This Saturday is mostly about the fighters from the lower weights but there are some interesting lower level Heavyweight bouts.
The most interesting, at least for us, is in New Jersey as the Polish born American Adam Kownacki (6-0, 6) takes on his first opponent with a winning record, Charles Ellis (9-1-1, 8). The big punching Ellis is nothing special but he will be Kownacki's biggest test so far and should be able to tell us something about the unbeaten prospect.
On the same card in New Jersey Joey Dawejko (10-3-2, 3) will be battling against David Williams (7-8-2, 2). We can't see anything but a win for the under-rated Dawejko but we think he may need to work for it.
There will also be a double header in Iowa. The "main event" will see the heavy handed but china chinned Travis Fulton (21-37-1, 20) taking on journeyman Alex Rozman (2-7, 1). Rozman was seen in the ring just a few weeks ago being stopped by the debuting Chinese giant Taishan Dong and we'd expect a similar fate here, though Fulton is very poor.
The other bout on this card will see the promising Donovan Dennis (9-1-1, 8) taking on Jamal Woods (4-12-3, 4). This will be Dennis's first bout since he was stopped by Nat Heaven and it's little wonder why it's an easy one.
In a female bout fans will get the chance to see Sonya Lamonakis (9-1-2, 1) fighting against Carlette Ewell (15-7-1, 9) in a bout for the vacant IBO Female Heavyweight title. Lamonakis will be the clear favourite here but she was held to a draw when the two fought back in 2012.
Thursday 31 July 2014
Upcoming bouts: Friday August 1st-Lucas Browne Vs Andriy Rudenko headline the day
This coming Friday isn't a busy day in the Heavyweight division with only a handful of bouts but one contest really does stand out as a really decent one, at least on paper.
That stand out bout is in the UK as the fun to watch and very personable Lucas Browne (20-0, 18) battles against Ukraine's Andriy Rudenko (24-0, 16). The bout, for two regional titles, promises to be a really good fight for as long as it lasts though we really can't see past a Browne stoppage. We'll admit we are Browne "fans" though we understand his limitations and even with those he should still find his way past the protected Rudenko.
In Australia we get another battle of unbeaten fighters as Patrick Eneanya (1-0, 1) battles against Joel Clifton (1-0, 1). The bout isn't the mos attractive due to the inexperience of both men but it should still be a good one between two guys who won't be wanting to lose their unbeaten record this early in their career.
A third bout takes place in Mexico where the debuting Rafael Rios (0-0) fights against the win-less Edgar Najera (0-1). Hard to saw much about this one sadly though "Porky" Najera has been inactive for about 8 months following his debut last December.
That stand out bout is in the UK as the fun to watch and very personable Lucas Browne (20-0, 18) battles against Ukraine's Andriy Rudenko (24-0, 16). The bout, for two regional titles, promises to be a really good fight for as long as it lasts though we really can't see past a Browne stoppage. We'll admit we are Browne "fans" though we understand his limitations and even with those he should still find his way past the protected Rudenko.
In Australia we get another battle of unbeaten fighters as Patrick Eneanya (1-0, 1) battles against Joel Clifton (1-0, 1). The bout isn't the mos attractive due to the inexperience of both men but it should still be a good one between two guys who won't be wanting to lose their unbeaten record this early in their career.
A third bout takes place in Mexico where the debuting Rafael Rios (0-0) fights against the win-less Edgar Najera (0-1). Hard to saw much about this one sadly though "Porky" Najera has been inactive for about 8 months following his debut last December.
Tuesday 29 July 2014
Results: Tuesday July 29th-Robert Sucks as Geller scores stoppage
Earlier today in Slovakia fans got the chance to see a low level bout as the once beaten Istvan Geller (6-1, 4) over-came the wonderfully named Robert Szucs (3-9, 3) with a 4th round TKO. For Szucs this was 9th stoppage loss and he has now won just 1 of his last 10 contests!
Saturday 26 July 2014
Results: Saturday July 26th-Jennings sees off Perez whilst Tyson pulls out
At the start of this week we were all expecting to see some great Heavyweight action on Saturday. Sadly as boxing fans we don't seem to get what we want and that was certainly the case again this weekend when we got nothing that wanted.
Firstly Dereck Chisora pulled out of a much anticipated and highly hyped rematch with Tyson Fury. That was "fine" when Fury was the matched, at late notice, with the gigantic Alexander Ustinov. Unfortunately on Saturday morning Fury was forced out of the bout after his uncle was reported to be gravely ill. Fury and his uncle-trainer Peter Fury were unable to be at the venue and this in term caused another to be called off, that of Eddie Chambers who is also part of the Fury stable.
Effectively we had seen one card dismantled in what looks, on reflection, like a card that will be remembered as a cursed card.
We did still get a bout that we anticipated later on in the day as Bryant Jennings (19-0, 10) took on former Cuban amateur star Mike Perez (20-1-1, 12) and claimed a huge split decision win. The bout, a WBC world title eliminator, looked great on paper though sadly it turned out to be a dud with Perez only about to fight for 6 rounds before tiring. Jennings took a well deserved win though we need to wonder if Perez is going to be another wasted Cuban talent. He looked out of shape, disinterested and did more holding in second half of the fight than a happy couple. It was a second successive disappointing performance from Perez following his tragic bout with Magomed Abdulsalmov and it looks like Perez is lacking the fire needed to become anything more than a one time prospect.
Another fighter who kept his unbeaten record was the rotund Akhror Muralimov (16-0, 13) who stopped Jason Bergman (23-11-2, 16) in 2 rounds to claim the NABA USA title. We think Muralimov has plenty of talent but he really does need to get in shape and being a 5'11" Heavyweight will certainly work against him
Talking about prospects it was a good day for unbeaten German Tom Schwarz (8-0, 6) who scored an opening round victory against Olegs Lopajevs (8-10, 7). The 20 year old Schwarz is highly regarded in Germany and with good size, skills, speed and power it's hard to deny his potential though there are worries that he will be the next Edmund Gerber.
Over in Latvia fans got the chance to see two veterans going at it as Denis Bahktov (38-9, 25) took a well earned decision victory over Konstantin Airich (21-9-2, 17). We won't pretend this was a thriller but it was a well made bout and we can't complain about that.
The earliest bout of the day took place in Australia as Kyle Brumby (4-9-2, 1) took a split decision, over 3 rounds, against Herman Ene Purcell (2-3, 1).
In New Caledonia fans saw a small surprise as Tafa Misipati (2-3) scored a 6 round points victory over the previously unbeaten Temoo Tamaititahio (5-1, 3),
Firstly Dereck Chisora pulled out of a much anticipated and highly hyped rematch with Tyson Fury. That was "fine" when Fury was the matched, at late notice, with the gigantic Alexander Ustinov. Unfortunately on Saturday morning Fury was forced out of the bout after his uncle was reported to be gravely ill. Fury and his uncle-trainer Peter Fury were unable to be at the venue and this in term caused another to be called off, that of Eddie Chambers who is also part of the Fury stable.
Effectively we had seen one card dismantled in what looks, on reflection, like a card that will be remembered as a cursed card.
We did still get a bout that we anticipated later on in the day as Bryant Jennings (19-0, 10) took on former Cuban amateur star Mike Perez (20-1-1, 12) and claimed a huge split decision win. The bout, a WBC world title eliminator, looked great on paper though sadly it turned out to be a dud with Perez only about to fight for 6 rounds before tiring. Jennings took a well deserved win though we need to wonder if Perez is going to be another wasted Cuban talent. He looked out of shape, disinterested and did more holding in second half of the fight than a happy couple. It was a second successive disappointing performance from Perez following his tragic bout with Magomed Abdulsalmov and it looks like Perez is lacking the fire needed to become anything more than a one time prospect.
