The Past Week in Action 21 April 2025: Fundora KOs Badillo, Retains Undisputed Belts; Smith UD Germain; Kovalev Returns with a Win
By Eric Armit
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 22 Apr 2025
HIGHLIGHTS
-Gabriela Fundora knocks out Marilyn Badillo in defence of her IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO flyweight belts. Jorge Garcia outpoints Charles Conwell
-Dalton Smith successfully defends the WBC Silver title with a decision over Canadian Mathieu Germain and Josh Warrington, Caoimhin Agyarko and Josh Padley score wins
- Ben Whittaker stops Laim Cameron in two rounds and Frazer Clarke, Sam Eggington and Tyler Denny are winners.
-Sergey Kovalev returns to action with a victory.
-There are wins in Orlando for unbeaten fighters Kevin Hayler Brown, Hendri Cedeno, Lenier Pero and Gurgen Hovhannisyan.
-French super middleweight Bakary Samake impresses with eighth round kayo of Roarke Knapp
APRIL 19
Oceanside, CA, USA: Fly: Gabriela Fundora (16-0) W TKO 7 Marilyn Badillo (19-1-1). Super Welter: Jorge Garcia (33-4) W PTS 12 Charles Conwell (21-1). Cruiser : Tristan Kalkreuth (15-1) W PTS 10 Felix Valera (24-8). Light Heavy: Oleksandr Gvozdyk (21-2) W TKO 3 Anthony Hollway (9-8-3).Welter: Joel Iriarte (7-0) W KO 1 Marcos Jimenez (25-12). Super Light: Ruslan Abdullaev (2-0) W PTS 8 Jino Rodrigo (13-5-2). Heavy: Joshua Edwards ((1-0) KO 2 Larry Gonzales (0-1-1).
Fundora vs. Badillo
A big night for Fundora as she retains her IBF/WBA/WBC and WBO titles and becomes the first female boxer to headline a Golden Boy card. To have any chance Badillo needed to find a solution to the six inch height advantage and accompanying longer reach enjoyed by Fundora and she never did. Fundora was sticking Badilla with the jab and driving home rights to the body in the first. Badillo was bobbing and weaving trying to come in under Fundora’s punches in the second but just could not get past Fundora’s jab. Nothing changed except the round number as Fundora continued to feed Badilla jabs and connect with rights and lefts to the body. Badillo tried to work her way inside in the fifth but that was to avoid the punishment she was absorbing at distance rather than any hope of disrupting Fundora’s dominance. Fundora dealt out some serious punishment to Badilla in the sixth and after she floored Badillo with a left in the seventh the referee stopped the fight. Fundora said she was willing to go up or down a division to get bigger and more completive fights and she may have to do that. Mexican Badillo had won her last ten fights but none of those opponents were anywhere Fundora’s class
Perez vs. Conwell
Conwell blows his chance of a title shot as he loses to Perez. Conwell was a big favourite in this one but he had his tactics wrong and was outworked by Perez. Perez had edges in height and reach and that proved decisive. He was able to score at distance counter Conwell on the way in and was helped by Conwell’s failure to work effectively inside. Perez was by far the busier fighter with Conwell looking to land single harder shots and that did not impress the judges. Perez was also putting together impressive combinations and going to the body more than Conwell. Conwell did not seem to have a winning game plan and no plan B when his tactics did not work. Perez did have an effective game plan and stuck to it. Conwell did have some success when he was able to work inside connecting with left hooks to head and body but it was the body punching from Perez that was more effective. Conwell’s output slowed over the closing rounds and Perez looked to have won by a good margin but the judges saw a much closer fight. Scores 115-113 twice for Perez and 115-113 for Conwell who was No 2 in the WBO ratings going into this fight. Perez , a former IBO champion, was No 3 so may now jump into No 2 and was talking of a fight with champion Sebastian Fundora but Xander Zayas is No 1 so Perez will have to wait his turn. Conwell will have to rebuild.
