The Past Week in Action 18 February 2025: Davis KOs Berinchyk in 4; Zayas Stops Spomer in 9; Barbosa Edges Catterall
By Eric Armit
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 19 Feb 2025
Davis drops Berinchyk.
Highlights:
-Keyshawn Davis beats champion Denys Berinchyk on a fourth round kayo to win the WBO lightweight title.
-Xander Zayas stop Slawa Spomer in the ninth round.
-Vito Mielnicki and Connor Coyle fight to a majority draw at middleweight.
-Heavyweight Jared Anderson returns with a win as he outpoints Marios Kollas
-In other bouts in New Yok there are wins for Rohan Polanco and Abdullah Mason but another loss for Nico Ali Walsh.
-Arnold Barboza takes a split decision over Jack Catterall to win the vacant WBO interim super lightweight title
-Welterweight Pat McCormack remains unbeaten as he defeats Robbie Davies on a sixth round retirement
-Reece Bellotti wins over Michael Gomez Jr on a tenth round retirement in defence of the British and Commonwealth super featherweight titles and James Dickens decisions Zelfa Barrett
-Felix Sturm returns to action and knocks out Benjamin Blindert to win the vacant WBO Gold title
-Former IBF middleweight champion Vincenzo Gualtieri outpoints Alexander Pavlov for the vacant WBO European title
-Samuel Molina decisions Sandy Messaoud in a European welterweight title defence
-Oscar Duarte stops Miguel Madueno at super lightweight and there are wins for Ricardo Sandoval, Darius Fulghum and Kenneth Sims Jr
Major Shows
FEBRUARY 14
New York, NY, USA: Light: Keyshawn Davis (13-0) W KO 4 Denys Berinchyk (19-1). Super Welter: Xander Zayas (21-0) W TKO 9 Slawa Spomer (20-1). Heavy: Jared Anderson (18-1) W PTS 10 Marios Kollias (12-4-1). Welter: Rohan Polanco (15-0) W KO 2 Juan Torres (22-2). Middle: Vito Mielnicki (20-1-1) DREW 10 Connor Coyle (21-0-1). Light: Abdullah Mason (17-0) W TKO 4 Manuel Jaimes (16-3-1). Welter: Keon Davis (2-0) W KO 2 Ira Johnson (3-3). Middle: Juan Guerrera (6-1-1) W PTS 6 Nico Ali Walsh (10-2, 1ND).Super Fly: Juanma Lopez (1-0) W KO 1 Bryan Santiago (1-2-1)
Davis vs. Berinchyk
Davis wins his first title as he dismantles an outclassed champion Berinchyk in four rounds.
Round 1
Davis took the centre of the ring with Berinchyk circling just probing with jabs. Davis was starting to go forward jabbing to the body looking to cut the ring off and scored with a right to the head. Messy low scoring round
Score: 10-9 Davis
Round 2
Davis caught Berinchyk with a right as he lunged in. Berinchyk was just jumping inside and holding and Davis wrestled him to the floor. Davis scored at distance and landed a right but styles were not mixing with too many Berinchyk inspired clinches.
Score: 10-9 DavisDavis 20-18
Round 3
Davis was taking the fight to Berinchyk and scoring with quick combinations inside. A left to the body dropped Berinchyk to his hands and knees. He was up quickly and after the count Davis landed two rights to the head. Davis was scoring at distance and stepping back and countering to prevent Berinchyk diving inside. Davis fired a bunch of punches just before the bell
Score: 10-8 DavisDavis 30-26
Round 4
Berinchyk was flying forward head down throwing wild punches which Davis easily slipped and a right brought blood from Berinchyk’s nose. A right to the body had Berinchyk backing off and he switched guard to orthodox. Davis was tracking Berinchyk around the ring then as Berinchyk lunged forward he was met by a left to the body that dropped him to his knees and he sat out the count.
Still just 25, Davis will only get better and better. He looked drained when making the weight but with no WBO rule regarding rehydration he looked a couple of divisions higher than Berinchyk by fight time. Berinchyk had outpointed Emanuel Navarrete, a three division champion with a 39-1-1 record, to win the title making the ease with which Davis destroyed Berinchyk even more impressive.
Zayas vs. Spomer
Sayas outclasses Spomer and stops him in the ninth. Spomer looked to take the fight to Zayas from the start but he was stopped in his tracks by a counter left hook from Zayas and was already leaking blood from his nose. Zayas was putting together some impressive combinations in the second piercing Spomer’s guard with shots from both hands. A one-sided third saw Zayas piling on the punches with his speed and variety just too much for Spomer who landed a couple of rights but Zayas is in another class. An accidental low blow gets Spomer a bit of recovery time in the fourth and he tried to fight back against the stream of punches from Zayas that almost overwhelmed him but he landed a good right before the bell. Zayas connected with a couple of body shots at the start of the fifth but then Spomer went down from another low punch and was again given some recovery time. It was all Zayas again in the sixth and seventh Spomer was being outclassed as Zayas effortlessly switched from head to body and there is no way into the fight for the tough but outclassed Spomer. It was now really a case of whether Spomer could last the distance. He had occasional success when they traded punches but was soaking up punishment. Zayas continued to put together blazing combinations before providing the finish in the ninth. Zayas connected with a right to the heads and then landed a vicious left to the body. Spomer backed off bending in half in agony from the punch. Zayas landed another body punch that had Spomer reeling away and the referee stopped the fight. Another outstanding show from Zayas. He is No 1 with the WBO and No 3 with the WBC. Sebastian Fundora defends the WBC and WBO titles against Chordale Booker on 22 March and Zayas could target the winner.