Another fighter who kept his unbeaten record was the rotund Akhror Muralimov (16-0, 13) who stopped Jason Bergman (23-11-2, 16) in 2 rounds to claim the NABA USA title. We think Muralimov has plenty of talent but he really does need to get in shape and being a 5'11" Heavyweight will certainly work against him
Talking about prospects it was a good day for unbeaten German Tom Schwarz (8-0, 6) who scored an opening round victory against Olegs Lopajevs (8-10, 7). The 20 year old Schwarz is highly regarded in Germany and with good size, skills, speed and power it's hard to deny his potential though there are worries that he will be the next Edmund Gerber.
Over in Latvia fans got the chance to see two veterans going at it as Denis Bahktov (38-9, 25) took a well earned decision victory over Konstantin Airich (21-9-2, 17). We won't pretend this was a thriller but it was a well made bout and we can't complain about that.
The earliest bout of the day took place in Australia as Kyle Brumby (4-9-2, 1) took a split decision, over 3 rounds, against Herman Ene Purcell (2-3, 1).
In New Caledonia fans saw a small surprise as Tafa Misipati (2-3) scored a 6 round points victory over the previously unbeaten Temoo Tamaititahio (5-1, 3),
Results: Friday July 25th-Chinese action
This past Friday saw very little Heavyweight action though we did get two bouts in China.
The most significant of hose bouts saw Romanian giant Razvan Cojanu (11-1, 6) claim the WBO Asia Pacific Heavyweight title as he defeated Argentina's Manuel Alberto Pucheta (37-10, 30). Pucheta's team threw in the towel to save their man after he had been dropped and this is likely the end of his dreams of making a mark on the international scene. For Cojanu this is his 11th straight win and whilst no one will be talking about him as a future world beater it was the best win of his career so far.
The second Heavyweight bout on the card saw China's Xia Shunkai (2-0, 2) taking a very comfortable win over Indian debutant Harinder (0-1). Shunkai had size and height advantages and made things look easy against his totally mismatched foe.
The most significant of hose bouts saw Romanian giant Razvan Cojanu (11-1, 6) claim the WBO Asia Pacific Heavyweight title as he defeated Argentina's Manuel Alberto Pucheta (37-10, 30). Pucheta's team threw in the towel to save their man after he had been dropped and this is likely the end of his dreams of making a mark on the international scene. For Cojanu this is his 11th straight win and whilst no one will be talking about him as a future world beater it was the best win of his career so far.
The second Heavyweight bout on the card saw China's Xia Shunkai (2-0, 2) taking a very comfortable win over Indian debutant Harinder (0-1). Shunkai had size and height advantages and made things look easy against his totally mismatched foe.
Thursday 24 July 2014
Upcoming bouts: Saturday July 26th-A hectic day in the Heavyweight division!
This weeks boxing news has been almost entirely around one story, a heavyweight story of massive proportions. That was that Dereck Chisora (20-4, 13) had been forced out of his rematch with heated rival Tyson Fury (22-0, 16) due to a hand injury suffered late in training. Despite Chisora being forced out Fury has found a suitable replacement to be his opponent on the same show, the gigantic Alexander Ustinov (29-1, 21). Whilst it's good to see Fury in action, especially against a man his own size, it's a shame that we won't get to see the Brits colliding this week in what was, by far, the best bout of the weekend in regards to the division.
On the same card as the Fury/Ustinov bout fans will also get the chance to see Fury's stablemate Eddie Chambers (29-4, 21) in action against a former Fury opponent. Chambers, who has been working with Peter Fury for his last few fights, will be expected to do a number on Brazilian Marcelo Luiz Nascimento (17-6, 15) but the bout is a big step up compared to Chambers's recent opponents.
Whilst the most significant bout the of the day is off we do get another very important bout in the US as unbeaten fighters collide. In one corner is American hopeful Bryant Jennings (18-0, 10), a man some in the US view as the most promising active American in the division, in the other corner will be talented Cuban Mike Perez (20-0-1, 12). The men, battling for a WBC title shot will know that everything is at stake and hopefully we'll see the best from both men, though many do worry that Perez is only a shadow of the fighter he once was.
Staying in the US there is a swathe of Heavyweight action across the various levels. Amongst those bouts is a contest between Jason Bergman (23-10-2, 16) and the unbeaten Justin Jones (15-0-1, 9). This bout will be the second defence of the NABA USA Heavyweight title currently held by Bergman.
Another US title bout will see Jason Estrada (20-4, 6) fighting against yet another unbeaten fighter in the form of Steve Vukosa (8-0, 4). The bout, for the vacant USA New England Heavyweight title, looks good on paper but in reality Vukosa is a 37 year old who hasn't fought in in over a decade, needless to say he shouldn't have a chance, despite his pretty record.
Another low level bout in the US will feature the "stop or be stopped" Chris Vendola (6-5, 6) who has still never seen the final bell of a fight.
In Germany the very promising Tom Schwarz (7-0, 5) will be looking for win #8 as he takes on Olegs Lopajevs (8-9, 7) in a good test for Schwarz who is widely regarded as one of the best prospects in Europe, even if his hype is somewhat downplayed compared to Britain's Anthony Joshua.
On a separate German card there will be 4 bouts. One of those will see he unbeaten Agit Kabayel (10-0, 7) battling against the win-less Peter Boehm (0-4) in a complete mismatch. Another of the bouts will be an all debutant bout between Blerim Hajdari (0-0) and Sead Kahrovic (0-0). A third lower level under-card bout will feature Birkan Akyol (3-0, 1) fighting against Sascha Brinkmann (0-1). From what we understand British veteran Danny Williams (46-22-0-1, 35)
In Latvia of all places fans will get the chance to see Konstantin Airich (21-8-2, 17) taking on Denis Bakhtov (37-9, 25) in a solid sub-European level fight. Both of these two were once capable of scoring wins over fringe European level fighters.
In Brazil we expect to see veteran Raphael Zumbano Love (34-8-1, 27) in action and Mateus Roberto Osorio (6-1, 6) also in action, though neither man has yet to have his opponent announced.
In Australia novice professional Herman Ene Purcell (2-2, 1) fighting against Kyle Brumby (3-9-2, 1) in a 3 rounder.
Finally fans in New Caledonia will get the chance to see the unbeaten Temoo Tamaititahio (5-0, 3) battling against Tafa Misipati (1-3). This is a rematch between men who fought last year in a bout that Tamaitahio won by 6 round decision.
On the same card as the Fury/Ustinov bout fans will also get the chance to see Fury's stablemate Eddie Chambers (29-4, 21) in action against a former Fury opponent. Chambers, who has been working with Peter Fury for his last few fights, will be expected to do a number on Brazilian Marcelo Luiz Nascimento (17-6, 15) but the bout is a big step up compared to Chambers's recent opponents.
Whilst the most significant bout the of the day is off we do get another very important bout in the US as unbeaten fighters collide. In one corner is American hopeful Bryant Jennings (18-0, 10), a man some in the US view as the most promising active American in the division, in the other corner will be talented Cuban Mike Perez (20-0-1, 12). The men, battling for a WBC title shot will know that everything is at stake and hopefully we'll see the best from both men, though many do worry that Perez is only a shadow of the fighter he once was.
Staying in the US there is a swathe of Heavyweight action across the various levels. Amongst those bouts is a contest between Jason Bergman (23-10-2, 16) and the unbeaten Justin Jones (15-0-1, 9). This bout will be the second defence of the NABA USA Heavyweight title currently held by Bergman.
