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:
JULY 3
-Former IBF super middle champion William Scull scores a kayo win in Germany.
-Italian Alessandro Riguccini scores win No 32 with kayo of Eleazar Valenzuela in Mexico
JULY 4
-Abdullah Mason stops Albert Bell in the twelfth round in a WBO lightweight title defence
-Bruce Carrington outpoints Rene Palacios in WBC featherweight title defence and Delante Johnson decisions Christopoher in a clash of unbeaten welterweights.
-Estelle Mossely wins the WBA Interim super lightweight title and there are wins for Kevin Lee Sadjo and Khalil El Hadri
-Mauro Forte, Angelo Morejon. Pamela Noutcho and Giovani Rossetti win in Italy.
MAJOR SHOWS:
JULY 4
CLEVELAND, OH, USA: LIGHT: ABDULLAH MASON (21-0) W TKO 12 ALBERT BELL (28-1).FEATHER: BRUCE CARRINGTON (18-0) W PTS 12 RENE PALACIOS (19-1-1). WELTER: DELANTE JOHNSON (18-0) W PTS 10 CHRISTOPHER GUERRERO (16-1). LIGHT: DERIC DAVIS (12-0) W PTS 8 CARLOS RAMOS (18-5-1).
Mason vs. Bell
MASON successfully defends the WBO title as he stops BELL in the twelfth rotund
Round 1
Cautious start as they circled each other probing with jabs. Bell had the height at 6’0” To 5’9” but Mason had the longer reach at 75” to 71”. Bell connected with straight rights but Mason was short with his punches. Bell stumbled but it was a slip
Score: 10-9 Bell
Round 2
Bell was circling Mason looking to counter Mason as he came forward and landed a couple of rights. Mason was hesitant about coming forward and Bell was picking him off with jabs at distance and tying him up inside.
Score: 10-9 Bell Bell 20-18
Round 3
Mason was having no success at getting inside and Bell was countering him with jabs and clinching to stop Mason fighting inside. Mason was just following Bell around the ring not being able to trap Bell against the ropes. Mason went onto the back foot trying to lure Bell forward but Bell scored with a couple of rights.
Score: 10-09 Bell Bell 30-27
Round 4
Bell continued to box at distance pushing out jabs with Mason now throwing but not connecting. Mason needed to slow Bell but was head hunting and just following Bell around the ring with Bell stepping in quickly with rights and getting out again. Mason connected with a left but Bell landed a straight right.
Score: 10-9 Bell BELL: 40-36
Official Scores: Judge Gerardo Martinez: 38-38 tied. Judge Patrick Morley: 39-37 Mason, Judge Phil Rogers : 39-37 Mason.
Round 5
Mason looked more purposeful but again Bell was picking him off at distance and darting in with single rights. Bell fired home a series of light punches and dodged Mason’s response. Mason tried retreating to lure Bell in but when that did not work he barrelled forward and both had some success as they traded punches. A closer round but still Bell’s.
Score: 10-9 Bell Bell 50-45
Round 6
Mason’s title was slipping away and he made a fast start in this round but Bell was just circling him and firing enough jabs to keep Mason off balance. Bell’s punches lacked power (only nine inside the distance wins) but they were landing and Mason was throwing very little.
Score: 10-9 Bell Bell 60-54
Round 7
Mason upped the pressure in this round doing a better job of hunting Bell down. He connected with a hard left to the body and a right to the head. Bell scored with some light counters but Mason scored to the body in his best round so far.
Score: 10-9 Mason Bell 69-64
Round 8
Mason was hunting Bell down moving in quicker not allowing Bell to pick him off at distance. Bell was holding more and Mason scored with a right and a left and a couple of punches to the body. Bell had taken this fight at ten days’ notice and looked to be slowing.
Score: 10-9 Mason Bell 78-74
Official Scores: Judge Gerardo Martinez: 76-76 Tied . Judge Patrick Morley: 77-75 Mason, Mason, Judge Phil Rogers : 77-75 Mason.
Round 9
Mason landed a left to the body as he again put Bell under pressure. Mason kept aiming lefts to Bell’s body. Bell had slowed and did not like the body shots from Mason and was doing more clinching than punching but did connect with a right before the bell.
