Unbeaten contender Radzhab Butaev (14-0, 11 KOs) won by ninth round TKO to dethrone WBA regular welterweight champion Jamal “Shango” James (28-2, 12 KOs) on Saturday night at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. A flurry by Butaev prompted a sudden stoppage by referee Celestino Ruiz of a still competitive fight. Time was 2:12.
Butaev will move ahead in the WBA title reduction tournament against the winner of Yordenis Ugas versus Eimantas Stanionis.
“This is very important for me,” said Butaev. “It’s a big first step. It’s always been my dream to become a world champion. I took the first step today and I’m very happy.”
James stated, “He was just a better man tonight. I don’t want to make any excuses. I couldn’t keep him at range and I think rust played a part of it. But that’s boxing. Sometimes it’s not your night.”
Good fight but I don’t see Buteav going to the top of the division. Tough fighter with way too many holes defensively without a big punch. His awkwardness is his best asset. Good fight from both guys.
In boxing, before stopping a fight, I believe a grown a*s man deserves to either fall on his a*s or to look 100% defenseless. James did not hit the canvas, and he was not 100% defenseless. The stoppage was too early. However, Butaev’s mean body shots would have eventually stopped James but at least the stoppage would have been more clear and convincing to the boxing world.
James really should take his skinny a*s legs to 140 because I never saw James as a 147 pound fighter. Coming off a 14 month layoff to fight Butaev was a bad idea. I had no idea Butaev had southpaw skills, and James’ camp appeared to have no idea (poor adjustments).
My only issue with Butaev is I do not believe he has been matched with a fighter who has some pop. Maybe we will see him with a fighter who can provide some pop. I would love to see Butaev vs. Stanionis or Ramos.
147 is outstanding!!!
E Man, I found stoppage early too. The main reason was it was late and it’s possible the cards would still have fell in James favor.
With that said, I didn’t like his look from Round 2 on. I thought his skin color suggested that making the 147 pound limit was too hard and his legs were so gone that he stood and traded rather than use his best tools (lateral movement and jab). It made for a much more entertaining scrap, but was entirely the wrong fight for James.
It was funny to hear the Commentators suggesting he was winning round 10 (up to the point where it was stopped) and talking about his second wind, because I saw a guy who couldn’t find his legs on the verge of being truly hurt. He showed tremendous heart, but even James acknowledged the referee saved him from himself.
Where you and I are at odds is the weight direction James should go. It’s time to get healthy and move up to 154. His legs may be skinny, but his frame is SCREAMING for more mass. He is good enough to pick up a useless strap or two at 154 and his body will be much happier in the process.
I think Ugas vacates or finds a way out of this tournament to go and fight Spence and the likely candidate to take his place would be Ramos, unless somehow they get Ortiz, Butaev against either Ramos or Stanionis is a war.
That ref was as disgracetaking a point-he was so blatant a homer!If. that fight had not been stopped the Russian would have been robbed!
Early stoppage was bs, however i had Butaev winning.
Ramos in 2!
I CALLED IT RIGHT !! Great Job, Radzhab Butaev.
Mazel Tov.
Speaketh … F.J.B.
Fredrick J. Brandon III.
Clamor for the boxing world to put your new favorite fighter in there with Boots Ennis.
butaev is a beast i agree with the stoppage lets see how many rated fighters want to fight this guy oh those body shots were his path to victory
Looting honest business people, and running away from the police, is no way to train for a boxing match.
Jamal James is a fucking joke. I am glad he lost.
Speaketh … F.J.B.
Fredrick J. Brandon III.
Rough fight…Butaev got the win…tough fighter and a solid body puncher…too many holes in his defense… hopefully he can work on that moving forward..James is actually a good fighter ..with good skills….flawed in that he does not fight with his height…James is not strong enough to engage on the inside…his tendency is to fight small and tight ….not good cause he lacks the strength and conditioning to do so….Stoppage was correct.,..no snap on his punches and legs gone….This is a sport where fighting on heart alone can get you killed….we will see James again….Fun fight to watch….
Let’s be honest folks. Radzhab Butaev is not all that and a bag of chips. Alexander Besputin fucked his ass up, and I guarantee, with a capital G, that both Virgil Ortiz Jr & Jaron “Boots” Ennis can defeat and knock out Butaev.
I did not root for Butaev because he has the good. I rooted hard for him because of the douche bag he went up against.
Speaketh … F.J.B.
Fredrick J. Brandon III.
Why dont you just come right out and say you dont believe black lives matter and thats your real problem with james.
– Cut that black lives matter sh%t out.
– “ALL” lives matter – plain & simple to understand.
Enough of that black lives matter b.s, you are right about that. It does not belong in boxing nor any other sport period! Butaev just walked past James punches. He is one tough hombre.
James can’t punch and has no legs. He pushes his jab and has a weak right hand. A very nice guy ,maybe, but even in today’s diluted boxing scene he is not very good.