Shadow Entertainment(Jenny Do) presented another edition of the LEAD event series Sunday night. The event took place at the Saigon Sports Club, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The main event saw hometown favorite Long Trinh (5-0, 4 KOs) of Vietnam defeat Chayanon Phothijun (7-4, 5 KOs) of Thailand by TKO.

Trinh had a sustained a steady body attack from early on in the fight which seemed to wear Phothijun down. Phothijun retired in his corner at the start of round 8. Trinh won the vacant WBC Asian Silver middleweight title. Continue reading “Trinh, Paciones win in Vietnam Sunday”

In a rare battle of undefeated boxers, Steve “The Savage” Sumpter used his athleticism to defeat James “Pitbull” Perkins in the main event of last night’s “Pandemonium at The Palladium,” presented by Granite Chin Promotions (GCP), at the famed Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Sumpter never stopped moving, Perkins kept charging forward. Sumpter (9-0, 7 KOs), fighting out of Pittsfield (MA), Sumpter won an eight-round majority decision, albeit it on contrasting judges’ scoring – two judges had Sumpter winning each round ( 80-72) but the other had it a draw, 76-76 – for the vacant IBA Americas Super Middleweight Championship. Continue reading “Sumpter defeats Perkins”

2020 Olympics gold medalist Gamal Yafai (5-0, 4 KOs) demolished Tommy Frank (15-4-1, 3 KOs) in the first round of their flyweight clash on Saturday night the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, England. Yafai dropped Frank in the first 30 seconds and forced a quick stoppage at 1:40.

Welterweight Conah Walker (12-2-1, 4 KOs) battered previously unbeaten Cyrus Pattinson (6-1, 4 KOs) Walker dropped Pattinson three times and Pattinson’s corner finally kept their man on the stool after round eight.

Unbeaten heavyweight Solomon Dacres (7-0, 2 KOs) outscored Chris Thompson (12-5-1, 7 KOs) over ten rounds by scores of 99-91, 99-91, 98-92.

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

It was a Japan-China competition with Japan winning 4-2 over China in six bouts. But the level of Chinese boxers remarkably improved to impress the crowd on Thursday at the Korakuen Hall, Tokyo. Formerly world-rated ex-OPBF champ Hironori Mishiro (13-1-1, 4 KOs), 134.5, withstood the opening attack of China’s previously unbeaten Yong-Chao Sheng (8-1-2, 5 KOs), 134.5, effectively retaliated with good jabs and right crosses and pounded out a unanimous decision (77-75, 78-74, 79-73) over eight scrappy rounds. Mishiro had tasted an upset technical decision loss to Min-Ho Jung in Korea this April, dropping out of the world ratings with his first setback. In his comeback go Mishiro, a tall stylish jabber, was forced to mix it up by the hard-punching Chinese. Mishiro, however, took back the initiative and kept outfighting the game but less skillful Cheng to overcome his early deficits on points. Continue reading “Mishiro defeats China’s Sheng”

In an exciting 10 round main event unbeaten Christopher Lopez (16-0-2, 10 KOs) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and countryman Brandon Gamez (12-2-1, 10 KOs) of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico fought to an action packed draw. The event took place at the Plaza de Toros in Cancun Mexico and was televised on ESPN KNOCK OUT. The fight had several heated exchanges including a fan pleasing final round. The offical scores were 97-93 for Lopez and 95-95 twice.

By Scott Foster at ringside

Friday night Most Valuable Promotions, in conjunction with Boxlab Promotions, DAZN and the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL, presented the second installment of their “Most Valuable Prospects” series. 29-year-old Junior welterweight prospect Nestor Bravo (21-0-1, 15 KOs), hailing from Arecibo, Puerto Rico, headlined the card facing his most dangerous foe to date, Will Madera (17-2-3, 10 KOs), who was fresh off an impressive showing in a points loss to heralded Brandun Lee (26-0, 23 KOs). This 10-round bout was contested for the vacant WBA Continental Latin America title.

