Agustin Mauro Gauto (21-1, 14 KOs) of Argentina stopped Ernesto Martinez (15-5-2, 8 KOs) of Venezuela in the third round on Friday night at the Biblioteca Popular Nicolas Avellaneda, in Avellaneda, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Gaut caught Martinez with a left while the two were exchanging punches. Martinez remained on his feet but was hurt and taking a lot of punches from Gauto prompting Martinez’corner to throw in the towel.

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

It might be called “Night of Upsets” as we watched three new champions in five female title bouts on Friday in Tokyo, Japan. In the main event, fast-moving Rie Matsuda (7-1-1, 1 KO), a southpaw counterpuncher, surprisingly dethroned WBA, WBO atomweight champ Yoko Kuroki (22-8-2, 9 KOs), 101.5, by eking out a split decision (96-94, 97-94 for Matsuda, 94-96 for Kuroki) over ten speedy rounds on Friday in Tokyo, Japan. Kuroki, 32, kept stalking the elusive footworker, 29, all the way with Matsuda occasionally countering the willing mixer. The verdict seemed controversial since Kuroki was an aggressor in almost all rounds, while Matsuda kept circling and only occasionally countering the aggressive champ. Kuroki may deserve a rematch. Continue reading “Matsuda dethrones WBA, WBO female 102lb champ Kuroki”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten WBO female junior bantam champ Mizuki Hiruta (6-0, 2 KOs), 113.75, proved too powerful and aggressive for 38-year-old Korean legendary ex-champ Ji-Hyun Park (26-4, 8 KOs), 112.25, halting Park at 1:45 of the sixth round in a scheduled ten on Friday in Tokyo, Japan. Hiruta, 27, a strong southpaw puncher with a good amateur mark, scored her second defense with ease as she battered ex-WIBA atomweight titlist Park from all angles from the outset. Having her groggy and exhausted, Hiruta accelerated her attack so that the ref promptly made an intervention to save the 38-year-old Park from further punishment. Continue reading “Hiruta stops Park, keeps WBO female 115lb belt”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten southpaw puncher Sumire Yamanaka (8-0, 3 KOs), 101, captured the IBF female atomweight belt as she kept battering defending champ and compatriot Mika Iwakawa (12-7-1, 4 KOs), 101.5, to win a unanimous decision (97-93, 96-94, 99-91) over ten two-minute rounds on Friday in Tokyo, Japan. The 22-year-old Sumire, the younger sister of ex-WBO minimum champ Ryuya Yamanaka, became the very first in Japan that the brother and sister both acquired the world championship belts. Sumire, a short but stout-built southpaw hard-puncher, took the initiative with southpaw right hooks all the way despite the 40-year-old Iwakawa’s too late retaliation down the stretch. Continue reading “Yamanaka becomes first Japanese sister/brother world champ”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Veteran Japanese Terumi Nuki (14-5, 10 KOs), 117, acquired the female WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight belt by lopsidedly halting India’s Monica Singh (4-1, 2 KOs), 117.25, at 0:17 into the sixth and final session on Friday in Tokyo, Japan. Nuki, more powerful and aggressive, dropped the taller Indian twice with body shots prior to the referee’s well-timed stoppage.

Unheralded Mayumi Nakano (6-1, 3 KOs), 104.5, upset defending titlist Riyuna Yoshikawa (6-2-1, 1 KO), 104.75, by an eight-round majority decision (77-75 twice, 76-76) to wrest the WBO AP 105-pound belt in the champ’s second defense.

Continue reading “Nuki, Nakano win female WBO AP belts”

Popular bantamweight Christian Carto (21-1, 14 KOs) kicked off King’s Promotions year with a second round knockout against veteran Ardin Diale (35-19-4, 17 KOs) on Friday night 12 at Live! Casino and Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A big right hand by Carto finished Diale.

Keeps WBO AP 135lb belt

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

In the first show of 2024 in Japan, once-beaten southpaw WBO#13 Katsuya Yasuda (13-1, 8 KOs), 134.75, kept his WBO Asia Pacific lightweight belt when he decked #11 compatriot Ruito Saeki (10-6-1, 3 KOs), 134.25, twice, in rounds two and three, and accelerated his attack to halt him at 1:23 of the ninth round in a scheduled twelve on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan.

