The Past Week in Action 17 April 2023: Zhilei Zhang Stops Joe Joyce; Mikaela Mayer Defeats Lucy Wildheart
By Eric Armit
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 17 Apr 2023
Highlights:
Zhilei Zhang stops Joe Joyce to win the WBC interim heavyweight title and on the same London show Mikaela Mayer wins the vacant interim WBC lightweight title, Denzel Bentley knocks out Kieran Smith to retain the British middleweight title and Sam Noakes stops Karthik Kumar in defence of the Commonwealth and WBC International lightweight title
-Derrieck Cuevas, Rene Santiago and Luis Rodriguez get wins for Puerto Rico in Panama
-Vincenzo Picardo retains the EU bantam title with stoppage of Mike Esteves
-WBO No 1 super feather Archie Sharp returns with a win and Tysie Gallagher outpoints Lisa Whiteside to collect vacant Commonwealth super bantam female title
- Sergio Garcia outpoints Argentinian Ricardo Cabana
World Title/Major Shows
London, England: Heavy: Zhilei Zhang (25-1-1) W TKO 6 Joe Joyce (15-1).. Light: Mikaela Mayer (18-1) W PTS 10 Lucy Wildheart (10-2). Middle: Denzel Bentley (18-2-1) W TKO 1 Kieran Smith (18-1). Light: Sam Noakes (11-0) W TKO 2 Karthik Kumar (10-1). Heavy: Moses Itauma (3-0) W PTS 6 Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko (9-13-1)
Zhang vs. Joyce
Huge upset as Zhang stops Joyce in the sixth round to win the interim WBC title. After some initial pawing with their respective jabs Zhang cut loose landing heavy lefts and rights and driving Joyce back. He continued to catch Joyce with lefts and Joyce seemed to be having trouble dealing with Zhang’s southpaw stance and already the area around his right eye was reddening from them impact of Zhang’s lefts. In the second Joyce jabbed more and was trying to keep his right high to guard his eye but when they traded punches Zhang was the one scoring the harder shots. Joyce then started to take charge. He was finding gaps with his left jab and getting home with straight rights and left hooks to the body and outworking Zhang. In the third Joyce was again working with his jab and throwing rights but without his usual snap. Zhang landed a heavy left but Joyce was doing most of the scoring. However, Zhang was finding his way through Joyce’s guard and there was already a growing swelling under Joyce’s right eye. Joyce was more fluid in the fourth. He was moving better and still peppering Zhang with jabs and straight rights. He was landing more but his punches were not having any effect on Zhang and although Zhang had slowed he was making Joyce’s right eye a target for strong straight lefts and Joyce was bleeding from the nose. Joyce was piling on the punches in the fifth but every punch Zhang threw was a straight left and they were landing on the area around Joyce’s right eye which was quickly closing. Despite that Joyce was still banging home punch after punch with little coming back from Zhang. The doctor examined Joyce at the start of the sixth but let the fight continue. Joyce outboxed Zhang for most of the round but then Zhang cut loose with a series of punches aimed at Joyce’s right eye and the referee stopped the fight and asked the doctor to examine Joyce again and this time the fight was stopped. Huge blow for Joyce who was in a leading position to challenge Tyson Fury or Olek Usyk later in the year. Opponents are already lining up to fight Zhang as even after this win Zhang at 37 was looked on as very beatable and an easy passage to the top table. Joyce will have to take a couple of steps back and come again.
Itauma vs. Dovbyshchenko
At last, Itauma managed to get some ring time as Ukrainian Dovbyshchenko lasted the full six rounds. It really was just about ring time as Itauma did not take the fight very seriously. He was dancing about the fat Ukrainian sometimes just flicking out light punches and at others putting together some quick, hurtful combinations. Dovbyshchenko never posed any threat and Itauma never got out of first gear but it was ring time and since his first two wins had taken a total of only 58 seconds it served its purpose. The referee scored it 60-54. Fourth loss in a row for Dovbyshchenko all on points.
