Report/gallery: Holm’s final fight

Ringside report by Chris Cozzone and Gerardo Martinez
Photos by Chris Cozzone

Bidding adios to boxing after more than a decade and marking the end of an era, on both local and global fronts, Holly Holm left an emotional sold-out crowd, last night at Route 66 Casino in Albuquerque, with a final-but-furious victory.

Relinquishing all claims to pound-for-pound supremacy, Holm securely stepped down from her throne in a safe scrap by dominating oversized, overwhelmed Mary McGee, of Gary, Ind., through ten rounds. It might not have been the showdown fans have been clamoring for – Holm vs. Cecelia Braekhus, of course – but the 3,000 in attendance at the Fresquez-promoted card wholeheartedly cheered on the champ that has reigned at the local box-office since 2005 . . . Click here for more

Solis-Kono: Full Report

Report by Joe Koizumi
Photo by Boxing Beat

Venezuelan Liborio Solis (15-3-1, 7 KOs), 115, unified the WBA super-flyweight belt as he, WBA interim ruler, defeated WBA regular champ Kohei Kono (28-8, 11 KOs), 115, Japan, by a majority decision over twelve hard-fought rounds on Monday in Tokyo, Japan. Kono floored Solis with a countering right in round two, but the Venezuelan dropped the Japanese back with a vicious left hook in round eight in a give-and-take total war.

The official tallies were as follows: Stefano Carozza (Italy) 114-112 and Pinit Prayadsabu (Thailand) 115-111 (too severe against Kono) both for Solis, and Sergio Caiz (US) 113-113.

The loser Kono gloomily said, “I believed I won the fight. The referee deducted a point, but it wasn’t a low blow.” The winner Solis reviewed the tough battle, saying, “Kono was much stronger than I expected. I was the victor without doubt though it’s a close fight.” (more…)

Uchiyama-Parra: Full Report

Report by Joe Koizumi
Photo by Boxing Beat

Unbeaten Japanese Takashi Uchiyama (20-0-1, 17 KOs), 130, kept his WBA super-featherweight belt as he sank previously undefeated challenger Jaider Parra (20-1-1 10 KOs), 129.75, a Venezuelan jabber, in agony with a single body shot at 2:15 of the fifth round on Monday in Tokyo, Japan. It was Uchiyama’s seventh successful defense with six within the distance.

Jaider, the younger brother of ex-WBA flyweight champ Lorenzo Parra, cautiously started action as he paid his respect to the champ’s vaunted power punching. Uchiyama, three years his senior at 33, looked a little stiff than usual, but threw more punches to the tight-guarded Venezuelan. The champ, in round two, positively threw solid left-right combinations followed by strong left hooks, which were averted by Parra’s good defense. Uchiyama maintained the pressure regardless of precision, winning the second round. (more…)

Report/gallery: Mayweather vs. Guerrero

Ringside by Chris Cozzone
Photos by Mary Ann Owen/ BoxinginLasVegas.com

Thirty-six-year-old Floyd “Money” Mayweather may yet grow old.

But last night was not his time to do so.

Needing just two rounds to expel the specters of rust and age, Mayweather proved the naysayers wrong, yet again, by defending his pound-for-pound crown and one of the welterweight belts with a one-sided spanking of Robert “Ghost” Guerrero. The challenger proved dreadfully ineffectual against the drearily masterful, transforming what was a hoped-for war, into something of a sparring session, which evoked sporadic waves of boos from an anxious crowd . . . Click here for full report

Report/Gallery: “May Day” undercard

Ringside by Chris Cozzone & Miguel Maravilla
Photos by Mary Ann Owen/ BoxinginLasVegas.com

In what should cement him a high pound-for-pound ranking, and the man to beat in the 120s, three-division world champ Abner Mares, 26-0-1, 14 Kos, moved up to 126 to dethrone WBC Featherweight Champ Daniel Ponce De Leon, 44-5, 35 Kos. Weathering the champ’s battering ram of a left hand, Mares unraveled his sparmate and friend, dropping him not once but twice en route to a knockout win in round nine . . . Click here for more

Report/gallery: Orozco vs. Reynoso

Ringside by Chris Cozzone with Miguel Maravilla
Photos by Chris Cozzone

A boxing fan knows they’re in for a night of predictable pugilism when one-half of a line-up is comprised of undefeateds with the opposing corner, a motley collection ranging from merely game to barely challenging.