Bravo, a switch-hitting puncher with a natural left hook, gave away the opening round before settling into a grove, consistently dictating the distance with his jab and corking left hooks. Madera flashed in the 5th & 7th rounds, but Bravo controlled the remainder of the bout. While the scores varied 99-91 & 96-94 x2, all 3 judges tabbed Bravo as the new WBA Jr. welterweight Continental Latin America champion. Continue reading “Bravo cruises to biggest win of career”

Undefeated super lightweight Kurt Scoby (13-0, 11 KOs) stopped previously unbeaten Narciso Carmona (10–1, 6 KOs) out of Sevilla, Spain, in round six on Friday night at the OTE Arena in Atlanta. A barrage of unanswered punches prompted a referee’s stoppage.

Unbeaten super middleweight Shawn McCalman (14-0, 7 KOs) hammered out an eight round unanimous decision over Money Powell IV (13-2, 8 KOs). Sores were 79-73, 78-74, 78-74.

Super bantamweight Lorenzo Parra (23-1, 17 KOs) defeated Javon Woodard (12-2, 10 KOs) by split decision. After the scheduled eight rounds the bout was scored a draw. Per OTX rules, they fought an overtime round with Parra winning 86-85, 86-85, 85-86.

The super bantamweight collision between unbeaten Dennis “The Menace” McCann (14-0-1, 8 KOs) and Ionut “Il Capo” Baluta (16-4-1, 3 KOs) ended in a technical draw after a ninth round head clash on Friday night at the historic York Hall in London. Scores were 86-85 McCann, 86-86, 86-86. The WBO Intercontinental title remains vacant.

Super welterweight Chordale “The Gift” Booker (20-1, 9 KOs) scored a seventh round knockout against Nicolas Hernandez (27-7-3, 12 KOs) on Saturday night in front of a capacity crowd of 4,235 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Booker turned in a masterful performance dropping Hernandez twice in round seven to end it. Time was at 2:41. With the win, Booker retained the WBC US title that he won at the same venue in April of this year.

In the co-feature, 47-year-old former world champion Jaime “The Hurricane” Clampitt (25-6-2, 7 KOs) continued her successful comeback, nearly shutting out tough Ecuadorian Josefina Vega (9-6, 4 KOs) for a unanimous eight round decision in a super lightweight contest. Scores were 80-72 (2x) and 78-74. Continue reading “Booker hammers Hernandez”

In a highly anticipated clash, WBO junior lightweight world champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete (38-1, 31 KOs) successfully defended his title in a war with former two-weight champion Oscar Valdez (31-2, 23 KOs) on Saturday night at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Navarrete’s six-inch reach advantage, awkward combinations, and high punch volume gave Valdez all kinds of problems. Valdez was more economical but landed hard shots. Navarrete suffered an injury to his right hand in round nine. Valdez tried to put on more pressure in round ten but Navarrete continued to fight hard with both hands and targeted Valdez’ rapidly closing right eye. Navarrete closed strong to win a unanimous decision 116-112, 118-110, 119-109. Rematch anyone?

Former world champion Emmanuel “Manny” Rodriguez (22-2, 13 KOs) scored a one-sided twelve round unanimous decision over Melvin “Melo” Lopez (29-2, 19 KOs) to reclaim the vacant IBF bantamweight title formerly held by Naoya Inoue on Saturday night at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Rodriguez steadily outworked Lopez the entire fight. Late in the fight, Rodriguez’s right eye was badly swollen, but despite that, he dropped Lopez three times in round twelve. Scores were 120-105 3x.

Unbeaten junior welterweight and 2016 Olympian Lindolfo Delgado (18-0, 13 KOs) outpointed Jair Valtierra (16-3, 8 KOs) in a tactical ten-rounder that drew boos from the crowd in the Navarrete-Valdez co-feature on Saturday night at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Scores were 98-92, 99-91, 99-91.

Unbeaten 2020 Olympic super heavyweight silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. (6-0, 6 KOs) crushed Willie Jake Jr. (11-4-2, 3 KOs) in the first round. Torrez dropped Jake face first, then finished him with a barrage of punches. Time was 1:22.

