The Past Week in Action 7 May 2018 -- Part I
By Eric Armit
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 08 May 2018
Ryan Garcia (R) vs Jason Velez.
Highlights:
-Gennady Golovkin blows away Vanes Martirosyan inside two rounds
-Tony Bellew halts David Haye in return match
-Emmanuel Rodriguez wins the vacant IBF bantamweight title as he outclasses Paul Butler
- Joe Joyce crushes Lenroy Thomas in two rounds to win the Commonwealth heavyweight title in his fourth fight
-James Tennyson gets off the floor and stops Martin Joseph Ward to win the Commonwealth and European super feather titles
-Jason Welborn upsets Tommy Langford to win the British middleweight title
May 4
Carson, CA, USA: Super Feather: Ryan Garcia (15-0) W PTS 10 Jayson Velez (26-5-1). Middle: Gary O?Sullivan (28-2) W RTD 3 Berlin Abreu (14-2).
Garcia vs. Velez
Garcia boxes his way to impressive unanimous verdict over more experienced Velez. Garcia had a good degree of height and reach on his side and used those to score on Velez who for forced to try to get inside to work. Garcia either blocked Velez punches or tied him up inside and picked up points with his jab. He scored with a good left hook late in the first and Velez replied with a right. Garcia used right hand counters to take the second and third and although Velez continued to press in the fourth he was finding it hard to get close enough to land much and Garcia was scoring with his jab, straight rights and right uppercuts. Garcia?s hands speed and movement left Velez swishing air in the fifth whilst being caught with hooks and uppercuts and Garcia also took the sixth with a cut opening over the right eye of Velez. Garcia started the seventh pumping out his jab and then scored with a sneaky right. However Velez continued to roll forward got past the jab more and looked to have outworked Garcia. Over the eighth and ninth Garcia stayed on the outside for much of the time scoring with the jab and right counters and he held off a last round effort from Velez to emerge the clear winner. Scores 99-91 for Garcia from all three judges. The talented 19-year-old, the WBO No 10 wins the vacant WBC NABF and WBO NABO titles and continues to look a great prospect. If there is a fault then it is a lack of upper body and head movement but his height and quick reflexes have been enough to hide that fault. Puerto Rican Velez, 30, had rebounded from a run of four losses in a row with wins over unbeaten Alberto Mercado, Giovanni Caro and former two-division WBO champion Juan Manuel Lopez so a serious setback for him here.
O?Sullivan vs. Abreu
O?Sullivan gets an inside the distance win as the over-matched Abreu retires after the third round. The Irishman was hunting down Abreu over the first two rounds pressing hard getting through with heavy punches and forcing Abreu to fight with his back to the ropes much of the time. Abreu did show some life earl in the second landing a few good punches but soon O?Sullivan was back in charge. In the third O?Sullivan kept up the pressure with Abreu just trying to survive. He spit out his mouthguard late in the round and after the bell his corner pulled him out. The 33-year-old ?Spike? lost to Billy Joe Saunders for the vacant WBO title in 2013 and to Chris Eubank in 2015 but a seventh round kayo win over Antoine Douglas in December now sees him rated WBO 5/WBA 9/WBC 11. He was anxious to take Saul Alvarez?s place against Gennady Golovkin but will now have to wait and see if another big fight comes his way. Puerto Rican Abreu came in at only a couple of weeks notice and although he had won his last seven fights he caved in under the pressure from O?Sullivan.
Walsall, England: Middle: Jason Welborn (23-6) W PTS 12 Tommy Langford (20-2). Heavy: David Allen (13-3-2) W TKO 4 David Howe (14-9-1).
