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By Joe Koizumi

South African Hekkie Budler (32-3, 10 KOs), 108, upset WBA/IBF 108-pound champ Ryoichi Taguchi (27-3-2, 12 KOs), 108, as he took the leadoff in earlier rounds, withstood the champ’s retaliation in later rounds and survived a knockdown in the final session to be awarded a hairline unanimous decision (all 114-113) over twelve hard-fought rounds on Sunday in Tokyo, Japan.

The lanky and much taller Taguchi, making his eighth defense of the WBA belt and his initial defense of the IBF title, was a prefight favorite, but Budler, ex-WBA 105-pound ruler, was in command with his shifty mobility and quick combinations in the first half. Taguchi, a slower starter, turned loose from the sixth on, but Budler gamely responded to the champ’s retaliation although the tide turned in Taguchi’s favor in later rounds.

The final session witnessed Taguchi floor Budler with a solid countering left hook, but the referee Samuel Williams erroneously called it a slip. After the round was over, there happened a great roar against the third man’s mistake. With the obvious proof repeatedly shown on the big screen in the arena, the WBA and IBF supervisors had to accept the correction from a slip to a knockdown, and it was announced to see the audience’s joy. The close verdict, however, went to the challenger from South Africa to the crowd’s disappointment.

(More to come)

By Joe Koizumi

Unbeaten IBF mini-flyweight champ Hiroto Kyoguchi (10-0, 7 KOs), 105, kept his belt as he came off the canvas in the third session, controlled the remainder of the bout with his aggressiveness and pounded out a unanimous decision (all 117-110) over previously undefeated Filipino Vince Poras (13-1, 11 KOs), 105, over twelve speedy rounds in Tokyo, Japan.

Kyoguchi, a prohibitive favorite, was in command in almost all rounds except in round three, when Poras caught the scrappy titlist with a solid left hook to the temple, sending him sprawling to the canvas. It wasn’t a damaging knockdown but a surprise for Kyoguchi, who, from then on, persistently and patiently threw more jabs to carefully dominate the action. The champ had the Filipino challenger at bay in the tenth, but Poras refused to go down and showed his heart and durability.

(More to come)

Photos: Zanfer Promotions

Omar “Businessman” Chavez (27-5-1, 24 KOs) was outworked by Argentinean Jose Carlos “Puro” Paz (22-7-1, 12 KOs) over ten rounds on Saturday night at the Palenque Fenadu in Durango, Mexico.

Omar’s father, ring legend Julio Cesar Chavez, said this week he was tired of the criticism his boxing sons receive and urged Omar to win impressively or quit boxing, but it was another passive performance by Chavez and a deserved win by Paz. Scores were 97-93, 97-94, 97-94.

“El Gran Campeon’s” other son, former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., is expected to return to the ring in July or August at super middleweight.

More photos

By Bill Green

For a fighter who just picked up a world title, moments after you dropped Kanalas with short combination the second time…you had an unusual frown on your face. Were you in fact disappointed that there was no more fight left in him?

Hernandez: Ya, I mean…I trained for 12 rounds. We busted our butts, I was a bit surprised but afterwards…I was like I’m a world champion so (laughing) I guess it’s all good. Continue reading “Niko Hernandez Quick Quotes”

WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (29-1-1, 24 KOs) and former two-division world champion Badou Jack “The Ripper” (21-1-4, 13 KOs) battled to a twelve round draw on Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The 40-year-old Stevenson dominated the first six rounds. Jack came on down the stretch as Stevenson wore down. Scores were 114-114, 115-113 Jack, 114-114. Stevenson retains his title.

It was a bout filled with momentum swings. Jack was the busier and more accurate fighter. While Stevenson took the early rounds, the challenger turned it on in round number seven and dominated the champion in the second half of the fight. In rounds seven through ten, Jack out landed Stevenson 114-40. Continue reading “Stevenson and Jack battle to a draw”

Hot Puerto Rican super lightweight prospect Subriel Matias (10-0, 10 KOs) from the Maternillo neighborhood of Fajardo, won by technical knockout in the fifth round over Mexican Adrián Estrella (28-2, 24 KO’s) in combat held at the park Pedro ‘Perucho’ Cepeda in Cataño as part of the event promoted by Fresh Productions Boxing.

In the first two rounds, Estrella was able to establish his boxing, but entering the third round, the Puerto Rican began to throw an accurate jab that led him to combine more shots to take the round. Continue reading “Matias stops Estrella, remains unbeaten”

By Gary “Digital” Williams at ringside
Photos: Mike Greenhill

WBC featherweight champion “Mister” Gary Russell Jr (29-1, 17 KOs) retained his title with a twelve round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Olympian Joseph Diaz Jr (26-1, 14 KOs) at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

Good action fight. Diaz applied a lot of pressure, but Russell’s blinding handspeed and workrate propelled him to a 115-113, 117-111, 117-111. Continue reading “Russell beats Diaz to retain WBC 126lb belt”

WBC #11 heavyweight Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (24-0, 17 KOs) pounded out a ten round unanimous decision over Herve Hubeaux (29-3, 14 KOs) in a clash for the NABF title on Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.. Scores were 100-90, 100-90, 99-91.

Formerly world rated welterweight contender Mikael Zewski (31-1, 22 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision over Diego Gonzalo Luque (21-6-1, 10 KOs). Scores were 100-89, 99-90 and 99-90.

Local welterweight Kane Heron (11-0-1, 5 KOs) and Mexico’s Ivan “Zurdo” Alvarez (27-9-1, 17 KOs) battled to an eight round draw. Scores were 76-76, 76-76 and 78-74 Alvarez).

