Did you miss any of the heart-pounding action in the world of boxing this week? Fear not, as Eric Armit has got you covered with ‘The Past Week in Action’! Prepare to be thrilled as we dive into a comprehensive review of all the major cards from the past week, bringing you up to speed on every knockout, upset, and champion’s triumph in the ring.
HIGHLIGHTS:
-Jai Opetaia is stripped of the IBF cruiserweight title but wins the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight title with a points victory over Brandon Glanton and there are wins for Ricardo Salas and Vlad Panin
-Steven Butler, Lenar Perez, Jhon Orobio and Steve Claggett win in Montreal
-Cruiserweight Ryan Rozicki returns to the ring and beats Gerardo Mellado in two rounds.
-Gabriel Alaniz, Sol Cudos and Maria Ferreyra score wins in an all-female card in Buenos Aires
-Juanfe Gomez wins the vacant EBU Silver super feather title in Milan
MAJOR SHOWS:
MARCH 8
LAS VEGAS, NV: CRUISER: JAI OPETAIA (30
-0) W PTS 12 BRANDON GLANTON (21-4). WELTER: RICARDO SALAS (23-2-2) W TKO 8 JESUS SARACHO (16-3-2).WELTER: VLAD PANIN (24-2) W TKO 9 SHINARD BUNCH (22-4-1). FEATHER: PABLO RUBIO (15-0) W PTS 8 ADAN PALMA (14-1). HEAVY: JOSHUA JUAREZ (15-0) W PTS 8 JARDAE ANDERSON (11-2).
Opetaia vs. Glanton
OPETAIA outclasses GLANTON to win the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight title.
Round 1
Opetaia circling Glanton with both boxers just probing with jabs. Glanton just shadowing Opetaia
not cutting off the ring. Opetaia lands a quick right and left and a left to the body
Score: 10-9 Opetaia
Round 2
Opetaia still orbiting the ring but stopping to pierce Glanton’s defence with southpaw lefts. Glanton too slow to close Opetaia down. Opetaia constantly on the move and connecting with right jabs and straight lefts. Two right hooks get through from Opetaia
Score: 10-9 Opetaia Opetaia 20-18
Round 3
Glanton lunging in with rights but again too slow to catch Opetaia. Glanton takes Opetaia to the ropes but Opetaia clinches. Opetaia steps inside and connects with a combination. Glanton warned for holding. Opetaia finding gaps with straight lefts.
Score: 10-9 Opetaia Opetaia 30-27
Round 4
Glanton almost running around the ring trying to catch Opetaia and finally manages to land a couple of hooks to the body. Opetaia lands a couple of clubbing lefts to the head and a right uppercut. Opetaia getting dragged into a brawl but Glanton ineffective inside.
Score: 10-9 Opetaia Opetaia 40-36
Round 5
Both warned for holding. They stand inside and trade punches with Opetaia connecting with hooks and uppercuts. Opetaia scores with a burst of hooks. Glanton holding again and wrestles Opetaia to his knees.
Score: 10-9 Opetaia Opetaia 50-45
Round 6
Opetaia is brawling with Glanton allowing Glanton to land some shots but Opetaia is landing more and cleaner punches. It’s not a pretty fight and Glanton is at last deducted a point for holding. Opetaia lands a combination at the bell.
Score: 10-8 Opetaia Opetaia 60-53
Round 7
Opetaia is staying outside picking Glanton off with jabs and hooks. Glanton is left lunging wildly and getting caught with counters. Much better from Opetaia. He is moving and piercing Glanton’s guard with jabs and some neat uppercuts. Opetaia gets into a brawl but is the one doing the scoring inside. Not much entertainment as Glanton slow and limited not posing any problems for Opetaia
Score: 10-9 Opetaia Opetaia 70-62
Round 8
Opetaia is picking Glanton off with jabs and hooks and a Glanton punch lands low with the action stopped and Opetaia given some recovery time. Glanton is deducted a point for the low punch which without any previous warning seems harsh. Glanton drags Opetaia into a maul and Opetaia is warned for holding. Glanton connects with some hooks to the body inside. Opetaia is on his toes and finding gaps for straight lefts.
