The Federal Boxing Alliance - Page 29

GForce · 11-28-2006, 11:14 PM

Hey Romy...I was actually looking for Duran to get disqualified while ahead the way it was going. Not sure what the second judge was thinking. Duran winning would not have been outlandish...Kobozev was the aggressor but landed on 13% of his blows...but there's no way he won by that much.

Some good ones coming in the other title fights, though.

GH

GForce · 11-28-2006, 11:51 PM

June Title Fight Recaps Cont.

WBA Jr. Lightweight: Alexis Arguello (6-0, 6 KO) vs Jorge Barrios (2-2, 2 KO)

Arguello has been humble but firm in saying he wants to unify the belts with Julio Cesar Chavez and Azumah Nelson. This marks his third defense of his title, and with the official Top 10 rankings being released July 1, Arguello will then be a #1 contender defense away from being eligible to unify, should he defeat Barrios. Barrios is a tough customer in his own right, but some questioned Arguello's decision to defend against him, having already stopped him in the second round of the tournament via TKO in the 6th. But Barrios is tough with some power, so there's a danger factor there.

Or not. The only way to describe Arguello thus far is dynamic. He's all over Barrios from the opening bell, and a hook a minute into the fight has Barrios looking to his corner. He's in trouble and he knows it. Barrios never goes down, remarkably, as Arguello thoroughly destroys him for 5:42, until ref Frank Santore - who had moments earlier warned Barrios he needed to respond - jumps in to stop the abuse against the ropes.

If you're a betting man, don't bet on anyone stopping Arguello. He has been 100% dominant.

Alexis Arguello TKO 2 (punishment) Jorge Barrios

More to come...

GH

GForce · 12-01-2006, 06:19 PM

We interrupt the title fight results to bring you those fighters who were eligible to be picked out of the WBO by one of the big three as of June 1, and what happened to them. Some pretty good names on this list.

HW - Leon Spinks (WBA)
HW - Henry Akinwande (WBA)
JMW - Fernando Vargas (WBA)
WW - Luis Collazo (IBF)
WW - Maurice Blocker (WBA)
LW - Julio Diaz (unsigned)
LW - Art Frias (unsigned)
FW - Jose Legra (WBA)
BW - Hozumi Hasegawa (WBA)

RETIREMENTS

Fernando Velardez - Featherweight - 0-5
Leo Gamez - Flyweight - 0-6

GH

GForce · 12-01-2006, 07:45 PM

June Title Fight Recaps Cont.

WBA Featherweight: Salvador Sanchez (5-0) vs Clarence "Bones" Adams (6-0, 3 KO)

Adams becomes the latest of fighters who rolled through the WBO to advance to the big time and get a title shot. But Adams hasn't fought in 6 months, and critics say he built his WBO mark somewhat absurdly...beating Remiglio Molina and Shig Fukuyama twice each. Still, he's here and Sanchez has to deal with him.

Sanchez is pacing himself from the start, acting like a fighter who thinks he can land on Adams all day but probably not get him out of there until late. A sound strategy and tactically the right way to handle Adams. But of the first 5 rounds, Sanchez takes only the second convincingly, the other 4 up in the air, as Adams seems to be trying to fight this bout inside a phone booth.

Midway through the 6th, Sanchez goes down as if to go to the body, but blasts high and catches Adams off guard. He pounces and starts to fire away, but Adams catches himself and blocks most of the attack. Still, after 3 rounds that very easily could've gone to Adams, Sanchez shows a sign of control again. And despite Adams' best efforts to tie Sanchez up, Sanchez controls rounds 7 and 8 as well, and the fight seems to be on track now with Sanchez's opening gameplan.

Not in the plan was round 9, in which Adams, out of a clinch, blasts Sanchez with a hook that staggers him. Adams is on the full-blast offensive at this point, and it's Sanchez who is reeling. Adams manages to force Sanchez into a corner and begin working away. The crowd is into the surge by the unheralded challenger, and the louder they get the more he fires. But Sanchez blasts his way out of the corner and moves enough to escape, but lose, the round. And as they head back to their corners, it's Sanchez who shows signs of damage, swelling around his right eye.

Adams was visibly pumped up returning to his corner after the 9th, and despite caution from his corner, he comes out firing right at the bell. He does so wildly, though, and Sanchez catches him with a flurry punctuated by a hook that puts Adams on the seat of his pants. Adams is up at 3, and he weathers the storm of the rest of the round admirably. But the look in his eyes at its conclusion is far different than 3 minutes prior.

Sanchez pummels Adams in the 11th, and 2 minutes in busts him open outside his right eyebrow. Adams stays on his feet, but the round ends with his right cheek a streaked mess.

But to Adams' credit, he comes out in the 12th and it's toe-to-toe. He's getting back inside, and he and Sanchez rip body shots off each other in close exchanges. Adams won't back down, and though Sanchez remains the favorite, Adams is getting a lot of support for his guts. It's an even round, but Adams, despite exhaustion, he regained the look ... the look that says he belongs in the ring with the great Sanchez, whose eye has gotten worse in the last minute.

