The Past Week in Action 20 September 2021

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:

-Puerto Rican hope Danielito Zorrilla crushes Pablo Cano in two rounds and Nahir Albright, Miguel Madueno and Yunieski Gonzalez all score inside the distance wins in  Hollywood Florida

-Super Welterweight Serhii Bohachuk and Super Middleweight Ali Akhmedov win in Montebello

– Jessie Hart returns with a points win over Mike Guy.

-In Female action Hyun Mi Choi retains her WBA super featherweight title, Juliana Basualdo scores upset win over 36-1 Yessica Bopp, Elhem Mekhaled knocks out Pasa Malagic in a European title fight and Delphine Mancini wins the French title

 

September 14

 

Hollywood, FL, USA: Super Light: Danielito Zorrilla (16-0) W KO 2 Pablo Cano (33-8-1, 1 ND). Super Light: Nahir Albright (14-1) W RTD 6 Michael Dutchover (15-2). Super Light: Miguel Madueno (25-0) W TKO 10 Sonny Fredrickson (21-5).Cruiser: Yunieski Gonzalez (21-3) W KO 2 Tommy Karpency (30-7-1).

Zorrilla vs. Cano

Big win for Puerto Rican Zorrilla as he beats Cano in two rounds. Cano was the aggressor in the first taking the fight to Zorrilla and firing shots to the body. Early in the second Zorrilla scored with a heavy right to the head and another that landed on the side of Cano’s neck. Cano threw a left hook but then in a delayed action response from those rights backed to a corner and went down on one knee. He got up but promptly dropped down again and was counted out. Zorrilla, 27, an outstanding amateur, retained the WBO NABO title with his twelfth win by KO/TKO. Former interim WBA title holder Cano had won his last three fights including a first round stoppage of Jorge Linares.

Albright vs. Dutchover

Albright demolishes Dutchover in six one-sided rounds. Albright scored knockdowns in each of the first three rounds. Dutchover was cut over his left eye in the fourth and dropped again in the sixth and after a doctor’s inspection was pulled out of the fight at the end of the round. Since losing his first pro fight Albright has put together a 14-bout winning streak including seven early finishes. Disaster for Texan Dutchover as he suffers his second loss by KO/TKO and he was taken transported to the hospital for checks.

Madueno vs. Fredrickson

Madueno continues his winning streak with late stoppage of Fredrickson after a stirring scrap. Madueno outscored Fredrickson over the first four rounds connecting with hard shots from both hand. Fredrickson had been competitive and began to roll from the fifth hurting Madueno with a body shot to take the round. With Madueno losing a point in the sixth for pushing Fredrickson’ s head down Fredrickson was eating into Madueno’s lead. He took the seventh and eighth but a stronger Madueno came back to shake Fredrickson in the ninth and landed a series of heavy punches which brought the referee’s intervention in the tenth. The 22-year-old Mexican has won 23 of his 25 fights by KO/TKO against very modest opposition so Fredrickson was a step up for him even though it was Fredrickson’s fourth loss in a row.

Gonzalez vs. Karpency

Cuban Gonzalez destroys Karpency with body punches. Gonzalez was rumbling forward through the first digging in body punches and hooks to the head. Karpency was forced to stand and trade until in the second and vicious left to the body dropped Karpency to his hands and knees. He literal crawled along the ring from one corner to another but once getting there was unable to get up and was counted out. Gonzalez, 36, has lost big fights against Jean Pascal, Vyacheslav Shabranskyy and Olek Gvozdyk but after three years out has come back with three quick wins. Former WBC light heavyweight title challenger Karpency is entertaining but loses inside the distance when he steps up.

 

September 15

 

Aguascalientes, Mexico: Super Feather: Karla Ramos (7-9) W PTS 10 Liliana Palmera (29-14-3).

Local boxer Ramos wins the vacant WBA Fedelatin Female title with comprehensive verdict over Colombian Palmera. It was a close, competitive fight over the first three rounds but then the younger Ramos took charge of the action as the older Palmera tired and Ramos emerged a clear winner. Scores 100-91, 99-91 and 98-92 for Ramos.

 

September 16

 

Montebello, CA, USA: Super Welter: Serhii Bohachuk (20-1) W RTD 6 Raphael Igbokwe (16-3). Super Middle: Ali Akhmedov (17-1) W RTD 3 David Zegarra (34-5).