Score: 10-8 Opetaia Opetaia 80-70
Round 9
Opetaia circling Glanton and feeding him right jabs, uppercuts and straight lefts. Opetaia trying to avoid being drawn into mauling and Glanton lands a crisp right to the head inside. Both fighters have slowed with Opetaia not moving as much and falls as he tries to dance away from Glanton.
Score: 10-9 Opetaia Opetaia 90-79
Round 10
Opetaia picking off the plodding Glanton with right jabs and straight lefts and sneaky uppercuts. Opetaia bangs home a series of hooks. Glanton lands a heavy right to the head. Opetaia stands in the pocket and connects with punches.
Score: 10-90 Opetaia Opetaia 100-88
Round 11
Glanton wrestles Opetaia to the canvas. Glanton has upped his pace looking to close with Opetaia and take the fight inside. Opetaia trying to contain Glanton’s aggression is deducted a point for holding. They trade punches until Opetaia slides away but then slips to the floor but finishers the round with a burst of punches.
Score: 9-9 Opetaia Opetaia 109-97
Round 12
Opetaia alternating between circling Glanton and stepping in and scoring with an array of punches. A straight left suddenly staggers Glanton who stumbles back but then recovers but Opetaia lands more quality punches.
Score: 10-9 Opetaia Opetaia 119-106
All three judges turned in the same scores.
An impressive display by Opetaia. He was too quick, too mobile and too smart for Glanton and there is already talk of a fight with WBC champion Noel Mikaelyan. Zuffa adds a whole new raft of questions to sanctioning body politics. The IBF stripped Opetaia of their title for going through with this fight. There had been talk right up until quite late that the IBF would recognise it as also a defence of their title but that changed with the IBF feeling their title had been disrespected. IBF Rule 5.H. states that “If a champion participates in an unsanctioned contest within his prescribed weight limit, the title will be declared vacant,” whether he wins or loses the bout. So Opetaia remained IBF champion until the fight started and was then stripped of the title. With Dan White having said that Zuffa would wipe out the exiting sanctioning bodies he can hardly expect a great degree of cooperation.
Glanton was no real test for Opetaia. He had lost a unanimous decision to Chris Billiam-Smith and was rated No 24 by BoxRec. He was just too slow and one-dimensional.
Salas vs. Saracho
SALAS dismantles SARACHO in eight rounds. This one was fairly even over the first two rounds but Salas took control from the third. Saracho was coming forward but Salas was getting the better of the exchanges. He utilised the standard response to a southpaw by catching and rocking Saracho with rights over the fourth and fifth. With half the fight gone Salas had established a good lead and he built on that in the sixth landing more and heavier punches. Saracho was rapidly fading out of the fight and before the start of the seventh the referee indicated he needed to see more from Saracho or he would stop other fight. A booming right from Salas in the seventh again had Saracho shaken and in the eighth when Salas drove Saracho to the ropes and a right sent Saracho stumbling into a corner the referee stopped the fight. Salas now has 17 wins by KO/TKO and is 7-0-2 in his last 9 fights. Fellow-Mexican Saracho had beaten Alberto Palmetta and drawn with Luis Lopez.
Panin vs. Bunch
Belarusian-born PANIN leads all the way before halting BUNCH in the ninth. From the start Panin was busier and taking the fight to Bunch. He was quicker with his hands and putting together quick combinations. Bunch just could not find the range, was mostly on the back foot and was not letting his hands go usually just jabbing and not firing combinations. Panin pocketed the first four rounds and then really cut loose in the fifth. He connected with three rights to the head that drove Bunch back to a corner and unloaded more punches before Bunch worked his way out of the corner only for a right from Panin to send his mouthguard flying. Panin continued to break Bunch down until ending the fight in the ninth. Bunch had looked finished at the end of the eighth but he boxed well for most of the ninth until a rightg sent him dropping into the ropes the referee stopped the fight. Third win for Panin since suffering an upset loss against 10-5 Brian Arregui in March last year. First inside the distance defeat for Bunch.