Kalkreuth vs. Valera
Kalkreuth makes it seven wins in a row as he takes a unanimous decision over seasoned pro Valera. The 6’5” Kalkreuth used his 5” height advantage and longer reach to score enough jabs in the first to take the round. Kalkreuth continued to use his reach to both score and keep Valera out in the second and he connected with a sharp left to the body. Pressure in the third saw Valera getting past Kalkreuth’s jab forcing Kalkreuth to the ropers and doing some useful work inside. Kalkreuth had a better fourth as he scored well to the body but Valera rebounded as both had some success the fifth and sixth. Body punching from Kalkreuth seemed to be working as Valera’s output dropped in the seventh and Kalkreuth took the eighth as he scored with hard rights and got the better of the exchanges. Valera tried to find something to pull the fight his way over the ninth and tenth but Kalkreuth had more left and he shook Valera with an uppercut late in the last. Scores 99-91 twice and 97-93 for Kalkreuth a former US Under-17 and Under-19 champion. Dominican Valera, 37, was interim WBA champion back in 2015 but this is his third loss in his last four fights.
Gvozdyk vs. Hollway
Gvozdyk used his longer reach to keep Hollaway retreating around the ropes in the first and began to drop in overhand rights in the second. He continued to use his jab to set up Hollaway for rights. At the start of the third Gvozdyk slammed home a stiff jab and followed with a right to the head that put Hollaway down. Hollaway beat the count and tried to box his way out of trouble but a right sent him flying into the ropes and down. Holloway made it to his feet but the referee was not convinced he was able to continue and stopped the fight. First fight for the former WBC light heavy champion since losing on points to David Benavidez for the interim WBC title in June last Year. Hollaway is 2-4 in his last 6 fights.
Iriarte vs. Jimenez
Iriarte blitzes Jimenez. The hard-punching prospect stopped Jimenez in 104 seconds. After forcing Jimenez to the ropes with jabs Iriarte stepped in and landed three head punches. Jimenez bent forward on his way to the canvas and Iriarte cracked him with a left to the head. Jimenez went face down on the canvas. He climbed to his feet but his legs were spaghetti. The referee stopped the fight and then had to hold Jimenez up to prevent him falling again. Iriarte, 21, has won all seven of his fights by KO/TKO taking less than ten rounds to get there. Jimenez, 39, and in his first fight since December 2023,. was just there as a victim.
Abdullaev vs. Rodrigo
Uzbek prospect Abdullaev gets his second win in six weeks as he outpoints Filipino Rodrigo. Abdullaev was landing heavy rights and lefts over the first two rounds and sliding away from Roderigo’s counters. He worked Rodrigo over in a corner in the third but Rodrigo did get through with a booming overhand right. There were plenty of fierce exchanges in the fourth and Abdullaev dropped Rodrigo with a left hook. Rodrigo got up and survived attempts from Abdullaev to do any more damage in the round. Abdullaev was setting a fast pace and Rodrigo was slowing but was always competitive. Abdullaev landed some hard shots from both hands over the second half of the fight but never again had Rodrigo in any trouble and the eight rounds of work were useful for Abdullaev so early in his career. Abdullaev won 80-71 from all three judges. Abdullaev, 22, won gold medals at the World and Asian championships and was an IBA pro champion in 2023. He lost in the quarter-finals at 2024 Olympics which hastened his move over to professionalism. Rodrigo has his limitations but showed the toughness and spirit here that explains why he has not been stopped so far in his career.
Edwards vs. Gonzales
Gonzales had a 70 lbs disadvantage as it was all around his waistline. Edwards was able to score at will shooting jabs and rights. Gonzales had only the most basic technique and was glacially slow. It wasn’t even a useful sparring session for Edwards.In the second a sustained barrage of punches had Gonzales helpless against the ropes and the referee stopped the fight. Edwards was US National champion and a Pan American gold medal winner but did not medal at the Paris Olympics and we learnt nothing about his protentional from this mismatch.
Sheffield, England: Super Light: Dalton Smith (18-0) W PTS 12 Mathieu Germain (26-231). Super Feather: Josh Warrington (32-4-1) W PTS 10 Asad Asif Khan (19-7-1). Super Welter: Caoimhin Agyarko (17-0) W PTS 10 Ryan Kelly (19-6-1). Light: Josh Padley (16-1) W TKO 5 Marko Cvetanovic (13-1).
Smith vs. Germain
Smith floors Germain three times but has to go the distance in a successful defence of the WBC Silver title.