That look disappears moments into the 13th, when Sanchez lands an overhand right that floors Adams. The blood is flowing again from Adams, but he's back to his feet. He'll hit the deck later, Sanchez tasting a finish, but Adams won't stay down. Referee Stanley Christodoulou is visibly wavering on calling it, but Adams' effort here is making him let it go. He's fighting back, he's alert. So it goes on.

Swelling has gotten bad in a hurry for Adams, and his hand and foot speed have slowed noticably. A weak straight right misses, and Sanchez responds with a barrage that puts Adams back down. He's up at 9, and to the shock of all in attendance, Christodoulou allows it to continue. A minute later, and with his cut widened, Adams is down again. Sanchez looks ready to raise his arms, but when Adams gets up, Christodoulou again lets it continue.

Sanchez pours it on against the ropes, and Christodoulou gives a brief moment to respond before calling it a night. Sanchez is gracious to Adams, a heartfelt hug and words of encouragement at the conclusion. It was tougher than he expected, but Sanchez retains the belt. And Adams gains a truckload of respect.

Salvador Sanchez TKO 14 Clarence "Bones" Adams

WBA Jr. Bantamweight Title Fight: Celes Kobayashi (3-2, 2 KO) vs Ari Blanca (0-3)

Let's take a look at the WBA Jr. Bantamweight division for a moment:

-- Luis Alberto Perez fights the fight of his life in the semifinal, upsetting Khaosai Galaxy, who everyone assumed would be the walkaway champion.

-- Perez then outboxes Fernando Montiel in the final, only to have the fight stopped in the 13th round in very questionable fashion (he had the fight in the bag on 2 of 3 cards, and was in control though bleeding substantially). His win over Galaxy seems all for naught.

-- Montiel defends against Tae-Il Chang, at the time 1-2-2, in his first defense. Montiel's corner is inexplicably unable to stop a fairly minor cut from becoming a geiser, and Chang is awarded the belt via TKO.

-- Chang decides to make his one allowed defense before a rematch with Montiel. This comes against Celes Kobayashi, who Montiel beat in the semifinal of the tournament. Kobayashi fights a dirty fight, lands 3 low blows and has a point deducted, which Chang's corner contends is the reason he runs out of gas late and is swept the final 5 rounds on all 3 cards, giving Kobayashi a unanimous decision win (144-140, 144-140, 145-139).

So, with Montiel unable to fight until August, and Chang unable to fight until July (and it hasn't been decided anyway how both fighters, due mandatory rematches, will be handled) Kobayashi decides he will try to become the first fighter in the division to make a successful defense of the title.

To do that, he picks winless Ari Blanca. Great.

Does it shock anybody that, 9 rounds in the books, we have a draw? Seriously, does NOBODY want this title?

Three more fouls in the books, Kobayashi survives dropping Blanca in the 10th, winning 11-13 comfortably before a crushing uppercut knocks Blanca cold in the 14th.

To call this inspiring would be...well...maybe we can just put the belt on Galaxy a while, just to see how it fits.

Celes Kobayashi KO 14 Ari Blanca

More to come...

GH

Romdawg88 · 12-01-2006, 08:32 PM

Gutty effort by Bones Adams there if it had been against someone of a lesser calbier then Salvador he probably could have taken the belt. However, that WBC Jr. BW recap took the cake. What a mess that division is and no it doesn't seem as if anyone does want the belt.

GForce · 12-01-2006, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Gutty effort by Bones Adams there if it had been against someone of a lesser calbier then Salvador he probably could have taken the belt. However, that WBC Jr. BW recap took the cake. What a mess that division is and no it doesn't seem as if anyone does want the belt.

Yeah, Adams effort really surprised me. We'll see how he fares the rest of the way. The WBA Featherweight division is probably the deepest in the FBA.

As for the Jr. BW stuff...if they all keep knocking each other off, Galaxy is going to slip into that #1 spot.

BTW, first formal rankings come out after this month's bouts.

GH

GForce · 12-02-2006, 04:59 PM

June Title Fight Recaps Cont.

WBC Middleweight: Carlos Monzon (5-0, 2 KO) vs Herol Graham (0-3-1)

This is a nothing contest for Monzon, possibly signaling that he will wait until rankings come out July 1, fight a #1 contender when he gets the chance, and then seek to unify with either WBA champ Rodrigo Valdez or IBF champion Bernard Hopkins.

Not a lot of defense in this bout, but Monzon's offense covers that. Graham is pummeled for 3 rounds, knocked down early in the 4th and Monzon is stopped from working him over 26 seconds into the 5th with his eye in bad shape and no sign of him mounting an attack.

Carlos Monzon TKO 5 Herol Graham

WBC Jr. Middleweight: Shane Mosley (4-0, 2 KO) vs Larry Marks (0-2)

"Sugar" Shane finally gets around to making his first defense and, in what seems to be a pattern this month, he makes it against an unheralded fighter who really should get nowhere near the belt.

