The Past Week in Action

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.

Plant City, FL. USA: Super Light: Batyrzhan Jukembayev (21-1) W PTS 10 Hugo Roldan (22-2-1). Light Heavy: Kareem Hackett (12-0) W PTS 10 Clay Waterman (11-0). Super Welter: Ismael Villarreal (13-1) W TKO 2 John Martinez (19-3).

Jukembaev vs. Roldan

Jukembayev wins a split decision over awkward Argentinian Roldan. There was an early shock for Jukembaev when as  Roldan charged forward throwing punches in the first Jukembaev back-pedalled and went down. Roldan had managed to land a light punch so the referee applied a count. Jukembaev seemed to level things up when he cracked Roldan with a straight left to then head. Roldan went down but the referee decided it was a slip although it looked much more convincing than the knockdown in the first round. Roldan’s tactics were to circle the perimeter of the ring constantly changing guards and then charge forward head down throwing punches and Jukembaev had difficulty throughout the fight with those tactics as each time Roldan then sprang back out quickly. Jukembaev began to time Roldan’s lunges and score with counters. What clean work there was was being done by Jukembaev but too often Roldan was forcing him to brawl and Roldan had some success with his punches when lunging forward. It was a messy fight and with Roldan’s head down rushes it was no surprise that Jukembaev was cut over his left eye but Jukembaev did enough clean work to deserve the decision. Scores 96-93 and 95-94 for Jukembaev and a 97-92 for Roldan. Third win for the Kazakh southpaw since he lost on an eighth retirement last September against Subriel Matias who won the IBF title two fights later.  Roldan’s other loss was a very close (95-94 on the three cards) against Joseph Adorno last September.

Hackett vs. Waterman

Hackett outboxes Australian Waterman and takes a wide unanimous decision. The Canadian southpaw had edges in height and reach and Waterman never worked how to counter those. He marched forward onto counters from the 6’2” Hackett and failed to cut off the ring but instead stood static in front of Hackett within punching distance. Hackett kept feeding Waterman jabs and straight lefts. Waterman had brief success in the third when he cornered Hackett but a right to the body from Hackett was the best punch of the round. Hackett was just too mobile for Waterman and continued to find the target with rights to the body. Waterman kept coming but by the ninth Hackett was already waiving his arm aloft in triumph and he boxed his way through the tenth. Scores 99-91 twice and 100-90 for Hackett who wins the vacant WBA Inter-Continental title. He was born in Toronto to Jamaican parents and won titles at various martial arts before concentrating on boxing where he reportedly compiled a 40-5 record. Waterman won the Australian title in March but was never in the hunt here.

Villarreal vs. Martinez

Villareal stops Martinez in two rounds. Plenty of careful probing in the first round with Villareal choosing to box as a southpaw and looking comfortable. Early in the second Villareal landed a couple of hooks and Martinez tumbled back and crouched with an arm over the bottom rope. The referee gave him a count. After that Villareal changed to orthodox and Martinez did a lot of holding. A left hook had Martinez backing off and dropping to a knee against the ropes. He made it to his feet but went down from two uppercuts and the referee waived the fight over. Villareal was rebounding from losing his unbeaten label when outpointed by 12-0 Ardreal Holmes in February. He was born in The Bronx. His Ecuadorian father Otilio was a pro who fought Zab Judah, Kermit Cintron, Adrian Stone and Hector Camacho. Martinez had won 7 of his 8 fights by KO/TKO.

 

SEPTEMBER 22

 

Viareggio, Italy: Cruiser: Fabio Turchi (22-3) W TKO 2 Levani Lukhutashvili (10-17).

Turchi returns to action with an easy win as he rebuilds after losing on points to Floyd Masson for the vacant WBO title in April. Turchi worked Lukhutashvili over in the first with hooks to the body and uppercuts with Lukhutashvili firing back only occasionally. Turchi ended it in the second forcing Lukhutashvili to the ropes and landing a right to the body and a right uppercut with Lukhutashvili dropping to the floor and the referee stopping the fight. Sixteenth inside the distance wins for Turchi. He has lost important fights against Tommy McCarthy and Richard Riakporhe. Twelve consecutive losses for Lukhutashvili.

