Sunday Report Card: The Ultimate Weekend Wrap-Up (Nov. 12 edition)

Published

7 years ago

November 12, 2017

Sunday Report Card – The Sweet Science’s Diego Morilla compiles a full weekend wrap-up of the most relevant boxing events in the worldwide scene with short recaps, links to videos and other articles, and all the info you need to keep up with the week’s most important results. Every fight that matters is right here, in one place, and at one click away. Follow us every Sunday on Twitter at #SRC @TheSweetScience @MorillaBoxing

Uniondale, N.Y., Saturday, November 11

Daniel Jacobs UD 12 Luis Arias, middleweights

“The Miracle Man” is back, indeed. But his performance was not the spectacular return that we all hoped for after his career-best performance in his fight against Gennady Golovkin back in March. This time, he started with a bang by putting Arias (18-1, 9 KOs) in trouble early on, keeping the Cuban-Nicaraguan fighter in check and forcing him to clinch and avoid an early knockdown, and that recipe was repeated for pretty much the entire fight, with Arias in survival mode and Jacobs exploding in bursts of frustration occasionally, trying desperately to inflatable slide score a stoppage that never came. Jacobs was credited with a flash knockdown in the eleventh, but never really had the previously unbeaten Arias in danger as he cruised to a 118-109, 120-107 and 119-108 decision win that puts his record at 33-2 with 29 knockouts.

The winner goes on to: It shouldn’t be hard to lure a top contender into the ring with Jacobs after such a not-so-explosive performance, but his sights are set on an eventual bout with the winner of GGG-Canelo II, so I guess an interim bout with a David Lemieux type would be the advisable move.

Read a full recap of this fight here at TheSweetScience.com.

Jarrell Miller TKO 9 Mariusz Wach, heavyweights

“Big Baby” Miller (20-0, 18 KO) stayed unbeaten with this entertaining (OK, I had very low expectations and they were almost fulfilled, OK?) bout against the towering Wach (33-3, 17 KOs), a former world title challenger from Poland who never showed any arguments to dispute Miller’s aggressiveness in the ring. Apparently, Wach broke his hand sometime during the fight, and therefore lost all the limited pop that he had, so my guess is that Miller sensed that deficiency and went all-out knowing that he couldn’t be hurt by Wach, bobbing and weaving his way in and exposing himself to Wach’s now harmless punches until the inevitable stoppage happened.

The winner goes on to: Not a bad performance by Miller, but the “next level” should be considerably more difficult for him. Even someone as limited as Dominic Breazeale could be too big a hurdle for him.

Cletus Seldin TKO 3 Roberto Ortiz, junior welterweights

Well, I guess “The Hebrew Hammer” proved us all wrong, didn’t he? Seldin (21-0, 17 KOs) was seen as a largely unproven fighter, but he dismissed those thoughts with an impressive annihilation of Ortiz (35-2-2, 26 KOs), a tough hombre who had only been stopped by Lucas Matthysse. A mere 30 seconds into the bout, Seldin dropped Ortiz with a right hand and sent him down a second time a short time later, continuing his assault in the following round and opening a cut over Ortiz’s left eye. Finally, the referee considered he had seen enough and stopped the carnage towards the end of the third round.

Fresno, California, Saturday, November 11

Jose Ramirez TKO 2 Mike Reed, 10 rounds, junior welterweights

The “Fight for Water” had us all gasping for air in the end, instead. Ramirez (21-0, 16 KOs), local hero, unbeaten, 2012 Olympian, and community activist in this agricultural area of California, labeled the bout as “Fight for Water” to honor the area’s complaints about water usage in the region. And he then honored his pledge to give his hometown fans a huge victory by destroying then-unbeaten Reed (23-1, 12 KOs) in just two rounds in front of a huge crowd. A demolishing knockdown in the second round set the tone for the stoppage, which came midway through the round amid pointless protests by the seriously outgunned Reed.

Artur Beterbiev TKO 12 Enrico Koelling, vacant IBF light heavyweight title

Beterbiev (12-0, 12 KOs) is making his case to become the next big KO artist from the former Soviet block, and he took a major step in this title-winning performance against a game but outgunned Koelling (23-2, 6 KOs) to claim the vacant IBF world title left behind by Andre Ward. True to his nature, Beterbiev moved in for the kill from the very beginning while Germany’s Koelling tried to hold him off and outbox him, to no avail. The Russian powerhouse then decided to pick his spots and turn the fight into a progressive destruction effort, and he had his reward when there were less than 30 seconds left on the clock to finally lift his first title belt and initiate a championship run that could turn him into one of the most attractive fighters in the heavier divisions in the near future.