After an even, tactical round 1, Mosley takes round 2 convincingly, but Marks comes out determined and just plain outworks Mosley in the 3rd. From there it went all downhill for Marks.

Mosley drops him in the 4th, again in the 8th, again in the 10th.

When Marks goes down in the 11th, he doesn't get up. Mosley's a bit slow to get going, but when he does he takes care of business. A solid first defense.

Shane Mosley KO 11 Larry Marks

More to come...

GH

GForce · 12-02-2006, 09:36 PM

June Title Fight Recaps Cont.

WBC Welterweight: Lloyd Honeyghan (4-0, 2 KO) vs Jose Napoles (2-1)

Napoles was the top-seeded fighter in the tournament, but his quest was derailed by Honeyghan, who won a split decision before knocking out Buddy McGirt for the belt.

To Honeyghan's credit, he makes his first defense against Napoles, even though Napoles will likely not be the #1 contender when upcoming rankings come out, meaning he'll have to make another tough defense in the next 6 months.

The versatile Napoles had a hard time controlling tempo the first time around, which surprised a lot of people. Honeyghan worked the body effectively, as he often did, and Napoles just seemed to have a hard time finding his rhythm. Napoles hasn't set foot in the ring since the loss to Honeyghan 9 months ago.

Napoles is showing a lot of movement early, and he's picking Honeyghan apart effectively for the first 90 seconds of the fight. Honeyghan lands a stiff right to gain some momentum for himself, and lands a solid combination, but Napoles is able to get him back at arm's reach for a few more good jabs to close out the opening round.

The second round is a reversal of sorts, as Honeyghan decides he won't pressure Napoles as much as during the first fight, relying more on countering. With the first round a tactical game that goes slightly in Napoles' favor, this round tilts slightly for Honeyghan. While both fighters are capable to slug it out, at least early it seems a feeling out process for both men.

A blow from Napoles in a barrage early in the third splits Honeyghan wide across the bridge of the nose. While streaming badly, the cut isn't assumed, at least by most observers, to be something that will pose a problem. Honeyghan fights back, but Napoles controls much of the remainder of the round, despite his frustration that ref Zach Clayton stopped the bout shortly after the cut to have a doctor check it.

Honeyghan's corner does a great job on the cut between rounds, though there's swelling around the left eye. Napoles decides the 4th is the right time to open up, and he lets his hands go. Things quickly turn from tactical to slugfest, and Napoles is getting the upper hand. Honeyghan is firing back with everything he has, but Napoles is dodging and sticking Honeyghan time and time again. By the end of the round, dominated by Napoles, the swelling has gotten significantly worse, and it seems Honeyghan's corner has a new issue to fight.

Body work is Honeyghan's calling card, but it's Napoles who is doing so beautifully, and it continues in the 5th. Honeyghan is missing the mark though both fighters are throwing a truckload of punches. But every time Honeyghan throws, Napoles has a hand in his face, and if his guard is up, Napoles digs to the ribs. He's working the right up top off the body shots, and Honeyghan's left eye continues to puff. Perhaps a shot he didn't see coming sends Honeyghan to the canvas, coming off the ropes after a combination. He's up at 6 and, though hurt, brilliantly defends against Napoles' attempt to finish him.

The 6th is largely uneventful to begin. Honeyghan's firing away but missing a lot, and his left eye is now virtually swollen shut. But it's moments later, when the two exchange in the corner and Napoles rips a pair of shots off Honeyghan's face, that things get eventful.

The earlier gash is reopened and, while severe, the blood is still not going into his eyes. Suddenly, the bout is waved to a halt. Honeyghan is stunned. While he wasn't finding the mark at all, he was still fighting, was still responsive and it's not as though he was on the verge of a knockout when this happens. Most alarming the Honeyghan is that, at least his interpretation, is that the cut, moreso than the closed eye, is what drew the stoppage.

Per rules, Honeyghan will be sidelined 4 months. But Napoles will be called upon to defend against Honeyghan shortly thereafter. For now, however, the new WBC Welterweight champion is JOSE NAPOLES!!!

Jose Napoles TKO 6 Lloyd Honeyghan (cuts/swelling)

More to come...

GH

GForce · 12-03-2006, 06:23 PM

June Title Fight Recaps Cont.

IBF Middleweight: Bernard Hopkins (6-0, 4 KO) vs Segundo Mercado (4-2, 1 KO)

Hopkins makes his third defense, staying busy, having defeated Robert Allen and Iran Barkley earlier this year. Mercado gets his shot after moving up from the WBO (an unintentionally common theme).

This one is a simple "Welcome to the Big Boys" fight, as Hopkins dismisses his usual slow start to pounce from the opening bell. Mercado is picked apart by Hopkins in the first, then floored at 1:28 of the 2nd, and again a little more than a minute later, this time for good.

Hopkins will need a defense against the #1 contender, but at that point he'll be ready to unify. Rodrigo Valdez is yet to defend, so if all goes according to plan, Hopkins and Monzon would be the most likely unification bout. Of course, there's no guarantee either will explore that avenue. But it's fun to talk about.

