Photos: Darryl Cobb Jr.

Three-time Olympian Anvar Yunusov (8-0, 4 KOs) remained perfect by stopping Angel Luna (11-6-1, 6 KOs) in the second round of their scheduled eight-round junior lightweight bout. The fight headlined an eight-bout card Saturday night at The 2300 Arena and was promoted by King’s Promotions in association with Titans Boxing Promotions.

Yunosov dropped Luna with a right hook in round one. That was followed by a flurry of punches that Luna barely survived. It didn’t take long, as in round two, Yunusov landed a perfect straight left that deposited Luna on his back. Yunusov jumped on Luna, and the bout was stopped at 56 seconds. Continue reading “Results from Philadelphia”

By Marco Bratusch at ringside

Former WBA “regular” super middleweight titlist Giovanni De Carolis (28-9-1, 13 KOs) outscored former European champion Khoren Gevor (34-10, 17 KOs), from Armenia by way of Hamburg, Germany, over twelve rounds Friday night in Rome, Italy. It was the first defense of De Carolis’ WBC International 168-pound belt. Judged saw the contest 116-112 twice and 117-111 all in favor of the local man, who banked his third victory in a row since losing to Bilal Akkawy in Australia at the beginning of 2018. Continue reading “De Carolis decisions Gevor, Magnesi stops Lopez”

Former WBC super welterweight champion Jermell Charlo (32-1, 16 KOs) scored a devastating third round KO over Jorge Cota (28-4, 25 KOs) on Sunday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. In round three, Charlo dropped Cota, who beat the count but was then almost immediately laid out. Time was 2:14. This was Charlo’s first fight since suffering his first career loss to Tony Harrison last December. Charlo was originally scheduled to battle Harrison in a rematch until an injury forced Harrison out of the bout and Cota stepped in.

In a WBC super bantamweight elimination bout between former world champions, Guillermo Rigondeaux (19-1, 13 KOs) scored an exciting eighth round TKO over Julio Ceja (32-3, 28 KOs). It was a very rugged fight with Rigo and Ceja both more than willing to brawl. Both were deducted points for low blows in round eight by referee Russell Mora. Rigo then dropped Ceja with a huge left hand. Ceja beat the count, but Mora waved it off. Time was 2:59.

Continue reading “Charlo and Rigondeaux score KO wins”

Photos: Phil Lambert

MMA veteran Artem Lobov defeated former world champion Paulie Malignaggi via five round unanimous decision in a bare-knuckle match on Saturday night at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall in Tampa. Judges unanimously scored the contest for the aggressive Lobov 48-47. Malignaggi’s longstanding social media “beef” with UFC star Connor McGregor led him to facing McGregor’s stablemate and friend Lobov.

“I am not sure what the judges were looking at, but I felt like he walked into a lot of my jabs and check left hooks,” said Malignaggi, who may have broken his hand. “Maybe it’s beneath me, but I thought I would give it a shot, give him a shot. Maybe I was wrong. I am 38 years old so I am not interested in campaigning or competing in bare-knuckle against this loss. I kind of liked the adrenaline rush and it was different, but I am done.” Continue reading “Paulie Malignaggi defeated by MMA fighter”

Photos: Zanfer

In a great fight, former Mexican Olympian and unbeaten flyweight Joselito “Huracán” Velazquez overcame a tough test to win by eight round split decision over Martin Tecuapetla in what was the headliner at the Lienzo Charro Gortázar in Ahualulco, Jalisco, Mexico.

Velázquez (10-0, 8 KOs) had to work hard to stop the dangerous counterattacks of Tecuapetla (16-11-4, 10 KOs), who was in great physical condition. Scores were 77-75 for Tecuepetla, 77-75, 79-74 for Velázquez. Continue reading “Olympian Velazquez edges Tecuapetla”

By Gary “Digital” Williams at ringside

Rookie Baltimore, MD middleweight Lorenzo “Truck” Simpson scored a blistering second-round TKO over Dewayne “The Beast” Williams of Philadelphia, PA in the main event contest of the Shabazz Brotherz card at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD. Five of the six contests on the card ended in knockouts.

Simpson was very composed during the contest, probing with his solid right jab. Simpson jabbed his way inside and, by the second round, was able to land his left hooks inside. Two of those Simpson left hooks landed flush on Williams’s face and dropped him twice to the canvas. Referee Dave Braslow stopped the contest after the second knockdown and the bout ended at 2:29 of the second round. Simpson remains undefeated at 5-0, four KO’s while Williams’s record evens at 1-1, one KO. Continue reading “Simpson Leads KO Parade in Fort Washington, MD”

By Bob Caico

Hometown fighter Joseph Jackson scored a second round knockout over Javier Frazier of Aiken, SC in the main event at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC promoted by Walter Johnson.

