The Past Week in Action 12 April 2017 -- Part I
By Eric Armit
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 12 Apr 2017
Highlights
-Another brilliant exhibition of supreme boxing skills from Vasyl Lomachenko
-Blood ruined clash between Liam Smith and Liam Williams just when it was poised for a dramatic last three rounds
-Olyk Usyk retains WBO cruiser title
--Cris Mijares gets controversial win over Tomas Rojas in clash between former champions
-Terry Flanagan retains WBO light title
-Pro debut of British heavyweight prospect Daniel Dubois
April 6
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Montreal, Canada: Super Light: Batyrzhan Jukembayev (9-0) W TKO 7 Cosme Rivera (41-24-3). Heavy: Simon Kean (9-0) W KO 1 Michael Marrone (21-6).
Jukembayev vs. Rivera
Canadian based Kazak southpaw Jukembayev grinds down and halts veteran Rivera to win the vacant IBO International title. The hard punching southpaw applied constant pressure over the first two rounds and then floored the Mexican with a left in the third. Rivera fought back hard and in the fourth opening a cut under the right eye of Jukembayev. The cut was not a serious hindrance and Jukembayev pounded Rivera in the fifth and sixth. He put Rivera down again in the seventh and although Rivera beat the count he was being brutalised on the ropes when the referee stopped the fight. The 26-year-old Jukembayev made a stuttering start with his first two fights being No Decision due to cuts but he has now won 8 of his last 9 fights by KO/TKO. He was never Kazak champion as an amateur but did well in a couple of amateur tournaments under the Kazak spelling of his name Dzhukembayev. Rivera, 40, lost to Zab Judah for the IBF/WBC/WBC welter titles back in 2005. He still gets the occasional win back in Mexico but now has 10 losses by KO/TKO and is10-6 in his last 16 fights.
Kean vs. Marrone
Kean gets another quick win but even he was disgusted with this one. After a bit of sparring the Canadian threw a long jab to the fat midriff of Malone and Malone went down writhing on the canvas and was counted out. Now 8 wins by KO/TKO for the 28-year-old Olympian but this was a disgrace. When Marrone, 31, first turned pro he won his first 18 fights but then something went badly wrong and he is now 3-7 in his last 10 fights with six losses by KO/TKO including three in a row all inside three rounds.
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April 7
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Adelia Maria, Argentina: Light: Javier Jose Clavero (21-2) W PTS 10 Pablo Barboza (24-11). Big night for the citizens of Adelia Maria as local boy Clavero wins the vacant national title in the first Argentinian title fight held there. After Barboza was put on the canvas in the first the result was never in doubt. Barboza, a former national champion, is a seasoned campaigner and a southpaw and so he stayed competitive but he had to take a standing count in the fourth and took a hammering in the eighth putting a win beyond his reach. Scores 99-90, 97-91 and 97-94 ? all for Clavero. After an early loss Clavero, 23, then won 18 on the bounce before losing to Aik Shakhnazaryan in Russia for WBC International Silver title. He had returned with a win in November. ?Bad Boy? Barboza, 32, was stripped of the Argentinian title for failing to defend it and is on the down slope with 7 losses in his last 8 fights.