Bernard Hopkins KO 2 Segundo Mercado

IBF Lightweight: Orzubek Nazarov (4-0, 2 KO) vs Sean O'Grady (4-1-1, 3 KO)

A rematch of the tournament final, which saw little defense and Nazarov get the better of the slugfest, knocking O'Grady out in the 8th.

This time, much of the same is expected. And from the start it's another slugger. Nazarov lights O'Grady up for the first 1:30, busting him open outside the left eyebrow with an uppercut midway through. But O'Grady dominates the second half of the round, and the crowd senses this one will be fun to watch.

Replay round 1, aside from the cut, and you have round 2. Nazarov again controls early, but O'Grady recovers to control the second half (actually, the last minute, but even more dominant than the end of the first).

O'Grady lands a pair of hard combinations early in the third, and it's Nazarov on the early defensive this time. But Nazarov is able to bull O'Grady into a corner and work the body before O'Grady regains control. Nazarov is in real trouble before O'Grady gets careless, leaving himself open in his zealousness, and Nazarov plants a perfect uppercut. O'Grady is frozen and Nazarov pummels him for the final 30 seconds. The round ends with Nazarov sporting a bit of swelling around his left eye, and O'Grady bleeding again from the earlier cut. If the round went another 30 seconds, O'Grady may very well, at the least, have gone down.

O'Grady lands a thunderous right hand 20 seconds into round 4, and Nazarov is shaken. But he again recovers, and lands a smashing uppercut of his own. The crowd is into it, as these are just dropping bombs and defense is nowhere to be seen. O'Grady, though, lands a trio and powerful blows in the final minute to tilt things in his favor.

The swelling under Nazarov's eye continues to worsen, and his corner is unable to stem that much between rounds. But Nazarov is undeterred and comes out ahead in the 5th. O'Grady is being beaten to the punch and Nazarov's body work is having a visible effect. He's trying to tie O'Grady up a bit more and keep him close, but O'Grady works free and sticks several jabs home before a powerful hook to close out the round.

Nazarov is sticking by the clinching affair, and it continues to work well. He's in control early and ref Larry Hazzard is fighting like hell to pry them apart. He finally does, and O'Grady immediately lands a stiff, straight right that sends Nazarov to the ropes. It also splits his right eyelid, and blood pours quickly. Nazarov fires back, but O'Grady is able to avoid his flurry and place a few jabs on the mark to end the 6th.

It's furious in Nazarov's corner between rounds. The cut is largely controlled, but the swelling on the other eye continues. O'Grady's cut has been closed for a few rounds now. About 40 seconds in, it's clear Nazarov's left eye is uncontrollable, disgustingly swollen now and having ballooned up. O'Grady is in all-out attack mode, and is blistering Nazarov with everything he can fire. Nazarov's clearly a one eyed fighter, and when the cut over his right eye splits again, his vision is virtually nonexistent.

Hazzard halts things and has the doctor check it out. Nazarov pleads to continue and, getting champion's privilege (something not granted, it appeared, to Honeyghan against Napoles), is allowed to do so. That lasts for 15 seconds, before a hammering cross stuns Nazarov and prompts Hazzard to jump in and call a halt to the bout.

It'll be a few months, but look for the third bout between these two late this year. For now, the NEW IBF Lightweight Champion is SEAN O'GRADY!!!

Sean O' Grady TKO 7 Orzubek Nazarov

More to come...

GH

GForce · 12-04-2006, 06:57 PM

June Title Fight Recaps Cont.

IBF Jr. Lightweight: Julio Cesar Chavez (6-0, 6 KO) vs Cornelius Boza-Edwards (4-1, 1 KO)

Chavez makes his third defense and, as observed earlier, he and Arguello seem destined for a unification bout somewhere in the not-too-distant future. Boza-Edwards is tough, but his desire to grind it out inside despite a suspect chin seems to many to be tailor-made for Chavez. But Boza-Edwards was going to come to fight, and it would be exciting as long as he stayed in it.

Those critics, however, are correct, as Chavez tears the Ugandan apart inside, taking advantage of his aggressiveness but lackluster defense. Swelling of the left eye starts early, and becomes a liability as the fight proceeds. With Boza-Edwards being straifed along the ropes in the 6th, ref Jay Nady stops the bout. Boza-Edwards never goes down, but this is the right call, as this was going to get worse before ever getting better.

A perfect fight for Chavez and an impressive effort, amping up eagerness for him and Arguello to get it on.

Julio Cesar Chavez TKO 6 Cornelius Boza-Edwards

IBF Bantamweight: Masahiko Harada (5-0) vs Jeff Chandler (4-1, 1 KO)

When Satoshi Shingaki knocked Jeff Chandler out in the tournament semifinal, it not only stunned the boxing world, but robbed audiences of the anticipated title war between Chandler and Harada. Chandler being known for a good beard and Shingaki not known for power made that result a complete shock. Nobody expected the weak-punching Harada to stop Chandler, but the consideration now was whether his pinpoint punching could penetrate Chandler's defense enough to wear him down over the course of 15 rounds.

