Weekly Results 8 November 2016
November 4
Los Angeles, Ca, USA: Feather: Manuel Avila (22-0) W PTS 10 Jose Ramirez (28-7). Super Bantam: Emilio Sanchez (13-0) W PTS 8 Diuhl Olguin (11-5-3).
Avila vs. Ramirez
Avila gets split decision over Ramirez in a fight that was hard to score because there was so little clean action. From the opening bell Ramirez was bulling forward getting inside the reach of the taller Avila. He would put his head in Avilaโs face and then just throw overhand punches which naturally tended to land high if at all. When he could make some room Avila was doing the scoring with jabs and counters but time and again Ramirez bulled him to the ropes and held him there. The referee warned Ramirez twice in the first round and then again in the second for sticking his head in Avilaโs face but then let him get away with it for the rest of the fight. Avila just could not make any room to let his better skills work but should have been able to handle the brawling Ramirez better and never really came up with an answer. He opened a cut over the left eye of Ramirez with a punch in the seventh. The referee took points off Ramirez for blatantly hitting on the break in the fifth and for holding in the tenth but Ramirez had been doing that since the opening bell. Two of the judges favoured the few spells of cleaner scoring Avila did over the brawling, arm pumping light punches from Ramirez but this was a messy wrestling match of a fight in which neither fighter shone even faintly. Scores 99-89 twice for Avila and 95-93 for Ramirez. The 24-year-old Californianย โTitoโ is better than this. He has wins over Yoandris Salinas and Rene Alvarado and is rated No 14 by the WBC but will want to forget this one. Mexican โNegroโ Ramirez, 29, did what he had to do. If he had tried to box Avila would have had too much skill so his tactics were understandable-if ugly.
Sanchez vs. Olguin
Sanchez continues to show the progress that his amateur achievements promised but Olguin showed he was a better fight than his record indicated. Sanchez was attacking from the first taking the fight to Olguin and looking to blow him away early. Olguin did not fold. He showed good defensive skills and was able to score with good counter as Sanchez pressed. In each round Sanchez would press hard pushing Olguin back to the ropes and unleashing left and right hooks to head and body and uppercuts through the middle. Olguin would take it all and by the end of the round it would often be Sanchez on the ropes and Olguin landing belting hooks. Sanchez was throwing more punches and rocked Olguin on occasion but Olguin, who switched to southpaw in the middle rounds, always came right back and had Sanchez retreating. It was three minutes of war in every round with Sanchez doing enough to win most rounds but no matter what he landed Olguin eventually came right back at him and at the bell at the end of the fight it was again Sanchez with his back to the ropes as they just let their punches go. Sanchez a clear winner but Olguin deserves lots of credit for his gutsy performance.. Scores 80-72 , 79-73 and 77-75 all for Sanchez. The 24-year-old Californian Sanchez was US National and NGG champion as a Junior and a bronze medal winner at the US Championships in 2011. That earned him a place at the US Olympic Trials where he won through to the fourth round of the challenges but no further so missed out on the Olympics and turned pro. This was the first fight for 14 months for Mexican โEleganteโ Olguin.ย He has only lost once by KO/TKO and that was an eighth round stoppage against former IBF champion Zolani Teteย in September last year.
Corona, CA, USA: Welter: Taras Shelestyuk (15-0) W PTS 10 Jaime Herrera (15-4-1). Cruiser: Constantin Bejenaru (12-0) W PTS 10 Steve Bujaj (16-1-1). Light: Xolisani Ndongeni (22-0) W PTS 10 Juan Garcia Mendez (19-2-1).