Welborn vs. Langford
Welborn ignores the odds and wins the British title with a split decision in a hard, close and entertaining fight. Langford used his longer reach to get his jab working in the first. He then had to cover up under a furious attack from Welborn before rebounding at the end of the round landing to the body from both hands. Langford again worked well behind the jab early in the second. He landed some more hooks to the body and looked in control until a vicious left hook to the chin unhinged his legs. He dropped into the ropes which stopped from going down and the referee rightly gave him standing count. After the count Langford was desperately clinching to try to clear his head. He was shaken by a right uppercut but was firing shots of his own at the bell. Langford boxed well at the start of the third but again took a heavy right to the chin and a left to the body as Welborn ended the round strongly. Although he was rocked again late in the fourth Langford did enough work early to take the round. Welborn scored well to the body in the fifth only for Langford to score with flashing combinations to earn the sixth. Langford was pumping his jab and thumping to the body in the seventh. Welborn was landing the heavier punches but Langford was landing more and in the eighth was showing more variety in his work. They both had good spells in an all-action ninth of what was turning out to be a gruelling close contest. There were signs of tiredness in both fighters in the tenth but some rights to the head from Welborn just gave him the edge. Langford was still pumping out punches in the eleventh but there was little power in them and it was Welborn who was landing the eye-catching hooks and uppercuts. It was head to head and toe to toe for the last three minutes and Welborn just had that bit more in the tank. Scores 114-113 twice for Welborn and 115-113 for Langford but the result could have been reversed or it could have been a draw and no one would have had grounds for complaint it was that close. Welborn is the new British champion after losing to Frankie Gavin and Liam Smith in other British title fights. He was a big outsider in the betting but his power aggression and strength took him to victory. This is a big set-back for Langford. He had rebuilt well after being stopped in April last year by Avtandil Khurtsidze for the interim WBO title scoring an impressive win over Jack Arnfield in February this year to win the British title and was expected to win this one so he has some rebuilding to do again.
Allen vs. Howe
?White Rhino? Allen was just looking for a few rounds of work and a pay day here as he again faced former victim Howe. He had knocked out the 6?8? (203cm) Howe in two rounds in March last year but this time Howe came within 20 seconds of lasting the distance when the fight was stopped. Allen lost on a split decision and fought a technical with Lenroy Thomas in fights for the Commonwealth title and will be hoping to get a shot at new champion Joe Joyce. Eighth loss by KO/TKO for Howe.
Woden, Australian Capital Territory: Middle: David Toussaint (13-0) W PTS 10 Gunnar Jackson (27-11-4).
Good win for the local fighter as he outboxes tough Jackson to win the vacant Australasian title. The visitor sprang an early surprise as after boxing orthodox in the first he switched to southpaw half way through the second. Toussaint, a southpaw himself, was thrown by the manoeuvre and badly rocked by a big left. He made adjustments and won all the way after that. Jackson was hampered by a cut that was opened by a clash of heads in the sixth. It was a bad cut but Jackson passed the ringside physicians examination and the fight went to the final bell with Toussaint a clear winner by unanimous decision. Already the Australian champion Toussaint will be looking to move on and up. New Zealander Jackson, 31, had a big edge in experience having gone the distance with Anthony Mundine and Ryota Murata but he was well beaten here.
Baku, Azerbaijan: Middle: Khasan Baysangurov (16-0) W PTS 12 Guido Pitto (25-5-1). Super Welter: Khuseyn Baysangurov (13-0) W TKO 6 Jose Villalobos (11-5-2). Super Middle: Ramil Gadzhyiev (7-1-1) W TKO 2 Mateo Veron (27-20-3)
Baysangurov vs. Pitto
After a close opening round which went to Baysangurov Pitto came back well in the second switching his attacks to head and body bringing blood from a cut high on the bridge of Baysangurov?s nose. .Baysangurov took the third with some good combinations but with his unconventional crouching style Pitto scored well to the body and got through with some right uppercuts to edge the fourth and fifth with Baysangurov going to the body trying to slow the Argentinian. Pitto continued to bang home jabs in the sixth with Baysangurov still focusing on the body. Pitto started the seventh well but was pulled up by a low punch from Baysangurov. Pitto was given a very brief bit of recovery time and when the fight resumes Pitto went down under a series of punches. He beat the count but his work rate dropped and Baysangurov took the eighth and had Pitto badly shaken in the ninth. The tenth was close but as Pitto tired over the last two rounds Baysangurov was in control and took the unanimous verdict. Scores 116-112 twice and 119-109 for Baysangurov. The 20-year-old Baysangurov, a Kiev-based Russian, turned pro at 16. He wins the vacant WBA Inter-Continental title. Khuseyn (see below) is his brother and he is a cousin of the former WBO super welter champion Zaurbek Baysangurov. Now based in Spain the 30-year-old Pitto sprang a surprise in 2012 when he halted the 27-1 Reda Zam Zam and then in 2013 in real shock as he decision the then unbeaten Jack Culcay in Germany. He lost to Zaurbek Baysangurov in 2014 for the IBO title and had been 7-1-1 going into this fight
Baysangurov vs. Villalobos
Elder brother Khuseyn makes it a family double as he stops Argentinian Villalobos in six rounds. The pattern for this one was set in the first as Baysangurov floored Villalobos with a body punch late in the round. Villalobos made it to the bell but was under pressure from then on. His cause was not helped by some low punches from Baysangurov but really Villalobos was never in the fight. Over the fourth and fifth Villalobos attempted some blatant butts and got away with them but he was totally exhausted and taking punishment when his corner threw in the towel in the sixth. Baysangurov, 23 was defending his WBA Continental title for the second time and the IBF International title for the first time. First loss inside the distance for Villalobos who loses when he tries to step up and all five of his losses have come against unbeaten fighters.