Score: 10-9 Mason Bell 87-84
Round 10
After a slow start Mason was again digging in body punches and Bell was constantly pinned against the ropes with little room to manoeuvre. Mason trapped Bel in a corner and fired off body punches with Bell holding to prevent Mason working
Score: 10-9 Mason Bell 96-94
Round 11
Mason continued to fire body punches with Bell just moving and clinching and very much in survival mode. Bell did drive home a left to the body but Mason fired back with two. Bell’s negative tactics had Mason’s local fans booing and Mason landed a left to the body.
Score: 10-9 Mason Bell 105-104
Mason came flying out for the twelfth landing a left to Bell’s head and pushing him back to the ropes. He landed a couple more punches as Bell sat on the ropes then dropped to the canvas on his hands and knees. Bell was up immediately and when the action resumed Mason tried to jump on Bell but Mason was swinging wildly. Bell was retreating and avoiding Mason’s punches. Mason tracked Bell to the ropes and again missed with a punch but Bell dropped forward trying to grab Mason but missed and again landed on his hands and knees-and the referee jumped in and stopped the fight. Very strange as Mason did not land a single blow after the first knockdown-but the fight was over.
Mason was making the first defence of the WBO title he won with a close decision over Sam Noakes in Riyadh in November. At 22 he is still a work in progress. Bell, 33, was having his first fight in ten months and was stepping in at short notice when WBO No 1 Joe Cordina was refused a visa to enter USA.
Carrington vs. Palacios
CARRINGTON outpoints Mexican PALACIOS in a WBC title defence.
Round 1
A very slow opener as Carrington was poking out jabs and southpaw Palacios was just coming forward feinting but not throwing any punches. Carrington landed two rights to the body and easily swayed away from a Palacios left and stuck Palacios with a few jabs
Score: 10-9 Carrington
Round 2
Carrington had the longer reach and quicker hands and Palacios was short with his jabs. Carrington connected with a right to the body then kept firing jabs too quickly for Palacios to block. It was almost target practice as Carrington fired a combination with Palacios too slow to block or evade them
Score: 10-9 Carrington Carrington 20-18
Round 3
Palacios had no answer to the reach and hand speed of Carrington. Palacios connected with a right hook to the body then had Carrington in a corner but when he darted in Carrington turned Palacios into the corner and hit him with a right nook and ended the round by blasting Palacios with hooks.
Score: 10-9 Carrington Carrington 30-27
Round 4
Palacios was not applying any pressure and walking forward in a straight line making him an easy target. Carrington was able to land jabs and straight rights and bombarded Palacios with combinations.
Score: 10-9 Carrington Carrington 40-36
Official Scores: Judge David DeJong: 40-36 Carrington, Judge Omar Mintun : 40-36 Carrington, Judge Ben Rochester: 40-36 Carrington.
Round 5
More of the same as Carrington did what he liked. Whether having chosen to back into the ropes or in a corner he had no problem hitting Palacios with jabs and straight shots and Palacios was standing in range waiting and waiting to throw punches. Carrington was sliding jabs through Palacios guard with ease.
Score: 10-9 Carrington Carrington 50-45
Round 6
Palacios tried to exert some pressure taking an extra step forward but again was still just not throwing enough punches or getting inside. Carrington chose to lean against the ropes and let Palacios fire punches but most of them were blocked and Carrington unleashed a series of punches then walked Palacios onto a counter.
Score: 10-9 Carrington Carrington 60-54
Round 7
Carrington kept feeding Palacios light jabs and Palacios connected with a right. Palacios dived in with an attack and landed a couple of hooks to the body but a straight right made him bend at the knees. Palacios was finally pressing hard and landed a couple of left hooks to the body. A better round for Palacios with Carrington’s output dropping
Score: 10-9 Palacios Carrington 69-64
Round 8
Carrington was still feeding Palacios jabs but Palacios managed to get home a couple of body punches. With Carrington against the ropes Palacio threw a right that skimmed over the back of Carrington’s head and Carrington went down as he tried to duck under it. As the punch had landed on the back of Carrington’s head the referee did not apply a count. Palacios tried to build on seeing Carrington on the floor but Carrington kept moving and sliding home jabs. And landed a good hook to the body.
Score: 10-9 Carrington Carrington 79-73
Official Scores: Judge David DeJong: 79-73 Carrington, Judge Omar Mintun : 79-73 Carrington, Judge Ben Rochester: 79-73 Carrington.
