SIX TITLE FIGHTS IN DECEMBER 10
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 12 Dec 2016
It was a busy day for boxing as six title fights involving world championships were scheduled on the same day December 10, 2016. Sports scribes and television networks were engrossed in covering the fight cards held in the different places of the globe.
In Omaha, Nebraska, USA, undefeated world champion Terence "Bud" Crawford stopped John Molina in the eighth round to cap a dominating performance where he retained his WBO and WBC junior welterweight titles. Molina was not able to make the 140-pound weight limit and if Crawford would had been upset, the titles would have been declared vacant.
Crawford was in total control of all rounds and finished off Molina with punches to the tummy which backed him into the corner. Crawford then unloaded flurry of punches to the head and body which floored Molina. Referee Mark Nelson stepped in to stop the fight at the 2:32 mark of the eighth.
In Los Angeles, California, Abner Mares outpointed the hard-punching Jesus Cuellar at the second half of their twelve-tounder. Mares knocked down Cuellar in the eleventh round to win a well-deserved split decision and the WBA featherweight title Saturday at the USC Galen Center. Two judges scored the fight for Mares, 117-110 and 116-111, and one judge scored the fight for Cuellar, 115-112.
In the undercard, IBF junior middleweight titleholder Jermall Charlo and mandatory challenger Julian Williams faced each other. Charlo dominated Williams and knocked him out in the fifth round. He scored three knockdowns as he retained his 154-pound belt for the third time.
Britain's Anthony Joshua successfully defended his IBF heavyweight title with a stoppage of Eric Molina in Manchester, England. Joshua, who was making the second defense of his belt, knocked the American down with a short right before the referee waved the fight off 2:02 of the third round.
In the co-main event, Britain's Kal Yafai won the WBA super-flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Luis Concepcion. Yafai dominated from the opening bell, flooring his opponent in the 10th round and winning 120-108, 119-108 and 117-110 on the judges' scorecards. Concepcion was stripped of his belt when he failed to make the weight and could be won only by Yafai.
Joseph Parker became the new WBO heavyweight champion of the world after winning a majority decision over Andy Ruiz in Auckland, New Zealand. The two previously unbeaten boxers engaged in twelve hardly-fought rounds as one of the judges scored it a 114-114 draw. But New Zealander Parker triumphed 115-113 on the other two judges' scorecards and won the vacant title.
More interesting world championship boxing fights are coming next year. Who says boxing is dying?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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