Boxing News Boxing News
There was a good smattering of action across the globe this weekend and we kick off this week’s report with a visit to the glittering Barclays Center in the American city of New York.
That’s where ex-WBC/WBA light welter champ Danny Garcia, 31-0 (18), gave former two-weight world champion Paulie Malignaggi, 33-7 (7), a battering over nine rounds last night.
It was Garcia’s third consecutive contest above light welter but the first at the full welterweight limit and the 27 year old Philadelphian looked to be on form from the opening bell.
Malignaggi had good moments occasionally but he’s never had the kind of concussive punch-power to keep an opponent at bay so at 34 years of age, with slightly diminished reflexes and a year out of the ring, the local Brooklyn man was in a difficult matchup.
As the bout wore on, Malignaggi showed a great deal of heart in soaking up the punishment Garcia continued to dish out but by the ninth round, bleeding from above and below his right eye, the “Magic Man” was stopped at 2:22 of the frame.
Afterward, Malignaggi reportedly retired from the sport to focus on his position as a Boxing analyst for various TV companies.
What’s next for Garcia? He’d likely make a better opponent for Floyd Mayweather Jr than Andre Berto on September 12 but that’s probably why we won’t see that matchup.
At welterweight, Garcia is only ranked by the WBC, where he is at the third position, with Amir Khan and Shawn Porter at numbers one and two, respectively.
A rematch with Khan, who Garcia stopped in 2012, or a clash with Porter would both be excellent bouts.
On the undercard, WBA “regular” middleweight titlist Daniel Jacobs, 30-1 (27), and challenger Sergio Mora, 28-4-2 (9), had a short but entertaining scrap.
In the first round, Jacobs knocked down Mora but was canvassed himself when going in to finish off the Californian. Both fighters completed the frame and were back at it in the second when Mora’s leg buckled and he was accessed another knockdown.
But this time “The Latin Snake” could not continue as he reportedly broke his ankle and the contest was waved off at 2:55 of the second round.
Should there be a rematch? Given the circumstances, one would think so but Jacobs is reportedly not keen on the idea.
Over in jolly old England there was an all-city showdown between local lightweights Luke Campbell, 12-0 (10), and Tommy Coyle, 21-3 (10), in Hull’s Craven Park Stadium.
At stake was the vacant WBC International strap and former Olympic gold medallist Campbell showed his superior skills from the off, proving too quick and slick for his crosstown rival.
A body shot from the tall southpaw put Coyle down in the second and things just never got easier for “Boom Boom”, who soldiered on despite getting outboxed at every turn.
Coyle relentlessly came forward but, with rare exceptions, could not catch up to his fleet foe, absorbing many counter shots along the way.
The curtain came down at 1:41 of the tenth round when the bout was stopped after Coyle was down for the third time in the frame.
With the win, Campbell is now the mandatory challenger for WBC champion Jorge Linares but given the Olympian’s lack of high level opponents thus far, Campbell will likely face a couple of more experienced veterans before taking on the lethal Venezuelan. Or it least he should.
Heading back over the Atlantic, we land at Coliseo Cerrado Mauro Mina in Chincha, Peru, where featherweight Carlos Zambrano, 26-0 (11), defended his WBA Interim crown with a 117-112, 117-112, 115-113 UD over ex-WBA Fedebol super bantam titlist Jose Sanmartin, 17-2-1 (9), of Colombia.
Zambrano could be headed for a showdown with the full WBA champion, Jesus Marcelo Andres Cuellar of Argentina, who won the title by knocking out Vic Darchinyan in June.
Speaking of Argentina, at the Centro Deportivo Municipal in Caseros, WBA Female featherweight champ Edith Soledad Matthysse, 14-7-1 (1), took the WBC title of Canada’s Jelena Mrdjenovich, 35-10-1 (19), in a big unification clash.
The taller, more experienced Mrdjenovich controlled the action early, pursuing Matthysse and dishing out punishment but the sister of former world champion Lucas Matthysse retained her composure and most importantly, her energy, as she maintained distance with good footwork.
In the second half of the bout, the visitor began to run out of gas, likely from throwing most of her punches with knockout intentions to avoid a decision in her opponent’s homeland.
Matthysse took advantage by increasing her workrate and landing sharp counters, picking her spots wisely when to come in an engage the North American.
By the time the smoke cleared after 10 rounds, Matthysse was awarded a 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94 unanimous decision.
Heading north to Mexico, we next find ourselves at Auditorio del Bicententario in Morelia, where former two-weight world champ Jhonny Gonzalez, 58-9 (49), made a successful debut at super featherweight.
The 33 year old slugger made short work of chinny Japanese import Kazuki Hashimoto, 11-5 (7), who was gunned down in the second round.
Gonzalez wins the vacant WBC Continental Americas strap and given a couple of more wins, could be in a position in early 2016 to challenge for the WBC title, currently held by Japan’s Takashi Uchiyama.
On Friday, at Estadio Aldo Cantoni in San Juan, Argentina, IBF Female flyweight champ Leonela Paola Yudica, 10-0-3 (0), retained her belt with a hard fought 97-93, 96-94, 96-94 UD over America’s Tyrieshia Douglas.
