Ricky Hatton once famously referred to light welterweight rival Junior “The Hitter” Witter as being like a boil on his backside. Well, this Saturday night at the Trent FM Arena in Nottingham, England, that boil finally burst as tough Californian puncher Timothy Bradley ripped away the Bradford native’s WBC title as well as any hope he had for a possible showdown with the “Hitman”.
34 year old Witter knew that the cameras of American television giant Showtime where on him and a performance in the bracket of the one he put in when stopping former WBA champion Vivian Harris in seven rounds last September, would add credence to his claim of being the world’s best 140 Ib fighter but it wasn’t to be as Bradley, now 22 – 0 (11), won a razor thin split decision.
Judges Omar Minton and Daniel Van de Wiele seeing it 114 – 113 and 115 – 113 for the visitor, while Franco Ciminale had it 115 – 112 to Witter.
The fight started as a cautious affair with Witter switching stances continuously and pawing with jab as he looked for openings. It seemed clear from the outset that the American challenger was intent on standing back and hoping to counter and part way through the round “The Hitter” moved in, missed, and was forced to absorb a quick flurry.
Despite this success for Bradley, Witter came back with a few decent right hands and was busy enough to take the session.
Round two was much of the same with Witter coming forward looking to score with single shots from awkward angles but again Bradley was slick enough to make him miss and then fire back with his own stinging punches. More…
It was a lively crowd that attended the Harvey Hadden Leisure Centre in Nottingham, England last night. A ‘sea’ of fluorescent green work-jackets awaited the arrival of “Boxing Bin-Man” Rendall Munroe in a Frank Maloney promoted ‘One Night Only’ fight-night.
This was to be ‘TwoTone’ Munroe’s first defence of his European Super Bantamweight title against Frenchman Salem Bouaita.
Bouaita - having gone the distance against Spanish boxer Kiko Martinez, the man Munroe beat for the European crown - was going to be no ‘walkover’ for Munroe.
The opening round saw a very ‘open’ Bouaita throwing long-reaching shots and ‘wild’ punches. Munroe kept concentrated and although he also takes some shots from the Frenchman - he looks the sharper, more polished of the two. More…
April saw the conclusion of the 81st Annual Daily News Golden Gloves, a tournament that began at the end of January. Each year the famed amateur tournament holds the finals at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden, a highlight that many professionals never get the opportunity to experience.
Over the course of two nights the finals put on a total of 33 bouts in the various novice, open and women’s weight classes. In attendance were several past champions including: Jake LaMotta, Mark Breland, Iran Barkley, Emile Griffith, Junior Jones and Monte Barrett.
Also in attendance was two-time National and two-time New York City Golden Glove Champion, Sadam Ali who will be representing the United States in Beijing, China at the 2008 Olympics this August.
Mastic resident Joseph Smith of Veteran’s Memorial Gym made his way to the 178-pound novice finals via 3 knockouts, 1 decision and 1 bye to face Long Beach native Sean Monaghan of Freeport PAL who had a record of 3 decisions, 1 knockout and 1 bye. Both fighters threw hard power punches during the bout but it was Smith who was poised and relaxed as he used superior boxing skills and combinations to outpoint Monaghan by a unanimous 5-0 decision. More…
Last night at the Robin Park Arena in Wigan, England, Steve Woods of VIP Boxing staged an action-packed night of boxing billed as ʽLights Going Outʼ. The main event featured popular Mark Thompson of Heywood, Lancashire, as he faced Polish Boxer Maurycy Gojko, for the Masters International Welterweight title.
But it was a quick nightʼs work for Thompson as he polished-off Gojko in round one of the contest! The Polish man was on the canvas in the first minute of the round but jumped up quickly to take the count from Referee Steve Gray.
