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Danny Roman Snatches WBA Super Bantamweight Crown in Japan
People are always saying “with hard work and determination you can do anything.”
Daniel Roman just proved it.
Behind a steady work rate and precise punching Roman (23-2-1, 9 KOs) knocked out WBA super bantamweight world champion Shun Kubo (12-1, 9 KOs) in front of that fighter’s fans in Kyoto, Japan. The 27-year-old is now the world champion.
“I said before the fight that I didn’t intend for this to go to the judges,” Roman said. “The plan was to knock him out and take the WBA title in dominating fashion.”
The road to Japan was not an easy one.
Now living in Garden Grove, Calif. the rather soft-spoken Roman trains in the small town community gym of Maywood. It is there where he works daily on his craft among others just like himself. It’s a daily grind and that gym is famous for its fierce sparring in the lower weight divisions.
Roman’s pro debut took place seven years at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif. It’s a small venue where Thompson Boxing Promotions has built a fan clientele in the area known as the “Inland Empire.”
Ever since Thompson Boxing started in that area it’s uncovered numerous world champions. Despite working in the same region that serves as base for Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions, the much smaller boxing promoter has a history of finding gems overlooked by others.
Roman is one of them.
In his debut he knocked out his opponent in 43 seconds. It was hardly enough time to get comfortable in a seat to watch. But his next fight ended in a draw.
During his fourth pro bout Roman’s team accepted a match against Japan’s Takashi Okada at the Doubletree Hotel at 116 pounds. It was a good match on paper and evenly matched in the boxing ring. But Okada was slightly more advanced in his fighting and won by split decision on July 2011.
Journey back from defeat
That first defeat could have spelled the end for Roman. Many fighters after taking their first pro loss seem to lose that certain edge.
Eddie Gonzalez has trained and managed Roman from the beginning. It was around the time Roman suffered his first loss that I accidentally came across Gonzalez in a promoter’s small office in uptown Whittier.
That afternoon Gonzalez was asking the promoter to put Roman on a fight card and asked what I thought of his fighter. I remember vividly thinking about what to say that day.
Most of the time it’s rather easy to spot a future star. Thompson Boxing had discovered and signed a number of future world champions and contenders like Yonnhy Perez, Tim “Desert Storm” Bradley, Josesito Lopez, Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera, Darleys Perez and Jhonatan “Momo” Romero.
But Roman was more difficult to assess.
Unlike the others Roman didn’t possess the blazing speed, impressive power or defensive wizardry that stands out like a neon sign. But he has a quiet determination and confidence that you could see as he fought numerous times at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario or the Omega Products International in Corona.
One thing that slowly became obvious over time was his accuracy. When Roman punched he hit his target time after time. Where others flailed and unleashed furious combinations in hopes of hitting the target, Roman has the pinpoint accuracy of a laser-guided missile.
He seldom misses.
In 2014, after losing to Riverside’s Juan Reyes, a volume puncher with an incredible work rate, something clicked in Roman. It was a subtle change that showed in dominating wins that left no doubt.
Wins over Jonathan Arrellano, Christopher Martin, Erik Ruiz and Enrique Quevedo were most impressive because these guys are capable of defeating anyone.
SoCal domination
Aside from being the movie and music capitol of the world, Southern California has become famous for developing many of the best super bantamweights in the world. They’re as plenty as the grains of sand on the beaches and have replaced the orange groves and grapevines that used to dominate the landscape.
Super bantamweights are everywhere in So Cal.
Rival promoters have gathered up super bantamweight prospects by the dozen and all are poised to snatch the various world titles. Fighters like Jojo Diaz, Jessie Magdaleno, Randy Caballero, Nonito Donaire, Rico Ramos, Cesar Juarez and Diego De La Hoya.
Quietly, the smallest of the promotion companies confidently guided Roman to carefully plotted landmarks. After defeating back to back undefeated opponents, Thompson Boxing realized he was primed and ready to torpedo the world champion.
Kyoto
You never know how a fighter is going to react fighting overseas in another country or another state for that matter. Roman had never even visited Las Vegas which is a mere 300 miles from his home, let alone Kyoto, Japan which is 5600 miles from Los Angeles.
Thompson Boxing had previously taken Juan Carlos Burgos to Japan only to be derailed in the island nation by Hozumi Hasegawa in October 2010.
But somehow it was clear that Roman was a different type of fighter. Maybe it’s his trainer or maybe it’s his methodology or perhaps a combination of both. Roman figures out a way to put the pieces together to solve the puzzle.
The champion Kubo had a four-inch height advantage and possessed knockout power. Perhaps the most glaring aspect is his southpaw stance and mobility that he uses to offset attacks.
It looked to be an overwhelming task.
Roman allowed the taller and mobile world champion Kubo to dictate the pace and tempo in the first round. As Kubo fired jabs Roman parried and seemed to measure the distance needed.