Shelestyuk vs. Herrera
Shelestyuk holds on to his unbeaten record but it is not one of the Ukrainianโs better nights. The tall unbeaten Shelestyuk made use of his left jab and some good offence to take the first two rounds. He then faded badly in the third and fourth as his work rate dropped and he tended to stay inside and hold instead of working. Herrera clearly took those rounds and that holding cost Shelestyuk a points for in the fifth. The Ukrainian claimed that his legs seemed to have gone on him from the third round and thatโs why he decided to fight inside. From the sixth he finally picked up the pace and although the sixth and seventh were close by the eighth Shelestyuk was again boxing and moving and he staged a strong finish as Herrera faded but Shelestyuk needed those rounds as the scoring showed. Scores 96-93 twice and 96-95. Toughest test so far for the tall 30-year-old Shelestyuk, the WBA No 13, who was making the first defence of his WBO NABO title. The former World Amateur Champion and Olympic bronze medal winner will find things even tougher as he moves up. Herrera was always going to give Shelestyuk a good fight. He effectively ended the career of Mike Jones with an eighth round retirement win in 2014 and could consider himself unlucky to have had to settle for a majority draw against Canadian hot hope Steven Butler in June last year in Butlerโs backyard
Bejenaru vs. Bujaj
Bejenaru climbs off the floor and wins unanimous verdict over Bujaj in ugly fight. The Romanian southpaw was giving away a bit of height to Bujaj but he was barrelling forward with a style that Bujaj found difficult to solve. Heads clashed frequently with Bejenaru generally coming off worst. He was taking the fight to Bujaj and outscoring the New York-based Albanian but suffered a bad fifth when a left hook from Bujaj put him down. He fought his way out of that minor crisis and his case was helped when Bujaj lost a point in the ninth for hitting on the break. Despite a bad cut over his left eye and a number of bumps from the head clashes Bejenaru was a clear winner. Scores 97-91 from all three judges for Bejenaru. The 32-year-old Moldavian-born Bejenaru wins the vacant WBC International and Continental Americas titles. He did his boxing for Romania as an amateur winning five national titles, a gold medal at the World Combat Games, competing at the 2005, 2007 and 2009 World championships and taking medals at both the European and European Union Championships. That long stint as an amateur probably means he has left it too late to shed his vest and this is only his second fight in 13 months so time is slipping away. โSupermanโ Bujaj, 26, moved from Albania to New York when he was only six months old and as an amateur was New York Golden Gloves champion in 2009 and 2010. He loses his unbeaten tag and has some rebuilding to do after this disappointing performance.
Ndongeni vs. Mendez
South African Ndongeni makes a successful first foray in the USA. The talented โWaspโ outboxed Mexican Mendez and displayed the talent that has been drawing rave reviews in his homeland. He was in control most of the way but was unable to punctuate his showing with an inside the distance win and unfortunately his bout was not part of the TV coverage. That will change as the WBA No 2 already has wins over tough domestic opposition in Mzonke Fana and Jasper Seroka and is ready for some big fights on his way to a clash with Jorge Linares. Scores 99-91 twice and 98-92 all for Ndongeni. Mendez not as talented as his record might indicate. He was inactive in 2014 and had only one fight in 2015 and in 2016 prior to this outing.
Las Vegas, NV, USA: Super Middle: Jesse Hart (21-0) W TKO 3 Andrew Hernandez (16-5-1). Super Feather: Andy Vences (17-0) W TEC DEC 9 Casey Ramos (23-1).Welter: Alex Saucedo (23-0) W PTS 8 Ray Serrano (21-4).
Hart vs. Hernandez
Impressive display from Hart as he floors and halts an on form Hernandez. Hart got the perfect start as he put Hernandez down late in the first round with a left hook. Hernandez got up and made it to the bell but Hart continued to apply pressure in the second. In the third Hart pounded away until with Hernandez out on his feet and defenceless the referee stopped the fight. The 27-year-old from Philadelphia retains his WBO NABO title and wins the vacant WBC NABF belt as he moves to 16 wins by KO/TKO. He is No 1 with the WBO despite only having wins over useful but not top flight fighters Mike Jimenez and Aaron Pryor and journeyman par excellence Dashon Johnson. Hart had to climb off the floor and survive a rocky last round to beat Johnson in their fight in March. Hernandez, the 30-year-old Phoenix โHurricaneโ had won six fight on the bounce including a victory over the highly rated unbeaten Russian Arif Magomedov. That win garnered him ratings as No 5 with the WBA and No 12 with the WBC but Hart just had too much power for him.
Vences vs. Ramos
Vences comes out on top in the battle between two unbeaten fighters. Vences seemed to edge the first two rounds scoring with good rights as Ramos came forward trying to get inside the guard of the longer reach of Vences. The third and fourth again saw Vences working on the outside with Ramos forcing the pace to try to work in close. Ramos had a good fifth but Vences did most of the scoring over the sixth and seventh working on the outside and building a good lead. In the eighth a clash of heads saw a bad cut opened under the left eye of Ramos. The doctor ruled it was OK for the fight to continue but another clash of heads in the ninth made the cut just too severe and the fight was halted and it was then left to the scorecards. Scores 88-83, 87-84 and 86-85 all for Vences. The 25-year-old Californian โSharkโ was moving up to ten rounds for the first time and wins the vacant WBC Continental Americas title in his biggest fight so far. Texan โWizardโ Ramos, 27, will feel he was unlucky here but will rebound.
