Sturm-Chudinov 2: Fine Fight, Questionable Call

Published

9 years ago

February 21, 2016

Sturm-Chudinov 2 – OBERHAUSEN – Those who agreed with Felix Sturm’s majority decision over Fedor Chudinov, around ringside at least, were in the minority. Most people did agree that it was an exciting, hard fought contest.

The controversial rematch for Chudinov’s WBA Super-middleweight title was worthy of championship designation, though not a true slugfest.

“We can talk about this or we can talk about that, a decision is still a decision,” reflected a bruised Sturm. “I know he’s disappointed but what can I say, let us go to the after party, drink something together, then we can talk about the fight. I respect Fedor, he’s a strong, tough guy. He’s young and he will be champion again. I’m 37 years old, one or two fights more, maybe, maybe not. It was very hard to prepare for this fight, so I have to let everything sink in before I decide about the future. If I retire, this was a nice way to say goodbye.”

Anybody who works as hard and is as classy as Sturm doesn’t deserve any criticism, still it’s hard to say that he clearly deserved the decision. Chudinov appeared in control during most of the middle sessions. As early as the fourth frame there were times it looked like Sturm was in trouble, hanging in there by superb conditioning and courage alone.

My scoring read 117-113 Chudinov (2 rounds even). Many rounds were very close, and fondness for Sturm could have created a “reverse bias” since I scored for Chudinov in a couple of coin-flips, just to make sure I wasn’t favoring Sturm.

Remember, there’s a big difference between stealing a fight and a robbery. Sturm’s strong opening and inspired finish may have bookended the victory in what became a classic clash of experience against youth. However you scored it, the aging warrior Sturm was very impressive while boxing on even terms against an emerging talent with the similar traits of a young Gennady Golovkin.

Something about Sturm’s style makes for very close fights. Fair or not, he is now the current poster boy for controversial decisions in Germany, not to mention the debatable Vegas loss to Oscar de la Hoya that introduced Sturm to a global audience. I had Sturm ahead in his split-decision loss against Daniel Geale in the same building, but that was also very close. Both Sturm’s longevity at the top and his margins of victory or defeat are somewhat unique.

There was much less of a noticeable Russian presence than in Frankfurt last May. Tonight was a rare situation where a losing fighter got top billing over the defending champion in a rematch, but Sturm was the promoter and his name does sell the tickets and the TV rights. Perhaps for conking karma though, if there’s an episode 3 it should be called Chudinov – Sturm.

Sturm came out busy and scored early with the jab while Chudinov threw compact shots from each side with cross-hooks that looked like a hug but landed with a thud. Sturm stayed aggressive, making sure he countered every Chudinov lead. Sturm wasn’t so successful with that during some bruising trades but he was consistent, and that might have earned him the nod.

I’ve sat by plenty of TV monitors, but during tonight’s undercard I noted that from my sightline perspective something about the blue lighted background and large screen uniquely highlighted differences between seeing a fight live or by image. I can’t say what it looked like via webcast or on the reportedly 2.8 million TV sets that tuned in, but nine adjacent feet from Chudinov’s corner, the tangible energy that emits from a boxing ring indicated he was in control.

Sturm complained about head butts, then repeatedly turned and stepped away without much reaction from ref Luis Pabon, who otherwise handled the action well. When Sturm was cut over the right eye from an accidental butt in round ten, it looked like he needed something dramatic to win.

Sturm definitely made things dramatic for the screaming audience of around 9,080 with some stinging combinations. Whether he rallied enough during some wild final exchanges remained a question.

I asked Chudinov in private what he thought when he heard the 114-114 score and why he didn’t go after Sturm during those “protect yourself at all times” when Sturm turned away, with his defense down.

“I didn’t want to kill him, and that’s what I would probably have to do to win,” grinned Chudinov like a proud schoolboy, seeming much less upset about the verdict than his colleagues. “I like Felix, he is a great fighter who was stronger than before. When I heard the draw announced I knew they gave it to him. Even during the fight I thought I would have to knock him down, but I couldn’t do it because he kept punching so much. But I did not deserve to lose this fight and I would meet him again, even in Germany.”

