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Avila’s Picks for Best Fighters and Moments of 2015

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BOXING’S BEST FIGHTER 2015

Gennady “GGG” Golovkin didn’t need Floyd Mayweather to retire to prove he’s the new king of boxing. He’s arrived like a comet from Kazakhstan with his “Mexican style” bent on elimination of the opposition as quick as possible. Two times he met and defeated world title challengers with crushing knockouts against Martin Murray and Willie Monroe Jr. Each time the crowds grew larger. Finally, this past October, he met Canada’s David Lemieux the owner of the IBF middleweight title in New York City. Fans quickly shelled out cash and filled 20,000 seats at Madison Square Garden. It was the first time two non-Americans sold out the historic sports palace. The middleweight championship fight was tougher than expected as Golovkin showed off his boxing skills that some doubted he possessed. Jabs, movement and counter-punches rained from the man known as “Triple G” and soon the continuous pounding could not be withstood any more from the courageous Lemieux. Now the boxing world knows all about Golovkin’s abilities. No longer do fans wonder where the next big star will come from, he’s already arrived.

Runners Up: Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, Sergey Kovalev, and Tyson Fury.

BEST 12-ROUND SCHEDULED FIGHT 2015

Francisco Vargas entered the ring against WBC super featherweight titlist Takashi Miura in Las Vegas on November 21. Both had reputations for high energy action. Both did not disappoint. In the opening round Vargas connected and wobbled the champion badly. It did not look good, but if you saw his fight two years ago in Mexico against Yeyo Thompson it was business as usual. Miura survived and actually turned things around. In the fourth round he knocked down Vargas with a clean one-two combination. Then he proceeded to gain momentum and nearly ended the fight with Vargas in the eighth. It seemed the ninth round would be the end for Vargas, but in a quick turn of events, it was Miura who was caught with some vicious blows and staggered to the ground. Vargas pounced on the valiant Japanese but to no avail. The crowd was in shock at how quickly the fight turned around. Have you ever heard 12,000 fans suddenly go breathless?

KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR 2015

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez met James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland in a super welterweight match that everyone and their cousin predicted would end in a knockout. They were not disappointed. Mexico’s Alvarez and Houston native Kirkland were not about to pull another Mayweather- Pacquiao bore fest and gave the more than 30,000 fans fireworks in May. Dukes were flying and heads were snapping as each had their moments. Suddenly, Alvarez connected with a right that turned Kirkland 180 degrees around and out for the count. It was a brutal and expected ending. The replay of the knockout in slow-motion showed how expert timing and technique can make a difference measured in micro-seconds. Kirkland launched a slightly wide left cross and Alvarez connected with a short quick right cross. It was over immediately. Fans cheered wildly though the fight did not reach the end of three rounds. It was exactly what they paid for and the fighters delivered. Some say it washed the stigma of stagnancy of Mayweather’s very underwhelming win that had America asking itself why they spent nearly $100 on a Mayweather fight card that had no excitement at all after the opening bell. Alvarez and Kirkland gave the fans a reason to return to boxing.

Runner up: Nonito Donaire KO of Anthony Settoul in round 2 on July 18, 2015 in Macao, China.

MOST INCREDIBLE ROUND 2015

12th round Nonito Donaire vs. Cesar Juarez

It was a fight that started slowly with Nonito Donaire winning several one-sided rounds against Mexico’s Cesar Juarez on Dec. 11 in Puerto Rico. Those were the warm up rounds. After the halfway point Juarez began warming up and Donaire’s speed started waning. Suddenly, a real fight was taking shape. It was like watching the Rocky movie as speed, reflexes and power of Donaire were being tested by strength, endurance and willpower of Juarez as fans stared awestruck as each round seemed better than the next. By the 12th and final round, Donaire seemed out of breath and the younger Juarez was near the end too. But they came out swinging from the heels with blood streaming down the face. Each expended every ounce of energy and both seemed super human in their ability to withstand crushing blows. It was mesmerizing as the final bell rang and both warriors continued firing with chests heaving. They both had nothing left to give to the fans and they had given their very best. No other round this year seemed better.

