The Past Week in Action 17 March 2020

Highlights:

-Brandun Lee shines on ShoBox and looks a high quality prospect

-Seasoned pro Tshifihiwa Munyai wins the vacant South African title

-A spate of five BBB of C Area title fights mark the temporary shutdown of boxing in Britain.

 

March 13

 

Hinckley, MN, USA: Super Light: Brandun Lee (19-0) W TKO 3 Camilo Prieto (15-3). Super Light: Brian Norman Jr (17-0,1ND) W TEC DEC 7 Flavio Rodriguez (9-2-1). Feather: Aram Avagyan (10-0-1) W PTS 8 Dagoberto Aguero (15-1).

Lee vs. Prieto

Lee much too good for Prieto and just brushes him aside. Prieto seemed to be in survival mode before he even got off his stool and stayed that way. Lee just stalked Prieto in the first rocking him with a right and marking up his face with piercing jabs as well as doing some showboating. Lee upped his pace in the second connecting with overhand rights and left hooks and ramming jabs into Prieto’s face but not really sustaining his attacks. After landing with jabs in the third Lee rocked Prieto with a right counter. He then drove Prieto around the ring landing with hooks and more rights to the head before opening up with a ferocious burst of punches that had Prieto experience some deep hurt until the referee jumped in and stopped the fight. The 5’11” tall Californian turned pro at 17 and is still only 20. He is not being rushed with his first 16 bouts spent fighting four and six rounds in Mexico, where there is virtually no lower limit as to when a fighter can turn pro, and small shows in the USA. It will be difficult to withstand the pressure to push him forward now as he has won his last ten fights inside the distance, has only been taken the distance twice and has recorded eleven first round wins. His amateur record is given as 181-9 and he is said not have lost an armature fight since 2014. Here he certainly looked impressive with his speed and power but he can’t really be fully assessed until he meets much better opposition. Prieto had won his last seven fights with a couple of experienced opponents in those seven but he fought scared here.

Norman vs. Rodriguez

Norman gets technical victory over Rodriguez. Norman was being given a reasonable test by Rodriguez but was on his way to victory until a severe bumping of heads in the seventh saw Rodriguez suffer a vertical cut over his right eye and the fight was stopped. The cards decided it with Norman getting the decision on scores of 68-65 twice and 69-64. The 19-year-old from Georgia , who also turned pro at 17, is the son of Brian Norman Sr who had 30 bouts as a pro between 2003 and 2011 facing guys such as Joe Greene, Jean Pascal, Edwin Rodriguez and Dominic Wade and ended with a 17-11,2 ND record. Young Norman has 14 wins by KO/TKO and as with Lee has done most of his fighting in Mexico. Both of Rodriguez’s losses have now been to undefeated opponents.

Avagyan vs. Aguero

In a clash of former Elite level amateurs Avagyan climbs off the floor twice to get majority decision over Aguero. It was a disastrous start for Avagyan. A thunderous right floored him heavily in the first. He survived that but when they were exchanging heavy punches in the second another strong right floored him. He made it to his feet and to the bell and then over the next six rounds clawed back the deficit from those two early floorings. Scores 79-73 and 78-74 for Avagyan and 76-76. The 29-year-old Armenian won bronze medals at the European Championships in 2013 and 2015 and competed at the 2013 and 2015 World Championships and the 2016 Olympics where he lost to Michael Conlan. This is the second time in a row he has had to climb off the floor for victory. Dominican Aguero’s record is so typical of fighters from the Republic with his first ten victims having just eight wins between them. As an amateur he was Dominican champion representing the Republic at the World Championships and the World Military Championships and won a silver medal at the Pan American Games.

 

Buenos Aires, Argentina: Feather: Facundo Arce (12-2-2) W KO 5 Claudio Echegaray (22-4-2). Arce continues his good run as he pounds on Echegaray until finishing the one-sided fight in the fifth. Arce had Echegaray in deep trouble early in the first dropping his more experienced rival with Echegaray just surviving to the bell. Echegaray took more punishment in the second and third but was put down twice in the fourth. A fierce attack from Arce in the fifth pinned Echegaray in a corner and as Arce unloaded with heavy punches Echegaray slid to the canvas and the towel came in from Echegaray’s corner. Arce, 24, retains the WBA Fedebol title with his sixth inside the distance finish. He is 11-0-2 in his last 13 fights. At one time Echegaray was 21-0-1but 1-4-1 shows serious slippage.