Packing the cushy Cosmopolitan’s Chelsea Ballroom on the eve of what is, arguably, the most important fight of the year, fans had to settle for coffee talk on a seven-bout card, rather than witness something worth reminiscing about in the final hours leading up to Mayweather v. Guerrero . . . Click here for full report and gallery

Report/Gallery: Munoz shocked in Albuquerque

Ringside report by Gerardo Martinez
Photos by Jose Leon Castillo III

The idiom that states you can’t teach an old dog new tricks seems fitting with the result of Saturday night’s main event in the Johhny Tapia Presents card at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. El Paso’s Bernardo “Tuff Enough” Guereca (17-17-1, 4 KO’s) had the same tricks up his sleeve he’s had for the last few years in giving a slew of New Mexico and Colorado fighters tough fights. “Hurricane” Hector Muñoz got caught up in one of those old tricks and history repeated itself in the same city, but different venue, when Guereca sneaked a powerful left uppercut to the chin of Muñoz, dropping him in the center of the ring. Muñoz was able to stand up on spaghetti legs and claim he was good to go, but experienced referee Rocky Burke knew better and called a halt to the bout at 2:59 of the first round . . . Click here for more

Full report: Alvarado vs. Rios II

Ringside report and gallery by Chris Cozzone

War can be so ugly, it’s beautiful.

Ask any boxing fan who watched last night’s epic, and, for once, you won’t hear about snoozefests or robberies, politics or the UFC. You’ll hear about blood and guts warfare and the names of two youngsters who just may keep the sport going once the obvious elders have called it a day.

You’ll also hear satisfaction.

Bypassing both last year’s original epic and the recent Bradley-Provodnikov war, Saturday night’s rematch between Mike “Mile High” Alvarado and Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios was a classic battle that will leave fight fans remembering 2013 as the year they began mumbling, “Manny who? ‘Money’ what?” . . . More

Report/gallery: Torres stops Sanchez

Ringside report by Chris Cozzone and Gerardo Martinez
Photos by Chris Cozzone

Mark Twain once wrote, “A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.”

So went the lesson learned last night at the Wool Warehouse in Albuquerque, N.M., where big hearts and big appetites did not, alas, equate to chomping away at more than one can chew.

Faltering for the first time in their budding careers, young guns Jose Luis Sanchez and Matthew Baca received more than a few scratches, bumps and bruises in their untimely showdowns. With school bells clanging away the rounds, professors “Pittbull” and Hernandez Perez dished out hard-learned lessons before a capacity crowd . . . Click here for more

George-Lopez: Full Report/Photo Gallery

By Sam Geraci at ringside
Photos: Joey Hill/joeyhill.com

In the main event of the evening on Friday night at the UIC Pavilion, Chicago’s Donovan “Da Bomb” George (24-3-2, 21 KOs) fought to an unpopular draw with Mexico’s David “The Destroyer” Lopez (41-13-1, 23 KOs) in a competitive bout that many at ringside believed he won. Official scores were 96-94 for Lopez, 97-94 for George and 95-95; Fightnews scored the bout 98-92 for George.

In the first, George pawed with his jab looking to set up his right hand as he stalked the much taller Lopez. Within the first thirty seconds, George’s advantage in hand speed became apparent. Other than landing a solid left hook towards the middle of the round that didn’t phase George, Lopez was inactive and outworked by George, who landed failed to cause any damage with the few solid right hands that he landed. (more…)

“Path to Glory” photogallery and report

Felipe Leon and Miguel Maravilla at ringside
Photos by “Big” Joe Miranda

Thompson Boxing Promotions, one of the busiest promoters in southern California, opened their 2013 season this past Friday with the fan favorite “Path to Glory” series at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA, in front of a sold out crowd.

Super bantamweight Christopher “Marvelous” Martin (26-2-3, 8 KOs) of San Diego made his shot at redemption a good one with a razor thin but hugely unpopular unanimous decision over previous conqueror Jose Angel Beranza (35-26-2, 27 KOs) of Mexico City in the main event. (more…)

Peterson-Holt Report/Gallery

By Gary Digital Williams and Julian Burgower at ringside
Photos: Mike Greenhill

IBF Junior Welterweight Champion Lamont Peterson laid several issues to rest last night before a supportive hometown crowd at the Washington, DC Armory.

