Aside from the big Pacquiao vs. Diaz card in Las Vegas, there was some good action in America this weekend starting off with the latest bout of Irish sensation John Duddy, who outpointed Charlie Howe at The Castle in Boston, MA.
Duddy, 25-0 (17), was coming off a horrific performance against Montreal based Tunisian fighter Walid Smichet in February and needed an impressive win. At 33 years of age with losses to the only name fighters that he had faced, Joey Gilbert and Cornelius Brundage, Howe, 17-5-2 (9), was handpicked for the purpose.
Not surprisingly, Duddy had little trouble practicing his arsenal against the Midwesterner, finding range to both the head and body with equal success with very little coming back in return.
Howe was hurt at times but the big hearted fighter never stopped trying against his more skilled foe, landing a few good shots here and there to keep Duddy from running roughshod over him.
After the bout ran it’s ten round course, Duddy was awarded the victory on marks of 100-90 on all three scorecards.
In the chief support bout, super middle Donald Orr, 13-0 (5), posted an eight round unanimous decision over Roberto Valenzuela, 44-38-2 (37), on scores of 80-71.
At the Event Centre in Waveland, MS, heavyweight prospect Johnny White, 19-0 (16), stayed on track with an eight round points win over well-traveled opponent Cliff Couser, 26-16-2 (14).
Middleweight Zane Marks, 17-4 (10), stopped Phillip Hammac, 4-20 (2), in the fourth of a scheduled six rounder on the support bill.
On Friday, WBO NABO Bantamweight Abner Mares, 17-0 (10), stayed busy with a dominating ten round points win over Jonathan Arias, 13-2 (6), in a non-title bout at the Morongo Casino in Cabazon, CA.
Also seeing action at Morongo was bantamweight Nestor Rocha, 19-1 (6), won his second in a row following a disastrous loss to novice Jonas Hernandez last September by gaining a UD over heavy-handed Jose Angel Beranza, 30-13-2 (25).
Rocha is scheduled to challenge WBO Champion Gerry Penalosa in August.
Light welter prospect Hector Sanchez, 14-0 (5), defeated faded former super flyweight and bantamweight world title challenger Julio Gamboa, 28-14-2 (17), in a competitive six rounder.
At the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA, Yonnhy Perez, 17-0 (12), captured the vacant NABF Bantamweight crown with a ten round unanimous decision against Mexican super journeyman Oscar Andrade, 36-33-2 (18), in a rematch.
Super feather prospect Dominic Salcido, 16-0 (8), stayed perfect with a hard fought eight rounder points win against Luis Antonio Arceo, 19-7-2 (13).
At the War Memorial in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Colombian lightweight slugger Breidis Prescott, 19-0 (17), was taken the distance by local man Richard Abril, 10-1-1 (5), and narrowly pulled out a split decision victory.
Antwone Smith, 12-1-1 (8), won a battle of welterweight prospects by stopping Juan Camilo Novoa, 13-2 (11), in the fourth round and former US Olympian Ricardo Williams, 11-2 (7), returned to the ring after a three year absence and quickly finished off Sebastien Hamel, 9-14-1 (1), in the first round.
Just 21 years of age, hyper busy super middle Julio Cesar Garcia, 41-3 (35), KO’d Jose Medina, 14-12 (10), in the first frame.