Also on this card:

Amir Imam TKO 4 Johnny Garcia, junior welterweights

Alex Saucedo KO 3 Gustavo Vittori, junior welterweights

Edinburgh, Scotland, Saturday, November 11

Josh Taylor KO 9 Miguel Vazquez, 12 rounds, junior welterweights

Nice win for the 26-year old Taylor (11-0, 10 KOs), who became the first man to stop the superbly technical and extraordinarily boring Vazquez in his 45-fight career (39-6, 15 KOs) with a right hook to the body. Vazquez, a veteran of many a Top Rank undercard during his four-year reign of tedium, still has all the technical ability that drove him to the championship but he is now in fringe contender/steppingstone territory, in stark contrast with Taylor’s young march towards higher ground.

The winner goes on to: Taylor, trained by Shane McGuigan, has his work cut out for him in one of the toughest divisions in boxing, but if he can continue luring top names into his hunting grounds in the Highlands he is in good shape to build a resume strong enough to secure a title shot within two years or less.

Newcastle, England, Saturday, November 11

Liam Smith UD 12 Liam Williams, junior middleweights

Not so much controversy this time, huh? Their first “Battle of the Liams” ended in controversy after a clash of heads caused Williams to withdraw and thus forfeit the fight to Smith, renewing a bitter feud between both fighters that promised to end in this rematch, which was also a WBO title eliminator to boot. In the end, it was Smith (26-1-1, 14 KOs) who was able to settle the score, this time with a majority decision over Williams (16-2-1, 11 KOs) by scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 114-114, in a fight that clamors for a third episode – perhaps with a world title belt on the line next time.

Bilbao, Spain, Saturday, November 11

Kerman Lejarraga UD 10 Jose del Río, Spanish welterweight title

At first look, a Spanish welterweight title shouldn’t be something to write home about, right? Well, this time it kinda is. Lejarraga (24-0, 19 KOs) is a legitimate blue chip prospect generating lots of interest in the Spanish peninsula, and this fight is a testimony of that since it was the main event of Spain’s first-ever Pay-Per-View card. That was also in part thanks to Del Rio´s popularity as well, but it is clear that Lejarraga is the man to follow here. The card was called the “Night of the Million” in reference to the amount of people who were expected to tune in and probably the amount of money expected to be collected, and over 10,000 souls packed the local arena to witness the event. It is time to make Lejarraga move his act stateside and start putting new numbers in his record. The final ones for this night were given by the three scorecards of 99-90, 98-92 and 99-91 in favor of the “Revolver of Morga” over Del Rio (26-6, 7 KOs).

Cleveland, Ohio, Friday, November 10

Yuandale Evans SD 10 Luis Rosa, featherweights

We’re talking real fights here. Beautiful stuff by Evans (20-1, 14 KOs), who did everything he could to avoid being the only once-beaten fighter in the ring that night and handed Rosa (23-1, 11 KOs) his first career loss after 10 stupendous rounds of action. The fight went back and forth and both fighters seemed on the verge of scoring a stoppage at certain points of the fight, with Rosa being closer to that goal in the fateful 8^th where he rocked Evans into a corner. The tenth and final round was as emotional as it could get, with both fighters continuing to trade unpleasantries well after the final bell sounded as an early call for a rematch, which given the close scorecards (96-94 and 96-93 for Evans, 96-94 for Rosa) is very possible.

Read a full recap of this fight here at TheSweetScience.com

Radzhab Butaev UD 8 Janer Gonzalez, welterweights

Not a very emotional fight, but a great display of boxing skills by Butaev (8-0, 6 KOs), who continued his unbeaten march at the expense of Gonzalez’s (19-1-1, 15 KOs). The Russian former amateur star was wise enough to put rounds in the bank early on and then tough enough to weather the late surge from his Colombian foe, finishing ahead by scores of 80-72, 79-73, 77-75.

Photo credit: HBO Boxing

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Jose Ramirez Blows by Reed: Beterbiev Wins IBF Title in Fresno

Floyd Schofield Wins a Banger and Gabriela Fundora Wins by KO

Published

2 days ago

November 3, 2024

David A. Avila

Floyd-Schofield-Wins-a-Banger-and Gabriella-Fundora-Wins-by-KO

Floyd Schofield Wins a Banger and Gabriela Fundora Wins by KO

LAS VEGAS-Shades of Henry Armstrong and Baby Arizmendi. If you don’t know those names, look them up.