 

Mexico City, Mexico: Fly: Adrian Curiel (16-3) W PTS 10 Rosendo Guarneros (16-4-2). Super Light; Jose Antonio Rodriguez (32-8) W TKO 8 Jose Andres Periban (9-7-1).

Curiel vs. Guarneros

Curiel just too clever for strong but limited Guarneros. The local youngster had the better of the opening rounds with his jabs and straight rights and after four rounds was up 40-36, 39-36 and 38-37. Over the next four rounds Guarneros struggled to get into the fight he was throwing big punches but with little accuracy and was being slowed by body punches from Curiel. It was Curiel who was stronger over the last two rounds and he ran out an easy winner. Scores 98-91, 98-92 and 96-93 for Curiel who picks up the Vacant WBC Fecombox title. Guarneros is 1-3-1 in his last 5 including a points defeat by Sunny Edwards in September.

Rodriguez vs. Periban

Rodriguez gets very late win as he stops Periban with just eleven seconds left in the fight. The 32-year-old southpaw, a former challenger for the interim WBA super feather title, has 28 wins by KO/TKO. He had a mixed year against Filipino opponents in 2019 scoring an upset ninth round stoppage of Mercito Gesta but losing a technical decision to Romero Duno. Periban was given an indefinite suspension in 2016 for assaulting a referee but despite the suspension not being lifted he has continued to fight but not too well as he is 0-4-1in his last 5.

 

Stoke, England: Super Middle: Nathan Heaney (10-0) W PTS 10 Christian Schembri (17-8). Neighbourhood fighter Haney wins his first title as he decisions Schembri in a contest for the vacant IBO Continental title. Haney hit Schembri with everything hooks, uppercuts right crosses but could not put the Maltese boxer away. He rocked Schembri numerous times and opened a cut over Schembri’s left eye. Schembri’s best round was the seventh when he scored to the body. Haney looked to have Schembri in trouble with a left hook in the ninth but Schembri survived. Scores 99-91 twice and 100-90 for Haney. He is looking for some bigger fights and is a big local ticket seller. First fight in Britain for Schembri. Haney drew an unusual warning from the referee as during the fight he joined in the singing with his supporters!

 

March 14

 

Bolton, England: Light: Reece MacMillan (12-1) W TKO 5 Chris Conwell (11-4). Bantam: Sean Cairns (7-2) W RTD 4 Lee Clayton (10-5,1ND).

MacMillan vs. Conwell

Good win for MacMillan as he stops a spirited Conwell for a rare inside the distance win. The 24-year-old MacMillan had won his last seven fights on points and was moving up to ten round class for the first time. Conwell just a bit too rusty after just one fight each in years 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Cairns vs. Clayton

Cairns collects the vacant BBB of C Central Area title as he forces a fourth round retirement from Clayton. The 33-year-old Liverpudlian southpaw has won his last four fights. Clayton suffers his second inside the distance loss in a row in his second try at winning the Area title.

 

London, England: Super Welter: Dean Richardson (12-0) W TKO 7 Konrad Stempkowski (9-3). Sean Phillips (7-1-1) W TKO 1 Davis Pagan (10-3). Cruiser: Iain Martell (9-0) W PTS 10Jose Lopes (9-3).

Richardson vs. Stempkowski

Richardson wares down and halts Stempkowski in the seventh. Richardson was just too strong for Stempkowski and ended it in the seventh pinning Stempkowski to the ropes and unloading punches until the referee stepped in at the same time as Stempkowski’s corner chucked in the towel. The tall 24-year-old Londoner retains the BBB of C Southern Area title as he collects win No 9 by KO/TKO. British-based Austrian Stempkowski has lost 3 of his last 4 contests.

Phillips vs. Pagan

Phillips gets his second quick win in a row as he blasts out Pagan inside a round. Phillips attacked strongly from the opening bell before forcing Pagan into a corner and landing two vicious left hooks which sent Pagan to the floor. He managed to rise but was very shaky and the fight was stopped after just 100 seconds. Last time out Phillips stopped Josh Groombridge in the first round. Phillips is the new BBB of C Southern Area champion. Pagan was just blown away by the quick start of Phillips and has now suffered three inside the distance defeats.