Smith started the fight at a measured pace in the first walking the smaller Mathieu down but that changed in the second. Smith scored with a good left and then caught Germain with a counter left hook that floored Germain. Although the Canadian beat the count and was on unsteady legs he survived to the bell. Smith was looking to end the fight in the third and again had Germain dazed from a right and Germain only just avoided another knockdown. Smith continued to dominate the action in the fourth but Germain had a better fifth with Smith being given a warning for a low punch. It was obvious that Germain could not match Smith for power and he was being forced to fight a mainly defensive fight based on plenty of movement and in the sixth and seventh Smith was focusing on body attacks to slow Germain. Smith hurt Germain with a body punch in the eighth but was having trouble pinning Germain down. He kept up the pressure over the ninth and tenth but was frustrated at his inability to end the fight. He put in a big effort in the eleventh and floored Germain with a right but the Canadian made it to his feet and saw out the round. Smith hounded Germain in the twelfth and again put him down but Germain was not yet finished and was up and back in the fight with a frustrated Smith losing a point for a low punch. Smith was a big winner on the cards at 119-105 twice and 117-107 so he retained the WBC Silver title. He is No 1 with the WBA so mandatory challenger to champion Alberto Puello and he should be fighting for the title in the second half of this year. Germain had won his last eight fights but was no match for Smith.
Warrington vs. Khan
In his first fight since losing to Anthony Cacace in a challenge for the IBO super featherweight title Warrington eases his way back in with a unanimous decision over India’s Khan. Warrington began in his usual attacking style forging forward over the first three rounds attacking Khan’s body. Khan had faced similar tactics when he fought Michael Conlan six weeks ago and he employed a similar approach of circling the ring firing jabs at distance and tying up Warrington inside. This was Warrington’s first fight for seven months and only his second in sixteen months but by the fourth he had shaken the rust. He used his strength to boss the exchanges inside. Khan clipped Warrington with a sneak left in the fifth and waived his pleasure at landing the punch. An enraged Warrington battered him along the ropes and a right dislodged Khan’s mouthguard. In the sixth a right to the top of the head sent Khan back and down. There was also a push involved but the referee gave Khan a count. Khan was not badly hurt but a fierce attack from Warrington had him reeling and Khan’s mouthguard again came out and the referee indicated a point deduction for that. Khan clipped Warrington with a couple of uppercuts in the seventh but Warrington landed a hard right and ended the round with a series of hooks. The pace dropped over the eighth and ninth and they fought fiercely through the tenth. Warrington won on scores of 99-89, 99-90 and 97-91. He will be hoping to work his way back to another title shot but that will be a hard road. Khan came to Britain looking for big fights and he has two against name opponents but that may be his future as a resilient loser.
Agyarko vs. Kelly
Agyarko wins a majority decision over Kelly in a close fought skilful contest. Both were on target early with their jab and from there all of the rounds were close. Agyarko took the fight to Kelly in the first but Kelly engineered some room for himself in the second. Agyarko’s aggression gave him the edge in the third but Kelly was the one pressing from the fourth and in the fifth he captured the round and opened a cut over Agyarko’s eft eye with a punch. The sixth was another close round with Kelly’s jab and pressure giving him a slight edge. Agyarko changed tactics in the seventh getting onto the front foot and clawing back the lead Kelly had built as Kelly seemed to tire. Agyarko was now the more active forcing the pace and scoring with the more eye-catching punches over the eighth and ninth. The battle ebbed and flowed in the last round with both having some success and Agyarko landing the heavier punches to take the round and the decision. Scores 97-94 and 96-94 for Agyarko and 95-95. A great scrap. Agyarko came in as a substitute for his second fight in 20 days. A big change from his spasmodic activity in the past that had seen him have only 15 fights in 6 years. He scored an impressive win in 2023 when he outpointed 20-1-1 Troy Williamson but has not really kicked on since then.Agyarko wins the vacant WBA Continental title. Kelly can’t get a break. Of his last three losses two have been split decisions and this majority one.
Padley vs. Cvetanovic
In his first since Padley stepped in as a late substitute against Shakur Stevenson in Riyadh he stops tall Serbian Cvetanovic in the fifth. Padley was quickly able to pierce the guard of southpaw Cvetanovic with straight rights as the Serb tried to hide behind a high guard. Cvetanovic’s footwork and balance were poor and he kept over reaching and leaving himself open to counters. Padley was landing some tasty body shots in the second with Cvetanovic slow and wild with his counters. Padley worked hard in the third and fourth going to the body to bring Cvetanovic’s high guard down. In the fifth a left hook to the body had Cvetanovic hurt and Padley drove him back into the ropes and down to a knee. After the count Padley connected with a series of hooks and uppercuts forcing Cvetanovic to his knees and although he climbed to his feet the referee waived the fight over. Padley wins the vacant WBA International title. The Stevenson fight has given Padley a high profile and his previous victory over 16-0 Mark Chamberlain is a more relevant domestic win he can build on. Cvetanovic was awkward but little else.