COMEBACK FIGHTER OF 2015

Tim Bradley

After fighting to a draw a year ago and losing to Manny Pacquiao, Tim “Desert Storm” Bradley seemed on the down side of his brilliant career. The Palm Springs speedster had not won a fight in two years. This summer he was matched with junior welterweight champion Jessie Vargas in a welterweight match and dominated most of the fight. In the last round, Bradley was nearly decked by Vargas and seemingly saved from a knockdown when the referee erroneously stopped the fight prematurely a few seconds before the actual bell. Maybe it was destiny. He then was matched against dangerous Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios who had earlier in the year annihilated Mike Alvarado. For the fight Bradley switched trainers and that’s usually a bad thing. But the 32-year-old seemed to benefit from the change of scenery and eager to meet Rios. It was a fight that pit two fighters on the edge of the down side. Bradley prevailed with a scintillating performance that saw him not only out-box Rios but stop the rugged warrior with body punches for a knockout win. It was a surprise ending that nobody saw coming. Bradley certainly does not seem to be waning any longer. He actually seems stronger.

Runner Up: Nonito Donaire.

WORST FIGHT CARD MONEY COULD BUY 2015

When the fight was finally made between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao a gasp was collectively made around the world. It didn’t matter what sport you followed or if you even followed sports. Everyone seemed to want to see the mega fight that had been brewing for nearly nine years. Television stations that commonly ignore boxing suddenly were asking for credentials. Entertainers and news reporters that had no clue about boxing like the Good Morning America show on ABC were talking about “the fight.” Mayweather and Pacquiao both walked away with more than $100 million each. It was staggering how many people wanted to see this fight. Suddenly, America was tuned into the world of boxing. The subsequent fight card should have tipped people to what to expect. It was a lackluster fight card that had no drama and little action. So when the main event took place and Mayweather basically did his best to avoid a fight, fans around the world were shutting down their senses by the fifth round. Pacquiao later said he had injured a shoulder before the fight. Maybe he should have waited. Or maybe, it was just too much Mayweather’s “don’t exchange punches unless it’s safe” philosophy that did Pacman in? Whatever the case the record breaking 4.5 million pay-per-view audience were treated to one of the greatest heists in boxing history. They definitely did not get their money’s worth. Who was to blame?

BEST FIGHT CARD MONEY COULD BUY 2015

Mexico’s Saul Canelo facing Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto on Nov. 21 in Las Vegas was a surefire affair. Any time you match Mexicans against Puerto Ricans fans perk up. History has shown that matching these two countries is gasoline to fire. Just to guarantee action two more match ups featuring Mexicans against Puerto Ricans were added and they did not disappoint. Fans at the Las Vegas fight card got their money’s worth in each of the nationalistic wars. Ronny Rios vs. Jayson Velez; and Jose Martinez vs. Oscar Mojica rounded out the Mexican and Boricua wars that had flag wavers and screamers shouting from the rafters. Each was a razor close war including the main event between Cotto and Alvarez. Despite the wide scores, it seemed Cotto and Alvarez battled heavily for every single round. It was a 12-round fight that seemed to sprint to the end. The action didn’t rival Rios-Velez but did offer a competitive fight that saw Alvarez win the vacant WBC middleweight title. And if you add the Francisco Vargas versus Takashi Miura contest, overall, it was the best fight card of the year.

Runner up: Gennady Golovkin vs. David Lemieux October 17 fight card at Madison Square Garden.

TRAINER EXTRAORDINAIRE

Abel Sanchez

Abel Sanchez sits like a wizard on top of a mountain and receives prizefighters from around the world. After a short period, they emerge like sharpened Ginsu knives ready to cut and destroy all opponents. Of course not every pupil is successful but Sanchez’s numbers are impressive. At the Big Bear training camp called The Summit, he’s wheeled out fighter after fighter into the winner’s circle beginning with Golovkin and including others from all parts of the world. Not many people realize this is not his first walk around the park. Sanchez has been churning out champions for years like Terry Norris, Miguel Angel Gonzalez, Lupe Aquino and several others. But now he has finally been given his due. He’s like an ambassador of the “Mexican style” that may not be defensive-minded, but he’s mindful that fans do not pay mega bucks to see someone run from a fight or seldom throw punches. Offense sells tickets, not defense. Television loves offense too. Suddenly, Sanchez is the biggest ticket in the boxing world. It’s definitely his year and Golovkin is his sword.

