010. Honorio fighting his way back into the picture after losing in an IBF eliminator to Argenis Mendez in May. Floors Tellez in the third and has him under pressure when the referee stops the fight. Honorio’s only title shot was a nightmare as he was stopped in just 56 seconds by Roberto Guerrero in a challenger for the IBF featherweight title in 2007. Local upset as unconsidered Ramos is too busy for Gaspar and wins unanimous verdict on scores of 79-73, 78-74 and 77-75. Ramos had won only two of his last eight going in. US-based Gaspar had won his last six.
Maroochydore, Australia: Light: Jack Asis (22-18-4) W TKO 8 Brett Smith (9-1-1). Big upset as Filipino Asis drops Australian Smith twice in the first round and twice again in the eighth for stoppage victory. Asis had lost his last five, four of those in Australia.
Herning, Denmark: Light Welter: Kim Poulsen (16-1) W PTS 8 Rudy Encarnacion (21-20-3). Heavy: Kubrat Pulev (11-0) W PTS 8 Yaroslav Zavorotnyi (14-6). Heavy: Edmund Gerber (14-0) W PTS 8 Paul Butlin (12-15). Middle: Jozsef Matolcsi (29-13) W TKO 2 Mahir Oral (28-4-2). Light Middle: Ahmad Kaddour (23-2-1) W PTS 6 Lee Noble (12-17-2). Poulsen, 24, makes it 13 wins in a row as he outboxes 34-year-old Spanish-based Dominican who lost to Kevin Mitchell in eight rounds in 2009. Bulgarian Pulev, 29, gets in some useful rounds as he outpoints Ukrainian. Third fight in a row where Pulev has had to go the full distance. In his previous fight Zavorotnyi came in as a late substitute and lost to Alex Dimitrenko when he came in as a late sub to contest the vacant European title. Gerber takes his third British scalp as he wins a wide points verdict over Paul Butlin. Gerber, 22, takes third British scalp in a row as he had already beaten Lee Swaby and Colin Kenna. Ten losses in a row for Butlin but he lasted the distance which is what he was brought in to do.
Big upset as Matolcsi revives his career with stoppage of German Oral. The Hungarian went forward throwing punches from the first bell and never gave Oral a chance to settle. A dishearten Oral retired in his corner at the end of the second round. The experienced Matolcsi, 34, had lost to James Hare, Ted Bami and twice to Marcus Portman, but was fired up for this one. Oral’s only losses since 2005 had come against Arthur Abraham and in an IBF title challenge to Sebastian Sylvester. “Baby Face” Kaddour used his height and reach advantages to outbox game Noble and won every round. Kaddour competed in the 2004 “The Contender” series which is where he suffered his two losses.
Villeurbanne, France: Light Middle: Michel Soro (13-0) W TKO 4 Roman Dzhuman (25-10-1). Impressive performance by 21-year-old Soro in front of his hometown fans. In his first ten rounder he has too much youth and speed for experienced Ukrainian. Wins the first three rounds and then floors Dzhuman twice in the fourth to force the stoppage. A stoppage of Chris Canclaux had made it looks as though the 34-year-old Dzhuman might experience an Indian Summer, but Soro blew that idea away. Dzhuman has lost to Jamie Moore, Gary Woolcombe, James Hare and Jawaid Khaliq here.