Rubio vs. Palma
RUBIO climbs off the canvas twice in the third to get a unanimous decision over PALMA. Both had some success in a fast-paced opener with Rubio scoring well inside and Palma, the harder puncher, connecting with a hard right. Palma was taking the fight to Rubio and in a wild exchanger of punches in the third he dropped Rubio with a left hook. Rubio climbed to his feet but was put down again by a short right to the head. Rubio got up and was still there at the bell but a 10-7 round. Rubio battled his way into the fight over the fifth and sixth and looked to have taken a tight seventh to close the points gap. It was free-for-all battle in the last which could have been scored for either fighter but the judges went for Rubio who won on scores of 77-73 twice and 76-74 but it was not a popular decision. Rubio was inactive for almost four years before returning with a win in May last year. Palma had won his last three fights by KO/TKO.
Juarez vs. Anderson
JUAREZ takes a unanimous decision over ANDERSON. In a gruelling, slow-paced heavyweight clash Texan Juarez was just that bit more mobile, used his jab to control much of the action and just earned the decision. Scores 79-73, 78-74 and 77-75 .
MARCH 5
MONTREAL, CANADA: SUPER MIDDLE: STEVEN BUTLER (38-5-1) W KO 2 RAMADAN HISENI (22-3-2). CRUISER: LENAR PEREZ (16-0) W PTS 10 ISAAC CHILEMBA (27-11).SUPER LIGHT: JHON OROBIO (17-0) W TKO 5 YOMAR ALAMO (22-6-1).SUPER LIGHT: STEVE CLAGGETT (40-8-2) W TKO 2 ALEJANDRO FRIAS (21-13-2). MORENO FENDERO (14-0) W PTS 10 SHAWN MCCALMAN (17-1).
Butler vs. Hiseni
In yet another explosive display BUTLER obliterates Swiss HISENI in two rounds. The danger signs were there in the first when Butler made Hiseni dip at the knees with a right and shook him with another. He ended it dramatically in the second. With Hiseni against the ropes Butler landed a hard right and then a fearsome left hook that dropped Hiseni on his back with his head resting on the bottom rope and the referee immediately signalled the fight was over. A candidate for Kayo of the Year. Butler has lost in two shots at the middleweight title but has now won four straight inside the distance victories since moving up to super middleweight. Butler collects the WBA Continental Americas title. The mixture of fierce power and vulnerability-all 5 of his losses have come inside the distance-makes Butler such a huge draw. Hiseni was having his third fight in Montreal having previously drawn with Butler’s unbeaten stablemate Shamil Khataev and outpointed Alexandre Gaumont.
Perez vs. Chilemba
Cuban PEREZ was too young and too big for experienced CHILEMBA . Both had some rust to shed Perez was having his first fight since April 2025 and Chilemba since May 2024. The 6’5” Perez was able to use his longer reach to dominate at distance and was just too strong inside for Chilemba. The Malawian needed all of his experience to stay in the fight as Perez pounded him with rights. Perez won on 100-90 on each of the three cards and wins the WBA Continental Americas title
Orobio vs. Alamo
OROBIO matches Butler for electrifying power as he beats ALAMO in five rounds. Alamo showed some good skills but was under pressure from the start. It looked to be all over in the third as Orobio forced Alamo to the ropes and then landed three clubbing overhand rights. Somehow Alamo beat the count and survived through the fourth. In the fifth Orobio connected with two left hooks to the body. A dazed Alamo retreated to the ropes and was nailed by an explosive right to the head that dropped him to the canvas half way out under the bottom ropes and the referee did not need to count. Colombian Orobio, 22, looks better in every night. His right was every bit as impressive as Butler’s left and he has 15 wins by KO/TKO. He was making the third defence of the WBA Continental Americas title. Puerto Rican Alamo very much on a downward path with 6 losses in his last 7 fights.