Mayer vs. Wildheart
Mayer wins the vacant interim WBC title with a wide unanimous decision over very late substitute Wildheart. Mayer boxed brilliantly with fast hands, excellent footwork and solid defence. Wildheart was looking to take the fight to Mayer and scored some handy rights which had Mayer’s left eye showing some swelling by the third round. Mayer was constantly changing angles and using her longer reach to spear Wildheart with jabs. Wildheart came through some serious punishment in the third as Mayer hammered home body punches but she fought back hard and landed some good shots of her own. As the fight developed Wildheart began to slow and her output dropped but despite bleeding heavily from the nose she was still there and still fighting at the final bell. Scores 100-90, 98-91 and 98-92 for Mayer. A former IBF and WBO super feather champion Mayer lost split a decision to IBO and WBC title holder Alycia Baumgardner in a unification fight in October. It was reported that Mayer’s original opponent Christina Linardatou dropped out after the BBB of C would not approve Linardatou for a licence based on the result of her pre-fight eye test. British-based Swede Wildheart, a former IBO title challenger took her place.
Bentley vs. Smith
Bentley retains the British title with brutal kayo of Smith. The taller Smith was just pushing out some range finding jabs when Bentley landed a sharp left hook to the head,. Smith shook and then nrt5etreatedv tom the ro9pes where Bentley landed a vicious right to the head that sent Smith down heavily with the referee immediately waiving then fight over after just 45 seconds. Great bounce back by Bentley from losing on points against Zhanibek Alimkhanuly for the WBO title in November. Smith’s other loss was a sixth round stoppage by Troy Williamson in April 2021.
Noakes vs. Kumar
Noakes blows away Kumar in two rounds. After a minute of study Noakes began to launch his trademark fierce attacks firing hooks and uppercuts at Kumar. The challenger showed a nice jab but no power. Noakes kept him pinned against the ropes loading upon every punch until a neck-snapping right saw Kumar dip to sit on the bottom rope. Noakes looked to have landed a punch when Kumar was technically down. Kumar got up and as the bell had gone returned to his corner. Noakes attacked strongly in the second hunting Kumar down and bombarding him with punches and when Kumar bent in half under a series of punches and put his glove on the canvas the referee had seen enough and stopped the fight. First defence of the Commonwealth title for Noakes and third defence of the WBC International Silver, Third defence of the Commonwealth title for Noakes who has won all of his fights by KO/TKO. Kumar out of his depth.
APRIL 14
London, England: Super Feather: Archie Sharp (23-0) W PTS 10 Mauro Perouene (16-8-1). Super Light: Hovhannes Bachkov (5-0) W TKO 5 Jose Munoz (12-1). Super Bantam: Tysie Gallagher (6-1) W PTS 10 Lisa Whiteside (5-1). Middle: Danny Dignum (16-1-1) W PTS 8 Lukasz Maciec (28-6-1).
Sharp vs. Perouene
Sharp returns to action with a points win over Argentinian Perouene. After a slow start Sharp began to shed the rust from ten months away from the ring and was comfortably outboxing Perouene. There were few highlights with Perouene not really able to pose a threat and Sharp a bit sluggish. Perouene picked up a couple of rounds but the aim was for Sharp to get ring time and he did that with the scores a bit wider after Perouene was deducted a point in the tenth. Scores 98-91, 98-92 and 97-92. Sharp is No 1 with the WBO so mandatory challenger to Emanuel Navarrete but he will need to have at least one more fight before tackling Navarrete. Perouene lost on a sixth round retirement against Dalton Smith in June 2021.
Bachkov vs. Munoz
Armenian Olympian Bachkov takes care of business with stoppage of Munoz. Bachkov put Munoz down with a body shot in the second but Munoz hung around until the bell. Munoz battled back in the third but was down again in the fourth and when another body punch sent him down in the fifth the fight was stopped. Bachkov won bronze medals at both the 2021 Olympics and the 2019 and 2021 World Championships losing to Keyshawn Davis and Andy Crus respectively and defeated both Pat and Luke McCormack.