Unbeaten lightweight “El General” Emiliano Vargas (6-0, 5 KOs), son of ring legend Fernando Vargas, annihilated “Bad Boy” Jorge Luis Marquez Alvarado (3-6-1, 2 KOs) in round two. Alvarado came out very aggressively and maybe even shaded round one. The creme rose to the top in round two, however, as Vargas dropped Alvarado twice to end it. Time was 2:17.

Unbeaten 6’9 heavyweight prospect Antonio Mireles (8-0, 7 KOs) stopped 391-pound Dajuan Calloway (7-3, 7 KOs) with a barrage of unanswered punches in round six. Time was 1:38.

Other Results:
Sergio Rodriguez TKO2 Eduardo Ayala (middleweight)
Ricardo Ruvalcaba TKO2 Adrian Orban (junior welterweight)

In a clash between unbeaten super lightweights, Gary Antuanne Russell (17-0, 17 KOs) knocked out Kent Cruz (16-1-3, 10 KOs) in the first round on Saturday night in the Rodriguez-Lopez co-feature at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.. Cruz down twice. Time was 2:39. This was Russell’s eighth first round KO.

In a clash between unbeaten welterweights, 36-year-old two-time Olympian “Capitan” Gabriel Maestre (6-0-1, 5 KOs) destroyed highly regarded Travon Marshall (8-1, 7 KOs) in round two. Maestre dropped Marshall hard in round two, then finished him with another knockdown after a furious barrage. Time was 2:06. WBA #7 Maestre, an 8:1 underdog, was supposed to be a sacrificial lamb in this fight, but it didn’t work out that way.

In a clash between unbeaten bantamweights, Michael Angeletti (9-0, 7 KOs) outpointed Jonathan Lopez (8-1-2, 4 KOs) over eight rounds by scores of 79-73, 79-73, 80-72.

Former world title challenger Jose Benavidez Jr. (28-2-1, 19 KOs) was victorious when the corner of Sladan Janjanin (36-16, 26 KOs) kept their man on the stool after round five in a middleweight match.

Former world title challenger Damien Vazquez (17-3-1, 9 KOs) stopped Jeronil Borres (12-9-2, 6 KOs) in round six of a bantamweight battle. Borres down three times in round six.

Former world title challenger Jesse Hart (29-3, 23 KOs) stopped Elio Trosch (15-11-2, 7 KOs) in round two of a light heavyweight affair.

Two-time former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (26-3, 23 KOs) knocked out late sub Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius (32-5, 21 KOs) in round seven on Saturday night at The O2 Arena in London. Tactical fight early on. AJ landed a few right hands. Helenius mainly worked the jab to the head and body. Joshua upped the pressure in round five. Helenius looked tired in round six, but AJ didn’t let his hands go.

AJ finally laid out Helenius with a huge right hand in round seven. Time was 1:27.

Helenius replaced Dillian Whyte on five days’ notice after Whyte tested positive for a banned substance.

Next up for Joshua could be Deontay Wilder.

Undefeated IBF #1, WBA #8, WBO #13, WBC #15 heavyweight Filip “El Animal” Hrgovic (16-0, 13 KOs) scored a sudden twelfth round TKO over previously unbeaten IBF #13, WBO #14 Demsey McKean (22-1, 14 KOs) to preserve his mandatory shot at unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night at The O2 Arena in London. Lots of rabbit punches were allowed in this fight. Hrgovic pressed the action and won the early rounds. McKean became more active midway. Hrgovic rocked McKean in round nine. A lot of holding by McKean for the rest of the way.

The bout looked like it was headed to a workmanlike decision for Hrgovic when he finally connected with a huge right hand that staggered McKean in the final round. McKean reeled around the ring and the bout was stopped. Time was 1:01.

In a clash between former heavyweight title challengers, Derek Chisora (34-12, 23 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision over Gerald Washington (20-6-1, 13 KOs). 39-year-old Chisora, coming off a WBC title shot against Tyson Fury in December, pressed the action against 41-year-old Washington in a slow-paced fight. Scores were 98-93, 97-94, 96-94.