Floyd Schofield battled his way past Mexico’s super tough Rene Tellez Giron who walked through every blow the Texan could fire but lost by decision on Saturday.

It was a severe test and perfect matchmaking for Schofield who yearns for the big bouts against the lightweight giants roaming the world.

Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs) remains undefeated and won the war over thick-necked Mexican Tellez Giron (20-4, 13 KOs) who has never been knocked out and proved to be immune to big punches.

In the opening rounds, the Texas fighter came out firing rapid combinations from the southpaw and orthodox stances. Meanwhile the shorter Tellez Giron studied and fired back an occasional counter for two rounds.

Tellez Giron had seen enough and took his stand in the third stanza. Both unleashed blazing bombs with Schofield turning his back to the Mexican. At that moment referee Tom Taylor could have waved the fight over.

You never turn your back.

The fight resumed and Schofield was damaged. He tried to open up with even more deadly fire but was rebuked by the strong chin of Tellez Giron who fired back in the mad frenzy.

For the remainder of the fight Schofield tried every trick in his arsenal to inflict damage on the thick-necked Mexican. He could not be wobbled. In the 11^th round both opened up with serious swing-from-the-heels combinations and suddenly Schofield was looking up. He beat the count easily and the two remained slugging it out.

“He hit me with a good shot,” Schofield said of the knockdown. “I just had to get up. I’m not going to quit.”

In the final round Schofield moved around looking for the proper moment to engage. The Mexican looked like a cat ready to pounce and the two fired furious blows. Neither was hit with the big bombs in the last seconds.

There was Tellez Giron standing defiantly like Baby Arizmendi must have stood in those five ferocious meetings against the incomparable Henry Armstrong. Three of their wars took place in Los Angeles, two at the Olympic Auditorium in the late 1930s as the U.S. was emerging from the Great Depression.

In this fight, Schofield took the win by unanimous decision by scores 118-109 twice and 116-111. It was well-deserved.

“I tried to bang it out,” said Schofield. “Today I learned you can’t always get the knockout.”

Fundora

IBF flyweight titlist Gabriela Fundora needed seven rounds to figure out the darting style of Argentina’s Gabriela Alaniz before firing a laser left cross down the middle to end the battle and become the undisputed flyweight world champion.

Fundora now holds all four titles including the WBO, WBA and WBC titles that Alaniz brought in the ring.

Fundora knocked down Alaniz midway through the seventh round. She complained it was due to a tangle of the legs. Several seconds later Fundora blasted the Argentine to the floor again with a single left blast. This time there was no doubt. Her corner wisely waved a white towel to stop the fight at 1:40 of the seventh round.

No one argued the stoppage.

Other Bouts

Bektemir Melikuziev (15-1, 10 KOs) didn’t make weight in a title bout but managed to out-fight David Stevens (14-2, 10 KOs) in a super middleweight fight held at 12 rounds.

Melikuziev used his movement and southpaw stance to keep Pennsylvania’s Stevens from being able to connect with combinations. But Stevens did show he could handle “The Bully’s” punching power over the 12-round fight.

After 12 rounds one judge favored Stevens 116-112, while two others saw Melikuziev the winner by split decision 118-110 and 117-111.

Super middleweight WBA titlist Darius Fulghum (13-0, 11 KOs) pummeled his way to a technical knockout win over southpaw veteran Chris Pearson (17-5-1, 12 KOs) who attempted the rope-a-dope strategy to no avail.

Fulghum floored Pearson in the first round with a four-punch combination and after that just belted Pearson who covered up and fired an occasional blow. Referee Mike Perez stopped the fight at 1:02 of the third round when Pearson did not fire back after a blazing combination.

Young welterweight prospect Joel Iriarte (5-0, 5 KOs) blasted away at the three-inch shorter Xavier Madrid (5-6, 2 KOs) who hung tough for as long as possible. At 2:50 of the first round a one-two delivered Madrid to the floor and referee Thomas Taylor called off the beating.

Iriarte, from Bakersfield, Calif., could not miss with left uppercuts and short rights as New Mexico’s Madrid absorbed every blow but would not quit. It was just too much firepower from Iriarte that forced the stoppage.