Bohachuk vs. Igbokwe

Bohachuk wins in his usual style as he uses unrelenting pressure to bulldoze Igbokwe to defeat. A confident Igbokwe stood and exchanged shots with Bohachuk in the first but things changed in the second as Bohachuk began to target the body. As Bohachuk piled on the liver shots Igbokwe started to fade. It was then one-way traffic until with Igbokwe being overwhelmed his in team in consultation with the doctor retired him at the end of the sixth round. Second quick win for the Ukrainian since his stoppage loss against Brandon Adams in March. All twenty of his wins have come by KO/TKO. Houston southpaw Igbokwe’s previous losses had both been split decisions.

Akhmedov vs. Zegarra

Akhmedov bloodies and beats Zegarra over four rounds. Things started badly for Zegarra as a punch brought blood pouring from his nose in the first-and then things got worse. He just could not keep the bigger and stronger Kazak out and as he tried to use footwork to stay out of trouble he found Akhmedov doing a good job of cutting off his escape routes. Akhmedov shook Zegarra with a left hook in the second and pounded him throughout the third and with Zegarra taking a beating and still bleeding heavily from his nose injury he retired in his corner. Akhmedov was returning to action for the first time since his upset stoppage loss against Carlos Gongora for the vacant IBO title in December. Peruvian Zegarra went 30-0 against low grade opposition but is 4-6 since he started to play with the big boys.

 

September 17

 

Posadas, Argentina: Super Welter: Alejandro Silva (17-0-1) W KO 4 Maico Sommariva (9-4). Bantam: Juliana Basualdo (5-2) W PTS 6Yessica Bopp (36-2).

Silva vs. Sommariva

Silva retains the Argentinian title in his fourth defence as he scores two knockdowns on his way to victory over Sommariva. Silva was on target with punches upstairs and down but it was the body punches that brought him victory. He put Sommariva down in the second with a left to the ribs and finished him in the fourth with a right to the body that had Sommariva writhing in agony. Fourteen wins in a row for Silva and he now has twelve victories by KO/TKO. Sommariva is 2-4 in his last 6 fights.

Basualdo vs. Bopp

Southpaw Basualdo scores split decision over Bopp in a huge upset. Basualdo was just too big for the 5’0” Bopp who is WBA Super title holder at 108lbs. Basualdo was able to use her longer reach and strength to force Bopp to fight on the back foot for much of the time. There were plenty of fiery exchanges but Basualdo bossed most of them and was a clear winner. Scores 59 ½ -56 and 59-57 ½ for Basualdo and a dissenting 59-55 for Bopp. Fourth consecutive victory for Basualdo. Bopp. 37, had not fought since June 2019 so may have taken this fight just to get in some ring time but she was 107 ½ in her title defence in June and 115 ½ for this one.

 

Monterrey, Mexico: Bantam: Rashib Martinez (17-2) W PTS 10 Ivan Meneses (19-21-2).

Local prospect Martinez takes wide unanimous decision over grizzled veteran Meneses. Martinez dominated the fight with powerful jabs and thunderous straight rights. By the fifth Meneses was cut over his left eye and had a cut above his hair line on the left side of his face which bled heavily. Martinez continued to connect with savage rights but Meneses took the punishment and fought back hard. In the last round Meneses finally crumpled. Martinez had him against the ropes and was snapping his head around with rights and lefts when the referee stepped in. That happened just as the bell rung and for a few seconds it was not clear if it was a stoppage or not. It turned out that the referee had jumped in because of the bell so it went to the cards with Martinez winning on scores of100-90 on all three cards. Just one loss in his last 17 fights for Martinez now. Some hard fights are catching up on Meneses who is 0-7-1 in his last 8 contests.

 

London, England: Light: Connor Marsden (5-1). W TKO 6 Ben Jones (22-8-1,1ND).

Marsden wins the vacant BBB of C Southern Area title with stoppage of experienced Jones. Both men had some rust to shed but it did not show as this was a war from the outset with both connecting with hard punches in every round. Marsden was effective with his jab and long rights and Jones was always dangerous with right crosses. After four hard rounds Marsden took charge in the fifth and had Jones pinned to the ropes and taking serious punishment in the sixth when the referee stepped in to halt the fight. In his first fight for eighteen months Marsden racked up his second inside the distance win. Jones was having his first fight since February 2018.

