July 14
Marrakesh, Morocco: Welter: Ismael El Massoudi (36-3) W KO 12 Souleymane M’Baye (39-4-1).Bantam: Lee Haskins (22-2) W PTS 12 Mohamed Bouleghcha (16-6-2). Cruiser: Rachid El Hadak (23-8-1) W PTS 12 Rene Huebner (29-17-2). Upset as El Massoudi halts M’Baye in confusing circumstances to win the interim WBA welterweight title.
El Massoudi took the first three rounds with his busier style and greater speed and it was the fourth before M’Baye, 36, got into the fight. Even then “Desert Storm” El Massoudi, 33, continued to score freely particularly with his uppercuts. However, he also became a bit more defensive which allowed M’Baye to close the gap. By the end of the eleventh both fighters had handicaps. El Massoudi had a large lump over his right eye and M’Baye was badly cut by his left eye. The end came suddenly in the last round with a push/punch sending M’Baye down. He twisted his knee in falling and was obviously in some pain and was counted out. A former undefeated French light welter and African welterweight champion, El Massoudi has now won 15 of his last 16 fights. This was a first defence for M’Baye, and his first fight since May 2010. A former WBA light welter champ, he lost that title to Gavin Rees in 2007.
Brit Haskins puts on a brilliant display of boxing to beat Frenchman Bouleghcha. The speed and accuracy of southpaw Haskins' boxing always put him in front. “Little Joe” Bouleghcha, 29, is forced to take a standing eight count by a left-right combination in sixth, has a good round in the tenth, when he scores well with short hooks, but is hurt again with a body punch in the eleventh and again given an eight count. Haskins wins on scores of 119-107 twice and 117-109. Haskins, 27, a former British and Commonwealth super fly champion and Commonwealth flyweight champ wins IBF International and WBA Inter-Continental titles. Bouleghcha is a former French and European Union champion. El Hadak retains WBA European title for the second time. German Huebner is in there just to survive. El Hadak, 37, floors the German and wins every round retaining on scores of 120-108 twice and 120-107. Nine wins in a row for El Hadak since losing to Brit Dave Dolan in 2008.
Mexico City, Mexico: Super Feather: Carlos Cardenas (17-5-1) W TKO 10 Heli Quiroz. Venezuelan Cardenas took control early and at times looked to have “Taliban” Quiroz badly hurt. However as Cardenas slowed in the later rounds Quiroz looked capable of turning the tables. That effort came to an end in the tenth when a body punch put Quiroz down in agony. He beat the count but was under pressure when the fight is stopped. Mexican-based “El Profeta”, 26, has won 6 of his last 7, and has twelve wins by KO/TKO.
July 15
Florencio Varela, Argentina: Super Feather: Fernando Saucedo (42-5-3) W PTS 12 Carlos Rodriguez (24-5). Light Welter: Oscar Pereyra (24-1) W TKO 2 Guillermo de Jesus Paz (19-22-3). “El Basque” Saucedo, 30, pleases the home town fans as he dominates all the way, scoring heavily throughout with left hooks and right crosses. Rodriguez is floored in the fifth from a left hook to the body, and constantly under pressure, as Saucedo looks for finish. Bout goes the distance and Saucedo wins wide unanimous verdict on scores of 119-108, 118-109 and 117-108. Saucedo loses point for low left hook in second and Rodriguez deducted a point for a punch after the bell at the end of the eleventh. Saucedo, who lost on points to Chris John for the WBA feather title last December, wins vacant IBF Latino title. That loss to John is the only defeat in his last 27 fights for Saucedo. “El Salvaje” Pereyra, Argentinian No 3 lightweight, wastes no time with Paz. Hurts him with a right in the first then puts him down flat with a combination in second. Somehow Paz gets up. He is floored again with left hook to the chin and his corner throw in the towel as the referee is counting.
