World Weekend Wrapup: Braehmer, Yaegashi, Inoue Victorious

ByWellington Amadulu

The biggest action over the weekend took place in Germany and Japan, where there were collectively three world title belts on offer.

On Sunday at Ota City Gymnasium in Tokyo, the WBC flyweight and light fly straps were fought over, with one staying with its owner and the other going home with the challenger.

WBC flyweight king Akira Yaegashi, 20-3 (10), sucessfully made the third defense of the belt he won last year with a ninth round KO of former Mexican champ Odilon Zaleta, 15-4 (8).

Making his first attempt at a world title, the slick Zaleta suffered his second loss in a row and was no match for aggressive former WBA and Japanese minimumweight king Yaegashi, who has won five consecutive bouts.

Mexico’s WBC light fly champion Adrian Hernandez, 29-3-1 (18), wasn’t so fortunate as his second reign was ended in six rounds by Japan’s amazing novice Naoya “Monster” Inoue, 6-0 (5).

In only six pro contests, 20 year old Inoue has captured the WBC, OPBF and Japanese titles.

On Saturday at Stadhalle in Rostock, Germany, Juergen Braehmer, 43-2 (32), retained his WBA light heavyweight title with a sxith round stoppage of ex-WBO cruiserweight ruler Enzo Maccarinelli, 38-7 (30).

Both fighters were injured in the first as Brahmer suffered a cut above the right eye but Maccarinelli was plagued by a bad swelling around his right eye that only became worse as the contest continued.

By the fifth, Maccarinelli was effectively a one-eyed boxer and was retired by his team at round’s end.

In Ciudad Delicias, Mexico, Middleweight Marco Antonio Rubio, 59-6-1 (51) won the WBC Interim crown with a tenth round KO of Domenico Spada, 38-5 (19), at Gran Estadio.

Rubio has come up short on world title shots on two occasions, against Kelly Pavlik in 2009 and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in 2012, but appears to be ready for a third crack, as he could face the winner of the upcoming WBC title bout between champion Sergio Martinez and challenger Miguel Cotto.

On Friday at Polideportivo Municipal La Patriada in Florencio Varela, Argentina, Maria Elena Maderna, 12-8-3 (1), defended the WBO Female lightweight belt with a third round KO of Dalia Vasarhelyi, 7-5 (1).

On Thursday at the Melbourne Pavilion in Flemington, Australia, former world title challenger Leonardo Zappavingna, 31-2 (21), won the vacant WBO Oriental light welter trophy with a 10th round halting of Shuhei Tsuchiya, 15-2 (13).