World Weekend Roundup: Alvarez, McDonnell, Chudinov, Figueroa Victorious

There were several good fight cards to report upon this weekend and we start by jetting off to Houston’s Minute Maid Park in the American state of Texas.

That’s where former WBC/WBA light middle champ Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, 45-1-1 (32), banged out KO artist James Kirkland, 32-2 (28), in a thrilling slugfest.

Kirkland immediately went right at Alvarez in a first round KO attempt but found himself on the floor instead. Kirkland made it to his feet and got through the rest of the round before going back to the same approach in the second round.

The pair threw bombs at each other but the difference was defense. Alvarez had some; Kirkland didn’t.

Alvarez landed more than half of his efforts while Kirkland’s connect percentage was low and by the third, Kirkland was down again. While he made it back to his feet again, this time Alvarez managed to better his work and knock his rival out cold with a perfect right hand at 2:19 of the round.

For all his knockouts, chinny banger Kirkland has now been finished inside the distance during both his losses and must learn effective defensive techniques if he is to ever become an elite level competitor in the sport.

Alvarez has huge drawing power in Texas and California and will likely gain another title opportunity in September, during the Mexican Independence Day weekend. There have been reports that he will perhaps face WBC middleweight champ Miguel Cotto, should Cotto turn back the challenge of Daniel Geale next month.

We head 500 miles south to State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas, just on the Mexican border, where former lightweight world champs clashed at light welter.

Former WBC titlist Omar Figueroa, 25-0-1 (18), built up an early lead over ex-WBO ruler Ricky Burns, 37-5-1 (11), until Burns came charging back as Figueroa tired.

Losing two points for holding didn’t help Burns, who lost on the cards by rather wide scores of 117-109, 116-110, 116-110.

Figueroa is probably in line for a title shot at light welter but needs to address stamina issues if he is to unseat one of the world titlists at 140 pounds. Burns could see a career boost, despite the loss, as he gave his opponent all he could handle at times.

Also on the card in Hidalgo, WBA bantam king Jamie McDonnell, 26-2-1 (12), overcame a third round knockdown to post a close UD over ex-WBO bantam champ Tomoki Kameda, 31-1 (19).

Kameda was the faster, sharper boxer and built an early lead over the champion but McDonnell was the one landing the telling blows during the second half of the contest, earning a 114-113 victory on all three scorecards.

McDonnell wins the biggest fight of his career but could be headed for a rematch with Kameda given the very close outcome.

Former WBA light middle champion Austin Trout, 29-2 (16), also made an appearance, halting Luis Galarza, 20-4 (14), in the seventh round.

Crossing the Atlantic, we touch down at Festhalle in Frankfurt, Germany where one of the most popular domestic boxers there attempted to become a world champion for the fifth time.

But things didn’t go as Felix Sturm, 39-5-3 (18) had hoped as he fell short on two cards by scores of 118-110 and 116-112, while winning the third 116-112 to lose a split decision to the vastly less experienced Feodor Chudinov, 13-0 (10).

Chudinov captures the vacant WBA super middle weight title that was recently stripped from Carl Froch and continues the recent trend of novice boxers winning world titles.

Sturm has now gone 2-2-1 over his last five appearances and at 36 could be in the twilight of his career.

Chief support in Frankfurt was provided by light middle Jack Culcay, 20-1 (10), who outpointed Maurice Weber, 21-2-1 (8), for the Interim WBA belt.