For Yasuda, 31, it was his second defense since he acquired the vacant regional belt by outscoring Thailander Apichet Petchmanee this June. The 25-year-old Saeki, however, showed his heart to retaliate well despite his left optic badly puffed and almost closed until the ref Nakamura declared a halt. The loser strongly claimed he could still go on upon the seemingly well-timed stoppage. Continue reading “WBO#13 Yasuda stops Saeki”

By Miguel Maravilla at ringside

Undefeated knockout artist Vergil Ortiz, Jr. (20-0, 20 KOs) scored a first round TKO against Fredrick “General Okunka” Lawson (30-4, 22 KOs) on Saturday night at the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. Now competing at super welterweight following 17 months out of the ring, Ortiz, looked to let out some ring rust, connected early in the first with a short left that staggered Lawson. Continuing to attack, Ortiz followed up with a series of unanswered punches as Lawson shelled up. Referee Tony Weeks stepped in too early, prematurely stopping the fight at 2:43 of the first, drawing a reaction of boos from the crowd. Following the fight, Ortiz went on to call out WBO super welterweight champion Tim Tzsyu.

In the co-feature bout of the evening, Venezuela’s Ismael Barroso (25-4-2, 23 KOs) scored a first round knockout over Ohara “Two Tanks” Davies (25-3, 18 KOs). A counter left dropped Davies early on. He got up and Barroso sent him to the canvas a second time. He got up once again but was unresponsive forcing the referee to stop the fight at 1:53 of the first round. The 40-year-old Barroso wins the WBA interim super lightweight title.

WBO #1 super lightweight Arnold Barbosa Jr. (29-0, 11 KOs) of El Monte returned to the ring in his Golden Boy Promotions debut to stop Xolisani Ndongeni (31-4, 18 KOs) of Eastern Cape, South Africa in eight. Continue reading “Ortiz halts Lawson, Barroso destroys Davies”

Unbeaten light heavyweight Dusty Hernandez Harrison (36-0-1, 22 KOs) scored a fourth round KO over Norberto Gonzalez (24-15, 13 KOs) on Saturday night at the Acca Shriners Center in Richmond, Virginia. Harrison began teeing off on Gonzalez in round two and it was target practice until Gonzalez went down in round four. Time was 2:21.

Welterweight Crisanto “Chingon” Lucio (7-1, 4 KOs) halted Vonshetha Miller (1-3, 1 KO) in round five. A body shot in round five took everything out of Miller and the referee stopped the bout. Time was 2:27.

42-year-old welterweight Jared Wells won his pro debut with a four round unanimous decision over Jashawn Hunter (1-7, 1 KO). Scores were 40-36 3x.

In the first boxing card of the year in the U.S., unbeaten 6’7, 278-pound heavyweight Gurgen “Big Gug” Hovhannisyan (5-0, 5 KOs) scored a fifth round knockout against Colby Madison (11-7-2, 7 KOs) on Thursday night at the famed Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington. Hovhannisyan upped his output in round four, then dropped Madison for the count in round five. Time was :40. The 40-year-old Madison was coming off two straight decision losses to Joey Dawejko.

In a clash between unbeaten heavyweights, 2020 Olympian Tsotne “Mr. T” Rogava (4-0, 4 KOs) destroyed Dante Williams (4-1, 4 KOs) in the first round. The 6’ 5”, 270-pound Rogava, a former kickboxing champion, punished Williams, 201, until the bout was stopped at 1:53.

Heavyweight Dante “The Inferno” Stone (15-1, 10 KOs) scored an eight round unanimous decision over Alexander “The Great” Flores (18-4-1, 16 KOs). After a slow start, Stone came on to drop Flores in round eight en route to a 78-73, 78-73, 79-72 verdict. Flores was returning from a three-year layoff.

Unbeaten super welterweight and popular Tik-Tokker Elijah Seawright (10-0, 7 KOs) outpointed Henry Rivera (2-3, 1 KO) over six by scores of 59-55, 60-54, 59-55. Seawright has over one-million Tik-Tok followers. Continue reading “Hovhannisyan remains unbeaten”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

WBA super flyweight champ Kazuto Ioka (31-2-1, 16 KOs), 114.75, displayed his career best performance in finishing Venezuelan Josber Perez (20-4, 18 KOs), 114.75, at 2:44 of the seventh round to keep his WBA belt for the first time on Sunday in Tokyo, Japan.

Having dethroned Joshua Franco after renouncing his WBO belt, Ioka impressively made his first defense by dropping WBA#6 Perez on three occasions. Ioka, 34, remained more aggressive than usual from the outset, and had him absorb much punishment especially at the breadbasket. The fifth witnessed Ioka floor him at first with a body bombardment and again with a solid overhand right. Perez, 28, was saved by the bell. Ioka, in the fatal seventh, again accelerated his attack upstairs and downstairs, and finally scored a beautiful right to send him sprawling to the deck. The referee Jerry Guzman, Puerto Rico, tolled the fatal ten.