Claggett vs. Frias
Vetern CLAGGETT launches his comeback with a second round stoppage of FRIAS. Claggett landed some useful uppercuts in the first and finished the job in the second. With Frias retreating to the ropes Claggett stepped in and landed a left and a right and a left hook to the head that sent Frias down on his back. He made it to his feet at six but the referee waived the fight over. Claggett, 36, lost on points to Teofimo Lopez for the WBO title in 2024 and is looking to land one more shot at a title. Sixth defeat by KO/TKO for Mexican Frias.
Fendero vs. McCalman
Montral-based Frenchman FENDERO wins a unanimous decision over Colorado’s McCALMAN. This was the best fight of the night pitting the clever boxing of McCalman against the power punching of Fendero. McCalman made the better start and looked to have taken the first two rounds with some smart boxing. Fendero then took over with his harder punching giving him the edge over the middle rounds. As Fendero slowed McCalman had a good seventh and did enough to make the last three rounds closed but just came up short. Fendero won on scores of 96-94 twice and 97-93. He wins the vacant WBC Continental Americas title. McCalman’s only other loss came in a points defeat against Deigo Pacheco in 2024.
MARCH 6
WROCLAW, POLAND: MIDDLE: KAROL WELTER: (21-1) W KO 3 EVANDER CASTILLO (21-5).
WELTER beats Venezuelan CASTILLO on a third round count out. Welter was in charge all the way. He jabbed strongly and switched his attacks from head to body. In the third two left hooks to the body sent Castillo to the canvas and he was counted out. Now 13 wins in a row for the EBU No 14 who was defending the Polish International title. Fifth loss by KO/TKO for Castillo
CORDOBA, SPAIN :FLY: RAFA LOZANO (1-0) W PTS 10 KERVIN ROMERO (10-6).
Former star amateur LOZANO outpoints Venezuelan ROMERO and wins a title in his first professional fight. Southpaw Lozano boxed conservatively over the first two rounds then picked up his pace and floored Romero in the fifth. Romero survived that and lasted the distance with Lazaro winning on scores of 99-90 twice and 97-93 and lifting the Iberio Americas title. Lozano, 21, was European Youth champion, won a silver medal at the World Championships and bronze at the European Championships. He is the son of Rafael Lozano Snr a three-time Olympian who collected medals at two of those Games and is currently coach of Spain’s boxing team.
MARCH 7
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA: LIGHT: MARIA FERREYRA (13-1-1) W RTD 5 DIANA RODRIGUEZ (19-5-1), FLY: GABRIELA ALANIZ (19-2) W DISQ 3 LEIRYN FLORES (25-8-1). MINIMUM: SAL CUDOS (11-1-2) W PTS 10 DAIANA ORTIZ (6-6-2).
Ferreyra vs. Rodriguez
FERREYRA wins the vacant South American title as she breaks down and stops Venezuelan RODRIGUEZ. The visitor had performed well when losing a split decision in a fight for the South American super bantam title in Argentina but the taller Ferreyra was able to pick her apart at distance and Rodriguez did not come out for the sixth round. Ferreyra’s only loss came on points in a challenge for the IBF lightweight title in June last year.
Alaniz vs. Flores
ALANIZ also faced Venezuelan opposition and also won with FLORES disqualified for a butt. Alaniz easily found gaps in the slack defence of Flores and had taken the first two rounds. In the third a butt from Flores opened a bad cut over the right eye of Alaniz and the wound was too bad for Alaniz to continue and Flores was disqualified. Alaniz wins the WBO Latino title. A former WBA, WBC and WBO flyweight champion she has lost in title fights against Marlen Esparza and Gabriela Fundora. Experienced Flores was coming off a win in France against 15-0 Jeyssa Marcel.
Cudos vs. Ortiz
In a clash of local fighters CUDOS took a wide unanimous verdict over ORTIZ. She floored Ortiz in the ninth and won the vacant WBC Latino title. Ortiz failed to make the weight so could not have won the title. Scores 100-89 twice and 99-90. Cudos, a former IBF minimumweight title holder, was back in the first time since losing her title to Kim Clavel in September
HURLSTONE, AUSTRALIA: MIDDLE: AHMED DIB (22-0) W TKO 3 CHAN SALA (13-11).
