The Past Week in Action 8 July 2019

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:
-Nourdine Oubaali beats Arthur Villanueva on a sixth round retirement in WBC bantam title defence
-Kanat Islam returns to action with a 14 second blow out of Dominican Julio De Jesus
-Sebastian Formella wins the IBO welterweight title with decision over champion Thulani Mbenge and on the same show Igor Mikhaylenko wins the vacant IBO interim light heavy title with unanimous decision over Timur Nikarkhoev
-Nick Hannig keeps hold of the WBC International title with draw against Ryno Liebenberg
-Tommy Frank retains the Commonwealth super flyweight title with stoppage of John Chuwa

WORLD TITLE SHOWS

July 6

Astana, Kazakhstan: Bantam: Nordine Oubaali (16-0) W RTD 6 Arthur Villanueva (32-4-1). Welter: Zhankosh Turarov (24-0) W TKO 3 Mauro Godoy (31-5-1). Feather: David Oliver Joyce (11-0) W PTS 10 Breilor Teran (27-18-1). Light: Viktor Kotochigov (11-0) W PTS 10 Jairo Lopez (24-12,1ND).Light: Sultan Zaurbek (8-0) W TKO 7 Giorgio Gachechiladze (11-34-1).Cruiser: Ali Baloyev (9-0) W PTS 8 Hamilton Ventura (15-7-1). Super Welter: Abilkhaiyr Shegaliyev (6-0) W PTS 8 Elvin Akhundzada (4-2).
Oubaali vs. Villanueva
Oubaali retains the WBC title with classy and powerful performance against Filipino challenger Villanueva who retires after six rounds.
Round 1
Oubaali quickly put Villanueva on the back foot. The Filipino tried some right leads but Oubaali picked them off and connected with lefts.
Score: 10-9 Oubaali
Round 2
The second was a bit closer. Villanueva managed to get on the front foot and connected with some rights. Oubaali had the quicker hands and when he cornered Villanueva he scored with right hooks and a straight left. Oubaali was the one landing at the bell.
Score: 10-9 Oubaali Oubaali 20-18
Round 3
Oubaali upped the pace in this one. He was marching in firing clusters of hooks and uppercuts. Villanueva fired back but was taking a lot more than he was giving and was again being caught with quick combinations at the bell.
Score: 10-9 Oubaali Oubaali 30-27
Round 4
The pace dropped a little with Oubaali throwing less but still with speed and accuracy. Villanueva continued to try to get close to nullify Oubaali’s speed but the champion was landing rapid right jabs and straight lefts.
Score: 10-9 Oubaali Oubaali 40-36
Round 5
Oubaali move up a gear in this round. He was forcing Villanueva back with jabs and then connecting with lefts to the head. Anytime Villanueva threw a punch and missed he was made to pay by a range of counters and although he fought back hard at the end of the round he was taking plenty of punishment.
Score: 10-9 Oubaali Oubaali 50-45
Round 6
Oubaali was boxing smoothly in the sixth and finding gaps in the Filipino’s guard. As Villanueva took a step forward Oubaali countered him with a left and a right to the temple and Villanueva dropped to one knee. He was up quickly and ready to resume after the count. Oubaali stormed after Villanueva connecting with hooks and uppercuts. Villanueva fired back enough to be able to stay on his feet but was rocked with hooks just before the bell.
Score 10-8 Oubaali Oubaali 60-53
Villanueva retired in the corner.
Impressive display by 32-year-old Frenchman Oubaali in his first defence of the WBC title which he won with a points decision over Rau’shee Warren in January. He showed quick skills and strong, accurate punching. There are tougher tests out there in the shape of WBC No 1 Luis Nery, No 2 Carlos Cuadras and No 3 Jason Moloney but on this form he is a match for them. In 2017 Villanueva, 30, lost on points to Zolani Tete for the interim WBO bantam title and was also stopped by Luis Nery. He had a win and a draw in two low level fights in 2018 so his credentials as a challenger were questionable.