APRIL 20
Birmingham: England: Light Heavy: Ben Whittaker (9-0-1) W TKO 2 Liam Cameron (23-7-1,1ND). Heavy: Frazer Clarke (9-1-1) W TKO 1 Ebenezer Tetteh (23-3). Super Welter: Sam Eggington (36-9) W TEC DEC 9 Lee Cutler (15-2). Middle: Tyler Denny (20-3-3) W PTS 10 Elvis Ahorgah (13-4). Middle: Troy Coleman (14-3-1) W TKO 7 Bradley Goldsmith (12-1). Welter: Elliot Whale (12-0) W PTS 8 Lucas Ballingall (18-3). Super Middle: Mark Jeffers (20-0) W TKO 2 Ricardo Lara (24-14-2).
Whittaker vs Cameron
Whitaker stops Cameron in the second round. Cameron was walking Whittaker down stabbing out jabs with Whittaker on the back foot using his quicker hands to slide punchers through Camerons’ guard. Whittaker then went onto the front foot and landed a couple of long range body punches. Cameron came forward and again and Whittaker backed off firing jabs. Cameron was warned for a punch to the back of the head and Whittaker circled Cameron throwing jabs. Cameron was short with a right and Whittaker immediately landed a solid right. Whittaker was constantly moving frustrating Cameron’s attempts to catch him against the ropes. Whittaker connected with a lightning quick right at the start of the second but Cameron continued to walk forward behind a high guard. Whittaker banged home a left to the body and two rights to the head. Whittaker kept feeding the advancing Cameron with jabs and then an overhand right unhinged Cameron’s legs. Whittaker pounced taking Cameron to a corner and unloading punches. The referee stepped in and stopped the fight but it seemed premature and Cameron and his team protested. Whittaker will now want to move on and leave his poor showing against Cameron in their technical draw in October behind him. Cameron has plenty of options for domestic fights.
Clarke vs. Tetteh
Tetteh started out throwing wild swipes which Clarke easily avoided. After more wild swipes from Tetteh as they came out of a clinch Clarke landed a left hook and then drilled home a devastating right to the temple that dropped Tetteh. He got to his feet but was unsteady. The referee let the fight continue and Clarke forced Tetteh to the ropes and landed a series of head punches and the referee stopped the fight. Tetteh remonstrated with the referee but it was a timely stoppage. All over in under two minutes. First fight for Clarke since his brutal first round stoppage defeat against Fabio Wardley in October. Three fights in Britain and three inside the distance losses for Ghanaian Tetteh. A first round stoppage against Daniel Dubois and a seventh round retirement against Dillian Whyte . He is powerful but crude.
Eggington vs. Cutler
Eggington gets a unanimous technical decision to win the WBC International Silver title. After an entertaining and close first round Cutler just did enough good work with his jab to edge the second and Eggington was cut on his right eyebrow. Cutler was driving forward in the third but Eggington was into his stride and scoring with shots from distance in a rough and ready war that was being waged. After taking a close fourth Eggington controlled the action in the fifth with his longer reach and connected with two heavy rights. Cutler was cut over his left in the sixth so plenty of blood around and again Eggington was finding the target with jabs and rights. Eggington seemed to be in charge but was cut over his left eye and Cutler got back into the fight with a good seventh and outscored Eggington in the eighth. The bell went for the ninth but before the action commenced the doctor examined the cut over Eggington’s right eye and the fight was stopped. Because it was started the ninth was scored 10-10. The cuts had been caused by head clashes so it went to the cards. Two cards had sensible 87-85 scores for Eggington and a strange third read 90-83 also for Eggington. A much needed win for Eggington after losing a majority decision against WBA No 1 Abass Baraou in March last year. Cutler losses the WBC International Silver title his first defence
Denny vs. Ahorgah
Denny gets back into the winner’s enclosure with a points victory over Ahorgah. Referee’s score 97-92 for Denny First fight for Denny since a crushing two round stoppage loss against Hamzah Sheeraz in September. Ahorgah was coming off a fifth round loss to Callum Simpson for the Commonwealth super middleweight title in February.
