Firtha shocks Grano

Emily Harney

By Alex Dombroff at ringside

Heavyweight Nicolai Firtha (18-7-1, 7 KOs) scored an upset second round TKO over Tony Grano (17-2-1, 13 KOs) on Saturday night at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. Firtha caught Grano with a big right hand that dropped him at the end of round one… Firtha came out charging in round two, dropped Grano again and followed up with a barrage against the ropes, which caused Dick Flahrety to stop the bout at 2:15.
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Featherweight Mike Oliver (24-2, 8 KOs) won by eighth round DQ over former world champion Mauricio Pastrana (35-14-2, 23 KOs). Pastrana had two points deducted throughout the fight for dirty tactics, and was disqualified by referee Michael Ortega in round eight for twisting Oliver’s arm (as if he was trying to break it).

Malpartida retains WBA title

By Gabriel F. Cordero

Hometown favorite WBA female super featherweight champion Kina Malpartida (12-3, 3 KOs) retained her title with a ten round unanimous decision over Colombian Liliana Palmera (19-7-2, 12 KOs) on Saturday night in front of 8000+ fans at the Jockey Club in Lima, Peru. Other than a flash knockdown in the second round, Malpartida was in command the whole way, winning 98-91 on all cards.

Seferi wins WBO European belt

Albanian cruiserweight Nuri “Albanian Tyson” Seferi (28-6, 18 KOs) scored a unanimous decision win over Sandro Siproshvili (23-6, 10 KOs) of Georgia to claim the vacant WBO European cruiserweight title on Saturday night at the Calafatti Halle Prater in Vienna, Austria. In a very exciting fight for the fans, Seferi won with scores of 116-113, 116-113 and 115-113.

It was a happy Saturday for the Seferi family since Nuri’s younger brother, Sefer Seferi (11-0, 10 KOs) scored a second round TKO against Viktor Szalai (14-31-3, 4 KOs ) to win the vacant WBF’s Intercontinental cruiserweight title on the same card.

Ustinov, Plotnikov triumph

Unbeaten WBA #5 rated heavyweight Alexander Ustinov (21-0, 16 KOs methodically pounded out a twelve round unanimous decision over veteran Paolo Vidoz (26-9, 15 KOs) on Saturday night at the Sportpalace in Odessa, Ukraine. Scores were 115-113, 119-109, 120-108.
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WBA #9 welterweight Viktor Plotnikov (24-1, 12 KOs) retained his WBA belt by tenth round TKO over Christian Bladt (35-11-2, 11 KOs).

Boxing Buzz

The Latin Fury 15 PPV telecast tonight will include highlights of the Jose Benavidez vs. Josh Beeman fight. Benavidez, from Phoenix, is one of Top Rank’s best prospects. At 18, he has a record of 6-0, 6 KOs. Benavidez is trained by Freddie Roach.
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Tonight’s WBA female super fwatherweight world championship fight between champion Kina Malpartida and Colombian challenger Liliana Palmera could be seen LIVE and FREE on the internet at http://www.teleperuana.com/2009/02/atv-television.html The show will start at 6:30PM Lima, Peru/7:30PM ET opening with undefeated jr. welter Juan JZ Zegarra (4-0, 4 KOs) taking on Julio Cesar Burgos (4-2), followed by featherweight sensation Carlos “Mina” Zambrano (10-0, 4 KOs vs Ramon Elizer Esperanza (13-2-1, 6 KOs), WBC Latino champion Jonathan “La Cobra” Maicelo (12-0, 8 KOs) defends his title vs Alberto Leopoldo Santillan (16-5, KOs), then Malpartida vs Palmera.

Rodriguez-King: Photo/Report

Photography By Emily Harney

Super middleweight Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez stopped late sub Ibahiem King on Thursday night at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Mass. Rodriguez dropped King twice in the fifth to end it. (More)

Weights from Odessa

Photo: K2 Ukraine

By Alexey “Oscar” Potapov

Alexander Ustinov 297.62 vs Paolo Vidoz 266.76
(EBA heavyweight title)
Viktor Plotnikov 145.51 vs Christian Bladt 145.51
(EBA welterweight title)
Andriy Rudenko 246.92 vs Raymond Ochieng 222.67
Dmytro Nikulin 156.53 vs George Dimoso 152.12
Mamed Yadgarov 123.46 vs John Gicharu 123.46
Valentyn Holovko 136.69 vs Rustem Memetov 136.69
Oleksandr Spyrko 149.91 vs Leonti Vorontsuk TBA
Artem Ayvazidi 141.1 vs Arvydas Trizno TBA
Salambek Baysangurov 176.37 vs Andriy Aheyev 176.37
Oleksiy Bondarenko TBA vs Rakhim Mingaleyev TBA
Venue: Sportpalace, Odessa, Ukraine
Promoter: K2 Ukraine
TV: Inter Click here for photos