First, Peterson alleviated any concerns from DC fight followers of the extended 14-month layoff since his crowning affair Jin dethroning Amir Khan. Second was Peterson’s ability to revive his career after the oft-talked about positive test results for synthetic testosterone. Some would also mention the arguably controversial point deductions or the mysterious “man in the hat” incident following the Khan fight.

Peterson, though, laid to rest the most important obstacle of all- Kendall Holt. (more…)

Report/gallery: Smith vs. Bundrage

Ringside by Lindy Lindell & Sam Geraci
Photos by Robert Ryder

Controlling the action almost throughout, Ishe Smith became the first world champion born and raised in Las Vegas, winning a clear-cut (if not decisive) split decision over junior-middleweight titleholder Cornelius (K9) Bundrage in Bundrage’s hometown of Detroit.

The Golden Boy-Mayweather Productions show was held in downtown Detroit in the largest of three auditoria at the Masonic Temple with an enthusiastic crowd filling approximately two-thirds of the 4,500-seat venue  . . . Click here for more

“The Drill” wins WBU title

Report by Ray Kilgore And Jesse Kelley; Photos by Jesse Kelley

Phil “The Drill” Williams (12-5-1, 11 KOs) destroyed Shujaa El-Amin (12-4, 6 KOs) in one round this past Saturday at the Crowne Plaza in Saint Paul, MN to capture the vacant WBU super middleweight title.

Williams came out in the first round with bad intentions as he laid back looking for an opening and he found it! Within the first minute, Williams unleashed a set of damaging head shots that ended with a right hook that sent El-Amin halfway through the ropes. (more…)

Report/gallery: Molina vs. Spinks

By Sam Geraci at ringside
Photos by Joey Hill at RoyalDivide.com

Chicago’s Carlos “King” Molina (21-5-2, 6 KOs) dominated former jr middleweight champion and former undisputed welterweight champion Cory “The Next Generation” Spinks (39-8, 11 KOs) of St. Louis, MO to capture a unanimous decision with the scores of 119-106 twice and 120-105 in front of his hometown crowd of 5,300-plus at the UIC Pavilion.

Molina controlled nearly every second of the bout with his pressure, lead right hands and left hooks to the body and head With the victory, Molina solidified his place among the top 154lb fighters and earned a shot at the winner of the February 23rd jr middleweight IBF title clash between champion Cornelius “K9″ Bundrage and contender Ishe “Sugar Shay” Smith . . . Click here for more

Report/gallery: Gomez vs. Lane

Ringside by Anthony Springer Jr. & Andreas Hale
Photos by Mary Ann Owen / BoxinginLasVegas.com

It was like watching a lion play with the prey before the big kill – except the kill never happened. Frankie Gomez (15-0, 11 KOs) soundly out boxed Houston’s Lanard Lane (13-3, 8 KOs) en route to a one sided unanimous decision win in the welterweight main event.

The bout was fought in spurts, dictated by Gomez. Lane was hit with two and three punch combinations nearly every time he was close enough to land a blow of his own. This was the course of action for the ten round affair . . . Click here for more

Report/gallery: Torres vs. Guereca

Ringside report by Chris Cozzone and Gerardo Martinez
Photos by Jose Leon Castillo III

Undercard enthralls, “Pittbull” Torres galls Guereca, “Jet” Torres calls it a day vs. Munoz: If you joined the near-capacity crowd late, last night at Crowne Plaza in Albuquerque, you would’ve been served a sugar-coated dessert, having missed the meat of the evening’s menu.

As expected, Johnny Tapia Presents’ hometown boys Josh “Pittbull” Torres and “Hurricane” Hector Munoz picked up wins set up for them . . . Click here for more

O’Connor-Silveira Ringside Report and Photo Gallery

Ringside Report by Scott Ploof
Photogallery by Emily Harney

Irish eyes were smiling on Saturday night at the TD Bank Boston Garden’s “Night at the Fights” in Boston, MA as nearby Framingham native, Danny “Bhoy” O’Connor (20-0, 7KOs) defeated Quincy, MA native Derek Silveira (8-1, 4 KOs) by ten round majority decision in a catch weight bout of 145 pounds. Scores of the bout were 100-89 and 97-93 for O’Connor while the third judge scored the fight even 95-95. O’Connor utilized his power and ring generalship to control the tempo of the fight, while Silveira used his speed to try and counter but in most cases get out of trouble and away from his opponent. The fight card was promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Warriors Boxing. Click here for the entire ringside report and action packed photogallery.