Another US title bout will see Jason Estrada (20-4, 6) fighting against yet another unbeaten fighter in the form of Steve Vukosa (8-0, 4). The bout, for the vacant USA New England Heavyweight title, looks good on paper but in reality Vukosa is a 37 year old who hasn't fought in in over a decade, needless to say he shouldn't have a chance, despite his pretty record.
Another low level bout in the US will feature the "stop or be stopped" Chris Vendola (6-5, 6) who has still never seen the final bell of a fight.
In Germany the very promising Tom Schwarz (7-0, 5) will be looking for win #8 as he takes on Olegs Lopajevs (8-9, 7) in a good test for Schwarz who is widely regarded as one of the best prospects in Europe, even if his hype is somewhat downplayed compared to Britain's Anthony Joshua.
On a separate German card there will be 4 bouts. One of those will see he unbeaten Agit Kabayel (10-0, 7) battling against the win-less Peter Boehm (0-4) in a complete mismatch. Another of the bouts will be an all debutant bout between Blerim Hajdari (0-0) and Sead Kahrovic (0-0). A third lower level under-card bout will feature Birkan Akyol (3-0, 1) fighting against Sascha Brinkmann (0-1). From what we understand British veteran Danny Williams (46-22-0-1, 35)
In Latvia of all places fans will get the chance to see Konstantin Airich (21-8-2, 17) taking on Denis Bakhtov (37-9, 25) in a solid sub-European level fight. Both of these two were once capable of scoring wins over fringe European level fighters.
In Brazil we expect to see veteran Raphael Zumbano Love (34-8-1, 27) in action and Mateus Roberto Osorio (6-1, 6) also in action, though neither man has yet to have his opponent announced.
In Australia novice professional Herman Ene Purcell (2-2, 1) fighting against Kyle Brumby (3-9-2, 1) in a 3 rounder.
Finally fans in New Caledonia will get the chance to see the unbeaten Temoo Tamaititahio (5-0, 3) battling against Tafa Misipati (1-3). This is a rematch between men who fought last year in a bout that Tamaitahio won by 6 round decision.
Upcoming bouts: Friday July 25th-Chinese action
This Friday is sadly a day lacking in Heavyweight action though we do still get a title fight in the division!
As far as we're aware all of action is in China where we get two bouts of note, the biggest of which is a bout between Razvan Cojanu (10-1, 5) and Manuel Alberto Pucheta (37-9, 30). Cojanu is a 6'7" Romanian who is on a 10 fight winning streak at a low level. Pucheta on the other hand is a 42 year Argentinian banger who has last 4 of his last 7 but stopped 5 of his last 9 inside 3 rounds. Pucheta is certainly dangerous though Cojanu will be the favourite. The funny thing about this bout, considering the background of the two men involved, is that this bout will be for the currently vacant WBO Asia Pacific Heavyweight title. If anyone can explain how that works we owe you a drink!
The other bout will see Chinese youngster Xia Shunkai (1-0, 1). Stood at 6'4" Shunhai might not be quite as tall as Taishan Dong but he is still a huge man and one who could have some potential if given the right type of development.
As far as we're aware all of action is in China where we get two bouts of note, the biggest of which is a bout between Razvan Cojanu (10-1, 5) and Manuel Alberto Pucheta (37-9, 30). Cojanu is a 6'7" Romanian who is on a 10 fight winning streak at a low level. Pucheta on the other hand is a 42 year Argentinian banger who has last 4 of his last 7 but stopped 5 of his last 9 inside 3 rounds. Pucheta is certainly dangerous though Cojanu will be the favourite. The funny thing about this bout, considering the background of the two men involved, is that this bout will be for the currently vacant WBO Asia Pacific Heavyweight title. If anyone can explain how that works we owe you a drink!
The other bout will see Chinese youngster Xia Shunkai (1-0, 1). Stood at 6'4" Shunhai might not be quite as tall as Taishan Dong but he is still a huge man and one who could have some potential if given the right type of development.
Results: Wednesday July 23rd-Martin stops Manswell
When we talk about unbeaten American Heavyweights we tend to over-look the very promising Charles Martin (18-0-1, 16) who has actually been a fresh air in recent times. Martin, unlike many fights, is active, takes a few risks in terms of opponents and seems determined to progress as a fighter and become a contender through sheer hardwork.
On Wednesday night Martin ran up his 9th win in less than 12 months as he defended his WBO NABO Heavyweight title for the first time and stopped the heavy handed, though limited, Kertson Manswell (24-9, 18).
Manswell, once viewed as a contender, was dropped several times by Martin who still showed off some rough edges to his boxing but also showed some very nice touches.
It was one sided almost from the off before Manswell was stopped in round 3 though he's not the talking point, Martin is and Martin looks like one to keep a very close eye on, especially if he can continue to improve.
On Wednesday night Martin ran up his 9th win in less than 12 months as he defended his WBO NABO Heavyweight title for the first time and stopped the heavy handed, though limited, Kertson Manswell (24-9, 18).
Manswell, once viewed as a contender, was dropped several times by Martin who still showed off some rough edges to his boxing but also showed some very nice touches.
It was one sided almost from the off before Manswell was stopped in round 3 though he's not the talking point, Martin is and Martin looks like one to keep a very close eye on, especially if he can continue to improve.
Monday 21 July 2014
Results: Sunday July 20th-Modugno retains Italian title
Boxing on a Sunday isn't unusual but it's rare for us to get an interesting bout of note. That didn't quite change this past weekend though their was a national title fight amongst the day's Heavyweight action.
The aforementioned national title fight took place in Italy as unbeaten Italian champion Matteo Modugno (15-0, 8) successfully defended his title courtesy of a 6th round DQ victory over the limited Gianluca Mandras (9-3, 5). In our eyes Modugno, who has now all but run out of national rivals, needs to give up his title an go chase the European title as defending this belt any longer is a waste of time. He's the Heavyweight king of Italy and doesn't need to prove it any further.
The only other Heavyweight bout saw Tibor Balogh (15-6-2, 11) take out novice Peter Palovic (1-3, 1) in 2 rounds.
The aforementioned national title fight took place in Italy as unbeaten Italian champion Matteo Modugno (15-0, 8) successfully defended his title courtesy of a 6th round DQ victory over the limited Gianluca Mandras (9-3, 5). In our eyes Modugno, who has now all but run out of national rivals, needs to give up his title an go chase the European title as defending this belt any longer is a waste of time. He's the Heavyweight king of Italy and doesn't need to prove it any further.
The only other Heavyweight bout saw Tibor Balogh (15-6-2, 11) take out novice Peter Palovic (1-3, 1) in 2 rounds.
Results: Saturday July 19th-Lewison can't lay out Kisicek
This past Saturday was a great day for boxing, especially out in the East where a show in Macau stole the headlines. Sadly for the Heavyweight division it was a division that lacked attention though their was one or two fights.
On paper the most notable of those contests took place in the UK where the exciting Ian Lewison (10-2-1, 6) took on busy journeyman Hrvoje Kisicek (8-12, 2). Unfortunately for Lewison he was unable to replicate the result of compatriots Anthony Joshua and Gary Cornish, who both stopped him in 2 rounds.
In Australia we did see a stoppage as the debuting Jordan Bell (1-0, 1) made light work of fellow debutant Rhys Sullivan (0-1) who was stopped in the second round of their scheduled 4 rounder.