The other note to this fight is simply that Harada didn't have to take it. Should he beat Chandler, he may very well knock Chandler from the anticipated #1 seed when formal rankings are released. And if that occurs, he wouldn't get credit for a #1 defense. So this is truly a throwdown fight, and Harada has gotten a ton of respect throughout boxing, as well as from Chandler, for making it happen.

It's a very conservative, economical fight for the first 3 rounds, and it's Harada who gets the best of them. He comes in on Chandler, lands a few shots and gets out. Harada knows Chandler can hurt him and he's taking no chances. Through 3 rounds, Harada scores little, but Chandler scores virtually nothing.

Harada stays at a distance in the 4th, and there's nothing of note for the first half of the round. But Chandler finds home with a hook that shakes Harada. He recovers well, though, and Chandler tries to clinch, hoping to force Harada to stay close. Chandler scores inside, but in a furious exchange for the final 15 seconds, it's Harada who comes out on top.

Chandler gets back inside again in the 5th, but this time has a successful time of it, moving well and finding holes. It's more of the same in the 6th, though both fighters are cautioned...Harada for throwing low, Chandler for holding and hitting. Chandler is, however, showing signs of being able to cut the ring on Harada, which he struggled to do early.

Chandler controlsthe early part of round 7, but when they exchange heavily in the center of the ring for much of the final minute, it's again Harada who comes away better, landing several combinations and taking advantage of any opening Chandler leaves.

The 8th round excites everyone except Harada's corner as he stands in and slugs with Chandler. Perhaps Harada is feeling his oats a bit having withstood, and won, prior exchanges with Chandler, and in fact he battles him evenly here as well. But his corner warns him at round's end that to go that route with Chandler is to live dangerously.

Harada follows the direction well, and rounds 9 and 10 each the first rounds of the fight. Harada lands and runs, and Chandler can't get an angle on him. It's not pretty, it's not exciting, but it's undoubtedly effective for Harada. And frustrating for Chandler.

Chandler slams a hook off Harada's head moments into the 11th though, and it's the first time Harada has looked really hurt all fight. But he recovers well, and picks Chandler off with jabs and combinations the rest of the way, never letting Chandler follow up on the early blow.

Neither fighter shows any sign of wear and tear as they start the 12th, but Chandler has his strongest stretch of the fight. The first two minutes of the round are entirely his, a pair of hard crosses finding the mark and Harada much on the defensive. But Harada responds late with combinations that find the seams, working the body and coming back upstairs. Any opening Chandler leaves, it seems Harada finds in an exchange. Any time they've had a stretch of mixing it up, Harada, shockingly, comes out ahead.

The 13th is an even round throughout, jabs and counters, both getting hit often but never a huge shot. Harada is outpunching Chandler, who has been off rythym the entire fight. He's stil been in it, as many rounds have been close by simple virtue of Chandler's shots being more solid, but he's never mounted a blistering attack and his power has been, while more than Harada's, not near expectations.

Harada outworks Chandler again in the 14th, again in and out. Chandler has seemed to be loading up, but he can't find the mark. Chandler's 6" reach advantage his been, for all intents and purposes, nullified.

The 15th mirrors the 13th, and as they go to the cards, the only question is whether Chandler's power got him more points on what he landed than Harada's volume and ability to keep Chandler's strengths at bay.

Richard Flaherty, USA scores the bout 144 to 143
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Hal Miller, USA scores the bout 145 to 144

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Paolo Scarso, Italy scores the bout 147 to 142

For the winner....and STILL IBF BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION....MASAHIKO "FIGHTING" HARADA!!!

Unofficial scorecard from ringside: 146-144 Harada. The judges got this one right.

Masahiko Harada UD 15 Jeff Chandler

IBF Jr. Bantamweight: Masamori Tokuyama (4-0) vs Satoshi Iida (1-1)

Tokuyama won a unanimous decision over Iida in the second round of the tournament, and chooses him as his first defense.

Iida tries to burden Tokuyama under volume of punches. Tokuyama prefers instead to limit his output and just land pretty much everything he throws.

Uneventful, really, as this is a perfect choice for Tokuyama. Iida is pummeled for 10 rounds, wins his only round of the fight in the 11th before, with a terribly swollen left eye and eating a ton of leather, the fight is stopped.

Tokuyama throws 42 punches a round, but lands 74%. Iida throws 110 punches a round, and lands 8%. YIKES!!!

Masamori Tokuyama TKO 12 (swelling) Satoshi Iida

That wraps up the June title fights.

GH

GForce · 12-06-2006, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meade95

Ruben Olivares vs Victor Rabanales - Rabanales is tough if nothing else.....which means I suspect Olivares will just beat the sh*t out of him for at least 10rds....before it ends..

Just simmed this one...I'll do a real writeup another time, but let's just say if you're a believer in "making a statement" then Olivares does just that.