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Copenhagen, Denmark: Super Middle: Lolenga Mock (39-14-1) W PTS 10 Derek Edwards (27-6-1). Mock gets another win on his comeback as he beats Badou Jack conqueror Edwards. Unusually for Mock he was quickly into his stride and Edwards was struggling to get a foot hold in the fight. A left hook from Mock floored Edwards in the second and although Edwards beat the count he was showing very little fire. Mock was throwing more and landing more but Edwards showed some good defensive work and was never really in trouble again. Mock eased up over the last couple of rounds and coasted to victory. Scores 100-89, 98-91 and a strange 95-94 which without the knockdown would have given Edwards at least a draw. The 44-year-old DRC-born ?Lumumba Boy? Mock had David Haye on the floor when he fought him back in 2003 and has won eight in a row since returning to the ring in 2015. Edwards, 37, is the only fighter to have beaten Badou Jack. He did that in 2014 flooring Jack twice and stopping him in 61 seconds. He has now lost four in a row on points with the other three losses being against Andre Dirrell, Gilberto Ramirez and Erik Skoglund. This was his first fight since losing to Skoglund in December 2015
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Puerto Penasco, Mexico: Super Bantam: David Sanchez (31-4-2) W PTS 8 Victoriano Nunez (12-25-4). Sanchez continues to rebuild with a points win over modest Nunez. The former WBA interim champion title challenger floored Nunez three times but could not finish it. Nunez soaked up punishment and kept punching back to make it good fight despite the three knockdowns,. Scores 79-89 twice and 79-71 all for Sanchez. The ?Tornado?, 25, has a win over current WBO bantam champion Marlon Tapales. He won the interim WBA super fly title in 2014 and made two defences before losing the title to Luis Concepcion in 2015. He was stopped in four rounds by Luis Nery in July last year and this is his second win since then. Nunez is now 2-8 in his last 10 fights.
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Christchurch, New Zealand: Super Welter: Bowyn Morgan (11-1,1ND) W PTS 10 Gunnar Jackson (25-9-3). Morgan gets his second win over Jackson and collects the IBO Oceania title. Morgan used a focused body attack to wear down the more experienced Jackson. Experience came into play at the end as Jackson had his best round, and in fact the only one the judges credited him with even though Morgan produced a flurry of punches just before the final bell. Scores 99-91 from all three judges for Morgan. The 28-year-old local, the New Zealand Boxing Federation champion, had decisioned Jackson in October. His only loss is against current Commonwealth champion Kris George. He is a former New Zealand amateur champion and competed at the 2010 Commonwealth Championships. Jackson, 30, has been in with Anthony Mundine, Kerry Hope and Ryota Murata
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Toa Baja, Puerto Rica: Super Light: Jovanie Santiago (10-0-1) PTS 10 DeMarcus Corley (48-27-1). Santiago gets the scalp of former champion Corley as he climbs off the floor twice to dominate the second half of the fight. Corley boxed well early in the first round. Santiago was pressing and landed a couple of rights to the body but Corley nailed him with a right hook counter and put him down. Santiago was up quickly and boxed his way to the bell. Santiago tried to take the fight to Corley in the second but walked onto another right and was down again. He was up at two and after the eight count took the fight to Corley but another counter jerked his head back just before the bell. Santiago pressed in the third and had some success but Corley showed his class with sharp punching and good defensive work. Corley put Santiago down late in the fourth with a counter but the referee ruled it a slip. Corley was showing signs of tiring as Santiago worked the body in the fifth, sixth and seventh. There was too much holding in the eighth as Corley?s work rate dropped. Santiago just outworked Corley over the ninth and tenth but the referee was working harder than either boxer over those two rounds as Santiago ran out a deserved winner. Scores 95-93 twice and 96-92 all for Santiago who wins the UBF International title. The 27-year-old Puerto Rican was inactive from 2008 until 2014 and has won eight fights since returning six by KO/TKO. Former WBO champion Corley, 42, had won 6 of his last 7 fights but faded badly here.
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Bloemfontein, South Africa: Welter: Tsiko Mulovhedzi (11-7-3) W Dario Socci (10-2-1,1ND). Minimum: Siphamandla Baleni (11-1-1) W PTS 12 Thembelani Okolo (5-2-1). Feather: Lerato Dlamini (8-1) W KO 7 Sinethembra Bam (10-1).