Round 9
Carrington seemed content to box on the back foot keeping Palacios off with jabs and adding the occasional straight right. He got through with two left hooks to the body and firing little bursts of punches and went onto the front foot forcing Palacios back.
Score: 10-9 Carrington Carrington 89-82
Round 10
Palacios was coming forward behind a high guard bobbing and weaving his way in. Carrington backed into a corner and Palacios landed hooks to the body. He followed Carrington along the ropes again getting through with hooks. Carrington was now the one not throwing many punches.
Score: 10-9 Palacios Carrington 98-92
Round 11
Palacios was finally having some success. He was getting past Carrington’s jab and scoring with hooks to the body. Carrington landed a couple of body punches but Palacios fired back with three body shots that had Carrington retreating to the ropes and again Palacios was landing body punches. Palacios jabbed strongly and landed a left hook to the body that had Carrington doubling up and backing off.
Score: 10-9 Palacios Carrington 107-102
Round 12
Palacios was piling forward getting in close and firing body punches. Carrington was countering with jabs but there was not enough power in them to keep Palacios out. Palacios was stalking Carrington walking through Carrington’s punches.
Score: 10-9 Palacios Carrington 116-112
Official Scores: Judge David DeJong: 40-036 Carrington, Judge Omar Mintun : 40-36 Carrington, Judge Ben Rochester: 40-36 Carrington.
Not a difficulty defence for Carrington so it was concerning that he faded over the closing rounds winning only one round out of the four on two of the cards. Palacios was strong but limited.
Johnson vs. Guerrero
Cleveland’s JOHNSON registers a win with a wide unanimous decision over unbeaten GUERRERO. Johnson used his height and longer reach to pierce Guerrero’s defence with jabs and Guerrero struggled to make any impression in the fight. Johnson’s dominance was such that each round followed the same pattern of Johnson doing the scoring and Guerrero, only fighting occasionally in spurts and only having minor success. He looked to have shaken Johnson with a right in the fourth but Johnson recovered. Johnson had only scored seven inside the distance wins and tried hard over the second half of the fight to improve on that statistic but Guerrero finished strongly was never in any real danger. Scores 99-91 twice and 100-90. Johnson retains the WBO NABO title, wins Guerrero’s WBC Continental Americas title and picks up the vacant IBF North American belt. He is No 10 with the WBO and No 14 with the IBF. Mexican-born Canadian Guerrero has a decent record but Johnson was in a different class.
Davis vs. Ramos
DAVIS scrapes past a tricky RAMOS . Davis was coming forward throughout the fight but found southpaw Ramos a difficult opponent to pin down and was regularly caught by counter lefts. The first two rounds were about even and clever boxing saw Ramos move ahead over the third and fourth. Ramos was having a good fifth but was cut over his right eye and Davis edged the sixth and seventh with the last being too close to call. Scores 78-74 twice and 77-75 for Davis. Second points victory in a row for Davis who had won his first ten fights inside the distance. Ecuadorian-born Spaniard Ramos is a former Spanish and European Union feather champion but had lost on a sixth round retirement against unbeaten Dzmitry Asanau in Montreal in February.
JULY 3
ESSEN, GERMANY: SUPER MIDDLE: WILLIAM SCULL (24-2) W KO 4 EVANDER CASTILLO (22-6). HEAVY: PATRICK KORTE (24-6-1) W KO 6 EUGEN BUCHMUELLER (24-10-1). HEAVY: TEMUR MAMOYAN (12-0) W KO 2 TODORCHE CVETKOV (16-6).
Scull vs. Castillo
Former IBF champion SCULL snaps a two-bout losing run with a fourth round kayo of CASTILLO. An assured performance from Scull as he outscored Castillo in the first and second. He floored Castillo in the third and put him down with a right to the head in the fourth and he was counted out. Cuban Scull ,34, lost his IBF title when being outpointed by Saul Alvarez in a unifier in May last year and then suffered a significant kayo defeat against inbeaten Jacon Bank in January. All six of Venezuelan Castillo’s losses have come inside the distance but against good level opposition.
