Fightnews.com

By David Robinett at ringside
Photos: Sumio Yamada

In a title bout pitting two fighters unbeaten since 2012, WBA lightweight champion Jorge Linares (44-3, 27 KOs) successfully defended his title, as well as recognition as the Ring Magazine lineal lightweight champion, with a twelve-round unanimous decision over Mercito Gesta (31-2-2, 17 KOs) in the co-main event on HBO Boxing After Dark at the Forum in Inglewood, California. Scores for Linares were 117-111, 118-110, 118-110.

The southpaw Gesta started quickly, darting behind his right jab and landing quick left hands and short combinations, although a Linares counter right might have been the hardest punch of the round. Continue reading “Linares retains WBA lightweight title”

Once beaten lightweight prospect Sharif Bogere (31-1, 20 KOs) outboxed Arturo Santos (19-9, 5 KOs) en route to a one-sided ten round unanimous decision on Saturday night at Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall in Las Vegas. Scores were 99-91, 100-90, 100-90.

Welterweight Cameron Krael 13-12-3, 3 KOs) outpointed Gaku Takahashi (15-8-1, 7 KOs) over eight rounds. Scores were 79-73, 78-74, 80-72.

Welterweight Sanjarbek Rakhmanov (10-0-1, 5 KOs) demolished Hylon Williams Jr (16-5-1, 3 KOs) in two rounds to claim the vacant NABF “junior” belt. Continue reading “Bogere easily outpoints Santos”

Rising heavyweight Jeremiah “The Bullfrog” Karpency (15-1, 6KO) destroyed former IBF title challenger Rubin “Mr. Hollywood” Williams of Detroit in a scheduled 10 rounder on Saturday night at the Castleton Banquet & Conference Center in Windham, New Hampshire. Karpency came out with sharp and effective combinations along with a brutal body attack. Williams was floored 3 times from vicious body shots from the southpaw from Pennsylvania prompting referee Leo Gerstel to halt the onslaught at 1:36 of the 1st round. Continue reading “Karpency Crushes Williams”

By David Robinett and Miguel Maravilla at ringside

Welterweight contender Marcelino Lopez (34-2-1, 19 KOs) fought back a spirited challenge from faded but game Breidis Prescott (30-12, 22 KOs), to score a knockout just before the bell at 2:59 of round five in a scheduled eight-round bout. Despite normally fighting a weight class lower than Prescott, Lopez traded with the bigger man from the start. The two put on an entertaining show, trading punches off and on early before Lopez started to pull away in round five. A short right hook by Lopez clipped Prescott late in the fifth and sent him to the canvas. Prescott beat the count in decent shape but went toe to toe with Lopez as the latter tried to close the show. A much bigger right hook caught Prescott flush right before the bell and dropped him on all fours, where he was counted out.

Filipino lightweight Romero Duno (16-1, 14 KOs) made quick work of Yardely Armenta (21-10, 12 KOs) in scoring a first round knockout. Duno was aggressive from the start attacking Armenta as a right hand did it dropping Armenta as referee Jerry Cantu reached a ten count at 1:07 of the first. Continue reading “Undercard Results from the Forum”

By Marco Bratusch at ringside

In a WBC/WBO cruiserweight unification clash and World Boxing Super Series semi-final, WBO champion Aleksandr Usyk (14-0, 11 KOs) scored a spirited and razor-thin twelve round majority decision over WBC champion Mairis Briedis (23-1, 18 KOs) on Saturday night at the Riga Arena in Riga, Latvia. Very close and competitive fight. Usyk wins 115-113, 115-113, 114-114.