Mulovhedzi vs. Socci
Mulovhedzi wins the vacant IBF Inter-Continental title with close unanimous decision over Socci. It was action all the way as Socci took the fight to Mulovhedzi. They both had good spells with neither able to open a real gap in the points. Mulovhedzi was hampered by a cut over his right eye over the last three rounds. Socci was also cut but his were not so severe. Going into the last round the fight seemed to be in the balance but a sustained attack from Mulovhedzi which kept Socci pinned to the ropes gave him the edge. Scores 117-112, 115-113 and 114-113 all for Mulovhedzi. The first score seemed harsh on the effort put in by Socci. Known as ?Cruel Junior? Mulovhedzi was anticipating that he would lose his IBO title for not defending it for a year but that has not happened yet. Mulovhedzi said he would now chase a shot at the IBF title but that is way out of his reach. German-based Italian Socci turned pro in the USA and was 8-0-1 1ND in his last 10 fights
Baleni vs. Okolo
Baleni retains the South African title with points win over Okolo. First defence of the title for 26-year-old ?Toy Toy? and fifth win in a row. ?Guitarman? Okolo-yes he carries a guitar in the ring with him-was having his second shot at the national title.
Lerato vs. Bam
Lerato extends his winning run and collects the vacant IBF Youth title with kayo of Okolo. The Colin Nathan trained Lerato was in his first fight scheduled for more than six rounds but that proved no problem. After losing his first pro fight the South African No 6 has now won eight on the bounce six by KO/TKO. Bam, the IBF Youth champion at super bantam is South African No 2 in that division.
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Newport, Wales: Super Bantam: Robbie Turlely (18-6) W RTD 9 Bobby Jenkinson (10-3-1). Light Heavy: Morgan Jones (10-0) W KO 6 Harry Matthews (14-24-2).
Turley vs. Jenkinson
Neighbourhood fighter Turley delights his home fans as he halts former champion Jenkinson. The first round probably went to Jenkinson who made an aggressive start but Turley scored a knockdown in the second and took control from there. Normally a defensive boxer Turley took the fight to Jenkinson and had him bleeding from the nose and in trouble in the sixth. Jenkinson did not crumble and fought on. Despite some roughing up tactics from JenkinsonTurley continued to dominate the action and in the ninth after Jenkinson had landed a good right Turley responded with a right of his own and then a body punch that put Jenkinson down. As he was making it to his feet his corner threw in the towel and Turley was Commonwealth champion. This must have seemed an impossible dream for Turley. Concerns over a routine brain scan led to the BBB of C withdrawing the Welshman?s licence. He persevered and had further examinations and when neurosurgeons said there was no risk to his health the Board re-licensed him. He was out for a year whilst this was sorted out and is now 5-1 in his last six fights with the loss being against unbeaten Thomas Patrick Ward. Jenkinson sprang a major upset when he stopped world rated Lewis Pettitt to win the vacant Commonwealth title in 2015 but lost the title in his first defence to Gamal Yafai.
Morgan vs. Matthews
Jones halts Matthews with a ferocious body punch. Jones had controlled the fight with his classy boxing using a stiff jab to set up his attacks. He seemed to be coasting at times and it looked as though Matthews would go the distance as he usually does. Jones ended those expectations in the sixth with a right hook to the body that had Matthews on his knees in agony and he was counted out. Fourth win by KO/TKO for the Chris Sanigar managed South African-born Jones. Matthews is one of those called in to test upcoming British talent and this is only the second time he has lost by KO/TKO.
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Lincoln, RI, USA: Welter: Jimmy Williams (13-0-1) W PTS 10 Nick DeLomba (11-2). Williams wins the vacant WBC United States title with unanimous verdict over local rival DeLomba. William s made a great start sending DeLomba to the floor late in the first round with an overhand right. Williams continued to press his attacks and again had DeLomba under heavy fire. With DeLomba not really able to get into his stride until the middle rounds and Williams having an impressive sixth Williams had built a winning lead. As the pace slowed over the late rounds DeLomba found some success but never really closed the gap.Scores97-92 twice and 98-91for Williams. Now 9 wins in a row for the 30-year-old Williams. New England champion DeLomba had won his last three fights.
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Click here for Part II
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eric Armit.
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