The eight round super welterweight contest was scheduled for 8 rounds but Jackson scored his 11th KO at 2:18 of the second frame. Jackson improved to 14-0 while Frazier slides to 8-10-1. Continue reading “Joseph Jackson remains unbeaten”

Photos: Sumio Yamada

WBA super featherweight champion Andrew “El Chango” Cancio (21-4-2, 16 KOs) scored a spectacular third round KO over former champ Alberto “Explosivo” Machado (21-2, 17 KOs) to erase all doubts in their rematch on Friday night at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California. Cancio was cut early, but he battered Machado in round two. A body shot dropped Machado in the third to end it. Time was 1:01.

“It feels good,” said Cancio.”I was going for the head and the body was there and I took it. I’m here to stay. It’s not a fluke, and I’m ready for the other champions. After the knockdown, I thought he was getting up, but he knew if he got up I was coming for him.” Continue reading “WBA 130lb champ Cancio KOs Machado again”

Photos: Sumio Yamada

In a very entertaining and controversial fight, 8:1 underdog Elwin “Pulga” Soto (15-1, 11 KOs) scored a twelfth round TKO to dethrone WBO light flyweight world champion Angel “Tito” Acosta (20-2, 20 KOs) on Friday night at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California. Soto floored Acosta in round three and had him in trouble. The champion rebounded and regained the upper hand on all three scorecards entering the final round. But when Soto rocked Acosta, the bout was very quickly waved off by referee Thomas Taylor crowning a new champion. Time was :23.

“The truth is I feel nice,” said Soto. “It feels great to accomplish this. I worked very hard and put a lot of effort into this. To be honest I thought I was going to lose and thank God I landed that punch and won the fight. When I first dropped him, I felt I could have stopped him, but I knew it was going 12 rounds. This is victory means a lot and dedicate this belt to my family.” Continue reading “Soto dethrones Acosta for WBO 108lb title”

Undefeated 6’7 super welterweight Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora (13-0, 9 KOs) scored a fourth round TKO over previously unbeaten Manuel “Baby” Zepeda (17-1, 4 KOs) on Friday night at the WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa. Said to be the tallest 154-pound boxer in the division’s history, Fundora had no problems his light-punching opponent and Zepeda’s corner called it quits after round four.

“I’m pretty happy with my performance,” said Fundora. “I got to do what I wanted to do, which was show off a little bit more of my boxing skills. Honestly, Zepeda was a pretty tough guy so I didn’t think that they were going to stop it,” said Fundora, who has now registered five straight stoppages. “I thought that it would have taken the ref stopping it, but either way we still got the stoppage and the result we were looking for.” Continue reading “6’7 super welter Fundora remains unbeaten”

Super welterweight Luis Feliciano (12-0, 8 KOs) scored a seventh round KO over former Boxing finalist Fernando Carcamo (23-10, 18 KOs). Feliciano battered Carcamo to the deck in the seventh and the bout was stopped by Carcamo’s corner.

Flamboyant welterweight Blair Cobbs (11-0-1, 7 KOs) scored a sixth round TKO over Robert Redmond Jr (7-2-2, 6 KOs). Cobbs dropped Redmond in round two. Redmond had some good moments, but he was hampered by bad swelling under his right eye. The bout was halted in round six. Continue reading “Undercard Results from Fantasy Springs”

Photos: Darryl Cobb Jr.

A middleweight clash between D’Mitrius Ballard (20-0, 13 KOs) and Elias Espadas (18-4, 13 KOs) ended in a no decision on Thursday night at Ocean Casino Resort/Ovation Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The bout was heating up nicely but a cut to Espada caused by an unintentional headbutt resulting in the bout being stopped in round three.

“I felt like the fight could’ve went on,” said Ballard. “I’m not the judge. I’m not the doctor. He decided to stop the fight, so I just have to live with the decision and move forward. If I don’t fight Espadas in the next fight, I want to do a rematch for a belt. This is my first time fighting at 160, and I feel good and strong. I’m confident in my abilities, and there are a lot of great fighters at 160. I’m here to take my claim in the ring.” Continue reading “Ballard-Espadas ends in no decision”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Speedy, skillful and smart Japanese Kazuto Ioka ( 23-2, 14 KOs), 114.75, gained his fourth world belt as he won the WBO 115-pound title by impressively chalking up a fine TKO victory over hard-punching Filipino Aston Palicte (25-3-1, 21 KOs), 115, at 1:46 of the tenth round on Wednesday in Chiba, Japan.

For Ioka, it was a wonderful Miguel Canto-like display of defensive skills and effective counters. Steadily piling up points, Ioka, 30, connected with a beautiful right counter and had Palicte, 28, in great trouble midway in round ten. Kazuto then swarmed over the fading Filipino, battered him with a fusillade of punches and made him look so helpless that referee Kenny Chevalier had a well-received intervention.

Ioka became the first Japanese that acquired world belts in four weight categories—in 105, 108, 112 and 115 pounds.