 

Norwich, England: Welter: Liam Goddard (8-0) W RTD 4 Justin Menzie (5-5-1).

Goddard delights his home fans with victory over Menzie in a battle of southpaws. Goddard controlled the fight from the start and after a one-sided fourth round Menzie retired. Goddard collects the vacant BBB of C Southern Area title. Four of Menzie’s eleven fights have been ten round contests that went the distance.

 

Philadelphia, PA, USA: Light: Samuel Teah (18-4-1) W TKO 1 Larry Fryers (11-5). Super Middle: Jessie Hart (27-3) W PTS 8 Mike Guy (12-7-1).

Teah vs. Fryers

Teak wipes out Fryers in just 44 seconds. Teah floored Fryer with a right to the head and although Fryers made it to his feet the follow up attack from Teah had him in trouble and the fight was stopped. That makes it eight wins by KO/TKO for the 34-year-old Liberian-born “Tsunami” as he sets out to rebuild after a third round kayo loss against Brandon Lee in March. Four defeats is a row for Irish southpaw Fryers.

Hart vs. Guy

In his first outing for 21 months Hart returns to his home city with a win but in a poor contest. Hart was seven inches taller than Guy which allowed him to control most of the action. He was connecting with jabs and catching Guy with uppercuts when Guy tried to move inside. When he did get inside Guy was holding rather than punching. Hart’s output dropped over the sixth and seventh but he came back to take the last. Scores 79-73 twice and 80-72 for Hart. It has been a bit of a switchback period for Hart. He lost to Gilberto Ramirez for the WBO super middle title then beat Sullivan Barrera but in his last fight in January 2020 was floored and decisioned by Joe Smith Jr. He was 169 ½ lbs for this fight so could be looking for another title chance at super middle. Third tough fight and third loss in a row for Guy.

 

Ciudad Acuna, Mexico: Super Light: Breyon Gorham (10-0) W TKO 1 Omar Reyes (7-12).

Houston’s Gorham floored Reyes three times for a first round ending. For the 20-year-old, who had done most of his fighting in Mexico. this is his sixth first round victory but the opposition has been abysmal with Reyes now suffering his fifth loss in a row.

 

September 18

 

Ingeniero Maschwitz, Argentina: Sebastian Aguirre (18-3) W KO 1 Sergio Rosalez (13-3).

Aguirre blows away Rosalez in two minutes. Aguirre was hunting down Rosalez and shook him badly with a left to the head which knocked Rosalez into a corner. Aguirre then bombarded Rosalez with punches until Rosalez slid to the floor. He staggered to his feet at seven but the referee could see he was stunned and counted him out. First fight since March 2019 for Aguirre and his tenth win by KO/TKO. Second defeat in row for Rosalez after an unbeaten streak of 13 fights.

 

Santa Fe, Argentina: Super Bantam: Diego Ruiz (23-3) W TKO 7 Juan Jurado (15-4-3).

Ruiz breaks down and halts Jurado in seven rounds. Ruiz had a 6” height advantage and was a natural super bantam fighting a former Argentinian flyweight champion. Ruiz made good use of his longer reach and greater strength to take charge of the fight. He was banging home hard jabs and putting Jurado on the back foot. Jurado was spending more and more time pinned against the ropes with Ruiz showering him with a plenitude of punches including strength sapping body shots. Jurado replied with short bursts of punches but was soaking up too much punishment. He came out of his corner when the bell sounded to start the seventh but his corner immediately threw in the towel before the action started. Second win in fifteen days for Ruiz. His only loss in his last 13 fights was a stoppage against Michael Conlan in 2019. Fourth defeat in his last four fights for Jurado.

 

Feyzin, France: Super Feather: Elhem Mekhaled (15-0) W KO 1 Pasa Malagic (15-8).

If you blinked you might have missed this one. European champion Mekhaled landed a heavy right to the head and a left hook as Malagic was on her way down. Malagic struggled to her feet but was counted out. All over in 30 seconds. Home town fighter Mekhaled was making the first defence of the European title and in her first fight for 21 months certainly showed no rust. Bosnian Malagic’s third inside the distance loss.

 

Vigneux, France: Bantam: Delphine Mancini (4-0) W PTS 8 Melanie Mercier (2-12-1).

