South America's top boxing venue, Estadio Luna Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina saw a cracking contest last night with Victor Emilio Ramirez retaining his WBO Cruiserweight title via split decision against the tough challenge presented by Ali Ismailov.

The taller Ramirez looked to keep his Azerbaijani opponent from getting too ambition but Ismailov had not come to lose and it was close for the first half of the bout.

Both men had their moments as the tides changed direction constantly in a contest that was hard to score. The cruiserweights slowed in the later rounds but still, no clear winner emerged from the fray between these two big punchers.

When the scores were read, two of the judges favored Ramirez while the third had Ismailov winning the bout.

Ramirez improves to 15-1 (12), retaining the WBO title by split decision. Ismailov sees a 12 bout win streak go up in flames, falling to 15-2-1 (11).

The legendary Buenos Aires venue Estadio Luna Park features a vacant WBO cruiserweight title clash tonight as Interim champ Victor Emilio Ramirez meets WBO Latino beltholder Ali Ismailov over twelve scheduled rounds.

Just 25 years of age, Ramirez, also known as "El Tyson Del Abasto", has won his last eight bouts over mostly domestic opposition but delivered in a big way in January.

Ramirez went to Germany to face undefeated southpaw Alexander Alexeev but shocked the highly touted Hamburg based prospect, forcing Alexeev to quit after the eighth round to capture the interim WBO crown. More...

Two good cards took place on Thursday and we kick things off in Phitsanulok, Thailand where 23 year old Bangkok southpaw Oleydong Sithsamerchai, 29-0 (12), stayed undefeated while retaining his WBC Minimumweight title on points against longtime PABA Champ Pornsawan Kratindaenggym, 21-2 (16).

30 year old Sa Kaeo based slugger Kratindaenggym had previously only come up short against Donnie Nietes for the vacant WBO belt last year but could not get to grips with the cagey Sithsamerchai, who won on points after twelve rounds.

Yubileiny Sports Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia was the site of a big fight card as Baku's Ali Ismailov, 15-1-1 (10), retained the WBO Latino Cruiserweight crown with a third round KO of Argentine visitor Rodolfo De Dominicis, 13-1-1 (10).

World rated Los Angeles based Russian cruiserweight Vadim Tokarev, 26-1-1 (19), stopped American based Cameroonian opponent Manu Ntoh, 17-16-1 (1), in the eighth frame. More...