Anderson vs. Kollias
Anderson returns with a win as he outpoints Greek Kollas, Anderson had height, reach, better skills and a 21 lbs weight advantage on his side but really did not impress. After a close first round Anderson made good use of his jab to boss the fight but it was a flat performance. He scored well to the body and landed some heavy shots but Kollas never looked in trouble and found gaps for counters. Anderson looked to be cruising to victory but there were danger signs for the future as Kollas drove Anderson to the ropes in the tenth and unloaded some heavy hits. Anderson looked uncomfortable under the pressure but fought back to the bell. Scores 99-91 twice and 98-92 for Anderson. This was his first fight since suffering a brutal stoppage against Martin Bakole in August and he seems to have regressed as the Anderson who beat Jerry Forrest, George Arias, Charles Martin and Ryad Merhy would probably have halted Kollas early.
Polanco vs. Torres
On a night with some outstanding prospects on show Polanco still managed to impress. The Dominican Olympian destroyed Puerto Rican Torres in two rounds. He rattled Torres early in the first with a left hook and then knocked him down with a right. Torres survived to the bell but was wiped out by a combination in the second. As in the first a left hook signalled the beginning of the end and then a left to the body and a right to the head put him down and out. Now 5 inside the distance wins in his last 6 fights for Polanco. The defeat on the record of Torres came in 2021 when he lost on a sixth round retirement against 17-1 Darwin Price but he had hardly been active since then.
Mielnicki vs. Coyle
In the most competitive fight of the night Mielnicki and Coyle fight to a majority draw. This was a fast-paced fight from the start. Both were trying to establish their jabs and looking to score to the body with Mielnicki landing some good hooks to the body to take the round. Coyle was jabbing strongly in the second but again the body punches from Mielnicki were more effective. Coyle clawed back a round in the third. The exchanges were even until Coyle landed an impressive burst of punches at the close of the round. Coyle had an even better fourth. Although cut over his left eye by a punch he stood and traded more and although both landed some good shots Coyle had the edge. The action slowed a little in the fifth and sixth but Mielnicki just seemed to be taking control. Coyle made a good start to the seventh as he took the fight to Mielnicki trying to put Mielnicki on the back foot but Mielnicki fired back landing some good rights and brining blood from Coyle’s nose. Both scored well in the eighth Coyle getting through with a tasty uppercut and Mielnicki jabbing strongly and landing lefts to the head of Coyle. Perhaps sensing he was behind Coyle attacked strongly in the ninth letting both hands go connecting with hooks to the head. An entertaining last round saw the fighters standing and trading punches until a late burst from Mielnicki saw him connect with a hard left hook and a right that seemed to shake Coyle. Scores 95-95 twice and 96-94 for Mielnicki so the IBF USAB, WBC USA and WBO International titles all remain vacant. I though Mielnicki deserved to win this one. Coyle protects his No 3 middleweight rating with the WBA. Mielnicki is No 5 super welterweight with the WBA so they both emerge unscathed.
Mason vs. Jaimes
Mason turns in another sparkling show of skill and power as he obliterates Jaimes in four rounds. The Cleveland southpaw was just too quick for Jaimes. He was firing shots to head and body with Jaimes trying to trade with him but suffering punishment as Mason pierced his guard with flashing combinations. A left hook that rocked Jaimes ln the first was just a taster. As Jaimes tried to force his way inside in the second he was met with an uppercut that sent him down. Jaimes climbed to his feet and saw out the round. Jaimes tried to put Mason under pressure in the third but Mason walked him onto a right hook that floored him. Again Jaimes beat the count and lasted out the round. A left hook in the fourth sent Jaimes down for the third time in the fight. Jaimes made it to his feet and was examined by the doctor but allowed to continue. A pair of right hooks put Jaimes on the floor again and the fight was stopped. Fifteenth inside the distance victory for southpaw Mason. Although he has yet to have a fight scheduled for more than eight rounds he is No 10 with the WBC.
Davis vs. Johnson
Keon Davis, the younger brother of Keyshawn and Kelvin, registers a second round kayo over Johnson. Davis 6’3” had huge advantages in height and reach and used them well. He dominated the action in the first and then floored Johnson with a series of punches in the second. Johnson made it to his feet but was dropped again and counted out. Davis, 23, won a gold medal at the competition that counted as both the US National Championships and the US Olympic Trials for Paris but did not compete at the Olympics.
Guerra vs. Walsh
Ali Walsh suffers another set-back as he loses a split decision against Guerra. From the first Guerra was marching forward applying pressure but Walsh countered well and might have edged a close round. Plenty of pressure again from Guerra in the second and he landed some useful hooks and uppercuts. He also took the third as he began to find gaps with his jabs and kept up the pressure outscoring Walsh in the fourth and fifth although both rounds were close. Guerra seemed to tire late and that was just enough for Walsh to just take the last two rounds but it was not enough. Two judges had it 58-56 for Guerra and the third had it 58-56 for Walsh. Useful win for inexperienced Guerra who is now 3-0-1 in his last 4 bouts but a huge question mark over Walsh who is 2-2 in fights he should have been able to win easily and he seems to have hit a very low ceiling as a measure of his potential.
