Gonzalez-Nishioka report & gallery

Ringside report & photos by Chris Cozzone

One colossal punch, thrown with all the might of the Land of the Rising Sun, was enough to defeat, both, a former champion and a country, last night at the Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico.

Defending his WBC super bantamweight title on foreign turf, the Japanese champion, Toshiaki Nishioka, had no need of three Americano judges and ref in scoring the biggest win of his career-knocking out ex-bantam champ Jhonny Gonzalez, of Mexico City, in front of 12,523 suddenly-silent Mexicans . . . Click here for full story

GYM inks 2 Olympians!

Photo: Francois Couture

By Lee Bates reporting from Colombia

Promoter Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) has inked Olympians Eleider Alavarez (light heavyweight) and Oscar Rivas (heavyweight). Both fighters represented their country of Colombia in 2008. Former world title challenger Epifanio Mendoza, a native of Colombia, was a major factor in having the duo sign with GYM. (left to right: Oscar Rivas, Epifanio Mendoza, trainer Marc Ramsay, Eleider Alvarez)

Kickett, Asiku triumph!

By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing

Former world rated jr lightweight William Kickett (15-1, 5 KOs) easily outpointed Filipino Roel Mangan (13-11-1, 3 KOs) in a four round main event on Friday at the Wyong Leagues Club, Wyong, NSW, Australia. Kickett skillfully evaded his aggressive opponent and picked him off with accurate long range combinations. Scores 40-36, 40-36, 40-36.
—–
IBF #14 featherweight Jackson Asiku (25-3, 13 KOs) swapped bombs as he outscored jr welterweight Filipino Junmar Dulog (5-17-2) in all four action rounds of their contest. Scores 39-37, 39-37, 37-39. Asiku s coming off the biggest win of his career when he became the only boxer to KO former world champion Gairy St Clair who had been the distance with the great Deigo Corrales and Vivian Harris. (more…)

More Aussie Results!

By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing

Australian welterweight champion Oyewale Omotoso (13-0, 11 KOs) knocked out Indonesian Darsim Nanggala (3-8-1) in 1:42 of round one at the Knox Netball Stadium, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on Friday. Omotoso is formerly of Nigeria where he established an outstanding amateur career. He has been based in Australia for several months under the expert guidance of respected Murray Thompson. In the ten round main supporting bout, super middleweight Luke Moloney (13-3) outpointed Amir Hossein Ranijar (3-11) in ten one sided rounds, 100-90, 100-90, 100-90. Female super bantamweight Susie Ramadan (9-0) won eight round decision over debutant Leanne Banham (0-1), 80-72, 79-73, 80-71. Middleweight Johannes Mwetupunga (5-2) stopped Andrew Gosden (4-4) in six rounds. Time was 2:46. Light heavyweight Manny Vlamis (4-1) stopped Andrew Banham (0-2) in two rounds. Time 1:21. Super flyweight Omari Kimweri (5-2) won a clear six round decision over Thai importation Thanupetch Singmanasak (0-1). Promoter Murray Thompson.
—–
Australian super middleweight Wade Foley (3-1-1, 1 KOs) scored the best win of his career when he was awarded a eight round split decision over the experienced William Hadlow (7-15-4) to capture the Queensland State 168 pound title at the Maroochydore Rugby Leagues Club, Maroochydore, Queensland, Australia on Friday. Scores were 78-74, 80-74, 75-77. Lightweight Paul Fleming (3-0) was forced to go the distance for the first time in his professional career as he outpointed Flash Villacula (22-21-1) of the Philippines over six one sided rounds by scores of 60-54, 59-54, 59-54. Welterweight Brad Hemming (13-8-1, 5 KOs) stopped Mhelvin Hernandez (1-7) at 2:33 of round two.

Baff stops Tui!

By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing

Former Australian amateur champion Daniel Baff (10-1-1, 9 KOs) scored a second round knockout over Simone Tui (1-1, 1 KO) in a scheduled ten round cruiserweight contest at the Vodafone Arena, Suva Fiji. The 6’2 Baff, who resides in Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia, is chasing a national title bout. In main support light heavyweight Sakeasi Dakua (25-11-3, 16 KOs) outpointed Pita Domoni (4-1, 4 KOs) over eight rounds. Also a jr middleweight bout between Tevita Vakalabure (14-8-1) and Joeli Naieca (7-3-7,6 KOs) was ruled a no contest at the end of round four. Middleweight Opeti Tagi (12-4, 6 KOs) outscored Saimoni Taudomo (1-4-1) over six rounds. Heavyweight Fatu Tuimanono (8-9-1, 7 KOs) knocked out Napoleon Thumoepeau (0-1) in round two.

Sosa-Melo on June 20!