A hard left-hook from Thompson, 15-1 (9), sent Gojko,13-9-1 (5), crashing to the canvas in the second half of the round and the impact of his head on the canvas could be heard clearly around ringside! Gojko got to his feet, but Grey stopped the fight just seconds later - seeing that the Pole had not fully recovered from the blow. An impressive victory for Thompson - who afterward proudly ʽdonnedʼ the ʽMasters International Welterweightʼ belt. More…
The ninth installment of Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing series “Punchin’ at the Paradise” could have been renamed “Knockouts at the Paradise” as Andrey Tsurkan stopped Jesse Feliciano inside the distance, a trend all the fighters on the ESPN Friday Night Fights telecast followed in the Bronx , NY on Friday night.
Tsurkan, 26-3 (17), put on a strong performance against Feliciano, 15-7-3 (9), dropping him in the first round and landing heavy blows through the rest of the fight. Tsurkan dominated every round utilizing his jab and landing accurate power punches at will.
The tough Feliciano absorbed the blows in stride but was never able to get the better of the exchanges. He seemed unable to get out the way of the crisp head shots being delivered at will by Tsurkan.
Although the fight was one-sided in the favor of Tsurkan, Feliciano was also able to land some good shots through the fight. More…
Jed Weinstein Presents hosted the fourth annual Box-NYC charity event at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom. The star studded night was highlighted with live boxing televised on ESPN’s Wednesday Night Fights, fine-dining, a Texas Hold ‘Em poker tournament, model and celebrity appearances as well as live and silent auctions. Over the past three years Jed Weinstein has donated $100,000 to The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation through Box-NYC.
Local favorite Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin improved to 18-0 (14) by getting the best of veteran Antwun Echols 31-8-4 (27) over ten rounds. Quillin dropped Echols in the first round and dominated the fight which could have been stopped at anytime during the last three or four rounds.
The domination of Echols and the fact that he is 0-3-3 in his last six fights not winning since 2004 will hopefully indicate to him that it may be time to retire. During the last few rounds of the fight Echols bravely showed his fighter’s spirit by refusing to go down after being on the receiving end of many unnecessary blows, but it was clear that he was out on his feet. More…
As one of the appetisers on last weekend’s delicious menu of title fights, a fine domestic card was presented by Brian Peter’s promotions in Castlebar, Co. Mayo, deep in the West of Ireland. With a fine selection of local fighters on show and a host of international opposition, the arena filled early and a warm atmosphere sparked in anticipation of the evening’s event.
The Breaffy House International Sports Hotel and Resort played host to the festivities. It was an appropriate venue, often employed by Ireland’s best athletes as part of their mental preparation for high level competition, the bill’s headliner Bernard Dunne was in need of some psychological repair following the assassination of his reputation, public persona and ego last year, at the hands of the malicious Spaniard Kiko Martinez.
In his return to the ring, Dunne was opposed by Felix Machado, a former super flyweight title holder and a highly experienced campaigner. Super bantamweight Bernard Dunne had once again captured the attention of the Irish public and was coming to the West of Ireland to attempt to prove a point.
Brian Peters was visible by the ring prior to the events initiation, chatting to the patrons and surveying the arena for any potential details which needed attention. However, the beautifully prepared arena needed little more organisation.
The fighters in turn were preparing with an equal level of concentration, Adnan Amar readied himself in the dressing rooms with his trainer Brendan Ingle, Michael Sweeney smiled and chatted with his training team, Artus Jashkul nodded his head in time with the music pumping through his headphones and later Bernard Dunne paced between the dressing rooms and the arena‘s entrance. Other fighters meandered through the meticulously organised rows of chairs, many in an almost meditative state, mentally preparing to enter into hostilities later in the evening. More…
Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City NJ the fans were treated to a showcase and a slugfest. Miguel Cotto 32-0 (26) proved to be on a different level than Alfonso Gomez 18-4 (8) while Antonio Margarito 36-5 (26) proved he is still an immovable force in the Welterweight division by knocking out Kermit Cintron 29-2 (27).