Runner up: Chepo Reynoso

PROMOTER EXTRAORDINAIRE

Tom Loeffler of K-2 Promotions

It’s the third consecutive year Tom Loeffler has been awarded the Best Promoter designation. Just look at Gennady Golovkin to understand the reason. Not only did Loeffler raise Golovkin from the ashes of European also-rans, he then strategically maneuvered the middleweight from obscurity to the pin up for Nike and Apple television ads. If anyone could do what Loeffler did I’d like to see it. The Los Angeles-based promoter did what a real promoter should do and used his brains and business savvy to plan and implement the course to take. So far, Golovkin stands poised to defend his IBF, WBA and IBO titles and meet Saul “Canelo” Alvarez for the WBC middleweight title in September 2016. The mega event is tentatively set. First, both fighters have other business to attend. Canelo in May against an opponent to be signed and Golovkin will be fighting at least one other opponent before meeting Alvarez. It’s Mexican style versus Mexican style. Loeffler is responsible for the boxing world discovering Triple G. Thank you Mr. Loeffler.

Runner ups: it’s a tie between Kathy Duva of Main Events and Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions.

WORST SCORING

Nicholas Walters and Jason Sosa scoring

Nicholas Walters and Jason Sosa of New Jersey clashed in a 12-round super featherweight bout that most observers felt the Jamaican did the more effective work. The judges scored it a majority draw. It came as a shock to everyone including most of the media attending the fight in Verona, New York. Once again New York judges showed their tendency to award the more local fighter with a favorable judgment to the chagrin of Walters and outsiders.

Runner up: Saul Alvarez vs. Miguel Cotto. It seems Cotto got little credit in their fight that seemed closer than the judge’s scores. I’m not saying Canelo did not win, but those scores were pretty wide.

TOP REFEREE RETIRES

Pat Russell retires this year as a ringside referee. He has been refereeing world title events for decades and throughout the years has been among the best of the best. “I’ll still be judging fights, but I’m done getting in the ring,” said Russell who lives in Southern California. Many consider Russell one of the top judges in professional boxing.

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Thomas Hauser’s Literary Notes: Johnny Greaves Tells a Sad Tale

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Johnny Greaves was a professional loser. He had one hundred professional fights between 2007 and 2013, lost 96 of them, scored one knockout, and was stopped short of the distance twelve times. There was no subtlety in how his role was explained to him: “Look, Johnny; professional boxing works two ways. You’re either a ticket-seller and make money for the promoter, in which case you get to win fights. If you don’t sell tickets but can look after yourself a bit, you become an opponent and you fight to lose.”

By losing, he could make upwards of one thousand pounds for a night‘s work.

Greaves grew up with an alcoholic father who beat his children and wife. Johnny learned how to survive the beatings, which is what his career as a fighter would become. He was a scared, angry, often violent child who was expelled from school and found solace in alcohol and drugs.

The fighters Greaves lost to in the pros ran the gamut from inept local favorites to future champions Liam Walsh, Anthony Crolla, Lee Selby, Gavin Rees, and Jack Catterall. Alcohol and drugs remained constants in his life. He fought after drinking, smoking weed, and snorting cocaine on the night before – and sometimes on the day of – a fight. On multiple occasions, he came close to committing suicide. His goal in boxing ultimately became to have one hundred professional fights.

On rare occasions, two professional losers – “journeymen,” they’re called in The UK – are matched against each other. That was how Greaves got three of the four wins on his ledger. On September 29, 2013, he fought the one hundredth and final fight of his career against Dan Carr in London’s famed York Hall. Carr had a 2-42-2 ring record and would finish his career with three wins in ninety outings. Greaves-Carr was a fight that Johnny could win. He emerged triumphant on a four-round decision.