 

Tokyo. Japan: Fly: Hiroto Kyoguchi (18-1) W KO 3 Jerven Mama (13-4-1). Super Fly: Suzumi Takayama (7-0) W TKO 8 Tsubass Murachi (10-2-1).

Kyoguchi vs. Mama

Kyoguchi kayos Filipino Mama in the third. Moving up to flyweight the former WBA light flyweight champion dominated from the first bell. He crowded Mama coming in behind a high guard and scoring with jabs and left hooks to the body. Just a second before the bell to end the third Kyoguchi connected with a left uppercut that dropped Mama and he was counted out at 3:09 of the round. Kyoguchi made four defences of the WBA title before losing on a seventh round stoppage against Kenshiro Teraji in November. Mama, the Philippines No 2, has won only one of his last five fights.

Takayama vs. Murachi

Takayama retains the Japanese title with an eighth round stoppage of Murachi. Over the first two rounds Murachi boxed well to take the lead but he was floored by a right hook in the third and shaken by another right hook at the end of the fourth.  Despite that he was in front on two cards after the fifth, Takayama upped the pace in the sixth and shook Murachi twice with lefts in the seventh. A desperate Murachi lost a point  for holding in the eighth before being put down by a series of punches. He beat the count but was taking punishment again and went down for a second time and the referee stopped the fight. Southpaw Takayama was making the first defence of his title and has six wins by KO/TKO. Murachi was 6-0-1 in his last 7 fights.

 

SEPTEMBER 23

 

Villa Maria, Argentina: Super Bantam: Rodrigo Ruiz (16-0) W TKO 4 Yeison Juarez (15-3,1ND). Feather: Daniela Bermudez (32-4-3) W TKO 3 Lucrecia Manzur (9-4). Light Heavy: Franco Acosta (13-0-1) W Facundo Galovar (15-9-2).

Ruiz vs. Juarez

Ruiz stops Jaurez in the fourth round in an IBF Latino defence. Ruiz landed a counter at the end of first that knocked Juarez off balance and his gloves touched the canvas leading to a count. Over the next two rounds Ruiz drove forward continually changing guards and scoring well. In the fourth two heavy left hooks from Ruiz sent Juarez down and the referee started the count but then stopped and indicated the fight was over. First defence of the Latino belt for Ruiz and win No 13 by KO/TKO. Juarez had won his last six bouts.

Bermudez vs. Manzur

Bermudez beats Manzur in the third round due to an injury. After a fairly even first round Manzur’s left ear began to swell alarmingly. The doctor examined her but let the fight continue. In the third blood began running from Manzur’s ear and this time when the doctor took another look the fight was stopped. Bermudez, a former WBO super fly, IBF super bantam and WBO bantam champion was knocked out in the ninth round by Amanda Serrano in a challenge for the IBF, WBC and WBO feather titles in 2021. She was defending the national title for the first time. Manzur had lost in previous shots at the Argentinian and South American super feather titles.

Acosta vs. Galovar

Acosta collected the vacant national heavy title with decision over Galovar. Acosta found Galovar’s awkward attack a puzzle and dropped the first two rounds. He began to take control late in the third. He lost control over the seventh and eighth and was struggling but he scored with some good punches and swept the last two rounds to win on scores of 97-93 twice and 98-92. The 6’3 ½” Acosta won this title in 2022 but did not defend it for a year so it was declared vacant. Galovar had lost in a challenge for the super middle belt in March.

 

Magdeburg, Germany: Heavy: Tom Schwarz (28-1) W PTS 10 Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko (10-14-1). Light Heavy: Adrian Krasniqi (6-0) W KO 1 Deniz Altz (15-11).Super Middle: Tyron Zeuge (27-1-1) W PTS 8 Nasser Bukenya (6-4).