Unbeaten heavyweight Johnny “The Romford Bull” Fisher (10-0, 9 KOs) stopped Harry Armstrong (5-2-1, 0 KOs) in round seven to claim the vacant English Southern Area title. Fisher dropped Armstrong in the first ten seconds, then seemingly punched himself out a bit trying unsuccessfully to get the finish. Fisher finally broke through again in round seven, dropping Armstrong, and getting the stoppage with his follow up barrage as Armstrong’s corner threw in the towel. Time was 1:19.

Super lightweight Campbell Hatton (13-0, 5 KOs), son of ring legend Ricky Hatton, outpointed Tom Ansell (10-5, 2 KOs) over eight rounds by a score of 78-74.

Other Results:
George Liddard W6 Bas Oosterweghel (middleweight)
Brandon Scott W6 Louis Norman (featherweight)
Maiseyrose Courtney W6 Gemma Ruegg (female super flyweight)

By Joe Koizumi

Unbeaten puzzling southpaw IBF #5 Ryosuke Nishida (8-0, 1 KO), 118, pounded out a unanimous decision (116-112, 117-111, 118-110) over IBF#6 Christian Medina (21-4, 14 KOs), 117.75, in an IBF bantamweight eliminator to decide the next mandatory challenger over twelve on Friday in Osaka, Japan. Nishida took the initiative with his superior skills over the hard-punching but less aggressive Mexican all the way. Medina, in rounds five and seven, connected with solid left hooks to the cheek of Nishida, who, however, controlled the fight with speed and skills.

Promoter: KWORLD3 Promotions.

Undefeated WBO #2, WBC #10 super featherweight “Prince” Albert Bell (24-0, 7 KOs) stopped Presco “Iceman” Carcosia (11-3-1, 9 KOs) after five one-sided rounds on Friday night at the OTE Arena in Atlanta. Bell was too quick and too slick for Carcosia. Bell dropped Carcosia in round five and Carcosia’s corner kept him on his stool after the round. With the win, Bell claimed the WBC OTX title.

Bell will now be heading to Las Vegas to see the clash between WBO champion Emanuel Navarrete and Oscar Valdez as he is in line to fight the winner. Continue reading “WBC#2 Bell dings Carcosia, stays unbeaten”

In a clash between unbeaten flyweights, Andy Dominguez (10-0, 6 KOs) scored a six round majority decision over Mohammed Aryeetey (7-1-1, 5 KOs) on Thursday night at Sony Hall in New York City. Close fight. Scores were 58-56, 58-56, 57-57.

In the co-feature, female super flyweight Christina Cruz (5-0, 0 KOs) swept past Nancy Franco (19-18-2, 5 KOs) over eight by scores of 80-72, 79-73, 79-93.

In a WBA super featherweight eliminator, Otar “Pitbull” Eranosyan (14-0, 7 KOs) scored an eightth round TKO over former world champion Roger “The Kid” Gutierrez (27-5-1, 21 KOs) on Wednesday night at the Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida. Eranosyan rocked Gutierrez in round one, but Gutierrez responded by dropping Eranosyan in round two. Eranosyan upped the pressure after that. Gutierrez was deducted a point for holding in round eight. Eranosyan blasted Gutierrez to the canvas with a barrage of punches moments later. The bout was stopped after the round.

Super lightweight Petros Ananyan (18-3-2, 9 KOs) scored a seventh round knockout over Cristian Baez (19-3, 17 KOs). Baez was winning the fight until Ananyan rocked him. Baez went to the canvas and was counted out. Time was 1:41. Ananyan is the only man to defeat current IBF champion Subriel Matias.

Super lightweight Tristan Gallichan (1-0-1, 1 KO) and Ryan Schwartzberg (3-11-3, 2 KOs) battled to a four round draw. Scores were 38-38, 38-38, and 40-36.

