USA lightweight Keyshawn Davis, considered to be USA Boxing’s best gold medal hope, scored a key win over top-seeded Sofiane Oumiha of France in a Round of 16 bout on Saturday in the Kokugikan Arena at the Tokyo Olympics. Davis (3-0, 2 KOs as a pro) staggered Oumiha with a huge right hand in round two and the bout was halted. Rio Olympics silver medalist Oumiha was definitely rocked and took a standing eight count, but he seemed ready to resume when the ref abruptly waved it off to the surprise of everyone. Oumiha complained bitterly to no avail. Davis will move on to the quarterfinals against Russian Gabil Mamedov.

Davis, along with USA super heavyweight Richard Torrez Jr., USA featherweight Duke Ragan, and USA female welterweight Oshae Jones remain in the gold medal hunt.

USA welterweight Delante Johnson suffered a unanimous decision defeat against 2012 gold medalist Roniel Iglesias of Cuba in their quarterfinal match on Friday in the Kokugikan Arena at the Tokyo Olympics. Iglesias moves on to the semi-final and is assured of at least a bronze.

Earlier, female welterweight Oshae Jones, the final USA woman boxer in the Olympics, assured herself of at least a bronze medal with a split decision over Dominican Maria Moronta Hernandez to move to the semi-final. Jones dropped Hernandez in round two.

USA super heavyweight Richard Torrez Jr., USA lightweight Keyshawn Davis, and USA featherweight Duke Ragan remain in the medal hunt.

USA super heavyweight Richard Torrez Jr. won by unanimous decision over Algerian Chouaib Bouloudinats at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in the Tokyo Olympics. Torrez dropped Bouloudinats in round one. He will move on to Sunday’s quarterfinal against Cuban Dainier Pero.

USA middleweight Troy Isley bowed out in the round of 16, losing a narrow 3-2 decision to Russian Gleb Bakski representing the Russian Olympic Committee since the country of Russia is banned.

USA welterweight Delante Johnson, USA lightweight Keyshawn Davis, and USA featherweight Duke Ragan are all still in the medal hunt.

* * *

In another notable bout, pro heavyweight Bakhodir Jalolov (8-0, 8 KOs) of Uzbekistan took a unanimous decision over Abdullayev Mahammad in super heavyweight action. Jalolov is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and is 6-0 in the U.S. He will next face Satish Kumar of India.

In other super heavyweight action, Frazer Clarke (UK), Mourad Aliev (France), and Ivan Veriasov (Russia) all advanced to the quarterfinals.

This past weekend, RDR Promotions staged two nights of boxing at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia. On Friday night’s main event, Nahir Albright won the NABA Lightweight title with an eight-round unanimous decision over Jeremy Hill. In the Saturday night headliner, Mark Dawson Jr. won an eight round unanimous decision over Ivan Pandzic in a battle of undefeated welterweights. Continue reading “Late Results from Philly”

Keeps WBO AP 108lb belt

By Joe Koizumi

It was a very dramatic end on the day of the Olympic Games opening. WBO#5 ranked Japanese southpaw Riku Kano (13-3, 6 KOs), 107.75, impressively kept his WBO Asia Pacific junior flyweight belt when he came off the canvas twice and finally halted WBO#14 Takumi Sakae (22-4-1, 16 KOs), 107.5, at 2:12 of the ninth round on Friday in Osaka, Japan. Continue reading “WBO#5 Kano halts #14 Sakae”

Unbeaten WBO #13 super welterweight Hamzah Sheeraz (13-0, 9 KOs) scored a fifth round KO over Ezequiel Gurria (15-2, 3 KOs) to retain his WBO European title. Sheeraz dropped Gurria twice in round five to end it. Time 2:23.

Welterweight Sam Noakes (7-0, 7 KOs) scored a second round TKO over Naeem Ali (2-71-1, 1 KO). Ali couldn’t continue after round two with a broken nose. It was the first KO loss for Ali in 71 losses.

Unbeaten heavyweight David Adeleye (7-0, 6 KOs) scored a fourth round KO against Mladen Manev (3-10, 2 KOs). Manev down twice in round four. Time was 1:54.

Unbeaten welterweight Ekow Essuman (15-0, 6 KOs) scored an eighth round TKO over Chris Jenkins (22-4-3, 8 KOs) to seize the British and Commonwealth welterweight titles. A barrage of punches from Essuman promoted a referee’s stoppage. Time :43.

Super bantamweight Chris Bourke (10-0, 6 KOs) successfully defended his WBC International title against James Beech Jr (12-2, 2 KOs) via ten round unanimous decision. Scores were 100-90, 99-91, 98-92.

