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RINGSIDE Donaire Closes Stellar 2012 In Fine Fashion
Arce tried patience, then aggression, nothing worked. Donaire convinced him retirement was the obvious option. (photo by Rachel McCarson)
Houston – The Transnational Boxing Ranking Board’s junior featherweight champion, Nonito Donaire (31-1, 20 KOs), closed his impressive four-fight 2012 campaign in fitting fashion. The “Filipino Flash” battered gallant warrior Jorge Arce (61-7-2-1, 46 KOs) from pillar to post in what could only be described as a one-sided beatdown. With the win, Donaire retained his linear TBRB championship, along with the WBO and Ring Magazine belts.
Over 7,250 fans in attendance rose to their feet to greet the combatants as they entered the arena. Despite losing notable Top Rank stars Mike Lee and Guillermo Rigondeaux on the card earlier in the week, Houston fight fans showed up loud and proud at the Toyota Center Saturday night, home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets.
Arce came to the ring first and was greeted affectionately by the pro-Mexico crowd. Fans adorned their heads with sombreros for crowns and their bodies with Mexican flags for robes as they chanted with vigor – Mexico, Mexico, Mexico. Next up was Donaire, who was booed heavily as he entered the fray while bopping his head up and down to handpicked entrance music seemingly unaware of it. The pre-fight introductions remained consistent, though the small but vocal Donaire contingent in attendance did their best to even things out.
After a somewhat cautious start, a strong right hand from Donaire set the tone in the first round. His crisp punches snapped the courageous Arce’s head back each time they found their mark. It was clear from the beginning to those at ringside what this fight would be: Donaire the stalking predator, Arce the formidable but overmatched prey.
Arce dug a good, deep shot to his opponent’s body in the second, but Donaire followed it up promptly with two clean blows that sent the Mexican down to his knee. He was up quickly, seemingly unfazed, unhurt and ready to brawl. During the rest of the round, Arce employed strategic aggression to try and even things up while the ever confident Donaire remained content to alternate powerful potshots with timely and adept defense.
At the beginning of the third round, the two fighters got tangled together and collapsed in heap to the canvas. After referee Laurence Cole brushed each man’s gloves off, the two continued what began in the preceding round. Arce bullied his way in at times; Donaire countered and jabbed. To his credit, Arce was able to land some clean blows in the round, but Donaire was landing the cleaner, harder ones. Three straight shots from Donaire sent Arce down for the count once again and this time left him reeling and wobbled. Ever the brave warrior, Arce made it to his feet for one more go, but he was knocked out cold seconds later from a brutal left hook. The referee called the fight off immediately when Arce fell flat to the canvas.
“My left hook was my damaging punch tonight,” said Donaire afterward. “I just felt great.”
Head trainer Robert Garcia concurred. He was beaming with pride from what he had just witnessed, perhaps his 30-year-old protégé’s most impressive performance to date.
“His power was unreal, beautiful, perfect,” he said. “Whenever Nonito hits you…it’s gonna hurt real bad.”
Arce announced his retirement immediately following the fight. The fight officially ended at 2:59 of round number three.
Donaire-Arce Undercard Highlights
Houston – Fight fans coming out to support Top Rank’s Donaire-Arce live boxing promotion were treated to a slew of solid undercard fights Saturday night at the Toyota Center in Houston. Here is a recap of the notable action.
Light heavyweight Cedric Agnew (25-0, 13 KOs) of Houston used sharp jabs and crisp right hooks from a high guarded, southpaw stance to defeat Alfredo Contreras (12-15-3, 5 KOs) by unanimous decision. The heavily tattooed Agnew controlled the pace early with clear, crisp shots and never really looked back. Ever durable Contreras had his moments, but he got hit far too often from his opponent’s lead hand bombs along with a handful of well-placed lefts. The three judges at ringside scored it 58-56, 60-54 and 59-55 for the winner, Agnew.
Super featherweight Saul Rodriguez (8-0-1, 5 KOs) had to bulldoze his way over the scrappy Pablo Brates to earn a win. After learning he couldn’t out-quick the crafty Brates in the first, Rodriguez just started mauling him with heavier-handed blows in the second. It worked, and Rodriguez rode that strategy all the way to a unanimous decision victory. Scores read 40-36 across the board at the end of the four-round fight.
Jose Felix, Jr. (22-0-1, 18 KOs) knocked out Meachor Major (20-6-1, 17 KOs) with a clean left hook in round number three of a lightweight contest that had been fairly close up until that point. Major waddled first, and then stumbled down in a delayed reaction all the way to the canvas where the bout ultimately ended for the fighter nicknamed “Major Pain.”
