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Weekend Boxing Preview

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Weekend Boxing Preview

The advent of legalized gambling in Atlantic City re-energized the famous seaside resort town which had fallen on hard times. During the boom years which crested in the late 1980s, major boxing cards on back-to-back nights were fairly common. That’s the situation again this weekend, an encouraging sign for a city that has been a boom-and bust town twice over.

The action begins tomorrow night (Friday, Jan. 10) at the Ocean Resort Casino (formerly Revel). The ladies take center stage in the SHOWTIME main go where two-time Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields (9-0, 2 KOs) seeks a world title in a third weight class, dropping down to 154 after previously winning titles at 168 and 160. Her opponent, Croatia’s Ivana Habazin (20-3, 7 KOs) has defeated only three fighters with winning records.

The expectation is that this will be another tour-de-force for Shields who has dominated every opponent she has faced with the exception of Costa Rica’s Hanna Gabriels. However, Habazin will certainly bring her “A” game. The bad blood between these women is genuine.

With each victory, Shields, 24, becomes more boastful and she promises to become even louder after Friday night. She now soft-pedals her original nickname, T-Rex, in favor of GWOAT (greatest woman boxer of all time). “I’m once in a century kind of athlete,” she said at Wednesday’s press conference.

Shields’ arrogance makes her easy to dislike but, of course, Habazin’s antipathy goes deeper. They were scheduled to meet on Oct. 5 in Shields’ hometown of Flint, Michigan, but an ugly incident at the weigh-in on the day before the fight caused the bout to be cancelled. A heated verbal confrontation between Habazin’s trainer James Ali Bashir and a sister of Claressa Shields escalated into a frightening scene when a man identified as Artis Mack, Shields ex-con brother, sucker punched Bashir, leaving him with serious injuries.

There aren’t many viable opponents for Shields which is why her team is hopeful that Long Island super middleweight Alicia Napoleon Espinosa makes a strong showing on the undercard. Espinosa (12-1, 7 KOs) is matched against Elin Cederroos (7-0, 4 KOs), a 34-year-old mother of two from Sweden who is making her U.S. debut. On paper, this will be an easy test for “Empress Napoleon”, 33, who owns two shares of a world title at 168.

In a third bout of note, Philadelphia welterweight Jaron “Boots” Ennis (24-0, 22 KOs) opposes Bakhtiyar Eyubov (14-1-1, 12 KOs). The 22-year-old Ennis, who has won 14 straight inside the distance, looks like the real deal. He will have a four-inch height advantage and nearly nine-inch reach advantage over the 33-year-old Eyubov, a native of Kazakhstan who resides in Brooklyn when he isn’t training in Detroit.

Saturday’s show is a Top Rank promotion at the Hard Rock (formerly the Trump Taj Majal). Topping the bill is an intriguing clash between 30-year-old light heavyweights Jesse Hart (26-2, 21 KOs) and Joe Smith Jr. (24-3, 20 KOs). ESPN will televise.

Both of Hart’s losses came in world title bouts with 168-pound title-holder Gilberto Ramirez and both of those bouts were very competitive. Smith, a Long Island construction worker, will always be remembered for knocking Bernard Hopkins into retirement. And that incident has become the central storyline of this fight.

Jesse Hart says that he was personally offended when Smith defeated his Philadelphia homie and has vowed to exact revenge by proxy. He has known Hopkins since he, Hart, was a little boy. B-Hop’s former trainer Bouie Fisher also trained Jesse’s dad Eugene “Cyclone” Hart, a middleweight of some renown.

The semi-windup between super middleweights Steven Nelson and Cem Kilic is likewise a very intriguing boxing match. It’s a rare meeting between undefeated fighters who are a shade beyond the “ShoBox stage” of their careers.

Omaha’s Nelson (15-0, 12 KOs) is a stablemate of Terence Crawford. Kilic (14-0, 9 KOs) was born in Germany but has fought exclusively in the United States. At age 25, he’s the younger man by six years.

In recent years, all of the major promotional groups, but especially Top Rank, have become more aggressive in raiding the amateur ranks for hot prospects. Four members of Top Rank’s youth brigade – Philadelphia heavyweight Sonny Conto, the Adorno brothers from Allentown, PA, and 17-year-old welterweight wonderkid Xander Zayas — will appear on the undercard.

Saturday’s Top Rank card on ESPN goes head-to-head with a Golden Boy Promotions show on DAZN. Dueling shows have become a regular occurrence.

The DAZN show will originate from the Alamodome in San Antonio. Tijuana’s Jaime Munguia (34-0, 27 KOs) opposes Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan (30-3, 21 KOs) in a middleweight contest slated for 12 rounds. It’s Munguia’s debut at 160 after five successful defenses of his WBO world 154-pound title.

spike

Munguia became an overnight sensation in May of 2018 when he blew away Sadam Ali in Verona, New York, snatching away Ali’s title on a fourth-round stoppage. Then only 21 years old, he was anointed Mexico’s next big thing. Although no one has yet defeated him, he lost some of his sheen in April of last year when he was hard-pressed to turn away an unsung Australian, Dennis Hogan.

The colorful 35-year-old O’Sullivan, whose handlebar moustache harks to John L. Sullivan, hails from Cork, Ireland, but has fought extensively in Massachusetts. He’s only lost to world class fighters – specifically Chris Eubank Jr, Billy Joe Saunders, and David Lemieux – but Lemieux knocked him out cold in the opening round, spoiling a rumored match-up between the Irishman and Canelo Alvarez.

The crowd will be pro-Munguia and O’Sullivan has said that he believes his only chance of winning is to score a knockout. He has scored several highlight-reel knockouts during his career so that’s certainly within the realm of possibility, but it will theoretically require a lucky punch to wipe out Munguia considering that Jaime is such a big favorite.

Two local products – lightweight Hector Tanajara (18-0, 5 KOs) and bantamweight Joshua Franco (15-1-2, 7 KOs) — appear on the undercard. Both are natives of the Alamo City but have spent the bulk of the last five years living in Southern California where they train at the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Riverside.

Of the two, Tanajara appears to have been matched the toughest. His opponent is Mexican veteran Juan Carlos Burgos (33-3-2, 21 KOs).

Photo credit: Stephanie Trapp

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Floyd Schofield Wins a Banger and Gabriela Fundora Wins by KO

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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 11th 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

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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 12th 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

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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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