In a crossroads fight, former WBA cruiserweight champion Ryad Merhy (32-2, 26 KOs) hammered out a ten round unanimous decision over 2016 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tony Yoka (11-3, 9 KOs) on Saturday night at the Stade Roland-Garros in Paris, France. The 6’7 Yoka tried to keep the fight at a distance with his jab against Merhy, who is listed at 5’11. Merhy was the aggressor and was able to get inside at times to land big punches. Yoka’s punch output diminished as the fight progressed with Merhy pulling away 96-94 3x. Three straight losses for Yoka, while Merhy gets back into the mix after a loss to Kevin Lerena.

Super middleweight Omar “The Businessman” Chavez (40-8-1, 27 KOs) returned to the ring Friday night after a little over a year since his last fight. The event took place in his and his father Julio’s native hometown of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico. Chavez stopped journeyman Javier Carrerra Tinajero (15-11, 12 KOs) in round seven of their scheduled for 10 round main event. Chavez controlled the action and landed the heavier punches. Carrerra was game and actually had a good round six as Chavez seemed to be tiring. Chavez gained a second wind late in round seven and begin to work over Carrerra in the latter’s corner prompting the corner to throw in the towel. The official stoppage time was 2:35 seconds of round seven.

King’s Promotions presented a card featuring some notable names on Friday night at the Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

In a bout that ended after midnight, former two-time world title challenger and son of Philly ring legend Eugene “Cyclone” Hart Jesse “Hard Work” Hart (30-3, 24 KOs), fighting at cruiserweight, scored a third round KO against Jeyson Minda (14-8-1, 8 KOs). Hart dropped Minda in round three, then finished him with a second knockdown. Seven straight losses for Minda.

Former unified 154lb world champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd (25-3, 17 KOs), now campaigning at middleweight, ended a two-fight losing streak with a fourth round TKO over Tyi Edmonds (14-6, 9 KOs). Hurd stalked Edmunds the whole fight, dropped him twice in round four and Edmunds couldn’t continue after the round.

Highly regarded junior middleweight Travon “Sniper” Marshall (9-1, 8 KOs), rebounding from a nationally televised KO loss against Gabriel Maestre in August, took it out on Roudley Lolo (6-2-2, 3 KOs). Marshall dropped Lolo hard in round three, then got the stoppage moments later with his follow up barrage. Time was 2:14.

Undefeated super featherweight Julian Gonzalez (12-0-1, 9 KOs) outpointed Juan Antonio Lopez (17-16-1, 7 KOs) over eight uneventful rounds. Scores were 79-73, 79-73, 78-74.

Former two division world champion Paul Butler and former light heavyweight world title challenger Callum Johnson both scored quick knockout victories against overmatched opponents on Friday night at The Fuse in Partington, England (a suburb of Manchester).

Butler (36-3, 17 KOs) stopped Nabil Ahmed (2-26-2, 0 KOs) in the second round, while Johnson (21-1, 15 KOs) finished Darryl Sharp (8-121-1, 1 KO) in the very first stanza.

58-year-old Scot England set a Guinness world record for being the oldest fighter to make his pro boxing debut on Tuesday night at the Texas Troubadour Theatre in Nashville, Tennessee. In the fight, 23-year-old opponent Jashawn Hunter (1-6, 1 KO) dropped England hard in the first five seconds. England got up woozy and after about 25 seconds the bout resumed. England took a few more shots before the towel was waved by the corner.

Cruiserweight Dionardo Minor (7-3-2, 2 KOs) took an eight round split decision over Charles Dale (13-3, 10 KOs) in a good scrap. Scores were 77-75 Dale, 77-75, 80-72 Minor.