Ioka is still willing to face Juan Estrada with both WBC and WBA belts at stake. Continue reading “Ioka demolishes Perez, keeps WBA 115lb belt”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Former WBC flyweight champ Daigo Higa (22-2-1, 19 KOs), 117.75, exchanged hot rallies with WBC#5 bantam Navaporn Khaikanha (58-4, 48 KOs), 117.5, from the start, put on a give-and-take performance and finished the Thailander with a wicked body shot at 2:29 of the fourth round in a scheduled ten on Sunday in Tokyo, Japan. This is a semi-windup to the Ioka-Perez year-end show. Physically Navaporn looked bigger and stronger, but Higa connected with busy combinations to the face and the midsection. Dropping the Thailander twice, Higa finally flattened the more experienced Thailander in the fatal fourth. Continue reading “Ex-WBC champ Higa finishes WBC#5 Navaporn”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Formerly 13-times amateur national champ WBC#12 Hayato Tsutsumi (4-0, 1 KO), 125.75, impressively swarmed over previously unbeaten WBA#15 feather Luis Moncio Ventura (11-1, 9 KOs), 125, Dominican Republic, dropped him with a vicious left hook and decked him again to score a fine TKO victory at 2:14 of the third round in a scheduled ten on Sunday in Tokyo, Japan. Tsutsumi, who had scored 88 wins out of 94 amateur contests, had acquired the OPBF 126-pound belt only in his third pro outing, but hadn’t scored even a single stoppage win. Determined Tsutsumi, aggressively attacked the Dominican from the outset, mixed it up with persistent body shots and finally caught up with him with furious combinations in the third. He badly decked Venture twice. It was on the undercard of the Ioka-Perez year-end show. Continue reading “WBC#12 Tsutsumi halts WBA#15 Ventura”

Former world title challenger and current WBA #4 middleweight Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna (37-5-1, 16 KOs) scored a seventh round TKO against Nicolas Hernandez (27-8-3, 12 KOs) on Friday night in front of 4,651 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. LaManna was in command all the way. Sudden mercy stoppage by the referee at 2:37 of the seventh.

In the main event, PBC junior welterweight Vito Mielnicki Jr. (17-1, 12 KOs) brutally kayoed Salim Larbi (22-13-3, 8 KOs) in the first round. Vito hit Larbi with a vicious right hand that knocked Larbi out cold. Larbi needed oxygen and a stretcher.

43-year-old welterweight Michael Anderson (24-3-1, 18 KOs) scored a spectacular fifth round KO over 38-year-old Eudy Bernardo (25-7, 18 KOs). Anderson dropped Bernado twice in round five to end it. Time was 2:28.

Popular heavyweight Kristian Prenga (15-1, 15 KOs) scored a first round knockout against Christopher Arnold (5-4, 5 KOs). A right hand laid out Arnold at 2:27.

Welterweight Rickey Edwards (14-5, 3 KOs) scored a six round majority decision over Mike Lee (10-3, 5 KOs). Scores were 57-57, 59-55, 58-56. Edwards is now 2-0 against Lee as this was a rematch.

Unbeaten welterweight Paul Kroll (11-0-2, 7 KOs) scored a fourth round TKO against Weah Archibald (10-16, 5 KOs).

By Oliver Duetschler

Unbeaten super featherweight Angelo Pena (8-0, 6 KOs) secured the vacant IBO Continental title on “Boxing Day 2023” at the Kursaal Arena in Berne, Switzerland. In an impressive fight, Pena stopped his French opponent Sofiane Takoucht (37-6-1, 13 KOs) by knockout in the fifth round. Pena dominated the action in the ring right from the start. He puts the former EBU European champion Takoucht, 38, under pressure with precise punch combinations. Pena impressively won his first title in his eighth fight. Promoter and manager Leander Strupler (Swiss Pro Boxing) is delighted with his well-deserved success and announced that the 29-year-old Pena will be back in action soon.