Coleman vs. Goldsmith
Coleman ruins the unbeaten record of Goldsmith. These two put on a great show, arguably the fight of the night. They traded punchers in fierce exchanges in every round. Goldsmith was the favourite and he looked to be on his way to victory in the sixth. He pushed Coleman into a corner and was battering him with punches. The referee was watching carefully but Coleman fought his way out of the corner then landed two rights to the heads that shook Goldsmith. He then connected with two more rights and Goldsmith dropped to his hands and knees. The last punch landed after the bell so the referee indicated he was not going to apply a count. Goldsmith’s team quickly got their man back to his corner and sent him out for the seventh but he had not really recovered and reeled into the ropes under a barrage of punches and the referee stopped the fight. Coleman retains the BBB of C Midlands title. Goldsmith had won his last three fights by KO/TKO.
Whale vs. Ballingall
Southpaw Whale gets the decision over Ballingall. Referee’s score 79-74. Whale had won his last six fights by KO/TKO but the more experienced Ballingall had won his last five fights and had not lost by KO/TKO so he tested Whale here.
Jeffers vs. Lara
Jeffers blasts out Lara in two rounds. Jeffers was ferocious in the first subjecting Lara to a beating under a torrent of punches to head and body. Lara was down from a body punch in the first and again from a body punch in the second. Although Lara beat the count he was almost bent double in pain and the referee stopped the flight. A former WBO Global and English champion Jeffers gets his seventh victory by KO/TKO. A distinctly chubby looking Lara started out as a lightweight but was fighting at super middle here and suffers his seventh defeat by KO/TKO.
APRIL 18
Chelyabinsk, Russia: Cruiser: Sergey Kovalev (36-5-1) W TKO 7 Artur Mann (22-5). Cruiser: Timur Bibilov (8-0) W TKO 10 Josuah Wasike(5-1).
Kovalev vs. Mann
Kovalev shows he still has the power as he floors Mann twice and stops him in the seventh. Good start from Kovalev as he jabbed strongly and curled rights around Mann’s high guard. Mann was pushing hard constantly coming forward looking to tire the 42-year-old former champion. He was coming forward late in the second when a left hook put him down. He was up at six and when the action resumed Kovalev bombarded an unsteady Mann with punches but Mann made it to the bell. Mann was marching fortward again in the third but jabs from Kovalev opened a cut on Mann’s right eyebrow. In the fourth Kovalev kept feeding Mann jabs with Mann seeming unable to block them and it was the same in the fifth and sixth but Kovalev was visibly tiring. Despite his face being a mask of blood Mann was still taking the fight to Kovalev and Kovalev was looking arm weary. The end came in the seventh. As they traded punches a right from Kovalev sent Mann down. He struggled to his feet but as the count reached eight Mann’s cornerman climbed onto the ring apron to surrender their man. Kovalev had said this will be his last fight but that remains to be seen. Third inside the distance defeat for former IBF cruiserweight challenger Mann.
Bibilov vs. Wasike
Bibilov makers it eight wins after a war with Kenyan Wasike. From the start Bibilov was using his longer reach and heavy rights to dominate Wasike. Despite shipping heavy punishment Wasike handed out plenty punishment himself. Bibilov was trying to grind Wasike down but Wasike just kept rebounding and it was a gruelling contest for both. Bibilov finally broke Wasike in the tenth. A left hook floored Wasike. He was up quicky and proceeded to take th flight to Bibilov but after a savage left hook snapped Wasike’s head back and he folded over and put a glove on the canvas the referee stopped the fight. The 19-year-old Bibilov has won all eight of his fights by KO/TKO but he won’t want many more fights like this. Wasike showed tremendous courage and boosted his too low profile.