Gallagher vs. Whiteside
Gallagher wins the vacant Commonwealth title with a unanimous decision over Whiteside. Gallagher made the better start being busier and more accurate than Whiteside. The third round saw Whiteside doing better as she pressurised Gallagher looking to offset Gallagher’s better skills and longer reach and draw her into a brawl. Over the middle rounds Gallagher was getting the better of the exchanges with Whiteside bleeding from the nose and with a swelling under her right eye. Whiteside fought hard to stay in the fight but faded over the closing rounds and Gallagher was the one picking up the points and she ran out a clear winner on scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 97-94. Gallagher had lost a majority decision against Nina Hughes for the same title in July last year. Brave effort by Whiteside who was moving up to ten rounds for the first time.
Dignum vs. Maciec
Dignum is given a good test by useful Pole Maciec. Dignum outboxed and outscored Maciec over the first two rounds but was unsettled by a cut in the third. The visitor carried on the impetus from that to just edge Dignum over the third and fourth. Stamina has never been Maciec’s strong point and Dignum outworked the Pole over the fifth and sixth. Maciec found a last reserve of strength and made the seventh close but Dignum hung on to his lead to win 77-75 on the referee’s card. Second win for Dignum as he rebounds from his kayo loss against Zhanibek Alimkhanuly for the interim WBO title in May 2022. Maciec is now 0-3 in fights in the UK having also lost on points against Anthony Fowler and Caoimhin Agyarko.
Santa Marinella, Italy: Bantam: Vincenzo Picardi (10-0) W TKO 10 Mike Esteves (10-2-1). Middle: Luca Chaincone (8-0-1) W TKO 1 Giovanni Rossetti (11-2). Light Heavy: Adriano Sperandio (15-2) W PTS 6 Aleksandar Petrovic (5-30-5).
Picardi vs. Esteves
Picardi retains the EU title with a stoppage of Frenchman Esteves. Picardi bossed this one from the start. He was comfortable in ether guard jabbing strongly and firing burst of hooks and uppercuts. Esteves was cut over his left eye in the second and although he had some good spells he could not match the power or skill of Picardi. Esteves was walking forward in the fifth when a right from Picardi dropped him on his back. He beat the count and battled hard to survive the round. The cut over his left eye was dripping blood to hamper his vision but he passed a doctor’s examination in the eighth. He kept plunging forward hoping the seventeen years difference in the ages would work against Picardi and Picardi did seem to tire in the ninth. Esteves was attacking hard in the tenth when Picardi nailed him with a right that sent Esteves stumbling back. Picardi drove him across the ring to the ropes and was bombarding Esteves with punches when the referee stopped the fight. First defence for 39-year-old Picardi. In the amateurs he scored wins over Juan Carlos Payano, Yampier Hernandez, Daniel Matellon, Fernando Martinez, Rau’shee Warren, Michael Conlan and Robeisy Ramirez but did not turn pro until he was 35. Gutsy performance from Esteves who was 9-0-1 in his previous ten contests.
Chaincone vs. Rossetti
Chaincone kayos Rossetti in the first round to win the national title. A right from Chaincone dropped Rossetti early and although he beat the count another right sent him down and he was counted out. Done and dusted in 90 seconds. Seventh win in a row for Chaincone. Cuban-born Rossitto was making the first defence of the title.
Panama City, Panama: Super Welter: Derrieck Cuevas (25-1-1) W KO 2 Damian Rodriguez (13-2). Light Fly: Rene Santiago (11-3) W TKO9 Carlos Ortega (15-7-3). Super Middle: Luis Rodriguez (12-0) W PTS 10 Roger Guerrero (17-4-1).