Martell vs. Lopes

There were three Southern Area title fights on the card and this was the only one to go the distance. It was a hard-fought close encounter which could really have gone either way with Martell giving away height and reach to the 6’3” Lopes but the referee saw Martell the winner on his card at 97-95. First title for Martell after not turning pro until he was 27. Angolan Lopes lost a 96-95 decision to Wadi Camacho in an early shot at this same Southern Area title.

 

Liverpool, England: Cruiser: Damian Chambers (11-1) W TKO 2 James Farrell (9-2).  Chambers looked sharp from the start. He used his longer reach to slam jabs through Farrell’s guard and landed with some hefty rights. A right from Farrell seemed to hurt Chambers but he continued to find gaps for his jab. Within seconds of the start of round two a right from Farrell crashed onto Chambers’ jaw and put him down. He was up at seven and when the action resumed Farrell walked in trying to finish things but then he found himself on the floor from a right. The referee indicated it was a slip but Farrell only came half way up then dipped at the knees before getting vertical and he looked shaky. Chambers tried desperately to find a finisher with a still staggering Farrell trying to hold. Chambers broke free and connected with a thunderous right to the head. Farrell went down backwards hitting his head on the bottom rope before it bounced from there to the canvas and it was quite some time before he was able to get up and even then he needed lots of attention. Seventh inside the distance victory for Chambers who wins the vacant BBB of C Central Area title. Farrell had been stopped inside a round in a fight in June but had won his last two contests.

Santiago, Chile: Fly: Andres Campos (9-0) W PTS 10 Pedro Villegas (12-1). Super Light: Ramon Mascarena (12-1) W PTS 8 Jesus Bravo (19-3-1).

Campos vs. Villegas

Campos manages a double whammy as he defends one title and wins another. Over the first three rounds it was Villegas on the front foot with the smaller Campos darting in with quick attacks. Eventually the attacks of Campos forced southpaw Villegas onto the back foot and Campos took control. He took Villegas to the ropes in the sixth and floored him with a left to the body but Villegas beat the count. From there some clever work by Villegas frustrated Campos but he was quicker and busier and boxed his way to the win. The judges did not all agree on how competitive the fight had been as they turned in cards of 98-91, 97-92 and 95-94. Chilean champion Campos, 23, retains the WBA Fedebol title and picks up the WBO Latino belt. First fight outside Ecuador for Villegas.

Mascarena vs. Bravo

Mascarena floors and decisions Bravo. The local fighter had no trouble dealing with the height , the longer reach or the southpaw style of Peruvian Bravo. He put Bravo down in the fourth and controlled the action against the more experienced visitor. Scores 78-72 twice and 78-73. Mascarena’s loss was a second round stoppage in a wild fight with the 25-2-1 Mexican Bryan Flores in Ciudad Juarez in June which saw both of them on the floor. This is second win since then. Bravo was 18-0-1 until he met better opposition and he is now 1-3 in his last 4.

 

Guatemala City, Guatemala: Bantam: Jonathan Coutino (8-0) W TKO 9 Jose Rios (15-8-1,3ND). Guatemalan southpaw Coutino gets late stoppage victory over Rios. Not a lot of class on show here in a bad tempered, scrappy fight. Coutino had slightly better technique than the limited Rios and his straighter punching gave him the edge. There was plenty of rough stuff going on inside and after numerous transgressions Rios eventually lost a point for a punch to the back of the head. This one was schedules for nine rounds and as Rios attacked wildly in the last he was walking into right after right from Coutino and was reeling and defenceless when the referee stopped the fight. The 19-year-old local collects the WBA Fedecentro title which was vacant. Nicaraguan Rios falls to 0-4, 1 ND on his current run.

 

Tijuana. Mexico: Super Welter: Hector Zepeda (19-1) W PTS 10 Mario Vera (6-1). Zepeda continues to ease his way back as he takes unanimous decision over Vera. The 22-year-old native of Tijuana was able to use his longer reach and better skills to outbox the aggressive but crude Vera who soaked up the punishment and kept lunging forward. Zuniga’s loss came in June when he was stopped by the 6’5 ½” Sebastian Fundora and this is his second low level win as he rebuilds. Vera is 33 but just a 4 and 6 round practitioner.