Popular Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga (8-1, 8 KOs) stopped Ricardo Humberto Ramirez (14-5, 11 KOs) in the third round.

2016 Olympian middleweight Christian M’Billi (10-0, 10 KOs) halted Marcos Jesus Cornejo (19-3, 18 KOs) in round three.

By Bill Green

2016 Bronze medalist and undefeated Flyweight prospect Niko Hernandez, thrilled his legion of fans as he silenced Hungarian Szilveszter “The Silent Assassin” Kanalas with a thrilling 1st round TKO 2:52.

Hall of Fame referee, Steve Smoger, waved off the action as midway into the first pinned Kanalas along the ropes and landed his trademark double left hook to the body and head dropping the outgunned Hungarian. Kanalas would barely beat the count and moments later chants of Nico and Nico surfaced and the hometown hero delivered with another crippling body shot followed by a short counter that once again dropped Kanalas this time alongside the other side of the ropes. Hernandez becomes the first World champion in Kansas history as picks up the IBA flyweight championship. Continue reading “Hernandez smokes Kanalas in one”

Former European super featherweight champion and IBF #6 Devis Boschiero (46-5-1, 21 KOs) dethroned previously undefeated Farouk Kourbanov (15-1, 3 KOs) by twelve round unanimous decision moments ago at the famed Teatro Principe in Milan, Italy.

On the undercard welterweight KO artist Maxim Prodan (14-0-1, 14 KOs) kept his undefeated record, knocking out former European Union champion Gyorgy Mizsei Jr in round three and IBF #10 and WBC #14 super welterweight contender Orlando Fiordigiglio (28-2, 13 KOs) beat Ferenc Hafner by TKO in round three.

OPI Since 82 (Salvatore, Alessandro and Christian Cherchi) promoted the show with Sportitalia televising live in Italy and Fightklub televising in Poland.

By Gary “Digital” Williams at ringside

Richmond, VA super middleweight “The Chosen One” Immanuwel Aleem has scored a TKO at the end of the sixth round over Juan de Angel of Barranquilla, Colombia. Aleem was able to keep the pressure on de Angel throughout the contest. De Angel was able to land shots occasionally but none did any damage to Aleem. Finally, de Angel decided he could not come out for the seventh round. Aleem is now 18-1-1, 11 KO’s. De Angel drops to 20-9-1, 18 KO’s.

Junior welterweight Antuanne Russell made short work of Wilmer Rodriguez of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, stopping him late in the first round. Russell dropped Rodriguez twice in the bout, first with a right hand and then with a left-right combination. Eventually, the bout was stopped at 2:54 of the first. Russell remains perfect at 6-0, six KO’s while Rodriguez falls to 9-3, seven KO’s.

In the first bout to go the distance, undefeated Clinton, MD super featherweight Cobia “The Soldier” Breedy scored a relatively easy six-round unanimous decision over Christopher Martin of Chula Vista, CA. Breedy showed solid offensive skills as he kept Martin continually off balance. Breedy would win by shutout (60-54) on all three judges’s scorecards. Breedy is now 11-0, four KO’s while Martin drops to 30-10-3, 10 KO’s.

Antonio “Another” Russell put on a punishing performance en route to a fifth-round TKO over Jonathan Lecona of Mexico City, Mexico. The Capital Heights, MD native scored three knockdowns during the bout before referee Bill Clancy stopped the bout at 16 seconds of the fifth round. Russell remains undefeated at 11-0, nine KO’s. Lecona is 17-20-4, six KO’s.

Alexandria, VA super welterweight Brandon “Bulldog” Quarles scored a fifth-round TKO over Fidel Monterrosa of Barranquilla, Colombia. Quarles, a former middleweight, saw his power increase throughout the contest as he wore down the game Monterrosa. Eventually, Quarles was able to put on enough pressure to force referee Dave Braslow to stop the bout at 2:01 of the fifth round. Quarles’s record rises to 19-4-1, 10 KO’s while Monterrosa falls to 38-18-1, 30 KO’s.

In the opening bout at MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD, super middleweight RReuben Simmons of Lynchburg, VA won the contest at the end of the first round when his opponent, Ayron Davis of Wytheville, VA could not answer the bell for the second round. Douglas picked up the pace midway through the first and somehow caused a cut on the top of Davis’s head.

By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing

WBA #4, IBF #11 bantamweight Jason Maloney (17-0, 14 KOs) forced a four round stoppage of former world champion Kohei Kono (33-12-1, 14 KOs) of Japan, at the Malvern Town Hall in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on Saturday. The ringside doctor ruled cut eye suffered by Kono too severe to continue at the conclusion of round six of a scheduled twelve round WBA Oceania title bout.

WBC #5, WBA #5, IBF #5, WBO #11 super flyweight Andrew Moloney (17-0, 10 KOs) outpointed Filipino Richard Claveras (18-4-2, 15 KOs) over ten rounds with the WBA Oceania title up for grabs. Moloney controlled the contest in most of the rounds to win by scores of 99-91, 98-91, 98-91. Continue reading “Moloney Brothers victorious”

Undefeated featherweight Josh Warrington (27-0, 6 KOs) dethroned IBF featherweight world champion Lee Selby (26-2, 9 KOs) by twelve round split decision on Saturday night at the Elland Road Football Ground in Leeds, England. The aggressive local favorite Warrington outworked Selby, who was cut over both eyes and bled profusely from round two on. Scores were 115-113 Selby, 115-113, 116-112 Warrington.