The Past Week in Action 30 May 2022

Miss any of this week’s action in the sport? Get caught up with “The Past Week in Action” by Eric Armit; with a review of all major cards in the boxing for the past week.

Highlights:

-Gervonta Davis stops Rolando Romero in the sixth round to retain the secondary WBA lightweight title

-Erislandy Lara halts Gary O’Sullivan in eight round in defence of the secondary WBA middleweight title

-Jesus Ramos, Eduardo Ramirez and Luis Arias scores points wins.

-Otto Wallin and Shohjahon Ergashev score wins in Dearborn

-An upset sees Dilmurod Satybaldiev beat Maxim Vlasov. Sergey Kuzmin and Alaksei Papin score wins in shows in Russia

– Mahmoud Charr beats Nikola Milacic  in three rounds

-Mexican super lightweight Omar Aguilar extends his winning record to 24 fights with stoppage of Argentinian Alfredo Blanco

-Esquiva Falcao outpoints Cristian Rios in Brazil

 

World Title/Major Shows

 

New York, NY, USA: Light: Gervonta Davis (27-0) W TKO 6 Rolando Romero (14-1). Middle: Erislandy Lara (29-3-3) W TKO 8 Gary O’Sullivan (31-5). Super Welter: Jesus Ramos (19-0) W PTS 10 Luke Santamaria (13-3-1). Super Feather: Eduardo Ramirez (27-2-3,1ND) W PTS 10 Luis Melendez (17-2). Super Welter: Luis Arias (20-3-1,1ND) W PTS 10 Jimmy Williams (18-8-2,1ND).

Davis vs. Romero

Davis overcomes a slow start to crush Romero with a single left in the sixth and retain the secondary WBA title

Round 1

Not a great deal of activity in the round. Romero was busy with his jab with Davis taking his time to figure out Romero’s tactics and the only punch of note was a right from Romero.

Score: 10-9 Romero

Round 2

A clear round for Romero. Again there was not much activity at the start but then Romero exploded a couple of lefts that staggered Davis. He did go down but was wrestled there by Romeo. Davis recovered and landed a good shot late in the round but it was Romero’s round.

Score: 10-9 Romero                                 Romero 20-18

Round 3

Romero was working his jab and connected with a good left to the head and Davis connected with a good counter. The activity was not high and with Davis being the more accurate he just took the round.

Score: 10-9 Davis                                     Romero 29-28

Round 4

A hard round to score as neither fighter landed much. Davis had the better of what exchanges there were scoring with some useful lefts as he switched to southpaw

Score: 10-9 Davis                                     TIED 38-38

 Official Scores: Judge Ron McNair 39-37 Davis, Judge Kevin Morgan 39-37 Romero, Judge Robin Taylor 38-38 TIED

Round 5

It has been a disappointing fight with Davis too cautious and Romero pressing hard but not having much success. This was a better round for Davis as he began to find the range and connected with some stiff lefts. He looked to wince after throwing a left as if he had injured his shoulder and Romero landed a right before the bell.

Score: 10-9 Davis                                     Davis 48-47

Round 6

Romero applied more pressure at the start of the round and continued to come forward. Late in the round as Romero moved in throwing punches Davis had his back against the ropes. As Romero prepared to throw a right Davis fired a thunderbolt of a left hook that sent Romero sprawling into the ropes and down. He managed to make it to his feet but was unsteady and the referee stopped the fight.

The spectacular finish should not obscure the fact that this was not an impressive showing for Davis against a less experienced challenger but it also showed that Davis has considerable power to go with his skills as he has won 25 of his 27 fights by KO/TKO. Hopefully he will get a shot at the winner of the George Kambosos vs. Devin Haney fight on 5 June but Vasyl Lomachenko is also in the mix. Romero was not out of his depth in this fight so he will be back.