In his first fight since December 2022 and only his second in ten years, DIB halts Thai SALA in the third round. A left to the body dropped Sala. He got up and piled forward trying to take the fight to Dib but a series of hooks and uppercuts had Sala staggering back and the referee stopped the fight. Dib, 38, from the famous Dib boxing family, is a successful defence lawyer in Sydney but is giving boxing another try. Sala falls to 1-6 in his last 7 bouts.
PERTH, AUSTRALIA: LIGHT: BILLY POLKINGHORN (7-0) W PTS 8 ALBERT PAGARA (37-3). LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT: KIRRA RUSTON (8-0) W TKO BORDIN PEEPUEH (14-9).
Polkinghorn vs. Pagara
POLKINGHORN outpoints Filipino PAGARA. Polkinghorn was just too quick and too mobile for a largely static Pagara. Polkinghorn constantly circled Pagara stabbing home jabs and quick burst of punches, Pagara was too slow to counter and was only dangerous with an occasional shot or when Polkinghorne choose to stand and exchange punches inside. Pagara was blocking a lot of Polkinghorn’s punches but not throwing enough himself. Polkinghorn went onto the front foot over the last three rounds with Pagara constantly retreating just throwing the occasional jab as Polkinghorn came in behind his own jab with hooks and uppercuts as a tired Pagara was in survivals mode. No scores available but Polkinghorn looked to have won every rounds. A classy display of box/punching from the young Australian. Polkinghorn. born in Southend, England, showed great maturity in his move up to eight rounds. Filipino Pagara was viewed as a hot prospect when he went 26-0 as a super bantamweight but periods of inactivity and kayo losses Cesar Juarez and Butsakon Mungchueklang at lightweight established his ceiling.
Ruston vs. Peepueh
Former undefeated Ayustralian champion RUSTON floors Thai PEEPUEH twice for a stoppage win. No round available. A former elite level amateur, Ruston has won all of his fights by KO/TKO. Fifth consecutive loss of Peepueh.
SYDNEY, CANADA: CRUISER: RYAN ROZICKI (21-1-1) W TKO 2 GERARDO MELLADO (12-5). LIGHT HEAVY: BRANDON BREWER (29-4-3) W PTS 8 DANIEL BEAUPRE (6-3).
Rozicki vs. Mellado
ROZICKI returns with a win as he floors and stops Chilean MELLADO in the second round. Rozicki made a slow start in in his first fight for 15 months and in the opening round was rocked by a right to the head from Mellado. That was a wake-up call and Rozicki went to work in the second twice sending Mellado down with body punches and the fight was stopped. First fight for Rozicki since drawing with Yamil Peralta in a fight for the WBC interim title. He will be looking to work his way to a shot at the real title this year.
Brewer vs. Beaupre
Very much at the veteran stage now BREWER also makes a return as he decisions fellow-Canadian BEAUPRE. In his first fight since December 2024 Brewer, 41, took the unanimous decision on scores of 79-73 twice and 78-74.
CHARLEVILLE-MEZIERES, FRANCE: FEATHER: YONI VALVERDE JR (17-1) W TKO 4 JORGE MARTINEZ (19-5-1).
French hope VALVERDE gets a fourth round stoppage win against Mexican southpaw MARTINEZ. The fight started badly for the visitor as he suffered a cut over his left eye in the first round. Valverde was in charge in the second and third and Martinez was cut again in the fourth. After an extended review it was ruled the cut had been cause by a right hook and Valverde was proclaimed the winner. He competed in the WBC Grand Prix but lost on a one round stoppage against Muhamet Qamili.
MILAN, ITALY: SUPER FEATHER: W JUANFE GOMEZ (16-2-1) W PTS 12 FRANCESCO PAPARO (12-2-1). MIDDLE: CHRISTIAN MAZZON (15-5) W PTS 10 FRANCESCO FARAONI (8-1).