Rabanales goes down for 6 at 1:49 of the first, is pummeled for another 30 seconds before Olivares drops him again...knocked cold at 2:39 of round 1.

I believe the injured hand is just fine. Wonder if Zarate will still give the rematch.

GH

meade95 · 12-09-2006, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GForce

Just simmed this one...I'll do a real writeup another time, but let's just say if you're a believer in "making a statement" then Olivares does just that.

Rabanales goes down for 6 at 1:49 of the first, is pummeled for another 30 seconds before Olivares drops him again...knocked cold at 2:39 of round 1.

I believe the injured hand is just fine. Wonder if Zarate will still give the rematch.

GH

C. Zarate just has to give Olivares a rematch.....Then again with this blowout performance I could certainly see Zarate thinking twice or pushing this fight off as far as possible!

GForce · 12-10-2006, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meade95

C. Zarate just has to give Olivares a rematch.....Then again with this blowout performance I could certainly see Zarate thinking twice or pushing this fight off as far as possible!

I should have rankings out this week. Those who lose title matches get penalized (so I can bump them down the rankings a bit), but we'll see how well this performance will boost Olivares. He almost certainly won't be the #1 contender, though, so if Zarate gives him the shot it will be out of competitiveness rather than being ordered to do so.

GH

GForce · 12-10-2006, 06:37 PM

June '05: Notable Results

WBA Heavyweight: Earnie Shavers (4-1, 3 KO) vs George Foreman (3-1,3 KO)

Battle of powerhouses here, and a fight to land the powerful shot first. Foreman wins the race, dropping Shavers with a flash knockdown late in the first after battering him most of the round. Foreman wins the second decisively before pummeling Shavers for 2+ minutes in the third before dropping him late, Shavers unable to get back to his feet. An impressive performance by Foreman who hopes for a shot at champ Muhammad Ali.

George Foreman KO3 Earnie Shavers

WBA Featherweight: Jose Badillo (3-2-2, 3 KO) vs Davey Kotey(8-0, 1 KO)

Kotey comes in trying to run his perfect record to 9-0 in the hopes of the #1 contender slot for a bout against reigning champ Salvador Sanchez. He was going to have to earn it this night, though, as Badillo came to fight. After an opening round feel-out process that Badillo mostly controls, it's Kotey who is the aggressor and rips off combinations against Badillo, whose defense is notoriously shoddy. And it continues in the third, when Kotey rips off more combinations that drop Badillo to the canvas. He works himself back to his feet at 8 and holds off Kotey's attempt to close him out. Kotey comes out to end it in the 4th, but leaves himself open to body work from Badillo, who responds beautifully. Kotey is ripped to the ribs, then caught clean with an uppercut that puts him down. Kotey looks out but gets to his feet at 9. He spends much of the final half of the round tying Badillo up and trying to stay alive, and he does so successfully. They alternate rounds 5-8, Kotey controlling 5 and 7, Badillo winning 6 and 8, all decisively, but none moreso than Badillo's effort in the 8th where Kotey barely clings to survival. The final two rounds are even and relatively tame, largely by Kotey's doing.

They await the decision and it's unanimous...95-93, 95-93, 95-94...for KOTEY! It appears to be the right call, but it's a fortunate one for Kotey. Badillo takes the loss, but gives a solid performance. The question now is, when rankings come out, is Kotey the #1 contender.

Davey Kotey UD10 Jose Badillo

WBA Featherweight: Naseem Hamed (2-3-2) vs Antonio Cermeno 1-3, 1 KO)

Hamed has been a tremendous disappointment, though his competition has been stiff, for which he deserves some credit. He's drawn with Bernard Taylor and Antonio Esparragoza, beaten Taylor and Hector Acero-Sanchez, and lost to Erik Morales, Calvin Grove and Manny Pacquiao. He hopes to start a turnaround here against Cermeno, and is successful, though not with ease. Cermeno actually leads midway through before Hamed knocks him down in the 6th and controls much of the later part of the fight for a unanimous decision victory 97-94, 97-94, 96-95.

Naseem Hamed UD 10 Antonio Cermeno

More to come...

GH

GForce · 12-10-2006, 11:18 PM

June '05: Notable Results

WBC Middleweight: Tony Licata (1-1) vs Michael Nunn (4-1,3 KO)

Nunn tries to fight his way into the #1 contendership and a rematch with champ Carlos Monzon, who decisioned him in the semifinal. He does so brilliantly, a unanimous win with 3 knockdowns, outpunching Licata 140 a round to 40 a round. Judges score it 100-87, 100-87, 99-88. An impressive showing.

Michael Nunn UD10 Tony Licata

WBC Bantamweight: Ruben Olivares (3-1-1, 3 KO) vs Victor Rabanales (1-2-1)

Already went over this one, so quickly...Olivares broke his hand so badly the fight was stopped in his tournament final bout against Carlos Zarate. He returns from injury here and responds with a devastating wipeout of the tough Rabanales. Knockdown midway in round 1, knockout later in the round. Rockabye is back in a big way.