By Robert Coster

In a mega-card at the World Trade Center in Veracruz, Mexico, WBC light flyweight champion Edgar Sosa (35-5, 19 KOs), boxing’s busiest titleholder, will make his ninth title defense against WBC #10 Carlos “Shanghai” Melo (19-8, 2 KOs) of Panama. Melo is a slick, dangerous technician with a deceiving record, having lost close fights to the best in the 105lb and 108lb divisions and never being stopped. As the charismatic and popular Sosa is planning to move up to the flyweight division, local favorite Adrian Hernandez and tough Sonny Boy Jaro of the Philippines will square off in a WBC light flyweight eliminator. In another important clash, local hero Tomas “Gusano” Rojas will battle against Thai import David Lookmachanak for the WBC Interim super flyweight title . Also fighting on the card will be former WBO bantamweight champion, Cruz Carbajal.

Nishioka kayos Gonzalez!

Ringside results and photos by Chris Cozzone

From the Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico: Defending his WBC super bantamweight belt, Japan’s Toshiaki Nishioka (34-4-3, 21 KOs) hushed more than 12,000 screaming Mexican fans by knocking out former champ Jhonny Gonzalez (40-7, 34 KOs) in the third round. Gonzalez floored Nishioka with a big right hand late in round one. The two went at it cautiously in the second and, in the third, a huge straight left from the southpaw champion floored Gonzalez. Referee Kenny Bayless stopped the bout at 1:20, when Gonzalez, unable to stand, struggled to get up at eight.

In the co-main, staging his long-awaited return, former champ Rafael Marquez (38-5, 34 KOs) scored a third round knockout of Colombian Jose Francisco Mendoza (21-3-2, 17 KOs). The end came at 2:20 of the third. Marquez showed a bit of rust, but a right hand staggered Mendoza early in the third. Another right hand floored him soon after and Referee Carlos Garcia stopped the fight when Mendoza got up on shaky legs.  

In other results: Javier Castro (20-2, 17 KOs) won an eight-round unanimous decision over Guadalupe Rosales (28-5, 16 KOs), scores of 78-74 twice and 77-76; Michael Medina (20-1-2, 16 KOs) TKO’d Bladimir Hernandez (15-2, 13 KOs) in the second round; Victor Zaleta (9-1, 5 KOs) won a ten-round unanimous decision over Javier Romano (8-3-1, 5 KOs); and Juan Carlos Salgado (20-0-1, 14 KOs) kayoed Angel Reyna (9-2-1, 4 KOs) in one. Look for a full ringside report and photo gallery sometime tomorrow.

WBC title fight moved to Japan!

By Joe Koizumi

Very astoundingly, only three days before, the WBC flyweight title bout was moved from China to Japan. Defending champ Daisuke Naito (34-2-3, 22 KOs), Japan, was slated to defend his belt against WBC#10 Xiong Zhao Zhong (12-1, 8 KOs), China, in Shanghai on Tuesday. But Japan’s Miyata Promotions finally realized that it would be impossible to have it as scheduled because of the local promoter’s failure to properly reserve the arena. Since this event is already scheduled to air on Japanese TBS Television, Hiroyuki Miyata, Naito’s manager/promoter, has urgently decided to move it to the Defi Ariake Arena, Tokyo, Japan, in order to keep the TV schedule. We have never heard such shameful confusion only prior to the schedule.

Erittu wins Italian title!

By Enrico “Erik” Crociati at ringside
Photos: Marco Chiesa

Click the photo to go to the next photo
Italian cruiserweight Salvatore Erittu (16-0, 6 KOs) won a convincing ten-round unanimous decision over co-challenger Cristian Dolzanelli (15-1-1, 10 KOs) last friday at Local Sport Hall in Rezzato, Italy. With the win Erittu won the Italian title at 200lbs. (more…)

Farley Wins!

By Jose E. Santiago

Friday night at the inaugural opening of “The Pit”, a venue owned and operated by Yahya McClain’s Absoloot Boxing/Promotions, Atlanta’s Will “Young Picasso” Farley (3-0 2KOs) remained undefeated as he was thrown in tough against cross town rival Jamar “Sandman” Saunders (2-3-1 1KO) from Lost Mountain GA in a 6 round Jr. Welterweight contest. (more…)

Same day weights from PA!

By Kurt Wolfheimer

Anthony Cusumano 138.5 vs Nathan Francis 135.5
Isaac Rodriguez 166.5 vs Jose Medina 170
Antonio Espinosa 131 vs Ron Boyd 136
Clinton Douglas 130.5 vs Jean Ramos 131.5
April Richards 154.5 vs Natoya Ervin 151.5
John Lennox 191.5 vs Reshawn Scott 183.5
Promoter: KEA Boxing Promotions
Venue: The Woodlands Inn and Resort, Wilkes-Barre, PA

Ballroom Boxing returns June 18

Tickets are now on sale as Chet Koerner’s TKO BOXING Promotions and Scott Wagner’s Ballroom Boxing team up once again to present an evening of world class professional boxing on Thursday, June 18th at Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Baltimore . . . Click here for more

Sinyabi making first defense!

