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Oosthuizen, Monaghan Win on DiBella Card in NYC

Published

12 years ago

August 3, 2012

DiBellaLogo-no-website New York, NY (8/2/12) – Before a near capacity crowd at New York City's famed Roseland Ballroom, DiBella Entertainment (DBE) presented the latest installment of its Broadway Boxing series, with an action-packed eight bout card Thursday night. Headlining the card was DBE's red-hot super middleweight contender Thomas “Tommy Gun” Oosthuizen, of South Africa, as he looked to defend his IBO Super Middleweight Championship for the fifth time taking on Florida's Rowland Bryant. The card was broadcast live on the FIGHT NOW TV network, and sponsored by Manfredi Auto Group, Newlio.com and Everlast.

On paper, the matchup between the two world-rated super middleweight contenders (Oosthuizen IBF #4, WBC #8, WBA #13 and Bryant IBF #12) was one of the strongest main event matchups in the history of Broadway Boxing.

Oosthuizen came out measuring his shorter opponent and working behind a stiff jab. Bryant, who was coming off a third round TKO over iron-chinned Librado Andrade, looked to set up his big right hand from the outside.

In the second round, Oosthuizen began landing hard shots to the body, but Bryant was able to land a few big looping shots.

As the rounds progressed, Oosthuizen continued to be the much busier of the two, mixing it up and landing hard shots to both the body and head. Bryant was able to land a few hard shots of his own, but Oosthuizen showed a granite chin, taking the shots in stride.

Oosthuizen's jab began to take over in the later rounds, as he was able to score at will. In the 12^th and final round, Oosthuizen opened a nasty cut over Bryant's right eye.

In the end, Oosthuizen defended his IBO belt for a fifth time, scoring a well-deserved 12-round unanimous decision, winning by scores of 118-110, 117-112, 117-112.

After the bout Oosthuizen commented on his victory.

“He was a tough guy, who took some really big shots,” said the 24-year-old South African. “I know there are still things that I need to improve on and I will go back to the drawing board with my team after this. I am happy that I had the opportunity to perform here in New York, and whatever my team decides is next for me, I will be ready.”

IRISH SEANIE MONAGHAN BLOWS AWAY ARMENTA

Long Island's, “Irish” Seanie Monaghan continued to show that he is becoming a serious prospect in the light heavyweight division, with a devastating third-round TKO over George Armenta.

Monaghan came out in the first, showing a new dimension to his arsenal, working behind his jab and showing very good head movement.

The action picked up in the 2^nd round and just as the bell was sounding to end the round Monaghan landed a short right hand that sent Armenta to the canvas.

Monaghan came out much more aggressive in the third, stalking his opponent and landing hard shots. A picture perfect right hand from Monaghan sent Armenta to the canvas again, this time though it was evident that Armenta was in very bad shape. Armenta was able to beat the count, but was clearly in no condition to continue, forcing the referee to call a halt to the contest at 2:25 of the third round.

Monaghan, who improved to 15-0, 10KO's, had this to say about his performance.

“My trainer Joe (Higgins) was telling me to throw the right hand straight as he could see he was open for that,” said Monaghan. “I followed the instructions and was able to end the show in impressive fashion. I get my confidence from my conditioning. I put everything I have into my training. I am very happy with my performance tonight and looking forward to whatever Lou (DiBella) has in store for me next.”

HARDY WINS PRO-DEBUT

In the opening televised bout of the night on FIGHT NOW TV, female junior featherweights Heather Hardy and Mikayla Nebel wasted little time in getting things going, as the two combatants came out firing.

Midway through the round Nebel landed a short right hand that seemed to catch Hardy off balance, sending her to the canvas. Hardy stormed back though and the two fighters ended the round exchanging heavy leather.

The action continued throughout with Hardy as the aggressor, but Nebel countering effectively from the outside.

The fourth and final round saw both fighters leave it all on the line, exchanging heavy blows and bringing the packed house to a standing ovation.

In the end all three judges scored the bout 38-37 for the pro-debuting Hardy. Good start to her professional career for the Brooklyn-native Hardy.

MELSON GETS BACK INTO THE WIN COLUMN

In a battle of junior middleweights, Boyd “The Rainmaker” Nelson got back to his winning ways with a workmanlike six-round unanimous decision over Khalik Memminger.

Nelson, who was coming off his first professional defeat in an absolute war against fellow undefeated prospect Delen Parsley back in March of this year, was the more aggressive of the two, stalking his opponent throughout and picking his shots wisely.

In the 6^th and final round sensing he was way behind, Memminger picked up the intensity and landed a looping right hand that caught Melson flush, staggering him. Memminger jumped all over Melson looking to close the show, but Melson showed good ring generalship and was able to survive the round. In the end, Melson was awarded a unanimous decision, winning by scores of 59-55 across the board. With the win, Melson improves his record to 8-1, 3KO's.

OTHER RESULTS

Jonathan Cepeda TKO 1 Orphius White

Floriano Pagliara D6 Willie Villanueva

Zach Ochoa KO1 Cody Osbourne

Allan Benitez W6 Osnel Charles

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2015 Fight of the Year – Francisco Vargas vs Takashi Miura

Published

9 years ago

January 4, 2016

The Sweet Science

The WBC World Super Featherweight title bout between Francisco Vargas and Takashi Miura came on one of the biggest boxing stages of 2015, as the bout served as the HBO pay-per-view’s co-main event on November 21st, in support of Miguel Cotto vs Saul Alvarez.