In Germany fans got to see the debuting Bobby Jovanovic (0-0-1) fail to make the most of over 60lbs weight advantage as he battled to a draw with Juri Zizer (2-8-1)
On paper the most notable of those contests took place in the UK where the exciting Ian Lewison (10-2-1, 6) took on busy journeyman Hrvoje Kisicek (8-12, 2). Unfortunately for Lewison he was unable to replicate the result of compatriots Anthony Joshua and Gary Cornish, who both stopped him in 2 rounds.
In Australia we did see a stoppage as the debuting Jordan Bell (1-0, 1) made light work of fellow debutant Rhys Sullivan (0-1) who was stopped in the second round of their scheduled 4 rounder.
In Germany fans got to see the debuting Bobby Jovanovic (0-0-1) fail to make the most of over 60lbs weight advantage as he battled to a draw with Juri Zizer (2-8-1)
Sunday 20 July 2014
Upcoming bouts: Wednesday July 23rd-Unbeaten Martin battles Manswell
The much maligned US Heavyweight scene has been in the doldrums for quite a while and it's fair to say that when the Heavyweight scene is dead so to is the attention of a lot of casual fans. Despite the relatively weak US scene we are starting to see a new wave of interesting fighters lead by Deontay Wilder.
Amongst this new wave is the unbeaten and heavy handed Charles Martin (17-0-1, 15) who looks to continue his unbeaten run this Wednesday when he takes on Trinidad and Tobago's Kertson Manswell (24-8, 18). The bout, Martin's 5th of the year, will see him trying to record his 8th successive stoppage and arguably his highest profile.
Manswell was once viewed as a contender himself though his recent form has been appalling. He has lost 8 of his last 12 and 5 of his last 6. With that in mind w can't see anything but a win for Martin who does appear to be one of the most exciting US prospects in the Heavyweight division.
Whilst we'd like to slate Martin for his choice of opponent we need to accept that he is staying active and this will be his 9th bout in less than 12 months. That level of activity is brilliant and a few weak touches are to be expected when your fighting eevry 6 or so weeks.
Amongst this new wave is the unbeaten and heavy handed Charles Martin (17-0-1, 15) who looks to continue his unbeaten run this Wednesday when he takes on Trinidad and Tobago's Kertson Manswell (24-8, 18). The bout, Martin's 5th of the year, will see him trying to record his 8th successive stoppage and arguably his highest profile.
Manswell was once viewed as a contender himself though his recent form has been appalling. He has lost 8 of his last 12 and 5 of his last 6. With that in mind w can't see anything but a win for Martin who does appear to be one of the most exciting US prospects in the Heavyweight division.
Whilst we'd like to slate Martin for his choice of opponent we need to accept that he is staying active and this will be his 9th bout in less than 12 months. That level of activity is brilliant and a few weak touches are to be expected when your fighting eevry 6 or so weeks.
Saturday 19 July 2014
Results: Friday July 18th-Dong impresses whilst Rodriguez slumps!
This past Friday was a hugely interesting day in the Heavyweight division despite the fact no major title contender level fighter was in action.
Part of the interest was based around the debut of Chinese giant Taishan Dong (1-0, 1) who had his debut televised on Fox Sports 1 in the US. Dong, a man mountain at 6'11" took on Alex Rozman (2-7, 1) and dropped Rozman numerous times en route to a 2nd round TKO victory. Whilst seeing giant Heavyweights isn't something new it does still get us excited and Dong is certainly a fighter to get excited about, as shown when he dropped Rozman with a jab!
Obviously Dong isn't the complete fighter but for a debuting fighter who is appearing on TV in a new country he made a perfect start to his career.
One man who things didn't go well for was former ranked contender David "Nino" Rodriguez (36-2, 34). Rodriguez began his career perfectly and ran up a 36-0 (34) record before suffering a huge set back last year to the always dangerous Darnerl Wilson. It was expected that Rodriguez would put that loss behind him and over-come Raymond Ochieng (25-17-3, 20). Instead Ochieng blasted Rodriguez out in just 80 seconds! The win for Ochieng, easily the biggest of his career, saw him claiming the interim WBC Latino heavyweight title in one of the biggest surprises of 2014.
Staying in the US, American fans also got the chance to see Nick Kisner (13-1-1, 5) take a 4 round decision over the limited Pedro Martinez (7-8, 3). With 15 fights on the records of both men it's probably time they moved beyond 4 rounders.
Two men who should remain at the 4 rounder level are Weber Sou (0-0-1) and Mitch Therle (0-0-1) who fought to a 4 round draw in the first Heavyweight bout of the day which took place in Australia.
A second draw took place in Cananda as Shane Andreesen (12-4-1, 7) was held to by the once beaten Rob Nichols (6-1-1, 4) over 6 rounds. The bout was Andreesen's first in almost 2 years though it was also Nichol's first in more than a year. With both having ring rust a rematch later this year could make plenty of sense for both men.
For those who want to see Dong's debut a video is available here of the full fight.
Part of the interest was based around the debut of Chinese giant Taishan Dong (1-0, 1) who had his debut televised on Fox Sports 1 in the US. Dong, a man mountain at 6'11" took on Alex Rozman (2-7, 1) and dropped Rozman numerous times en route to a 2nd round TKO victory. Whilst seeing giant Heavyweights isn't something new it does still get us excited and Dong is certainly a fighter to get excited about, as shown when he dropped Rozman with a jab!
Obviously Dong isn't the complete fighter but for a debuting fighter who is appearing on TV in a new country he made a perfect start to his career.
One man who things didn't go well for was former ranked contender David "Nino" Rodriguez (36-2, 34). Rodriguez began his career perfectly and ran up a 36-0 (34) record before suffering a huge set back last year to the always dangerous Darnerl Wilson. It was expected that Rodriguez would put that loss behind him and over-come Raymond Ochieng (25-17-3, 20). Instead Ochieng blasted Rodriguez out in just 80 seconds! The win for Ochieng, easily the biggest of his career, saw him claiming the interim WBC Latino heavyweight title in one of the biggest surprises of 2014.
Staying in the US, American fans also got the chance to see Nick Kisner (13-1-1, 5) take a 4 round decision over the limited Pedro Martinez (7-8, 3). With 15 fights on the records of both men it's probably time they moved beyond 4 rounders.
Two men who should remain at the 4 rounder level are Weber Sou (0-0-1) and Mitch Therle (0-0-1) who fought to a 4 round draw in the first Heavyweight bout of the day which took place in Australia.
A second draw took place in Cananda as Shane Andreesen (12-4-1, 7) was held to by the once beaten Rob Nichols (6-1-1, 4) over 6 rounds. The bout was Andreesen's first in almost 2 years though it was also Nichol's first in more than a year. With both having ring rust a rematch later this year could make plenty of sense for both men.
For those who want to see Dong's debut a video is available here of the full fight.
Friday 18 July 2014
Upcoming bouts: Sunday July 20th-Italian title on the line!
The weekend comes to an end on Sunday with a national title bout in Italy as the massive and unbeaten Matteo Modugno (14-0, 8) attempts to defend his title for the 3rd time. Modugno will be taking on the limited Gianluca Mandras (9-2, 5) who has yet to fight an opponent of note and has, in fact, been stopped twice by very average journeymen.
With what we know about both men it's hard to see anything but an easy defence, via stoppage, for Modugno who is viewed by some as a "hidden gem".
With what we know about both men it's hard to see anything but an easy defence, via stoppage, for Modugno who is viewed by some as a "hidden gem".
Upcoming bouts: Saturday July 19th-Lay 'em Out in action!
Sometimes the boxing world is flooded with fights that sadly leave other parts of the sport coming last. This weekend is one such weekend as Macau steals the lime light and leaves us with very little Heavyweight action.
