Former IBF super middleweight champion Caleb Truax (31-4-2, 19 KOs) won a ten round majority decision over unheralded David Basajjamivule (16-5-1, 11 KOs) on Saturday night at the Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Judges had it 95-93, 97-91 for hometown hero Truax and 94-94. The 41-year-old Basajjamivule, coming off a 2.5 year layoff, was twice deducted a point for rabbit punches.

Truax is already scheduled to fight again in three weeks on the February 15 Plant-Feigenbutz undercard in Nashville, Tennessee.

Photos: Emily Harney

Former two-division world champion Danny “Swift” García (36-2, 21 KOs) scored a one-sided twelve round unanimous decision over Ivan “El Terrible” Redkach (23-5-1, 18 KOs) in a WBC welterweight title eliminator before 8,217 on Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

Garcia progressively broke down and busted up the Redkach, but the game Redkach hung in until the end. Scores were 118-110, 117-111, 117-111. Redkach got away with biting Garcia in round eight.

“I thought the referee was gonna stop it because I felt like I was punishing him,” said Garcia. “He’s a tough guy, he hung in there, I wanted to get the KO, but I didn’t get it. I feel like I boxed smart, and I feel like that’s what I needed after this layoff. I really wanted the knockout bad, but I’ll accept this. Continue reading “Garcia outscores Redkach, Pacquiao next?”

Photos: Emily Harney

Former unified WBA/IBF super welterweight champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd (25-1, 16 KOs) won a ten round unanimous decision over Francisco “Chia” Santana (25-9-1, 12 KOs) on Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

In his first fight since losing his title last May, Hurd had said he wanted get away from “wars.” He largely did that against the smaller Santana in a bout that often drew boos from those in attendance. Hurd finally dropped Santana in the final seconds to punctuate a 97-92, 99-90, 99-90 win.

“We came out here and did what we wanted to do,” said Hurd. “The crowd didn’t love it, but you gotta understand, I got the unanimous decision and I did what I wanted to do.” Continue reading “Hurd dominates Santana over ten”

By Kurt Wolfheimer at ringside

Undefeated Trenton cruiserweight Mike Hilton (10-0, 7 KOs) shook off almost two years of ring rust with a nearly flawless six round unanimous decision victory over Bladimir Hernandez (20-15, 18 KOs) Saturday night at the Cure Insurance Arena in Trenton, New Jersey. Mike Hilton controlled the fight throughout by stepping in and out of the pocket almost at will with short combinations. Hernandez was game, but Hilton was just to fast for the thirty-five fight veteran. All three judges scored the bout 60-54 in favor of Mike “The Beast” Hilton. Continue reading “Hilton dominates Hernandez in Trenton”

Photos: Emily Harney

In a WBO super bantamweight title eliminator between unbeaten fighters, WBO #8 ranked Stephen “Cool Boy Steph” Fulton (18-0, 8 KOs) won a twelve round unanimous decision over WBO #2 Arnold Khegai (16-1-1, 10 KOs) on Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

Fulton outboxed the aggressive Khegai to prevail by scores of 116-112, 117-111, 117-111.

“I felt great against a tough opponent,” said Fulton afterward. “I stayed on my boxing, kept him off his game and pulled a victory out. I knew he was a rough and tumble customer, so I just had to keep my composure. Continue reading “Fulton tops Khegai in WBO 122lb eliminator”

Unbeaten welterweight Keeshawn Williams (7-0-1, 2 KOs) took a workmanlike eight round unanimous decision over Gaku Takahashi (16-11-1, 8 KOs). Scores were 79-73, 78-74, 80-72.

Unbeaten 19-year-old middleweight prospect Lorenzo “Truck” Simpson (7-0, 4 KOs) outpointed journeyman Antonio Louis Hernandez (2-11-1, 0 KOs) over six rounds. Scores were 59-55 across the board.

WBC International champ Abass Baraou (9-0, 6 KOs) remained unbeaten with a fifth round TKO over Abraham Juarez (16-5, 6 KOs) on Saturday night at the “Work Your Champ” Gym in Hamburg, Germany. Baraou dropped Juarez in round five and Juarez’ corner pulled their man out after the round.

Unbeaten IBO international super lightweight beltholder Artem Harutyunyan (9-0, 6 KOs) was victorious when Miguel Cesario Antin (19-4, 8 KOs) was unable to continue after round four. Antin’s nose was pretty busted up.

In an upset, journeyman heavyweight Mariano Strunz (14-15-1, 7 KOs) pinned the first loss on highly regarded Cuban import Jose Larduet (2-1, 1 KO), who was unable to continue after suffering a knee injury in round two. Continue reading “Baraou, Harutyunyan win in Hamburg”

Unbeaten super flyweight prospect Kevin Luis Munoz (10-0, 4 KOs) of Argentian defeated Ramon Averanga (9-2, 6 KOs) of Bolivia by unanimous decision. The official scores were 118-110, 118-109 118-108.  The 12 round main event took place at the Club Sportivo America, Rosario, Argentina.

The bout looked very unlikely to go the distance when Munoz dropped Averanga in round three. Averanga beat the count and fought on bravely the rest of the fight. It was the first time going 12 rounds for Munoz who won the vacant South American super fly title.

WBC #15 middleweight Jason “El Animal” Quigley (18-1, 14 KOs) scored a third round TKO over late sub Fernando Marin (16-5-3, 12 KOs) on Thursday night in “The Hangar” at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California. Quigley battered Marin in round two and finished him in round three with a straight right that put Marin down and out. Time was 1:47.

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten Japanese middleweight champ Kazuto Takesako (12-0-1, 11 KOs), 159.75, dethroned OPBF 160-pound ruler Shinobu Charlie Hosokawa (12-5-1, 11 KOs), 159.5, as he pounded out a nearly shutout decision (120-108, 119-109 twice) over twelve lopsided rounds on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.

The hard-punching national titlist Kazuto swarmed over the taller slow starter from the outset, battering him from all angles. After the eighth, the open scoring system read 80-72 for all the judges since what Charlie could do was to repeatedly grab the by far more aggressive foe. The durable Charlie, the younger brother of former national 140-pound champ Valentine Hosokawa, attempted to demonstrate his last surge from the tenth, but couldn’t overcome his huge deficits on points against the monotonous but more powerful challenger.

The victor Takesako now holds both the OPBF and national belts.

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By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

The semi-windup on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan, saw WBO Asia Pacific junior middleweight titleholder Takeshi Inoue (16-1-1, 10 KOs), 153, easily kept his regional belt with his TKO victory over Chinese Cheng Su (14-3-1, 8 KOs), a 5’11” hard-hitting southpaw at 153.75, at the end of the second session as the loser gave up fighting in the corner after hitting the deck each once in the first two sessions.

WBO#10/IBF#14 Takeshi previously failed to win the WBO belt in Houston, where he lopsidedly lost to Jaime Munguia on points but admirably refused to go down in January of the previous year.

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