Unbeaten heavyweight Erick Arellano (10-0, 7 KOs) scored a bizarre fourth round TKO over Armondo Reeves (4-15-2, 1 KO). Reeves’ gloves the canvas after a push which was ruled a knockdown. Reeves complained about the call and the referee then waved off the bout! Time was 2:52. Continue reading “58-year-old destroyed in 46 seconds”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Having campaigned long in Mexico and returned to his native land three years ago, Shoki Sakai (29-13-3, 15 KOs), 146.5, barely kept his Japanese welterweight belt as he eked out a close but unanimous decision (95-94, 96-93 twice) over fast-moving southpaw Seeser Minagawa (4-2, 1 KO), 146.75, over ten hard-fought rounds on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. Minagawa, whose university amateur mark was 70-17, revealed his puzzling lefty style, and occasionally confused the still stiff defending champ. Sakai, however, decked him with a solid right in round three, which eventually carried him to a close victory. The fourth saw a bad head collision, which opened wide gashes on both contestants so that it became a bloody affair since then. Seeser utilized southpaw left uppercuts to have the champ lose his equilibrium in rounds seven and eight, but that wasn’t enough to overcome his early deficits on points. Continue reading “Sakai edges Minagawa, keeps Japan 147lb belt”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten JBC#4 light-fly prospect Kyosuke Takami (5-0, 4 KOs), 109, decked an important victory over WBC#15 ex-OPBF titlist Lito Dante (21-12-4, 12 KOs), 106.75, by a unanimous decision (79-73, 80-72 twice) over eight rounds on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. They kept swapping punches all the way with Takami, 21, having an upper hand with his aggressiveness against the 33-year-old tricky Filipino veteran. Continue reading “Unbeaten Takami defeats WBC#15 Dante”

WBC #1 rated cruiserweight Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (20-1, 19 KOs) scored a first round TKO over #8 Olanrewaju “God’s Power” Durodola (43-10, 40 KOs) in a WBC eliminator on Saturday night at the Emera Centre Stadium in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. Rozicki rocked the 43-year-old Durodola and unleashed a barrage of punches that prompted a quick referee’s stoppage. Time was 1:47. Rozicki is now the official mandatory challenger to face newly crowned WBC cruiserweight world champion Noel Mikaelyan.

In a bout fought at a 143lb catch weight, fan favorite Ryan Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) outclassed and stopped Oscar “La Migraña” Duarte (26-2-1, 21 KOs) on Saturday night at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Duarte pressed the action, but Garcia’s speed and mobility won him the rounds. Garcia finally dropped Duarte in round eight and Duarte didn’t beat the count. Time was 2:51.

“I want to become a world champion. I want Rollies next,” said Garcia after his win. “Everyone kept asking me why Oscar Duarte – he was so tough! I thought I would get him out in the second or third, but he was like a rock. I felt like me and Derrick have a lot to build on after this fight.”

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Unbeaten WBA #5 lightweight Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield (17-0, 12 KOs) exploded all over Ricardo “Explosivo” Torres (17-8-3, 12 KOs), dropping him four times in the first round. Time was 1:51. Another impressive performance by Schofield.

Middleweight Shane Mosley Jr. (21-4, 12 KOs) stopped Joshua Conley (17-6-1, 11 KOs) after six rounds. Mosley rocked Conley in round six and Conley couldn’t continue after the round.

Super middleweight KO artist Darius Fulghum (9-0, 9 KOs) battered Pachino “Chino” Hill (8-5-1, 6 KOs) until the bout was stopped at :56 of round two.

Photos: David Martin-Warr / Don King Productions

Results from Hall of Fame promoter Don King’s People’s Championship boxing card at Casino Miami Jai Alai, in Miami, Florida. The event featured five regional title fights.

• WBA Continental America’s middleweight titleholder Ian Green (18-2, 12 KOs) knocked out Vaughn Alexander (18-8-1, 11 KOs) in round eight. Green was mostly in command. Alexander rocked Green in round six, but let him off the hook. Green recovered and put Alexander down for the count in round eight with a liver shot. Time was 2:40.
• WBA NABA welterweight titleholder Tre’Sean Wiggins (16-5-3, 9 KOs) scored a first round TKO against Chris Howard (18-3-1, 8 KOs). Wiggins dropped Howard, then finished him with his follow-up barrage. Time was 2:57.
• Unbeaten lightweight Antonio Perez (9-0, 5 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision over Haskell Rhodes (29-6-1, 14 KOs) to win the vacant WBA International title. Perez dropped Rhodes twice in round ten to cap a 100-88 3x sweep.
• Middleweight Alexander Castro (14-1, 11 KOs) outpointed Harry Cruz (14-4, 11 KOs) over ten rounds to claim the WBA NABA title. Scores were 99-91, 98-92, 98-92.
• Super lightweight DeVon Williams (4-0, 4 KOs) finished Kendall Ward (1-11, 1 KO) in the first round to claim the vacant WBC Youth Intercontinental title. Time was 1:04.