Lara vs. O’Sullivan

Lara retains the secondary WBA title with stoppage of O’Sullivan. Lara showed his skills from the first with O’Sullivan as expected rolling forward trying to trap Lara against the ropes and work to the body. The action was slow in the first with Lara finding plenty of gaps in O’Sullivan’s defence and O’Sullivan landing a good left hook to the body. Lara continued to land with straight lefts in the second with O’Sullivan unable to hunt down the Cuban-born southpaw and by the third O’Sullivan’s face was marked up. In the fourth Lara dropped O’Sullivan with two left hooks. O’Sullivan went down on his back then almost somersaulted upright and went back into the fray. The fifth and sixth again saw O’Sullivan ploughing forward and again he was met by a stream of lefts from Lara. O’Sullivan was showing the wear and tear from his aggressive tactics and he was sent reeling with a left late in the seventh. Lara sensed that O’Sullivan had little left and when a punch sent O’Sullivan tumbling into the ropes in the eighth the fight was stopped. First defence of the WBA title for Lara after moving up from super welterweight to seek a big fight in the higher division. Lara is 39 and there is very little chance of him landing a real title fight at this weight. O’Sullivan has lost big fights against David Lemieux, Jaime Munguia, Billy Joe Saunders and Chris Eubank. He had done nothing to justify this title shot with his only fight in the last two and a bit years being against someone with a 16-35-6 record but he was probably selected as his all-out aggressive style  would give Lara the chance to show he was aiming to be more of a fighter and less of a boxer.

Ramos vs. Santamaria

Ramos remains unbeaten with decision over Santamaria. The tall southpaw boxed cleverly over the early rounds using his height and longer reach to score at distance. Santamaria proved tougher than expected and it was a close fight over the first five rounds. Ramos upped his pace over the second half of the fight constantly finding the target with straight lefts. Santamaria fought hard but was being outboxed on the outside and outscored inside and gradually faded out of the fight. Scores 97-93 twice and 98-92 for Ramos. Rated No 9 by the WBO Ramos has met some good second tier opposition and at 21 there is no need to rush him. Santamaria was 11-1-1 in his last 13 bouts including a win over Abel Ramos in February- the uncle of Jesus.

Ramirez vs. Melendez

Ramirez takes majority verdict over Melendez. This was very much a fight of two contrasting halves. Over the first five rounds the quick and skilful Melendez totally out boxed Ramirez and looked to have won all five rounds. Ramirez began to roll from the sixth. He was bulling his way inside working the body and putting Melendez under relentless pressure. Melendez looked to have picked up one of the late rounds but it was very close. That was reflected in the scores of 96-94 for Ramirez and 95-95 but the deciding score of 98-92 for Ramirez had very little to do with what had occurred in the fight. Southpaw Ramirez blew a big chance when he failed to make weight for a challenge to Lee Selby for the IBF feather title in 2017-a fight he lost-but a run of four wins against good level opposition has seen him climb to No 4 with the WBC. Melendez came in on the back of a 15-bout winning streak.

Arias vs. Williams

Arias outpoints Williams. Arias dominated the early action shaking Williams numerous times but Williams survived. Arias set a fast pace and it seemed to catch up with him in the eighth as Williams scored with some heavy shots but Arias came through that minor crisis and swept the ninth and tenth with three judges handing in 99-91 cards. Arias was inactive in 2020 but in 2021 scored a split decision over Jarrett Hurd and lost a split decision to Vaughan Alexander. Williams had scored a win over a returning former WBA super welter title holder Yuri Forman in June last year but then lost to Greg Vendetti in 2021 and Tyrone Jones in March this year.

 

May 26

 

Dearborn, MI, USA: Heavy: Otto Wallin (24-1,1ND) W PTS 10 Rydell Booker (26-5-1). Super Light: Shohjahon Ergashev (22-0) W PTS 8 Luis Veron (19-4-2)

Wallin vs. Booker

Just a pay day for Wallin against the smaller, obese, 41-year-old Booker. Over the first couple of rounds Booker was competitive but carrying 20lbs more on a shorter frame than Wallin slowed Booker and eventually he was really just soaking up punishment without ever looking in any real trouble. Scores 99-91 twice and 100-90 for the 31-year-old Swede. After showing well against Tyson Fury Wallin scored wins over Travis Kauffman and Dominic Breazeale but this was a step back from that level and he needs to step up not down if he wants to get in the heavyweight mix as his only current rating is No 10 with the WBC. Booker is 0-4-1 in his last 4 fights but only Filip Hrgovic has beaten him inside the distance.

Ergashev vs. Veron

Uzbek southpaw Ergashev has the unusual experience of going the distance but easily handles Argentinian Veron. Ergashev, 30, had won his last five fights by KO/TKO but although he floored Veron in the second and eighth rounds Veron rode out the storms and lasted the full eight rounds. The judges all scored it 79-70 with Ergashev losing a point in the seventh for pushing Veron’s head down. Ergashev has won 19 of his fights by KO/TKO and is rated IBF 4/WBO 9/WBA 13/WBC 23. Veron is 0-4 in fights outside of Argentina.