Proving Ground: Chavez Jr-Duddy

By Graham Houston

After a protracted and careful buildup, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. steps into the ring for his first 12-rounder when he meets John Duddy in the main event on Latin Fury 15 in San Antonio on Saturday. The two meet for the WBC’s recently inaugurated middleweight Silver championship, which is a steppingstone to the title — if anyone can keep track of world titles any more. For fans, though, the important thing is that this has the potential to be an action-packed fight. (more…)

Cano edges Leon

Unbeaten 20-year-old super lightweight prospect Pablo Cesar Cano (19-0-1, 15 KOs) won a hard fought ten round split decision over Oscar Leon (28-13, 18 KOs) to claim the NABF super lightweight title on Friday night at the Auditorio Plaza La Condesa in Mexico City. Although entering as a loser in eight of his last nine, the 36-year-old Leon gave the 20-year-old Cano all he could handle. Scores were 96-94, 96-94 for Cano, 96-94 for Leon. Cano claimed the vacant NABF title.
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Light heavyweight prospect Marco Antonio Periban (8-0, 5 KOs) got a fifth round TKO over Jason Naugler (18-13-1, 11 KOs) when the bout was waved off due to a cut.
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Super lightweight Ivan Cano (7-3, 5 KOs) scored a first round TKO over Adrian Quiroz (5-2, 3 KOs) in a scheduled six rounder.

Fight Magazine debuts

By Alexey “Oscar” Potapov

Fight Magazine, the Russian monthly flash publication, has released its pilot issue in English. The editor-in-chief is boxing legend Kostya Tszyu. The plan is to publish the magazine monthly starting in a few months. Click here to download.

See below for a special message for Fightnews readers from Kostya Tszyu.

[youtube]waVXmWF7oHY[/youtube]

Q&A: Jose Angel Rodriguez

Fightnews

By Kurt Wolfheimer

Rising middleweight prospect Jose Angel “Silver Boy” Rodriguez (15-1-1, 2 KOs) is set to fight the biggest match of his career on Saturday night at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona New York, when he faces the former world title challenger Lujuan Simon (22-2-2, 12 KOs) in the ten round main event of the evening. Fightnews had the opportunity to speak with the thirty-one-year-old southpaw on the eve of his big battle. (more…)

Weights from Mohegan Sun

Emily Harney

Tony Grano 218.5 vs. Nicolai Firtha 254.5
Mike Oliver 124.2 vs. Mauricio Pastrana 122.5
Joe Smith Jr 175 vs. Walter Foster TBA
Frankie Trader 138 vs. Noel Garcia 137
Edwin Soto 140 vs. Bryan Abraham 137.2
Rick Dawson 164.5 vs. Jeremiah Jones 165
Carlos Hernandez 140.5 vs. Jonathan Vasquez 141
Luis Rosa Jr 125 vs. John Passantino 125
Venue: Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Connecticut
Promoter: Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc.

Report/gallery: Gomez-Orrantia

Ringside by Francisco Salazar
Photography by “Big” Joe Miranda

Someone should tell Frankie Gomez that he could pace himself to actually fight the scheduled rounds and not end a fight so early.

“Once I saw that he did not have enough on his punches, I went after him,” Gomez said after less than one round of action.

Fair enough. . . Click here for more

Caparello stops McKay

Brock Ellis

By Ray Wheatley–World of Boxing

Australian light heavyweight Blake Capparello (5-0, 2 KOs) scored the best win of his career when he stopped highly regarded Kane McKay (8-9-2, 4 KOs) in eight rounds to capture the World Boxing Foundation Australasian 175 pound title at the Malvern Town Hall in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on Friday. Capparello is scheduled to challenge Shane McConville for the Australian light heavyweight championship on August 8th in a Michael O’Brien promotion. (more…)