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBO# 2, IBF #3 ranked junior welterweight Liam Paro (21-0, 13 KOs) scored a one-sided ten round unanimous decision over Steve Gago (12-2, 5 KOs) on Saturday night at the Eatons Hill Hotel in Eatons Hill, Queensland, Australia. Paro dropped Gago in round five en route to a 100-89, 99-90, 99-90 verdict. Paro retained his IBF International and WBO Global belts.

Fernando “El Feroz” Vargas, Jr. (4-0, 4 KOs) and brother Amado “El Malvado” Vargas (3-0, 2 KO), the sons of former two-time light middleweight world champion, Fernando Vargas, returned to action Friday night in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. The card titled, “Campeonata Nacional “Mosca” Cuentas Pendientes”, was presented by GRAND MEX-ENT, in association with the WBC.

Middleweight Fernando Vargas Jr., won his bout against Abel Luna by way of a third-round technical knockout in impressive fashion.

Featherweight Amado Vargas won his bout against Fernando De La Cruz by way of a first-round KO.

By Héctor Villarreal

Panamanian superbantam Rafael “El General” Pedroza, ranked #15 by the World Boxing Association, remained undefeated and adds another knockout victory to his record (11-0, 10 KOs) on Friday night at Palacio Dorado in Panama City by stopping Colombian Mauricio Martinez (15-22-2, 5 KOs) by KO at 2:38 of the second round.

Former interim champion, Venezuelan Liborio Solis (32-6-1, 14 KOs) won a unanimous decision (79-72, 80-71, 80-71) over Colombian Marlon Olea (14-7, 12 KOs) in a very exciting and competitive fight which deserved a closer score. Continue reading “Pedroza remains undefeated”

Former WBA and IBF cruiserweight world champion “Iron” Murat Gassiev (28-1, 21 KOs), now competing at heavyweight, scored a fourth round TKO over Michael Wallisch (22-5, 15 KOs) on Thursday at the Dynamo Volleyball Arena in Moscow, Russia. Gassiev started slow, but it was only a matter of time. Late in round four, he sent Wallisch down with a right hand. Wallisch seemingly survived, but the bout was stopped. Time 3:00. With the win, Gassiev claimed the vacant WBA Asia title. All five of Wallisch’s losses have been by KO. Continue reading “Gassiev stops Wallisch in four”

Keeps Japanese 112lb belt

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Hard-punching Japanese flyweight champ Yuri Seigo Akui (16-2-1, 11 KOs), 112, impressively retained his national belt when he finally caught up with unbeaten speedster Taku Kuwahara (8-1, 4 KOs), 112, at 2:49 of the tenth and final round on Wednesday in Tokyo, Japan. Continue reading “Akui stops Kuwahara in the tenth”

Local prodigy Erick “Mini-Pacman” Rosa (4-0, 1 KO) took a spirited twelve round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Peruvian visitor Ricardo Astuvilca (21-1, 5 KOs) to claim the vacant WBA interim minimumweight belt on Wednesday night at the Pabellon de Volleyball, Centro Olimpico in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Astuvilca was credited with a flash knockdown in round four. Judges had it 114-113, 117-110, 117-110 for Mini-Pacman.

WBA interim super lightweight champion Alberto Puello (19-0, 10 KOs) won by twelve round unanimous decision to defend his title against Jesus Antonio Rubio (13-3-1, 7 KOs) of Mexico. Puello dropped Rubio in round one, but was forced to go the full twelve in workmanlike fashion. Scores were 120-107 3x. Continue reading “Rosa, Puello win WBA interim title fights”

Wins Japan’s 140lb youth belt

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

In an encounter of unbeaten hard-punching national youth titlists, Jin Sasaki (11-0, 10 KOs), 140, came off the canvas twice before he wrested the Japanese youth super-lightweight belt by dispatching the defending titlist Kaiki Yuba (7-1-2, 5 KOs), 139.75, at 1:03 of the second session in a scheduled eight rounder on Saturday in Hachioji city, Tokyo metropolis, Japan.

It was truly a spectacular come-from-behind knockout displayed by the 19-year-old left hooker Sasaki. Continue reading “Unbeaten Sasaki finishes Yuba”

In a clash for the undisputed 154-pound world championship, WBC/WBA/IBF champion Jermell Charlo (34-1-1, 18 KOs) and WBO champion Brian Castaño (17-0-2, 12 KOs) battled to a twelve round split draw on Saturday night at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. Charlo stunned Castaño in round two, but Castaño put a lot of pressure on Charlo and often outworked him. Charlo hurt Castaño in round ten and closed strongly. Scores were 114-113 Castaño, 117-111 Charlo. 114-114 draw. No undisputed champion.