Gadzhyiev vs. Veron
Young prospect Gadzhyiev demolishes experienced Veron inside two rounds. Gadzhyiev bombarded Veron with punches over the first three minutes and then put him down with a combination to the head in the second. Veron made it to his feet but was wobbling badly and his corner threw in the towel. The tall 20-year-old Ukrainian, who turned pro at 17, was defending his WBC Youth title. As an amateur he won gold at the European Junior Championships and gold at both the World Junior Championships and the World Youth Olympic Games tournament. Naturally expectations were high but in his second pro fight he appeared on the Deontay Wilder vs. Artur Szpilka show in New York 2016 and lost to unbeaten Uzbek Botirsher Obidov... He is now 6-0-1 in his last 7 but the jury is still out on how he will fare as a pro. Now eight losses by KO/TKO for the former Argentinian super welter champion Veron.
Saint-Nazaire, France: Light Heavy: Pierre Hubert Dibombe (15-0-1) W PTS 12 Elio Heraldo Trosch (14-7-2). Super Welter: David Papot (22-0) W PTS 10 Fouad El Massoudi (14-11).
Dibombe vs. Trosch
Dibombe collects the vacant WBA Inter-Continental title with unanimous decision over Trosch. Both fighters started cautiously and showed good technique. Dibombe had built a lead by the end of the sixth and then took over completely having a good eighth round. Trosch tried hard to turn the fight his way but Dibombe varied his attacks and was the more accurate. Scores 118-110, 117-112 and 117-111 for Dibombe. The 26-year-old from Nantes is French champion and ready to move up to tougher opposition. Argentinian Trosch, 29, a former national title challenger is now 3-2-1 in his last 6 fights.
Papot vs. El Massoudi
Fighting in front of his home fans Papot makes a successful second defence of his French title. Despite his mediocre record El Massoudi gave Papot some anxious moments early in the fight as he hustled and harried Papot relentlessly and a left hook in the third sent Papot tumbling into the ropes. El Massoudi was cut over the right eye in a clash of heads but survived a physician?s inspection. Papot slowly brought his superior skills to bear and from the sixth onwards used his speed and accuracy to put the fight out of the challenger?s reach. El Massoudi pressed hard to the end but Papot was the winner. Scores 97-93 twice and a harsh 98-92 all for Papot. The 27-year-old southpaw was making the second defence of the national title. He is No 16 in the EU ratings so will be looking to challenge for the EU title and then go on to get a shot at the European title. El Massoudi has now lost 6 of his last 7 fights.
Christchurch, New Zealand: Welter: Bowyn Morgan (16-1) W KO 8 Andres Rodriguez (9-7) Home town fighter Morgan makes it nine wins in a row as he beats Rodriguez. The visitor from Mexico absorbed heavy punishment but kept fighting back. He was slowly ground down by punches to head and body from Morgan and was badly shaken in the sixth and seventh. Morgan finally ended it in the eighth. A series of punches put Rodriguez down and although he beat the count he was floored again and counted out. The 29-year-old New Zealand champion from Christchurch was New Zealand amateur champion in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and was a quarter-finalist at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. His only pro loss came in 2016 against the current Commonwealth champion Kris George. Going in Rodriguez was having only his second fight in four years and his first for 11 months. This is his second loss by KO/TKO.