By Ron Jackson

Macbute Sinyabi makes the first defense of his South African junior featherweight title against Desmond Samuels from the Western Cape at the Nasrec Indoor Arena near Johannesburg on Sunday afternoon. The six-bout bill is presented by Patrick Molefe of Rainbow Promotions. (more…)

Florida Hall inductees!

The Florida Boxing Hall of Fame has announced the inaugural class of 2009 inductees. Living inductees include: heavyweight champion Pinklon Thomas, three division world champion Wilfredo Vazquez Sr., longtime middleweight contender Florentino Fernandez, trainer/manager Angelo Dundee, Steve Canton, and Jimmy Williams, promoter Tuto Zabala Sr., referees Brian Garry and Max Parker Jr., and in the non-participant category, Mark Beiro, Johnny Bos, Bobby Goodman, Rick Folstad, Dr. Allan Fields, and Dr. Ferdie Pacheco. The list of posthumous inductees are world champions Luis Manuel Rodriguez, Ralph Dupas, and Willie Pastrano, historians Hank Kaplan and Irv Abramson, promoter Chris Dundee, and Marty Cohen, in the non-participant category. Tickets for the June 27 dinner at the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel in Tampa will be $75 per person or $100 per couple. For making dinner reservations or for more information on the events planned contact the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame president Walter “Butch” Flansburg at 813-884-7711.

Yordan vs. Allanic off!

By Jeff Pamungkas

Pino Bahari informed that the 12-round WBO Oriental interim title bout between Daud Yordan (Featherweight WBA#3, WBO #5) and Robert Allanic (PI) scheduled for today in Pontianak City, West Kalimantan, Indonesia is off due to some reason. “We have rescheduled the card, maybe in the last week of June,” Bahari informed. The whole card was cancelled including some other Indonesia vs. Phillipines bouts: Yohannes Yordan vs. Ricky Sismundo (10 round-featherweight bout) and Daudy Bahari vs. JR. Sollano (12 round-welterweight bout).

Maccarinelli vs Lebedev!

Former WBO cruiserweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli (29-3, 22 KOs) will clash with unbeaten Denis Lebedev (17-0, 12 KOs) on June 27 at the O2 Arena in London. The fight will be part of the undercard to Amir Khan’s WBA world light-welterweight title challenge against Andreas Kotelnik. Maccarinelli, who has split with former trainer Enzo Calzaghe and is now working with Karl Ince, is hoping to get his career back on track following a shock KO loss to Ola Afolabi in his last fight.

Barrios returns!

By Lee Bates reporting from South America

Former WBO super featherweight champion Jorge Barrios (47-4-1, 34 KOs) returned to the ring last night in Argentina. Barrios fought in an exhibition against retired former WBA lightweight champion Raul Balbi at the Club Social y Deportivo Juventud de Tigre. Barrios is slated to return in an official bout in either June or July against an opponent to be announced in Argentina.

McCall KOs Hopoate!

In his first fight in 19 months, former WBC heavyweight champion Oliver “The Atomic Bull” McCall (52-9, 37 KOs) scored a second round KO over Australian champion John Hopoate (11-3, 11 KOs) on Friday night at the Orleans Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The 44-year-old McCall dropped Hopoate twice in round two prompting referee Joe Cortez to wave it off. It was a family affair as McCall’s 21-year-old son Elijah McCall knocked out Chad Davis on round one of an earlier heavyweight fight.

Malinga wins in 2nd round!

By Ron Jackson

Patrick Malinga stopped Mzolisi Yoyo in the second round of a scheduled twelve to retain his SA lightweight title at the Finetown Multipurpose Centre in Lenasia, near Johannesburg, on Friday night. The champion, making his first defence was in complete control from the bell taking the attack to Yoyo and knocked him down for two counts in the first round and again within the first ten seconds of the second round. Yoyo (60.82kg) who had an announced record of 16-2; 15 going into the fight went down for the second time in round two when he was caught with a right to the jaw that sent him flat on his back. Referee Thabo Spampool did not count and waved the fight off at 1 minute 43 seconds into the round. (more…)

Full Report: Escobedo-Kelley!

Ringside report by David Robinett
Photos by Dhon Santos, Maloof Sports & Entertainment

2004 U.S. Olympian Vicente Escobedo continued his rise from prospect to title contender with a two-round blowout of faded star Kevin Kelley in a scheduled ten-round lightweight bout Thursday night before 2,777 fans at the ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California.

Although long past his prime, the “Flushing Flash” was expected to provide a reasonable test for the still-developing Escobedo. It looked that way too, in round one, with the southpaw Kelley boxing smartly, circling Escobedo and snapping his right jab as Escobedo tried to work his way inside . . . Click here for more

Spina Decisions Taylor!