Cordoba, Argentina: Middle: Carlos Baldomir (48-13-6) W PTS 10 Ruben Diaz (37-21-4). Easy win for 40-year-old “Tata”. The former WBC welter champion never loses a round as he is always in command against very modest Uruguayan opponent. Baldomir has Diaz in trouble in the fifth when a left hook has him reeling and the referee applies a standing count. After that Diaz survives and Baldomir coasts the rest of the way. Scores 100-88 ½, 100-89 ½ and 100-92 ½. Three wins in a row now for Baldomir since moving up to middle. Four losses in a row for Diaz.
Campsie, Australia: Super Middle: Nader Hamdan (43-9-1) W PTS 12 Dan Pawsey (13-5). A fight of two halves as Hamdan’s aggression and cleaner punching gives him an early lead in a good fight. Pawsey has some success as he hurts Hamdan, 37, with a right in the sixth and comes into the fight as “Lionheart” Hamdan tires, but the more experienced fighter remains in command, and wins unanimous verdict. Some strange scoring of 119-112, 118-110 and 115-113 the latter more accurately reflects Pawsey’s efforts. Hamden, a former Australian light middle and middle champion and WBA super middle challenger, was without a win in his last four, but wins “Condo Crusher” Pawsey’s WBO Asia Pacific title.
Goeppingen, Germany: Cruiser: Firat Arslan (31-5-1) W TKO 5 Lubos Suda (23-6-1). Super Middle: Nikola Sjekloca (21-0) W PTS 12 Khoren Gevor (31-7). Heavy: Erkan Teper (6-0) W KO 9 Jakov Gospic (9-2). Welter: Selcuk Aydin (22-0) W KO 5 Raman Dzekhkanau (10-3). Easy win for come backing Arslan who collects the vacant IBF International title. His aggression and body punching just too much for Czech veteran Suda. The German southpaw, a former WBA secondary champion, floors Suda twice in fourth, and twice more in fifth, and the fight is stopped. First fight for Arslan since loss to Steve Herelius in July last year. Suda, 35, stopped in five rounds in his last fight by Ola Afolabi, was once a prospect as he lost only one of his first 20 fights, including a win over Arslan in his sixth fight.
Serbian-born Montenegrin-based Sjekloca, 33, springs upset as he takes close unanimous verdict over Armenian Gevor. Early rounds go to the taller Sjekloca who keeps the fight at a distance and scores regularly with his low held jab. Gevor made to look crude with his wild attacks and rough tactics. However, as the pace gets to Sjekloca, Gevor closes the distance and gets inside where he scores well with hooks as Sjekloca tires badly. Too little too late from Gevor as Sjekloca retains WBC International title for second time on scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 115-114. First fight for Gevor since disqualification loss to Robert Stieglitz for WBO title in April, when he was banned for striking the referee. Novice Teper, 29, wins vacant Mediterranean title as her floors Croat Gospic in fourth and finally catches up with him in ninth, when he floors Gospic twice, and the referee stops the fight. The 6’5” Teper, who never quite managed to win the German amateur title, has four wins by KO/TKO. Mark-time fight for WBC No 3 “Mini-Tyson” Aydin as he kayos the lanky Belarus fighter in fifth. Now 17 by KO/TKO for Turk who could grow old waiting for a shot at the WBC title.
Catano, Puerto Rico: Super Bantam: Jayson Velez (16-0) W PTS 10 Carlos Valcarcel (12-3-4). Light: Abner Cotto (11-0) W PTS 8 Carlos Claudio (10-6-3). “La Maravilla” Velez makes heavy weather of it against former amateur star Valcarcel. The hard punching 25-year-old looked on the way to a quick win when he had Valcarcel in serious trouble in the third, but Valcarcel survived and scored heavily in the middle rounds. Velez failed to make full use of his superior skills and needed a strong finish to take the verdict on scores of 95-93 twice and 96-94. Velez wins vacant WBO Latino and WBC Fecarbox titles. Valcarcel, 29, was a silver medal winner at three consecutive Central American championships and competed at the 2000 Olympics where he lost to Omar Narvaez, has only been beaten inside the distance by Eric Morel in 2008. Cotto, 23, a cousin of Miguel Cotto, suffers a shock first round knockdown against modest Claudio. Takes his time to get back in control then outboxes Claudio scoring freely with left jab and straight rights to take unanimous verdict on scores of 77-74 from all three judges.
