Boxing News Boxing News
We start this week’s Saturday night round-up at the Brandberge Arena in Halle an der Saale, Germany where European Light Heavyweight Champion Thomas Ulrich was shockingly knocked out by Ukrainian southpaw Yuri Barashian in the eighth round.
Barashian, 25-3 (17), had been fed a steady diet of largely record building opposition since losing an IBF Youth Light Heavy title contest to future world super middle title challenger Robert Stieglitz in 2003 and was not expected to defeat Ulrich.
Ulrich, 31-4 (21), was making the second defense of his third reign as European Champion and had twice challenged unsuccessfully for world titles, losing by decision to WBO boss Zsolt Erdei in 2006 and getting stopped by WBC titlist Tomasz Adamek in 2005.
But the German light heavy couldn’t seem to fins the target against Barashian and the Russian body puncher hurt Ulrich in the middle rounds, canvassing the European titlist three times in the seventh before finishing the job in the eighth with a spearing left hook to the liver.
The undercard presented several big names on the Continent with southpaw cruiserweight slugger Alexander Alexeev, 14-0 (13), forcing a third round referee stoppage on American ex-heavyweight Talmadge Griffis, 24-8-3 (16), in defense of the WBO Intercontinental belt, while super middle prospect Dimitri Sartison, 22-0 (14), finished off Argentina’s Pablo Daniel Zamora Nievas, 19-3-1 (13), in eight and former European light middle title challenger Lukas Konecny, 36-2 (18), stayed busy with a second round knockout of Belgium based Zaire man Kimfuta Makussu, 10-12 (3).
Next up, it’s Russia where Alisher Rahimov, 16-0 (8), kept the WBO Asia Pacific Super Feather belt with a fourth round KO of Thailand’s Thitichon Singwancha, 12-2 (4), in Ekaterinburg.
Also on the bill, Eduardo Garcia, 18-5 (7), of Mexico kept his IBF International Bantamweight title with a twelve round decision against Kenya’s previously unbeaten Nick Otieno, 14-1 (4). Rustam Nugaev, 18-5-1 (10), stopped Mexican based Cuban Jose Antonio Izquierdo, 16-3-1 (13), in seven to annex the vacant IBA Lightweight crown and Moscow prospect Grigory Drozd, 29-1 (22), decisioned American Michael Simms, 19-9-1 (13), over eight frames.
Heading back west, heavyweights were in action at the Salle Omnisports in Abbeville, France with Johann Duhaupas, 15-0 (9), rubbing out Edgar Kalnars, 16-11 (9), in three.
Crossing the English Channel, at the K2 Leisure Centre in Crawley, England, former British Super Middle beltholder Matthew Barney, 24-6-1 (6), had his first bout in a year and outpointed Norway’s Kim Jenssen, 10-2 (6), over six rounds at light heavyweight.
Taking a flight to America, we suddenly find ourselves at the Civic Center in Lake Charles, LA where a hard fought battle between ex-world champions took place at light heavyweight.
When the fog of war lifted, 41 year old former IBF titlist Reggie Johnson, 44-7-1 (25), pulled out a split decision verdict over one time WBO trophy holder Julio Cesar Gonzalez, 41-5 (25), to capture the IBA 175 lb belt.
Houston based southpaw Johnson had been inactive sine 2005 and this was only his second bout after losing a split decision to Antonio Tarver for the NABF and USAF titles in 2002.
At Chapparells Community Center in Akron, OH, six foot six inch tall heavily decorated former heavyweight world champion Vonda Ward, 23-1 (17), pounded out a ten round decision against five foot eight inch tall Carlette Ewell, 12-6 (9).
At the Mortorelli Gym in Superior, WI, 37 year old ex-WBA Light Middle kingpin Carl Daniels, 50-12-1 (32), lost for the eighth time in his last nine appearances when he was stopped in seven by light heavyweight Zach “Jungle Boy” Walters, 22-2 (17).
We next head southeast where at Coliseo Hector Sola Bezares in Caugas, Puerto Rico, heavy-handed super bantam Juan Manuel Lopez, 21-0 (19), ended the night of Jonathan Oquendo, 14-2 (9), in the third to retain the WBO Latino crown.
Former WBO Light Flyweight titlist Nelson Dieppa, 25-4-2 (14), snapped a two bout losing streak by stopping Alex Sanchez, 31-7-1 (21), in the seventh to win the WBA Fedbol strap.
Crossing the Carribean by boat, we land at the Ex-Hacienda De Caltengo in Tepeji del Rio in Mexico as domestic super feather titlist Michael Lozado, 27-4-1 (20), stopped overmatched novice Eugenio Lopez, 4-8-1 (1), in the fourth.
At the Viva Mexico Events Center in San Luis Rio Colorado, super flyweights Francisco Arce, 25-4-2 (16), and Marco Antonio Hernandez, 13-4-1 (8), fought to a ten round draw.
We end this week’s Saturday report with a long trip down to Town Hall in Bloemfontein, South Africa, which saw former multi-weight domestic titlist William “Dynamite” Gare, 23-14 (5), stop 41 year old ex-WBA Middleweight Champion Maselino Masoe, 27-5 (26), in the fourth to collect the vacant WBF Super Middle bauble.
It was a packed support bill as former Commonwealth Bantam king Tshifhiwa Munyai, 16-0 (8), won a wide points twelve round decision over Argentina’s Julio David Roque Ler, 25-4 (14), to cage the WBA Intercontinental Bantam title, Mlungisi “The Killer Shark” Dlamini, 17-0-1 (11), crushed Brazil’s Jairo Moura dos Santos, 23-11 (15), in the first to retain his WBF Lightweight crown and Bongani Mahlangu, 9-1 (5), dramatically stopped Peter “The Sniper” Pambeni, 9-3-1 (2), in the 12th and final round to win the WBA Pan African Bantamweight title.