Photo: Emily Harney

By Scott Ploof at ringside
Photography by Emily Harney

Known for his powerful punching and action packed boxing style, Joey “The KO Kid” Spina (25-1-1, 17KOs) did not disappoint the 1500 fight fans in attendance as although he did not score a knockout as promised, he still delivered a great battle against a strong fight veteran in Tiwon Taylor (26-15-1, 19 KOs) on Friday night at the Twin River Events Center in Lincoln, RI. At the end of their eight round battle with both fighters battered and bruised, Joey Spina walked away with the unanimous decision by scores of 77-75, 78-74, 79-73. Spina, with blood coming from his nose early on, had Taylor hurt during the first few rounds as he was totally on the defensive. As the fight progressed it was even as both traded heavy shots with neither gaining an advantage. In the end it was the punching power of Spina that earned him the hard fought decision victory. The seven bout fight card was promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports.
—–
Seasoned veteran Willis “The Prophet” Lockett (12-7-5, 5KOs) upset Lowell, MA fan favorite “Irish” Joe McCreedy (10-3-1, 5 KOs) by scoring a close unanimous decision. All three judges scored the bout 58-56 in favor of Lockett. McCreedy looked like he had Lockett all but knocked out during the first two rounds. It was apparent after the beginning of round four that McCreedy was running out of gas quickly as Lockett was now the aggressor while his opponent was looking for a rest. Both fighters continued to trade, however all of the power that McCreedy had possessed in the first two rounds was all but gone, and with Lockett continued to win the later rounds to capture the eventual decision.
—–
James McGirt Jr. (20-2-1, 9 KOs) won a narrow majority decision over veteran Patrick Perez (25-5, 14 KO’s) in a six round special attraction. Both fighters brought their best as they traded punches evenly throughout the contest. McGirt Jr. had the faster hands while Perez landed the harder shots. Scores of the bout were 58-55, 59-55 and 57-57. This marks the first fight under the CES banner for McGirt Jr. while this also marked the first fight for Perez in almost five years. (more…)

Smith outpoints Gutierrez!

By Jason Kotar at ringside
Photos: Javiel Centeno

Click the photo to go to the next photo
Welterweight Antwone Smith (16-1-1, 8 KOs) won a unanimous decision against Richard Gutierrez (24-2-1, 14 KOs) on Friday night at the newly renovated Fontaine bleau Resort in Miami Beach, Florida. The scores were 97-93, 96-94, 100-88.
—–
Two-time Olympic gold medalist and former Cuban national team captain Guillermo Rigondiaux (1-0, 1 KO) dropped Juan Noriega (3-4) :19 into the bout and got a referee’s mercy stoppage at 1:09 of round three to win his long anticipated professional debut.
—–
Jr. Middleweight Erislandy Lara, a two time world amateur champion, moved to 6-0, 4 KOs with a fourth round TKO over Edwin Vasquez (22-14-2). Lara dropped Vasquez in round two and got a referee’s stoppage with a barrage of punches at 1:13 of round four.
—–
Welterweight Ed Parades (22-3, 13 KOs) won a unanimous decision over Gilbert Venegas (10-7-3, 7 KOs). Scores were 58-55, 58-55 and 57-56.

Marquez’ quiet return

The return of former world champion Rafael Marquez (37-5, 33 KOs), in a ten-round co-main in Monterrey, Mexico on the Jhonny Gonzalez vs. Toshiaki Nishioka card, may be a quiet one, but the man who fought three classic battles with Israel Vazquez in 2007-2008 is looking for something big in his next outing. Marquez told the media today that while he would face the winner of tomorrow night’s main event, he would prefer a fourth fight with Vazquez. Meanwhile, Jose Francisco Mendoza (21-2-2, 17 KOs), of Colombia, has promised to derail Marquez by scoring a knockout before the seventh round, stating that it will be “Mendoza vs. Jhonny Gonzalez in the next fight.” Both Marquez and Mendoza weighed in at 126 today at the Arena Monterrey.

Gonzalez, Nishioka make weight

From the Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico for tomorrow night’s “Lethal Combination” card promoted by Promociones del Pueblo:

Toshiaki Nishioka 122 vs. Jhonny Gonzalez 122
For the WBC super bantamweight title 

Rafael Marquez 126 vs. Francisco Mendoza 126

Michael Medina 154 vs. Bladimir Hernandez 154
Guadalupe Rosales 137 vs. Javier Castro 137
Victor Zaleta 115 vs. Javier Romano 115
Juan Carlos Salgado 131 vs. Angel Reyna 132
Miguel Angel Tavera 184 vs. David Olivo 179
Mario Lozano 150 vs. Antonio Villanueva 150