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten Japanese prospect WBA#15 light fly Kanamu Sakama (9-0, 8 KOs), 108.75, withstood opening attacks of Filipino hard-puncher John Paul Gabunilas (10-3, 7 KOs), 107.25, and finally halted him with the referee’s intervention at 2:35 of the fifth round in a scheduled eight beneath the Inoue-Tapales undisputed unification bout on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. Gabunilas came back from a shocking first round defeat by Miel Fajardo in an OPBF title bout for the vacant 108-pound belt this August, but couldn’t deck his first appearance here in Japan. Continue reading “WBA #15 Sakama halts Gabunilas”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten KO artist, ex-OPBF 122-pound champ WBA#10 bantam Yoshiki Takei (8-0, 8 KOs), 120.25, sank Mexican Mario Diaz (21-7, 9 KOs), 120, with a single southpaw left to the belly at 2:23 of the second round in a scheduled eight under the Inoue-Tapales show on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. Takei, a lanky ex-martial arts fighter, had renounced his OPBF belt to move down to the bantam category to follow up his stable mate Inoue’s bantam relinquishment. Takei’s Juan Martin Coggi-like Latigo (whiplash) long left uppercut was a haymaker. Continue reading “Takei sinks M. Diaz”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten Ghanan-Japanese IBF#8 junior welter Andy Hiraoka (23-0, 18 KOs), 142, decked Mexican Sebastian Diaz (18-7-1, 13 KOs), 141, with a southpaw right in round one, lopsidedly battered him from all angles and stopped him at 1:07 of the fifth round in a scheduled eight on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. Andy went to Ghana, his father Justice’s native place, and was training well at Azumah Nelson’s gym for months and came home to appear here after a one-year hiatus. The six-footer Andy had recently renounced his WBO AP and Japanese national 140-pound belts to pursue a world championship. Continue reading “IBF #8 Andy Hiraoka stops S. Diaz”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten puncher WBA#3 Seiya Tsutsumi (10-0-2, 7 KOs), 117.75, barely kept his Japanese national bantamweight belt as he dropped JBC#3 previously unbeaten speedster Kazuki Anaguchi (6-1, 2 KOs), 117.75, but had a tough time coping with his fast combinations, edging him by a close but unanimous decision (94-92 twice, 95-91) over ten hard-fought rounds on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. Former amateur star Anaguchi had the upper hand except in four rounds when he hit the deck four times with the champ’s busy and persistent combos in rounds four, seven, nine and ten. Exhausted after such a furious give-and-take affair, Anaguchi was taken to the hospital by ambulance. Continue reading “Tsutsumi barely keeps Japanese 118lb belt”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

“Monster” Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs), 121.75, impressively collected the four championship belts as he, WBC, WBO titleholder, finally caught up with WBA, IBF ruler Marlon Tapales (37-4, 19 KOs), 121.5, and dropped him with a devastating right for the count at 1:02 of the tenth round on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan.

Inoue, in round four, floored Tapales with a solid combination of a left-right followed by a vicious left hook, and we thought it would be a matter of time for the Monster to finish it soon. But Tapales survived and displayed his gameness and durability to make it a longer fight than expected.

The tenth, however, witnessed Naoya turn loose and connect a direct strong right without a left lead, which had Tapales reeling backward and down with the ropes behind him. The Filipino southpaw was unable to beat the count. Continue reading ““Monster” Inoue becomes undisputed 122lb champ”

Former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) stopped Otto Wallin (26-2, 14 KOs) after five one-sided rounds in the main event of the super card on Saturday night at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Joshua, rated WBO #1, WBC #2, IBF #3 looked sharp as be battered and bloodied IBF #2, WBC #9, WBO #12 Wallin. AJ rocked Wallin in round five and Wallin stayed on his stool after the round.

In a huge upset, former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker (34-3, 23 KOs) stunned WBC #1 and WBA #1 rated and former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs) by winning a twelve round unanimous decision on the super card Saturday night at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Slow start for Wilder, 38, who may have been rusty or have grown old overnight. He was outworked by Parker in almost every round. Parker, 31, rocked Wilder in round eight with a series of overhand rights and he never let Wilder get untracked as he won 118-111, 118-110, 120-108. The result likely scuttled a planned Wilder-Joshua showdown in March.

Undefeated WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) retained his world title for the 12th time with a twelve round unanimous decision over WBA #8 with a Lyndon Arthur (23-2, 16 KOs) on the super card Saturday night at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Bivol came out aggressively and was in command all the way. Bivol dropped Arthur at the end of round eleven. Scores were 120-107 3x. Bivol’s last knockout was nearly six years ago.

Former WBA “regular” champion Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois (20-2, 19 KOs) scored a tenth round TKO over previously unbeaten 333lb Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller (26-1-1, 22 KOs) on the super card Saturday night at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. WBA #7, IBF #8, WBO #8, WBC #14 Dubois moved around the ring and kept his hands moving. WBA #6 Miller applied pressure and tried to maul Dubois on the inside. Good exchanges in the next few rounds, but as the fight progressed, Miller slowed down and Dubois got his second wind. In the final moments, Dubois unleashed a barrage of punches and got a referee’s stoppage with eight seconds left in the fight.

In an upset, IBF #12, WBC #13, WBO #13 heavyweight Agit Kabayel (24-0, 16 KOs) ended the reign of terror of previously unbeaten WBC #3, WBA #4, IBF #7, WBO #14 Arslanbek Makhmudov (18-1, 17 KOs) on the super card Saturday night at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Kabayel outboxed Makhmudov and made him look clumsy during the first two rounds. Kabayel then took the fight to Makhmudov landing big shots in round three. In round four, Kabayel dropped Makhmudov three times to end it. Time was 2:03.