In the second round Roman moved in with more conviction including thudding shots to the body that did not miss. Despite the incoming fire Roman was able to move in between the punches and connect to the body with vicious authority.
That became the formula for the remainder of the fight.
Kubo tried desperately to find an antidote for Roman’s body shots. After sustaining several withering blows by Roman, the champion decided to return fire with his own body shots. But well placed counters to the head and body stopped that.
Roman dissected Kubo with more body shots mixed with blasts to the head. After numerous blows to the head the champion was sent to the floor early in the seventh round. He got up bravely and survived the round for more than two minutes. If you want to see a warrior respond, Kubo showed all that by surviving the knockdown and mustering up a counter-attack that kept Roman from finishing the fight. But the end was near.
In the eighth round both traded punches evenly when Roman delivered a strong right to the midsection that paralyzed Kubo for a second as Roman sent another right to the head to send the Japanese champion to the floor again. He beat the count.
The ninth round was just protocol as Roman finished the depleted fighter with more body and heat combinations that snapped back the head of Kubo. Referee Silvestre Abainza wisely ended the fight at 1:21 as the ropes kept Kubo from falling. Roman’s corner jumped into the ring to hoist their champion.
“We’re incredibly proud of Danny Roman,” said Ken Thompson, president of Thompson Boxing Promotions. “In our eyes, Danny is the ultimate champion. He never backs down from a challenge and tonight he showed that he belongs among the best in the 122-pound division.”
It’s a long way back from Japan but this time the return journey will be a happy one for Roman and his promoters.
“We never had any doubt that Danny would win the WBA title,” said Alex Camponovo, matchmaker and general manager at Thompson Boxing Promotions. “He looked unbelievable against Kubo. We believe his best years are still ahead of him. That’s a scary thought for the rest of the champions in this division.”
In an area rife with super bantamweights a new king has been crowned and Danny Roman is his name.
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LAS VEGAS, NV — The first meeting between Mikaela Mayer and Sandy Ryan last September at Madison Square Garden was punctuated with drama before the first punch was thrown. When the smoke cleared, Mayer had become a world-title-holder in a second weight class, taking away Ryan’s WBO welterweight belt via a majority decision in a fan-friendly fight.
The rematch tonight at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas was another fan-friendly fight. There were furious exchanges in several rounds and the crowd awarded both gladiators a standing ovation at the finish.
Mayer dominated the first half of the fight and held on to win by a unanimous decision. But Sandy Ryan came on strong beginning in round seven, and although Mayer was the deserving winner, the scores favoring her (98-92 and 97-93 twice) fail to reflect the competitiveness of the match-up. This is the best rivalry in women’s boxing aside from Taylor-Serrano.
Mayer, 34, improved to 21-2 (5). Up next, she hopes, in a unification fight with Lauren Price who outclassed Natasha Jonas earlier this month and currently holds the other meaningful pieces of the 147-pound puzzle. Sandy Ryan, 31, the pride of Derby, England, falls to 7-3-1.
Co-Feature
In his first defense of his WBO world welterweight title (acquired with a brutal knockout of Giovani Santillan after the title was vacated by Terence Crawford), Atlanta’s Brian Norman Jr knocked out Puerto Rico’s Derrieck Cuevas in the third round. A three-punch combination climaxed by a short left hook sent Cuevas staggering into a corner post. He got to his feet before referee Thomas Taylor started the count, but Taylor looked in Cuevas’s eyes and didn’t like what he saw and brought the bout to a halt.
The stoppage, which struck some as premature, came with one second remaining in the third stanza.
A second-generation prizefighter (his father was a fringe contender at super middleweight), the 24-year-old Norman (27-0, 21 KOs) is currently boxing’s youngest male title-holder. It was only the second pro loss for Cuevas (27-2-1) whose lone previous defeat had come early in his career in a 6-rounder he lost by split decision.
Other Bouts
In a career-best performance, 27-year-old Brooklyn featherweight Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (15-0, 9 KOs) blasted out Jose Enrique Vivas (23-4) in the third round.
Carrington, who was named the Most Outstanding Boxer at the 2019 U.S. Olympic Trials despite being the lowest-seeded boxer in his weight class, decked Vivas with a right-left combination near the end of the second round. Vivas barely survived the round and was on a short leash when the third stanza began. After 53 seconds of round three, referee Raul Caiz Jr had seen enough and waived it off. Vivas hadn’t previously been stopped.
Cleveland welterweight Tiger Johnson, a Tokyo Olympian, scored a fifth-round stoppage over San Antonio’s Kendo Castaneda. Johnson assumed control in the fourth round and sent Castaneda to his knees twice with body punches in the next frame. The second knockdown terminated the match. The official time was 2:00 of round five.