One of the few Heavyweight bouts this weekend will see the limited but incredibly exciting heavyweight Ian "Lay 'em Out" Lewison (9-2-1, 6) taking on the very busy Croatian journeyman Hrvoje Kisicek (8-11, 2). Kisicek is becoming a popular journeyman on the British stage and this will be his 5th fight with a Brit inside a year. Sadly for Kisicek he is 0-4 against Brits so far and we'd be shocked if that didn't become 0-5 after this fight with Lewison.
The only other Heavyweight bout that we're aware of will see Bobby Jovanovic (0-0) making his debut, in Germany, against debut the limited Juri Zizer (2-8). We don't know much about Jovanovic but we do know Zizer has been stopped 5 times is 36 years old and a blown up Light Heavyweight, so we're going to guess that this is a set up bout for Jovanovic to make an impressive debut.
One of the few Heavyweight bouts this weekend will see the limited but incredibly exciting heavyweight Ian "Lay 'em Out" Lewison (9-2-1, 6) taking on the very busy Croatian journeyman Hrvoje Kisicek (8-11, 2). Kisicek is becoming a popular journeyman on the British stage and this will be his 5th fight with a Brit inside a year. Sadly for Kisicek he is 0-4 against Brits so far and we'd be shocked if that didn't become 0-5 after this fight with Lewison.
The only other Heavyweight bout that we're aware of will see Bobby Jovanovic (0-0) making his debut, in Germany, against debut the limited Juri Zizer (2-8). We don't know much about Jovanovic but we do know Zizer has been stopped 5 times is 36 years old and a blown up Light Heavyweight, so we're going to guess that this is a set up bout for Jovanovic to make an impressive debut.
Wednesday 16 July 2014
Upcoming bouts: Friday July 18th-A big Dong makes his debut, Rodriguez returns from defeat
Although this weekend's major action is all in Macau, China there is some a Heavyweight action this weekend.
Arguably the biggest name Heavyweight in action is the one time contender David Rodriguez (36-1, 34) who will who will be looking to bounce back from his sole career defeat as he battles against the highly experienced, though limited, power puncher Raymond Ochieng (24-17-3, 19). Ochieng isn't great but does have power and if he tags Rodriguez we could see "El Nino" suffering back to back defeats. With the interim WBC Latino Heavyweight title on the line both men know that a win could help them get a world ranking but in all honesty both are a long way short of the world level.
Although Rodriguez is likely the biggest name he's not the biggest fighter in action, instead that will be man mountain Taishan Dong (0-0) a 6'11" Chinese Heavyweight debutant. Dong will be facing the limited Alex Rozman (2-6, 1) and it's clear that Golden Boy Promotions will be trying to get Dong an easy win in the hopes of building his record gradually. With his size and nationality Dong is potentially the most marketable Heavyweight out there though he needs promoting and matching up expertly by his team who need to know about his limitations and not just the potential money he could make.
On yet another US card there will be two low level bouts. One of these will see the unbeaten Donnie Palmer (5-0-1, 5) facing the limited Pedro Martinez (7-7, 3) in what appears to be a clear mismatch. The other bout will see Nick Kisner (12-1-1, 5) attempting to bounce back from his first career defeat,though his opponent has yet to be named.
Staying in North America we are expecting some interesting action in Canada. One of the bouts scheduled will see Shane Andreesen (12-4, 7) battling against the once beaten Rob Nichols (6-1, 4) in a fairly level looking bout on paper.
In Australia fans will get the chance to see debutants colliding as Weber Sou (0-0) battles Mitch Therle (0-0) in a 3 round contest.
Arguably the biggest name Heavyweight in action is the one time contender David Rodriguez (36-1, 34) who will who will be looking to bounce back from his sole career defeat as he battles against the highly experienced, though limited, power puncher Raymond Ochieng (24-17-3, 19). Ochieng isn't great but does have power and if he tags Rodriguez we could see "El Nino" suffering back to back defeats. With the interim WBC Latino Heavyweight title on the line both men know that a win could help them get a world ranking but in all honesty both are a long way short of the world level.
Although Rodriguez is likely the biggest name he's not the biggest fighter in action, instead that will be man mountain Taishan Dong (0-0) a 6'11" Chinese Heavyweight debutant. Dong will be facing the limited Alex Rozman (2-6, 1) and it's clear that Golden Boy Promotions will be trying to get Dong an easy win in the hopes of building his record gradually. With his size and nationality Dong is potentially the most marketable Heavyweight out there though he needs promoting and matching up expertly by his team who need to know about his limitations and not just the potential money he could make.
On yet another US card there will be two low level bouts. One of these will see the unbeaten Donnie Palmer (5-0-1, 5) facing the limited Pedro Martinez (7-7, 3) in what appears to be a clear mismatch. The other bout will see Nick Kisner (12-1-1, 5) attempting to bounce back from his first career defeat,though his opponent has yet to be named.
Staying in North America we are expecting some interesting action in Canada. One of the bouts scheduled will see Shane Andreesen (12-4, 7) battling against the once beaten Rob Nichols (6-1, 4) in a fairly level looking bout on paper.
In Australia fans will get the chance to see debutants colliding as Weber Sou (0-0) battles Mitch Therle (0-0) in a 3 round contest.
Sunday 13 July 2014
Results: Saturday July 12th-Joshua stops Skelton but leaves us with questions
Saturday was an incredibly busy day in the world of professional boxing though, surprisingly, it didn't feature much in the way of Heavyweight action.
The highest profile Heavyweight bout of the day took place in the UK as 2012 Olympic champion Anthony Joshua (7-0, 7) defeated the 47 year old Matt Skelton (28-9, 23) in the second round. This bout, on paper, looks like a good win but when you consider the age and recent form of Skelton, who had lost his previous 2 and was win-less in almost 2 years it really was a forgone conclusion and answered next to no questions that fans have about Joshua. Although Olympic champions do tend to get hyped there needs to be some worries that Joshua is just Audley Harrison Version 2.0 and fights like this do allow those doubts to linger.
Joshua wasn't the only unbeaten Heavyweight who scored an easy and quick victory as American Terrance Dumas (6-0, 5) did the same taking out Willie Kyles (2-9) inside a round. For Kyles this was a 9th stoppage loss and, as with Joshua, it was a clear knock over job. On the same card fans got to see another opening round blast out as Steven Moreno (6-1, 6) stopped Quincey Palmer (6-4, 6).
Another stoppage, again in the US, saw Chazz Witherspoon (31-3, 23) take out the limited Tyyab Beale (9-5-1, 3), though this bout lasted 8 rounds making it the second longest fight in Beale's 15 fight career.
In Hungary fans got two extremely low level fights. One of those saw Tamas Bajzath (10-11-1, 5) scoring a clear 6 round decision over Gabor Farkas (7-31-6, 3). The other bout was the more competitive contest though it was won by the debuting Zoltan Csala (1-0) defeated the very experienced Csaba Olah (5-82-3, 4) via a 4 round split decision.
The highest profile Heavyweight bout of the day took place in the UK as 2012 Olympic champion Anthony Joshua (7-0, 7) defeated the 47 year old Matt Skelton (28-9, 23) in the second round. This bout, on paper, looks like a good win but when you consider the age and recent form of Skelton, who had lost his previous 2 and was win-less in almost 2 years it really was a forgone conclusion and answered next to no questions that fans have about Joshua. Although Olympic champions do tend to get hyped there needs to be some worries that Joshua is just Audley Harrison Version 2.0 and fights like this do allow those doubts to linger.