Boxing Buzz

Salvador Sanchez II of Mexico will wear the robe, trunks and shoes that his legendary uncle, world champion Salvador Sanchez, wore against Juan LaPorte in a 1980 world title fight. Grant Elvis Phillips, manager of young Salvadore Sanchez II, said it is a tribute to the Sanchez family at Top Rank’s Latin Fury 15 here in the Alamodome on Saturday night. Sanchez II will take on Tomas Villa in the opening PPV bout.
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Villa is from Midland, Texas. He works in an oilfield servicing pumping units during the day, then trains in the evening.
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Gabriel Elizondo, who is taking on Raul Martinez in a battle of San Antonio fighters on the PPV, said “…I really need my A-Game going. My plan is to take away his confidence. Raul tends to wear down in the late rounds.” Gabriel is reunited with trainer Tony Ayala for this fight.
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Raul Martinez: “Tony Ayala brings in fighters in top condition. That concerns me going into the fight against Elizondo.” Martinez adds if he wins he will celebrate with a bowl of ice cream. “Vanilla custard will work,” he said today. “I haven’t been eating much since I have been in training camp.”
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Adailton DeJesus of Brazil said he has seen “every available video of Marco Antonio Barrera” to prepare for his showdown with the former world champion on Saturday night. “Barrera was a champion when I first started boxing,” DeJesus said. “I learned about boxing myself just watching his videos. Now, here we are, going against each other.” DeJesus said he has fought times outside of Brazil – 5 times in the USA, once in Argentina, once in Panama.
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Barrera on DeJesus: “He’s taller than me and hits hard. He has long arms, reminding me of Kennedy McKinney.”
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John Duddy’s previous trainers were Pat Burns and Don Turner. Duddy is now trained by Harry Keitt. Duddy trained for weeks in the Pocono Mountains, Bushkill, Pa., and finished his work at Gleasons Gym in New York. George Mitchell is the cutman for Duddy.
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Freddie Roach on Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.: “He practices all the moves I teach him everyday.”
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Chavez Jr on Roach: “I knew I needed to work with him for discipline, hard work and to get to the next level. I am going to show everyone what hard work really means when I get into the ring Saturday night. I know this is the most important fight of my career.”
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Miguel Diaz is the cutman for Chavez Jr. Lupe Contreras is the ring announcer. Officials for the main event are referee John Shorle (California), and judges Julie Lederman (New York), Jurgen Langos (Germany) and Glen Crocker (Texas)
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Top Rank.com will stream the undercard bouts which get underway 7:15 pm eastern/4:15 pm pacific. Latin Fury 15 PPV goes live 9 pm eastern/6 pm pacific.

Fury TKOs McDermott

Chris Royle

Unbeaten heavyweight Tyson Fury (11-0, 9 KOs) scored a ninth round TKO over John McDermott (25-7, 16 KOs) on Friday night at the Brentwood Centre in Brentwood, England. McDermott was down three times before the bout was halted. Time was 1:08. Fury had previously won a controversial decision over McDermott last September, but no questions this time. Fury claimed the vacant English belt.

Navarro headlines July 22

Former world title challenger Jose Navarro (27-5, 12 KOs) will headline the next edition of Golden Boy Promotions’ “Fight Night Club” in his hometown of Los Angeles on July 22 at L.A. LIVE’s Club Nokia in a six round fight. Now fighting as a bantamweight, Navarro is going against an opponent to be determined in a six round fight. The co-featured bout on the monthly boxing series will feature Nestor Rocha (21-2, 7 KOs) in his first fight since a challenge for the WBC bantamweight title in July 2009. He will meet journeyman Benji Garcia (14-15-3, 1 KO) in a six rounder. Also scheduled is Freddie Roach-trained Jamie Kavanagh (2-0) vs TBA.

‘The Phenom’ takes on Bolanos

Sensational junior welterweight prospect Francisco “The Phenom” Contreras heads to Southern California next week to face off against Mexican veteran Noe Bolanos in the co-main event on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights on Friday, July 2nd at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California. (more…)

Heat wave @ Everlast

Weights from Los Mochis

Arce Promotions

Eduardo Escobedo 129.19 vs. Aristides Perez 129.63
Juan Carlos Salgado 139.99 vs. Guadalupe Rosales 139.99
Edgar Ruiz 153.99 vs. Jesús Harras 154
Sergio Torres 133.82 vs. Noe Morales 136
Venue: Centenario Stadium in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico
Promoter: Arce Promotions
TV: Televisa (Mexico), wbcboxing.tv
Click here for more photos…

Weights fron San Antonio

Robert Hughes

By Robert Hughes

John Duddy 159 vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr 160
Marco Antonio Barrera 141 vs Adilton Dejesus 138
Raul Martinez 114.5 vs Gabriel Elizondo 114.75
Salvador Sanchez 125.25 vs Tomas Villa 125.5
Venue: Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas
Promoter: Top Rank
TV: PPV
Click here for more photos…

Weights from Peru

Gabriel F. Cordero

By Gabriel F. Cordero

WBA super featherweight female world champion Kina Malpartida made 128.7 and her Colombian challenger, Liliana Palmera, made 127.6 at their weigh in today in Lima, Peru. Malpartida and Palmera will fight this Saturday, the 26th, at the Jockey Plaza, in Lima over 10 rounds.

Jonathan Maicelo 135 vs. Alberto Leopoldo Santillan 134.2

Crowd showers fighters with cash

As has been the tradition for the last 26 years at the Irvine Marriott’s Battle In The Ballroom pro shows, when fans sense that fighters have given above and beyond what is expected of them, and fight toe-to-toe each and every round, they show their appreciation by wadding up paper money and throwing it in the ring. It is then collected and split between both fighters regardless of who wins. That was the case last night when a standing room, sold out crowd of 1,452 fight fans cheered and donated to the tremendous performance displayed by bantamweights Richard Contreras and Eder Peralta. Contreras 1-1 out of Riverside had Peralta down in the first and third rounds, but could not put the game 1-2 Peralta from Pasadena away. Besides a standing ovation from the fans, they also threw over $100 cash into the ring. (more…)