Lopez vs. Santiago
Teenager Lopez continues to shine as he destroys Texan Santiago. The 19-year-old southpaw exploded with a left hook to put Santiago down and out after just 59 seconds. Lopez is the son of former WBO super bantamweight and featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez. Whilst Dad competed at the World Championships Juanmita competed at the 2024 Olympics where he lost to two-time gold medallist Hasanboy Dusmatov. Santiago not in the same league as Juanmita.
FEBRUARY 15
Manchester, England: Super Light: Arnold Barboza Jr (32-0) W PTS 12 Jack Catterall (30-2). Welter: Pat McCormack (7-0) W RTD 6 Robbie Davies (24-6). Super Feather: James Dickens (35-5) W PTS 10 Zelfa Barrett (31-3). Super Feather: Reece Bellotti (20-5) W RTD 10 Michael Gomez Jr (21-2).
Barboza vs. Catterall
Barboza takes a tight split decision mover Catterall to win the vacant interim/temporary WBO title.
Round 1
Catterall threw a quick bunch of punches but Barboza danced back from them. Lots of feinting not much punching. Barboza has taken centre ring with Catterall circling looking for a chance to fire his jab and he lands a left. Catterall lands a left to the body and a right. Both men cagey.
Score: 10-9 Catterall
Round 2
Both probing with their jab but not committing. Both score with a right and Catterall gets through with a left. Catterall lands a left and then connects with a jab.
Score: 10-9 CatterallCatterall 20-18
Round 3
A right from Barboza lands. Catterall darts forward to land a right and Barboza connects with a right. Catterall in counter punching mode but Barboza not throwing much so not leaving gaps. Barboza backs Catterall to the ropes and lands two rights. Catterall throws a left but Barboza blocks it and lands a right.
Score: 10-9 BarbozaCatterall 29-28
Round 4
Catterall pierces Barboza’s guard with a right and a left and then clips Barboza with a right. Catterall lands a long left. Catterall gets home a left and backs away from Barboza’s counters. Barboza lands a sharp right to the head. Still very much a tactical battle with all the rounds close.
Score: 10-9 CatterallCatterall 39-37
Official Scores: Judge Marcus McDonnell 39-37 Catterall, Judge Patrick Morley 38-38 TIED, Judge Leszek Jankowiak 38-38 TIED
Round 5
Catterall steps in and lands a left to Barboza’s chest. Barboza launches an attack but Catterall shifts away. Barboza darts in with a left and a right Catterall catches him with a counter. Barboza lands a right to the body and Catterall responds with a quick jab. Barboza lands a left. So far little clean scoring by either man.
Score: 10-9 Barboza Catterall 48-47
Round 6
Catterall moves onto the front foot for a change looking to put Barboza under pressure and lands two good jabs. Both land hooks. Barboza does not look as settled on the back foot. Catterall gets a warning for a low right. Catterall lands two straight lefts but Barboza counters with a right. Catterall lands a left to the head. The best punch so far in the fight.
Score: 10-9 CatterallCatterall 58-56
Round 7
Catterall on the front foot again with Barboza circling. Both score with a jab. Barboza sneaks home a right then lands another right at distance and two more rights. Catterall lands low and as Barboza steps back to complain Catterall lands two more punches. The referee comes in and gives Catterall a stern warning. Barboza lands another right. Catterall connects with a solid left to the body.
Score: 10-9 BarbozaCatterall 67-66
Round 8
Catterall lands a left to the body and a right to the head as he again aims to get on the front foot. Catterall connects with a long right jab. Barboza charges forward throwing punches but is wild and Catterall lands a counter.
Score: 10-9 CatterallCatterall 77-75
Official Scores: Judge Marcus McDonnell 78-74 Catterall, Judge Patrick Morley 77-75 Catterall, Judge Leszek Jankowiak 76-76 TIED
Round 9
This is very tight with low scoring and all rounds close. Catterall scores with a left to the body and a left to the head and then ducks away from Barboza’s counters. A good straight left from Catterall. Barboza goes to the body with a right. Catterall lands a left and then catches Barboza with a right as Barboza presses forward.
Score: 10-9 CatterallCatterall 87-84
Round 10
Barboza gets through with a right to the body and then another quick right. Barboza catches Catterall with a left and right to the head and a long right. Catterall lands a left hook. Barboza lands a right as he chases Catterall to the ropes. Catterall steps forward with a right and Barboza goes back and down. The referee rules it a slip as their feet tangled so no count.
Score: 10-9 BarbozaCatterall 96-94
Round 11
Barboza leaps in and lands a left to the head. Barboza stumbles after a left from Catterall but then lands a right of his own Barboza scores a glancing right. Barboza gets through with a left. Another close low scoring round with Barboza having a slight edge.
Score: 10-9 BarbozaCatterall 105-104
Round 12
Catterall coming forward but Barboza connects with a right counter. Barboza sneaks a right through Catterall’s guard and then lands a more solid right. Catterall lands a right and Barboza counters with a right. Catterall lands a left. Barboza scores with two rights.