In the main event Cotto, the WBA Welterweight Champion showed why he is at the top of the division by out-boxing, out-landing and outclassing his game challenger, Gomez.
Cotto came out in the first round swinging, landing shots to the head and body of Gomez.
What was most evident was Cotto’s power, each shot that landed backed up Gomez every time he connected. Not to say that Cotto has ever come into a fight unconfident but his demeanor seemed different from past fights appearing relaxed and very confident as he boxed and landed combinations.
Toward the end of the first round Gomez fell to the canvas from a left hook from Cotto that missed, seemingly off balance as he ducked under the punch. Cotto ended the round comfortably switching between a southpaw and an orthodox stance while landing combination
During the next two rounds the face of Gomez was already showing signs of wear and tear from the Cotto onslaught who continued to land combinations accurately using every punch in his arsenal, straight rights, left hooks and uppercuts. More…
On Friday night, Irish-man Martin Rogan became the first ‘Prizefighter’ winner after successfully defeating Alex Ibbs of Stoke in the quarter-final, Dave Ferguson of North Tyneside in the semi-final and bookies favourite - David Dolan of Sunderland, in the final.
Ironically, aged 36, Belfast Boxer ‘Rogie’ was the oldest of the eight boxers! Rogan received a cheque for £25,000 and the Prize-fighter trophy as well as significantly increasing his profile in a short space of time.
The York Hall, Bethnal Green, England, was packed with an excited crowd awaiting the first of this new style boxing tournament billed as ‘The Prize Fighter Series: The Heavyweights’ promoted by Barry Hearn of Matchroom Sports. Consisting of eight boxers, four quarter-finals, two semi-finals and a final - each contest of three x three minute rounds, all on the same night.
Rogan’s first opponent was Alex Ibbs of Stoke, aged just 22 - it was a match-up of the youngest versus the eldest contender! More…
The Prizefighter Series was a fantastic occasion on Friday night at the York Hall, Bethnal Green, London England. The Matchroom Sports promoted event consisted of seven boxing contests to find the winner of the first Prizefighter Trophy and a cheque for £25,000.
Waiting backstage should one of the scheduled participants get an injury were boxers Derek Chisora and Dave Ingleby, hoping that they would get a ‘wild-card’ chance to compete as replacements.
The first quarter-final of the night was between big guy Dave Ferguson of North Shields and the more-experienced Billy Bessey of Portsmouth.
Both fighters go all out for it, right from the bell, but Bessey goes down from a big right punch after just 20 seconds of the opening round. He takes the count and continues boxing, but a body shot sends him slightly off-balance in the closing seconds. More…
Final Forum in association with Top Rank headlined an exciting night of boxing entitled “Fists a Flying at the Aviator” a sports and recreation center in Brooklyn , New York this past Thursday.
In the main event, NABF Super Welterweight Champion Yuri Foreman improved to 25-0 (8), out-boxing Saul Roman, 24-5 (20), over ten rounds with scores of 97-93 and 98-92 twice.
Foreman came out from the opening bell boxing and moving well which continued throughout the entire fight. During the third round, Roman was cut by an accidental head-butt over the left eye. The cut streamed with blood in the fourth round and was examined by the ringside physician who allowed the bout to continue. More…
Frank Maloney Promotions put on a competitive undercard to support the British Super Featherweight title fight between Andy Bell and Chirs Edwards on Friday night at the Metrodome in Barnsley, England.
Chief support came from a short lived encounter between Danny Reynolds of Leeds and Jason Rushton of Doncaster. Fighting for the Central Area Light Middleweight title - this was to be Reynoldsʼ first ten-rounder, however, it wasnʼt going to get past the first round! More…
It was a lively crowd that packed the Metrodome in Barnsley, England last night for the Frank Maloney promoted fight night billed as ‘Northern Rock !’