Photos

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten Japanese Hiroto Kyoguchi (13-0, 9 KOs), 107.73, successfully kept his WBA 108-pound belt as he maintained the pressure, kept stalking previously unbeaten durable Thailander Tanawat Nakoon (11-1, 5 KOs), 107.5, and defeated him by a unanimous decision over twelve monotonous rounds on Wednesday in Chiba, Japan. Carlos Sucre (US) and Carlos Costa (Philippines) both scored 117-111, and Gloria Martinez (US) had it 117-112, all in favor of the defending champ.

The referee was Rafael Ramos (US) who moved as well as both contestants. The prohibitive favorite Hiroto occasionally had him in trouble, but the Thailander showed great durability in withstanding the champ’s onslaught. Kyoguchi, two-division champ, almost toppled Tanawat with a solid right, but couldn’t finish him to bring home the bacon.

Photos

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Slick-punching Miyo Yoshida (13-1, no KO), 114.25, acquired the vacant WBO female 115-pound belt by scoring a nearly shutout decision (100-90 twice, 99-91) over Casey Morton (8-2-3, 1 KO), 115, over ten hard-fought rounds on Wednesday in Chiba, Japan.

Yoshida, despite her lack of convincing power, displayed good precision in connecting with sharp left-right combinations and right uppercuts to the onrushing opponent, 35, handled by Nonito Donaire’s father. The 31-year-old Yoshida’s sharpshooting accounted for her long-anticipated coronation.

Continue reading “Yoshida wins vacant WBO female 115lb belt”

Photos: Darryl Cobb Jr.

Jesus Soler gained the biggest win of his career by winning an eight-round unanimous decision over Miguel Cartagena in a flyweight bout that headlined an entertaining eight-bout card at Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania.

It was a terrific action fight that saw Soler out work and out punch the native of Philadelphia. Soler consistently backed up Cartagena and ripped off some furious multi-punch combinations. Continue reading “Soler, Trader victorious”

Cruiserweight Ilunga Makabu (25-2, 24 KOs) scored a fifth round TKO over Dmitry Kudryashov (23-3, 23 KOs) to win the vacant WBC Silver title on Sunday at the Uralets Arena in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Macabu dropped Kudryashov in round two and punished him until the referee waved it off in the fifth round.

In the co-feature, cruiserweight Alexey Egorov (9-0, 7 KOs) knocked out Roman Golovashchenko (20-4, 18 KOs) in the third round to claim the vacant WBA Gold title. Egorov dropped Golovashchenko in round two before finishing him with another knockdown in the third stanza.

Also, cruiserweight Alexei Papin (11-0, 10 KOs) won the vacant IBF International title with a third round knockout of Alexander Jura (18-4, 7 KOs).

By David Robinett at ringside
Photos: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

In the main event at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, the “Gypsy King” Tyson Fury staked his claim as “the man” in the heavyweight division, defending his lineal heavyweight championship with a prime Roy Jones-esque beatdown of undefeated contender Tom Schwarz, beating his German opponent into submission until referee Kenny Bayles jumped in at the same time Schwarz’s corner threw in the towel at 2:54 of the second round.

Unlike his superb-but-cautious boxing effort against Deontay Wilder, Fury (28-0-1, 20 KOs) didn’t appear to have a care in the world against Schwarz (24-1, 16 KOs), starting off as usual by utilizing his length and popping his long jab to keep his opponent safely at bay. But quickly sensing Schwarz didn’t pose the same risk as the Bronze Bomber, Fury starting using both hands as leads, switching stances, and mugging to Schwarz and the crowd. Continue reading “Tyson Fury demolishes Tom Schwarz in two”

By David Robinett at ringside

In the first of two walkout bouts following Tyson Fury’s victory at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, heavyweight youngster Sonny Conto (3-0, 3 KOs) blew out Daniel Infante (1-2, 0 KOs) at 2:08 of round two in a scheduled four-round contest. Conto, who in addition to being a decorated amateur boxer was also a college baseball pitcher who helped lead his Rowan College team to the 2015 NJCAA Division III World Series, was throwing fastballs in the ring, riding a powerful right hand to a pair of knockdowns in round two, the second one prompting a referee’s stoppage.

Two-time super middleweight title challenger Jesse Hart (26-2, 21 KOs) made a successful move up to light heavyweight, earning a ten-round unanimous decision over former light heavyweight title challenger Sullivan Barrera (22-3, 14 KOs) on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Scores were 96-93, 97-92, and 99-90. Continue reading “Undercard: Jesse Hart defeats Sullivan Barrera”

IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington (29-0, 6 KOs) retained his title by twelve round split decision over mandatory challenger Kid Galahad (26-1, 15 KOs) on Saturday night at the FD Arena in Leeds, England. Galahad (a.k.a. Barry Awad) frustrated and neutralized Warrington in a dull tactical bout that could have gone either way. Scores were 115-113 Galahad, 116-112, 116-113 Warrington.