Boxing In Canada: Weekend Results

ByDanny Wilson

It was a good weekend at the fights north of the border and we start with the undercard of the Timothy Bradley vs. Kendall Holt bill last night at Montreal’s Bell Centre.

Iron-chinned former Canadian light heavy and super middle title challenger David Whittom, 10-8-1 (6), gave Interim WBC Light Heavyweight titlist Adrian Diaconu, 26-0 (15), a good eight rounds, losing on points 80-72 twice and 79-73.

30 year old Quebec City man Whittom will challenge Canadian light heavy champ Jason Naugler in May in Halifax in a rematch to their clash for the vacant belt which Naugler won by a close majority decision two years ago.

Longueuil light middle Paul Clavette, 15-2-1 (3), bounced back from a stoppage loss to American prospect Ronald Hearns last October to finish off 37 year old Jacques Lemaire, 6-8 (4), in four rounds at super middle.

There was a good show across town at the Montreal Casino yesterday afternoon, featuring the return of super middleweight Jean Pascal following his hard fought loss to England’s Carl Froch for the vacant WBC title in December.

Pascal, 22-1 (15), showed good form in knocking out one of Argentina’s top super middles, former WBA title challenger Pablo Daniel Zamora Nievas, 22-6-1 (15), in the fifth round.

NABA super bantam champ Olivier Lontchi, 18-0-2 (8), was also in action at The Casino, producing a seventh round KO of seasoned Mexican Cecilio Santos, 23-10-3 (13), who had challenge for world titles at bantam and suoer flyweight.

Former Canadian heavyweight title challenger Patrice L’Heureux, 23-4-1 (13), stopped American journeyman Joe Stofle, 11-17-2 (10), in the fifth frame after tipping the scales at his lightest weight since 2001.

On Friday at the Palace Banquet Centre in Edmonton, ex-Canadian cruiserweight title challenger James Cermak, 13-2 (9), stopped chinny Mexican light heavy Ernesto Zamora, 17-18 (12), in the fourth round at heavyweight.

Thursday saw former Canadian middleweight champ Larry “Razor” Sharpe, 22-7 (10), lose his third in a row when he was stopped in the 12th and final frame by Colombia’s Oney Valdez, 18-9-1 (12), for the WBA Fedecentro light middleweight belt.

The Manitoba southpaw lost a split decision to Valdez in Winnipeg last October, losing the WBA Fedecentro crown in the process.

Sharpe had only been stopped previously in a Commonwealth middleweight title clash with British champion Scott Dann three years ago in England.