Joshua wasn't the only unbeaten Heavyweight who scored an easy and quick victory as American Terrance Dumas (6-0, 5) did the same taking out Willie Kyles (2-9) inside a round. For Kyles this was a 9th stoppage loss and, as with Joshua, it was a clear knock over job. On the same card fans got to see another opening round blast out as Steven Moreno (6-1, 6) stopped Quincey Palmer (6-4, 6).
Another stoppage, again in the US, saw Chazz Witherspoon (31-3, 23) take out the limited Tyyab Beale (9-5-1, 3), though this bout lasted 8 rounds making it the second longest fight in Beale's 15 fight career.
In Hungary fans got two extremely low level fights. One of those saw Tamas Bajzath (10-11-1, 5) scoring a clear 6 round decision over Gabor Farkas (7-31-6, 3). The other bout was the more competitive contest though it was won by the debuting Zoltan Csala (1-0) defeated the very experienced Csaba Olah (5-82-3, 4) via a 4 round split decision.
Saturday 12 July 2014
Results: Friday July 11th-Darch beats Little
There wasn't much Heavyweight action this past Friday but in Wales the local fans got the chance to see their very Dorian Darch (8-3, 1) claim a victory and end a 2 fight losing streak. Darch, fighting against fellow Brit Tom Little (4-3), scored a knockdown in round 2 en route to taking a 4 round points victory.
Thursday 10 July 2014
Upcoming bouts: Saturday July 12th-Anthony Joshua looks for 7th KO
This weekend's big action might be in the MGM Grand but, Heavyweight fans, get their share of action around the world.
The most notable bout will in the UK as Olympic champion Anthony Joshua (6-0, 6) takes on veteran Matt Skelton (28-8, 23). On paper this looks like a great match up though in reality the hard hitting, young and fast Joshua will almost certainly blast out the old and battle scarred Skelton who is 47 and has lost his last 2 bouts, including a blow out defeat to David Price back in November 2012. Skelton once was a great opponent but now he's a shell of the man he once was and the odds, which favour Joshua 1/100, do show the perceived "shot" status of Skelton.
We see another unbeaten man in action in the US. This time Terrance Dumas (5-0, 4) who will be fighting against the stopped or be stopped Willie Kyles (2-8, 2) who has yet to go the distance in his 10 fight career. Unfortunately we can't describe Dumas as a prospect at 36 years old.
On the same card as the Dumas/Kyles bout will be an interesting contest between Steven Moreno (5-1, 5) and Quincey Palmer (6-3, 6). This bout features two men who, on paper at least, appear to be heavy handed and fragile meaning we could have an explosive encounter between two low level fighters.
The biggest name in action in the States will see Chazz Witherspoon (30-3, 22), the second cousin of former world champion Tim Witherspoon, fighting against Tyyab Beale (9-4-1, 3). Witherspoon is nothing like the fighter that Tim was but he is still a decent enough fighter to make a name for himself at the "club" level and was a decent amateur, with that in mind we can't see anything but a win for him here.
We are expecting more bouts in the US though at the moment they have yet to be fully announced, sadly.
Kiwi fans will get the chance to see Clarence Tillman (11-15-2, 6) taking on novice pro William Quarrie (4-1, 1). Tillman has lost his last 7 fights in a row and is with out a win in almost 3 years whilst Quarrie suffered his sole loss last time out to the unbeaten Hemi Ahio. With that in mind we need to favour Quarrie.
In Hungary there will be two "all journeyman" bouts. One of these will see Tamas Bajzath (9-11-1, 5) fighting against the very limited Gabor Farkas (7-30-6, 3) whilst the other will see the very experienced Csaba Olah (5-81-3, 4) taking on Tibor Balogh (14-6-2, 10), the only Heavyweight on the show with a winning record. We're expecting to see Balogh beat Olah but the other bout really is pretty close to a 50-50 contest.
The most notable bout will in the UK as Olympic champion Anthony Joshua (6-0, 6) takes on veteran Matt Skelton (28-8, 23). On paper this looks like a great match up though in reality the hard hitting, young and fast Joshua will almost certainly blast out the old and battle scarred Skelton who is 47 and has lost his last 2 bouts, including a blow out defeat to David Price back in November 2012. Skelton once was a great opponent but now he's a shell of the man he once was and the odds, which favour Joshua 1/100, do show the perceived "shot" status of Skelton.
We see another unbeaten man in action in the US. This time Terrance Dumas (5-0, 4) who will be fighting against the stopped or be stopped Willie Kyles (2-8, 2) who has yet to go the distance in his 10 fight career. Unfortunately we can't describe Dumas as a prospect at 36 years old.
On the same card as the Dumas/Kyles bout will be an interesting contest between Steven Moreno (5-1, 5) and Quincey Palmer (6-3, 6). This bout features two men who, on paper at least, appear to be heavy handed and fragile meaning we could have an explosive encounter between two low level fighters.
The biggest name in action in the States will see Chazz Witherspoon (30-3, 22), the second cousin of former world champion Tim Witherspoon, fighting against Tyyab Beale (9-4-1, 3). Witherspoon is nothing like the fighter that Tim was but he is still a decent enough fighter to make a name for himself at the "club" level and was a decent amateur, with that in mind we can't see anything but a win for him here.
We are expecting more bouts in the US though at the moment they have yet to be fully announced, sadly.
Kiwi fans will get the chance to see Clarence Tillman (11-15-2, 6) taking on novice pro William Quarrie (4-1, 1). Tillman has lost his last 7 fights in a row and is with out a win in almost 3 years whilst Quarrie suffered his sole loss last time out to the unbeaten Hemi Ahio. With that in mind we need to favour Quarrie.
In Hungary there will be two "all journeyman" bouts. One of these will see Tamas Bajzath (9-11-1, 5) fighting against the very limited Gabor Farkas (7-30-6, 3) whilst the other will see the very experienced Csaba Olah (5-81-3, 4) taking on Tibor Balogh (14-6-2, 10), the only Heavyweight on the show with a winning record. We're expecting to see Balogh beat Olah but the other bout really is pretty close to a 50-50 contest.
Monday 7 July 2014
Upcoming bouts: Friday July 11th-Donovan returns after first loss, Moli returns after year out
It seems that at the moment boxing is going through a little bit of a slow period though this Friday we do get some Heavyweight bouts.
The most significant bout of the night will see the once beaten Donovan Dennis (9-1, 8) battling against journeyman Jamal Woods (4-12-3, 4). This will be Dennis's first fight since he was stopped, in a round, by Nat Heaven and many will be wondering how he looks on his return to the ring even if Woods isn't a testing opponent.
On the same show as the Dennis/Woods fight fans will be treat to an under-card contest between Eric Cason (2-1, 2) and Rick Jenkins (3-6, 2). We're not expecting this to go the distance, in fact from the 12 combined fights only one, a loss for Cason, has gone the schedule.
In Argentina fans will get the chance to see veteran Fabio Eduardo Moli (44-9-0-2, 29) back in the ring for his first fight in almost a year. Moli, who hasn't fought since last August, will be battling against domestic journeyman Luis Oscar Juarez (7-10-1, 4) and should pick up his 45th victory in a career that dates back to 1997!
On the British domestic scene fans will get to see an "England Vs Wales" contest as Englishman Tom Little (4-2) travels over the border to take on Welshman Dorian Darch (7-3, 1). Darch has lost 3 of his last 4 and a loss here to little would likely relegate him down the pecking order for emerging prospects who, typically, would battle against him.
The most significant bout of the night will see the once beaten Donovan Dennis (9-1, 8) battling against journeyman Jamal Woods (4-12-3, 4). This will be Dennis's first fight since he was stopped, in a round, by Nat Heaven and many will be wondering how he looks on his return to the ring even if Woods isn't a testing opponent.