Saucedo vs. Serrano
Lou Mesoranaโs prospect ย Saucedo is really starting to get noticed. He floored and took a unanimous decision over the much more experienced Serrano to register his biggest win so far. He set a blistering pace from the start taking the fight to Serrano in the first round and then flooring Serrano with a right in the second . Serrano was hurt but far from finished and held off Saucedoโs attacks in the third and fourth to get a foothold in the fight. From there it was close with Saucedo pressing hard and Serrano forced to fight on the back foot or against the ropes. A low punch from Saucedo brought a brief pause in the action in the last and he was a clear winner. Scores 77-74 twice and 76-75 all for Saucedo. Born in Mexico the 22-year-old Saucedo moved to Oklahoma City when he was six and showed such talent that at the age of 17 he was climbing in the ring with Manny Pacquiao for some sparring. He is making good progress so another one to watch. Philadelphian Serrano, 27, won his first 18 fights before suffering consecutive inside the distance losses against Karim Mayfield and Emmanuel Taylor. He returned with three wins but in his last fight in October last year lost to Brad Solomon.
Malvern, Australia: Welter: Tim Hunt (20-4-1) W TKO 1 Eddy Comaro (33-28-5). Welter: Shannon McMahon (17-6-1) W PTS 8 Marco Tuhumury (10-15-2).
Hunt vs. Comaro
Hunt dismantles Indonesian Comaro inside a round. A series of body punches followed by a straight right put Comaro down and out after just 72 seconds. The 29-year-old local fighter, the Australian No 4, gets his seventh win by KO/TKO and is now 8-1-1 in his last 10 fights. The loss was to tough Japanese opponent Yoshihiro Kamegai who halted Jesus Soto Karass in September, so no disgrace in Hunt losing that one. Poor Comaro had been stopped in two rounds by Brandon Ogilvie in November last year and now has 14 losses by KO/TKO.
McMahon vs. Tuhumury
McMahon returns after a long absence and outpoints Indonesian Tuhumury on a unanimous decision. The 39-year-old, known as โThe Manโ, was having his first fight since losing on an eleventh round stoppage against Sam Soliman for the WBFoundation middleweight title in March 2010. Tuhumury is now 1-7-1 in his last 9 fights.
Merida, Mexico: Light: Eduardo Torres (20-1) W PTS 8 Orlando Ramos (3-7-3).
Torres gets back in the winning column but has to fight hard to beat young Ramos. The feeling was that Ramos would do well to last two rounds but he proved tougher than that. Torres kept marching forward and landing punches but was wide open for counters. Over the first three rounds the fight was fairly equal but then Torres built a lead and clearly took the last two rounds for a unanimous decision but Ramos rarely took a backward step and fought hard. The local 29-year-old was having his first fight since losing on an upset kayo in five rounds against Carlos Jimenez (9-5-1) in March. A fight that showed the weaknesses in his defence. First fight for Ramos for 2 ยฝ years
November 5
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Las Vegas, NV, USA: Welter: Manny Pacquiao (59-6-2) W PTS 12 Jessie Vargas (27-2). Super Bantam: Jessie Magdaleno (24-0) W PTS 12 Nonito Donaire (37-3). Feather: Oscar Valdez (21-0) W TKO 7 Hiroshige Osawa (30-4-4). Fly: Shiming Zou (9-1) W PTS 12 Kwanpichit (39-2-2). Super Welter: Alex Besputin (5-0) W RTD 6 Azael Cosio (20-5-2,1ND). Light: Robson Conceicao (1-0) W PTS 6 Clay Burns (4-3-2).