Score: 10-9 BarbozaTIED 114-114
Official Scores: Judge Marcus McDonnell 115-113 Catterall, Judge Patrick Morley 115-113 Barboza, Judge Leszek Jankowiak 115-113 Barboza
Heartbreak for Catterall as this was so tight with all of the rounds close so the decision could have justifiably gone either way but a good win for Barboza as he was fighting in Catterall’s back yard. Barboza may go on to fight the real WBO champion Teo Lopez or IBF champion Ricardson Hitchins although that cant be a unifier as Barboza only hold the interim WBO title. It has taken Catterall almost three years from his loss to Josh Taylor to land another title fight but he will be hoping the next one comes along sooner than that and he would have a good chance of beating Hitchins, WBA champion Jose Valenzuela or WBC champion Alberto Puello so there is hope yet for him to win a title.
McCormack vs. Davies
McCormack dismantles Davies in six rounds. McCormack was quickly into his stride firing punches through the guard of Davies in the first two rounds landing rights from the outside and putting his punches together in the form of quick combinations. A powerful straight right to the head dropped Davies heavily in the third. He beat the count but another right sent him down again. Davies just did not seem to see the punches coming and he suffered more heavy punishment in the fourth. A series of punches from McCormack in the fifth had Davies dropping to one knee for a count and although he got up he faced more heavy shots from McCormack. After a one-sided sixth his corner retired Davies at the end of the round. An outstanding display of speed and power from former Olympian McCormack who was defending the WBA Inter-Continental belt. He is No 11 with the WBA and ready for some significant international tests. For Davies it may be time to retire. The former British and European champion rebounded from successive losses against Darragh Foley and Sergey Lipinets with a victory over Javier Fortuna in November but looked very battle weary in this loss.
Dickens vs. Barrett
Dickes gets upset victory as he takes unanimous decision over Barrett. This fight was slow over the first two rounds and both rounds were close with little action. Dickens was on the front foot landing southpaw jabs and going to the body to take the first but Barrett scored with some good body punches in the second and generally outworked Dickens. Dickens was in charge early in the third taking the fight to Barrett letting his hands go more and finding the target with lefts but Barrett ended the round strongly. Dickens landed a heavy left and was on the front foot again in the fourth although Barrett came on again late. Most rounds were close with Dickens just seeming to be getting the better of the exchanges and he put together some crisp combinations in the fifth and cracked home a right hook. Barrett stood and traded more in the sixth and Dickens was showing signs of damage below his right eye. Dickens rebounded to clearly take the seventh and eighth as he picked up his pace putting Barrett under pressure and landed some useful left hooks. Barrett must have known he had fallen behind but as he tried to let his punches go more but he was being caught by some accurate counter right hooks from Dickens. Barrett tried hard to find a punch to save the fight but Dickens boxed cleverly and never looked in trouble as he took the decision on scores of 97-93 twice and 96-94. Dickens, 33, wins the WBA International title. The former IBO featherweight champion had been knocked out by Hector Sosa in an IBO title defence in 2023 and had not impressed in two modest victories in 2024 but he has rebooted his career with this win. Barrett had lost to Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in a fight for the vacant IBF super feather title in 2022 but resurrected his career with a tenth round stoppage of Jordan Gill for the WBA International title in April last year.
Bellotti vs. Gomez
Bellotti retains the British and Commonwealth titles with a retirement win over Gomez. The challenger came forward in the first looking to put Bellotti under pressure but Bellotti boxed well on the backfoot focusing on body punches and landing some crisp counters. He outworked Gomez in the second and third again finding a gap for body punches on the ever aggressive Gomez and sliding away from Gomez’s attacks. A right from Bellotti had Gomez backing up in the fourth and in the fifth a left hook to the body saw Gomez take a step back and then drop to his hands and knees. He survived and got some encouragement when Bellotti suffered a bad cut over his right eye in the sixth but Bellotti continued to control the action in the seventh. Bellotti forced Gomez to the ropes in eighth and a series of body punches had Gomez slumping to the canvas. Again Gomez beat the count and survived some more body punching but he was under pressure throughout the ninth and although he kept trying to fight back his corner pulled him out at the end of the round. After a rocky spell Bellotti is back in top form and this is his sixth win in a row. Gomez had won his last 12 fights but Bellotti was a higher level tests than his other opponents.
Anaheim, CA, USA: Super Light: Oscar Duarte (29-2-1) W T KO 7 Miguel Madueno (31-4). Super Middle: Darius Fulghum (14-0) W TKO 4 Winfred Harris (22-3-2). Fly: Ricardo Sandoval (26-2) W PTS 10 Saleto Henderson (10-2). Welter: Kenneth Sims Jr (22-2-1) W PTS 10 Kendo Castaneda (21-8). Welter: Joel Iriarte (6-0) W KO 2 Darel Harris (19-24-2).