Welterweight Larry Smith (10-14, 7 KOs) came out of his dressing room hooting and hollering to anyone that would listen that he would be the victor. He danced in his corner as his name was read before the bout, and when red corner opponent Daniel Sandoval (30-2, 29 KOs) came to the middle of the ring after the bell sounded to touch his opponent’s glove in a show of sportsmanship, Smith obliged with a quick one-two combination. It all went downhill from there for Smith in the first. Sure, he continued whatever it was he was doing in there up to that point—let’s call it showmanship—but only in-between being on the wrong end of a constant barrage of power punches roving up and down his torso. The pace cooled a bit from there. Smith was just crafty enough to stay in the fight despite being outworked throughout the six-round clash, except possibly the final round where it almost appeared even. In the end, Mexico’s Sandoval took home the unanimous decision victory by scores of 60-54, 59-55 and 60-54.
Featherweight Victor Terrazas (36-2-1, 20 KOs) wanted to keep Juan Ruiz (23-11, 7 KOs) on the end of his jab where he could land his shots as the taller man without taking considerable return fire. When he accomplished this, he found success, but when the dodgy, aggressive Ruiz was able to slip and rip, Terrazas was made uncomfortable. The pattern played itself out fairly consistently through all eight rounds, so what fans in attendance got by arriving early enough to see it was a mini-version of something akin (at least stylistically) to Ali-Frazier. Neither of these men will reach anything close to that level in their careers, but no matter. It was a damn fine scrap between two eager combatants for all eight rounds. In the end, it was Terrazas earning the split decision win by scores of 74-78, 78-74 and 79-73.
Finally, one of Top Rank’s young, impressive uber-prospects, Alex Saucedo (7-0, 5 KO), fought Eddie Cordova (3-4-1, 1 KO) at welterweight in a scheduled four-rounder. How good is Saucedo? Look at it this way: after light heavyweight Mike Lee dropped off the card due to illness, and the co-main event of Guillermo Rigondeaux vs. Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym was called off due the latter being unlicensable in Texas, Saucedo was moved all the way to the top of the undercard, as close to the limelight as possible, in what was only his seventh professional fight. He did not disappoint. Saucedo looked every bit as good as his handlers believe him to be. He dominated the action from start to finish in every way possible. He hurt Cordova in the first with strafing right hands and made him miss wildly as he did it. Cordova was game but overmatched, and he went down in the third from a brutal combination before succumbing again to a brilliant right hand counter. The fight was halted at 2:14 of round number three. Keep your eye on Alex Saucedo.
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The Ortiz-Bohachuk Thriller has been named the TSS 2024 Fight of The Year
The Aug. 10 match in Las Vegas between Knockout artists Vergil Ortiz Jr and Serhii Bohachuk seemingly had scant chance of lasting the 12-round distance. Ortiz, the pride of Grand Prairie, Texas, was undefeated in 21 fights with 20 KOs. Bohachuk, the LA-based Ukrainian, brought a 24-1 record with 23 knockouts.
In a surprise, the fight went the full 12. And it was a doozy.
The first round, conventionally a feeling-out round, but was anything but. “From the opening bell, [they] clobbered each other like those circus piledriver hammer displays,” wrote TSS ringside reporter David A. Avila.
In this opening frame, Bohachuk, the underdog in the betting, put Ortiz on the canvas with a counter left hook. Of the nature of a flash knockdown, it was initially ruled a slip by referee Harvey Dock. With the benefit of instant replay, the Nevada State Athletic Commission overruled Dock and after four rounds had elapsed, the round was retroactively scored 10-8.
Bohachuk had Ortiz on the canvas again in round eight, put there by another left hook. Ortiz was up in a jiff, but there was no arguing it was a legitimate knockdown and it was plain that Ortiz now trailed on the scorecards.
Aware of the situation, the Texan, a protégé of the noted trainer Robert Garcia, dug deep to sweep the last four rounds. But these rounds were fused with drama. “Every time it seemed the Ukrainian was about to fall,” wrote Avila, “Bohachuk would connect with one of those long right crosses.”
In the end, Ortiz eked out a majority decision. The scores were 114-112 x2 and 113-113.
Citing the constant adjustments and incredible recuperative powers of both contestants, CBS sports combat journalist Brian Campbell called the fight an instant classic. He might have also mentioned the unflagging vigor exhibited by both. According to CompuBox, Ortiz and Bohachuk threw 1579 punches combined, landing 490, numbers that were significantly higher than the early favorite for Fight of the Year, the March 2 rip-snorter at Verona, New York between featherweights Raymond Ford and Otabek Kholmatov (a win for Ford who pulled the fight out of the fire in the final minute).