 

Johannesburg, South Africa: Super Feather: Lunga Sitemela (14-1) W RTD 9 Sibusiso Zingange (17-6-2). Super Fly: Ellen Simwaka (10-5-2) W PTS 10 Sharadene Fortuin (13-1-1).

Sitemela vs. Zingange

Sitemela wins the South African title as champion Zingange is unable to continue due to an injury. Zingange boxed well to build a good lead winning five of the first six rounds before Sitemela’s strength began to tell. He was eating into Zingange’s lead and the outcome was in doubt until Zingange suffered a dislocated left shoulder in the ninth and was unable to come out for the tenth. Sitemela’s only loss came in a fight with world rated Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov in Russian. Zingange was making the first defence of the national title.

Simwaka vs. Fortuin

Simwaka gets revenge for 2017 defeat and wins the IBF African belt with split decision over Fortuin. It was Fortuin who went ahead early but Simwaka pressed hard. In the fifth it looked as though Simwaka took a bite out of Fortuin’s neck, and Fortuin looked to have closed the gap in the points. That changed in the ninth when a right from Simwaka put Fortuin down and although Fortuin edged the last it was not enough. Scores 98-91 and 95-94 for former Commonwealth title challenger from Malawi Simwaka and 95-94 for former IBO bantam title holder Fortuin.

 

May 27

 

Lublin, Poland: Super Middle: Osleys Iglesias (6-0) W PTS 12 Isaac Chilemba (26-9-3). Cruiser: Nikodem Jezewski (21-2-1,1ND) W PTS 10 Arturs Gorlovs (9-2-1)

Iglesias vs. Chilemba

Cuban Iglesias passes his first real test as he floors and outpoints Chilemba. Iglesias took the fight to Chilemba from the start. He scored heavily and kept Chilemba on the back foot. Chilemba showed good defensive work and countered well but took steady punishment as Iglesias set a fast pace. He had never had to go past the second round in his five victories so there was some question as to whether he had gone off too quickly but he upped his pace from the sixth. Chilemba seemed to have injured his left hand and Iglesias attacked hard flooring Chilemba with a right in the ninth. It was not a heavy knockdown and Chilemba survived and made Iglesias fight hard to the last bell. Scores 118-109 twice and 120-108 for the Cuban southpaw. Iglesias collects the vacant IBO International and WBA Inter-Continental titles. Iglesias was an elite level amateur scoring a win over David Morell the current holder of the secondary WBA title. Chilemba lost on points to Sergey Kovalev and Dmitry Bivol in WBA title fights and is 2-7-1 in his last 10 fights but the losses have been against top level opposition.

Jezewski vs. Gorlovs

Jezewski returns to the winner’s circle but is given a hard fight by strong Latvian Gorlovs. Jezewski was down in the first but the referee ruled that Gorlov’s punch landed low. Both were landing punishing left hooks with Gorlovs in trouble in the sixth but banging back to rock Jezewski in the seventh. Jezewski floored Gorlov’s with a right in the ninth but Gorlovs beat the count and finished strongly. Scores 96-93 twice and 97-92 for Jezewski. He was stopped in two rounds by Lawrence Okolie in a fight for the vacant WBO title in 2020 and outpointed by Artur Mann in February. After losing his first fight Gorlovs was unbeaten in his last ten.

 

Moscow, Russia: Heavy: Sergey Kuzmin (17-2,1ND) W KO 1 Richard Lartey (14-6).

Kuzmin gets a farcical win as he knocks out Lartey in the first round. A right to the chin sent Lartey down and out. Kuzmin, 34, needs better opposition than this if he is to regain the ground he lost in defeats by Michael Hunter and Martin Bakole. Fifth loss in a row for Lartey and the second time in a row he has failed to last out three minutes. He took this fight without the permission of the Ghana Board so faces trouble at home.

 

Omsk, Russia: Light Heavy: Dilmurod Satybaldiev (13-2) W TKO 7 Maxim Vlasov (46-5). Cruiser: Aleksei Papin (14-1) W KO 2 Dilan Prasovic (15-3).

Vlasov vs. Satybaldiev

Vlasov loses to Satybaldiev and announces his retirement. Vlasov looked to be in control over the first three rounds but was put down by a body punch in the fourth. Vlasov was on top in the fifth but in the sixth suffered a bad cut in the middle of his forehead in a clash of heads. He fought back strongly to the bell. He left his corner for the start of the seventh but was sent to a neutral corner before a punch was thrown as his corner tossed in the towel. It was decided to go down as a TKO instead of going to the scorecards. Important win  for the Kyrgyzstan-born Russian who was inactive for over four years before returning with a win in November. Vlasov, 35, lost a majority decision to Joe Smith Jr for the vacant WBO title in April last year and was rated WBO 3/IBF 15.