Turarov vs. Godoy
Local fighter Turarov crushes Godoy in third round. Turarov was hunting down a retreating Godoy in the first and connected with some rights to the body. Godoy caught Turarov with a sneaky right counter but Turarov landed a hard combination before Godoy launched a series of punches just before the bell with a couple landing but lacking snap. Turarov had looked dangerous with rights in the opener and he was throwing more of those in the second but Godoy was moving and jabbing and Turarov just could not nail the Argentinian. Turarov continued to prowl after the back-peddling Godoy in the third with a quick left hook right cross combination signalling danger. Turarov forced Godoy to the ropes and an overhand right to the temple saw Godoy start to drop and a last left hook caught Godoy as he fell to his knees and was counted out. The 28-year-old Florida-based Kazak wins the vacant WBO Inter-Continental title which should get him a rating. He had dropped out of the rankings after almost two years of inactivity which he ended with a victory over Ghanaian Richmond Djarbeng last month. He has 17 wins by KO/TKO. “King” Godoy fails to last the distance for only the second time in his 37 fights.
Joyce vs. Teran
Joyce outpoints Venezuelan Teran. No problems for the former star of Irish boxing as he took the decision on scores of 100-86, 100-87 and 100-89. Teran was dangerous at times with counters but Joyce was always in command. As Teran tired over the second half of the fight he was deducted a point for holding in the seventh and the rounds were one-sided enough for a couple of the judges to score those 10-8 without a knockdown. The 32-year-old Irishman won a gold medal three times at the European Union Championships competed at the 2016 Olympics and scored wins over Luke Campbell and Carl Frampton in the amateurs. In both this and a fight in April he was still officially under suspension from the New York Commission. The 34-year-old Teran has mixed in high quality company but has always come up short.
Kotochigov vs. Lopez
Important win for Kotochigov as he takes unanimous decision over tough Mexican Lopez to win the vacant WBC International title. Kotochigov took the decision on scores of 99-91, 99-93 and 98-93. Already a world traveller Kazak Kotochigov, 26, has fought as a pro in Uzbekistan, China, Russia, Germany, Abkhazia, Poland, United Kingdom and Kazakhstan. Lopez has been in with tough competition including Luke Campbell, Jose Felix and Tomas Rojas.
Zaurbek vs. Gachechiladze
Zaurbek halts Georgian Gachechiladze for his sixth win by KO/TKO. It almost ended early as Zaurbek floored the little Georgian in the first round but Gachechiladze survive before being beaten in submission in the seventh. The 23-year-old UK-based Zaurbek was a silver medallist at the World Youth Championships. The 5’3” Gachechiladze broke a 15 bout losing streak with a win in Spain in last month.
Baloyev vs. Ventura
Kyrgyzstan born Kazak Baloyev is taken the distance for only the second time as he outpoints Brazilian Ventura. The decision was unanimous for the Las Vegas-based 26-year-old Baloyev. Ventura, 36, has lost four in a row all against unbeaten fighters.
Shegaliyev vs. Akhundzada
Shegaliyev had won his last four fights each inside the first round and he came close to doing the same here as he put Azeri Akhundzada down twice in the opening round. Akhundzada made it out of the round but was on the floor again in the second. Having survived those three knockdowns he went on to take Shegaliyev the distance although losing a very wide unanimous decision. The 24-year-old Uzbekistan-born Shegaliyev effectively doubled his number of pro rounds in this fight so some useful ring time. Second loss in a row for Akhundzada.

