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Charlo and Castano Battle to a Draw in a San Antonio Firefight

For the second time in the last two months an undisputed champion figured to be crowned. All four belts were at stake when WBC/IBF/WBA 154-pound belt-holder Jermell Charlo opposed WBO title-holder Brian Castano at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.
Jermell Charlo, one-half of the best brother combination in boxing (and they share the same birthday) was fighting in his home state and was a consensus 11/4 favorite over his Argentine adversary. But the styles of the two fighters portended an exciting fight and the portent was prescient.
Charlo (34-1-2, 18 KOs) hurt Castano in the second round with a big left hook, but Castano (17-0-2, 12 KOs) returned the favor in the following round, hurting Jermell with a left hook. At the three-quarter pole, Castano had a clear edge with his higher-volume attack, but Charlo had a big 10th and for a moment it appeared that he was going to steal the win with a late KO.
As it turned out, although he won the next two rounds, only a KO would have enabled Jermell to add that fourth belt to his bedpost. The bout went to the scorecards where the result was a stalemate; a split draw: 114-113 for Castano, 117-111 for Charlo, and 114-114. Veteran Puerto Rican judge Nelson Vazquez was the outlier, giving Charlo nine of the 12 rounds, for which he was widely scorned on social media.
Although it didnât settle what it was intended to settle, Charlo vs. Castano was a very good fight, begging a rematch that will likely be pay-per-view.
Co-Feature
The co-feature pit lightweight Rolando Romero against junior welterweight Anthony Yigit who came in five pounds over the contracted 135-pound weight. At stake for Romero was some sort of interim belt.
A Las Vegas native whose father was purportedly a three-time national champion in Cuba, Romero scored three knockdowns en route to a seventh-round stoppage, elevating his record to 14-0 (12). Swedenâs Yigit, a southpaw, took the bout on short notice and was at a distinct disadvantage in punching power.
Romero had a point deducted in round five for hitting on the break and was guilty of several other infractions for which he wasnât penalized. He scored his first knockdown at the bell ending the fifth frame, a left-combination, and added two more in the seventh before the referee stepped in. The official time was 1:54. Yigit declined to 24-2-1.
After the fight, Romero called out Mayweather Promotions stablemate Gervonta âTankâ Davis.
Other Bouts
The TV opener was a fan-friendly 10-rounder fought at the catchweight of 162 pounds. Amilcar Vidal, a Uruguayan who brought a 12-0 (11 KOs) record was a substantial favorite over Virginiaâs Immanuwel Aleem who was 18-2-2 heading in.
In his three previous fights, Vidal scored fast knockouts over undefeated opponents who on paper seemed to match up well with him. But Aleem wasnât intimidated and at the finish one could have raised an argument that the decision should have gone in his favor. As it was, Vidal, who landed the best punch of the fight â a body punch in round six â kept his undefeated record intact, prevailing on a majority decision (95-95; 97-93 twice). The consensus of those turning in on TV was that the 95-95 tally was the fairest.
In the final off-TV fight, Russian import Bakhram Murtazaliev, now fighting out of Oxnard, California, improved to 19-0 (14) with an 8-round unanimous decision over Khiary Gray (16-6) of Worcester, Mass. The judges had it 78-74 and 79-73 twice.
Murtazaliev, ranked #1 by the IBF at 154 pounds, won with room to spare but had a harder fight than expected with Gray who was making his first start in 23 months. Better known back in Worcester for his long rap sheet than for anything he has accomplished in the ring, the hard-trying Gray gave a good effort.
Photo credit: Amanda Westcott / SHOWTIME
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Results and Recaps from Madison Square Garden where Keyshawn Davis KOed Berinchyk

Top Rank was at the Theater at Madison Square Garden tonight. The main event of the 9-bout card was a battle between Olympic silver medalists Keyshawn Davis and Denys Berinchyk. A 36-year-old Ukrainian, Berinchyk was making the first defense of the WBO world lightweight title he won with an upset of Emanuel Navarrete.
Berinchyk, who turned pro at age 27, was undefeated heading in (19-0, 9 KOs), but Norfolk’s Davis, a stablemate of Terence Crawford, is big for the weight and was the younger man by 11 years and the oddsmakers anticipated that the title would change hands.
Berinchyk has an awkward style which lends itself to messy fights and this match was headed in that direction before Davis took charge in the third frame. He put the Ukrainian on the deck with a left to the body and finished the job in the next round with a wicked punch to the liver that sent Berincjyk to his knees, wincing in pain.