Photos

Underdog super featherweight Jordan Gill (28-2-1, 9 KOs) stopped two-time world title challenger Michael Conlan (27-3-1, 8 KOs) in round seven on Saturday night at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Gill dropped Conlan in round two and got a referee’s stoppage at 1:09 in round seven to end it. Two straight KO losses for Conlan.

Unbeaten welterweight Lewis Crocker (18-0, 10 KOs) hammered out a ten round unanimous decision over Tyrone McKenna (23-4-1, 6 KOs) in a local all-Belfast showdown. Scores were 100-90, 100-90, 98-92.

Unbeaten super welterweight Caoimhin Agyarko (14-0, 7 KOs) won a ten round split decision over former British champion Troy Williamson (20-2-1, 14 KOs). Scores were 96-94 Williamson, 98-92, 97-93 Agyarko.

Super lightweight Sean “The Public Nusience” McComb (18-1, 5 KOs) took a one-sided ten round unanimous decision over Sam Maxwell (17-3, 11 KOs). McComb scored knockdowns in rounds three, five, and nine. Scores were 100-87, 100-87, 99-88.

44-year-old former twp-division world champion Felix Sturm (44-6-3, 19 KOs) scored a ninth round TKO over Sukru Altay (15-4, 14 KOs) on Saturday night at the MHP Arena in Ludwigsburg, Germany. Sturm, who won a close unanimous decision over Altay in February, left no doubt this time. He landed the sharper punches while breaking down the aggressive Altay. The bout was finally halted by the referee in round nine.

Unbeaten light heavyweight Hamza Salahudin (11-0, 10 KOs) was victorious when former world champion Cesar Rene Cuenca (48-5, 2 KOs) didn’t come out for round five. Five straight losses for Cuenca since running up a 48-0 record.

WBA #10, WBO #11 welterweight Derrieck “Pretty Boy” Cuevas (27-1-1, 19 KOs) scored a sixth round TKO against Marlon “La Furia” Aguas (14-2, 9 KOs) on Friday night at the Coliseo de Combates in Panama City, Panama. Cuevas dropped Aguas at the end of round five and got a referee’s stoppage 44 seconds into round six.

In an upset, female flyweight Yanissa “Reckless” Castellon (4-1, 0 KOs) defeated current WBO Latino champion and #10-rated Eveling “La Colocha” Ortega (6-5, 2 KOs) in a six-round battle. Scores were 58-56, 58-56, 59-55.

WBC #10, WBO #13 junior flyweight Azael “Candelilla” Villar (20-2-4, 15 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision over WBO #15 Ricardo “Ricky” Astuvilca (23-2, 5 KOs). Seemingly close fight with Villar winning 98-92, 98-92, 96-94.

WBA Gold super middleweight champion and #4 ranked Uwel Hernandez (16-1, 10 KOs) got an eight round mercy stoppage against outgunned Alexi Rivera (11-4, 8 KOs).

Lightweight Gavin Gwynne (17-2-1, 5 KOs) got all he could handle from previously unbeaten 47-year-old Emiliano Marsili (42-1-1, 16 KOs), but still came away with the W on Friday night at the famed York Hall in London. Gwynne was crowned EBU European lightweight champion when Marsili was unable to continue after round eight due to a shoulder injury.

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Heavyweight Nathan Gorman (19-3, 13 KOs) came into the ring at the Toughsheet Community Stadium in Bolton, England, at a career high 296 pounds. He left the ring with an eight round loss to the much fitter Bohdan Myronets (8-1, 4 KOs). The referee scored it 77-76.