Fighting in front of her own fans Mancini wins the vacant French Female title with a unanimous decision over Mercier. All three judges gave Mercier all eight rounds scoring it 80-72. Mancini only turned pro in April but apart from her brief professional record she was an eight-time French amateur champion and a double European Championships medallist. Mercier is certainly a trier having already lost in three shots at the French light flyweight title and two at flyweight.

 

Hamburg, Germany: Heavy: Albon Pervizaj (16-1) W KO 1 Habib Vugiterna (6-2).

Local fighter Pervizaj knocks out inexperienced Vugiterna in the first round to win the vacant German International title. A body shot had Vugiterna hurt then Pervizaj measured him with a jab and put him flat on his back with booming right. Seventh first round finish for former German Youth, Under-21 and Senior champion Pervizaj but his opposition including the fighter who outpointed him, have all been sub-standard performers. Vugiterna just a four and six round novice.

 

Trieste, Italy: Super Feather: Hassan Nourdine (13-5) W PTS 10 Michele Broili (13-2-2).

Nourdine floors and decisions Broili to left the vacant Italian title. After a couple of cautious rounds  the fight started in earnest from the third. Nourdine took charge after flooring Broili with a right in the fourth. The bell went before Nourdine could build on that and Broili took the fight to Nourdine trying to claw back the points with Nourdine boxing cleverly. Broili had a good ninth but Nourdine finished strong and was a good winner. Some disagreement between the judges as two saw Nourdine the winner b98-91 and the third had it 96-95 for Broili. Moroccan-born Nourdine had come down a couple of divisions have failed in a shot at the super lightweight title in 2019. Broili was 7-0-1 going in but losing is not the end of his troubles. During the fight it was noticed that Broili had some tattoo’s which it is said  were “praising Nazism” so the Italian Federation and other bodies are investigating but it seems silly that none of the supervisors or officials saw these in all of the pre-fight activities.

 

Siena, Italy: Feather: Davide Tassi (12-0) W PTS 10 Davide Tiberi (7-1).

Tassi gets off the floor to win the vacant national title. A left from Tiberi dropped Tassi in the first but he failed to finish the job and paid for it. Taller southpaw Tassi used his better skills and plenty of clever movement to win the rounds. Tiberi was never able to repeat that early success and Tassi was a good winner. Scores 97-92 twice and 98-91 for Tassi. He is champion for the second time having won the title in October but relinquished it to look for other fights which did not happen. Tiberi was moving up to ten rounds for the first time.

 

Punta Hermosa, Peru: Welter: Jonathan Maicelo (27-3) W TKO 4 Jeffrey Quintero (11-13). Feather: Carlos Zambrano (27-2) W PTS 6 Luis Colmanares (8-7).

Maicelo vs. Quintero

Maicelo comes out of retirement with a win. The former WBA interim title challenger at lightweight outscored Venezuelan southpaw Quintero over the first three rounds and then finished him with a body punch in the fourth. First fight for the 38-year-old Maicelo since December 2017. Maicelo is going to be looking for some overseas assignments at welterweight. Seventh consecutive loss by KO/TKO for Quintero.

Zambrano vs. Colmanares

Zambrano eases his way back into the winning column with unanimous decision over Colmanares. No scores given but Zambrano a wide winner. In his last two fights the former WBA interim featherweight champion Zambrano, 37, lost his title on a first round kayo against Claudio Marrero and last March was knocked out by Bryan Chevalier. The 5’3” Colmanares was too small to trouble Zambrano. He had recorded six first round wins in a row before being knocked out by Starling Martinez in his last fight in February 2020.

 

Tolyatti, Russia: Light: Aik Shakhnazaryan (25-4-1) DRAW 10 Avak Uzlyan (5-0-1).

Shakhnazaryan retains the Russian title with draw against Uzlyan. The challenger was short of experience and came in as a short notice substitute but was worthy of the draw in a close contest. First defence for Shakhnazaryan. Uzlyan had never travelled past six rounds before so did well here.

 

Dubai, UAE: Heavy: Martin Bakole (17-1) W TKO 1 Haruna Osumanu (11-3).

21

Whoever made this “match” should be ashamed of their self. Bakole blasted out a hapless Osumanu late in the first round. That gives the Scots-based Congolese his fifth consecutive win since a tenth round stoppage loss against Mike Hunter in 2018. Victories over Mariusz Wach, Kevin Johnson and Sergey Kuzmin have seen him rated No 15 by both the WBA and IBF and he should not be wasting his time on rubbish like this. The 41-year-old Ghanaian Osumanu is 6’0” to Ilunga’s 6’ 6” and yet weighed the same as Makabu and was obese.