Duarte vs, Madueno
Duarte continues his good form as he comes from behind to beat a tough Madueno. Duarte took a couple of rounds to roll but then ground down Madueno for a seventh round stoppage victory. Madueno was getting the better of the exchanges over the first two rounds catching Duarte with straight shots from both hands and some savage counters. Duarte was trying to work his way inside behind a high guard firing hooks to the body from both hands and just kept coming. By the fourth the pressure was getting to Madueno he was on the retreat for much of the round being forced to the ropes. His output was dropping and he shipped heavy punishment late in the round. Duarte continued to pound Madueno’s body in the fifth and although Madueno fought back fiercely he was wilting and a clash of heads saw him cut on the bridge of his nose. The body punches had forced Madueno to use a lower guard and over the sixth Duarte began to head hunt more driving Madueno around the ring opening a cut over Madueno’s left eye with a punch and slowly breaking him down. Madueno was pinned in corner under a bombardment for most of the first minute of the seventh but after fighting his way out he was caught by a heavy right hook to the head that sent him reeling across the ring to the ropes and as Duarte connected with a series of head punches the referee jumped in to save Madueno. Duarte wins the vacant WBA Continental Americas title. He was knocked out in eight rounds by Ryan Garcia in 2023 but this win should help him improve on his current No 8 rating with the WBA. Madueno has now lost 3 of his last 4 fights but this is his first inside the schedule defeat and he went the full ten rounds with Keyshawn Davis in July.
Fulghum vs. Harris
Fulghum gets another inside the distance win as he halts Harris in the fourth. A right from Fulghum stunned Harris in the first but he stayed upright. In the second a left hook sent Harris down late in the round and although he beat the count he was again shaken. Fulgham handed out more punishment in the third and Harris was checked by the doctor before the start of the fourth. He was under fire and not fighting back when the referee stopped the fight in the fourth. Former National Golden Gloves champion Fulghum gets his twelfth inside then distance victory. Harris had lost on a ninth round stoppage against Saena Agbeko in 2022 but was inactive in 2023 and fought a technical draw with Immanuwel Aleem in November.
Sandoval vs. Henderson
Sandoval came out on top on all three cards in this one. Although taller with a longer reach Sandoval applied unrelenting pressure marching forward looking to get inside and weaken Henderson with body punches. Henderson was boxing with skill on the back foot over the first three rounds and landing some useful counters. From the fourth Sandoval was dragging Henderson into a brawl staying on top of Henderson and working away with body punches. Over the second half of the fight Henderson slowed and his punch output dropped as Sandoval banged home hooks from both hands and bullied the 5’2” 107 lbs Henderson in the clinches. Henderson connected with occasional counters but Sandoval just brushed them aside forcing Henderson to the ropes and working him over. Henderson rallied briefly with a burst of punches in the ninth but Sandoval was just too big, too heavy and too strong for Henderson who by the tenth was just looking to survive. Sandoval won on scores of 100-90 twice and 98-92. Sandoval blew his chance of a title shot when he lost a majority decision against David Jimenez in 2022 but a run of six wins has seen him rated in the top 4 by the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO so that title chance might come this year. Henderson showed some good skills but is just too small to compete with top class flyweights.
Sims vs. Castaneda
Sims continues his winning run with a unanimous decision over Castaneda. Sims boxed cleverly over the opening rounds. He was quicker and more mobile than Castaneda getting his punches off first and forcing Castaneda onto the back foot. Castaneda relied heavily on overhand rights but he was slow and Sims was able to block them or dance away. Sims stuck with his jab slotting them through Castaneda’s guard and putting together some neat combinations. Castaneda tried to apply pressure but was throwing single punches and getting caught with fast counters. Sims seemed to have things well in hand. From the sixth Sims was being forced to stand and trade more. He was still finding the target with jabs but Castaneda was firing bursts of punches and the entertainment level picked up with Sims showing a cut under his right eye. A great seventh saw three minutes of solid action with Castaneda marching forward firing hooks and uppercuts from both hands with Sims on the back foot countering but being outpunched and having to fight with his back against the ropes. Sims went back to his boxing in the eighth and ninth picking off the advancing Castaneda and avoiding getting caught up in any furious exchanges. A frustrated Castaneda tried to lure Sim into a brawl but Sim boxed cleverly changing guards and settling for single shots or one-twos. Castaneda must have decided right crosses were the thing he needed and he threw about a dozen in one attack in the ninth before being stopped in his tracks by a left from Sim who outboxed Castaneda in the last forcing him back with jabs and small burst of punches. Scores 99-91 twice and 98-92. A bit harsh on Castaneda but Sims a clear winner. Sims was upset by Ghanaian Samuel Teah losing on points over eight rounds in 2018 but he has put together nine wins in a row. His last two fights have been at welterweight but he is No 11 super lightweight with the IBF and No 3 with the WBA. Second defeat in a row for Castaneda as he lost a wide unanimous decision against Elvis Rodriguez.
Iriarte vs. Harris
Prospect Iriarte pounds Harris to defeat in two rounds. A left hook to the head floored Harris in the first . He survived the round but was put down by an uppercut in the second and the fight was stopped. The 21-year-old won a bunch of medals as an amateur and has taken less than nine rounds for his six wins. Harris had done a fine job of turning his career around with 10 wins in his last 11 fights.
Neu-Ulm, Germany: Light Heavy: Felix Sturm (45-6-3, 1ND) W KO 3 Benjamin Blindert (14-2-2). Middle: Vincenzo Gualtieri (24-1-1) W PTS 12 Alexander Pavlov (22-5). Super Feather: Hamsat Shadalov (10-0) W PTS 10 Eduardo Bajak (5-1). Super Welter: Paul Wall (9-0) W KO 3 Joshus Riccardo (10-3). Light Heavy: Hamza Salahudin (15-0) W KO 5 Wilmer Baron (7-9).