July 5

Almatay, Kazakhstan: Super Welter: Kanat Islam (26-0) W KO 1 Julio De Jesus (27-2). Islam crushes De Jesus in just 14 seconds. The first punch Islam landed was a crushing overhand right that sent De Jesus reeling into a corner. Two more chopping rights sent De Jesus face down on the canvas and the referee immediately waived the fight over. Islam, 34, Chinese-born of Kazak ancestry, wins the vacant WBO Inter-Continental title with victory No 21 by KO/TKO. As Hanati Silamu he won bronze medals for China at the 2008 Olympics and the 2007 World Championships. This is his first fight since September 2017 so he has dropped out of the ratings but is a real danger man. Dominican De Jesus, 37, has impressive looking statistics but had never met any fighter of note and was unrated.

Madrid, Spain: Super Bantam: Alvaro Rodriguez (10-3-1,1ND) W PTS 10 David Sanchez (14-9). 5
Rodriguez retains the Spanish title with win over former victim Sanchez. Over the first two rounds the fight saw plenty of action with Rodriguez working well at distance and Sanchez having success inside with hooks. In the third a left hook from Rodriguez put Sanchez over. Sanchez beat the count but in trying to get back into the fight was caught with hard counters. After four rounds Rodriguez was up 39-36 on two cards and 38-37 on the third. Sanchez tried to take the fight to Rodriguez but the champion was stronger and Sanchez was under constant pressure spending too much time against the ropes. At the end of seven rounds Rodriguez had increased his lead being in front 69-62, 69-63 and 68-63 and he continued to outscore Sanchez in the eighth and ninth then just concentrated on avoiding Sanchez in the last. Scores 98-91, 97-91 and 95-93. The 33-year-old “Ardi” is 4-0-1,1ND in six title fights including a points win over Sanchez in 2017. Sanchez 35 was having his first fight since November 2017.

Sheffield, England: Super Fly: Tommy Frank (11) W TKO 7 John Chuwa (17-4). Feather: Josh Wale (28-11-2) W KO 1 Ekow Wilson (18-4).
Frank vs. Chuwa
Frank breaks down and halts Chuwa in seven rounds to retain the Commonwealth title. Frank was marching forward in the opening round with Chuwa showing plenty of defensive movement and throwing jabs but lacking any power. Frank continued to hunt Chuwa in the second but he was being frustrated by Chuwa’s clever upper body movement and wide hooks. In the third Chuwa was ducking under Frank’s punches and ended up ducking so low he was sitting on the bottom ropes so was given a count. Frank was starting to find the target with stiff jabs and left hooks Frank kept up the pressure and Chuwa began to tire in the fourth and all of his earlier movement was gone. Frank began to score with jabs, hooks and uppercuts on an arm-weary Chuwa in the fifth and sixth. Frank finished it in the seventh. He walked forward landing strong left hooks to the body and clubbing rights to the head. He walked Chuwa into a corner connecting with rights and as an exhausted Chuwa dropped to a knee the referee stopped the fight. Frank, 25, fighting in his home city, was making the first defence of the title he won with a victory over Luke Wilton in March. Chuwa, 21 suffers his first inside the distance loss and his third defeat in his last four fights.
Wale vs. Wilson
Wale beats Ghanaian Wilson inside a round. Both fighters stood and traded some hard punches with left hooks to the body from Frank catching the eye. Eventually those hooks and some head punches forced Wilson across the ring and into a corner. Wale kept him trapped there switching punches to head and body. Just as Wilson seemed to have escaped from the corner a left hook to the ribs saw him turn away and collapse to his knees. The referee started the count but it was obvious Wilson was in too much pain to get up and the referee waived the fight over. The 31-year-old Wale gets win No 14 by KO/TKO. This was a Commonwealth title eliminator so Wale, a former British champion, will get a third shot at winning the title that has eluded him so far. Wilson loses when he tries to step up but he had gone into the tenth round before being stopped by former world champion Joseph Agbeko in September.

Santiago, Chile: Super Bantam: Jose Velasquez (26-6-2) W TKO 7 Ramon Averanga (9-1). Velasquez extends his winning streak to 18 with seventh round stoppage of Bolivian Averanga. The little Chilean as usually gave away lots of height and reach and Averanga proved a tough opponent over the first three rounds. From the fourth Velasquez’s greater strength and fitness told and Averanga began to fade. Velasquez was walking through Averanga’s punches in the seventh and bludgeoned the Bolivian to the canvas. Averanga was up at eight. The referee stepped back and signalled Averanga to walk towards him. Instead Averanga started walking away but the referee caught him and turned him to face him and then signalled for the fight to continue. Velasquez continued to drive Averanga along the ropes until the Bolivian dropped to one knee and the towel came in from his corner. The 5’ 2 ½” Velasquez wins the WBO Latino belt and has 18 wins by KO/TKO. Although No 15 with the WBO his opposition has not been strong and his defence is leaky. Averanga is now 3-1 in fights in Chile.
Aviles vs. Godoy