On the same show as the Dennis/Woods fight fans will be treat to an under-card contest between Eric Cason (2-1, 2) and Rick Jenkins (3-6, 2). We're not expecting this to go the distance, in fact from the 12 combined fights only one, a loss for Cason, has gone the schedule.
In Argentina fans will get the chance to see veteran Fabio Eduardo Moli (44-9-0-2, 29) back in the ring for his first fight in almost a year. Moli, who hasn't fought since last August, will be battling against domestic journeyman Luis Oscar Juarez (7-10-1, 4) and should pick up his 45th victory in a career that dates back to 1997!
On the British domestic scene fans will get to see an "England Vs Wales" contest as Englishman Tom Little (4-2) travels over the border to take on Welshman Dorian Darch (7-3, 1). Darch has lost 3 of his last 4 and a loss here to little would likely relegate him down the pecking order for emerging prospects who, typically, would battle against him.
Sunday 6 July 2014
Results: Sunday July 6th-Chagaev becomes a 2-time "world" champion
On paper this past Sunday was an intriguing day in the Heavyweight division, sadly however it was one that flattered to deceive and gave us less than what we had expected.
The first, of three, Heavyweight bouts in Russia lasted just 12 seconds, yes 12 seconds. This was because the destructively hard hitting Apti Davtaev (7-0, 7) was in the mood to impress and did so by swiftly disposing of Oleksandr Nesterenko (9-3, 4). On paper this seemed like a step up for Davtaev, especially when you consider Nesterenko had previously gone almost 3 rounds with the once touted Denis Boytsov, but it really failed to test Davtaev in the slightest.
The second Heavyweight contest on the show didn't last much longer as Edmund Gerber (24-2, 15) easily beat Mexico's Vicente Sandez (13-4, 9) in just 2 rounds.
Sadly the highest profile Heavyweight bout of the night was the most disappointing as an out of shape Ruslan Chagaev (33-2-1, 20) managed to narrowly squeak past a frustrating Fres Oquendo (37-8, 24) to claim the WBA title. Chagaev controlled the early stages of the fight with ease as Oquendo did little but the second half of the fight became a struggle for Chagaev as he ran out of gas and seemed to get by by virtue of Oquendo lacking the desire to win. Had Oquendo wanted to win we genuinely believe he'd be the owner of the title and not the man who lost a majority decision.
The win for Chagaev saw him becoming a 2-time world champion though he appears to be a champion there for the taking.
The first, of three, Heavyweight bouts in Russia lasted just 12 seconds, yes 12 seconds. This was because the destructively hard hitting Apti Davtaev (7-0, 7) was in the mood to impress and did so by swiftly disposing of Oleksandr Nesterenko (9-3, 4). On paper this seemed like a step up for Davtaev, especially when you consider Nesterenko had previously gone almost 3 rounds with the once touted Denis Boytsov, but it really failed to test Davtaev in the slightest.
The second Heavyweight contest on the show didn't last much longer as Edmund Gerber (24-2, 15) easily beat Mexico's Vicente Sandez (13-4, 9) in just 2 rounds.
Sadly the highest profile Heavyweight bout of the night was the most disappointing as an out of shape Ruslan Chagaev (33-2-1, 20) managed to narrowly squeak past a frustrating Fres Oquendo (37-8, 24) to claim the WBA title. Chagaev controlled the early stages of the fight with ease as Oquendo did little but the second half of the fight became a struggle for Chagaev as he ran out of gas and seemed to get by by virtue of Oquendo lacking the desire to win. Had Oquendo wanted to win we genuinely believe he'd be the owner of the title and not the man who lost a majority decision.
The win for Chagaev saw him becoming a 2-time world champion though he appears to be a champion there for the taking.
Results: Saturday July 5th- Parker impresses
When we talk about the best prospects in Heavyweight boxing next to nobody rivals the exceptional Joseph Parker (9-0, 8) who continued his rise through the ranks this past Saturday as he dominated American veteran Brian Minto (39-8, 25).
Parker, one of the few Kiwi's of note in boxing, dropped Minto in rounds 5 and 7 before Minto retired in his corner conceding defeat to the younger, fresher, faster, more skilled and more powerful fighter.
With this win Parker claimed the WBO Oriental title and defended his PABA interim title as he moved towards a world ranking.
Although not the complete article Parker is more proven and tested than any other prospect in the division and he seems happy to face better tests than the likes of Anthony Joshua, something that he needs to be given major credit for.
Parker, one of the few Kiwi's of note in boxing, dropped Minto in rounds 5 and 7 before Minto retired in his corner conceding defeat to the younger, fresher, faster, more skilled and more powerful fighter.
With this win Parker claimed the WBO Oriental title and defended his PABA interim title as he moved towards a world ranking.
Although not the complete article Parker is more proven and tested than any other prospect in the division and he seems happy to face better tests than the likes of Anthony Joshua, something that he needs to be given major credit for.
Saturday 5 July 2014
Results: Friday July 4th-Puercell decks Frost, but can't cose the show
A quite Friday in the Heavyweight division gave us little to look forward to and in fact it delivered what was expected, not a lot.
What we ended up with was just a single Heavyweight bout as the limited but fun to watch Herman Ene Purcell (2-2, 1) recorded a 4 round decision victory over the debuting Jamie Frost (0-1). Frost was down in round 2 but Purcell, from Samoa originally though now based in Australia, was unable to finish him off instead he needed to take a clear 4 round decision.
What we ended up with was just a single Heavyweight bout as the limited but fun to watch Herman Ene Purcell (2-2, 1) recorded a 4 round decision victory over the debuting Jamie Frost (0-1). Frost was down in round 2 but Purcell, from Samoa originally though now based in Australia, was unable to finish him off instead he needed to take a clear 4 round decision.
Friday 4 July 2014
Results: Wednesday July 2nd-Bajic wins at the Joker Gym
One of our favourite named venues in boxing is the Joker Gym in Croatia. Whilst the quality of fights at the Joker Gym isn't great it does seem to be one of the "go to" venues in Croatia for figts.
The Joker Gym saw action his past Wednesday as Vjekoslav Bajic (8-7, 2) took a 4 round shut out victory over fellow Croatian Josko Basic (0-8). Basic, who is win-less since making his pro debut back in 2011, is unlikely to be a threat for anyone in the division but it's good to see him and Bajic both helping keep alive the diminutive Croatian boxing scene.
The Joker Gym saw action his past Wednesday as Vjekoslav Bajic (8-7, 2) took a 4 round shut out victory over fellow Croatian Josko Basic (0-8). Basic, who is win-less since making his pro debut back in 2011, is unlikely to be a threat for anyone in the division but it's good to see him and Bajic both helping keep alive the diminutive Croatian boxing scene.
Wednesday 2 July 2014
Upcoming bouts: Sunday July 6th-Russian Rumble sees Oquendo and Chagaev facing off for a paper belt!
This Sunday isn't a day booming with fights though there will be a trio of interesting Heavyweight bouts in Russia on a card that really is the weekend's stand out show. Sadly however the main event is a bout more motivated by the need to have another paper title floating around than the fighters involved.
The first of the three bouts for us is likely to be a contest between the unbeaten and hard hitting Apti Davtaev (6-0, 6) and Ukrainian giant Oleksandr Nesterenko (9-2, 4). Stood at 6'5" Nesterenko is a tall Heavyweight, even in this era of giants, though many will be expecting the ginat to be felled by the hard hitting Davtaev, who has stopped all 6 previous opponents inside 2 rounds. It's hard to get a read on how good the unbeaten man is but we're hoping to see some questions about him in this bout.