Papin vs. Prasovic

Papin massacres an overmatched Prasovic. Body punches from Papin had Prasovic down three times in the first round and he ended it in the second putting Prasovic down twice more. The 34-year-old Papin’s only loss was on a majority decision against current WBC titleholder Ilunga Makabu in August 2019. The WBO, for reasons only they understand, sped Prasovic through their ratings to No 1 gifting Lawrence Okolie an easy title defence and he kayoed Prasovic in the third round. In his next fight Prasovic was knocked out in one round by Isaac Chamberlain so he has now lost his last three fights in less than five rounds in total.

 

Hurlingham, Argentina: Welter: Jose Rosa (14-0) W PTS 10 Juan Leal (15-3). Light: Maria Moneo (10-1) W PTS 10 Sofia Rodriguez (5-6).

Rosa vs. Leal

Rosa wins the Argentinian title with unanimous verdict over champion Leal. Rosa controlled the fight from the centre of the ring using his longer reach and after a couple of even rounds he used that reach to outbox Leal over the third and fourth. The fifth and sixth were close but Rosa clearly took the seventh and eighth. Leal put in a big effort in the ninth but Rosa outscored Leal in the last. Scores 96-94 on the three cards. Rosa, 22, had won his last five by KO/TKO. Leal, making the second defence of the national title, had a ten-bout winning run broken when he lost to Olympic gold medallist Daniyar Yeleussinov for the vacant IBO belt in December.

Moneo vs. Rodriguez

Uruguayan Moneo grinds down Argentinian Rodriguez in a WBA Fedelatin Female title defence. The constant aggression from Moneo was just too much for Rodriguez who was battered and bruised and out on her feet in the tenth but survived to the bell. Scores 100-90 twice and 99-91 for Moneo who has won her last four fights with her loss coming by disqualification for a butt. Rodriguez never really in the fight.

 

Casoria, Italy: Light: Fateh Benkorichi (12-1-1) W PTS 10 Gianluca Picardi (10-2).

Benkorichi retains the Italian title with a unanimous decision over home favourite Picardi. The challenger had the better of the exchanges over the first two rounds but lost a point in the third for a butt. The middle rounds were close but Benkorichi had the edge. He was the stronger and moved into the lead over the sixth and seventh only to lose a point for pushing Picardi’s head down in the ninth. Critically Benkorichi outscored a tired Picardi in the tenth and deserved the victory. Scores 96-94 twice and 97-93 for Benkorichi in his first title defence and his sixth victory in a row. Second unsuccessful Italian title challenge for Picardi.

 

Nuevo Vallarta , Mexico: Welter: Isaias Lucero (14-0) W PTS 10 Rodolfo Orozco (31-2-3). Super Fly: Jonathan Rodriguez (24-2) W TKO 7 Jorge Zarate (6-3-2).

Lucero vs. Orozco

Lucero remains unbeaten as he takes a unanimous decision over more experienced Orozco. After a close opening round strong jabbing and more accuracy saw Lucero build a good lead although the rounds were close, Orozco was cut in the fourth but outworked Lucero in the fifth and had a good sixth but threw it away by losing a point for a low punch. The seventh and eighth were close but Lucero scored well with uppercuts as he swept the ninth and tenth. Scores 97-92 twice and 97-94 for Lucero.

Rodriguez vs. Zarate

Rodriguez too good for Zarate who was competitive early but fell away. He twice survived a doctor’s examination for a cut before being staggered by an uppercut in the sixth and floored three times in the seventh. Second fight for Rodriguez since losing on points to Jerwin Ancajas in an IBF super fly title challenge in April 2021.

 

May 28

 

Hamburg, Germany: Heavy: Mahmoud Charr (33-4) W KO 3 Nikola Milacic (21-3).Heavy: Ali Eren Demirezen (16-1) W PTS 8 Kevin Johnson (35-19-1). Heavy: Christian Hammer (27-9) W TKO 1 Drazan Janjanin (22-35). Light Heavy: Mohammed Bekdash (21-0) W KO 1 Nikoloz Berkatsashvili (29-36). Heavy: Michael Wallisch (23-5) W TKO2 Toni Thes (19-12-1).