The Johnny Greaves Story, told by Greaves with the help of Adam Darke (Pitch Publishing) tells the whole sordid tale. Some of Greaves’s thoughts follow:

*        “We all knew why we were there, and it wasn’t to win. The home fighters were the guys who had sold all the tickets and were deemed to have some talent. We were the scum. We knew our role. Give some young prospect a bit of a workout, keep out of the way of any big shots, lose on points but take home a wedge of cash, and fight again next week.”

*        “If you fought too hard and won, then you wouldn’t get booked for any more shows. If you swung for the trees and got cut or knocked out, then you couldn’t fight for another 28 days. So what were you supposed to do? The answer was to LOOK like you were trying to win but be clever in the process. Slip and move, feint, throw little shots that were rangefinders, hold on, waste time. There was an art to this game, and I was quickly learning what a cynical business it was.”

*        “The unknown for the journeyman was always how good your opponent might be. He could be a future world champion. Or he might be some hyped-up nightclub bouncer with a big following who was making lots of money for the promoter.”

*        “No matter how well I fought, I wasn’t going to be getting any decisions. These fights weren’t scored fairly. The referees and judges understood who the paymasters were and they played the game. What was the point of having a go and being the best version of you if nobody was going to recognize or reward it?”

*        “When I first stepped into the professional arena, I believed I was tough. believed that nobody could stop me. But fight by fight, those ideas were being challenged and broken down. Once you know that you can be hurt, dropped and knocked out, you’re never quite the same fighter.”

*        “I had started off with a dream, an idea of what boxing was and what it would do for me. It was going to be a place where I could prove my toughness. A place that I could escape to and be someone else for a while. For a while, boxing was that place. But it wore me down to the point that I stopped caring. I’d grown sick and tired of it all. I wished that I could feel pride at what I’d achieved. But most of the time, I just felt like a loser.”

*        “The fights were getting much more difficult, the damage to my body and my psyche taking longer and longer to repair after each defeat. I was putting myself in more and more danger with each passing fight. I was getting hurt more often and stopped more regularly. Even with the 28-day [suspensions], I didn’t have time to heal. I was staggering from one fight to the next and picking up more injuries along the way.”

*        “I was losing my toughness and resilience. When that’s all you’ve ever had, it’s a hard thing to accept. Drink and drugs had always been present in my life. But now they became a regular part of my pre-fight preparation. It helped to shut out the fear and quieted the thoughts and worries that I shouldn’t be doing this anymore.”

*        “My body was broken. My hands were constantly sore with blisters and cuts. I had early arthritis in my hip and my teeth were a mess. I looked an absolute state and inside I felt worse. But I couldn’t stop fighting yet. Not before the 100.”

*        “I had abused myself time after time and stood in front of better men, taking a beating when I could have been sensible and covered up. At the start, I was rarely dropped or stopped. Now it was becoming a regular part of the game. Most of the guys I was facing were a lot better than me. This was mainly about survival.”

*        “Was my brain f***ed from taking too many punches? I knew it was, to be honest. I could feel my speech changing and memory going. I was mentally unwell and shouldn’t have been fighting but the promoters didn’t care. Johnny Greaves was still a good booking. Maybe an even better one now that he might get knocked out.”

*        “Nobody gave a f*** about me and whether I lived or died. I didn’t care about that much either. But the thought of being humiliated, knocked out in front of all those people; that was worse than the thought of dying. The idea of being exposed for what I was – a nobody.”

*        “I was a miserable bastard in real life. A depressive downbeat mouthy little f***er. Everything I’ve done has been to mask the feeling that I’m worthless. That I have no value. The drinks and the drugs just helped me to forget that for a while. I still frighten myself a lot. My thoughts scare me. Do I really want to be here for the next thirty or forty years? I don’t know. If suicide wasn’t so impactful on people around you, I would have taken that leap. I don’t enjoy life and never have.”

So . . . Any questions?

****

Steve Albert was Showtime’s blow-by-blow commentator for two decades. But his reach extended far beyond boxing.

Albert’s sojourn through professional sports began in high school when he was a ball boy for the New York Knicks. Over the years, he was behind the microphone for more than a dozen teams in eleven leagues including four NBA franchises.

