Boxing News Boxing News
We start off in sunny Spain where at Pabellon Central in Vigo, hometown hero Ivan Pozo, 28-5-1 (18), became the latest victim of WBO Flyweight Champion Omar Andres Narvaez, 27-0-2 (17), as the Spaniard could not come out for the eighth round.
Narvaez, known as “El Huracan” in his native Argentina, put on a masterful performance in front of the 5,000 fans that packed the arena and the southpaw put an end to former European champion Pozo’s four fight win streak.
The man from Cordoba has held the WBO belt for six years and has now retained his title successfully 13 times.
Also on the bill, Spain based Colombian slugger Franklin Teran, 26-1 (21), won his 17th bout in a row by stopping Paraguayan veteran Feliciano Dario Azuaga Ledezma, 72-12-2 (61), in the fourth.
At the Eston Sports Academy in Middlesbrough, England, featherweight Paul Truscott, 11-0 (1), posted a twelve round decision over Ghanaian southpaw Osumanu Akaba, 10-4 (8), to capture the vacant Commonwealth Featherweight title.
Heading way down to South Africa, super flyweight Simphiwe “Golden Master” Nongqayi, 14-0 (6), clambered off the floor in the third round to boss Argentina’s Julio David Roque Ler, 25-5 (14), the rest of the way and retain the WBF crown for the third time.
After starting his career 20-0, Ler has had a tougher time over the last three years, going 5-5 over his last ten including a points loss to Tshifhiwa Munyai at bantamweight in February.
Going now to America, gritty southpaw light welter USBA titlist Mike Arnaoutis, 19-2-2 (9), staved off the challenge of previously unbeaten Lanardo Tyner, 19-1 (11), to win a twelve round unanimous decision at Bally’s Hotel in Atlantic City.
Tyner started strong and was giving Arnaoutis all he could handle by the second round but as the bout wore on, “Mighty Mike” began to mix in heavy body shots, sapping the drive and energy of Tyner, who took many shots from the fast handed champion in the later rounds.
On the undercard, heavyweight prospect Devin Vargas, 16-0 (7), made short work of opponent Dave Brunelli, 8-4 (3), stopping the Philadelphian in the very first round with a roundhouse right hand.
At the Isleta Casino in Albuquerque, NM, light welter Mike Alvarado, 21-0 (14), stopped aggressive rival Michel Rosales, 16-2 (14), in the seventh to remain perfect.
Heavy handed Rosales came forward all night and bothered Alvarado with the left to the body but the superb footwork of the Denver man kept him out of serious trouble. The porous defense of Rosales on the inside proved to be his undoing as the sharp boxing Alvarado landed many flush right hands before finishing off the lanky Mexican at 1:28 of the seventh.
Coming off a KO loss to Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in December, local southpaw light middle Ray Sanchez, 21-2 (15), had his hands full with iron-chinned veteran Patrick Thompson, 13-13-1 (5), before pulling out a ten round majority decision.
Philadelphia’s New Alhambra played host to the continuing development of towering welterweight Mike “Machine Gun” Jones as the 25 year old strafed Gilbert Venegas, 10-6-3 (7), over eight rounds to take a wide unanimous decision.
We finish off this week’s Friday report at Cicero Stadium in Cicero, IL where Gary, IN native Derrick “Superman” Findley, 11-2 (6), won his fifth on the trot by outpointing “Macho” Miguel Hernandez, 20-8 (10), over eight frames.