Atlanta, USA: Welter: Luis Galarza (17-2,1ND) W PTS 8 Paul Delgado (25-11-1). Hard fought, bloody fight, sees lanky Puerto Rican Galarza, 29, get the split decision. Galarza takes early rounds with his aggression. In the second a right from Galarza sees Delgado cut over his left eye. Delgado, 35, finally starts to score well with counters and has Galarza badly hurt late in the fourth. Galarza then changes tactics to box on the outside and that lets Delgado into the fight. A clash of heads in the seventh has Galarza badly cut on the left eyebrow. With the fight in the balance, Galarza scores a decisive knockdown with a left hook in the last to take the split verdict on scores of 78-74, 77-75 and 75-76. Big win for Galarza who makes it eight wins in a row. Cape Verde born Delgado was kayoed in five rounds by IBF champion Jan Zaveck in a title challenge in February.
Burbank, USA: Light Welter: Albert Mensah (24-3-1) W PTS 12 Andre Gorges (11-2). Welter: Lanardo Tyner (25-4-2) W Vivian Harris (29-7-1,1ND). More strange scoring as tall Ghanaian “Tornado” Mensah, in his first fight in the USA, wins majority verdict over Iraqi-born Gorges. Mensah scores well throughout with hooks and uppercuts against the aggressive Gorges and looks a clear winner reflected on scores of 117-111 twice, but one judge sees it 114-114. Mensah wins vacant IBF International title. Now 14 wins in a row for Mensah. Gorges had beaten former WBO light welter champ DeMarcus Corley in his last fight.
Controversial unanimous decision for Tyner over former WBA light welter champ Harris. The Guyanese fighter uses his 5” height and reach advantage to score from the outside against Tyner, who tries to force his was inside, but is hit with good counters. “Pain Server” Tyner has some success from the seventh onwards as he attacks the body of tiring 33-year-old Harris and gets the decision on scores of 97-93 twice and a more accurate 96-94. Tyner, who did not turn pro until he was 29, went the distance with Saul Alvarez in 2009 and beat Antwone Smith last July, but was without a win in his previous three with two draws and a split decision loss to Gorges. Tyner wins vacant USBO title. Harris has lost his last four, three inside the distance, but all to top opposition including Victor Ortiz and Lucas Matthysse.
Atlantic City, USA: Light Middle: Gabriel Rosado (17-5) W TKO 5 Ayi Bruce (20-3). The lanky Rosado, IBF No 14, halts late sub Ghanaian Bruce. Rosado, 25, in control as he boxes on the outside scoring well with body shots. Bruce, 25, has a better third round, but is floored with a right in the fourth. His corner seem ready to pull him out at the end of the round, but then change their mind. Makes no real difference as a concerted attack from Rosado in fifth brings the referee’s intervention. Rosado has wins over Ireland’s James Moore and former IBF champ Kassim Ouma. Bruce had won his last five, including an impressive win over Shamone Alvarez, but had only 48 hours notice for this one.
Las Vegas, USA: Super Feather: Diego Magdaleno (20-0) W PTS 10 Alejandro Perez (15-3-1). Super Feather: Casey Ramos (14-0) W PTS 8 Georgi Kevlishvili (12-3). Southpaw Magdaleno, 24, had to climb off the floor to retain his 100% record. Perez scored a flash knockdown with a counter in the first, but then lost his advantage as he was deducted a point in the second for low blows. It got worse for Perez in the fourth when he was cut above the right eye in a clash of heads. From then on Magdaleno was in control scoring constantly with a hand speed that Perez could not match. As Perez, 25, tired Magdaleno had him rocking a few times, but not being a big puncher, could not find a finisher. WBA No 6 Magdaleno wins on scores of 99-90, 98-90 and 98-91, and retains NABF title. Perez had beaten highly touted Antonio Escalante in March. He lost on points to new WBA super bantam champ Rico Ramos in 2009.