Report/gallery: Matthysse vs. Dallas

Ringside by Anthony Springer Jr. & Andreas Hale
Photos by Mary Ann Owen / BoxinginLasVegas.com

Interim junior welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse literally punched his side of the ticket to a possible showdown with unified titlist Danny Garcia when he annihilated Mike Dallas Jr. in the first round at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

The Argentinean’s last ten victories have been via stoppage and it was assumed that Dallas Jr. would be little more than cannon fodder for Matthysse (33-2, 31 KOs). Turns out that assumption was correct. It also didn’t help that a some mind games by Dallas (19-3-1) and trainer Virgil Hunter perhaps sped up the process. Prior to the first bell, Hunter accused Matthysse of taking a banned substance in his locker room. The Nevada State Athletic Commission got involved but found no issue and allowed the fight to go on. It was all downhill from there . . . click here for more

Report/gallery: Molina vs. Williams

Ringside report by Chris Cozzone and Gerardo Martinez
Photos by Chris Cozzone

Lightweight title hopes, an emerging local and the first win for New Mexico’s perennial “Hard Luck Kid” brought out close to 800 fight fans, Friday night at the Indian School’s Pueblo Pavilion in Santa Fe, N.M.

The card, televised by ESPN2 and promoted by Goossen-Tutor and Holmes Boxing of Santa Fe, featured a 10-round must-win fight between former lightweight contenders hoping to break back into contention . . . Click here for more

Report/gallery: Khan vs. Molina

Ringside by Miguel Maravilla and Felipe Leon
Photos by “Big” Joe Miranda

Amir “King” Khan scored a tenth round stoppage over the previously undefeated Carlos Molina (17-0-1, 7KOs) this past Saturday at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

Khan came out jabbing and shooting one-two combinations at a distance. The persistent and sharp jab of Khan inflicted a cut over the left eye of his opponent in the opening round. However Molina’s cut man Miguel Diaz was able to control the bleeding between rounds . . . Click here for more

Report/gallery: Martinez vs. Reams

Ringside by Chris Morris/RockyMountainBoxing.com
Photos by Michael V. Ornelas/RockyMountainBoxing.com

Jim ‘Smitty’ Smith and Poor Boys Pro Boxing, in association with Steve Mestas and Airtight Boxing, put on a good show for Colorado fight fans Monday night that was appropriately titled “Winter War.” The five-bout card was headlined by an all-out war between  lightweight southpaws Sammy Martinez, of Rawlins, Wyoming, and Ronnie Reams, Colorado Springs.

Martinez, (6-0, 4KOs) won a razor thin split decision over Reams (1-2) in a fight that saw both fighters hit the canvas, but get up to show the true heart of a champion. Both men were highly skilled and they put it on display with speed, power and accuracy. (more…)

Report from Roswell

Ringside report by David Finger

It can’t be easy to compete with an exciting PPV event like Pacquiao-Marquez 4, but for the roughly 300 boxing fans in Roswell, New Mexico who elected to support the local boxing scene last night, promoter Isidro Castillo made sure that their sacrifice was worth it with one of the best boxing card to hit the state of New Mexico this year.

In the main event, local journeyman John “Smiley” Herrera, 121.4, electrified the crowd with a devastating first round knockout over Amarillo, Texas’ Cristoval Larazolo, 119.8. (more…)

Report/gallery: Pacquiao vs. Marquez IV

Ringside by Andreas Hale and Anthony Springer Jr.
Photos by Chris Cozzone

After three inconclusive but thrilling showdowns, Manny Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38 KOs) and Juan Manuel Marquez (55-6-1, 40 KOs) met up one final time to write the final chapter to their epic rivalry. In front of a sold out and electric MGM Grand Garden Arena, both men stepped in the ring with something to prove. Neither man wanted the bout to go to the judges and both proclaimed they were going for the knockout to end all doubts about who the better man was.