WBC/WBO champ Usyk will face the winner of next week’s IBF/WBA unification clash between Murat Gassiev and Yunier Dorticos in the WBSS final on May 11 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Usyk established his jab and used his quick footwork from round one to dictate the tempo, while Briedis remained in the game with some good counter-actions and a couple of clean body shots. Continue reading “Usyk edges Briedis to unify WBC/WBO belts”

By Marco Bratusch at ringside

2016 Olympic bronze medal Filipi Hrgovic (3-0, 3 KOs) stopped British Tom Little (10-5, 3 KOs) in round four of their scheduled eight round heavyweight contest. The Croatian put on a strong start in round one, following Little through the ring an landing a straight right flush just before the bell, which made Little wobble and as he looked for the stool. Little tried to fire back in round two in order to earn some respect from Hrgovic landing something big but he does not seem to have the necessary stamina to keep his hands go continuously. The Birt showed his cheeky temperament in round three yelling at Hrgovic’s face to provoke him but the former Olympian stick to his plan, using his jab and fighting at a decent pace. In round four, Little did land a good right punch but then suffered the Hrgovic comeback, which after a flurry of punches forced referee Daniel Van de Wiele to stop his foe. Little was cut on his left eyebrow and had some trouble for a few seconds after the stoppage as he struggles to regain his balance. Continue reading “Undercard Results from Latvia”

By Gabriel F. Cordero

WBC super featherweight youth champion and 2017 prospect of the year Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez was shot during an attempted robbery in Mexico City. Promociones del Pueblo with the WBC have reported that Rocky is now stable and out of danger after having surgery to remove a bullet from his lower back. According to preliminary reports, Hernandez put up resistance when thugs tried to steal his car. They got away with his wallet and personal items.

The WBC Board of Governors has voted in favor of the following resolution for the light heavyweight division:

1. The WBC will sanction a WBC interim title fight between Oleksandr Gvozdyk and Mehdi Amar, on March 17th in New York.

2. The WBC will sanction current WBC champion Adonis Stevenson vs Badou Jack on May 19th.

3. The winners of both bouts will fight with a split percentage of WBC champion 65%, WBC interim champion 35%.

4. Mandatory challenger Eleider Alvarez, who has already stepped aside multiple times, will maintain his WBC mandatory status to fight the winner of the champion vs. interim champion down the road.

Three major fights today.

In Riga, Latvia, WBO cruiserweight champion Aleksandr Usyk (13-0, 11 KOs) is a -600 favorite to defeat local hero and WBC cruiserweight champion Mairis Briedis (23-0, 18 KOs), who is +500. The unification bout is also a World Boxing Super Series semi-final.

In Los Angeles, WBA lightweight champion Jorge “El Nino De Oro” Linares (43-3, 27 KOs) is -2500 to retain his belt against Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (31-1-2, 17 KOs), who is +1400. Also on that card, welterweight Lucas “La Máquina” Matthysse (38-4, 35 KOs) is -800 to beat Tewa Kiram (38-0, 28 KOs) +700 for the vacant WBA “regular” title. HBO will televise.

On Friday, IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas visited the famous Wild Card Gym in Hollywood where he met Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach and Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum.

In Star Boxing’s first show of 2018, welterweight Anthony “Showtime” Karperis (15-3, 5 KOs) outworked Nelson Lara (17-10-4, 9 KOs) over ten rounds on Friday night at The Paramount in Huntington, Long Island, NY. Scores were 99-91, 99-91, 100-90. Local favorite Karperis scored his 13th victory at the venue.

By John DiSanto at ringside
Photos: Darryl Cobb Jr. – dcobbjr.com

In the main event at the Sugar House Casino, Philadelphia lightweight Steven Ortiz, 8-0, 3 KOs, knocked down DC’s Joshua Davis, 11-3, 5 KOs, three times in the second round to score a TKO. A left hook dropped Davis the first time, and right hands were responsible for the final two knockdowns. Referee Gary Rosato stopped the fight as soon as Davis hit the canvas for the third time. The time was 2:21.

Evander Holyfield’s Real Deal Sports and Entertainment promoted the sell-out show. Continue reading “Ortiz TKOs Davis, remains unbeaten”