Pacquiao vs. Vargas
Pacquiao is champion again as he easily beats a disappointing Vargas. Both fighters made a cautious start in a first round that saw neither fighter land anything solid. Pacquiao was coming forward in the second ducking under Vargasโ punches scoring and getting out. He caught Vargas with a long left and a few moments later as Vargas overreached with a left the same punch sent Vargas stumbling back and down. Vargas was up quickly and after the eight count. With only 15 seconds left in the round he traded shots with Pacquiao to the bell. The third and fourth saw Pacquiao drawing the lead from Vargas and stepping inside to score with short,ย quick hooks. Vargas scored with a solid right late in the fourth but then undid his good work by getting caught with punches as they exchanged shot at the end of the round. The speed of Pacquiaoโs movement continued to give Vargas problems in the fifth and a couple of straight lefts from Pacquiao as Vargas again overreached were the best punches in the round. Vargas slotted home a long right early in the sixth and again late in the round in what was until then his best three minutes in the fight. The seventh was fairly even although Vargas was still having trouble combating the speed of Pacquiao. Vargas started the eighth well with another straight right but then a clash of heads saw him suffer a slanting cut over his right eye with the blood running down the right side of his nostril and Pacquiao had him under pressure at the end of the round. Both fighters did more missing then landing in the ninth but with Pacquiao landing a sharp combination and edging it. The tenth saw Pacquiao again leapingย inside landing short hooks and uppercuts with Vargas a step behind and not quick enough to counter. The fight was already lost for Vargas and he had no Plan B and Pacquiao put on a brilliant display in a one-sided eleventh and then outboxed Vargas in the last. Scores 118-109 twice and a very strange 114-113 all for Pacquiao who regains the WBO title. Title fight No 21 for Pacquiao (22 if you count the win over Ricky Hatton for the IBO) spread over six divisions and almost 18 years. Judging by the way that the 37-year-old Filipino handled Vargas there is plenty more in the tank but Terrence Crawford will be a much different proposition and perhaps a fight too far for โPac Manโ. Vargas was a disappointment. He was never in the fight and seemed to have no fight plan simply allowing Pacquiao to control the fight from start to finish. At 27 he has time and will fight for a title again but he did not do himself justice here.
Magdaleno vs. Donaire
Magdaleno beats Donaire to lift the Filipinoโs title. In a cautious opening round southpaw Magdaleno just did enough clean work to edge it. Magdaleno also took the second. Donaire was not letting his punches go and the younger, quicker fighter was getting in landing short and getting out before Donaire could counter. Donaire let his hands go more in the third but was still waiting too long with Magdaleno outscoring him and using clever movement to stay off the ropes and in ring centre where his speed gave him the edge. Donaire pressed harder in the fourth and made it a close round with Magdaleno again sharp and elusive but a clash of heads opened a cut over his right eye. At the end of the round all three judges had Magdaleno in front with two having it 40-36 and the third 39-37. Donaire started the fifth well but from the half way mark Magdaleno was again scoring with quick attacks and connected with a good right to the head at the bell. The sixth saw Magdaleno outboxing Donaire. Again he was just two quick landing a series of right hooks in the middle of the round and catching the oncoming Donaire with counters over the late part of the round. The seventh was closer but Donaire was fighting at a pedestrian pace and allowing the sharper Magdaleno to pile up the points and pocket the rounds. Donaire was already 6 or 7 points behind with only five rounds to go. Donaire needed to win the eighth but instead it was a good round for Magdaleno. He was scoring with fast right jabs and straight lefts with Donaire often just too slow to land anything of note. The judges all had Magdaleno streets ahead at the end of the round with scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74. Donaire finally began to fight like a champion who could see his title slipping away and he was cutting the ring down and scoring with straight rights he looked on the way to winning the ninth clearly but over the last 30 seconds Magdaleno had him trapped on the ropes and banged home series of hooks and uppercuts to the head to make it his round. Donaire probably did enough to edge the tenth with neither fighter really dominating but winning rounds was not enough as by now he needed a knockout. The eleventh went to Donaire as he pressed hard and landed some hard straight rights but he was not able to land the big punch he needed and he was showing a big bloody bump under his right eye. Donaire managed to land some rights in the last one of which sent Magdaleno staggering back to the ropes but he recovered immediately and although Donaire had done enough to win the round he had lost his title. Scores 116-112 twice and 118-110 all for Magdaleno. The 24-year-old from Las Vegas makes it third time lucky for the Magdaleno family with elder brother Diego having lost out on shots at the WBO super Feather and light titles. Really there was nothing lucky about it. Magdaleno had a winning game plan and stuck to it. His speed was the differentiator here but he also avoided any toe-to-toe exchanges getting his punches of quickly and getting away before Donaire could make his power a factor. He also avoided any in fighting as he held whenever they came together denying Donaire the chance to land any energy sapping body punches. That helped him pace the fight even though he had never gone past the eighth round before. There are going to be exciting times ahead with the new champion. Donaire, 33, was just too slow and simply did not throw enough punches. He was outboxed by a younger, smarter fighter. He is already Hall of Fame material but the โFilipino Flashโ seemed to have lost some of his sparkle. He thought he won the fight but he did not and the decision would probably be the same if they fought again.