Cuevas vs. Rodriguez
Cuevas gives another power performance as he finishes Cuban Rodriguez in the second round. Rodriguez had height and reach over Cuevas and spent the first round on the back foot throwing plenty of jabs and straight rights. There was no power in them. Cuevas just stalked Rodriguez but was unable to land anything meaningful. Cuevas struck just twenty seconds into the second round. As Rodriguez threw a weak left jab Cuevas came over the top with a right and then a left. Both punches exploded on Rodriguez chin and he went down heavily. He managed to get up but the referee saw him stagger and stopped the fight. Now sixteen wins by KO/TKO for the hard-punching Puerto Rican who was defending the WBA Fedecentro title. Only the second fight in almost four years for Rodriguez
Santiago vs. Ortega
Santiago gives Puerto Rico another win as he halts local fighter Ortega in the ninth round. Santiago used a useful left jab to control the action in the first but Ortega upped his pace to take the second and despite having his mouthguard knocked flying just does enough to take then third. Santiago shook Ortega with a rights a couple of times in the fourth but Ortega rallied and outworked Santiago in the fifth. Santiago began to dominate from the sixth. By the eighth Ortega was taking lots of punishment and only just making it to the bell. As Ortega tried to take the fight to Santiago in the ninth a straight right sent him stumbling back to the ropes and as a couple of head punches shook Ortega the referee stopped the fight as the towel fluttered in from Ortega’s corner. Santiago was defending the WBO Latino belt and gets his eighth inside the distance victory. Second defeat by KO/TKO for Ortega.
Rodriguez vs. Guerrero
Another win for Puerto Rica as Rodriguez decisions Ecuadorian Guerrero. Rodriguez had trouble early with the southpaw style of Guerrero who also boxed better and looked to have built a small lead over the first six rounds. From the seventh Guerrero’s work rate dropped as he tired badly and Rodrguez took over boxing well behind his longer reach and sweeping up the last six rounds to emerge a good winner on scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94. First defence of the WBA Continental Americas belt for Rodriguez. Third loss in a row for Guerrero
Basel, Switzerland: Light Fly: Gabriela Timar (9-1) W PTS 10 Giorgia Scolastri (3-2,1ND). Super Middle: Giovanni De Carolis (32-10-1) W TKO 3 Bosko Misic (25-23).
Timar vs. Scolastri
Timar becomes European champion at the second attempt as she takes a majority decision over Scolastri. She set a fast pace and built an early lead in this one outboxing and outworking Scolastri. Her preparation had been affected by a cold and that became a factor over the closing rounds but she had done enough to hold on to the lead her hard work over the early rounds had given her and earned the win. Scores 97-93 and 96-94 with the third card having them even at 95-95. The 36-year-old Swiss-based Romanian had lost a very close decision against France’s Cassandra Crevecoeur in May last year. Scolastri was going past six rounds for the first time but paced the fight well.
De Carolis vs. Misic
Easy night for De Carolis as he floors and stops Croat Misic in the third round. A former holder of the secondary WBA belt De Carolis has won 7 of his last 8n fights with the lost being a wide unanimous verdict against Lerrone Richards for the vacant European title in May 2021. Eighteenth inside the distance loss for Misic.
Essington, PA, USA: Heavy: Junior Wright (20-4-1) W KO 1 Brian Howard (15-6).
Wright shows he still has a punch as he flattens Howard in the first round. Howard was jabbing nicely and trying to nail Wright with right crosses but then got careless. After missing with his own shot, he let his right hand stray and Wright landed a booming left hook that put Howard flat on the canvas out cold. That makes it seventeen wins by KO/TKO for Wright who lost to Beibut Shumenov for the vacant secondary WBA cruiser title in 2016. Third inside the distance defeat in a row for Howard with both Frank Sanchez and Efe Ajagba finishing him early
APRIL 15
General Villegas, Argentina: Light Fly: Junior Zarate (20-4) W TKO 5 Pedro Villegas (15-4). Super Light: Yamila Reynoso (13-13-3) W PTS 10 Sofia Rodriguez (5-9). Welter: Jonathan Hernandez (10-0) W KO 5 Kelvinyer Salazar (18-1-1.1ND).
Zarate vs. Villegas
Zarate collects the vacant IBF and WBC Latin belts with a stoppage of Ecuadorian Villegas. Despite giving away 4” in height and having a shorter reach Zarate boxed defensively over the first four rounds countering Villagas with hooks to head and body. Those body shots began to slow Villegas and Zarate went onto the attack in the fifth and dropped Villegas. The visitor made it to his feet but another series of punches brought the referee in to save Villegas. Eighth victory by KO/TKO for Zarate. Southpaw Villegas suffers his second inside the distance defeat.