Grugliasco, Italy: Feather: Francesco Grandelli (12-1-1) W PTS 10 Nicola Cipolletta (14-8-2). Grandelli wins the vacant Italian title with victory over Cipolletta. Grandelli made the better start and floored Cipolletta in the third to move into a commanding lead. He had Cipolletta in trouble later in the fight and Cipolletta was deducted a point after losing his mouthguard four times. Cipolletta fought hard trying to get back into the fight but the heavier punching from Grandelli gave him an edge and he emerged a clear winner. Scores 97-92 twice and 98-91for Grandelli/ The 24-year old from Naples was inactive for a year before returning with a win in April. Former national featherweight champion Cipolletta falls to 1-4 in his last 5 fights

June 6

Weisbaden, Germany: Light Heavy: Nick Hannig (7-0-1) DREW 12 Ryno Liebenberg (19-6-1).Light: Howik Bebraham (15-1) W KO 1 David Berna (17-9). Welter: Roman Belaev (19-3) W PTS 8 Betuel Ushona (36-9-1).
Hannig vs. Liebenberg
Hannig retains the WBC International title with a majority draw against South African Liebenberg. The Berliner took position in the centre of the ring and edged the first round with some crisp hooks. Liebenberg put on plenty of pressure in the second and third but Hannig was working well inside. Liebenberg landed some of his best punches so far in the fourth but was behind on two cards 40-36 and 39-37 with the third cards seeing them tied at 38-38. Liebenberg looked to have clawed back the points with a strong attack in the fifth and sixth but Hannig found his rhythm again in the seventh and eighth which were close. After the eighth Hannig had held on to his lead at 78-74 and 77-75 with once again the third official having them level at 76-76. The fight swung one way and then the other in the closing rounds with Hannig landing well with body shots but Liebenberg doing most of the scoring finding gaps for some hard rights and doing enough to come from behind to get a well deserved draw. Scores 114-114 twice and 115113 for Hannig. Hannig was making the first defence of the title he won with a close decision over Canadian Ryan Ford in February. Hannig has only just scraped through in winning that fight and at 32 may find it difficult to climb any higher. The 35-year-old Liebenberg has had no luck in Germany. He lost a split decision to Enrico Koelling and was stopped on a cut against Vincent Feigenbutz when he looked to be taking control of the fight. He is the ABU champion having won that with a stoppage of Alfonso Tissen in September.
Bebraham vs. Berna
In a horrible mismatch Bebraham stops the china-chinned Berna. Bebraham was on target quickly with left jabs and left hooks. Berna tried some jabs but every time Bebraham threw a punch Berna seemed to get his feet tangled and staggered. After some more sparring Bebraham threw a right cross that looked to just brush past Berna’s chin but he fell face down on the floor. He was up at eight but when the referee asked him to step forward he was unsteady and the referee stopped the fight after 111 seconds. Fourth inside the distance win for Bebraham but no real surprise as Hungarian Berna has lost his last four fights inside the first round. He needs someone to save him from himself.
Belaev vs. Ushona
Belaev gets a revenge win over Ushona. It was pressure, pressure and more pressure from Belaev. Ushona was reluctant to back up so there were plenty of meaty exchanges. Although spending much of the fight pinned to the ropes Ushona used his experience to stay in the fight and was always dangerous with counters but was outlanded by the aggressive Belaev who took the unanimous decision. Germany-based Russian Belaev won his first 14 fights but he then found Africa rings a inhospitable place as he lost to Ali Funeka and Paul Kamanga in South Africa and to Ushona in Namibia for the WBFederation title. He was having his first fight for 17 months here but intends to be more active. Now 37 Ushona has found German rings inhospitable as this is his third loss in a row in Germany