A full fight-card of eleven exciting contests was to be headlined by Stokes’ Chris Edwards making his first defence of the British Super Flyweight title against the younger Andy Bell of Doncaster.
Edwards won the ‘new’ belt from Jamie McDonnell in December and last night faced the taller Bell - who already held the English Super Flyweight title.
Andy ‘Ice-Man’ Bell looked ‘ice-cool’ as he made his entrance to the ring first, as the challenger. Edwards, flanked by the Impact Boxing Team and stable-mate Scott Lawton, entered the ring to the sounds of “I Predict A Riot!” More…
In 1991, Dublin’s National Boxing Stadium hosted it’s first professional show, in which the legendary Steve Collins defeated Danny Morgan in three rounds. The Stadium has enjoyed an illustrious run since that December; fighters such as Jim Rock, the Hyland brothers, Bernard Dunne and recently, John Duddy, have all become Irish heroes through the exposure they have received applying their craft in the country’s premier boxing venue.
In Matthew Macklin, the stadium may well have found a new darling.
The timing of this card was perhaps unfortunate in that it coincided with Ireland’s Easter Holiday weekend. This fact ensured that the crowd never threatened to fill the National Stadium. However, promoter Brian Peters should have been pleased with the night, as the undersized, but warm, vocal crowd cheered the native fighters home in what was an supremely successful night for the Irish. More…
The arctic temperatures and early evening snowstorm did not dampen the mood at the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield on Saturday evening as Bradfordʼs Femi “Fire” Fehintola won an all Yorkshire clash by soundly outpointing the very game and durable Jon Baguley over six rounds.
There was a fantastic atmosphere and Fehintola, returning to the ring for the first time since he won the English super featherweight title by squeezing past Ashton Under Lyneʼs Hollyoaks and Emmadale star Steven Bell last October, was eager to please the crowd with a good performance as he willed the flame haired Baguley forward and then looked to get off his hard counter shots.
20 year old Baguley fell into Fehintolaʼs trap from the opening bell as he, urged on by his legendary trainer Brendan Ingle and one particularly over enthusiastic security guard, surged ahead looking to find Fehintola with neat one-twos, but, for every shot that found its target, a much better one came firing straight back.
Undeterred, Baguley let his hands go again in the second but little got past Fehintolaʼs well kept guard and it was the Bradford man who again had the most success as he manoeuvred his opponent onto the ropes and shoeshined when in close. More…
If Rubin Williams truly was Andre Ward’s first test as a professional, then he passed the exam with relative ease. Fighting in front of a restless home crowd in San Jose on Thursday night, Ward shut out his opponent before a cut forced an end to the bout at the closing of round seven.
The action started slowly, with neither fighter doing much more then exchanging jabs for the better part of two rounds. Yet even the early round jabs foreshadowed what was to be a dominant night for the 2004 Olympic Gold Medallist Andre Ward.
While Ward’s jabs were fast and forceful, Williams offered slow, telegraphed jabs that placed Ward in no danger. An accidental clash of heads highlighted the action in the second round, leaving a laceration over the left eye of Williams.
Perhaps smelling blood, Ward stepped on the proverbial gas pedal in round three, switching to a southpaw stance and landing a pair of sizzling straight left hands that stopped Williams in his tracks as he attempted to move forward.
The Oakland native continued to pour it on in the fourth round, scoring his best punch of the night, a thunderous left uppercut that rocked Williams and had the crowd on it’s feet. Ward poured it on a hapless Williams, landing calculated combinations of left hooks and uppercuts as Rubin lay guarded on the ropes. More…
It was an exciting night of boxing last Friday before St Pattyʼs day, March 14, on another great CES card. The atmosphere was electric at Twin Rivers Event Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island as the fan favorite and New England star Peter “The Pride of Providence” Manfredo Jr. got back on the horse against tough York, South Carolina native Shane “The Irish Hit man” Benfield in the super middleweight main event of the evening.