 

Seoul, South Korea: Super Feather: Hyun MI Choi (19-0-1 W TKO 9 Simone Aparecida da Silva (17-17).

Choi retains the WBA Female title as she floors and halts da Silva in the ninth round. Choi was in charge for most of the fight and gradually beat down da Silva. A left hook to the body put da Silva down min the ninth and although she beat the count and tried to fight back Choi pounced and sent her down again with another left hook and the fight was stopped. Sixth defence of the WBA title for Choi. The experienced da Silva, 38, is a former Brazilian and South American champion but Choi was too strong for her.

 

Sheffield, England: Fly: Tommy Frank (14-2) W PTS 12 Matt Windle (6-4-1). Heavy: Kash Ali (20-1) W RTD 7 Roman Gorst (7-2) .

Frank vs. Windle

Frank gets a much needed win and the vacant British title with decision over Windle. After a scrappy first round Frank floored Windle with a right in the second. Windle survived the crisis but had to take more punishment over the succeeding rounds and was staggered by a left hook in the sixth. Windle got into the fight more over the second half and had a good tenth but Frank was back on top over the last two rounds and Windle did well to last the distance. Scores 118-109, 117-110 and 117-111 for Frank. First step on the road to recovery for the former Commonwealth champion after back-to-back losses to Mexican Rosendo Guarneros. Windle was coming off an upset twelve round victory over Neil McCubbin in June.

Ali vs. Gorst

Heavy punching Ali retains the IBF European title with retirement victory over German Gorst. Ali had a five inch height edge and was 17lbs heavier and too strong for the visitor. Ali won the early rounds rocking Gorst with hard rights. Gorst had a slight edge in the fifth but Ali again landed some crunching rights in the sixth and seventh and Gorst’s corner pulled their man out with a suspected fractured jaw. Fifth inside the distance win in succession for Ali with his only loss being a disqualification against David Price. Gorst had lost on points against German prospect Peter Kadiru over ten rounds in October.

 

Bakersfield, CA, USA: LIGHT: Jose Valenzuela (10-0) W PTS 10 Deiner Berrio (22-4-1).

Valenzuela too busy, too aggressive and too accurate for Colombian Berrio. He dominated until late when Berrio landed some useful body punches but by then Valenzuela had an unassailable lead. Scores 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92  for Valenzuela. The 22-year-old Mexican had won his last five fights by KO/TKO but got some useful rounds of work here. At one time Berrio was 20-0-1 but better opposituion has led to a worse record.

 

Fight of the week (Significance): Nothing hugely significant but Danielito Zorrilla showed in his crushing of Pablo Cano that he could be a threat at super lightweight

Fight of the week (Entertainment): Miguel Madueno vs. Sonny Fredrickson provided plenty of action.

Fighter of the week: Danielito Zorrilla for his impressive win against Pablo Cano

Punch of the week: The body punch from Alejandro Silva the almost cut Maico Sommariva gets the vote with either of the two rights from Zorrilla that started Cano’s crumble are worth an honorary mention

Upset of the week: Juliana Basualdo with her 4-2 record was not supposed to beat 36-1 Yessica Bopp

Prospect watch: Super lightweight Nahir Albright 15-1 looked good in stopping highly touted Michael Dutchover.

 

Observations

One of the quietest weeks I can remember. Even as the restrictions were slowly relaxed there were bigger fights on the schedule than this week’s offering.

Liliana Palmera, 39, a former WBA super bantamweight title holder who lost to Karla Ramos at the weekend has done a “reverse Pacquiao” . She started out as a super lightweight  and worked her way down to compete as low as super bantam. She should start a slimming club.

Nice to see the heavyweight fight between Albon Pervizaj and Habib Vugiterna in Hamburg was a charity event to raise funds to subsidise children whose parents could no longer raise the fees for the local boxing clubs due to the pandemic.

Palmera from super light down to super bantam.

A 6’6” 28 year-old Martin Bakole vs. an obese 41-year-old 6’0” is a disgrace to boxing. The worst thing is that it is not rare and that there are actually people responsible for administering the sport who are quite happy to approve these matches.