Valdez vs. Osawa
Valdez makes successful first defence of his WBO title with stoppage of outclassed Japanese challenger Osawa. Osawa tried to take the fight to Valdez in the first but the champion used a stiff left jab and left hooks to the body to take control. In the second as Osawa came forward Valdez was snapping home his jabs rocking Osawa with rights to the head and scorching left hooks with Osawa under fire on the ropes at the bell. Osawa showed guts to keep walking forward behind his jab in the third but was taking a beating. Valdez focused on head punches in the third catching Osawa time and again with both hands with the challenger too slow to block the punches. Osawa tried to let his punches go more in the fourth but walked onto a short left hookย to the chin that put him down.ย He was up immediately but looked badly shaken. After the eight count and with half of the round remaining Valdez was throwing bombs trying to end the fight but Osawa absorbed a number of head punches much harder than the one that put him down and made it to the bell. In the fifth Valdez was scoring freely whenever he let his punches go but he was allowing Osawa to come forward and not pressing his attacks. He was throwing less than half the punches he had thrown in each of the previous rounds. Valdez also took time off in the sixth fighting southpaw for most of the round. He let Osawa come forward and just kept moving around throwing just one punch at a time and when he did throw a wicked left hook to the body it stressed how he had not used that punch in the fifth and only used it once in the sixth. The seventh saw Osawa walking forward and Valdez countering. Suddenly a right to the head staggered Osawa and Valdez sprang forward driving Osawa to the ropes and unleashing a hail of head punches and with Osawa stunned and defenceless the referee stopped the fight. Valdez, just 25, is a burgeoning talent with classy moves and real power. This is win No 19 by KO/TKO for the former Olympian and the bad news for the division is that he will only get better. Osawa, 31, had courage but little else. He just did not seem to see the punches coming from Vargas and was too easy to hit. He was 15-0-1 in his last 16 fights but a look at the strength of his opposition it is clear that his No 1 rating by the WBO was farcical.
Zou vs. Kwanpichit
Zou gives China its first world boxing champion as he easily outpoints limited Thai Kwanpichit to win the vacant WBO fly title. Zou had outclassed Kwanpichit when they fought for the WBO International flyweight title in 2014 with Zou winning by 13, 13 and 16 points and this was a repeat performance. Zou had advantages in height, reach, hand speed and punch selection and Kwanpichit never got even a toe hold in the fight. A short right counter knocked Kwanpichit off balance in the second and with both gloves touching down he was given a count. He was not badly hurt but had to absorb more head punches as Zou let his hands go before the bell. Kwanpichit kept walking forward and had some success with long rights and a bit more when Zou stood and exchanged punches but he was being caught again and again with a variety of punches. Zou kept changing angles on Kwanpichit both giving the Chinese fighter an open target and leaving the Thai swishing air. The punches were coming from every direction with Kwanpichit advancing head down like a blind man with no stick constantly running in to obstacles. For most of the fight Zou was in cruise control dancing around with his hands down easily avoiding Kwanpichitโs effort floating around firing home light hooks, uppercuts and straight rights with Kwanpichit unable to close the Chinese fighter down. Zou decided to stand and trade punches toe-to-toe in the eighth giving Kwanpichit an opportunity and he landed a series of head punches but Zou shrugged them off and landed 3 or 4 for every one the Thai got through. Kwanpichit kept marching forward to the end with Zou showboating and even when tiring still being too quick as he eased his way to the title. Scores 120-107 twice and 119-108 all for Zou. The 35-year-old Olympic star is one of the highest profile sportsmen in China and this will boost his profile even further. After his amateur achievements and what was probably a big payday to turn pro it was necessary for the Chinese market that he should get a world title and Bob Arum has delivered on that. Donnie Nietes, the WBO No 1 was by-passed for this vacant title fight but he will present a much tougher proposition than Kwanpichit. The 35-year-old Thai showed plenty of guts and determination but was just too small and too slow.
Besputin vs. Cosio
Rising Russian talent Besputin shows class in handling experienced Cosio. The Oxnard-based Besputin was quick and slick and dominated the action. Cosio had brief success with a right in the second but apart from that it was mainly one way traffic and it was no surprise when Cosio retired at the end of the sixth round. The 25-year-old Besputin took gold at European schoolboy and Junior and also theย Russian Youth, Under-22 and Senior level and was a quarter finalist at the 2013 World Championships. One to follow. Panamanian Cosio gets his second loss by KO/TKO in a row.
Conceicao vs. Burns
Rio Olympian turns pro with low key win. The 28-year-old Brazilian won every round as he eased his way into the paid ranks. Judges scores 60-54 from all three. He wonโt be rushed. The Falcao brothers Esquiva and Yamaguchi both medalled at the 2012 Olympics and are still being brought along slowly. โ 3rd Degreeโ Burns just a prelim fighter but you have to start somewhere.
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