Ruben Olivares KO 1 Victor Rabanales

WBC Jr. Bantamweight: Payao Poontarat (1-1-1) vs Gilberto Roman 4-1, 2 KO)

Roman returns to the ring for the first time since he dropped the title to Johnny Tapia. It's still undecided if he'll get to face Willie Jensen (who beat Tapia in his first defense) for the belt, or if he'll have to face Tapia first, with the winner getting the shot at Jensen. Regardless, he stays busy against Poontarat and is dominant. An easy unanimous decision, landing almost 45% of his punches. 98-90, 98-90, 99-89. Now it's a matter of seeing how the title fight shakes out.

Gilberto Roman UD 10 Payao Poontarat

More to come...

GH

meade95 · 12-10-2006, 11:57 PM

Had to expect M. Nunn to take the WBC MW title......He could be a force there to some extent.......but some of the power guys will likely take the crown from him before too long....

Somewhat surprised at how Antonio Cermeno has been fairing to date....

Foreman Vs Shavers (what a match up!)....went as expected....Though I keep waiting to see Shavers get a belt in one of these universes......his power has to bring it to him sooner or later...Though he needs the right match up.......Foreman definitely wasn't it!

G. Roman took the WBC JBW title as expected as well...

Jeff1787 · 12-11-2006, 01:39 AM

Earnie Shavers was always a favorite of mine...but he won't be a champ...

GForce · 12-11-2006, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meade95

Had to expect M. Nunn to take the WBC MW title......He could be a force there to some extent.......but some of the power guys will likely take the crown from him before too long....

Somewhat surprised at how Antonio Cermeno has been fairing to date....

Foreman Vs Shavers (what a match up!)....went as expected....Though I keep waiting to see Shavers get a belt in one of these universes......his power has to bring it to him sooner or later...Though he needs the right match up.......Foreman definitely wasn't it!

G. Roman took the WBC JBW title as expected as well...

FYI, Meade, those were non-title bouts. Nunn is trying to get the #1 contender slot so he can challenge Monzon, who currently holds the WBC belt. Roman lost his belt to Tapia is that sordid mess a few months ago. Tapia then lost to Jensen, so now it's a matter of seeing whether Roman or Tapia (who both are supposed to get rematches) get the shot at Jensen.

GH

fuente51 · 12-11-2006, 04:20 PM

Nice to see the Prince chime in with a win. 2-3-2 was looking pretty ugly.

GForce · 12-11-2006, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuente51

Nice to see the Prince chime in with a win. 2-3-2 was looking pretty ugly.

Yeah, as much as I can't stand Hamed, he's really been victimized by stiff competition. Pacquiao, Morales and Grove aren't losses to be ashamed of. So he's fought VERY tough competition. But the draw with Bernard Taylor shouldn't have happened, and he probably should have beaten Esparragoza as well.

He's in a division with little room for error if he wants a title shot somewhere down the line.

