April 13
Brisbane, Australia: Middle: Anthony Mundine (41-4) W PTS 10 Garth Wood (10-2-1). “The Man” Mundine described this as redemption after revenging his shock kayo loss in December to the winner of the Australian super middle “Contender” series.
This was a hard, close, ugly fight most of the way, with Wood trying to turn it into a brawl, and Mundine getting sucked in. The referee warned both boxers as early as the start of the second round. Mundine builds a small early lead with his better boxing. Wood has Mundine cut over the right eye in the sixth, and the cut, which later required seven stitches, continued to bleed for the remaining rounds. Wood also had a strong eighth round, to probably edge himself in front. In the ninth Wood was given a standing eight count, although his corner felt it was a result of a slip. Mundine lost a point for fouls in the tenth, but crucially also forced a second standing count in the round, and his stronger finish gave him the close unanimous decision on scores of 96-92 twice and 95-93.
Mundine, twice a WBA champion at super middleweight, had only been stopped once before Wood turned the trick last year, and that was against Sven Ottke for the IBF title in 2001. Mundine, somehow still rated No 7 light middleweight despite the previous loss to Wood, is hoping to land a title shot with Austin Trout for the WBA secondary title. Wood, 32 has made a name for himself over these two fights. He is strong but limited so it will be interesting to see where he goes from here.
New York, USA: Light Middle: Dmitry Salita (33-1-1) W PTS 8 Ronnie Warrior Jr (13-5-1,9ND). Light Middle: Luis Collazo (31-4) W TKO 3 Franklin Gonzalez (13-9). Despite a late scare, an easy night for Salita against a game, but limited Warrior. The “Star of David” was too skilful, busy and quick, for the 34-year-old Oklahoma southpaw, and was in charge until the last round when he was cut in a clash of heads. The Ukrainian, 29, wins on scores of 80-72 twice and 79-73, for his third victory since his disastrous wipe out in 76 seconds by Amir Khan for the WBA title in December 2009.
Brooklyn southpaw Collazo is too much for overmatched Gonzalez. Collazo scores knockdown in second, and two more in third to force the finish. First fight since June 2009 for the former WBA welter champion. Collazo came off the floor in losing his title on a close unanimous verdict to Ricky Hatton in May 2006. Still only 29, Collazo, subsequently lost to Shane Mosley for the interim WBC welter title and to Andre Berto for the full title in 2009. Gonzalez has lost six in a row, including a decision to Salita
April 15
Bahia Blanca, Argentina: Super Fly: Omar Narvaez (34-0-2) W PTS 12 Cesar Seda (20-1). Fly: Nestor Narvaez (17-0-2,1ND) W PTS 10 Luis Singo (14-7-2). Experience and strength tell in this all-southpaw battle as Narvaez, 35, retains WBO super fly title in his second defence. Puerto Rican Seda, 25, has a good start as he scores well with hard, sharp punches to head and body and wins the first two rounds. In the third, after Seda again scores well and is on top, Narvaez finally shows some sign of solving his challenger’s style. From the fourth “El Huracan” closes the distance and gets on top with his clever bobbing and weaving and two-fisted aggression. Under pressure, Seda loses a point for butting. From a painful sixth for the challenger to the eleventh Narvaez is dominant with Seda unable to stem the tide. With the decision wrapped-up Narvaez floats through the last despite the desperate efforts of Seda to find a big punch. Scores 117-110 twice and a too close 115-112. Seda gave it a good try throwing fast combinations and looking to take Narvaez out. He still has the potential to win a world title in the future.
A good night for Narvaez clan as younger brother Nestor, 29, won the interim WBC Latino title with a wide points verdict over 35-year-old Ecuadorian Singo. Narvaez had big advantages in height and reach against little Singo. Narvaez scores a knockdown in sixth, but game Ecuadorian stays to the final bell. Narvaez wins on scores of 100-89, 99-90 and 98-91.