Panama City, Panama: Bantam: Leosdan Nunez (7-0) W DISQ 2 Ricardo Nunez (29-7). Welter: Ivan Matute (26-1) W TKO 1 Miguel Martinez (12-2-1). Super Light: Alex Duran (16-0) W TKO 4 Ronald Castillo (15-1). Super Bantam: Liborio Solis (26-5-1,1ND) W KO 1 Jose Ramos (6-1). Super Welter: Johan Gonzalez (15-0) W KO 1 Jesus Velazco (13-12-2).Fly: Luis Rios (25-4-1,1ND) W PTS 8 Iwier Henriquez (11-11-1)
Nunez vs. Nunez
Cuban Nunez beats Panamanian Nunez on a disqualification. The Cuban had lots of height and reach over the local and as a result the local fighter was piling in head down trying to get inside to work and he was warned for careless headwork in the first. The Cuban was catching the local with hooks as he advanced and forced the local to the ropes and worked him over. Local Nunez was warned again for his head work in the second as the fight became messy with too much holding and wrestling. . The Cuban was the one doing the cleaner work but in the third once again the local?s head banged into the Cuban?s face. Initially the referee deducted two points from the local but then he examined the Cuban and saw that he was now cut high over his right eye. The ringside physician examined the cut and advised the fight be stopped and the referee disqualified the local. The crowd were not happy and it was announced that there would be a return in July. Cuban Nunez, 23, who is based in Panama was twice a bronze medallist and twice a quarter-finalist in the Cuban championships and he wins the vacant WBA Fedelatin title. Panamanian Nunez ?El Matematico? lost to Moruti Mthalane for the IBF fly title in 2012 and was beaten on a technical decision when he challenged Juan Carlos Reveco for the secondary WBA title in 2013. He had won 3 of his last 4 fights but was deservedly disqualified here.
Matute vs. Martinez
Big puncher Matute again shows his power as he overwhelms Martinez. The Venezuelan southpaw was stalking Martinez and loading up on every punch. One punch from Matute landed low and the referee stopped the action for a few seconds and then in a sneaky move Matute extended his right hand in apology and at the same time threw a straight left which shook Martinez. A big right sent Martinez stumbling and he only avoided going down by holding onto the ropes. The referee applied a standing count. When the action resumed a left floored Martinez and although he beat the count a series of head punches had Martinez reeling and the referee stopped the fight. The 25-year-old ?Demolition Man? is living up to his nickname. He has 21 wins by KO/TKO including ten in his last ten fights with all of the endings coming inside four rounds. He was making the first defence of his WBA Fedelatin title and is No 15 with the WBA. Mexican Martinez was 8-0-1 in his last 9 fights but is strictly a four and six rounds prelim level.
Duran vs. Castillo
Duran is considered to be one of the best prospects in Panama right now. Fighting southpaw out of a very wide stance he was throwing bombs with every punch. He looked awkward and Castillo managed to land some good right counters. Duran just kept coming and in the fourth a couple of thudding body punches put Castillo down on one knee. Duran landed a punch when Castillo was strictly speaking down and an angered Castillo leapt to his feet as if to retaliate but another body punch left him bent double and as he failed to respond the referee stopped the fight. The 24-year-old Duran wins the vacant IBF Latino title with his fourth win by KO/TKO. Mexican Castillo had impressive looking credentials with 13 wins by KO.TKO, nine of them in the first round but eleven of his victims had never won a fight.
Solis vs. Ramos
Easy night work for Solis as he knocks out novice Ramos inside a round. Ramos launched some wild attacks with Solis trying to fend him off. Their heads clashed and Solis took a step back. The referee halted the action and took Solis to be examined by the ringside physician and after a lengthy examination the fight continued. A fired up Solis went after Ramos and floored him with a right. Ramos was up quickly and Solis took him to the ropes and pounded away until Ramos dropped to his knees. Again the Colombian was up quickly but Solis rushed forward and landed a right that hit Ramos on his left elbow and Ramos went down rolling in agony clutching his groin and the referee immediately waived the fight over. It was more than five minutes before Ramos got up but if someone hit him low it was not Solis and it looked more like Ramos took the easy way out. Solis a 36-year-old Panamanian-based Venezuelan was WBA super fly champion back in 2013 and although he beat IBF champion Daiki Kameda in a unification fight Solis had failed to make the weight and lost his IBF title. He put together a seven bout winning streak but then lost on points to Shinsuke Yamanaka in 2016 for the WBC title in a fight that saw both fighters on the floor. He lost a close controversial decision to Jamie McDonnell for the secondary WBA bantam title in November 2016 and a return match in November 2017 ended in a No Decision when McDonnell suffered a bad cut. Colombian Ramos had less than ten rounds activity in his record and should not have been put into a fight like this.