Korte vs. Buchmueller
Fighting in front of his home fans KORTE , 42, struggles before knocking out the 45-year-old BUCHMUELLER. Over the first three rounds the obese Buchmueller actually showed some reasonable mobility and jabbed well. He looked to have taken the first three rounds but showed signs of tiring late in the fourth. Korte began to find the target with jabs in the fifth but Buchmueller got some respite when Korte landed a low punch. Buchmueller was exhausted in the sixth and Korte took him to the ropes and punched away until Buchmueller slumped to the canvas propped up against the ropes and sat out the count. First fight for Korte since being knocked out in 117 seconds by Tony Yoka in December. In his previous fight Kazakh-born Buchmueller was knocked out in 86 seconds by Petar Milas in June last year. Was I wrong to label Buchmueller obese. Well at one time he weighed 202 lbs but for the Milas fight in June last year he was 280 lbs.
Mamoyan vs. Cvetkov
Armenian-born MAMOYAN knocks out Macedonian CVETKOV in two rounds. Mamoyan has won all of his twelve fights by KO/TKO including a first round kayo of Buchmueller. He is No 13 with the WBA for winning their Gold title against an unrated opponent and BoxRec have him No 88. Cvetkov is 4-6 in his last 10 fights with both the wins and the losses coming inside the distance.
CIUDAD OBREGON, MEXICO: WELTER: ALESSANDRO RIGUCCINI (32-0) W KO 2 ELEAZER VALENZUELA (29-343-7).
RIGUCCINI kayos VALENZUELA in the second round. Valenzuela had lost 33 fights ( including two inside the distance losses against Riguccini in 2022 and 2023) and won 29. In this fight he showed some of the power that had seen him win 22 of those 29 fights by KO/TKO. He dropped Riguccini heavily with a left to the head in the first but Riguccini recovered. The second saw Riguccini bombard Valenzuela with punches before a left hook to the body floored Valenzuela and he was unable to beat the county. Not sure where Riguccini’s career is going. After 14 years of fighting he now has 32 wins, 28 by KO/TKO, but is 38 years-old has had only 7 fights in the last 7 years and is unrated. The only “major” title he has won is the Interim WBA which he won in July 2025 but never defended and by October no longer held. A wasted career. For Valenzuela it is now 18 losses by KO/TKO.
MALVERN, AUSTRALIA: CRUISER: BLAKE CAPARELLO (34-4-1) W PTS 10 WUZHATI NUERLANG (17-5-3, 1 ND).
Caparello vs. Nuerlang
CAPARELLO returns to action with a win over China’s NUERLANG. Caparello made a great start dropping Nuerlang with a right in the first round. Nuerlang survived and although never threatening Caparello’s dominance compete well. Scores 100-89 twice and 98-91. Caparello, 39, lost to Sergey Kovalev in a challenge for the WBO light heavy title back in 2014 but was an IBO champion. He also won many Regional titles but this was his first fight for 16 months. Nuerlang had lost on points against David Nyika in December.
JULY 4
CRETEIL, FRANCE: SUPER MIDDLE: KEVIN LEE SADJO (30-1) W PTS 10 ADRIAN DUENAS (15-1). SUPER LIGHT: ESTELLE MOSSELY (13-0-1) W PTS 10 KAREN CARABAJAL(25-4). SUPER FEATHER: KHALIL EL HADRI (22-3) W PTS 10 LIBORIO SOLIS (37-10-1).
Sadjo vs. Duenas
SADJO ignores an injury to fight his way to victory over Mexican DUENAS in defence of his WBA Continental title. Sadjo fought his usual aggressive fight forcing the pace and attacking hard. Duenas tried to box behind his jab but could not match Sadjo for power. In the second half of the fight instead of looking for an early win Sadjo seemed to ease up and it was subsequently explained that he had suffered a recurrence of an old rib problem causing Sadjo severe pain when throwing punches. After the tenth round Sadjo was preparing to finish strongly over the last two rounds only for he and his team to be informed the fight had been shortened from 12 rounds to 10! Scores 98-92 twice and 97-93. Once the injury heals Sadjo will be hoping to land a title shot. Sadjo was just too big a leap for Duenas.