Madrid, Spain: Super Bantam: Kiko Martinez (25-3) W TKO 10 Jason Booth (36-7).Middle: Grzegorz Proksa (24-0) W KO 9 Pablo Navascues (25-2-1). Light Heavy: Gabriel Campillo (21-3.1ND) W TKO 5 Sergey Beloshapkin (9-7). Cruiser: David Quinonero (26-0) W KO 5 Ali Ismailov (18-6-1). Middle: Ruben Varon (37-6) W PTS 8 Daniel Perez (13-3). The strength of Martinez was a big factor in this fight as he gradually wore down the British fighter. Martinez had Booth hurt in the fifth, Booth tried to rally in the eighth, but was looking shaky at the bell for the ninth. When Booth was floored by a left in the tenth, the referee stopped the fight. “La Sensacion”, 25, wins the vacant European title which he first won by halting Brendan Dunne in a round in 2007, but then lost to Rendall Munroe in 2008. He lost a unanimous decision to Munroe in 2008 and also lost to current IBF champion Takalani Ndlovu in an IBF eliminator in 2009. The 33-year-old Commonwealth and British champion Booth lost a majority verdict to Steve Molitor for the IBF title in September.
Southpaw Proksa retained the European Union title in an a times untidy battle with experienced Navascues. It was fairly even in the early rounds with Navascues the aggressor and Pole Proksa boxing at a distance. Proksa was warned twice for low blows in the fifth and was deducted a point for the same offence in the sixth. Navascues was in with a chance until the ninth British-based Proksa unleashed some heavy firepower and put Navascues down and out. Now 17 by KO/TKO for “Super G”. “Hurricane” Navascues, a former Spanish light middle champion, had drawn with former WBA middle champion Javier Castillejos in 2009. Former WBA champion Campillo, 32, in his first fight since May last year, has Russian southpaw hurt in second and has the Russian bloody and in trouble in the fifth when it is stopped.
The crude, but effective, WBC silver belt champion Quinonero, 35, walked down Azeri Ismailov and ended the fight with a big left in the fifth. Quinonero’s title was not at stake and he now has 25 wins by KO/TKO. Ismailov,36, lost a split verdict to Victor Ramirez for the WBO title in May 2009, but has won only two of his last six, with all of losses coming by KO/TKO. Varon and Perez put on a spirited, good quality, eight round bout with the experience of Varon giving him the edge and he took the unanimous decision on scores of 80-74, 79-73 and 78-73. Varon gave Matthew Macklin a good fight for the European title in December and lost to Felix Strum for the WBA title in 2003. Perez has had shots at the Spanish title at welter and light middle, but on each occasion has come out on the wrong end of split decisions.
Mt Claremont, Australia: Light Welter: Steve Wills (16-0-2) W TKO 2 Venance Mponji (18-14-3). Cruiser: Pieter Cronje (12-4-1) W TKO 2 Shane Tilyard (4-5). Cruiser: Victor Oganov (31-4) W KO 1 Walter Pupu’a (12-11). “The Surgeon” Wills, 27, goes inside and to the body as usual. Tanzanian Mponje under pressure from the first bell, and after a wicked body shot in the second half turns away, and a volley of punches brings the referee in to save Mponje. Southpaw Wills retains WBC Asia Pacific title for third time.
In a bash/crash heavyweight fight Cronje and Tilyard parked skill in the corner and exchanged bombs from the bell. Novice Tilyard shook Cronje badly with a looping right in the first only for Cronje to send Tilyard sprawling with a left. Cronje broke through again with a left hook to floor Tilyard at the end of the first. It was more of the same in the second until Cronje put Tilyard down again and he was counted out. The 6’5” tall South African makes it three wins since he was blown away in 48 seconds by Anton Nel in March last year. Oganov and Pupu’a also go toe-to-toe until a left to the body from Oganov put Pupu’a down for the count. The 34-year-old Russian has 29 wins by KO/TKO and was bouncing back from losses to Garth Wood in The Contender series and to Mike Bolling. Samoan Pupu’a has lost 8 of his last 9.