Photo credit: Al Applerose
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Women’s Prizefighting Year End Review: The Best of the Best in 2024
Women’s Prizefighting Year End Review: The Best of the Best in 2024
It’s the end of the year.
Here are our awards for the best in women’s boxing. But first, a rundown on the state of the sport.
Maybe its my imagination but it seems that fewer female fights of magnitude took place in 2024 than in previous years.
A few promoters like 360 Promotions increased their involvement in women’s boxing while others such as Matchroom Boxing and Golden Boy Promotions seem stagnant. They are still staging female bouts but are not signing new additions.
American-based promotion company Top Rank, actually lost 50 percent of their female fighter roster when Seniesa Estrada, the undisputed minimumweight champion, retired recently. They still have Mikaela Mayer.
A promotion company making headlines and creating sparks in the boxing world is Most Valuable Promotions led by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian. They signed Amanda Serrano and have invested in staging other female fights
This year, the top streaming company Netflix gambled on sponsoring Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson, along with Amanda Serrano versus Katie Taylor and hit a monster home run. According to Netflix metrics an estimated 74 million viewers watched the event that took place on Nov. 16 at Arlington, Texas.
“Breaking records like this is exactly what MVP was built to do – bring the biggest, most electrifying events to fans worldwide,” said Nakisa Bidarian co-founder of MVP.
History was made in viewership and at the gate where more than 70,000 fans packed AT&T Stadium for a record-setting $17.8 million in ticket sales outside of Las Vegas. It was the grand finale moment of the year.
Here are the major contributors to women’s boxing in 2024.
Fighter of the Year: Amanda Serrano
Other candidates: Katie Taylor, Claressa Shields, Franchon Crews, Dina Thorslund, and Yesica Nery Plata.
Amanda Serrano was chosen for not only taking part in the most viewed female title fight in history, but also for willingly sacrificing the health of her eye after suffering a massive cut during her brutal war with Taylor. She could have quit, walked away with tons of money and be given the technical decision after four rounds. She was ahead on the scorecards at that moment.
Instead, Serrano took more punches, more head butts and slugged her way through 10 magnificent and brilliant rounds against the great Taylor. Fans worldwide were captivated by their performance. Many women who had never watched a female fight were mesmerized and inspired.
Serrano once again proved that she would die in the ring rather than quit. Women and men were awed by her performance and grit. It was a moment blazed in the memories of millions.
Amanda Serrano is the Fighter of the Year.
Best Fight of the Year – Amanda Serrano versus Katie Taylor 2
Their first fight that took place two years ago in Madison Square Garden was the greatest female fight I had ever witnessed. The second fight surpassed it.
When you have two of the best warriors in the world willing to showcase their talent for entertainment regardless of the outcome, it’s like rubbing two sticks of dynamite together.
Serrano jumped on Taylor immediately and for about 20 seconds it looked like the Irish fighter would not make the end of the first round. Not quite. Taylor rallied behind her stubborn determination and pulled out every tool in her possession: elbows, head butts, low blows, whatever was needed to survive, Taylor used.
It reminded me of an old world title fight in 2005 between Jose Luis Castillo a master of fighting dirty and Julio Diaz. I asked about the dirty tactics by Castillo and Diaz simply said, “It’s a fight. It’s not chess. You do what you have to do.”
Taylor did what she had to do to win and the world saw a magnificent fight.
Other candidates: Seniesa Estrada versus Yokasta Valle, Mikaela Mayer versus Sandy Ryan, and Ginny Fuchs vs Adelaida Ruiz.
KO of the Year – Lauren Price KO3 Bexcy Mateus.
Dec. 14, in Liverpool, England.
The IBO welterweight titlist lowered the boom on Bexcy Mateus sending her to the floor thrice. She ended the fight with a one-two combination that left Mateus frozen while standing along the ropes. Another left cross rocket blasted her to the ground. Devastating.
Other candidates: Claressa Shields KO of Vanessa LePage-Joanisse, Gabriela Fundora KO of Gabriela Alaniz, Dina Thorslund vs Mary Romero, Amanda Serrano KO of Stevie Morgan.
Pro’s Pro Award – Jessica Camara
Jessica Camara defeated Hyun Mi Choi in South Korea to win the WBA gold title on April 27, 2024. The match took place in Suwon where Canada’s Camara defeated Choi by split decision after 10 rounds.
Camara, who is managed by Brian Cohen, has fought numerous champions including Kali Reis, Heather Hardy and Melissa St. Vil. She has become a pro fighter that you know will be involved in a good and entertaining fight and is always in search of elite competition. She eagerly accepted the fight in South Korea against Choi. Few fighters are willing to do that.