Schwarz vs. Dovbyshchenko

Schwarz outpoints Ukrainian Dovbyshchenko. This was a new Schwarz being under instruction to jab and move to overcome some of his problems from the past. He started well but Dovbyshchenko scored with some heavy shots in the third. Schwarz landed well in the fourth and had Dovbyshchenko in trouble in the sixth. He continued to boss the action over the seventh and eighth but Dovbyshchenko continued to fight hard and looked to have hurt Schwarz with a body punch in the ninth and  made the tenth a very close one to call,. Schwarz won on scores of 97-94 twice and 97-93. Schwarz was stopped in two rounds by Tyson Fury in 2019 but after two low level wins later that year he was inactive in 2020 and 2021 and had only one fight in 2022 in April so had lots of rust to shed. UK-based Dovbyshchenko has now lost 5 of his last 6 fights.

Krasniqi vs. Altz

Krasniqi wins the vacant German title in his sixth fight with a predictable first round destruction of Altz. Krasniqi forced Altz back with jabs and then connected with a left hook to the body that sent Altz down in agony. He managed to climb to his feet but too late and was counted out. Done and dusted in 93 seconds. Krasniqi has taken less than ten rounds for his six wins and is yet to face an opponent with a positive record. He is the nephew of former European champion and WBO heavy title challenger Luan Krasniqi and is said to have lost only four of his seventy amateur fights. Altz has lost nine times by KO/TKO including a 52 second kayo against 24-0 Mohammed Bekdash in July.

Zeuge vs. Bukenya

Zeuge continues his rebuilding project was a points win over Dutch-based Ugandan Bukenya. Zeuge floored Bukenya just before the bell to end the first, Bukenya had boxed southpaw in the first but switched in the second. It made no real difference as Zuege was too skilful and found plenty of gaps in Bukenya’s guard. The Ugandan took the punishment and kept going giving Zeuge eight useful rounds of work, Zeuge a former holder of the secondary WBA super middle belt, won on scores of 79-72 twice and 80-71. He was out for almost four years before returning with a win in February and this is his third win since returning. Bukenya has not yet lost inside the distance.

 

Fontvieille,  Monaco: Light Heavy: Albert Ramirez (17-0) W PTS 10  Lenin Castillo (24-5-1). Light: Sofiane Oumiha (4-0) W TKO 6 Nicolas Blanco (9-1). Super Light: Hugo Micallef W KO 1 Denis Bartos (12-8). Light Heavy: Arlen Lopez (157-26) W Gradus Kraus (18-15).

Ramirez vs. Castillo

Venezuelan southpaw Ramirez again shows his power as he floors and outpoints (Gilberto/Lenin) Castillo. There were not too many highlights inn this rather dull contest. Ramirez started well and outboxed Castillo over the first two rounds. Castillo did better in the third but in the fourth as they both shaped tom throw right hooks Ramirez beat Castillo to the draw and Castillo tottered the went down heavily. He beat the count but Ramirez built on them knockdown to win the fifth and sixth. Castillo recovered and looked to have won the seventh, eighth and tenth with the ninth too close to call. Ramirez won on scores of 97-92, 96-93 and 95-94. He won the WBO Global title in January and was very impressive in knocking out Argentinian Braian Suarez, who gave Lyndon Athur such a tough fight, in the first round of their fight in June last year. Dominican Castillo lost big fights when beaten on points by Dmitrii Bivol in a challenge for the secondary WBA light heavy title and was stopped ibn two rounds by Callum Smith in 2021

Oumiha vs. Blanco

Oumiha outclasses and stops Argentinian novice Blanco in six rounds. Oumiha was several levels above Blanco and won every round. Late in the sixth a burst of punches put Blanco down and the towel came in from his corner just one second before the bell. Oumiha wins the vacant WBA Continental title. The 28-year-old from Toulouse dips in and out of professional fights whilst being arguably France’s most successful amateur of all time. He has won a silver at the Olympics, three gold medals at the World Championships. A gold and two silver at the medals at the European Games and a gold at the European Union championships-all he has to do now is be a success as a professional. Blanco. Just a prelim fighter, way out of his depth.