Hamburg, Germany: Welter: Sebastian Formella (21-0) W PTS 12 Thulani Mbenge (15-1). Light Heavy: Igor Mikhalkin (23-2) W PTS 12 Timur Nikarkhoev (21-3).Cruiser: Nikola Milacic (20-1) W KO 1 Kai Kurzawa (38-8). Heavy: Erik Pfeifer (6-0) W TKO 3 Epifiano Mendoza (43-29-1).
Formella vs. Mbenge
Formella wins the IBO title with unanimous decision over champion Mbenge. Formella boxed cleverly early showing good movement and quick hands. Mbenge started to roll from the third connecting with hard rights. Over the middle rounds Mbenge began to build a lead with a focused body attack. Unfortunately Formella constantly claimed that many of the legal blows were landing low which both led to Mbenge being cautious about going to the body too often and more importantly led to the referee deducting a point from Mbenge in the ninth. Formella staged a strong finish as Mbenge seemed to lose some impetus and that just gave the Germany the edge in the scoring. The judges saw it 116-112, 115-112 and 114-113 for Formella. The 32-year-old German gets his biggest win to date. Mbenge was making the second defence of his title. He has inside the distance wins over Diego Chaves and Miguel Vazquez. The contract included a return clause and Mbenge’s team say they will enforce that.
Mikhalkin vs. Nikarkhoev
IBO have followed the course of the other sanctioning fee seekers by introducing interim titles and Russian Mikhalkin picked up their interim title here with a win over Belgian-based Nikarkhoev. Mikhalkin was just too accomplished for Nikarkhoev to really threaten Mikhalkin’s dominance. The Russian out boxed Nikarkhoev behind a stiff, accurate right jab and potent left hooks. He had Nikarkhoev rocking in the sixth but apart from that he never really looked likely to halt Nikarkhoev and had to settle for a points victory. Scores 120-108 twice and 119-109 tell the story. The 34-year-old Mikhalkin served a one year ban after testing positive for a banned substance in a European title defence against Patrick Bois in 2016. He scored good wins over Thomas Oosthuizen and Doudou Ngumbu before losing on a seventh round stoppage when challenging Sergey Kovalev for the WBO title in March last year. Nikarkhoev had won his last seven fights but this was too big a step up for him.
Milacic vs. Kurzawa
Milacic gets speedy win as he puts veteran Kurzawa down and out in 40 seconds. Kurzawa was coming forward when Milacic exploded a right to his chin and Kurzawa went down and was counted out. The 6’5” German has provided early endings in nine of his last ten fights but needs stiffer tests. Kurzawa, 42, has been stopped early in four of his last five contests.
Pfeifer vs. Mendoza
Pfeifer gets his fourth inside the distance win over a fat and old Mendoza. After a couple of one-sided rounds Mendoza’s corner pulled their man out of the fight in the third. The 32-year-old 6’3” Russian-born German competed at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and twice won a bronze medal at the World Championships. Mendoza, 43, weighed down at 150lbs when he turned pro but is now up around 250lbs. This is seventh loss in his last eight fights.