Team Chudinov was fuming and pressed for a May rematch. Chudinov’s ensemble included some fashionable Russian beauties, scowling and prowling the backstage post fight in the arena’s grey brick corridors as if they were ready to morph into some X-men type character and melt the place down. One woman chided Sturm from about five feet away with scolding questions while he bit his tongue with a stage smile, licked his fat lip, and answered politely.

Beaming like a subtle winner, Chudinov had a grape sized welt over his left eye and some lesser swelling over his right, but at times under the bright camera lights he appeared almost unmarked. Sturm looked like he had been in a car accident, but discounted any comparisons to who looked more like the winner.

“My face looks like this because of all the head butts,” claimed Sturm.

“There were butts,” said Chudinov. “Some because of me, some because of him.”

“We have fought Sturm two times, both in Germany. You saw what happened,” said a gentleman introduced simply as Chudinov’s manager. “If Sturm is all they say he is, he will come to Russia.”

“No problem, no problem,” Sturm replied immediately, sounding sincere. Almost everyone on Chudinov’s side of the dais jumped over to Sturm to shake his bandaged hand, and then for a confirming picture of the handshake. Chudinov was still grinning as he placed his mitt on top of the finger scrum, like the captain of a warmup exercise shout.

“No problem,” repeated Sturm, looking less subdued. “I love Moscow. As long as they can pay me, we come.”

Almost everyone in the cramped makeshift conference room laughed, even Chudinov’s entourage, angry Russian girls and all.

Check out The Boxing Channel‘s video with results and highlights.

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Ringside at the Cosmo: Pacheco Outpoints Nelson plus Undercard Results

Published

34 mins ago

January 25, 2025

Arne K. Lang

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LAS VEGAS, NV – Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Promotions was at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas tonight for the second half of a DAZN doubleheader that began in Nottingham, England. In the main event, light heavyweight Diego Pacheco, ranked #1 by the WBO, continued his ascent toward a world title with a unanimous decision over Steven Nelson.

Pacheco glides round the ring smoothly whereas Nelson wastes a lot energy with something of a herky-jerky style. However, although Nelson figured to slow down as the fight progressed, he did some of his best work in rounds 11 and 12. Fighting with a cut over his left eye from round four, a cut that periodically reopened, the gritty Nelson fulfilled his promise that he would a fight as if he had everything to lose if he failed to win, but it just wasn’t enough, even after his Omaha homie Terence “Bud” Crawford entered his corner before the last round to give him a pep talk (back home in North Omaha, Nelson runs the B&B (Bud and Bomac) Sports Academy.

All three judges had it 117-111 for Pacheco who mostly fought off his back foot but landed the cleaner punches throughout. A stablemate of David Benavidez and trained by David’s father Jose Benevidez Sr, Pacheco improved to 23-0 (19). It was the first pro loss for the 36-year-old Nelson (20-1).

Semi wind-up

Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz, who as a pro has never fought a match slated for fewer than 10 rounds, had too much class for Hermosillo, Mexico’s rugged Omar Salcido who returned to his corner with a puffy face after the fourth stanza, but won the next round and never stopped trying. The outcome was inevitable even before the final round when Salcido barely made it to the final gun, but the Mexican was far more competitive than many expected.

The Cuban, who was 4-0 vs. Keyshawn Davis in closely-contested bouts as an amateur, advanced his pro record to 5-0 (2), winning by scores by 99-91 and 98-92 twice. Salido, coming off his career-best win, a 9^th-round stoppage of former WBA super featherweight title-holder Chris Colbert, falls to 20-2.

Other TV bouts

Ernesto “Tito” Mercado, a 23-year-old super lightweight, aims to become the next world champion from Pomona, California, following in the footsteps of the late Richie Sandoval and Sugar Shane Mosely, and based on his showing tonight against former Beijing Olympian and former two-division title-holder Jose Pedraza, he is well on his way.