Charr vs. Milacic

Charr dismantles Milacic in three rounds. Charr was walking down Milacic in the first and there were some lively exchanges. Charr put Milacic on the floor in the second with an uppercut but Milacic recovered. He was floored again in the third with a body punch and a head shot. He went down again in some pain and was counted out and seemed to have suffered a fractured jaw.  A former holder of the secondary WBA title Charr was declared “champion in recess” but now seems to have disappeared totally from the WBA ratings. Milacic was stopped in two rounds by Ali Eren Demirezen in March last year.

Demirezen vs. Johnson

Demirezen takes unanimous verdict over Johnson. This was a typical Johnson fight where he spent much of the time against the ropes frustrating Demirezen’s attacks and occasionally showing up faults in the German’s defence. It was target practice at times for Demirezen but he was unable to shake Johnson who did enough to capture a round or two. Scores 79-73, 79-74 and 78-72 for Demirezen who stopped Gerald Washington in eight rounds in January and is No 13 with the WBO. Johnson, 42, still represents a low risk educational outing for heavyweight hopefuls.

Hammer vs. Janjanin

Romanian-born Hammer scores three knockdowns in the first round with the fight stopped on the third knockdown. Hammer had lost three of his last four fights but the losses were against Tony Yoka, Hughie Fury and Frank Sanchez so all tough fights. Now 21 losses by KO/TKO for Bosnian Janjanin.

Bekdash vs. Berkatsashvili

A farcical contest saw Syrian-born German Bekdash 6’1” floor Georgian Berkatsashvili 5’6” twice in the first round for a stoppage win. Ninth consecutive inside the distance victory for Bekdash with seven of those contests ending in the first round. Inside the distance loss No 34 for Berkatsashvili

Wallisch vs. Thes

In his first fight since losing to Murat Gassiev in July last year Wallisch floors Thes three times in the second round and the referee then steps in to save Thes. Wallisch has tried to move to a higher level five times and has been beaten inside the distance five times.

 

Tijuana, Mexico: Super Light: Omar Angular (24-0) W TKO 2 Alfredo Blanco (22-10).

Aguilar continues to cut a swath through the opposition as he blows away Argentinian Blanco in two rounds. Aguilar spent the first round feeling out Blanco with the Argentinian trying to spread a little confusion by switching guards. Aguilar went to work in the second dropping Blanco with a left to the body. Blanco barely beat the count and was pinned to the ropes under a series of punches and not throwing anything back so the referee stopped the fight. Aguilar, 23, has won 23 of his 24 fights by KO/TKO and is No 10 with the WBC. The plan now is to land some fights in the USA. First inside the distance loss for Blanco.

 

Cancun, Mexico: Super Middle: Ronald Gavril (21-3) W TKO 6 Edgar Romero (11-15-3).

Gavril returns with a win. The tall Romanian makes it 17 wins by KO/TKO with stoppage of Romero. Gavril faced David Benavidez twice in WBC fights losing a split decision for the vacant title in 2017 but being well beaten in a challenge in 2018. This is only his third fight since December 2018. Romero is 0-5-1 in his last six contests.

 

Washington, DC, USA: Super Light: Anthony Peterson (39-1-1,1ND) W TKO 6 Saul Corral (30-19). Super Light: Greg Outlaw (10-1,2ND) ND 1 Wilfrido Buelvas (22-15,1ND).

Peterson vs. Corral

Peterson picks up his stuttering career and stops Corral in six rounds. Peterson, 37, tested positive for a banned substance in 2018 and had just one fight in 2019 was inactive in 2020 and had one fight in 2021. Fifth loss in a row for journeyman loser Corral.

Outlaw vs. Buelvas

Disappointing early end to this one as a clash of heads in the first round saw Outlaw badly cut and the fight stopped.

 

Canuelas, Argentina: Light: Claudio Daneff (15-2-1) W PTS 10 Cristian Gonzalez (11-14-1).

Daneff retains the Argentinian title with a wide points victory over Gonzalez. Daneff won from the first bell to the last totally outboxing Gonzalez who lost a point in the seventh for holding and hitting. Scores 100-89 from the three judges. Daneff was defending the title for the second time.

 

Hainaut, Belgium: Cruiser: Kamel Kouaouch (12-1) W ? Erik Nazaryan (28-27-4). Feather: Stefan Voda (11-0) W TKO 5 Jeremy Bernardin (8-2). 9

Kouaouch vs. Nazaryan

Kouaouch wins the vacant BeNeLux title. No details available.