Ramos seems a clear winner, but has to settle for a split decision over Georgian. Texan “The Wizard” Ramos, 21, was the faster of the two fighters and was early into his rhythm. A clash of heads saw Ramos cut in the third, but he was the busier and more accurate puncher. Kevlishvili, 30, a late sub, was throwing less but his heavier punches kept him in the fight. Ramos looked a clear winner. Scores 78-74, 77-75 and 75-77. Kevlishvili has now lost 3 of his last 4.
New York, USA: Light Middle: Pawel Wolak (29-1-1) DREW 10 Delvin Rodriguez (25-5-3). Light Welter: Ray Serrano (16-0) W PTS 8 Dan Sostre (11-4-1). Magnificent “Fight of the Year” candidate as the contrasting styles leads to a battle royal. Pole Wolak just walks forward, and walks forward, throwing punches in bunches. Rodriguez scores continually with hard, accurate counters on the oncoming Pole, and much of the time it is a toe-to-toe battle. From the sixth “Raging Bull” Wolak, 29, fights with the severe handicap of a hideous swelling that closes his right eye. The Pole just keeps coming, but now Rodriguez is snapping Wolak’s head back with combinations. The ninth is a candidate for “Round of the Year” as they battle toe-to-toe. Rodriguez rocks Wolak with a left in the last, but Wolak just fires back. Scores 95-95 twice and 97-93 for Rodriguez for a majority draw, but Rodriguez looked to have done enough for victory. WBO No 3 Wolak had beaten former IBF champion Yuri Foreman in March. Dominican Rodriguez, 31, lost a split decision to Isaac Hlatshwayo for the vacant IBF welter title in 2009 and was beaten on a majority decision by Ashley Theophane in his last fight in July 2010. He has won only one of his last five, but with a touch of luck he could have won four of them.
Serrano remains unbeaten but shows he still has much room for improvement. Serrano’s better boxing and harder punch gives him the edge, but Puerto Rican Sostre makes it a hard night for the 22-year-old prospect with one judge having only a point between them. Serrano wins on score of 78-74 twice and 77-75. Sostre was unbeaten in his last ten going in.
July 16
Sao Paulo, Brazil: Middle: Michael Oliveira (15-0) W KO 6 Jose Soto (24-8-2). 11 id The Brazilian Rocky wins vacant WBC Latino title.
Munich, Germany: Cruiser: Marco Huck (33-1) W KO 10 Hugo Garay (34-6). Light Heavy: Eduard Gutknecht (22-1) W PTS 12 Lorenzo Di Giacomo (41-5-1). Middle: Dominik Britsch (24-0) W TKO 9 Ryan Davis (23-9-3). Heavy: Kubrat Pulev (13-0) W PTS 8 Maksym Pediura (13-2-1). Middle: Markos Nader (11-0) W PTS 8 Gaetano Nespro (18-8). Huck 26, gives himself a wedding present, as he overcomes tough Garay in a good scrap. Huck has Garay down in the first, but the Argentinian recovers well. Huck is deducted a point in the third for rabbit punching. Garay still in it after eight but Huck slowly gets on top and then wobbles the Argentinian with a right in tenth and then puts the dazed Argentinian down for the count with a left. Seventh defence of WBO title for Huck. Garay is a former WBA light heavy champ. Gutknecht retains European title with one-sided points victory over game Italian. Gutknecht controls the fight from the outside scoring heavily with jabs and straight rights. Di Giacomo has some success in the middle rounds, but also suffers a disputed knockdown. Scores 119-107 twice and 120-105. Britsch extends winning run. Well in front he floors Ryan in ninth. Ryan beats the count and looks ok, but the fight is stopped. Really just a sparring session for Pulev as he wins every round. Light-punching Nader never totally in control against tough Italian but comes away with a points win.
