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Victor Oganov, a Fireball Coming Out of the Amateurs, Keeps Plugging Away

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Victor Oganov, now 43 years old, just won’t go away. On Nov. 9, Oganov is scheduled to fight Ben Sila (8-0) in St Marys, New South Wales, Australia.

Victor Oganov was one of the earlier Eastern Euro boxers. He was of Russian and Armenian descent and like his good friend Vic Darchinyan now lives in Perth, Australia. He was 64-16 as an amateur before beginning his professional career in 1998 in St. Petersburg, Russia with a TKO win.

In January of 2001, in his first fight outside Russia, he TKOed trial horse Michael Alexander in Coventry, England. Seven fights later, he stopped terribly limited New Zealander Sam Leuii (12-12-1) in Sydney, Australia. That brought Oganov’s record to 18-0, all coming by way of stoppage.

Oganov had four more fights in Australia and two in Russia before making his U.S. debut in January of 2007 against Richard “The Alien” Grant in Anaheim, CA. This was Oganov’s first fight against an opponent with a recognizable name. (Grant’s major claim to fame was that he had been knocked out cold by “The Harlem Hammer,” James Butler. This occurred after their infamous fight in November 2001 when Butler lived up to his nickname and hammered the unsuspecting “Alien” after the fight with his bare fist. It was a dark day in New York City boxing history but at least Grant got the UD win while Butler got some well-deserved jail time.)

By the time the Russian met Grant in Anaheim, Grant was visibly shop-worn, having just been KO’d by Librado Andrade. Oganov did not disappoint and stopped Grant in the second round, prompting the New Yorker by way of Jamaica to wisely retire at 19-15-1.

Oganov was now 26-0 with all 26 wins coming by stoppage. However, the combined won-loss record of his opponents was 170-177-14, raising serious questions about just how formidable he was. If KOs are your thing, then Victor might just be what the doctor ordered, but something was missing.

Nevertheless, 26-0 is 26-0 and adding to his perceived aura, Team Oganov began calling out the likes of Danny Green, Denis Inkin, Chad Dawson, Carl Froch, The Contender finalist Peter Manfredo Jr and Jeff Lacy. In fact, the now world rated light heavyweight offered to step in for the injured Manny Siaca who was scheduled to face Danny Green on May 30 in Perth. Oganov reportedly offered to fight Green for free. His trainer at the time, Jeff Fenech, even offered a wager of $50,000, but Team Green would have nothing to do with Team Oganov.

Thus, with a perfect record of 26-0 and rated WBO #5, WBC # 17 and WBA # 13 in the light heavyweight division, he signed up to fight Colombian KO artist Fulgencio Zuniga (19-2-1) on Sept. 1, 2007, in Tacoma, Washington. The vacant IBO world super middleweight title would be at stake and questions would be answered about this fearsome Aussie by way of Russia.

Fulgencio’s two losses were to Daniel Santos in a WBO world super welterweight title fight and to future world middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik (26-0). While the Columbian would hit the skids in and around 2011, he presented a formidable test for Oganov at this stage of his career and the smart money was looking at this fight the way Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal studied prospective bets from his perch in Las Vegas.

Zuniga’s experience against far better competition and his all-around better technical skills would be his main advantage against a guy who was looking for his 27th straight KO. He was more than a live underdog.

After losing the opening round, Zuniga swept the last seven on the judges’ scorecards. He then upped the pace and battered and stopped Oganov in the ninth round after decking Oganov with a left hook that left him flat on his back.

ZunigavsOganov2

“I never felt like myself in there…I don’t make excuses, but I injured a rib in February and maybe I came back too soon. I lacked my usual zip. Maybe I was head-hunting too much, I don’t know. What I do know is that I never could connect with my best punch,” said Oganov after the fight.

“This was not an easy fight and Oganov was very strong.” Said Zuniga, but he was being kind. Oganov, while heavy-handed, was overly offensive-minded and could be picked apart by any opponent who exploited his lack of defensive skills, especially a good counterpuncher.