Mansfield, Australia: Middle: Johannes Mwetupungha (11-2) W TKO 8 Omar Shaick (8-2). Namibian Mwetupungha, 34, retains Australian title in fourth defence. Southpaw Shaick cut by a punch in the third and floored three times in eighth. Mwetupungha, who has won his last nine fights, represented Namibia in the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Sydney, Australia: Super Middle: Daniel Pawsey (13-4) W TKO 7 Les Piper (13-7-3). Tall, slim former Rugby League player “Condo Crusher” Pawsey makes first defence of his WBO Asia Pacific title with stoppage of Piper, another contestant in the Australian “Contender” series.
Condom, France: Light Heavy: Doudou Ngumbu (24-2) W PTS 12 Mohamed Belkacem (19-4-1). Congolese-born Ngumbu, 29, retains ABU title in war with Swiss-based Algerian Belkacem. After a poor first round, Ngumbu moves ahead as he uses his superior skills to build a lead. Unfortunately Ngumbu, six points ahead at the end of the eighth, then started to mix it with Belkacem and was under pressure for the rest of the fight. Scores 116-112 twice and 115-113.
Louvroil, France: Light Middle: Moez Fhami (21-1-1) W PTS 12 Carlos Herrera (22-4). The quick hands and excellent technique of 30-year-old Tunisian-born Fhami sees him controlling the bout. Herrera tries to bull his way into the fight, but is always behind. Scores 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112 as Fhami, now unbeaten in his last 16, wins vacant WBC Latino title. Argentinian Herrera was halted inside a round by Saul Alvarez in 2009.
Capoterra, Italy: Welter: Lucian Abis (31-1-1) W T DEC 7 Mark Lloyd (15-4). Bantam: Andrea Sarritzu (32-4-4) W PTS 6 Sergei Tassimov (9-36-2). Super Middle: Mouhamed Ali Ndayie (19-1) W PTS 6 Ruslans Pojonisevs (12-15-1). Welter: Phil Lo Greco (21-0) W TKO 4 Semjons Moroseks (8-17-1). “Bazooka” Abis, 31, retains European Union title as he wins every round against Brit Mark Lloyd, 35, before a clash of head takes it to the scorecards with Abis winning by 69-60 on all three cards. Fifth win for Abis since losing to world rated Pole Rafal Jackiewicz for European title in early 2009. European flyweight champ wins mark-time fight against 36-year-old Estonian. Sarritzu lost and drew in WBO title fights with Omar Narvaez. Tassimov has won only one of his last 25 fights.
Senegal-born Ndayie, 31, has routine win over Latvian. Ndaye’s loss was to Lolenga Mock for the European Union title in 2008, and he has had five wins since then. The “Italian Sensation” Lo Greco, who has dual Italian-Canadian citizenship, halts unpredictable Latvian. Lo Greco, 26, is current WBC International champion. He was Italian champion as an amateur and also lost twice to Neil Perkins. Moroseks blotted his copybook as a reliable loser by beating Frenchman Denis Saioni in March last year.
St Louis, USA: Light: Dannie Williams (17-1) W TKO 1 Manuel Leyva (18-3). Impressive win for former National Golden Gloves champion Williams in front of his hometown fans. Floors Mexican southpaw twice with rights and referee waives the count and stops the fight. Now 14 wins by KO/TKO and fifth win in a row since loss to Eloy Perez for Williams who wins vacant WBC Continental Americas title. Leyva’s record a bit misleading as all the wins have been on the Baja California circuit, but five weeks ago he only lost on a split decision to Joel Casamayor.
Temecula, USA: Light Welter: Marvin Quintero (22-3) W TKO 3 Juan Santiago (13-7-1). Light Welter: Ruslan Provodnikov (19-1) W TKO 8 Ivan Popoca (15-1-1). Mexican southpaw Quintero, 24, has to adjust to facing a substitute but has no trouble with Santiago. Shakes him in first and second. Hurts Santiago in third and has him under pressure when the referee steps in. Second win for Quintero since shock kayo loss to veteran Daniel Attah in November. Santiago, from Denver came in a four days notice and has now lost 4 of his last 5.