Reynoso vs. Rodriguez
Reynosa gets a badly needed win as she outpoints Rodriguez in a fight for the vacant South American title. Reynosa’s strength and power proved too much for Rodriguez. In the fourth as they crashed together Rodriguez backed off dazed and pawing at her head. The referee gave her a standing count-and allowed her trainer to climb on the ring apron and giver a drink of water-and then deducted a point from Reynoso blaming a butt from Reynoso for Rodriguez being dazed. The pattern of the fight did not change with Reynosa piling on the pressure and Rodriguez game but little else. Scores 98-91 twice and 99-89 for Reynoso who had lost 9 of her last 10 fights. Rodriguez was stopped in sixty seconds by Caroline Dubois in December.
Hernandez vs. Salazar
Hernandez wins this Venezuelan vs. Venezuelan clash. Over the first two rounds Hernandez used some quick, accurate jabbing to control the action from the centre of the ring. In the third he sent the previously unbeaten Salazar down with a body punch and put him down and out with a series of punches in the fifth. Hernandez, who is based in Argentina, won the vacant WBA Fedelatin title, Salazar’s record heavily padded with eleven of his victims never having won a fight.
Brno, Czech Republic: Atom: Fabiana Bytyqi (20-0-2) W PTS 10 Elizabeth Lopez (10-6-5).
Czech Bytyqi retains the WBA title with a wide unanimous decision over Mexican Lopez. These two had boxed a split draw in July but this time Bytyqi made good use of her height and reach to outbox the 4’9” Lopez and won by a wide margin on the cards which read 99-91 twice and 98-92. Bytyqi was defending the WBC title for the fourth time. Lopez had previously lost in shots at the IBF and WBO minimumweight titles
Chateauroux, France: Super Middle: Franck Zimmer (13-3) W PTS 10 Baptiste Castegnaro (11-24). Light Heavy: Thomas Faure (22-5-1) W PTS 6 Melbyn Hernandez (7-3-1).
Zimmer vs. Castegnaro
Former French middleweight champion Zimmer moves up to win his second national title as he outpoints Castegnaro for the vacant super middle title with all three judges turning in cards of 96-93. Nine wins in his last ten bouts for Chateauroux’s Zimmer. Second unsuccessful shot at the vacant title for Castegnaro and only a single win in his last eight fights.
Faure vs. Hernandez
Former French and EU title holder Faure makes a very quick return to action as he takes the decision over Venezuelan southpaw Hernandez. The cards were 59-54 twice and 57-56. Faure had been stopped in the twelfth round by Dan Azeez in a fight for the vacant European light heavy title on 11 March. Spanish-based Hernandez drops to three straight losses.
Tijuana, Mexico: Fly: Victor Sandoval (37-3) W PTS 10 Gohan Rodriguez (12-3-1). Superb Feather: Carlos Vargas (16-1) W PTS 8 Edgar Alor (14-5-1). Bantam: Juan Flores (8-0) W PTS 8 Yosbany Veitia (0-2).
Sandoval vs. Rodriguez
Sandoval extends his winning streak to 24 as he decisions Rodriguez. It looked as though Rodriguez might be on his way to victory here. The rounds were close and hard to score with plenty of back and forth action. Rodriguez was rocked a couple of times but had edged in front after the seventh. The more extensive experience of Sandoval then saw him sweep the last three rounds and win a deserved majority decision with two cards of 97-93 and 96-64 and a dissenting 95-95. The 25-year-old from Tijuana turned pro one month short of his sixteenth birthday and last suffered a loss back in 2016 when he was beaten on split decision by Maximino Flores. Rodriguez lost a split decision against Olympic gold medallist Gamal Yafai for the WBC International title in November.
Vargas vs. Alor
Vargas takes a unanimous decision over Alor. It was the smart boxing of Vargas against the harder punching of Alor. The accuracy and precise countering from Vargas saw him move in front with Alor clawing back that lead to make it close after six. As Alor tired it was the stronger finish from Vargas that was the decider as he collected the seventh and eighth and took the verdict on scores of 79-73, 78-74 and 77-75. Nice response from Vargas to losing his unbeaten record against 19-0-1 Christian Olivo in September. Three defeats in a row for Alor against good level domestic opposition.