Putting the length of that trajectory in perspective . . . As a ballboy, Steve handed bottles of water and towels to a Knicks back-up forward named Phil Jackson. Later, they worked together as commentators for the New Jersey Nets. Then Steve provided the soundtrack for some of Jackson’s triumphs when he won eleven NBA championships as head coach of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.

It’s also a matter of record that Steve’s oldest brother, Marv, was arguably the greatest play-by-play announcer in NBA history. And brother Al enjoyed a successful career behind the microphone after playing professional hockey.

Now Steve has written a memoir titled A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Broadcast Booth. Those who know him know that Steve doesn’t like to say bad things about people. And he doesn’t here. Nor does he delve into the inner workings of sports media or the sports dream machine. The book is largely a collection of lighthearted personal recollections, although there are times when the gravity of boxing forces reflection.

“Fighters were unlike any other professional athletes I had ever encountered,” Albert writes. “Many were products of incomprehensible backgrounds, fiercely tough neighborhoods, ghettos and, in some cases, jungles. Some got into the sport because they were bullied as children. For others, boxing was a means of survival. In many cases, it was an escape from a way of life that most people couldn’t even fathom.”

At one point, Steve recounts a ringside ritual that he followed when he was behind the microphone for Showtime Boxing: “I would precisely line up my trio of beverages – coffee, water, soda – on the far edge of the table closest to the ring apron. Perhaps the best advice I ever received from Ferdie [broadcast partner Ferdie Pacheco] was early on in my blow-by-blow career – ‘Always cover your coffee at ringside with an index card unless you like your coffee with cream, sugar, and blood.’”

Writing about the prelude to the infamous Holyfield-Tyson “bite fight,” Albert recalls, “I remember thinking that Tyson was going to do something unusual that night. I had this sinking feeling in my gut that he was going to pull something exceedingly out of the ordinary. His grousing about Holyfield’s head butts in the first fight added to my concern. [But] nobody could have foreseen what actually happened. Had I opened that broadcast with, ‘Folks, tonight I predict that Mike Tyson will bite off a chunk of Evander Holyfield’s ear,’ some fellas in white coats might have approached me and said, ‘Uh, Steve, could you come with us.'”

And then there’s my favorite line in the book: “I once asked a fighter if he was happily married,” Albert recounts. “He said, ‘Yes, but my wife’s not.'”

“All I ever wanted was to be a sportscaster,” Albert says in closing. “I didn’t always get it right, but I tried to do my job with honesty and integrity. For forty-five years, calling games was my life. I think it all worked out.”

 Thomas Hauser’s email address is thomashauserwriter@gmail.com. His next book – The Most Honest Sport: Two More Years Inside Boxing – will be published this month and is available for preorder at:

https://www.amazon.com/Most-Honest-Sport-Inside-Boxing/dp/1955836329

         In 2019, Hauser was selected for boxing’s highest honor – induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

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Argentina’s Fernando Martinez Wins His Rematch with Kazuto Ioka

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In an excellent fight climaxed by a furious 12th round, Argentina’s Fernando Daniel Martinez came off the deck to win his rematch with Kazuto Ioka and retain his piece of the world 115-pound title. The match was staged at Ioka’s familiar stomping grounds, the Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo.

In their first meeting on July 7 of last year in Tokyo, Martinez was returned the winner on scores of 117-111, 116-112, and a bizarre 120-108. The rematch was slated for late December, but Martinez took ill a few hours before the weigh-in and the bout was postponed.

The 33-year-old Martinez, who came in sporting a 17-0 (9) record, was a 7-2 favorite to win the sequel, but there were plenty of reasons to favor Ioka, 36, aside from his home field advantage. The first Japanese male fighter to win world titles in four weight classes, Ioka was 3-0 in rematches and his long-time trainer Ismael Salas was on a nice roll. Salas was 2-0 last weekend in Times Square, having handled upset-maker Rolly Romero and Reito Tsutsumi who was making his pro debut.

But the fourth time was not a charm for Ioka (31-4-1) who seemingly pulled the fight out of the fire in round 10 when he pitched the Argentine to the canvas with a pair of left hooks, but then wasn’t able to capitalize on the momentum swing.