By Joe Koizumi
Photos: Naoki Fukuda

Why was it expected to be a competitive war? It’s because both are devastating hard-punchers prone to take punches. But it didn’t become competitive but one-sided. Japanese super light champ Homura Fujita (11-1, 9 KOs), 140, kept his belt by a quick demolition of JBC#1 Hayato Ono (12-5-2, 11 KOs), 139.75, at 2:48 of the third round in the main event of the national title twinbill on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. The aggressive champ, from round one, caught up with the still nervous and stiff challenger, and almost stunned him with solid effective overhand rights. The second saw Fujita improve his precision in landing powerful shots upstairs and downstairs to obviously hurt Ono, who wobblingly returned to his corner. Fujita, a graduate from highly ranked Waseda university and now working in a renowned enterprise, swarmed over the damaged challenger, decking to the canvas with a furious combination. Though Ono resumed fighting, Fujita battered him from all angles so furiously that the ref stepped in and waved it off. Continue reading “Fujita halts Ono, keeps JBC 140lb belt”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

After a long career full of ups and downs, newly crowned 38-year-old workman Yuichi Ideta (17-16-1, 9 KOs), 153.25, very barely kept his Japanese super welter belt as he eked out a hairline split decision (96-94 twice, 94-96 against him) over interim champ Rei Nakajima (6-2, 1 KO), 154, over ten see-saw rounds on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan.

Ideta, a Yaqui Lopez stylist, annexed the national belt from Makoto Kawasaki in a grueling fight last December, but suffered a detached retina on the left optic and had to take an optical surgery with a necessary recovering interval.  During his inactivity the JBC approved an interim title bout with Nakajima eventually winning the secondary belt this April.  Now it’s a national unification bout.  Ideta, who had experienced a notoriously losing streak in eleven bouts, really had a tough time as Nakajima swept almost all rounds in the first half.  Ideta, however, kept battering the early starter with his persistent attack to see Nakajima fading down the stretch.  Overcoming his early deficits on points, Ideta finally earned a split verdict and managed to retain his belt in his first defense. Continue reading “Ideta barely defeats Nakajima”

Tatsuyoshi, Kunimoto, Maeda victorious

By Joe Koizumi

Three shows took place at as many different arenas on Sunday in Osaka, Japan.

Unbeaten Juiki Tatsuyoshi, the son of legendary three-time WBC bantam champ Joichiro Tatsuyoshi, made a return after two years and nine months, and impressively disposed of Taketo Yamahara, formerly a university amateur boxer, at 1:35 of the fourth round in a scheduled featherweight eight on Sunday in Osaka, Japan. Juiki, now 14-0-1, 10 KOs, floored the less experienced Taketo with a vicious left hook in the opening session, and maintained the pressure at his disposal. His manager says Juiki will fight another in a 122-pound bout this year, and aim at the national belt next year, hopefully. Continue reading “JAPAN UPDATE”

By Joe Koizumi

Unheralded Filipino underdog Jake Amparo surprisingly dethroned WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight champ Goki Kobayashi, Japan, by a close but unanimous decision (114-112 twice, 117-109) over twelve heats on Saturday in Kobe, Japan.   The taller counterpuncher Amparo landed solid counters, dropped the champ Kobayashi twice in round one and seized his rhythm from then on.  WBO#4, WBC#5 previously unbeaten Kobayashi had to use four rounds before he regained his usual equilibrium, and he eventually couldn’t overcome the huge deficits on points despite his surge in middle rounds.

Promoter: Shinsei Promotions.

By Joe Koizumi

Japanese southpaw Yuko Kuroki unified the WBA and WBO female 102-pound belts when she eked out a hairline majority decision (96-94 twice, 95-95) over Mexican Montserrat Alarcon over ten heats on Saturday in Kobe, Japan. WBA ruler Alarcon kept swinging roundhouse hooks to the midsection, while WBO champ Kuroki occasionally landed accurate overhand southpaw lefts over the onrushing Mexican. Kuroki scored with more effective lefts to the shorter but game Mexican from outside to take the initiative in later rounds. It’s a good fight.

In his fifth attempt to win the regional belt, 37-year-old veteran Toshimasa Ouchi finally acquired the vacant Japanese light-flyweight belt by turning the tables with an impressive come-from-behind stoppage of JBC#1 Rikito Shiba with a couple of knockdowns at 1:55 of the eighth round in a scheduled ten.

Promoter: Shinsei Promotions.