Gonzalez vs. Velazco
Gonzalez demolishes Mexican Velazco in 95 seconds. Gonzalez went straight to work forcing Velazco to the ropes and scoring with hooks to the body. Velazco tried to keep Gonzalez out with his jab but Gonzalez walked through it and trapped Velazco in a corner with Velazco sliding to the floor after taking two rights to the body and he never looked like getting up. The lanky 27-year-old Venezuelan has won all of his fights by KO/TKO with ten first round finishes but his first fourteen wins came over fighters who had only mustered 13 wins between them. Velazco had a run of eight wins but he has now lost three in a row and this is his sixth loss by KO/TKO
Rios vs. Henriquez
Former IBF light fly title challenger Rios given eight rounds of work by willing Venezuelan Henriquez. Rios used his experience to pace this fight. The Venezuela mad a strong aggressive start with Rios boxing on the retreat but countering well. As the fight progressed Rios found more and more gaps in the defence of Henriquez and drilled him with some strong rights in the last round but could not find a finishing punch. Scores 77-71, 77-72 and 76-72 for Rios. These two had fought in May last year with a cut leading to a No Decision result. Rios lost a wide decision to John Riel Casimero for the IBF title in 2013. Henriquez is now 2-7,1ND in his last 10 fights but also went the distance in Panama with Ricardo Nunez
Ekaterinburg, Russia: Super Welter: Dmitry Mikhaylenko (23-3) W PTS 10 Alex Sharonov (9-3-2). Super Feather: Mark Urvanov (13-2) W PTS 8 Feruzbek Yuldashev (12-4).
Mikhaylenko vs. Sharonov
With both fighters coming off a loss neither could afford to lose. As he had lost two fights in a row against novice opponents the once-World rated Mikhaylenko needed the win most and achieved it. No cautious opening for these two as they both looked to dominate from the outset and stood and swapped punches in ring centre. Neither was giving much thought to defence and it provided an entertaining fight with action all the way. As the fight went into the middle rounds Mikhaylenko began to take over. His work rate was higher and his defence sounder. Sharonov was reduced to single shots with Mikhaylenko firing combinations and over the closing round Sharonov spent more and more time with his back to the ropes but he continued to compete hard to the final bell with Mikhaylenko taking the unanimous decision. The 32-year-old ?Mechanic? Mikhaylenko ended a successful amateur career with 264 wins in 311 fights and when he turned pro won his first 21 fights scoring wins over Sechew Powell, Ronald Cruz, Johan Perez and Karim Mayfield to lift him into the world ratings. However a run of three losses in four fights put his future under question and he will be hoping to build on this win. Sharonov, 27, was 3-1-2 in his last 7 fights against domestic opposition.
Urvanov vs. Yuldashev.
Urvanov was coming off a loss which snapped a twelve bout winning run but he won this one well to get back on track. He had height and reach over Yuldashev who is small for a super feather, and Urvanov used that advantage to outbox the Uzbek fighter. Occasionally Urvanov went off plan which allowed Yuldashev some success but when Urvanov went back to boxing he was in charge. He had Yuldashev in trouble late in the fight but the Uzbek refused to crumble and Urvanov had to settle for the unanimous verdict. The 21-year-old ?Canelo? won some district and regional titles as an amateur and had picked up the Russian title and also the WBC Eurasia Pacific, WBC Asian Boxing Council and WBO Asia Pacific titles in his run of twelve wins so will now set out to win a few more titles. Yuldashev had won his last two fights but was physically overmatched in this one.
Derby, Derbyshire: Light: Myron Mills (12-0) W TKO 4 Marcus French (15-4).
Mills wins the vacant English title with stoppage of French. Mills had huge advantages in height and reach over the 5?4? French and that plus the harder punch was enough to give the home town fighter victory with the fight being stopped after Mills scored a heavy knockdown in the fourth. Sixth win by KO/TKO for the 22-year-old Mills including a good domestic victory over 18-2 Luke Paddock last year. French was 7-1 in his last 8 fights with the loss being to the very useful Robbie Barrett and this is his first loss by KO/TKO.
Click here for Part II.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eric Armit.
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