The judges wouldn’t be needed. (more…)

Marquez knocks Pacquiao out cold

By Andreas Hale and Anthony Springer at ringside
Photos: Chris Cozzone

The fourth battle in the series between future Hall of Famers Manny Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38 KOs) and Juan Manuel Marquez (55-6-1, 39 KOs) was the best on Saturday night before 16,000+ at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Pacman got off to a good start, but Marquez dropped Pacquiao with a booming right hand in round three. Pacquiao came back to drop Marquez in the fifth and had him in trouble at the end of the round. Marquez’ face was a bloody mess as he was punished by Pacman in the sixth but the bout ended suddenly when Marquez caught Manny at the bell with a right hand that laid him out face down motionless! Time was 2:59. At the time of the knockout, Pacquiao was ahead by one point on all three cards.

In his first fight in 15 months, former featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (22-0, 16 KOs) scored a twelve round unanimous decision over gutsy Michael Farenas (34-4-4, 26 KOs) to claim the vacant WBA interim super featherweight title. Gamboa put Farenas on the deck in rounds two and seven. But it wasn’t all one-way traffic as Farenas caught a wild-swinging Gamboa with a left hook in round nine and put him on the canvas. Scores were 117-109, 118-108, 117-108. (more…)

Report/gallery: Vargas vs. Gasparyan

Ringside by Anthony Springer Jr.
Photos by Chris Cozzone

In front of a hometown crowd, “The Pride of Sin City” Jessie Vargas hit Vito Gasparyan (14-3-5, 8 KOs) with everything but the kitchen sink in the featured bout. Gasparyan succeeded in making it ugly, but Vargas dominated on the score cards to take a unanimous decision victory.

Gasparyan looked like the Terminator in the opening round, not throwing many punches and plodding through Vargas’ barrage. The Las Vegan relentlessly went to the body, leaving both sides of Gasparyan’s rib cage a shade of light red . . . Click here for more

Report/gallery: Guerrero vs. Berto

Ringside by David Robinett and Rocco Morales
Photos by “Big” Joe Miranda

Robert Guerrero continued his evolution from featherweight boxer-puncher to welterweight tough guy with a gritty, sometimes dirty, twelve-round unanimous decision victory over former welterweight titlist Andre Berto in the main event Saturday night on HBO World Championship Boxing at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California.

All three judges scored the bout 116-110 for Guerrero, who retained both his WBC interim welterweight title and his right to legitimately call out pound-for-pound stalwarts Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. . . . Click here for more

Report/gallery: Broner vs. DeMarco

Ringside by Kurt Wolfheimer and Matt Richardson
Photos by Ray Bailey

Rising superstar Adrian “The Problem” Broner (25-0, 21 KOs) dethroned former WBC lightweight champion Antonio DeMarco (28-3-1, 21 KOs) with a nearly flawless performance and an eighth round TKO in the main event at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Saturday night.

Broner was in control throughout and finished the show in the eighth round, landing an amazing 39 power shots . The damage was just too much and Demarco finally collapsed to the canvas from a left upper cut at the 1:49 mark of the eighth round . . . Click here for more

Zamora outpoints Guereca in Albuquerque

Ringside report by Chris Cozzone and Gerardo Martinez
Photos by Jose Leon Castillo III

Team Tapia Presents’ “The Next Chapter” should’ve read like a cookie cutter storyline, the hometown protagonists picking off set-up adversaries with all the hardship of a sparring session.

While you don’t have to read between the lines to know who wins when an 8-2 youngster takes on an 0-5 senior, last night’s booking at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Albuquerque had its share of surprises and solid scraps. A full house of 800 fans cheering on the home team couldn’t prevent a night of struggle and at least one topsy-turvy upset . . . Click here for full report and gallery

Report/gallery: Mares vs. Moreno

Ringside by Felipe Leon and Rocco Morales
Photos by “Big” Joe Miranda

In front of a little over six thousand zealous boxing fans, WBC super bantamweight champion Abner Mares (25-0-1, 13 KOs) remained undefeated and proved to be unstoppable in defending his title for the against valiant challenger Anselmo “Chemito” Moreno (33-2-1, 12 KOs) of Panama, at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.

The Showtime-televised card, promoted by Golden Boy, also showcased IBF bantamweight Leo Santa Cruz and the return of super welterweight contender Alfredo “Perro” Angulo . . . Click here for more