Micallef vs. Bartos

Monte Carlo’s Micallef gets his first inside the distance as he stops Czech Bartos in the first round. Micallef took the fight to Bartos backing him up before landing a series of body punches which dropped Bartos and he was counted out. With so little boxing in Monaco Micallef, 25, has fought in Germany, Italy, France and Spain. Eighth loss by KO/TKO for Czech lightweight title holder.

Lopez vs. Kraus

Cuban amateur star Lopez turned up on this show fighting Dutch pro Kraus and won on points over five round. The tall Dutchman competed well but Lopez was a clear winner. Difficult if this counts as a professional fight. Box Rec gave Lopez’s record as 157-26 which of course the “amateur” record for the double Olympic champion Lopez.

 

Almetyevsk, Russia: Welter: Vitaly Petryakov (17-0) W PTS 12 Jabulani Makhense (14-2). Super Light: Emir Basirov (10-0) Wm PTS 10 Tshifhiwa Munyai (36-8-1).

12

Petryakov  vs. Makhense

Scores 118-110, 117-111 and 117-112 for Petryakov but it was much closer than that. No scores available for Basirov vs. Munyai but Basirov looked to have won every round.

 

London. England: Heavy: Zhilei Zhang (26-1-1) W KO 3 Joe Joyce (15-2). Heavy: Anthony Yarde (24-3) W KO 2 Jorge Silva (22-9). Heavy: Moses Itauma (5-0) W TKO 1 Amine Boucetta (7-9). Super Middle: Zach Parker (23-1) W RTD 7 Khalid Graidia (10-13-4). Light Heavy: Ezra Taylor (7-0) W TKO 8 Joel McIntyre (20-8). Cruiser: Tommy Fletcher (6-0) W TKO 4 Alberto Tapia (3-5). Light Welter: Sean Noakes (6-0) W PTS 8 Lukasz Barabasz (2-9).

Zhang vs. Joyce

A right hook from Joyce puts Joyce down and out in the third round. There was plenty of tentative jabbing in the first with Joyce circling Zhang. Zhang threw an occasional left but Joyce just waived his jab and neither fighter really punching with any conviction. Joyce changed tactics at then start of the second coming forward behind his jab but then went back to circling and prodding with his jab. Zhang backed Joyce to the ropes and threw a couple of straight lefts. Theyn then traded punches with Zhang shrugging off Joyce’s punches and scoring with a hard straight left and a bunch of punches  that had Joyce stumbling back. Joyce was again marching forward in the third throwing jabs but Zhang looked dangerous when he fired back. Zhang landed a straight right that sent Joyce back on his heels and began to land jabs and left crosses. Joyce went to backing off and throwing jabs but again Zhang looked dangerous every time he threw a left. Joyce tried to drive Zhang back with jabs but with only five seconds remaining in the round Zhang landed a right hook to the head and Joyce went face down on the canvas. He made it to his feet just as the referee completed the count. Zhang, 40, was defending the interim WBO title that he had won in his victory over Joyce in April. The heavyweight division is a mess. No one knows who where or when Tyson Fury will defend the WBC title and as Deontay Wilder is his No 1challenger it is questionable whether the WBC will insist on Fury vs. Wilder IV. The IBF will probably insist Oleksandr Usyk fights their No 1 Filip Hrgovic or be stripped there is no talk of Usyk vs. Wilder although Wilder is the WBA No 1 and no talk of another Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua although Joshua is the WBO No 1and fights between Usyk and Mahmoud Charr (holder of the WBA secondary belt), Zhang and Martin Bakole would be hard to sells, and it may be too early for Jarred Anderson, the WBO No 2, to take on Usyk. A mess. Not sure where Joyce goes from here. This was a crushing defeat and at 38 time is running out for him.