Johnson advanced to 15-0 (7 KOs). Castenada declined to 21-9.
Las Vegas junior welterweight Emiliano Vargas (13-0, 11 KOs) blasted out Stockton, California’s Giovanni Gonzalez in the second round. Vargas brought the bout to a sudden conclusion with a sweeping left hook that knocked Gonzalez out cold. The end came at the 2:00 minute mark of round two.
Gonzalez brought a 20-7-2 record which was misleading as 18 of his fights were in Tijuana where fights are frequently prearranged. However, he wasn’t afraid to trade with Vargas and paid the price.
Emiliano Vargas, with his matinee idol good looks and his boxing pedigree – he is the son of former U.S. Olympian and two-weight world title-holder “Ferocious” Fernando Vargas – is highly marketable and has the potential to be a cross-over star.
Eighteen-year-old Newark bantamweight Emmanuel “Manny” Chance, one of Top Rank’s newest signees, won his pro debut with a four-round decision over So Cal’s Miguel Guzman. Chance won all four rounds on all three cards, but this was no runaway. He left a lot of room for improvement.
There was a long intermission before the co-main and again before the main event, but the tedium was assuaged by a moving video tribute to George Foreman.
Photos credit: Al Applerose
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William Zepeda Edges Past Tevin Farmer in Cancun; Improves to 34-0
No surprise, once again William Zepeda eked out a win over the clever and resilient Tevin Farmer to remain undefeated and retain a regional lightweight title on Saturday.
There were no knockdowns in this rematch.
The Mexican punching machine Zepeda (33-0, 17 KOs) once more sought to overwhelm Farmer (33-8-1, 9 KOs) with a deluge of blows. This rematch by Golden Boy Promotions took place in the famous beach resort area of Cancun, Mexico.
It was a mere four months ago that both first clashed in Saudi Arabia with their vastly difference styles. This time the tropical setting served as the background which suited Zepeda and his lawnmower assaults. The Mexican fans were pleased.
Nothing changed in their second meeting.
Zepeda revved up the body assault and Farmer moved around casually to his right while fending off the Mexican fighter’s attacks. By the fourth round Zepeda was able to cut off Farmer’s escape routes and targeted the body with punishing shots.
The blows came in bunches.
In the fifth round Zepeda blasted away at Farmer who looked frantic for an escape. The body assault continued with the Mexican fighter pouring it on and Farmer seeming to look ready to quit. When the round ended, he waved off his corner’s appeals to stop.
Zepeda continued to dominate the next few rounds and then Farmer began rallying. At first, he cleverly smothered Zepeda’s body attacks and then began moving and hitting sporadically. It forced the Mexican fighter to pause and figure out the strategy.
Farmer, a Philadelphia fighter, showed resiliency especially when it was revealed he had suffered a hand injury.
During the last three rounds Farmer dug down deep and found ways to score and not get hit. It was Boxing 101 and the Philly fighter made it work.
But too many rounds had been put in the bank by Zepeda. Despite the late rally by Farmer one judge saw it 114-114, but two others scored it 116-112 and 115-113 for Zepeda who retains his interim lightweight title and place at the top of the WBC rankings.
“I knew he was a difficult fighter. This time he was even more difficult,” said Zepeda.
Farmer was downtrodden about another loss but realistic about the outcome and starting slow.
“But I dominated the last rounds,” said Farmer.
Zepeda shrugged at the similar outcome as their first encounter.
“I’m glad we both put on a great show,” said Zepeda.
Female Flyweight Battle
Costa Rica’s Yokasta Valle edged past Texas fighter Marlen Esparza to win their showdown at flyweight by split decision after 10 rounds.
Valle moved up two weight divisions to meet Esparza who was slightly above the weight limit. Both showed off their contrasting styles and world class talent.
Esparza, a former unified flyweight world titlist, stayed in the pocket and was largely successful with well-placed jabs and left hooks. She repeatedly caught Valle in-between her flurries.
The current minimumweight world titlist changed tactics and found more success in the second half of the fight. She forced Esparza to make the first moves and that forced changes that benefited her style.
Neither fighter could take over the fight.
After 10 rounds one judge saw Esparza the winner 96-94, but two others saw Valle the winner 97-93 twice.
Will Valle move up and challenge the current undisputed flyweight world champion Gabriela Fundora? That’s the question.
Valle currently holds the WBC minimumweight world title.
Puerto Rico vs Mexico
Oscar Collazo (12-0, 9 KOs), the WBO, WBA minimumweight titlist, knocked out Mexico’s Edwin Cano (13-3-1, 4 KOs) with a flurry of body shots at 1:12 of the fifth round.
Collazo dominated with a relentless body attack the Mexican fighter could not defend. It was the Puerto Rican fighter’s fifth consecutive title defense.
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Rematches are the bedrock for prizefighting.