Scoring Update: Steve Weisfeld (114-113 Castaño) gave Charlo 10-8 in round ten. Nelson Vazquez (117-111 Charlo) only gave Castaño three rounds. Tim Cheatham had it 114-114. All three gave Charlo the last three rounds.

According to CompuBox, Charlo landed 151 of 533 (28.3%) punches in the fight to Castaño’s 173 of 586 (29.5%). Castaño held a big advantage in power punches, landing 164 of 400 (41%) to Charlo’s 98 of 246 (39.8%) while Charlo had a significant margin in jabs, landing 53 of 287 (18.5%) to Castaño’s 9 out of 186 (4.8%).

World ranked super welterweight Serhii “El Flaco” Bohachuk, (19-1, 19 KOs) scored a first round KO over Brandon ‘The Business’ Baue, (16-24, 11 KOs) at the Rock Rapids Rumble in Rock Rapids, Iowa. Coming off a KO loss to Brandon Adams in March, Bohachuk took out Baue with a body shot.

Welterweight Ronald Cruz (18-1, 12 KOs) outpointed Chris Gray (13-23-1, 1 KO) over eight rounds. Scores were 79-73, 78-74, 78-74.

WBA interim lightweight champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero (14-0, 12 KOs) bludgeoned Anthony Yigit (24-2-1, 8 KOs) for seven rounds on Saturday night at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. Late sub Yigit missed weight by 5 pounds. Romero dropped Yigit at the end of round five, moments after he had a point deducted. Romero then dropped Yigit twice more in round seven to end it. Time was 1:54.

“I won’t rate my performance but I got a vicious knockout and I hurt him multiple times in the fight. Every time I landed something, I hurt him,” said Romero. “The European style is always awkward and he was a bigger dude. He’s a 140-pounder. If I had those extra five pounds, I would have got him out of there earlier.

“He was hurt [in the fifth] but the bell rang so I didn’t have time to finish him. If I had that extra time, I would have got him. He was holding, he didn’t really want to engage because he was really hurt. He was scared.

“The punches he landed clean, I saw them coming. I have to work on more combinations. I had a bad camp – at the beginning I hurt both of my ankles and my right hand. I was in a car accident a week and a half ago. My body was still sore from that yet I still took the fight.

“I need to go to 140. It’s my natural weight class. I feel I’ll be a lot stronger. I was at 135 for, what, four years now? It’s about time I move up.”

In a total slugfest, unbeaten middleweight Amilcar Vidal (13-0, 11 KOs) escaped with a ten round majority decision against Immanuwel Aleem (18-3-2, 11 KOs). Aleem gave Vidal all he could handle. Scores were 95-95, 97-93, 97-93 for the A-side. Scattered boos from the crowd.

Unbeaten super welterweight Bakhram Murtazaliev (19-0, 14 KOs) outpointed Khiary Gray (16-6, 12 KOs) over eight rounds. Scores were 79-73, 79-73, 78-74.

Tonight at the Stade Roi Baudouin in Brussels, Belgium, WBA cruiserweight world champion and local favorite Ryad Mehry (30-1, 25 KOs) retained his title with an eighth round TKO over WBA #14 rated Zhaoxin Zhang (10-2-1, 6 KOs) of China. Mehry was in command all the way, dropping Zhang in round three. In round eight, Mehry floored Zhang again with a huge left hook. Zhang beat the count again, but the ref ruled he couldn’t continue. Continue reading “Mehry KOs Zhang, retains WBA cruiser belt”

IBF #14 light heavyweight Adam Deines (20-2-1, 11 KOs) was victorious when 41-year-old journeyman Bernard Donfack (23-27-4, 11 KOs) couldn’t continue after round four due to a shoulder injury on Saturday night at the Seebühne in Magdeburg, Germany. It was Deines first appearance after his game effort against WBC/IBF world champion Artur Beterbiev in Moscow last March.

In a rematch, light heavyweight Michael Eifert (8-1, 2 KOs) took a ten round majority decision over previously unbeaten Tom Dzemski (17-1, 10 KOs). Scores were 97-93, 97-93, 95-95. Eifert avenged a razor-thin majority decision loss to Dzemski last August.

Unbeaten heavyweight Peter Kadiru (11-0, 6 KOs) stopped 44-year-old Adnan Redzovic (21-6, 9 KOs) in round two.

Unbeaten cruiserweight Jurgen Uldedaj (14-0, 5 KOs) halted Dmytro Serguta (7-2, 7 KOs) in round seven.

Heavyweight prospect Kristian Prenga (10-1, 10 KOs) of Albania returned to the ring with a first round knockout of local veteran Samuel Miller (34-24, 30 KOs) of Colombia. It was the first fight for Prenga since 2018. His corner was headed by his trainer and former amateur standout Don Somerville. Prenga showed no signs of ring rust immediately establishing his physical dominance from the opening bell. A very hard straight right hand delivered by Prenga sent Miller crashing to the canvas where he was counted out. The official time was 1:35 of round one.