A great co-feature pitted the IWBF Lightweight Champion Jamie “The Hurricane” Clampitt against the always tough, ten time title challenger Belinda Laracuente. Clampitt was coming off both a win over Jane Couch in a rematch of The Ring Magazineʼs 2004 Womenʼs Fight of the Year and a win over former champion Mia St John.
The night also saw a slew of terrific supporting bouts with knockouts galore.
The Manfredo Benfield bout promised fireworks, as is the case every time that Rhode Islandʼs favorite son comes home. The hard hitting Benfield would be sure to check the chin of the never down Manfredo.
Benfield came into the bout scoring nine knockouts in seventeen victories and bearing only one defeat. With thirty four fights to his credit, Manfredo was clearly the more experienced fighter, although Benfield was five years his senior.
Benfield entered the ring taunting the crowd and pounding his chest, seeming relaxed and confident. Fittingly, Peter Manfredo marched into the ring to the tune “Iʼm Back In The Saddle Again”. More…
It was a lively crowd last night at the GH Carnall Centre in Davyhulme, Manchester, England as David Barnes faced Ted Bami for the vacant British Light Welterweight title in a Matchroom Sports presented fightnight.
Dangerous Ted Bami of Brixton, London entered the ring to the sounds of a reggae melody with lyrics of “I am Dangerous.” A nervous David Barnes of Manchester entered the ring alongside trainer Bob Shannon and Andy Morris Jr.
It was a pretty close first round as both men suss each other out. An accidental clash of heads at the start of round two causes a cut under the left brow of Barnes, which sends a stream of blood down his cheek. More…
When Thomas Mashaba walked into the ring at Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, CT for the sixth defense of his IBO featherweight title this past Friday night as the main event on ESPN2ʼs
Friday Night Fights, he believed that this would lead to bigger and better things. This would be the first time that he would fight in the USA and what a fight it turned out to be. The night was full of exciting bouts from beginning to end and none of them were tactical sleepers. Each and every one of them saw bomb after bomb being dropped as we watched two title fights and three great undercards.
The styles of Mashaba and challenger Cristobal Cruz were perfect for an exciting fight. Mashaba is an accurate puncher who can land from range who also fights well on the inside and he was clearly the better boxer, but Cruzʼs dizzying work rate is enough to make any man back up as he throws from all angles and never stops.
Cruz comes out of his corner in the first round and immediately begins working Mashabaʼs body with hard hooks. Mashaba lands a hard left, right hook combination that staggers Cruz, who does not look so much hurt as surprised. They drop bombs on each other in a vicious exchange.
At this rate, the fight does not look like it has any hope of going the distance. Mashaba begins to land at range and puts Cruz on his back foot. Cruz rushes inside to continue his onslaught to the body. Mashaba ends the round by landing a few good combinations of hooks and uppercuts.
Cruz immediately goes back to it in the second. It is beginning to become evident that he is outlanding Mashaba. Cruz begins to back Mashaba up and the Mexican’s best work is being done inside. He buries his head into the chest of Mashaba and blasts away but Mashaba makes Cruz pay as he steps back and damages the challenger with a big hook. In the last twenty seconds ,they trade violently with neither man giving any ground to the other. More…
Thursday night at the Manhattan Center’s Grand Ballroom in New York City, local fans were treated to what Star Boxing’s Joe DeGuardia called, “the rebirth of Mighty Mike” Arnaoutis as he put on a boxing exhibition to win the vacant USBA Junior Welterweight title.
Back in 2006, Arnaoutis was a rising star of the division, he was undefeated and fought for the vacant WBO Light Welterweight title in November against Ricardo Torres. Although Torres was down in the seventh round Arnaoutis lost the bout by split decision.
Returning to the ring in April 2007, Arnaoutis was given the opportunity to fight an eliminator match for the same WBO Light Welterweight title against Kendall Holt losing by a lopsided decision. More…