Return battles between rival boxers always means their first encounter was riveting and successful at the box office.
Six months after their first brutal battle Mikaela Mayer (20-2, 5 KOs) and Sandy Ryan (7-2-1, 3 KOs) will slug it out again for the WBO welterweight world title this time on Saturday, March 29, at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas.
ESPN will show the Top Rank card live.
“It’s important for women’s boxing to have these rivalries and this is definitely up there as one of the top ones,” Mayer told the BBC.
If you follow Mayer’s career you know that somehow drama follows. Whether its back-and-forth beefs with fellow American fighters or controversial judging due to nationalism in countries abroad. The Southern California native who now trains in Las Vegas knows how to create the drama.
For female fighters self-promotion is a necessity.
Most boxing promoters refuse to step out of the usual process set for male boxers, not for female boxers. Things remain the same and have been for the last 70 years. Social media has brought changes but that has made promoters do even less.
No longer are there press conferences, instead announcements are made on social media to be drowned among the billions of other posts. It is not killing but diluting interest in the sport.
Women innately present a different advantage that few if any promoters are recognizing. So far in the past 25 years I have only seen two or three promoters actually ignite interest in female fighters. They saw the advantages and properly boosted interest in the women.
The fight breakdown
Mayer has won world titles in the super featherweight and now the welterweight division. Those are two vastly different weight classes and prove her fighting abilities are based on skill not power or size.
Coaching Mayer since amateurs remains Al Mitchell and now Kofi Jantuah who replaced Kay Koroma the current trainer for Sandy Ryan.
That was the reason drama ignited during their first battle. Then came someone tossing paint at Ryan the day of their first fight.
More drama.
During their first fight both battled to control the initiative with Mayer out-punching the British fighter by a slender margin. It was a back-and-forth struggle with each absorbing blows and retaliating immediately.
New York City got its money’s worth.
Ryan had risen to the elite level rapidly since losing to Erica Farias three years ago. Though she was physically bigger and younger, she was out-maneuvered and defeated by the wily veteran from Argentina. In the rematch, however, Ryan made adjustments and won convincingly.
Can she make adjustments from her defeat to Mayer?
“I wanted the rematch straight away,” said Ryan on social media. “I’ve come to America again.”
Both fighters have size and reach. In their first clash it was evident that conditioning was not a concern as blows were fired nonstop in bunches. Mayer had the number of punches landed advantage and it unfolded with the judges giving her a majority decision win.
That was six months ago. Can she repeat the outcome?
Mayer has always had boiler-oven intensity. It’s not fake. Since her amateur days the slender Southern California blonde changes disposition all the way to red when lacing up the gloves. It’s something that can’t be taught.
Can she draw enough of that fire out again?
“I didn’t have to give her this rematch. I could have just sat it out, waited for Lauren Price to unify and fought for undisputed or faced someone else,” said Mayer to BBC. “That’s not the fighter I am though.”
Co-Main in Las Vegas
The co-main event pits Brian Norman Jr. (26-0, 20 KOs) facing Puerto Rico’s Derrieck Cuevas (27-1-1, 19 KOs) in a contest for the WBO welterweight title.
Norman, 24, was last seen a year ago dissecting a very good welterweight in Giovani Santillan for a knockout win in San Diego. He showed speed, skill and power in defeating Santillan in his hometown.
Cuevas has beaten some solid veteran talent but this will be his big test against Norman and his first attempt at winning a world title.
Also on the Top Rank card will be Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington and Emiliano Vargas, the son of Fernando Vargas, in separate bouts.
Golden Boy in Cancun
A rematch between undefeated William “Camaron” Zepeda (32-0, 27 KOs) and ex-champ Tevin Farmer (33-7-1, 8 KOs) headlines the lightweight match on Saturday March 29, at Cancun, Mexico.
In their first encounter Zepeda was knocked down in the fourth round but rallied to win a split-decision over Farmer. It showed the flaws in Zepeda’s tornado style.
DAZN will stream the Golden Boy Promotions card that also includes a clash between Yokasta Valle the WBC minimumweight world titlist who is moving up to flyweight to face former flyweight champion Marlen Esparza.
Both Valle and Esparza have fast hands.
Valle is excellent darting in and out while Esparza has learned how to fight inside. It’s a toss-up fight.
Fights to Watch
Fri. DAZN 12 p.m. Cameron Vuong (7-0) vs Jordan Flynn (11-0-1); Pat Brown (0-0) vs Federico Grandone (7-4-2).
Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. William Zepeda (32-0) vs Tevin Farmer (33-7-1); Yokasta Valle (32-3) vs Marlen Esparza (15-2).
Sat. ESPN 7 p.m. Mikaela Mayer (20-2) vs Sandy Ryan (7-2-1); Brian Norman Jr. (26-0) vs Derrieck Cuevas (27-1-1).
Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank
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