Yarde vs. Silva

Yarde tracked the retreating Silva around the ring. He trapped Silva early and scored with a couple of punches but Silva escaped. Early in the second Silva was again pinned against the ropes as Yarde scored with rights to the body then a long right to the head. Yarde hunted Silva into a corner and landed two rights to the head and Silva slid down to the floor and was counted out just as he made it o his feet. A gentle return to the ring for Yarde after his credible performance when losing to Artur Beterbiev for the IBF, WBC and WBO titles. Portugal’s Silva had won 6 of his last 7 fights but the loss had him being beaten 80-72 on the referee’s card against Kieran Conway in February.

Itauma vs. Boucetta

Itauma was looking to end this one early stabbing out his jab and throwing southpaw\w lefts. He landed a couple of right jabs and hooks to the body then stepped in and executed Boucetta with a devastating left uppercut the dropped Boucetta heavily. He beat the count but Itauma forced him to the ropes and Boucetta dropped to his knees under a series of punches and the referee immediately stopped the fight. Inept opposition in Boucetta who has now lost his last eight fights but that uppercut was a beauty.

Taylor vs. McIntyre

Taylor stops McIntyre in the lst second of their fight. Taylor showed plenty of confidence against the much more experienced McIntyre. He moved smoothly jabbed well and landed some good left hooks to the body and counter punched strongly when McIntyre tried to get inside. McIntyre had some success when he could pin Taylor against the ropes but was not applying enough pressure or throwing enough punches. Farmer landed heavily in the sixth and seventh. At the end of the eighth a left hook shook McIntyre and sent him into a corner. Farmer unloaded punches and with nothing coming back the referee stopped the fight. Fifth victory by KO/TKO for Taylor. He had a relatively short amateur going 20-3 but won five regional titles. Fourth loss in a row for McIntyre a former English champion.

Fletcher vs. Tapia

Fletcher stops Spaniard Tapia in the fourth round. The 6’7” Fletcher towered over the 5’11” Tapia. In the first he stayed on the move circling Tapia spearing him with rights then putting him down twice with body punches. Tapia made it to his feet from the second knockdown and the round was over. A left to the head sent Tapia down in the second and later in the round he took his fourth count from another body punch. He was on the floor again in the third from a hook to the body. Tapia had ploughed forward throwing punches after each knockdown but was reeling under punches in the fourth when the referee stopped the fight. Fifth inside the distance for the 20-year-old Fletcher who is still a raw talent but being guided well. Second loss by KO/TKO but he showed courage to get up after those five knockdowns.

Noakes vs. Barabasz

Noakes outpoints Barabasz. Noakes used his jab to keep Barabasz on the back foot in the first and landed a right hook just before the bell that knocked Barabasz off balance and he put both gloves on the canvas to stay up and was given a count. Noakes continued to force the action throughout the fight and landed some big rights, Barabasz showed a useful jab and good chin but Noakes was quicker. Barabasz attacked hard in the last round and might have done enough to win it as Noakes took no chances. Referee’s score 59-54 for Noakes. Good learning fight for Noakes. Barabasz kept his record of not losing inside the distance.

 

Orlando, FL, USA: Super Light: Richarson Hitchins (17-0) W PTS 12 Jose Zepeda (37-4,2ND). Welter: Jessica McCaskill (12-3-1) DREW 10 Sandy Ryan (6-1-1). Middle: Austin Williams (15-0) W PTS 10 Steve Rolls (22-3). Super Light: Orestes Velazquez (8-0) W TKO 10 Mohamed Soumaoro (13-2). Super Welter: Conor Benn (22-0) W PTS 10 Rodolfo Orozco (32-4-3). Light Heavy: Khalil Coe (7-0-1) W TKO 2 Kenmon Evans (10-2-1). Super Welter: Jeovanny Estela (13-0) W TKO 1 Luis Ramos (6-2-1). Super Fly: Jasmine Artiga (11-0-1) W PTS 8 Josefina Vega (9-7).