Nanterre, France: Super Welter: Bakary Samake (18-0) W KO 8 Roarke Knapp (17-3-1,1ND)
Samake retains the WBC Silver belt with an eighth round kayo of Knapp. Knapp had a slight advantage over the first two rounds with Knapp working his jab putting Samake on the back foot and scoring inside. From the third Samake upped his pace doubling and tripling his jab and using clever footwork to slip away from Knapp’s attacks and countering. Samake began to find the target with rights to the head and body . Knapp didn’t crumble and kept coming forward but Samake was winning the rounds and building a lead. He ended matters in the eighth. As Knapp walked forward Samake banged home two vicious lefts to the body. Knapp dropped to his hands knees and was counted out. Samake, 21, gets his tenth inside the distance win in his first defence of the WBC belt. Huge exposure for Samake as this was a combined-boxing match-music show in front of close 38.000 spectators. Samake is looking a big threat at super welter. He started boxing at the age of eight. After around thirty amateur fights he decided, at 17, to turn professional with a Luxembourg license as he had to be 18 before the French Federation would licence him. Knapp had lost on a third round kayo against Jorge Garcia for the IBO title in June last year.
Orlando. FL, USA: Super Light: Kevin Hayler Brown (7-0) W PTS 10 Esteuri Suero (14-4). Super Light: Hendri Cedeno (16-0) W TKO 6 Idalberto Umara (13-34. Heavy: Lenier Pero (12-0) W PTS 10 Detrailous Webster (9-5). Heavy: Gurgen Hovhannisyan (8-0) W KO 5 Dajuan Calloway (11-4). Super Feather: Christopher Diaz (30-5) W PTS 8 Jose Meza (9-11,1ND).
Brown vs. Suero
Cuban Brown marches on with a unanimous decision over Suero. Both were cautious over the first three close rounds as they worked to establish their jab. Brown increased his work rate from the fourth and with that and his more accurate punching he took control. Suero continued to be competitive but Brown was quicker backing away from Suero’s leads and coming back with hard counters. In the ninth a pair of rights put Suero down heavily. He was up quickly but when under pressure he was holding to stop Brown scoring and after a couple of warnings the referee deducted a point. To complete the disaster for Suero he was down for the second time in the round under a burst of short punches. Suero survived the last round but Brown was a big winner on scores of 98-89, 96-91 and 95-92. Brown was coming off a win over 18-1 John Bauza and is progressing well. Suero was lucky not to suffer another disqualification. He had been deducted three points for fouls in losing to Starling Castillo and was deducted two points and disqualified the fifth round against Floyd Schofield last year.
Cedeno vs. Umara
Cedeno beats Umara in seven rounds. Cedeno took the fight to Umara in the first and just kept applying pressure coming in behind his jab with straight rights and hooks to the body. Umar boxed well on the back foot but just could not get off the ropes and was too busy defending to do much attacking. Umara managed to break the cycle in the third connecting with a series of hooks and uppercuts and Cedeno was shaken by a right hook. Cedeno was back in charge in the fourth and fifth. He continued to force Umara to the ropes and land to the body with both hands shaking off Umara’s counters. The relentless pressure was breaking Umara down and he was looking arm weary and throwing less and less and did not come out for the seventh. Cedeno wins the vacant WBO Inter-Continental title in his first fight scheduled for ten rounds. Cuban Umara had lost a split decision to Kevin Hayler Browns in May.
Pero vs. Webster
Pero boxed his way to victory but is lucky not to be thrown out four low punches. Pero had Webster hurt in the first and then continued that momentum using his big edges in height and reach landing right jabs and heavy lefts to build a big lead. Webster fought back and had a good eighth. It still looked safe for Pero but low punches in the ninth cost Pero two point deductions. He outscored Webster in the last to win on scores of 96-92 twice and 98-90. Pero has scored three first round wins in his last 4 fights and stopped previously unbeaten Viktor Vykhryst but his No 5 rating with the WBA is ridiculous. Webster in his first fight scheduled for more than six rounds.
Hovhannisyan vs. Calloway
Hovhannisyan wins on a fifth round kayo but the real hero was the guy who made the ring. Between them Hovhannisyan and Calloway weighed 718 lbs/51 stone/326 kgs!. This one was fought at a slow lumbering pace with the 6’7” Hovhannisyan having a 4” height edge but giving away 124 lbs to the 6’3” 421 lbs Calloway. Hovhannisyan did enough to take the first three rounds although Calloway connected with a couple of hard rights. Hovhannisyan used his reach to do the scoring in the fourth but was wide-open to Calloway’s jabs. In the fifth Hovhannisyan forced Calloway to a corner and landed three rights to the head that had Calloway sliding to the canvas and Hovhannisyan connected with a left when Calloway had a knee on the floor. The referee counted out Calloway made no effort to get up. Gurgen has scored 7 wins by KO/TKO but only just scraped past 6-2 Patrick Mailata on a majority decision in December. Calloway had won his last 4 fights.