Next up for Camara is WBC titlist Caroline Dubois set for Jan. 11, in Sheffield, England.
Electric Fighters Club
These are women who never fail to provide excitement and drama when they step in the prize ring. When you only have two-minute rounds there’s no time to run around the boxing ring.
Here are some of the fighters that take advantage of every second and they do it with skill:
Gabriela Fundora, Mizuki Hiruta, Ellie Scotney, Lauren Price, Clara Lescurat, Adelaida Ruiz, Ginny Fuchs, Mikaela Mayer, Yokasta Valle, Sandy Ryan, Chantelle Cameron, Ebanie Bridges, Tsunami Tenkai, Dina Thorslund, Evelin Bermudez, Gabriela Alaniz, Caroline Dubois, Beatriz Ferreira, and LeAnna Cruz.
Claressa Shields Movie and More
A motion picture based on Claressa Shields titled “The Fire Inside” debuts on Wednesday, Dec. 25, nationwide. Most boxing fans know that Shields has world titles in various weight divisions. But they don’t know about her childhood and how she rose to fame.
Also, Shields (15-0, 3 KOs) will be fighting Danielle Perkins (5-0, 2 KOs) for the undisputed heavyweight world championship on Sunday Feb. 2, at Dort Financial Center in Flint, Michigan. DAZN will stream the Salita Promotions fight card.
“Claressa Shields is shining a spotlight on Flint – first on the big screen and then in the ring on Sunday, February 2,” said event promoter Dmitriy Salita, president of Salita Promotions. “Claressa leads by example. She is a trailblazer and has been an advocate for equality since she was a young lady. This event promises to be one of the most significant sporting and cultural events of the year. You don’t want to miss it, either live, in person or live on DAZN.”
Shields is only 29 years old and turns 30 next March. What more can she accomplish?
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Lucas Bahdi Forged the TSS 2024 Knockout of the Year
A Knockout of the Year doesn’t have to be a one-punch knockout, but it must arrive with the suddenness of a thunderclap on a clear day and the punch or punches must be so harsh as to obviate the need for a “10-count.” And, if rendered by an underdog, that makes the KO resonate more loudly.
Within these parameters, Lucas Bahdi’s knockout of Ashton “H2O” Sylva still jumped off the page. The thunderclap happened on July 20 in Tampa, Florida, on a show promoted by Jake Paul with Paul and the great Amanda Serrano sharing the bill against soft opponents in the featured bouts.
The 30-year-old Bahdi (16-0, 14 KOs) and the 20-year-old Sylva (11-0, 9 KOs) were both undefeated, but Bahdi was accorded scant chance of defeating Jake Paul’s house fighter.
Sylva was 18 years old and had seven pro fights under his belt, winning all inside the distance, when he signed with Paul’s company, Most Valuable Promotions, in 2022. “We believe that Ashton has that talent, that flashiness, that style, that knockout power, that charisma to really be a massive, massive, superstar…” said the “Problem Child” when announcing that Sylva had signed with his company.
Jake Paul was so confident that his protege would accomplish big things that he matched Sylva with Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield. Currently 18-0 and ranked #2 by the WBA, Schofield was further along than Sylva in the pantheon of hot lightweight prospects. But Schofield backed out, alleging an injury, opening the door to a substitute.
Enter Lucas Bahdi who despite his eye-catching record was a virtual unknown. This would be his first outing on U.S. soil. All of his previous bouts were staged in Mexico or in Canada, mostly in his native Ontario province. “My opponent may have changed,” said Sylva who hails from Long Beach, California, “but the result will be the same, I will get the W and continue my path to greatness.”
The first five rounds were all Sylva. The Canadian had no antidote for Sylva’s speed and quickness. He was outclassed.
Then, in round six, it all came unglued for the precocious California. Out of the blue, Bahdi stiffened him with a hard right hand. Another right quickly followed, knocking Sylva unconscious. A third punch, a sweeping left, was superfluous. Jake Paul’s phenom was already out cold.
Sylva landed face-first on the canvas. He lay still as his handlers and medics rushed to his aid. It was scarifying. “May God restore him,” said ring announcer Joe Martinez as he was being stretchered out of the ring.
The good news is that Ashton “H2O” Silva will be able to resume his career. He is expected back in the ring as early as February. As for Lucas Bahdi, architect of the Knockout of the Year, he has added one more win to his ledger, winning a 10-round decision on the undercard of the Paul vs Tyson spectacle, and we will presumably be hearing a lot more about him.
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