He wasn’t able to beat the count and Keyshawn Davis (13-0, 9 KOs, 1 NC) emerged the new champion. The official time was 1:45 of round four.
Co-Feature
Xander Zayas, ranked #1 at junior middleweight by the WBO, scored a ninth-round stoppage of hard-trying but out-classed Slawa Spomer (20-1). During the fight, Zayas (21-0, 13 KOs) worked the body effectively. Several of those punches strayed south of the border, but it was a legitimate body punch that spelled the end for Germanyâs Spomer who was fighting for the first time with Roy Jones Jr in his corner. That punch, a left to the body, was followed by a barrage that led referee Charlie Fitch to step in and stop it. The official time was 2:01 of round nine.
Zayas, fighting for the seventh time at Madison Square Garden, moved one step closer to a title fight.
The first of three fights on the main ESPN platform was a well-matched middleweight contest between Vito Mielnicki Jr and Connor Coyle. In his debut at 160, Mielnicki, the pride of Roseland, New Jersey, seemingly did enough to edge it, but only one of the judges agreed (96-94) whereas the other two had it 95-95, producing a draw. The pro Mielnicki crowd booed the decision.
After the entertaining fourth round, Mielnicki was bleeding from his mouth and Coyle from a cut on the side of his left eye that would eventually bleed more profusely.
The 22-year-old Mielnicki, the younger man by 12 years, failed to win his 13th straight. Heâs now 20-1-1. The 34-year-old Coyle, from Pinellas Park, Florida by way of Derby, Northern Ireland, remains undefeated at 21-0-1 and will presumably retain his lofty ranking (#3) in the World Boxing Association.
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The final fight of the ESPN+ livestream showcased the 19-year-old son of Puerto Rican crowd-pleaser Juan Manuel âJuanmaâ Lopez, a former two-division world title-holder. âJuanmitaâ Lopez De Jesus did his dad proud, needing only 59 seconds to put away Bryan Santiago in super flyweight contest slated for four rounds.
A second-generation Olympian, âJuanmita,â was stepping down in class after coming up short in his last start against two-time gold medalist Hasanboy Dusmatov in the 2024 Paris Games. He ended the contest with a short left hook that put Santiago (1-2-1) down hard, flat on his back.
Abdullah Mason, a 20-year-old, baby-faced assassin from Cleveland continued his rapid ascent up the lightweight ranks with a fourth-round blowout of Stockton, Californiaâs Manuel Jaimes. It was the fifteenth win inside the distance in 17 starts for the undefeated Mason who has lightning-quick hands and appears destined for great things.
Jaimes (16-3-1) had lasted 10 rounds with perennial title challenger Rolly Romero in his last outing and hadnât previously been stopped. He was on the canvas four times before referee David Fields waived it off at the 1:55 mark of round four.
Rising welterweight contender Rohan Polanco who represented the Dominican Republic in the Tokyo Olympiad, advanced to 15-0 (10 KOs) with a second-round stoppage of Puerto Ricoâs Jean Carlos Torres (22-2). The official time was 1:48 of round two.
Polanco, who trains in Boston, decked Torres with a left-right combination in the opening frame and dropped him again in round two with a left hook. Torres was on his feet but on spaghetti legs when referee Eddie Claudio stepped in and stopped it.
Lanky welterweight Keon Davis, the youngest of the three fighting Davis brothers, improved to 2-0 with a second-round stoppage of Kansas City, Missouri plumber Ira Johnson (3-3). Davis had Johnson on the canvas twice before the bout was finished with Johnson showing no inclination to get up after the second knockdown.
Jared Anderson was expected to win as he pleased against unheralded Mario Kollias, but was extended the full 10-round distance by the Greek invader before prevailing on scores of 98-92 and 99-91 twice.
Despite the wide scorecards, Anderson looked very ordinary in a fight that was fought at a glacial pace. Coming off a humbling defeat to Martin Bakole who roughed-him-up and stopped him, the âReal Big Babyâ needed a good showing to restore some of his lost luster but failed to deliver while advancing his record to 18-1 (15).
The only drama was whether Kollias (12-4-1) would moon the crowd on a St. Valentineâs Day as his shorts kept slipping down below the wide strap of his rubber groin protector. They never did fall completely down thanks to referee Fields who repeatedly stopped the action to pull them up.
In the lid-lifter, Chicago construction worker Juan Carlos Guerra (6-1-1) scored a split decision over Nico Ali Walsh (11-2-1). Two judges favored Guerra by 58-56 scores with the dissenter favoring Ali Walsh by the same margin.