Diaz vs. Meza
Former WBO featherweight title challenger Diaz bounces back from his loss to Henry Lebron in December with a points victory over Meza. Scores 79-73 twice and 80-72 for Diaz. Four of Diaz’s five losses have come against current, past or future title holders. Meza’s losses have all come by way of points.
Porto Torres, Italy: Super Middle: Andrea Aroni (11-1) W PTS 10 Luca Di Loreto ( 7-4-2).
Andrea Aroni wins the Italian title with a unanimous decision over champion Di Loreto. Although Di Loreto boxed well early Aroni‘s speed and mobility allowed him to take over and he kept Di Loreto under pressure scoring well at distance particularly with body punches. Aroni built a good lead and then held off a strong finish from Di Loreto. Scores 96-94 twice and 97-94. Tenth win in a row for Aroni. Di Loreto was defending the national title for the second time.
Berne, Switzerland: Super Feather: Angelo Pena (12-0) W RTD 4 Karim Guerfi (33-).
Pena gets his biggest scalp so far as he forces a fourth retirement by experienced Guerfi. Pena was scoring with hooks and uppercuts in the first giving Guerfi a torrid time. Pena continued to bombard Guerfi in the second but Guerfi hit back hard at the end of the round. It was almost over in the third when Pena dropped Guerfi twice. Pena tried hard to end it in the fourth and had Guerfi badly shaken and although Guerfi looked to haver rocked Pena in the round Guerfi’s corner pulled their man out of the fight. Pena was defending the WBO Inter-Continental title for the second time. He is making good progress. Describing Pena is like a travelogue. Born Spain, Dominican National based in Switzerland. Guerfi, 38, had stopped 18-1 Terry Le Couviour in November so this was a good result for Pena
APRIL 19
Commerce, CA, USA: Sadriddin Akhmedov (15-0-1) DREW 10 Elias Espadas (23-6-1). Light Heavy: Umar Dzambekov (11-0) W TKO 1 Sonny McEwan (11-2)
Akhmedov vs. Espadas
Akhmedov’s 100 % record goes as he is held to a draw by Espadas. This was an interesting rather than exciting fight as Akhmedov’s aggression was offset by clever boxing from Espadas. Akhmedov was constantly moving forward behind his jab and firing left hooks and rights to the head. Espadas used his longer reach, plenty of movement and good counters. Akhmedov had trouble closing Espadas down but when he was inside he was digging in left hooks to the body and used that punch rather than his right. Akhmedov kept pressing but Espadas was working his jab well and scoring with combination then moving before Akhmedov could counter. Akhmedov worked patiently landing the harder punches as Espadas slowed late and his strong finish seemed to me to swing things his way and both the rounds and the fight were close so a draw was about righty. Scores 95-95 twice and 96-94 for Akhmedov. A disappointment for the former World Youth champion from Kazakhstan but clever boxers such as Espadas will always give him problems. Mexican Espadas had suffered consecutive inside the distance losses against Xander Zayas and Fiodor Czerkaszyn so this result was a good one for him.
Dzambekov vs. McEwan
Russian-born Austrian Dzambekov floors and halts McEwen in the first round. A left floored McEwan and after he beat the count Dzambekov unleashed a brutal array of punches that convinced the referred to stop the fight. Eighth win by KO/TKO for Dzambekov who was Austrian junior and Under--23 champion and three times Austrian champion. Second early loss in a row for McEwan.
Roubaix, France: Cruiser: Seydi Coupe (13-0) W TKO 3 Thomas Faure (24-7-1).
Local fighter Coupe wins the vacant EBU Silver title with a third round stoppage of Faure. Coupe made good use of his longer reach to spear Faure with jabs and left hooks to the body. After bossing the first two rounds Coupe connected with a series of rights to the head that had Faure stumbling back to the ropes and the referee quickly came in to stop the fight as Faure collapsed to the canvas. Eighth inside the distance win for the former undefeated French champion. Faure had lost on points against Daniel Blenda Dos Santos in a fight for the vacant EBU light heavyweight title in June last year.
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.”
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