Mossely vs. Carbajal
Fighting in her home town MOSSELY wins the vacant WBA Interim title with a split decision over Argentinian CARABAJAL. It was hard fought, close battle with both looking to dominate. Mossely was more comfortable when she could box and score at distance but Carabajal preferred a close-quarters battle. Heads kept banging untogether insides with Mossely cut over her left eye in the sixth and Carabajal over her left eye in the seventh. Mossely had a good eighth but pressure from Carbajal was forcing her to stand and trade punches’ and Mossely’s cut reopened and bled heavily but she stuck with her boxing. Scores 98-92 and 96-94 for Mossely and 96-94 for Carabajal with the 96-9 for Mossely looking about right. Mossely, 33, a former Olympic and World champion who scored a win over Katie Taylor was IBO champion from 2019 to 2023. Carabajal, a former Argentinian and WBO Latino title holder, lost to Katie Taylor and Rhiannon Dixon in title fights.
El Hadri vs. Solis
EL HADRI takes a wide unanimous decision over veteran SOLIS. At 44 and after a 26-year career former WBA super fly champion Solis has reached the end of the road. A 14-years younger El Hadri won on scores of 100-90 twice and 98-92 and Solis announced his retirement.
ROME, ITALY: BANTAM: MAURO FORTE (23-1-2 W TKO 10 VINCENZO PICARDI (12-2). HEAVY: ANGELO MOREJON (11-0) W RTD 8 ANTONIO CARLESIMO (10-0). LIGHT: PAMELA NOUTCHO (11-0) W KO 1 MAHJOUBA OUBTIL (7-7-2). MIDDLE: GIOVANI ROSSETTI (19-4) W PTS 10 FRANCESCO FARAONI (8-2).
Forte vs. Picardi
FORTE retains the EBU Silver title with a tenth round kayo of PICARDI The first round seemed to go to Picardi but southpaw Forte took the second perhaps even being denied a knockdown as when Picardi went down it was ruled a slip. Picardi, for many years a mainstay of the Italian amateur boxing team, then boxed his way into the lead over the next four rounds. Forte, ten years younger than the 42-year-old Picardi, picked up the pace from the seventh as Picardi slowed. Forte ended it in the tenth with a left hook to the body that sent Picardi down and he was unable to beat the count.
Morejon vs. Carlesimo
Cuban MOREJON beats CARLESIMO to win the vacant Italian title. Italian-based Morejon was in control from the start and handed out steady punishment before flooring Carlesimo in the fifth. Carlesimo made it to his feet and tried to fight his way out of trouble but was rocked a few more times before the end of the round and his team retired their man before the start of the sixth. Morejon, 30, makes it 9 wins inside the distance.
Noutcho vs. Oubtil
Cameroon-born NOUTCHO wipes out substitute OUBTIL inside a round. Noutcho was to have defended her IBO title but her opponent Jenny Tulcan was unable to go through with the fight and Italian-based Moroccan Oubtil, the Italian champion, who had beaten Noutcho in the amateur, stepped in. Noutcho has come a long way since that loss and a right hook put Oubtil down and out after just 73 seconds.
Rossetti vs. Faraoni
Cuban-born Italian ROSSETTI wins the vacant national title as he takes a unanimous verdict over FARAONI. After a couple of close rounds Rossetti assumed control taking the fight to Faraoni putting the more skilful boxer under pressure and winning the rounds. Knowing he was behind Faraoni tried to be more positive over the closing rounds but came up short. Scores 97-93 twice and 96-94. Rossetti held the national title in 2022 but lost it in his first defence. Faraoni had lost in a fight for this same vacant title in March.
TOKYO. JAPAN: SUPER FEATHER : YAMATO HATA (19-2-1) W PTS 10 TSUBASA NARAI (18-3). BANTAM: HAYATE KAJI (17-2) W TKO 8 ABUBAKAR YANON (8-3).
OPBF champion HATA retains his title with a majority decision against Japanese national champion NARAI. There were plenty of furious exchanges over the first half of the fight with the southpaw champion Hata scoring well with straight lefts and Narai getting through with rights. After the fifth round Hata was in front 48-47 twice and 49-46. Narai fought hard trying to bridge the gap in the scoring but Hita just did enough to hold on to his lead and won on scored of 96-94 twice and 95-95. Fourth successful defence of the OPBF belt for Hata who is 6-0-1 in his last 7 fights and No 7 with the WBC. Narai come in on the back of a 10-bout winning run.