Following the Davtaev/Nesterenko bout we will get to see former prospect, turned bust, Edmund Gerber (23-2, 14) taking on Mexico's Vicente Sandez (13-3, 9) in a contest that appears to be little more than a confidence builder for Gerber. The once promising German has been appalling in recent bouts and could have suffered twice as many losses as he currently has. Sandez however shouldn't even come close to testing Gerber who has the time needed to turn his career around but we doubt he has the skill or desire to ever become a contender.
The biggest bout on the show however is a "world title bout" as the WBA continues to hand out belts as if they belong in cereal boxes as opposed to around the waists of the best fighters in the sport. The bout in question will see the very talented former world champion Ruslan Chagaev (32-2-1, 20), several years past his best, taking on American fringe contender Fres Oquendo (37-7, 24). For all intents and purposes it's a really good bout, but it's not a world title bout no matter how the WBA dress it up. The bout is a fight that they've decided can be fought for a ceremonial crown but the winner will not be king, or prince. In fact the only role the winner will have is that of a pawn in the political chess game that the title awarding bodies are playing.
We're sorry to say this but if you really feel that the winner of Chagaev/Oquendo deserve a word title then we suggest you either require an eye test or you've received a botched lobotomy.
Upcoming bouts: Saturday July 5th-Parker Vs Minto sees Kiwi in with another test
One thing the Heavyweight division has a lot of right now are emerging prospects that have the potential to really liven up the division in the next few years. For our money one of the very best prospects is 22 year old New Zealander Joseph Parker (8-0, 7) who has really impressed us so far. Parker will be hoping to continue to impress this weekend when he battles against American veteran Brian Minto (39-7, 25).
Minto, known as "The Beast", isn't the stiffest test out there but has always been a solid opponent and should be Parker's most interesting opponent so far, despite being 39. Sure some might point to Parker's very impressive stoppage over Frans Botha as a better test of his ability but in all honesty Botha was a fat shell of his former self whilst Minot recently scored a big win down under against Shane Cameron will allowed him the opportunity to earn this fight.
If Parker managed to stop Minto we're going to be very happy to dub him as the "best prospect in Heavyweight boxing". What we're expecting however is a very well fought bout that sees Parker needing to relying on his boxing to take a decision over his American foe.
Unfortunately outside of the Parker/Minto bout there really is very little to get excited about over Saturday. One of the other bouts will see the debut of Haxhi Duraj (0-0) who will be fighting against Sasa Dajic (0-1) whilst another of the bouts will see Bosnian Cruiserweight-come-Heavyweight Haris Gredelj (2-0, 2) battling against the debuting Emir Islamovic (0-0). Both of these bouts will be on a show in Germany and, we'll be honest, it's hard to care about either of these two contests.
Minto, known as "The Beast", isn't the stiffest test out there but has always been a solid opponent and should be Parker's most interesting opponent so far, despite being 39. Sure some might point to Parker's very impressive stoppage over Frans Botha as a better test of his ability but in all honesty Botha was a fat shell of his former self whilst Minot recently scored a big win down under against Shane Cameron will allowed him the opportunity to earn this fight.
If Parker managed to stop Minto we're going to be very happy to dub him as the "best prospect in Heavyweight boxing". What we're expecting however is a very well fought bout that sees Parker needing to relying on his boxing to take a decision over his American foe.
Unfortunately outside of the Parker/Minto bout there really is very little to get excited about over Saturday. One of the other bouts will see the debut of Haxhi Duraj (0-0) who will be fighting against Sasa Dajic (0-1) whilst another of the bouts will see Bosnian Cruiserweight-come-Heavyweight Haris Gredelj (2-0, 2) battling against the debuting Emir Islamovic (0-0). Both of these bouts will be on a show in Germany and, we'll be honest, it's hard to care about either of these two contests.
Tuesday 1 July 2014
Upcoming bouts: Friday July 4th-Aussie Action
The kick off the weekend Australia fans have an interesting card headlined by a rematch between Michael Katsidis and Graham Earl. The rematch between those two warriors will likely not live up to their classic bout from 2007 but will hopefully still be enjoyable.
For this particular blog entry the focus isn't on that bout but instead on a under-card contest that will see Australian based Samoan born fighter Herman Ene Purcell (1-2, 1) taking on debutant Jamie Frost (0-0). Purcell is best known for his entertaining contest with Australian rugby player Paul Gallen, although Purcell lost he did make the bout fun in an attempt to prove his toughness. Frost is totally unknown to us but if he has any basic boxing skills we'd have to back him to over-come Purcell who has toughness but little else.
For this particular blog entry the focus isn't on that bout but instead on a under-card contest that will see Australian based Samoan born fighter Herman Ene Purcell (1-2, 1) taking on debutant Jamie Frost (0-0). Purcell is best known for his entertaining contest with Australian rugby player Paul Gallen, although Purcell lost he did make the bout fun in an attempt to prove his toughness. Frost is totally unknown to us but if he has any basic boxing skills we'd have to back him to over-come Purcell who has toughness but little else.
Upcoming bouts: Thursday July 3rd-Unbeaten Hinkle tries to move to 4-0
One thing that we tend to hear repeated week after week is that the American Heavyweight scene is dead. It's funny that right now the US Heavyweight scene is actually one of the most interesting with the likes of Deontay Wilder, Bryan Jennings, Gerad Washington, Charles Martin and Dominic Breazeale.
Sadly one unbeaten fighter who doesn't deserve to be included in the list of promising American's is Brandon Lee Hinkle (3-0, 3) who, despite his unbeaten record, isn't going anywhere in this sport.
Aged 40 Lee actually began his career back in 2008 and has progressed so slowly with a lack of dedication to the sport that we can't actually describe him as a prospect. Interestingly however this Thursday sees him in his toughest bout to date as he fights against the experienced but frankly hopeless Orion Sistrunk (5-27-1, 1).
Sadly one unbeaten fighter who doesn't deserve to be included in the list of promising American's is Brandon Lee Hinkle (3-0, 3) who, despite his unbeaten record, isn't going anywhere in this sport.
Aged 40 Lee actually began his career back in 2008 and has progressed so slowly with a lack of dedication to the sport that we can't actually describe him as a prospect. Interestingly however this Thursday sees him in his toughest bout to date as he fights against the experienced but frankly hopeless Orion Sistrunk (5-27-1, 1).
Upcoming bouts: Wednesday July 2nd-Low level bout in Croatia
After having had previous issues trying to run a successful Heavyweight boxing blog we've decided to try again. Like a good fighter we won't just be knocked down oh no, we will get up and battle on like a brave warrior!
We kick off this attempt at a Heavyweight blog with a low profile contest in Split, Croatia where fans will get the chance to see the "win some lose some" Vjekoslav Bajic (7-7, 2) take on the win-less and horribly limited Josko Basic (0-7). Unlike us Basic isn't too used to battling through adversity and in his 7 fights so far he has been stopped in 4 of them, including twice in his last 3.
Whilst Bajic isn't great we'd be pretty shocked by him losing to Basic here.
We kick off this attempt at a Heavyweight blog with a low profile contest in Split, Croatia where fans will get the chance to see the "win some lose some" Vjekoslav Bajic (7-7, 2) take on the win-less and horribly limited Josko Basic (0-7). Unlike us Basic isn't too used to battling through adversity and in his 7 fights so far he has been stopped in 4 of them, including twice in his last 3.
Whilst Bajic isn't great we'd be pretty shocked by him losing to Basic here.
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