Photos credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

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Results and Recaps from Turning Stone where O’Shaquie Foster Nipped Robson Conceicao

Published

2 days ago

November 2, 2024

Arne K. Lang

Results-and-Recaps-from-Turning-Stone-where-O'Shaquie-Foster-Nipped-Robson-Conceicao

Top Rank was at the Turning Stone casino-resort in Verona, New York, tonight with an 8-bout card topped by a rematch between Robson Conceicao and O’Shaquie Foster with the victor retaining or recapturing his IBF world junior lightweight title. When the smoke cleared, the operative word was “recapturing” as Foster became a two-time title-holder, avenging his controversial setback to the Brazilian in Newark on July 6.

This was a somewhat better fight than their initial encounter and once again the verdict was split. Foster prevailed by 115-113 on two of the cards with the dissenting judge favoring Conceicao by the same margin. Conceicao seemingly had the edge after nine frames, but Foster, a 4/1 favorite, landed the harder shots in the championship rounds.

It was the thirteenth victory in the last 14 starts for Foster who fights out of Houston. A two-time Olympian and 2016 gold medalist, the 36-year-old Conceicao is 19-3-1 overall and 1-3-1 in world title fights.

Semi-wind-up

SoCal lightweight Raymond Muratalla (22-0, 17 KOs) made a big jump in public esteem and moved one step closer to a world title fight with a second-round blast-out of Jose Antonio Perez who was on the canvas twice but on his feet when the fight was stopped at the 1:24 mark of round two. Muratalla, a product of Robert Garcia’s boxing academy, is ranked #2 by the WBC and WBO. A Tijuana native, Perez (25-6) earned this assignment with an upset of former Olympian and former 130-pound world titlist Jojo Diaz,

Other Bouts

Syracuse junior welterweight Bryce Mills, a high-pressure fighter with a strong local following, stopped scrawny Mike O’Han Jr whose trainer Mark DeLuca pulled him out after five one-sided rounds. Mills improved to 17-1 (6 KOs). It was another rough day at the office for Massachusetts house painting contractor O’’Han (19-4) who had the misfortune of meeting Abdullah Mason in his previous bout.

In a junior lightweight fight that didn’t heat up until late in the final round, Albany’s Abraham Nova (23-3-1) and Tijuana native Humberto Galindo (14-3-3) fought to a 10-round draw. It was another close-but-no- cigar for the likeable Nova who at least stemmed a two-fight losing streak. The judges had it 97-93 (Galindo), 96-94 (Nova) and 95-95.

Twenty-one-year-old Long Island middleweight Jahi Tucker advanced to 13-1-1 (6 KOs) with an eighth-round stoppage of Stockton’s teak-tough but outclassed Quilisto Madera (14-6). Madera was on a short leash after five rounds, but almost took it to the final bell with the referee intervening with barely a minute remaining in the contest. Madera was on his feet when the match was halted. Earlier in the round, Tucker had a point deducted for hitting on the break.

Danbury, Connecticut heavyweight Ali Feliz, one of two fighting sons of journeyman heavyweight Fernely Feliz, improved to 4-0 (3) with a second-round stoppage of beefy Rashad Coulter (5-5). Feliz had Coulter pinned against the ropes and was flailing away when the bout was halted at the 1:34 mark. The 42-year-old Coulter, a competitor in all manner of combat sports, hadn’t previously been stopped when competing as a boxer.

Featherweight Yan Santana dominated and stopped Mexico’s Eduardo Baez who was rescued by referee Charlie Fitch at the 1:57 mark of round four. It was the 12^th knockout in 13 starts for Santana, a 24-year-old Dominican father of three A former world title challenger, Mexicali’s Baez declines to 23-7-2 but has lost six of his last eight.

In his most impressive showing to date, Damian Knyba, a six-foot-seven Pole, knocked out paunchy Richard Lartey at the 2:10 mark of round three. A right-left combination knocked Lartey into dreamland, but it was the right did the damage and this was of the nature of a one-punch knockout. Referee Ricky Gonzalez waived the fight off without starting a count.

Knyba, 28, improved to 14-0 (8 KOs). A native of Ghana coming off his career-best win, a fourth-round stoppage of Polish veteran Andrzej Wawrzyk, Lartey declined to 16-7 with his sixth loss inside the distance.

Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 303: Spotlights on Lightweights and More

Published

3 days ago

November 1, 2024

David A. Avila

Avila-Perspective-Chap-303-Spotlights-on-Lightweights-and-More

Those lightweights.