Martinez set a fast pace and had Ioka fighting off his back foot for much of the fight. Beginning in round seven, Martinez looked fatigued, but the Argentine was conserving his energy for the championship rounds. In the end, he won the bout on all three cards: 114-113, 116-112, 117-110.

Up next for Fernando Martinez may be a date with fellow unbeaten Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, the lineal champion at 115. San Antonio’s Rodriguez is a huge favorite to keep his title when he defends against South Africa’s obscure Phumelela Cafu on July 19 in Frisco, Texas.

As for Ioka, had he won today’s rematch, that may have gotten him over the hump in so far as making it into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. True, winning titles in four weight classes is no great shakes when the bookends are only 10 pounds apart, but Ioka is still a worthy candidate.

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Emanuel Navarrete Survives a Bloody Battle with Charly Suarez in San Diego

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In a torrid battle Mexico’s Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete and his staccato attack staved off the herky-jerky non-stop assaults of Philippine’s Charly Suarez to win by technical decision and retain the WBO super feather world title on Saturday.

What do they feed these guys?

Navarrete (40-2-1, 32 KOs) and his elongated arms managed to connect enough to compensate against the surprising Suarez (18-1, 10 KOs) who wowed the crowd at Pechanga Arena in San Diego.

An accidental clash of heads opened a cut on the side of Navarrete’s left eye and forced a stoppage midway through the fight.

From the opening round Navarrete used his windmill style of attack with punches from different angles that caught Suarez multiple times early. It did not matter. Suarez fired back with impunity and was just as hungry to punch it out with the Mexican fighter.

It was savage.

Every time Navarrete connected solidly, he seemed to pause and check out the damage. Bad idea. Suarez would immediately counter with bombs of his own and surprise the champion with his resilience and tenacity.

Wherever they found Suarez they should look for more, because the Filipino fighter from Manila was ferocious and never out of his depth.

Around the sixth round the Mexican fighter seemed a little drained and puzzled at the tireless attacks coming from Suarez. During an exchange of blows a cut opened up on Navarrete and it was ruled an accidental clash of heads by the referee. Blood streamed down the side of Navarrete’s face and it was cleared by the ringside physician.

But at the opening of the eighth round, the fight was stopped and the ringside physician ruled the cut was too bad to continue. The California State Athletic Commission looked at tape of the round when the cut opened to decipher if it was an accidental butt or a punch that caused the cut. It was unclear so the referee’s call of accidental clash of heads stood as the final ruling.

Score cards from the judges saw Navarrete the winner by scores of 78-75, 77-76 twice. He retains the WBO title.

Interim IBF Lightweight Title

The sharp-shooting Raymond “Danger” Muratalla (23-0, 17 KOs) maneuvered past Russia’s Zaur Abdullaev (20-2, 12 KOs) by unanimous decision to win the interim IBF lightweight title after 12 rounds.

Both fighters were strategic in their approach with Muratalla switching from orthodox to southpaw at various times of the fight. Neither fighter was ever able to dominant any round.

Defense proved the difference between the two lightweights. Muratalla was able to slip more blows than Abdullaev and that proved the difference. The fighter from Fontana, California was able to pierce Abdullaev’s guard more often than not, especially with counter punches.

Abdullaev was never out of the fight. The Russian fighter was able to change tactics and counter the counters midway through the fight. It proved effective especially to the body. But it was not enough to offset Muratalla’s accuracy.

There were no knockdowns and after 12 rounds the judges scored it 118-110, 119-109 twice for Muratalla who now becomes the mandatory for the IBF lightweight title should Vasyl Lomachenko return to defend it.

Muratalla was brief.

“He was a tough fighter,” said Muratalla. “My defense is something I work on a lot.”

Perla Wins

Super flyweight Perla Bazaldua (2-0) eased past Mona Ward (0-2) with a polished display of fighting at length and inside.

Combination punching and defense allowed Bazaldua to punch in-between Ward’s attacks and force the St. Louis fighter to clinch repeatedly. But Ward hung in there despite taking a lot of blows. After four rounds the Los Angeles-based Bazaldua was scored the winner 40-36 on all three cards. Bazaldua signed a long term contract with Top Rank in March.

Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank

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