Super featherweight Orlando Gonzalez (22-2, 12 KOs) won a ten round split decision over Jorge Castaneda (16-3, 12 KOs) on Wednesday night at the Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida. Gonzalez dropped Castaneda in round two, but Castaneda came back to take the late rounds. Scores were 95-94 Castaneda, 97-92, 96-93 Gonzalez.

Unbeaten welterweight Tarik “The Sandstorm” Zaina (13-0-1, 8 KOs) outboxed Marcelino Nicolas Lopez (37-4-1, 22 KOs) over ten uneventful rounds. Scores were 97-93, 98-92, 99-91.

In a clash between unbeaten super welterweights, Marques Valle (10-0, 7 KOs) won a hard fought ten round unanimous decision over Farid Ngoga (10-0, 6 KOs). Scores were 77-75, 78-74, 78-74

Bantamweights Joahnys Argilagos (9-1-1, 4 KOs) and Jose Lopez (4-2-3, 0 KOs) battled to an eight round draw. Scores were 76-76 and 77-75 for Argilagos, 78-74 for Lopez.

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

In a semi-windup event to the Japanese minimumweight title bout, fast-rising Kai Watanabe (11-1-1, 6 KOs), 130, barely acquired the vacant national youth super feather belt by eking out a majority decision (76-76, 77-75 twice) over previously unbeaten Shinsei Otani (7-1, 4 KOs), 129, over eight see-saw rounds on Monday in Tokyo, Japan. Watanabe, handled by ex-OPBF champ Lion Furuyama, had a tough time coping with the peek-a-boo stylist coming forward all the way, but occasionally scored with a solid shot at a time, which might be evaluated by a couple of judges. They were previous winners of the national Shinjin-o (novice king) four-round tournament: Watanabe in 2021 and Otani last year. This reporter saw it a draw.

After a long layoff for four years and a half, formerly OPBF and national 154-pound champ and world-rated Charles Bellamy (28-5-2, 18 KOs), 155, of US, made a bitter comeback attempt only to be quickly halted by JBC#1 middleweight contender Eiki Kani (8-3-3, 4 KOs), 159.75, at 1:26 of the second round in a scheduled eight. Bellamy, in 2014, dropped Jermell Charlo in round three but lost a unanimous nod in an IBF eliminator in Quebec, Montreal. The muscular 42-year-old veteran absorbed a solid one-two combo of Kani, twenty years his junior, at the chin and badly fell down with such a heavy damage that he couldn’t resume fighting properly only to be halted by the ref Tanaka. It was a shocker to see such a quick demolition of Charles, formerly invincible and world-rated.

Unbeaten super light prospect Kaiji Nakajima (5-0, 4 KOs), 138.75, looked very impressive when he dispatched Shogo Namiki (6-4-1, 4 KOs), 138.75, at 2:03 of the second session in a scheduled six. Tall, well-proportioned, fast and powerful, Nakajima, former high school baseball player, looked so greatly talented that he might be a future champion.

BoxRec: Kaiji Nakajima

Promoter: Hachioji Nakaya Promotions in association with Ohashi Promotions.

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Keeps Japan’s 105lb belt

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Don’t you remember three-time unsuccessful world challenger Lion Furuyama? The iron-chinned southpaw puncher failed to win the world 140-pound belt, losing to Antonio Cervantes in Panama in 1973, Perico Fernandez in Roma in 1974 and Saensak Muangsurin here in Tokyo in 1976. The long-time unsung manager and handler Furuyama, now 75, found his second career fully bloomed this night, as his protégé WBA #4 Yuni Takada (13-8-3, 6 KOs), 104.75, kept his Japanese national minimum belt by defeating his grudge rival WBO #13 Katsuki Mori (11-3, 2 KOs), 105, by a unanimous decision (all 97-92) over ten hard-fought rounds on Monday in Tokyo, Japan. Also, another Lion prospect Kai Watanabe acquired the vacant Japanese youth 130-pound belt on the undercard (to be reported separately). Continue reading “Takada repeats victory over Mori”

By Ron Jackson

South Africa’s Kevin Lerena won the WBC interim bridgerweight title on a unanimous 12 round points decision against Senad Gashi who was more intent on pushing and fouling throughout at the Emperors Palace near Kempton Park on Saturday night.