Sturm vs, Blindert
Sturm returns to action as he stops overmatched Blindert in three rounds to win the vacant WBO Gold title. Sturm quickly had his jab working and then landed a series of head shots that saw Blindert forced to take a knee. He survived that and also some stiff punishment in the second. Sturm wrapped things up in the third. He floored Blindert with an uppercut and although Blindert made it to his feet he was dropped again by a left hook. He showed guts by getting up and going back into the fray but was put down again and the fight was stopped. Now 46, and in his first fight for 13 months, Sturm’s opponent was obviously never going to be any threat and Sturm is hoping to land another title shot. Blindert, 38, suffers his second inside the distance defeat.
Gualtieri vs. Pavlov
Gualtieri wins the vacant WBO European title with a close unanimous decision over Pavlov. Gualtieri boxed his way to victory in this one. He was content to let the aggressive Pavlov bring the fight to him and work with effective counters. Pavlov was cut over his left in the second and also suffered a fractured left hand in the third. Despite those setbacks he rocked Gualtieri with a burst of punches late in the fourth. Gualtieri steadied himself in the fifth and landed heavily in the sixth sending Pavlov’s mouthguard flying. Gualtieri adopted rope-a-dope tactics from the seventh to the tenth and built a good lead with his counters but Pavlov scored heavily over the tenth and eleventh. A frantic last was close with Gualtieri doing enough to hold on to his lead. Scores 116-113 twice and 115-114 for Gualtieri. Good win for the former IBF champion. Fellow-German Pavlov, 36, was 10-1 in his eleven previous fight with the loss coming against unbeaten former IBO title holder Etinosa Oliha.
Shadalov vs. Bajak
Russian-born German Shadalov collects the vacant German International title with a wide unanimous verdict over Bajak. Shadalov controlled this one from the start. He used nifty foot work, some deft jabbing and hurtful body punches to outbox Bajak. Bajak just could not land anything of consequence on the elusive Shadalov and luckily for Bajak Shadalov is not a hard puncher. Bajak had to absorb some punishment in the seventh but kept taking the fight to Shadalov and had some success. Over the ninth and tenth Shadalov put in a big effort looking for a stoppage but Bajak kept battling. Scores 100-90, 99-92 and 99-91 for Shadalov. The winner was a top level amateur scoring wins over Raymond Ford and Robeisy Ramirez.
Wall vs. Riccardo
Wall returns to action for the first time since suffering a broken jaw in a winning effort against Nourdeen Toure in October. He dropped and stopped Italian Riccardo as he shed some rust from his lay-off. He floored Riccardo in the first and put him down and out in the third for his fifth victory by KO/TKO. Third defeat by KO/TKO for Riccardo.
Salahudin vs. Baron
Salahudin makes it 15 wins as he knocks out substitute Baron. Salahudin handed out steady punishment before flooring Baron in the fifth. Baron beat the count but was put down again for the full count. Salahudin, 21, gets his thirteenth win by KO/TKO.
FEBRUARY 14
Ubungo Maziwa, Tanzania: Middle: David Kerkmann (23-2) W TKO 5 Mohamed Metwaly (25-4) .
Kerkmann beats Metwaly in five rounds. German southpaw Kerkmann was bigger and stronger than Metwaly and used stiff jabbing and straight lefts to keep Metwaly on the retreat. Metwaly was quicker but had no power. A left put Metwaly down in the third but he had a good fourth getting inside to work. A left in the fifth sent Metwaly down on one knee and although he got up when the referee asked if he wanted to continue Metwaly shook his head. Kerkmann, 40, has 19 wins by KO/TKO but against mediocre opposition. German-based Egyptian Metwaly , 43, was having his first fight since December 2022 and crumbled too easily here.
Tampa, FL, USA: Cruiser: Efetobor Apochi (13-3) W Dionardo Minor (7-4-2).
Houston-based Nigerian Apochi knocks out southpaw Minor. Apochi, 37, dominated all the way against a Minor who was more concerned with style than substance. Apochi needed the win after losing a majority decision against then unbeaten Cheavon Clarke in August. Apochi was an outstanding amateur scoring a win over Jai Opetaia on his way to bronze medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Now 4 losses in his last 5 fights for Minor.
FEBRUARY 15
Malaga, Spain: Welter: Samuel Molina (32-3,1 ND) W PTS 12 Sandy Messaoud (20-8,1ND). Super Light: Placido Ramirez (27-4) W TKO 2 Dorian Maidana (11-5). Super Feather: Ivan Morales (39-6) W PTS 6 Otto Gamez (23-13,1ND).
Molina vs. Messaoud
Molina retains the European title but has to come from behind to beat a tough challenger. Messaoud bossed the early rounds. The sheer force of his attacks had Molina struggling to cope. Molina did score with some good counters but Messaoud was fired-up and bombarding Molina with punches. Molina was probably expecting the twelve-year-older Messaoud to tire quickly from the pace he was setting but Messaoud continued to attack fiercely. The challenger looked to have built a lead after five rounds and it was only in the sixth that Molina’s power started to turn things around. He shook Messaoud with some heavy counters and then repeated that success in the seventh. A clash of heads saw Messaoud cut but he responded in the eighth drawing blood from Molina’s nose. Molina finally took control over the ninth, tenth and eleventh landing the decisive punches in each round. Messaoud refused to crumble and although Molina connected heavily in the last he was too tired from the pace of the competitive fight to find a punch to end it early. Scores 116-112 twice and 115-113 for Molina who was making the first defence of the title he won with a decision over 32-0-1 Jordy Weiss in October. This was a voluntary defence but proved to be a tough one as Messaoud had lost only one of his last 13 fights and had won the WBC International title with a points victory over 17-1 Yanis Mahah in December. He fought his heart out here.