Gomez vs. Paparo
Spaniard GOMEZ wins the vacant EBU Silver title with a split decision over local fighter PAPARO. This fight was very low key over the first five rounds with little between either fighter. The sixth saw some fierce exchanges with southpaw Gomez showing the better skills. Paparo was forced onto the back foot trying to counter punch Gomez but Gomez was controlling the fight in close and at distance. Gomez scored heavily in the tenth and Paparo was unable to find a strong finish to turn the fight his way. Gomez won on scores of 115-113 twice to 115-113 for Paparo but Gomez looked to have won comfortably. Gomez is a former holder of the full European super feather title. Paparo had won his last 4 fights.
Mazzon vs. Faraoni
MAZZON floors and outpoints FARAONI to win the vacant Italian title. Faraoni used his longer reach to outscore an aggressive Mazzon in the first. Mazzon had significant success in the second flooring Faraoni with a right which in the end proved to be the defining moment in the fight. Mazzon built on that boost for a couple of rounds but Faraoni recovered and boxed his way back into the fight as Mazzon tired late but could not overcome the early lead Mazzon had built. Scores 96-93 and 96-94 for Mazzon and 95-94 for Faraoni. Mazzon had lost a majority decision against Jan Helin for the EBU Silver title. Faraoni was moving up to ten rounds for the first time.
TOKYO, JAPAN: SUPER FEATHER: YAMATO HATA (18-2-1) W TKO 5 TAE SUN KIM (13-4-2). SUPER FEATHER: SHUNPEI OHATA (8-1) W TKO 7 REO SAITO (7-2.
Hata vs. Kim
HATA beats South Korean champion KIM in the fifth round in an OPBF title defence. This fight was a slow burner and it was the third before there were any meaningful exchanges. In that round Hada caught Kim with a southpaw left driving him to a corner where Hada connected with some power shots. Hata shook Kim again at the end of the fourth but the bell went before Hada could build on that. Hada knocked Kim down twice in the fifth with right hooks and the referee halted the fight. Kim was making the third defence of the OPBF title and 17 of his 18 wins have come inside the distance. He had retained the title last August with a draw against Shigetoshi Kotari who tragically died from injuries received in the fight. Hata had seriously considered retirement but decided to fight on. Kim is now 2-2 in his last 4 fights with the two losses both coming in Tokyo.
Ohata vs. Saito
OHATA wins the WBO Asia Pacific title with a seventh round stoppage of champion SAITO. The fight started at a lively pace with plenty of give and take exchanges. Ohata landed heavily in the fourth and fifth and in the seventh a right from Ohata had Saito turning away pawing at his left eye which seemed to have been damaged and the referee stopped fight. Sixth win on the bounce for Ohata. Saito was defending the title for the first time.
WILKES-BARRE, PA, USA: SUPER LIGHT: KURT SCOBY (19-2) W KO 1 CRISTIAN PEREZ (12-4-1). WELTER: AVIOUS GRIFFIN (19-0) W KO 6 JORGE IBARRA (12-4-1).
Scoby vs. Perez
SCOBY wins a bounce back fight as he knocks out PEREZ in the first round. The fight only lasted 104 seconds and gives Scoby win No 17 by KO/TKO. He had lost on a twelfth round stoppage against unbeaten Aadam Azim in London in December. Only one win in his last four fights for Perez
Griffin vs. Ibarra
GRIFFIN is also doing some rebuilding with his sixth round kayo of IBARRA. Griffin had his 17-bout winning streak snapped in a tenth round kayo loss against 23-1 Julian Rodrigigez. The win over Ibarra is No 18 by KO/TKO for Griffin. First inside the distance defeat for Ibarra.
FIGHT OF THE WEEK: Jai Opetaia vs. Brandon Glanton the only game in town
FIGHTER OF THE WEEK: Opetaia
PUNCH OF THE WEEK: Canty decide between the left hook from Butler and the overhand right from Jhon Orobio they would both be winners in any week
UPSET OF THE WEEK: None
ONE TO WATCH: Canadian-based Colombian super lightweight Jhon Orobio 16-0 14 id SL