In a battle of southpaws there was nothing in it through the first four rounds with Lerena possibly shading rounds three and four. However, Lerena (100kg) picked up the pace in the fourth round with Gashi (99.50kg) warned for a low blow by referee Michael Griffiths from Canada.

The 31-year-old Lerena began to dominate through rounds six, seven and eight scoring with his right hand jab, with Gashi only intent on fouling and pushing. Lerena remained in control in rounds nine ten and eleven with little coming back from the 33-year-old Gashi. Continue reading “Kevin Lerena wins WBC interim title”

Bring on Canelo!

In a clash between undefeated super middleweights, WBC interim champion David “El Monstruo” Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) stopped two-division champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade (32-1, 19 KOs) in six rounds on Saturday night at the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The quicker Andrade had success swarming Benavidez with rapid-fire punches. Benavidez, however, dropped Andrade hard in round four and continued to batter Andrade in rounds five and six. The bout was stopped after round six.

In a grudge match, undefeated WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision over José Benavídez Jr. (28-3-1, 19 KOs) in a non-title WBC special event on Saturday night’s Benavidez-Andrade card at the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Returning after nearly 2 1/2 years, Charlo was stronger than the aggressive Benavidez and won most of the rounds. Benavidez was wobbled in the tenth. Scores were 98-92, 99-91, 100-90.

IBF junior welterweight champion Subriel Matías (20-1, 20 KOs) stopped previously unbeaten mandatory challenger Shohjahon Ergashev (23-1, 20 KOs) after round five on the Benavidez-Andrade card Saturday night at the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Good start for Ergashev, but Matias’ pressure started paying dividends in round four. The fight was stopped after more punishment in round five.

Mandatory challenger Lamont Roach (24-1-1, 9 KOs) dethroned WBA super featherweight champion Héctor Luis Garcia (16-2, 10 KOs) by twelve round split decision on the Benavidez-Andrade card Saturday night at the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Roach rocked Garcia in round eleven and dropped him in round twelve to win 114-113, 116-111 on two cards. The third card was 114-113 Garcia.

In a WBC super featherweight title eliminator, Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov (21-1, 11 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision over Pablo Vicente (23-2, 17 KOs). Yaqubov is now the mandatory challenger for WBC champion O’Shaquie Foster.

Super lightweight Michel (La Zarza Ali) Rivera (25-1, 14 KOs) outboxed former world champion Sergey Lipinets (17-3-1, 13 KOs) over ten rounds. Scores were 97-93, 97-93, 96-94.

Super welterweight Vito Mielnicki Jr. (16-1, 11 KOs) annihilated Alexis Salazar (25-6, 10 KOs) in the first round. Salazar down three times.

Female star Katie Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) avenged her loss to undisputed super lightweight champion Chantelle Cameron (18-1, 8 KOs) with a ten round majority decision on Saturday night at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. Cameron suffered a gash on her forehead from a headbutt. Good two-way action with the quicker Taylor pulling away to a 95-95, 98-92, 96-94 verdict.

Lightweight Gary Cully (17-1, 10 KOs) took a ten round split decision over Reece Mould (18-2, 6 KOs) in a bout for the WBA Continental Europe title. Rebounding from a shock loss to Jose Felix in May, Cully won on two cards 96-93 and 97-93. Mould was up 97-93 on the third card.

Unbeaten welterweight Paddy Donovan (12-0, 9 KOs) knocked out Danny Ball (13-2-1, 6 KOs) in the fourth round in a bout for the WBA Continental title. Donovan dropped Ball, then sent him to the canvas again after a furious assault. Time was 2:41. Continue reading “Taylor dethrones Cameron in rematch”

Unbeaten lightweight Mark Chamberlain (14-0, 10 KOs) scored a spectacular tenth round KO against Artjoms Ramlavs (16-3, 8 KOs) on Friday night at the famed York Hall in London. After a grueling and bloody nine rounds, Chamberlain hurt and dropped Ramlavs in the tenth round to dramatically end it. Time was 1:21. Chamberlain retained his IBF Euro belt.