Arborea, Italy: Light: Luca Giacon (16-0) W TKO 5 Ruddy Encarnacion (21-22-3). Welter: Semjons Moroseks (10-18-1) W TKO 1 Luciano Abis (31-2-1). Middle: Domenico Spada (33-4) W TKO 4 Kirilas Psonko (6-13-1). Super Middle: Mouhamed Ali Ndiaye (20-1) W TKO 2 Pavels Lotahs (6-17-1). Giacon wins vacant EU title with stoppage of game Dominican-born Encarnacion. Giacon is having the better of a good fight apart from some tasty hooks landed by Encarnacion in the second. In the fifth a left hook lands on the side of Encarnacion’s head and seems to affect his balance, and he is reeling when the fight is stopped. Spanish-born Giacon has won all of his fights by KO/TKO. Huge upset as light punching Latvian floors Abis in the first ten seconds. Abis gets up, but another right has him in trouble and the referee stops the fight. Spada chasing down Psonko from the first and hands out enough punishment for the referee to stop the fight in the fourth. Ndiaye sweeps aside poor Lotahs with ease.
Cancun, Mexico: Light Fly: Roman Gonzalez (29-0) W TKO 7 Omar Salado (22-4-2). Light Welter: Juan Manuel Marquez (53-5-1) W KO 1 Likar Ramos (24-4). Feather: Rafael Marquez (40-6) W TKO 6 Eduardo Becerril (12-8-2). Impressive performance by “Chocolatito” who retains his WBA title against poor challenger. The 24-year-old Nicaraguan floors Mexican twice in the first round, and has him battered and bleeding the rest of the way. Salado floored again in the seventh. Beats the count but is taking more needless punishment when the towel comes in. Now 24 wins by KO/TKO for Gonzalez a former WBA strawweight champ. A fight between Gonzalez and Giovanni Segura would be one to savor. Salado, 31, has lost 3 of his last 4, but held Ulises Solis to a draw for the IBF light fly in 2006.
No banana skin for “Dinamita” Marquez, 37, as he crushes Ramos. One straight right and it is all over in just 47 seconds. Now on to Pacquiao for WBA/WBO light champion Juan Manuel. Ramos, a former interim WBA super feather champ was out cold and out of his class. Younger brother Rafael Marquez won easily enough but looked pedestrian in beating a poor opponent who was a late sub. Marquez took the first three rounds, floored Becerril in the fourth and battered him throughout the fifth. Becerril retired in his corner before the start of the sixth. Marquez, a former IBF bantam and WBC super bantam champion, is showing the signs of his titanic battles with Israel Vazquez and the stoppage loss to Juan Manuel Lopez. Becerril has lost 6 of his last 8.
Cancun, Mexico: Fly: Wilbert Uicab (33-5-1,1ND) W TEC DEC 10 Anuar Salas (8-1). Salas is in the fight early, but Uicab slowly takes control. In the tenth Salas is angered by low blow from Uicab and delivers a butt that renders Uicab unable to continue, so Mexican gets the technical decision and retains WBC Silver belt for third time.
Honolulu, USA: Fly: Brian Viloria (29-3,2ND) W PTS 12 Julio Cesar Miranda (35-6). Former WBC and IBF light fly champ Viloria becomes champion again as he wins WBO title with a unanimous verdict over Mexican Miranda. Great fight with Viloria scoring a knockdown in the first and sweeping the first three rounds. Miranda getting inside from fourth and walking through Viloria’s counters and body shots. Viloria cut in seventh but Miranda walking into some hard counters. Viloria well in from but fades with Miranda having a big tenth and seeming to take last two rounds.
Atlantic City, USA: Heavy: Maurice Harris (25-15-2) W TKO 12 Derric Rossy (25-5). Two fighters both needing a win and Harris, 35, gets it. Floors Rossy in the fourth and again in the last. Rossy beats the count but takes another volley of shots and the fight is stopped. Harris had lost in three rounds to Tommy Thompson in May. Rossy had lost to Eddie Chambers and Kubrat Pulev.