Barranquilla, Colombia: Fly: Rober Barrera (23-2) W PTS 10 Josber Perez (16-2). Super Welter: Gabriel Maestre (1-0) W TKO 2Jeovanis Barraza (20-1). Super Feather: Angel Rodriguez (18-1) W TKO 5 Julian Aristule (34-11,1ND). Bantam: Yoel Finol (1-0) W KO 4 Jeyson Cervantes (8-18-1).
Barrera vs. Perez
Barrera was the only Colombian to win one of the major fights on the night. The local fighter was give a torrid night by Venezuelan Perez. There was never much between these two but the body punching from Barrera proved decisive. A left hook to the body put Perez on the floor in the fifth and although he beat the count it was enough to give Barrera the impetus to push on to a narrow victory. Scores 97-92 , 96-93 and 95-94 for Barrera. The 26-year-old Colombian has won 11 of his last 12 fights with the loss being a ninth round stoppage against Ryoichi Taguchi for the WBA light Fly title in 2017. Perez had won his last 13 fights but against moderate level foes.
Maestre vs. Barraza
When you see a fighter having his first pro fight being matched with a guy with a 20-0 record you know there is more to it than meets the eye. This marked the first pro fight for one of Venezuela’s most successful amateurs. Maestre got this one over quickly but with a bit of controversy. Maestre shook Barraza with a right to the head in the first then had him hurt again in the second as he connected with shots switching from body to head. A body punch put Barraza down with the Colombian protesting the punch was low. He beat the count but was put down again. He made it to his feet but Maestre was punishing him heavily and the referee stopped the fight. Maestre wins the vacant WBA Fedebol title. Maestre was a quarter-finalist at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. He also won gold medals at the Pan American Games and the South American Games and a bronze at the World Championships. All good stuff but at 32 he has left it too late to turn pro. Colombian welter champion Barraza had not met anyone nearly as high quality as Maestre.
Rodriguez v. Aristule
Mexican-based Venezuelan Rodriguez halted Argentinian southpaw Aristule in five rounds. Rodriguez came out fired-up but Aristule initially held his own as they went toe-to-toe. Gradually the harder punching of Rodriguez put him in charge and as he focused on body punching Aristule wilted and he was under heavy pressure in the fifth when the referee stopped the fight. Ninth win by KO/TKO for Rodriguez, a former Pan American Games bronze medallist He registers his tenth win on the bounce. Fifth loss by KO/TKO for former Argentinian super bantam champion Aristule
Finol vs. Cervantes
Finol makes it a double for debuting former members of the Venezuelan amateur elite ranks. Finol hurt Cervantes with body punches in each of the first two rounds and put him down with a left hook in the third. Cervantes managed to get to his feet and survived to the bell. In the fourth another body shot floored Cervantes and this time he stayed down for the full ten. The 22-year-old Venezuelan won bronze medals at the World Championships, the Pan American Games and the 2016 Olympics. Seventh loss in his last eight bouts for Colombian Cervantes. Both Maestre and Finol have both said they expect to fight at the 2020 Olympics.

Tokyo, Japan: Super Feather: Kenichi Ogawa (24-1,1ND) W RTD 4 Glenn Medura (10-6-1). Super Feather: Shuya Masaki (13-1) W PTS 10 Al Toyogon (10-4-1).
Ogawa vs. Medura
Ogawa was to have faced South African Azinga Fuzile in an IBF title eliminator but Fuzile was unable to get his visa in time so Filipino Medura stepped in at short notice. Ogawa landed some right hooks in the first and then sent Medura down with a couple of body punches in the second. Ogawa had Medura trapped against the ropes for periods in the third and Medura took another count. Ogawa continued to paste Medura with punches in the fourth and the Filipino retired before the start of the fifth. The 31year-old Ogawa scored a unanimous points win over Tevin Farmer for the vacant IBF super feather title in December 2017 but the verdict was changed to No Decision as Ogawa tested positive for a banned substance. Ogawa was then inactive until returning with a win in February. It remains to be seen whether the Fuzile fight will be rescheduled. Medura, who came in as a late substitute, falls to 2-5 in his last 7 fights with all 5 losses coming by way of KO/TKO.
Masaki vs. Toyogon
Masaki moves up to ten rounds and gets wide decision over young Filipino Toyogon. Masaki had edges in height and reach and was much more mobile than Toyogon. He worked well to the body and connected with plenty of hard combinations but Toyogon took the lumps and lasted the distance. Scores 100-90 for Masaki on the three cards. The 25-year-old from Osaka was 54-8 as an amateur and is No 3 in the Japanese ratings. At 5’4” the 21-year-old Toyogon is small for a super feather but was a decent 5-1 in his last 6.