Russian prospect Provodnikov, 27, hits too hard for Chicago-based Mexican. Provodnikov always on top scoring with left hooks and the out-gunned Popoca trying to stay in the fight with his jab. Popoca in trouble from left hook in fifth and after slower sixth, Provodnikov scores heavily again in seventh. Floors Popoca with right in eighth and follow-up attack brings referee’s intervention. Second win for Russian since losing close decision to Mauricio Herrera in January. Popoca record all built in Illinois.
San Francisco, USA: Super Feather: Eloy Perez (21-0-2,1ND) W PTS 10 Alejandro Rodriguez (12-2). Super Feather: Gary Russell Jr (15-0) W PTS 6 Adolfo Landeros (21-19-1). “The Prince”, 24, wins every round against Mexican. Perez scores heavily in the early rounds and then coast to the finish without any trouble. Scores 100-90 from all three officials. Perez is no puncher, but with wins over Domenico Salcido and Rene Gonzalez is making progress. First fight outside Guadalajara for 23-year-old Rodriguez. Russell, 22, scores first round knockdown over Landeros, but then settles for outfoxing the veteran loser and wins on wide unanimous verdict on scores of 60-53. Southpaw Russell was in the US team in Beijing, but the pressure of making the weight was too much and he collapsed before the weigh-in for his first bout. Landeros, 31, has lost nine of his last ten but does his job by testing these young prospects and going the distance.
Troy, USA: Emmanuel Lucero (26-6-1NY State title) W PTS 8 Carlos Rivera (16-9-2). Mexican Lucero, 32, wins vacant NY State title with one-sided victory over game, but very limited Rivera. Lucero scores knockdowns in first and sixth and boxes his way to comfortable victory on scores of 80-72 from all three officials. “The Butcher” was undefeated in his first 22 fights before being stopped by Manny Pacquiao for the IBF super bantam title in 2003.Six losses in a row for Floridian Rivera.
April 16
Bayamon, Puerto Rico: Feather: Orlando Salido (35-11-2,1ND) W TKO 8 Juan Manuel Lopez (30-1).Super Feather: Luis Cruz (18-0) W PTS 10 Martin Honorio (29-6-1). Heavy: Victor Bisbal (19-1) W PTS 8 Willie Herring (12-9-3). Light: Jose A Gonzalez (15-0) W TKO 3 Miguel Angel Munguia (18-19-1). Heavy: Carlos Negron (12-0) W TKO 4 Emerson Chasing Bear (4-2-2). Huge upset and slightly controversial ending. Lopez scores heavily over the first three rounds, but Salido stays in there and also scores with some hard shots of his own. The fifth is the turning point as at the end of the round with both exchanging bombs, Salido lands with a hard left hook and a thunderous right which send Lopez to the canvas. Lopez beats the count and survives to the bell. Salido goes looking for a finish in the sixth, but a gutsy Lopez makes it through the round. In the seventh Lopez begins to recover and is scoring heavily himself and the worst seems to be over. However, in the eighth Salido has Lopez badly hurt and staggering and batters the Puerto Rican around the ring. Lopez is trying to counter but is taking heavy head punches when the referee stops the fight. Lopez, and many in the partisan crowd, thought the stoppage was premature and the ring was pelted with objects as a protests, and the referee needed to be accompanied by security guards on the way back to the dressing rooms.
If you believe the judges then prospect Cruz either beat experienced Mexican Honorio by a mile or just scraped by him on the narrowest of margins. This was a great learning fight and a step-up in opposition for Cruz. Honorio’s body attack was the main feature over the opening rounds, but in the middle rounds Cruz began to time the attacks of Honorio and his hooks and uppercuts had the Mexican shaken on a number of occasions. It was a tough test for young Cruz and both fighters had their moments with Cruz just having the edge and deserving the decision. The scores were ridiculous, 100-90, 98-92 and 95-94.