Ramirez vs. Maidana
An easy night for Colombian Ramirez as he brutalises Argentinian Maidana in two rounds. A left hook floored Maidana nearly in the second and the referee stopped the fight when Maidana was sent down again. That makes 20 wins by KO/TKO for Ramirez who was knocked out by Josh Kelly in three rounds in December 2023. Maidana had lost to both Molina and Messaoud in fights.
Morales vs. Gamez
His more famous brothers Erik and Diego may have hung up their gloves but Ivan is soldiering on. He was much too good for Venezuelan Gamez winning 60-54 twice 59-55. He has been a pro for 15 years and went 29-1 at the start of his career but the nearest he has come to emulating his title winning brothers was a points loss against Lee Haskins for the IBF bantamweight title in 2016.
Uncasville, CT, USA: Feather: Carlos Gonzalez (14-1,1ND) DREW 10 Alexander Espinoza (23-6-3). Welter: Rashidi Ellis (26-1) W RTD 7 Jose Angulo (16-10). Feather: Kevin Walsh (16-0) W TKO 8 Ricky de los Santos (12-2). Heavy: Ali Feliz (5-0-) W TKO 1 Robinson Perez (3-3).
Gonzalez vs. Espinoza
Gonzalez and Espinoza fight to a draw in a good mix of styles that saw plenty of two-way action. Gonzalez had the power and Espinoza the experience so it was no surprise that Gonzalez set a fast pace early letting fly with eye-catching hooks from both hands. Espinoza was taking the long view investing in some useful body work inside. Gonzalez was strong over the middle rounds but Espinoza paced the fight better and did well over the seventh and eighth. Gonzalez rallied to edge the ninth and seemed to have done enough to edge the last but it was very close. The judges had it 97-93 for Gonzalez, 96-94 for Espinoza, and 95-95. Gonzalez retained his NABA title and remains unbeaten. Nicaraguan Espinoza has been in some tough fights on the road losing to Ukashir Farooq, Andrew Moloney and Peter McGrail.
Ellis vs. Angulo
Ellis wins the vacant WBC USA Silver title as Angulo retires after the seventh round. Ellis looked on the way to a quick stoppage as he battered Angulo with well-placed shots over the first three rounds gradually dialling up the pace. He was firing jabs through Angulo’s defence and connecting with brutal rights. Angulo finally got a toe-hold in the fight in the third managing to get on the front foot on occasions. The skill and speed gap was wide and even on the back foot Ellis was landing well-placed counters. Ellis upped the pace from the fifth and Angulo began to buckle under the pressure. Ellis raked him with blistering combinations in the sixth and after a painful seventh Angulo’s corner pulled him out of the fight. Ellis lost a majority decision to Roiman Villa in January 2023 but did not fight again until a modest bwin last October. He was a calling out all the top welterweights but that inactivity means he is currently unrated. Angulo was a late pick as an opponent.
Walsh vs. de los Santos
Walsh halts de los Santos in eight. de los Santos was the better boxer and initially went into a lead but Walsh began landing heavily from the fourth and had de los Santos under relentless pressure. Walsh finally caught up with de los Santos in the seventh putting him down heavily. de los Santos beat the count and survived the rest of the round but he was shaken by rights at the start of the eighth and the fight was stopped. Ninth inside the distance finish for Walsh and his fourth in a row as he wins the WBC USA Silver title. de los Santos had won the title almost exactly a year ago and was making his first defence.
Feliz vs. Perez
Feliz dismisses Perez in 99 seconds. Much the taller fighter the 6’2” Feliz used his longer reach to land rights that shook Perez and when a right stunned Perez and sent him stumbling to the ropes the referee stopped they fight. Perez had lasted the full four rounds when they fought in July last year but he was swept aside here. Feliz, 21, won gold medals at 2020 US Youth Championships, the 2022 US National Elite Championships and the US Olympic Trials and is yet another exciting young heavyweight on the scene . He comes from a fighting family as Dad Fernely Feliz fought as a pro from 1993 to 2008 and faced John Ruiz and Oleg Maskaev and elder brother Fernely Feliz Jr is also a heavyweight and has an 8-0 record.
Buenos Aires, Argentina: Feather: Adian Robledo (11-1) W PTS 10 Alberto Melian (12-3-1). Fly: Aldana Lopez (12-0) W DISQ 9 Leiryn Flores( 23-6-1).
Robledo vs. Melian
Robledo outpoints Melian. The was an evenly balanced fight for the first four rounds but then Robledo took over. He had Melian shaken in the fifth and sixth and floored him with a left in the seventh. Melian fought back hard but was unable to break Robledo’s grip on then fight and Robledo won on scores of 98-91, 97-92 and a too close 95-94. Robledo failed to make the weight and lost his WBA Fedelatin title on the scales. Melian, 35, represented Argentina at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games but has struggled as a professional and announced his retirement.
