HITS and MISSES from the Last Weekend of a Lively November

Published

5 years ago

December 2, 2019

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HITS and MISSES from the Last Weekend of a Lively November

To remain grateful in boxing is relatively easy these days, and that was hammered home over Thanksgiving weekend when a bevy of solid fights featuring some of the best fighters in the world took place just about the time everyone in the U.S. was done stuffing their faces with leftovers.

But what were the biggest HITS and MISSES from another busy weekend in the sport that saw former titleholders preparing themselves for bigger fights down the line as well as undefeated up-and-comers and undeterred underdogs looking for statement wins to add to their ledgers?

HIT: Patrick Teixeira’s Huge Upset Over Previously Undefeated Carlos Adames

At most, Patrick Teixeira was probably meant to give rising undefeated junior middleweight Carlos Adames a tough test on his way to bigger and better things. The two met for a vacant secondary title on the undercard of a Top Rank on ESPN+ card at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, but Teixeira did not comply with those assumed plans by the promoter.

Instead, a bloody battle ensued with Teixeira ultimately scoring the biggest win of his career by scores of 116-111, 114-113 and 114-113 after some highly competitive rounds. The difference came during the final moments of the seventh-round when the southpaw Texiera uncorked a barrage of right hooks followed by a left hand that dropped Adames to the canvas.

That it happened so soon after Teixeira seemed he might be on his way to being stopped himself made for some compelling action. It was the Brazilian’s fifth straight win since his only defeat, a second-round knockout to former world title challenger Curtis Stevens in May 2016.

Now, Teixeira is expected to be elevated to full champion by the WBO because current titleholder Jaime Munguia seems ready to move up to the middleweight ranks. That’s quite the turn of events for Teixeira who didn’t seem on track to win a world title anytime soon.

What an amazing win for a fighter seemingly brought in to just be an opponent.

MISS: Russell Mora’s Premature Stoppage of Valdez-Lopez

After original opponent, Andres Gutierrez, weighed 11 pounds over the 130-pound limit on Friday and was scratched from the fight, late replacement opponent Adam Lopez stepped into a really difficult circumstance against former featherweight titleholder Oscar Valdez on Saturday night in the main event of the aforementioned card.

But Lopez acquitted himself well, dropping Valdez in the second round and giving the undefeated Mexican a very tough fight. After some riveting back-and-forth action, Valdez dropped Lopez with a well-placed left hook to the head followed by a right hand. Lopez rose to his feet and appeared to be weathering the storm when referee Russell Mora shockingly halted the action.

Due to the danger inherent in the sport, it’s certainly understandable why Mora would want to err on the side of caution. But it sure seemed like Lopez was still in the fight, and he probably should have been given the opportunity to continue considering how well he had done before that moment.

HIT: Casimero Punching His Way Into Bigger Bantamweight Fights

Could John Riel Casimero’s third title in as many weight classes have come at a better time in his career?

Casimero cracked Zolani Tete with a series of right hooks on Saturday in Birmingham, England to win the WBO bantamweight title. Tete was originally part of the recently completed World Boxing Super Series tournament but pulled out of his semi-final bout against Nonito Donaire who eventually lost in a Fight of the Year candidate to Naoya Inoue.

Before the injury sidelined his WBSS plans, Tete was favored over Donaire and had won 12 straight bouts. But Casimero stunningly pulled the upset and picked up the WBO bantamweight title in the process to go alongside the other alphabet belts he had won previously at 108 and 112 pounds.

More importantly than the historical nicety of being a three-division world champion though, Casimero made a solid case to get a big fight against Inoue. The thought of that bout isn’t something that really existed before Casimero’s big win over Tete, so seeing the 30-year-old manifest his own destiny was both surprising and admirable.

MISS: Frampton’s Second Act Being So Shockingly Unlike His First

Admittedly, calling Frampton’s dominant performance over Tyler McCreary on Saturday night on the Top Rank card in Las Vegas a miss is probably a little harsh. By all counts, Frampton’s performance was impressive as he boxed his way to a lopsided 10-round decision.

Still, the thing that made Frampton so spectacular during his run up the ranks during the better part of his career was his willingness to take on tough competition. Indeed, that’s the mindset that made Frampton a world champion in two different weight classes and one of the most popular Irish fighters in recent memory.

Frampton faced the inexperienced and unheralded McCreary in the first bout of the multi-fight deal the 32-year-old signed with Top Rank earlier this year after losing to IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington in December 2018. That move made sense for Frampton’s pocketbook. It also nabbed him TV money and allowed him to set up bigger fights down in the line in front of an American audience.

But Frampton doesn’t really seem like the same fighter he was when he stormed across the Atlantic to outfight Leo Santa Cruz in 2016. He doesn’t even really seem like the same guy who had the audacity to try it for a second time the following year.

Instead, Frampton now seems like an older fighter looking to make the most bang for his buck by taking the path of least resistance. That’s probably why after the win his promoters seemed to be targeting WBO junior lightweight titleholder Jamel Herring over any other names in the deep division, many of which seem more dangerous.

HIT: Matchroom’s Monte Carlo Menagerie

Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn is a welcome addition to the world stage precisely because he always seems to be trying to push boundaries forward. Boxing has always been a global sport, but in recent years it seems to be growing into that in full force thanks to the new technologies and tools that didn’t exist before.

On Saturday, Matchroom promoted a card in Monaco featuring a full slate of interesting and noteworthy action that helped push boxing forward into the next era. Alexander Besputin defeated Radzhab Butaev in a battle of undefeated welterweights vying for a shot at Terence Crawford. Chinese heavyweight prospect Zhilei Zhang defeated Andriy Rudenko by 10-round decision in the 36-year-old’s first fight to go beyond six rounds. And undisputed women’s welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus moved closer to a blockbuster showdown against lightweight champion Katie Taylor by successfully defending her crown against Victoria Bustos.

As suggested by our own Matt Andrzejewski, Besputin is likely on his way to facing Crawford soon because Top Rank and the PBC don’t seem all that interested in working together for fights at 147 pounds. Zhang is just as likely to find himself in a big heavyweight fight soon, even if it’s just on the regional level because his advanced age coupled with his huge fanbase makes matters super urgent. And there probably isn’t any bigger women’s boxing event than the proposed Braekhus-Taylor fight.

What an amazingly strange card, but one that made sense for the location while also helping define important paths forward in 2020.

Photo credit: Mikey Williams for Top Rank

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Floyd Schofield Wins a Banger and Gabriela Fundora Wins by KO

Published

2 days ago

November 3, 2024

David A. Avila

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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

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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

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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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