Too easy for Bisbal who batters poor Herring for eight rounds, has him in trouble many times, but can’t put him away. Scores 77-64 twice, 78-63. Bisbal, 30, is still fighting poor opposition. Herring has only been stopped once and also took Carlos Negron the distance. Hot prospect “Chelo” Gonzalez, 27, halts veteran loser Munguia in three. Ten by KO/TKO for Gonzalez, but Munguia, who lost on points to John Murray in 2007, 3-16 in his last 19 with twelve losses by KO/TKO. Meaningless win for Negron over South Dakota’s Chasing Bear. Ten wins by KO/TKO for Negron, who has moved up to heavyweight, but has yet to impress. Chasing Bear, 35, and inactive for ten months.
Mashantucket, USA: Welter: Victor Ortiz (29-2-2) W PTS 12 Andre Berto (27-1). Light Middle: Deandre Latimore (22-3) W PTS 8 Dennis Sharpe (17-7-3). Yet another upset as Ortiz, in a battle that saw both fighters on the floor, takes both Berto’s WBC title and his unbeaten tag. From the first bell this one had fireworks as southpaw Ortiz had Berto down twice; the first being ruled a slip. Berto, 27, fired back in the second and floored Ortiz. Ortiz put the pressure on in the third and had Berto hurt again. Ortiz was the aggressor with Berto being forced onto the back foot and fighting off the ropes. In a wild sixth round Berto managed to find space and floored Ortiz with a right, only for Ortiz to fire back and score a knockdown of his own. The fight continued at a fast pace with Ortiz losing a point in the tenth for a punch that landed behind Berto’s ear. Over the last two rounds Berto seemed to feel the pace more than Ortiz and looked a tired fighter. Ortiz won on scores of 115-110, 114-111 and 114-112. Berto was the favourite as Ortiz was moving up from light welter where he had been stopped by Marcos Maidana in June 2009 and in his last fight had just scraped a draw against Lamont Peterson in December. This was the sixth defence of his WBC title for Berto, who had been hoping to get into the mix for a fight with Manny Pacquiao.
Southpaw Latimore had an easy night with modest Sharpe. Latimore, 25, who lost a split verdict to Cory Spinks for the IBF title in 2009, and a majority decision to Sechew Powell in March last year, was too sharp for Sharpe and was able to land with quality punches throughout winning every round as the 80-72 score from all three judges attests. Sharpe without a win in his last eight fights.
Pigue, Argentina: Light: Matias Ferreyra (25-2) W TEC DEC 12 Oscar Bravo (17-2). Tough night for 28-year-old southpaw Ferreyra in his hometown. Having moved up from super feather where he lost in two shots at the South American title, Ferreyra finally won a title, the vacant WBC International, but in controversial circumstances. Chilean Bravo, 23, showed that he was dangerous, as he put Ferreyra down in both the third and fifth rounds. Ferreyra worked his way back into the fight, but it was still in the balance when a clash of heads in the last round saw Ferreyra cut too badly to continue. It went to the cards, with the last round being scored and Ferreyra was given a hotly disputed split verdict on scores of 115-112, 114-112 and 110-118. Ferreyra lost to Vince Escobedo in the 2004 Americas Olympic qualifiers. Bravo’s only other loss is to Australian prospect Will Tomlinson.
Barrio Santa Paula, Argentina: Jesus Marcelo Cuellar (16-0) W TKO 4 Ramon Torres (23-9-1).Southpaw Cuellar, 24, wins the vacant Argentinian title with a one-sided win over Torres. Cuellar scoring heavily in first and then floors Torres with a chopping right to the jaw in the second. More heavy punishment for game Torres in the third but Cuellar swinging widely in his eagerness to put Torres away. Torres walks forward throwing leather in the third, and then Cuellar explodes a right and Torres is down. His corner throws in the towel during the count.