Flores vs. Veitia
Despite winning a hat full of titles as an amateur Cuban Veitia is just not cutting it as a pro. This fight with young Mexican Flores was a close one. It started well enough with Veitia edging the first round but he was dropped in the second. He rebounded to outbox Flores and cancel out the knockdown and move in front. Flores had never gone past the fourth round before but he battled his way to even things but up with Veitia taking the eighth it looked as though Flores would come up short but the judges gave it to him on a split decision. No scores available but it means that Veitia, 31, is 0-2 as a pro
Zgorzelec, Poland: Middle: Karol Welter: (13-1) W PTS 10 Stanislaw Gibaglo (9-1). Welter: Placido Ramirez (22-3) W KO 4 Lukasz Wierzbicki (22-2).
Welter vs. Gibaglo
Welter wins the vacant Polish title with a unanimous decision over Gibaglo. Welter drove forward from the start forcing Gibaglo on to the back foot and taking the first three rounds. Gibaglo battled his way into the fight with some clever boxing and outscored Welter over the fourth and fifth but by the end of the fifth he was being hampered by swelling over his right eye. During the sixth Gibaglo’s right eye was almost closed and he had trouble seeing Walter’s left jabs. Gibaglo was hurt by a body punch in the seventh and took heavy punishment. in the eighth a swelling was growing under his left eye. He survived a doctor’s examination in the ninth and actually rallied to win the last but it was not enough. Scores 97-93 twice and 98-92 for Welter who makes it five wins on the bounce. Greek-born Gibaglo was moving up to ten rounds for the first time.
Ramirez vs. Wierzbicki
If the promoter thought that Colombian Ramirez would not be a threat to his boxer he was proved wrong. In the first forty seconds Ramirez shook Wierzbicki with a left hook and he rocked the Pole again later in the round. Wierzbicki settled and boxed well over the second and third but Ramirez always looked dangerous. In the fourth a right hook from Ramirez crashed into Wierzbicki’s jaw and dropped him on his back with the referee immediately stopping the fight. It was some time before Wierzbicki recovered. With his fourteen wins by KO/TKO and having won 4 of his last 5 fights Ramirez was a risky opponent. Wierzbicki’s other loss had also come against an import as England’s Louis Greene had stopped him in two rounds in 2019.
Torrelavega, Spain: Super Welter: Sergio Garcia (34-2) W PTS 10 Ricardo Cabana (8-2). Light Heavy: Oscar Ahlin (24-2) W PTS 8 Vicente Rodriguez (41-13-1).
Garcia vs. Cabana
Garcia returns to the ring in front of his home supporters and outpoints a determined Cabana. The visitor made a lively start trying to put Garcia under pressure but Garcia blocked or slipped the punches and scored with accurate counters. From the second Garcia was bossing the fight. He was using his longer reach and working his jab well and scoring with hooks. He looked to be coasting happy to get in some rounds. Cabana was constantly coming forward and was busy enough but had no power and had to soak up some right crosses. Garcia upped his pace over the ninth and tenth looking for a stoppage but Cabana was never in any real trouble. No scores available but Garcia a comfortable winner. He is on a reconstructing project after consecutive losses to Sebastian Fundora and Tony Harrison. First fight outside Argentina for prelim level Cabana but he did his job in going the distance.
Ahlin vs. Rodriguez
Swede Ahlin continues along his road to nowhere with a win over Argentinian Rodriguez. With his 6” edge in height and vastly longer reach Ahlin should have had had no trouble in dealing with the wild attacks of Rodriquez. At distance he was able to land jabs and straight rights but he was unable to keep Rodriguez out and was roughed up and caught by the odd clubbing punch. He never looked like stopping the vastly overweight Rodriguez who has a good chin but he was a clear winner. Now 33 Ahlin has won his last ten fights but none of his opponents have constituted even a minimum of risk and despite his impressive looking figures he is No 80 with Box Rec. Rodriguez 38 lost to Adrien Broner for the vacant WBO super feather title in 2011 so has gone from 130lbs to fighting heavyweights.