The Russian bounced back with two quick KO wins in 2008 bringing his record to a still eyebrow-raising 28-1 (28 KOs), but then he would be stopped again, this time by Andre Dirrell (16-0) and the shine began to wear off.

Two more wins in 2009 set up an interesting rough and tumble battle with young Garth “From the Hood” Wood which Victor would lose by MD. This further exposed the Russian as more flash than substance. Oganov’s absence of stiff opposition on the way up was rapidly catching up with him. This bout was in the semi-finals of Season 1 of the Australian version of The Contender reality television series. (As an aside, Wood would go on to win the tournament, earning him a shot at Anthony Mundine. His KO of Mundine in 2010 was a monster upset, but Wood lost the rematch and retired in 2014 with a record of 12-4-1.)

Undefeated Michael Bolling (11-0) TKOd Oganov in 2010 and then Brad Pitt (11-0) retired the Russian with another stoppage loss in November of 2011. By then Oganov was competing as a cruiserweight. (Brad Pitt, alias “Hollywood,” retired in 2016 with a record of 19-1.)

 The “Comeback”

Following a now familiar trend of ill-advised comebacks, Victor Oganov returned in 2016 to KO hapless Jae Bryce (3-6) but then disappeared for over two years before coming back in 2018, only to get KOd by streaking Demsey McKean (11-0) and then by Jason Whatteley (4-0) in June of this year.

The days of calling out the likes of Danny Green, Chad Dawson and Carl Froch are long gone for Victor Oganov. Luckily, these overtures were never taken seriously. Hopefully, the affable Oganov, now 32-7, will call it quits after the Sila fight on Nov. 9.

Ted Sares can be reached at tedsares@roadrunner.com

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

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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

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Japan’s magnificent Naoya Inoue, appearing in his twenty-fourth title fight, scored his 11th 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 the winner of the Feb. 2 match between Brandon Figueroa and Stephen Fulton. In “olden days,” this notion would have been dismissed as the Japanese superstar and Figueroa/Fulton 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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Eric Priest Wins Handily on Thursday’s Golden Boy card at the Commerce Casino

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Model turned fighter Eric Priest jabbed and jolted his way into the super middleweight rankings with a shutout decision win over veteran Tyler Howard on Thursday.

In his first main event Priest (15-0, 8 KOs) proved ready for contender status by defusing every attack Tennessee’s Howard (20-3, 11 KOs) could muster at Commerce Casino, the second fight in six days at the LA County venue.

All ticket monies collected on the Folden Boy Promotions card were contributed to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation as they battle wildfires sprouting all over Los Angeles County due to high winds.

Priest, 26, had never fought anyone near Howard’s caliber but used a ramrod jab to keep the veteran off-balance and unable to muster a forceful counter-attack. Round after round the Korean-American fighter pumped left jabs while circling his opposition.

Though hit with power shots, none seemed to faze Howard but his own blows were unable to put a dent in Priest. After 10 rounds of the same repetitive action all three judges scored the fight 100-90 for Priest who now wins a regional super middleweight title.

Priest also joins the top 15 rankings of the WBA organization.

In a fight between evenly matched middleweights, Jordan Panthen (11-0, 9 KOs) remained undefeated after 10 rounds versus DeAundre Pettus (12-4, 7 KOs). Though equally skilled, Panthen simply out-worked the South Caroliina fighter to win by unanimous decision. No knockdowns were scored.

Other Bouts

Grant Flores (8-0, 6 KOs) knocked out Costa Rica’s David Lobo Ramirez (17-4, 12 KOs) with two successive right uppercuts at 2:59 of the second round of the super welterweight fight.

Cayden Griffith (3-0, 3 KOs) used a left hook to the body to stop Mark Misiura at 1:43 of the second round in a super welterweight bout.

Jordan Fuentes (3-0) floored Brandon Badillo (0-3-1) in the third round and proceeded to win by decision after four rounds in a super bantamweight fight.

A super featherweight match saw Leonardo Sanchez (8-0) win by decision over Joseph Cruz Brown (10-12) after six rounds.

Photo credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

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