 

Tijuana, Mexico: Super Light: Omar Aguilar (17-0) W TKO 1 David Algeria (10-4).  Feather: Alan David Picasso (13-1) W PTS 10 Jesus Quijada (16-6-2). Middle: Dubiel Sanchez (14-0-2) DREW 8 Dilan Loza (15-3-1).

Aguilar vs. Algeria

Aguilar makes it six inside the distance wins in a row as he halts Algeria in the first. Aguilar came out firing and quickly had Algeria on the retreat. He caught up with him and one left jab/left hook to the chin put Algeria down. He managed to rise but was shaky and the fight was stopped. All over in 34 seconds. The 20-year-old from Ensenada has 16 wins by KO/TKO including 12 in the first round. He collects the WBC Youth Silver title. Algeria is 1-3 in his last 4 but the win was over experienced Eduardo Escobedo.

Picasso vs. Quijada

Picasso wins the vacant WBC Youth belt with unanimous verdict over seasoned pro Quijano. Picasso used his speed, skill and accuracy to outbox the aggressive Quijada and won all the way flooring Quijada in the sixth with a body punch on his way to a convincing victory. Scores 99-90, 99-90 and 99-89 for Picasso. Now nine consecutive wins for the 19-year-old from Mexico City who has experienced Victor Proa and 17-1-1 Anthony Jimenez in his list of victims. Quijada was 4-0-1 going into this contest.

Sanchez vs. Loza

Sanchez fights back from two knockdowns to earn a draw with Loza in an all out war. Sanchez was the harder punches on paper but it was the accuracy of Loza that gave him an edge and saw him move in front with those knockdowns. Sanchez fired back hard to overcome the knockdowns and to deal with the physical advantages held by the 5’11” Loza in what might be voted the preliminary fight of the year in Tijuana. A draw looked about right. Scores 76-74 Loza, 76-74 Sanchez and 75-75. Sanchez, 20, had won his last seven fights and Loza steadied his ship after losing last time out.

 

March 15

 

Randburg, South Africa: Light: Tshifihiwa Munyai (32-6-1) W PTS 12 Siphosethu Mvula (15-4-1). Cruiser: Akani Phuzi (11-0) W KO 3 Alick Gogodo (4-5). Super Middle: Ryno Liebenberg (20-7-1) W PTS 8 Alex Kabengu (5-3-2).

Munyai vs. Mvula

Munyai wins the vacant National title with unanimous points victory. Over the early rounds the pressure came from Mvula but his attacks were uncoordinated and Munyai was rarely troubled. Mvula survived a doctor’s examination of a cut over his left eye and faded late in the fight with Munyai controlling the action. Scores 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112 for Munyai. Despite the 34year-old Munyai having held the Commonwealth and WBA Pan African titles and having fought for the secondary WBA super bantam and IBO titles this is the first time in his 16 year career that he had contested the National title. Mvula, a former National super fly champion, posed some problems with his eccentric style but was just not strong enough to match the naturally bigger Munyai .

Phuzi vs. Gogodo

Phuzi gets his fifth inside the distance win as he scores third round kayo over Gogodo.  Phuzi was under pressure occasionally from the crude attacks of Gogodo but had a far superior technique and was in control by the third. A clubbing right to the side of the head had Gogodo stumbling across the ring to the ropes and he dropped to one knee and was counted out. The 25-year-old South African already has victories over veterans Wilberforce Shihepo and Vikapita Meroro. Malawian Gogodo has won only one of his last six contests.

Liebenberg vs. Kabengu

Good, solid showing from the more experienced Liebenberg. He was the better boxer but Kabengu came to fight and they staged some exciting exchanges. Liebenberg had things well in hand and whilst he was helped by Kabengu losing a point in the fifth he did not need the help as he floored Kabengu in the sixth and was a clear winner. Scores 78-72, 79-71 and 77-73 for Liebenberg. At 36 Liebenberg could not afford to lose this one. He had won only two of his previous eight fights but all eight fight against high grade opposition and mostly on the other guy’s turf. Congolese Kabengu’s other losses have been to unbeaten fighters.