Fort-de-France, Martinique: Middle: Julien Marie Sainte (30-2) W KO 3 Michel Mothmora (15-20). “Brigadier” Marie Sainte retains French title with easy third round kayo of modest challenger. After a quiet first round, Marie Sainte puts Mothmora down with a right. The challenger beats the count and lasts out the round, but another right in the third finishes the fight. Fourth defence of national title for Marie Sainte, and now 21 wins by KO/TKO. Mothmora, not noted for the strength of his chin is now 3-4 in his last seven.
Texcoco, Mexico: Bantam: Christian Esquivel (22-2) W TKO 2 Francisco Marquez (19-19). Light Welter: Antonio Sanchez W KO 5 Cris Lopez (25-9). “Italiano” Esquivel, 24, marches on. The WBC silver belt champion and No 2 rated bantam took a round to look at southpaw Marquez and then floored him twice to make it 15 wins by KO/TKO. Esquivel wins the vacant WBC Continental Americas title. Minor upset as 22-year-old unsung Sanchez floors Lopez twice and retains his WBC Youth title. Second upset win for Sanchez as he beat Ramon Ayala (record 18-1-1) for the title in September.
St Petersburg, Russia: Middle: Gennady Martirosyan (22-2) W TKO 6 Valentin Ochoa (20-19-2). WBO European champ Martirosyan gets a good workout from modest Argentinian. Martirosyan, 31, always in charge but not able to nail Ochoa. Finally in sixth the Argentinian suffers a bad cut over his right eye from a punch and the fight is stopped. Fifth win for Armenian-born Russian, since kayo loss to Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam in 2009. Ochoa now has seven losses and a draw in his last eight fights.
Chur, Switzerland: Light Middle: Francesco Passanante (23-2-1) W TKO 7 Flash Issaka (17-11).Swiss Passanante, 43, wins vacant Global Boxing Union and vacant WBFoundation titles to become a double “world” champion as he wins every round before 35-year-old Ghanaian retires at the end of the round. Passanante was inactive from late 2000 until late 2009. I find it difficult to believe the age given for Issaka as he turned pro in February 1988, which would make him eleven at the time!
April 17
Jakarta, Indonesia: Feather: Chris John (45-0-2) W PTS 12 Daud Cino Yordan (27-2,1ND). Heavy: Alex Leapai (23-3-3) W KO 3 Peter Okhello (20-7). In the first world title fight between two Indonesians, John, 31, shows his class yet again. The young, aggressive Yordan, 23, takes the first three rounds with his aggression, but from the fourth the counter-punching, footwork, defensive skills and accuracy of the champion see him dominating the fight with his jab and retaining his WBA title for the 14th time. Scores 116-112 twice and 117-111. John holds a unanimous victory over Juan Manuel Marquez scored in a title defence in 2006. Yordan’s only other loss was to Celestino Caballero in April last year. Samoan Leapai, 31, leaves Ghanaian veteran Okhello, 38 draped over the ropes in the third as he makes it 18 wins by KO/TKO and adds Okhello to the list of recent victims alongside Owen Beck and Travis Walker. Okhello lost to Oleg Maskaev for the WBC title in 2006 and this was only his third fight since then.
April 19
Bangkok, Thailand: Muhammad Rachman (64-10-5) W KO 9 Kwanthai (31-1-1). Super Bantam: Poonsawat (44-2) W TEC DEC 6 Eric Barcelona (51-20-4). Major upset as Rachman, 39, was very much yesterday’s man. Kwanthai, making the first defence of his WBA title, looked to be on the way to an early night as he floored the Indonesian veteran in the second and was well on top. Rachman had a better spell in the middle rounds, but was still behind when he battered the previously unbeaten Kwanthai to the canvas in the ninth. The WBA champion was in trouble and a body shot put him down for the count. Former IBF strawweight champion Rachman had won only two of his last seven fights. Poonsawat retains his PABA title. He is in control when a clash of heads leaves the Filipino too badly cut to continue. Scores 59-54 twice and 58-55.