Voda vs. Bernardin

Hainaut boxer Voda wins the vacant BeNeLux title with fifth round stoppage of Frenchman Bernardin. Fifth inside the distance win for Voda. Bernardin, 21, had won his last 4 fights.

Khatchatryan vs. Julio

 

Amay, Belgium: Welter: Quentin Gomes (14-0) W TKO 1 Hakim Ben Ali (22-8).

Gomes wins the vacant Belgian title with a first round victory over Ben Ali. A left hook to the body sent Ben Ali down and the referee waived the fight over after only 85 seconds. Fourth win by KO/TKO for Gomes. Ben Ali is a former Belgian super feather champion.

 

Lille, France: Super Middle: Mohamed El Achi (20-3-3) W TKO 10 Stefano Castellucci (34-10).

Lille favourite El Achi wins the vacant IBF Mediterranean belt with late stoppage of Italian veteran Castellucci. Six wins in a row for El Achi who held this title back in 2016. Castellucci, 40, a former Italian champion, suffers his sixth loss by KO/TKO.

 

Walvis, Bay, Namibia: Super Bantam: Mateus Heita (7-0) W PTS 12 Jonas Matheus (14-5-1). Super bantam: Fillipus Shaanika (8-1-1,1ND) W PTS 10 Julius Sheetheni  1-3-1

Heita vs. Matheus

Heita wins the vacant WBO African title and successfully defends the WBA Pan African title with a unanimous decision over fellow-countryman Matheus. This one provided exciting exchanges from the start. Mateus used his longer reach to outscore Heita over the first three rounds but was in deep water in the fourth. He came through that and they proceeded to go toe-to-toe for the next six rounds until they tired at the end. Some wildly differing scoring as Heita took the decision on   cards of  119-111, 116-112 and 115-113. Local sources give Heita’s record as 8-0.

Shannika vs. Sheetheni

Shannika retains the national super bantamweight title on scores of 97-92, 97-96, 95-94. Shannika was making the first defence of the title. Third shot at the national title for Sheetheni who has lost to Heita and Matheus in previous title fights.

 

May 29

 

Sao Paulo, Brazil: Super Middle: Esquiva Falcao (30-0) W PTS 10 Cristian Rios (23-15-3)

Falcao returns home and wins this all-southpaw battle. Falcao was in charge from the start. The best round Argentinian Rios had was the fifth but even then Falcao did enough to take the round. Rios was badly hurt in the ninth but made it to the final bell. A unanimous decision with Falcao winning every round but no official scores given. Esquiva, a silver medal winner at the London Olympics, is No 1 with the IBF so the mandatory challenger to Gennady Golovkin. Rios has only failed to last the distance once.

 

Fight of the week (Significance): Gervonta Davis vs. Rolando Romero as with this win Davis is still a big player at lightweight

Fight of the week (Entertainment): A few good one but none outstanding.

Fighter of the week: Gervonta Davis winning the only big fight of the week

Punch of the week: The left hook from Davis that floored Romero

Upset of the week: Dilmurod Satybaldiev’s victory over Maxim Vlasov

Prospect watch: No names jumped out at me this week

 

Observations

Rosette to whoever put together the Davis vs. Romero undercard with three ten round fights all going the distance

Red Card to the matchmaker for the Mahmoud Charr vs. Nikola Milacic undercard and to the German Board for allowing the fights:

Christian Hammer vs. Drazan Janjanin

Hammer 6’ 2 ½” 257lbs

Janjanin 5’11 ½” 271lbs having weighed as little as 195lbs-and no he had not grown a third leg! 22-34 record with 30 losses by KO/TKO

Mohammed Bekdash vs. Nikoloz Berkatsashvili

Bekdash 6’1” 180 ¾ lbs 20-0 17 wins by KO/TKO

Berkatsashvili 5’6” 180 ¾ lbs having once weighed 116 lbs and having lost his last 13 fights by KO/TKO without once last more than three round in any of those 13 fights

Michael Wallisch vs. Toni Thes

Thes not quite so bad 220lbs having once weighed 170lbs so only 50lbs of growth.

-Family business: I don’t suppose it made him any more keen but Jesus Ramos got one back for the family as he outpointed  Luke Santamaria who had beaten Jesus’ uncle Abel Ramos in February. The classic family connection must be that Jersey Joe Walcott stopped Phil Johnson in three rounds in June 1936 and then in 1950 beat his son Harold who went on to win the World Light Heavyweight title. There was some suspicion when Harold went down in the third round seemingly without a punch but it subsequently turned out that he had suffered an injury to a disc in his back.