Guerra was the aggressor and Ali Walsh, whose career has stalled, didnât have enough steam in his jab to deter him.
Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank
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Avila Perspective, Chap. 313: Global Cooperation — Golden Boy and Matchroom

Boxing always spreads the wealth globally.
This weekend, in particular, powerhouse promotions Golden Boy and Matchroom Boxing connect in a super lightweight main event with world title implications on Saturday, Feb. 15. First in Manchester, England, then moving on to Anaheim, California in the USA.
DAZN will stream both cards.
Saturday morning begins in England where native son Jack Catterall (30-1, 13 KOs) meets Southern Californiaâs Arnold Barboza (31-0, 11 KOs) in a super lightweight eliminator to decide who meets champion Devin Haney later this year.
Yes, Haney still retained the super lightweight world titles though starched badly by Ryan Garcia last April in New York. PED results forced the titles to remain with Haney.
Catterall, 31, who fights for Matchroom Boxing, just recently fought and defeated Regis Prograis last October in Manchester. Both traded knockdowns with the clever southpaw from Lancashire emerging the victor.
Barboza, 33, who fights for Golden Boy, recently won convincingly against former world champion Jose Carlos Ramirez when they battled in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this past November.
Also, on the Matchroom Boxing card, will be an interesting super featherweight title match between Reece Bellotti (19-5. 14 KOs) and Michael Gomez Jr. (21-1, 6 KOs) for British titles.
SoCal
As soon as the British boxing card ends on DAZN, the Southern California portion begins with the main card featuring Oscar Duarte (28-2-1, 22 KOs) against late replacement Miguel Madueno (31-3, 28 KOs) in another super lightweight clash.

Oscar Duarte
The Golden Boy boxing card takes place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Doors open at 1 p.m. Pacific Time.
Duarte was supposed to fight Regis Prograis, but the former world champion was forced to withdraw due to injury. A week ago, Madueno was selected to take the place of Prograis. Itâs now a battle between Mexican sluggers.
Madueno, 26, last fought and lost by decision against Keyshawn Davis. The Sinaloan also lost to Canadaâs Steve Claggett. Audiences in Southern California are very familiar with Madueno who fought several times on Thompson Boxing shows in Ontario and Corona, Calif. He likes to bang.
âDuarte is a tough, aggressive fighter who comes forward with power, But Iâm prepared for that style,â Madueno said. âThis is going to be a battle of two Mexican warriors.â
Duarte, 29, has back-to-back wins over Jojo Diaz and Botirzhon Ahkmedov since losing by knockout to Ryan Garcia on December 2023. The late replacement appeals to Duarte because of his similar fighting style.
âIâm ready for this fight and for this war,â said Duarte at the press conference on Thursday. âHe is going to stand in front of me.â
Oscar De La Hoya said that though they regret Prograis was unable to fight, the replacement Madueno offers a stylistic matchup that appeals to fans.
âHeâs a very exciting fighter and a hard worker,â said De La Hoya of Duarte. âHe is in a tough fight.â
Some of the other interesting fights include welterweight phenom Joel Iriarte, an undefeated fighter from Bakersfield, Calif. Also, super middleweight Darius Fulghum of Houston meets Winfred Harris Jr. of Detroit in the semi-main event. Twelve bouts are planned in Anaheim.
Mohegan Sun – Love and War
On Saturday, at the Mohegan Sun, a solid fight card by CES Boxing is led by Rashidi Ellis (25-1) meeting Jose Angulo (16-9) in a welterweight fight. Also, featherweights Carlos Gonzalez (14-0) fights Alexander Espinoza (23-6-2). DAZN will stream the fight card.
Ellis is based in nearby Massachusetts and has wins over So Calâs Alex Acosta and New Yorkâs Eddie Gomez. He is a stylish fighter who relies on technique, but can pop.
Felix Sturm
In Germany, former world champion Felix Sturm (44-6-3, 19 KOs) at 46 is fighting Benjamin Blindert (14-1-2, 10 KOs), who is 38 on Saturday at Bayern, Germany.
Yes, itâs the same Sturm who fought Oscar De La Hoya back in 2004. It brings back memories to see the German fighterâs name. I remember when he was first supposed to fight De La Hoya back around 2001 or so. The promoters staged a welcome home media day at the Santa Monica Airport. I remember that day vividly because I forgot to check my gas and barely made it to the airport parking lot. When I returned to the car it would not start. I was out of gas. It took me two hours to get the car started again.