The bout took place Saturday morning at the Polideportivo Luis Patron Tolu, Sucre, Colombia where there were Prenga supporters who made the trip to support him. Continue reading “Heavyweight Prenga returns with KO in Colombia”

Former WBA gold super lightweight title challenger Yves Ulysse Jr (20-2, 11 KOs) scored a fifth round TKO over David Theroux (16-5, 11 KOs) on Friday night at the Centre Gervais Auto, Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada. Ulysse dropped Theroux in rounds two and five. Time was 1:11.

Other Results:
Clovis Drolet TKO3 Danyk Croteau (super middleweight)
Raphael Courchesne KO5 Larone Whyte (super welterweight)

Rising minimumweight prospect Melvin Jerusalem (17-2, 10 KOs) captured the OPBF minumumweight belt by dominating Toto Landero (11-6-2, 2 KOs) via unanimous decision over twelve rounds on Friday at the Tabunoc Sports Complex in Talisay City, Cebu, Philippines. Landero was tough and came in aggressive engaging Jerusalem in a rumble but Jerusalem was just to classy accurate. The fight went the full distance but showed Jerusalem the clear winner.

In the supporting bout, Dave Apolinario (15-0, 9 KOs) made a quick disposal of Charlie Malupangue (15-9-1, 8 KOs) by knocking him out in the third round earning him the WBA Asia super flyweight title. Continue reading “Jerusalem tops Landero for OPBF belt”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten Japanese prodigy WBO#10, WBC#9, WBA#10, IBF#11 Ginjiro Shigeoka (6-0, 5 KOs), 105, greatly stunned the limited audience under the pandemic, when he impressively kept his WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight belt by polishing off previously unbeaten compatriot #3 Toshiki Kawamitsu (6-1, 3 KOs), 104.5, at 2:05 of the second session in a scheduled twelve rounder on Wednesday in Tokyo, Japan. Continue reading “Shigeoka demolishes Kawamitsu, keeps WBO AP 105lb belt”

Unbeaten WBO #1 light heavyweight Lyndon Arthur (19-0, 13 KOs) scored a ninth round TKO over Davide Faraci (15-1, 7 KOs) on Saturday night at the famed Royal Albert Hall in London. Arthur dropped Faraci twice in round nine and got the stoppage moments later.

Unbeaten WBO #1 super middleweight Zach Parker (21-0, 15 KOs) blew away Sherzod Khusanov (22-3-1, 10 KOs) in the first round. A left to the body put Khusanov down for the count.

WBO #4 super featherweight Archie Sharp (20-0, 9 KOs) outpointed Diego Andrade (13-5-2, 1 KO) over ten to claim the vacant WBO Global title. Scores were 99-93, 97-93, 97-93. Sharp flipped Andrade in round five and got a warning from referee Howard Foster, no point deduction.

Unbeaten bantamweight Dennis McCann (10-0, 6 KOs) overwhelmed John Chuwa (20-5, 10 KOs) to get a second round stoppage.

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Upstart middleweight Victor “Hot Chilli” Nagbe (4-0, 0 KOs) scored an upset ten round unanimous decision over former IBF middleweight champion Sam “King” Soliman (46-16-1, 19 KOs) on Saturday at the Melbourne Pavillion, Flemington, Victoria, Australia. Scores at the conclusion were for the Liberian-born, Australian-based Nagbe by 98-92, 97-93, 96-94. Nagbe captured the vacant WBC Australasian title.

Promoter: Phil Eglezos and Pierre Karam of Punisher Promotions
Matchmaker: Peter Maniatis

6’9 heavyweight Ivan Dychko (10-0, 10 KOs), who won Olympic super heavyweight bronze medals in both 2012 and 2016, scored a 60-second one-punch KO against 41-year-old Denis Bakhtov (39-19, 26 KOs) on Saturday at Baluan Sholak Sports Palace in Almaty, Kazakhstan. A right hand put Bakhtov on his back for his 9th straight loss.

Former IBF lightweight title challenger Isa Chaniev (15-3, 7 KOs) came off the canvas in round one to flatten previously unbeaten Nurtas Azhbenov (11-1, 4 KOs) in round three. Chaniev landed a flush right hand that turned out the lights for Azhbenov.

In the main event, southpaw junior lightweight Sultan Zaurbek (11-0, 7 KOs) outpointed Ronnie Clark (21-5-2, 10 KOs) in a ten round snoozer for the vacant WBO European title. Scores were 100-90, 99-91, 100-90. Continue reading “Dychko KOs Bakhtov in one”