Incheon, South Korea: Middle: Meiirim Nursultanov (19-0) W TKO Kazuto Takesako (15-0-1 14 wins id 19-0 (11) Kazak. Feather: Japhethlee Llamido (11-0) W PTS 8 Ryosuke Iwasa (28-5).
Nursultanov vs. Takesako
Kazakh Nursultanov weathers early storms from OPBF champion Takesako and stops him in eight rounds. Takesako launched furious attacks in the first and second rounds and probably did enough to win them. Nursultanov then used his superior skills to blunt Takesako’s attacks and shook Takesako with a right uppercut in the third and then handed out more punishment to the end of the round and in the fourth. Takesako recovered and again went to war with Nursultan. He was scoring well but Nursultanov was a class above and Takesako was taking more than he was giving. A right counter in the eighth sent Takesako to the ropes and another right put him down and the referee stopped the fight without bothering to count. Nursultanov is No 4 with both the WBC and WBO.
Lamido vs. Iwasa
End of the line for former IBF super bantamweight champion Isawa as he losses a wide unanimous decision over Californian southpaw Japhethlee Llamido. Iwasa never got into the fight in any meaningful way. Llamido was too quick for the Japanese veteran beating Iwasa to the punch from the first bell and showing some excellent defence and sparking foot work. Llamido won on scores of 79-73 twice and 80-72. Iwasa announced his retirement after the fight. The 23-year-old Llamido was a revelation. He reached the final stages of various US amateur tournaments without winning gold.
Fight of the week (Significance): Zhang’s win over Joyce upset a number of plans
Fight of the week (Entertainment)
Fighter of the week: Zhilei Zhang
Punch of the week: I go for the left hook from Derrieck Cuevas that flattened Damian Rodriguez with honourable mentions to the right from Denzel Bentley that finished Kieran Smith and the left hook from Junior Wright that laid Brian Howard out cold.
Upset of the week: Has to be Zhang’s win
Prospect watch: No new ones right now
Observations
Rosette Frank Warren for staging the only major card anywhere in the world this weekend
Red Card All the other promoters who didn’t
-Distressing to see that Mikaela Mayer won the WBC interim title. If all of the sanctioning bodies go down that road we will soon have more female titles than we have female boxers.
- Strange happening in then fight between Yamila Reynoso and Sofia Rodriguez in Argentina. Rodriguez was stunned in what seemed like a clash od heads. The referee decided to give her a standing eight count-and then deducted a point from Reynoso judging the clash of heads to be a deliberate butt so Rodriguez losses two points from a foul?
- Amateur success is no guarantee of professional success. Cuban Yosbany Veitia won gold, silver and bronze at the World Championships. Three silver medals at the Pan American Games and gold at the Pan American championships and the Central American Games-and after two eight round fights against very modest opposition is now 0-2 as a professional!
About the Author
Born in Scotland, Eric Armit started working with Boxing News magazine in the UK in the late 1960’s initially doing records for their Boxing News Annual and compiling World, European and Commonwealth ratings for the magazine. He wrote his first feature article for Boxing News in 1973 and wrote a “World Scene” weekly column for the magazine from the late 1970’s until 2004. Armit wrote a monthly column for Boxing Digest in the USA and contributed pieces to magazines in Mexico, Italy, Australia, Spain, Argentina and other countries. Armit now writes a Weekly Report covering every major fight around the world and a bi-weekly Snips & Snipes column plus occasional general interest articles with these being taken up by boxing sites around the world. He was a member of the inaugural WBC Ratings Committee and a technical advisor to the EBU Ratings Committee and was consulted by John McCain’s research team when they were drafting the Ali Act. He is a Director and former Chairman of the Commonwealth Boxing Council. Armit has been nominated to the International Boxing Hall of Fame the past two years (2019 and 2020) to which he said, “Being on the list is an unbelievably huge honour.”
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eric Armit.
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