Miura entered the fight with a (29-2-2) record and he was making the fifth defense of his world title, while Vargas entered the fight with an undefeated mark of (22-0-1) in what was his first world title fight. Both men had a reputation for all-out fighting, with Miura especially earning high praise for his title defense in Mexico where he defeated Sergio Thompson in a fiercely contested battle.

The fight started out hotly contested, and the intensity never let up. Vargas seemed to win the first two rounds, but by the fourth round, Miura seemed to pull ahead, scoring a knock-down and fighting with a lot of confidence. After brawling the first four rounds, Miura appeared to settle into a more technical approach. Rounds 5 and 6 saw the pendulum swing back towards Vargas, as he withstood Miura’s rush to open the fifth round and the sixth round saw both men exchanging hard punches.

The big swinging continued, and though Vargas likely edged Miura in rounds 5 and 6, Vargas’ face was cut in at least two spots and Miura started to assert himself again in rounds 7 and 8. Miura was beginning to grow in confidence while it appeared that Vargas was beginning to slow down, and Miura appeared to hurt Vargas at the end of the 8th round.

Vargas turned the tide again at the start of the ninth round, scoring a knock down with an uppercut and a straight right hand that took Miura’s legs and sent him to the canvas. Purely on instinct, Miura got back up and continued to fight, but Vargas was landing frequently and with force. Referee Tony Weeks stepped in to stop the fight at the halfway point of round 9 as Miura was sustaining a barrage of punches.

Miura still had a minute and a half to survive if he was going to get out of the round, and it was clear that he was not going to stop fighting.

A back and forth battle of wills between two world championship level fighters, Takashi Miura versus “El Bandido” Vargas wins the 2015 Fight of the Year.

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Jan 9 in Germany – Feigenbutz and De Carolis To Settle Score

Published

9 years ago

January 4, 2016

The Sweet Science

This coming Saturday, January 9th, the stage is set at the Baden Arena in Offenburg, Germany for a re-match between Vincent Feigenbutz and Giovanni De Carolis. The highly anticipated re-match is set to air on SAT.1 in Germany, and Feigenbutz will once again be defending his GBU and interim WBA World titles at Super Middleweight.

The first meeting between the two was less than three months ago, on October 17th and that meeting saw Feigenbutz controversially edge De Carolis on the judge’s cards by scores of (115-113, 114-113 and 115-113). De Carolis scored a flash knock down in the opening round, and he appeared to outbox Feigenbutz in the early going, but the 20 year old German champion came on in the later rounds.

The first bout is described as one of the most crowd-pleasing bouts of the year in Germany, and De Carolis and many observers felt that the Italian had done enough to win.

De Carolis told German language website RAN.DE that he was more prepared for the re-match, and that due to the arrogance Feigenbutz displayed in the aftermath of the first fight, he was confident that he had won over some of the audience. Though De Carolis fell short of predicting victory, he promised a re-vamped strategy tailored to what he has learned about Feigenbutz, whom he termed immature and inexperienced.

The stage is set for Feigenbutz vs De Carolis 2, this Saturday January 9th in Offenburg, Germany. If you can get to the live event do it, if not you have SAT.1 in Germany airing the fights, and The Boxing Channel right back here for full results.

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2015 Knock Out of the Year – Saul Alvarez KO’s James Kirkland

Published

9 years ago

December 29, 2015

The Sweet Science

On May 9th of 2015, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez delivered a resonant knock-out of James Kirkland on HBO that wins the 2015 KO of the Year.

The knock-out itself came in the third round, after slightly more than two minutes of action. The end came when Alvarez delivered a single, big right hand that caught Kirkland on the jaw and left him flat on his back after spinning to the canvas.Alvarez was clearly the big star heading into the fight. The fight was telecast by HBO for free just one week after the controversial and disappointing Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao fight, and Alvarez was under pressure to deliver the type of finish that people were going to talk about. Kirkland was happy to oblige Alvarez, taking it right to Alvarez from the start. Kirkland’s aggression saw him appear to land blows that troubled the young Mexican in the early going. Alvarez played good defense, and he floored Kirkland in the first round, displaying his power and his technique in knocking down an aggressive opponent.

However, Kirkland kept coming at Alvarez and the fight entered the third round with both men working hard and the feeling that the fight would not go the distance. Kirkland continued to move forward, keeping “Canelo” against the ropes and scoring points with a barrage of punches while looking for an opening.

At around the two minute mark, Alvarez landed an uppercut that sent Kirkland to the canvas again. Kirkland got up, but it was clear that he did not have his legs under him. Kirkland was going to try to survive the round, but Alvarez had an opportunity to close out the fight. The question was would he take it?

Alvarez closed in on Kirkland, putting his opponent’s back to the ropes. Kirkland was hurt, but he was still dangerous, pawing with punches and loading up for one big shot.

But it was the big shot “Canelo” threw that ended the night. Kirkland never saw it coming, as he was loading up with a huge right hand of his own. The right Alvarez threw cracked Kirkland in the jaw, and his eyes went blank. His big right hand whizzed harmlessly over the head of a ducking Alvarez, providing the momentum for the spin that left Kirkland prone on the canvas.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez went on to defeat Miguel Cotto in his second fight of 2015 and he is clearly one of boxing’s biggest stars heading into 2016. On May 9th Alvarez added another reel to his highlight film when he knocked out James Kirkland with the 2015 “Knock Out of the Year”.

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