Whether junior lights, super lights or lightweights, it’s the 130-140 divisions where most of boxing’s young stars are found now or in the past.

Think Oscar De La Hoya, Sugar Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather.

Floyd Schofield (17-0, 12 KOs) a Texas product, hungers to be a star and takes on Mexico’s Rene Tellez Giron (20-3, 13 KOs) in a 12-round lightweight bout on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada.

DAZN will stream the Golden Boy Promotion card that includes a female undisputed flyweight championship match pitting Argentina’s Gabriela Alaniz and Gabriela Fundora.

Like a young lion looking to flex, Schofield (pictured on the left) is eager to meet all the other young lions and prove they’re not equal.

“I’ve been in the room with Shakur, Tank. I want to give everyone a good fight. I feel like my preparation is getting better, I work hard, I’ve dedicated my whole life to this sport,” said Schofield naming fellow lightweights Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta “Tank” Davis.

Now he meets Mexico’s Tellez who has never been stopped.

“I’m willing to do whatever it takes,” said Tellez.

Even in Las Vegas.

Verona, New York

Meanwhile, in upstate New York, a WBC junior lightweight title rematch finds Robson Conceicao (19-2-1, 9 KOs) looking to prove superior to former titlist O’Shaquie Foster (22-3, 12 KOs) on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, N.Y. ESPN+ will stream the Top Rank fight card.

Last July, Conceicao and Foster clashed and after 12 rounds the title changed hands from Foster to the Brazilian by split decision.

“I feel that a champion is a fighter who goes out there and doesn’t run around, who looks for the fight, who tries to win, and doesn’t just throw one or two punches and then moves away,” said Conceicao.

Foster disagrees.

“I hope he knows the name of the game is to hit and not get hit. That’s the name of the game,” said Foster.

Also on the same card is lightweight contender Raymond Muratalla (21-0, 16 KOs) who fights Mexico’s Jesus Perez Campos (25-5, 18 KOs).

Perez recently defeated former world champion Jojo Diaz last February in California.

“We’re made for challenges. I like challenges,” said Perez.

Muratalla likes challenges too.

“I think these fights are the types of fights I need to show my skills and to prove I deserve those title fights,” said Fontana’s Muratalla.

Female Undisputed Flyweight Championship

WBA, WBC and WBO flyweight titlist Gabriela “La Chucky” Alaniz (15-1, 6 KOs meets IBF titlist Gabriela Fundora (14-0, 6 KOs) on Saturday Nov. 2, at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada. DAZN will stream the clash for the undisputed flyweight championship.

Argentina’s Alaniz clashed twice against former WBA, WBC champ Marlen Esparza with their first encounter ending in a dubious win for the Texas fighter. In fact, three of Esparza’s last title fights were scored controversially.

But against Alaniz, though they fought on equal terms, Esparza was given a 99-91 score by one of the judges though the world saw a much closer contest. So, they fought again, but the rematch took place in California. Two judges deemed Alaniz the winner and one Esparza for a split-decision win.

“I’m really happy to be here representing Argentina. We are ready to fight. Nothing about this fight has to do with Marlen. So, I hope she (Fundora) is ready. I am ready to prepare myself for the great fight of my life,” said Alaniz.

In the case of Fundora, the extremely tall American fighter at 5’9” in height defeated decent competition including Maria Santizo. She was awarded a match with IBF flyweight titlist Arely Mucino who opted for the tall youngster over the dangerous Kenia Enriquez of Mexico.

Bad choice for Mucino.

Fundora pummeled the champion incessantly for five rounds at the Inglewood Forum a year ago. Twice she battered her down and the fight was mercifully stopped. Fundora’s arm was raised as the new champion.

Since that win Fundora has defeated Christina Cruz and Chile’s Daniela Asenjo in defense of the IBF title. In an interesting side bit: Asenjo was ranked as a flyweight contender though she had not fought in that weight class for seven years.

Still, Fundora used her reach and power to easily handle the rugged fighter from Chile.

Immediately after the fight she clamored for a chance to become undisputed.

“It doesn’t get better than this, especially being in Las Vegas. This is the greatest opportunity that we can have,” said Fundora.

It should be exciting.

Fights to Watch

Sat. ESPN+ 2:50 p.m. Robson Conceicao (19-2-1) vs O’Shaquie Foster (22-3).

Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. Floyd Schofield (17-0) vs Rene Tellez Giron (20-3); Gabriela Alaniz (15-1) vs Gabriela Fundora (14-0).

Photo credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

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