After three rounds after what had been a technical fight, Mercado (17-0, 16 KOs) knocked Pedraza off his pins with an overhand right followed by short left hand. Pedraza bounced back and fell on his backside. When he rose on unsteady legs, the bout was waived off. The official time was 2:08 of round four and the fading, 25-year-old Pedraza (29-7-1) was saddled with his third loss in his last four outings.

The 8-round super lightweight clash between Israel Mercado (no relation to “Tito”) and Leonardo Rubalcava was fan-friendly skirmish with many robust exchanges. When the smoke cleared, the verdict was a majority draw. Mercado got the nod on one card (76-74), but was overruled by a pair of 75-75 scores.

Mercado came out strong in the opening round, but suffered a flash knockdown before the round ended. The referee ruled it a slip but was overruled by replay operator Jay Nady and what would have been a 10-9 round for Mercado became a 10-8 round for Rubalcava. Mercado lost another point in round seven when he was penalized for low blows.

The scores were 76-74 for Mercado (11-1-2) and 75-75 twice. The verdict was mildly unpopular with most thinking that Mercado deserved the nod. Reportedly a four-time Mexican amateur champion, Rubalcava (9-0-1) is trained by Robert Garcia.

Also

New Matchroom signee Nishant Dev, a 24-year-old southpaw from India, had an auspicious pro debut (pardon the cliché). Before a beaming Eddie Hearn, Dev stopped Oakland’s Alton Wiggins (1-1-1) in the opening round. The referee waived it off after the second knockdown.

Boxers from India have made large gains at the amateur level in recent years and Matchroom honcho Eddie Hearn anticipates that Dev, a Paris Olympian, will be the first fighter from India to make his mark as a pro.

Undefeated Brooklyn lightweight Harley Mederos, managed by the influential Keith Connolly, scored his seventh knockout in eight tries with a brutal third-round KO of Mexico’s Arturo de Isla.

A left-right combination knocked de Isla (5-3-1) flat on his back. Referee Raul Caiz did not bother to count and several minutes elapsed before the stricken fighter was fit to leave the ring. The official time was 1:27 of round three.

In the opener, Newark junior lightweight Zaquin Moses, a cousin of Shakur Stevenson, improved to 2-0 when his opponent retired on his stool after the opening round.

Photo credit: Melina Pizano / Matchroom

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Najee Lopez Steps up in Class and Wins Impressively at Plant City

Published

1 day ago

January 24, 2025

Arne K. Lang

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Garry Jonas’ ProBox series returned to its regular home in Plant City, Florida, tonight with a card topped by a 10-round light heavyweight match between fast-rising Najee Lopez and former world title challenger Lenin Castillo. This was considered a step-up fight for the 25-year-old Lopez, an Atlanta-born-fighter of Puerto Rican heritage. Although the 36-year-old Castillo had lost two of his last three heading in, he had gone the distance with Dimitry Bivol and Marcus Browne and been stopped only once (by Callum Smith).

Lopez landed the cleaner punches throughout. Although Castillo seemed unfazed during the first half of the fight, he returned to his corner at the end of round five exhibiting signs of a fractured jaw.

In the next round, Lopez cornered him against the ropes and knocked him through the ropes with a left-right combination. Referee Emil Lombardo could have stopped the fight right there, but he allowed the courageous Castillo to carry on for a bit longer, finally stopping the fight as Castillo’s corner and a Florida commissioner were signaling that it was over.

The official time was 2:36 of round six. Bigger fights await the talented Lopez who improved to 13-0 with his tenth win inside the distance. Castillo declined to 25-7-1.

Co-Feature

In a stinker of a heavyweight fight, Stanley Wright, a paunchy, 34-year-old North Carolina journeyman, scored a big upset with a 10-round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Jeremiah Milton.

Wright carried 280 pounds, 100 pounds more than in his pro debut 11 years ago. Although he was undefeated (13-0, 11 KOs), he had never defeated an opponent with a winning record and his last four opponents were a miserable 19-48-2. Moreover, he took the fight on short notice.