That fight did not happen that year due to an injury by De La Hoya. They later fought in a quasi-middleweight world title tournament a couple of years later. De La Hoya won a squeaker in Las Vegas. Then he fought Bernard Hopkins to unify the middleweight division. Hopkins won.
Sturm was always a very solid fighter. Not a big puncher, but a strong fighter with technique. Thatâs what has kept him in the game.
Fights to Watch
Sat. DAZN 11 a.m. Jack Catterall (30-1) vs Arnold Barboza (31-0).
Sat. DAZN 4:30 p.m. Rashidi Ellis (25-1) vs Jose Angulo (16-9).
Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. Oscar Duarte (28-2-1) vs Miguel Madueno (31-3).
Oscar Duarte photo credit: Al Applerose
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Vito Mielnicki Hopes to Steal the Show on Friday at Madison Square Garden

Vito Mielnicki Hopes to Steal the Show on Friday at Madison Square Garden
Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis headlines Top Rankâs St. Valentineâs Day card on Friday in the Theater at Madison Square Garden. Davis (12-0, 8 KOs) seeks to win his first world title as a pro at the expense of fellow unbeaten Denys Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs). An amateur teammate of Oleksandr Usyk and Vasiliy Lomachenko, Berinchyk, 36, became the latest boxer from Ukraine to capture a world title when he upset defending WBO lightweight champion Emanuel Navarrete in his last start.
Xander Zayas makes his seventh appearance at this venue in the co-feature, opposing Germanyâs obscure Slawa Spomer. But although Zayas has built a following among Gothamâs substantial Boricua population, the boxer who will almost certainly draw the loudest ovation on his ring walk is Vito Mielnicki Jr. whose bout â his debut as a middleweight — will kick off the three-fight portion of the card that will air on ESPNâs main platform.
The 22-year-old Mielnicki, nicknamed White Magic, hails from the town of Roseland across the Hudson River in Northern New Jersey, a 35-minute drive from Madison Square Garden assuming optimal weather and traffic conditions. Heâs been attracting eyeballs since he was seven (but reportedly eight) years old. A photo of him hitting a speed bag appeared in the July 10, 2010 issue of the Newark Star-Ledger. The accompanying story said he was having trouble finding sparring partners.
The photo was taken at an amateur boxing club in Newark where Vito trained under the watchful eye of his father. A former high school sports star, the elder Mielnicki would become a fixture on the local scene as an amateur boxing coach and eventually a co-manager and co-promoter at the professional level.
Vito Mielnicki Jr is a throwback to the days when Italian-American boxers were well-represented in the community of prizefighters and the Garden State produced more than its share. World title challengers Tippy Larkin (Antonio Pilliteri), Charlie Fusari, and the colorful Tony Galento all came to the fore within a few miles of each other in Northern New Jersey.
Mielnicki Jr brings a 20-1 (12 KOs) record into his bout with Connor Coyle. Heâs won 12 straight since his âhiccupâ in Los Angeles when he lost a close decision to James Martin. A rematch on July 31, 2021 in Newark fell out when Martin came in far over the contracted weight at the weigh-in.
Connor Coyle fights out of Pinellas Park, Florida, by way of Derby, Northern Ireland. A 34-year-old father of three who has a job remodeling kitchens when heâs back home in Derby, Coyle is ranked #3 at 160 pounds by the WBA whose champion is Erislandy Lara.
Although Coyle is undefeated (21-0, 9 KOs), his high ranking says more about the WBA than about him. However, on paper this is a good match-up, a bit of a step-up fight for Mielnicki who wasnât particularly impressive in his last outing â his first at Madison Square Garden â although he won every round of the 10-round fight on one of the scorecards.
This is Connor Coyleâs first appearance at MSG as a pro. The Irishman wonât lack for rooters and although he lacks a big punch, he will assuredly bring his âAâ game.
The tripleheader on ESPN starts at 9 pm ET / 6 pm PT.
Undercard
The gifted, baby-faced lightweight Abdullah Mason who has a very high ceiling will appear on the undercard as will former Olympians Rohan Polanco and Tiger Johnson in separate bouts. Nico Ali Walsh returns to the ring after avenging his lone defeat, gutting out a 6-round decision over Sona Akale in June of last year, a match in which Walsh fought the last two rounds with a dislocated shoulder. Per boxrec, the card will also mark the return of heavyweight Jared Anderson who meets a sacrificial lamb imported from Greece, but the most recent Top Rank press release does not indicate if this bout will be televised.
Undercard action streams on ESPN+ beginning at 5:15 ET / 2:15 PT.
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