Rzeszow, Poland: Heavy: Lukasz Rozanski (11-0) W KO 4 Izuagbe Ugonoh (18-2). Light Heavy: Marek Matyja (16-1-2) DREW 10 Pawel Stepien (12-0-1). Middle: Fedir Cherkashyn (13-0) W PTS 10 Wes Capper (20-3-1). Middle: Kamil Szeremeta (20-0) W PTS 8 Edwin Palacios (12-10-1).
Rozanski vs. Ugonoh
Rozanski steam rollers Ugonoh to defeat in four rounds. Rozanski was marching forward taking the fight to Ugonoh in the first and dominated the round with Ugonoh not throwing much and seemingly waiting for an opening that did not come. Rozanski continued to plough into Ugonoh in the second and although Ugonoh did land some rights they did not stop Rozanski and he put Ugonoh down in the third. In the fourth Rozanski drove Ugonoh to the ropes and kept punching until Ugonoh collapse to the canvas and was counted out. Rozanski, 33, gets his ninth win in a row by KO/TKO. Ugonoh, a Pole of Nigerian descent, won 17 consecutive victories before being knocked out in five rounds by Dominic Breazeale in February 2017. He had one fight in May 2016 and this was his first fight since then.
Matyja vs. Stepien
This one ended all even with a controversial drawn verdict. Stepien boxed well on the outside to take the first before Matyja found a way into the fight by moving inside late in the second. Stepien scored well with his jab and long rights to edge the third and the fifth with Matyja connecting with hooks to even things up taking the fourth and sixth. Over the last four rounds Stepien chose to box and counter and his good defensive work offered few chances to Matyja and he looked to have done enough to take the decision. The judges scored it 96-94 for Stepien, 97-93 for Matyja which looked way out, and 95-95 so the Polish title remains vacant. Matyja is no stranger to split verdicts as his loss and his other draw have both been splits. Stepien had won his last seven by KO/TKO and already holds the Polish International title.
Cherkashyn vs. Capper
Cherkashyn takes every round in contest against former undefeated Australian champion Capper. The unconventional style of Cherkashyn made it difficult for Capper to settle into the fight. The young Ukrainian was landing with strong left hooks to the body and straight rights in every round. His hands down style features lots of ducking and dodging and changing of angles. Capper had trouble finding the target but he stuck to his task pressing hard and scoring well in the fourth and sixth but that was not quite enough to win him even those rounds as Cherkashyn outlanded him. Capper seemed to fade over the closing rounds as Cherkashyn cruised to victory, Scores 100-90 from all three judges. First ten round fight for twenty-three-year-old Cherkashyn who had stopped oldie Kassim Ouma, a former IBF super welter champion, in March. Capper, 30, was 9-0-1 going into this one with a draw against Sam Soliman in March last year.
Szeremeta vs. Palacios
European champion Szeremeta gets in some paid sparring as he waits for a big fight to emerge. He really never really shifted out of low gear in this bout easily outboxing Nicaraguan Palacios. The visitor managed to land a few punches in the fourth and from the sixth Szeremeta shifted from first to second gear rocking Palacios with hooks and the Nicaraguan went deep into his shell to survive to the last. Scores 80-72 twice and 79-73 for Szeremeta. The 29-year-old Pole is ranked WBC 3/IBF 4(3)/WBA 5 but would probably have to go to America and beat a name fighter to raise his profile. Six losses in a row for Palacios.

Doncaster, England: Light: Maxi Hughes (19-4-2) W TKO 4 Kieran McLaren (12-1-1). Local southpaw boxer Hughes makes an impressive return to action as he floors and halts unbeaten McLaren in the fourth round. Hughes was sharp from the start. He boxed with speed and accuracy over the first two rounds and began breaking McLaren down in the third. He was opening up McLaren’s guard and landing with hooks and lefts to the head. A series of punches put McLaren down early in the fourth. McLaren beat the count but was dropped again by a shot to the body and the referee stopped the fight. Hughes has lost in two challenges for the British super feather title and is now aiming for a chance at the lightweight belt. McLaren was coming off a creditable draw with Lee Appleyard but Hughes was just too good for him on the night.

Fight of the week (Significance): Nordine Oubaali’s successful defence of his WBC title wins this award and it will hopefully lead to stiffer tests or a unification fight.
Fight of the week (Entertainment) Roman Belaev vs. Betuel Ushona was an entertaining eight rounder
Fighter of the week: Nordine Oubaali with honourable mention to Kanat Islam who sent out danger signals to other super welters
Punch of the week: The devastating overhand right from Islam that led to his 14 second win over Julio de Jesus
Upset of the week: None
Prospect watch: Although only 1-0 as a pro Venezuelan Yoel Finol is worth watching.