Boxing News Boxing News
Aside from the bouts already covered here on SaddoBoxing, it was a real busy weekend around the global fisticuff scene, with most of the action taking place on Friday but the more important action was on Saturday. We’ll cover it all, right here and now, with a little bit of Sunday thrown in for good measure.
If its Friday, it must be America, where in Brownsville, Texas, 36 year old former IBF Light Middle Champ Yory Boy Campas, 91-10 (73), showed there’s still life in his legs and pop to his punch as he stopped outgunned trial horse Fernando Vela, 6-11-1 (3), in the fifth round.
Also on the bill, welterweights Roberto Garcia, 24-2 (17), and Freddy Hernandez, 22-1 (17), engaged in a three round no contest, failing to produce a new IBA titlist.
Heading east, we hit Tampa, Florida where at the Westshore Doubletree Hotel, Colombian slugger Dario Jose Esalas, 30-10 (24), winner of just two of his last eleven bouts, pulled off a major upset by handing former WBO Light Welter kingpin DeMarcus Corley, 31-7-1 (17), a split decision loss over eight rounds.
Corley, who previously had mainly only come up short against world champions, has now lost two in a row to unheralded opponents and could be nearing the end of his 11 year career.
Undefeated Ukrainian lightweight Vasyl Tarabarov, 20-0-1 (8), was also on hand on the bill, getting a win via fifth round DQ when opponent Ilido Julio, 35-14-1 (31), was thrown out for low blows. Julio has now dropped his last eight bouts.
Going south through the Caribbean, we find ourselves in the midst of Womens boxing at the Jean Pierre Complex in Port-of-Spain, on Trinidad and Tobago. At stake were three titles at light middle; the WIBA, WBC and WBA Female crowns.
Holding all the trophies was hometown fighter Jisselle Salandy, 15-0 (6), the Roy Jones Jr, of Womens boxing (she fought for seven world title belts in her previous outing!) and in the other corner was the very experienced Dakota Stone, 8-7-5 (1).
When the smoke had cleared after ten rounds, Salandy emerged victorious, shutting out Stone to take a unanimous decision win.
Going, way, way north to the Marcel Dionne Arena in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada, local hero Benoit Gaudet, 15-1 (6), posted a wide points verdict over twelve rounds to pick up the vacant NABF Super Feather title over Alberto Garza, 16-4-1 (12), of Mexico.
On the undercard, Danielle Bouchard, 9-1-1 (1), annexed the vacant WBC International Female 122 lb title with an eight round unanimous decision against Maria Jose Nunez Anchorena, 8-4 (7).
Crossing the Atlantic, we next hit the tarmac at the DM Area in Karlsruhe, Germany where living legend Womens boxer Regina Halmich, 54-1-1 (16), retained her WIBF Flyweight title with a hard fought ten round majority decision against Israel’s Hagar Shmoulefeld Finer, 14-5-3 (3).
It was the last bout in the 31 year old Halmich’s career, which began in 1994 and consisted of 50 title fights! The Karlsruhe fraulein won titles in three weight classes and was on a twelve year unbeaten streak.
In addition, GBU Super Fly Champ Alesia Graf, 19-1 (8), retained her belt with a ten round points win over Esmerelda Moreno, 8-3 (3), of Mexico.
Also making an appearance, former world middleweight title challenger Khoren Gevor, 28-3 (15), won by seventh round DQ against Nicolas Perillo Rodriquez, 4-7 (1).
Skipping continents, we drop in on legendary venue, the Carousel Casino in Temba, South Africa, where longtime WBC International Bantamweight titlist Vusi Malinga, 17-2-1 (1), kept his crown with a fifth round stoppage over Argentine visitor Sergio Victor Caruso, 14-4-2 (3).
Ex-IBF Super Feather titlist Malcolm Klaasen, 21-4-2 (12), stayed busy by knocking out another Argentine, Pablo Ernesto Oliveto, 12-8-1 (4), also in five.
Across the Indian Ocean, we sail into sunny Australia, where at the Kendron Wavell Services Club in Brisbane, underdog Alex Leapai, 8-2-2 (7), knocked out former Aussie titlist Nathan Briggs, 16-5 (14), in eight rounds at heavyweight to take the vacant OPBF title.
In the chief support bout, OPBF Lightweight beltholder Ranee Ganoy, 24-10-2 (20), won his seventh in a row by knocking out Somchai Nakbalee, 10-4-1 (3).
Down south in Sydney, the Cronulla Leagues Club saw Ryan Waters, 9-2-1 (7), climb off the canvas to keep his IBF Pan Pacific light middleweight strap by stopping Lee Oti, 9-8 (5).
Next up, it’s Saturday already in Tokyo, Japan where at Korakuen Hall, local southpaw Akifumi Shimoda, 17-1 (8), kept hold of his Japanese Super Bantam title by dominating previously unbeaten prospect Hidenori Kobayashi, 13-1-1 (5), over ten rounds.
Returning to North America, there was a big bill at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, NM and WBO Light Flyweight Champion Ivan Calderon, 30-0 (6), kept his unbeaten streak going with a good points win over Juan Esquer, 22-3-1 (17).
WBO Latino Bantamweight supremo, 48-4-1 (37), Jorge Arce rubbed out former WBC Flyweight beltholder Medgoen “3 K Battery” Singsurat, 53-5 (39), in a single round and 21 year old welter Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, 34-0-1 (27), KO’d southpaw Ray Sanchez, 20-2 (15), in six.
Light welter Mike Alvarado, 19-0 (13), stopped veteran Michael Clark, 36-5 (17), in the first round.
Going down to Panama, WBA Super Bantam Champ Celestino Caballero, 28-2 (19), stopped ex-IBF Light Fly and Super Fly titlist Mauricio Pastrana, 34-8-2 (22), in the eighth frame.
Back to Canada, where at the Casino in Montreal, former world middleweight title challenger Sebastien Demers, 22-1 (9), decisioned Mohammad Said, 22-7-1 (15), over twelve to retain the IBF International title.
We finish up on Sunday, where at the Araneta Coliseum in Manilla, Phillipines, Rey Bautista, 24-1 (17), decisioned Antonio Meza, 23-4 (16), to cage the WBO Intercontinental Super Bantam crown.