What Wright had going for him was fast hands and, in the opening round, he put Milton on the canvas with a straight right hand. From that point, Milton fought tentatively and Wright, looking fatigued as early as the fourth round, fought only in spurts. It seemed doubtful that he could last the distance, but Milton, the subject of a 2021 profile in these pages, was wary of Wright’s power and unable to capitalize. “It’s almost as if Milton is afraid to win,” said ringside commentator Chris Algieri during the ninth stanza when the bout had devolved into a hugfest.

The judges had it 96-93 and 97-92 twice for the victorious Wright who boosted his record to 14-0 without improving his stature.

Also

In the TV opener, a 10-round contest in the junior middleweight division, Najee Lopez stablemate Darrelle Valsaint (12-0, 10 KOs) scored his career-best win with a second-round knockout of 35-year-old Dutch globetrotter Stephen Danyo (23-7-3).

A native Floridian of Haitian descent, the 22-year-old Valsaint was making his eighth start in Plant City. He rocked Danyo with a chopping right hand high on the temple and then, as Danyo slumped forward, applied the exclamation point, a short left uppercut. The official time was 2:17 of round two.

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Japanese Superstar Naoya Inoue is Headed to Vegas after KOing Ye Joon Kim

Published

2 days ago

January 24, 2025

Arne K. Lang

Japanese-Superstar-Naoya-Inoue-is-Headed-to-Vegas-after-KOing-Y-Joon-Kim

Japan’s magnificent Naoya Inoue, appearing in his twenty-fourth title fight, scored his 11^th straight stoppage tonight while successfully defending his unified super bantamweight title, advancing his record to 29-0 (26 KOs) at the expense of Ye Joon Kim. The match at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena came to an end at the 2:25 mark of round four when U.S. referee Mark Nelson tolled “10” over the brave but overmatched Korean.

Kim, raised in a Seoul orphanage, had a few good moments, but the “Monster” found his rhythm in the third round, leaving Kim with a purplish welt under his left eye. In the next frame, he brought the match to a conclusion, staggering the Korean with a left and then finishing matters with an overhand right that put Kim on the seat of his pants, dazed and wincing in pain.

Kim, who brought a 21-2-2 record, took the fight on 10 days’ notice, replacing Australia’s Sam Goodman who suffered an eye injury in sparring that never healed properly, forcing him to withdraw twice.

Co-promoter Bob Arum, who was in the building, announced that Inoue’s next fight would happen in Las Vegas in the Spring. Speculation centers on Mexico City’s Alan Picasso (31-0-1, 17 KOs) who is ranked #1 by the WBC. However, there’s also speculation that the 31-year-old Inoue may move up to featherweight and seek to win a title in a fifth weight class, in which case a potential opponent is Brandon Figueroa should he defeat former Inoue foe Stephen Fulton next weekend. In “olden days,” this notion would have been dismissed as the Japanese superstar and Figueroa have different promoters, but the arrival of Turki Alalshikh, the sport’s Daddy Warbucks, has changed the dynamic. Tonight, Naoya Inoue made his first start as a brand ambassador for Riyadh Season.

Simmering on the backburner is a megafight with countryman Junto Nakatani, an easy fight to make as Arum has ties to both. However, the powers-that-be would prefer more “marination.”

Inoue has appeared twice in Las Vegas, scoring a seventh-round stoppage of Jason Moloney in October of 2020 at the MGM Bubble and a third-round stoppage of Michael Dasmarinas at the Virgin Hotels in June of 2021.

Semi-wind-up

In a 12-round bout for a regional welterweight title, Jin Sasaki improved to 19-1-1 (17) with a unanimous decision over Shoki Sakai (29-15-3). The scores were 118-110, 117-111, and 116-112.

Also

In a bout in which both contestants were on the canvas, Toshiki Shimomachi (20-1-3) edged out Misaki Hirano (11-2), winning a majority decision. A 28-year-old Osaka southpaw with a fan-friendly style, the lanky Shimomachi, unbeaten in his last 22 starts, competes as a super bantamweight. A match with Inoue may be in his future.

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