Lopez vs. Flores
Lopez picks up the vacant WBA Fedelatin title as Venezuelan Floes is disqualified. Lopez boxed cleverly at distance landing jabs and straight shots from both hands and easily handling the attacks of Floes. The end came in the ninth when a butt from Flores opened a gash on the left cheek of Lopez and she was unable to continue with Flores disqualified for the butt. Lopez also holds the Argentinian and South American titles. The record of Floes is misleading as the opponents she had beaten only had three wins between them.
Jarvenpaa, Finland: Cruiser: Franklin Arinze (9-0) W PTS 8 Samuli Karkkainen (20-3).
English-based Nigerian Arinjze scores as surprise win over more experienced Kärkkäinen. Arinjze took advantage of a slow start from the Finn coming forward and scoring with some hefty shots. Southpaw Kärkkäinen has a good chin and withstood the pressure but was hampered by a cut caused by a clash of heads in the fifth. Kärkkäinen experience told over the later rounds and he put in a strong finish but it was not quite enough to overcome his slow start and Arinjze took the majority decision on scores of 77-75,77-76 and 77-77. First fight outside of Nigeria for 33-year-old Arinze. Kärkkäinen had won 10 of his last 11 fights
Sultan Kudarat, Philippines: Minimum: Arnel Lofranco (8-1) W TKO 2 Jonathan Refugio (22-12-5).
“Sniper Lofranco wins the WBA Asian title as he sweeps aside experienced southpaw Refugio in two rounds. Lofranco was advancing behind his jabs with Refugio circling the ring and not looking not engage. Lofranco did what scoring there was. Refugio did some showboating and clever upper body movement in defence but not really throwing any punches. Lofranco upped the pace in the second but was having problems with the eccentric antics of Refugio. He managed to trap Refugio in a corner a couple of times and landed hooks to the body but Refugio escaped. At the end of the round Refugio just told the referee he was finished and left the ring leaving behind an angry and frustrated Lofranco. Fourth win in a row for Lofranco and at least he picks up a title.
London, England: Light Heavy: Alban Bermeta (19-0-1) W KO 3 Mirsad Cebo (22-4). Heavy: Nelson Hysa (20-0) W TKO 3 Todorche Cvetkov (12-1).
Barmeta vs. Cebo
Barmeta retains the WBO Global title with a third round kayo of Cebo. The 33-year-old Albanian dropped Cebo three times in a one-sided mismatch. Barmeta has won his last 18 fights but has a record devoid of any serious tests. And the same can be said for Bosnian Cebo.
Hysa vs. Cvetkov
From the start Hysa had no problems handling the crude, seriously obese and glacially slow Cvetkov. He was able to drop his hands and just showboat for much of the time as he speared Cvetkov with an occasional punch. Hysa was able to land jabs and straight rights in the second whilst easily avoiding the wild swinging lunges of Cvetkov who looked exhausted by the end of the round. Cvetkov went down from what looked like a glancing blow in the third. He made it to his feet but the referee stopped the farce.
Fergana, Uzbekistan: Welter: Shohjahon Ergashev (25-2) W TKO 1 Junju Power (8-2).
A total mismatch sees former IBF super lightweight title challenger Ergashev beat Ugandan Power in the first round. Ergashev floored Power three times before the fight was stopped, Now 22 wins by KO/TKO for southpaw Ergashev who lost on a sixth round retirement against Subriel Matias for the IBF super light title in November 2023. In his last fight in July Ergashev was floored and outpointed by 8-2 novice Julian Smith in Detroit. Power a lamb to the slaughter.
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.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Weigh-In Results: Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol II
Sat, 22 Feb 2025Riyadh Season WBC Boxing Grand Prix is ready to start
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sat, 22 Feb 2025PREMIER LEAGUE POOL SET TO THRILL SARAJEVO – TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Sat, 22 Feb 2025Irish Southpaw Lee Reeves Added to February 28 Fight Night in Quebec, Canada
Fri, 21 Feb 2025What's the Big Ado About Canelo-Crawford?
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Fri, 21 Feb 2025SPOTV NOW Brings Cricket Legends Back to Action with Exclusive Coverage of the International Masters League 2025
Fri, 21 Feb 2025Press Conference Notes: Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol Ready for Historic Undisputed Rematch
Fri, 21 Feb 2025CHRISTY MARTIN PROMOTIONS SIGNS CRUISERWEIGHT KO ARTIST EFETOBOR APOCHI TO PROMOTIONAL CONTRACT
Fri, 21 Feb 2025Grass roots Billiards development program at The Pool Hall Caloocan
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 21 Feb 2025Beterbiev vs. Bivol Rematch: A Clash of Styles, Power, and Precision in Saudi Arabia
By T. Chin-Te, Thu, 20 Feb 2025Ronald Dableo rules Chinese chess tilt
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 20 Feb 2025WBC's Special Undisputed Light Heavyweight Belt is at Stake for Beterbiev vs. Bivol II in Saudi Arabia
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Thu, 20 Feb 2025YOENIS TELLEZ TRAINING CAMP QUOTES
Thu, 20 Feb 2025USA Boxing Announces 2025 Men’s Elite High Performance Team Roster
Thu, 20 Feb 2025GOLDEN BOY STATEMENT REGARDING FLOYD "KID AUSTIN" SCHOFIELD JR.
Wed, 19 Feb 2025