GH

12-01-2006, 07:45 PM	#564 (permalink)
GForce Banned Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,458 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0x in 0 posts Infractions: 0/2 (2)	June Title Fight Recaps Cont. WBA Featherweight: Salvador Sanchez (5-0) vs Clarence "Bones" Adams (6-0, 3 KO) Adams becomes the latest of fighters who rolled through the WBO to advance to the big time and get a title shot. But Adams hasn't fought in 6 months, and critics say he built his WBO mark somewhat absurdly...beating Remiglio Molina and Shig Fukuyama twice each. Still, he's here and Sanchez has to deal with him. Sanchez is pacing himself from the start, acting like a fighter who thinks he can land on Adams all day but probably not get him out of there until late. A sound strategy and tactically the right way to handle Adams. But of the first 5 rounds, Sanchez takes only the second convincingly, the other 4 up in the air, as Adams seems to be trying to fight this bout inside a phone booth. Midway through the 6th, Sanchez goes down as if to go to the body, but blasts high and catches Adams off guard. He pounces and starts to fire away, but Adams catches himself and blocks most of the attack. Still, after 3 rounds that very easily could've gone to Adams, Sanchez shows a sign of control again. And despite Adams' best efforts to tie Sanchez up, Sanchez controls rounds 7 and 8 as well, and the fight seems to be on track now with Sanchez's opening gameplan. Not in the plan was round 9, in which Adams, out of a clinch, blasts Sanchez with a hook that staggers him. Adams is on the full-blast offensive at this point, and it's Sanchez who is reeling. Adams manages to force Sanchez into a corner and begin working away. The crowd is into the surge by the unheralded challenger, and the louder they get the more he fires. But Sanchez blasts his way out of the corner and moves enough to escape, but lose, the round. And as they head back to their corners, it's Sanchez who shows signs of damage, swelling around his right eye. Adams was visibly pumped up returning to his corner after the 9th, and despite caution from his corner, he comes out firing right at the bell. He does so wildly, though, and Sanchez catches him with a flurry punctuated by a hook that puts Adams on the seat of his pants. Adams is up at 3, and he weathers the storm of the rest of the round admirably. But the look in his eyes at its conclusion is far different than 3 minutes prior. Sanchez pummels Adams in the 11th, and 2 minutes in busts him open outside his right eyebrow. Adams stays on his feet, but the round ends with his right cheek a streaked mess. But to Adams' credit, he comes out in the 12th and it's toe-to-toe. He's getting back inside, and he and Sanchez rip body shots off each other in close exchanges. Adams won't back down, and though Sanchez remains the favorite, Adams is getting a lot of support for his guts. It's an even round, but Adams, despite exhaustion, he regained the look ... the look that says he belongs in the ring with the great Sanchez, whose eye has gotten worse in the last minute. That look disappears moments into the 13th, when Sanchez lands an overhand right that floors Adams. The blood is flowing again from Adams, but he's back to his feet. He'll hit the deck later, Sanchez tasting a finish, but Adams won't stay down. Referee Stanley Christodoulou is visibly wavering on calling it, but Adams' effort here is making him let it go. He's fighting back, he's alert. So it goes on. Swelling has gotten bad in a hurry for Adams, and his hand and foot speed have slowed noticably. A weak straight right misses, and Sanchez responds with a barrage that puts Adams back down. He's up at 9, and to the shock of all in attendance, Christodoulou allows it to continue. A minute later, and with his cut widened, Adams is down again. Sanchez looks ready to raise his arms, but when Adams gets up, Christodoulou again lets it continue. Sanchez pours it on against the ropes, and Christodoulou gives a brief moment to respond before calling it a night. Sanchez is gracious to Adams, a heartfelt hug and words of encouragement at the conclusion. It was tougher than he expected, but Sanchez retains the belt. And Adams gains a truckload of respect. *Salvador Sanchez TKO 14 Clarence "Bones" Adams* WBA Jr. Bantamweight Title Fight: Celes Kobayashi (3-2, 2 KO) vs Ari Blanca (0-3) Let's take a look at the WBA Jr. Bantamweight division for a moment: -- Luis Alberto Perez fights the fight of his life in the semifinal, upsetting Khaosai Galaxy, who everyone assumed would be the walkaway champion. -- Perez then outboxes Fernando Montiel in the final, only to have the fight stopped in the 13th round in very questionable fashion (he had the fight in the bag on 2 of 3 cards, and was in control though bleeding substantially). His win over Galaxy seems all for naught. -- Montiel defends against Tae-Il Chang, at the time 1-2-2, in his first defense. Montiel's corner is inexplicably unable to stop a fairly minor cut from becoming a geiser, and Chang is awarded the belt via TKO. -- Chang decides to make his one allowed defense before a rematch with Montiel. This comes against Celes Kobayashi, who Montiel beat in the semifinal of the tournament. Kobayashi fights a dirty fight, lands 3 low blows and has a point deducted, which Chang's corner contends is the reason he runs out of gas late and is swept the final 5 rounds on all 3 cards, giving Kobayashi a unanimous decision win (144-140, 144-140, 145-139). So, with Montiel unable to fight until August, and Chang unable to fight until July (and it hasn't been decided anyway how both fighters, due mandatory rematches, will be handled) Kobayashi decides he will try to become the first fighter in the division to make a successful defense of the title. To do that, he picks winless Ari Blanca. Great. Does it shock anybody that, 9 rounds in the books, we have a draw? Seriously, does NOBODY want this title? Three more fouls in the books, Kobayashi survives dropping Blanca in the 10th, winning 11-13 comfortably before a crushing uppercut knocks Blanca cold in the 14th. To call this inspiring would be...well...maybe we can just put the belt on Galaxy a while, just to see how it fits. *Celes Kobayashi KO 14 Ari Blanca* More to come... GH Last edited by GForce; 12-02-2006 at 10:04 AM.

12-01-2006, 08:32 PM	#565 (permalink)
Romdawg88 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Belle Glade, FL Posts: 4,005 Thanks: 10 Thanked 31x in 30 posts	Gutty effort by Bones Adams there if it had been against someone of a lesser calbier then Salvador he probably could have taken the belt. However, that WBC Jr. BW recap took the cake. What a mess that division is and no it doesn't seem as if anyone does want the belt. __________________ Romy "Iceman" Alvarez First TBCB Forum Tournament Champion, 10-6 (5). IBL: 10 -3 (5) Henry Armstrong > You.

12-11-2006, 01:39 AM	#577 (permalink)
Jeff1787 All Star Starter Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: The Doghouse Posts: 1,706 Thanks: 28 Thanked 27x in 27 posts	Earnie Shavers was always a favorite of mine...but he won't be a champ... __________________ "Lou Gehrig had one advantage over me. He was a better ballplayer." - Gil Hodges MLB Modified

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11-28-2006, 11:14 PM	#561 (permalink)
GForce Banned Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,458 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0x in 0 posts Infractions: 0/2 (2)	Hey Romy...I was actually looking for Duran to get disqualified while ahead the way it was going. Not sure what the second judge was thinking. Duran winning would not have been outlandish...Kobozev was the aggressor but landed on 13% of his blows...but there's no way he won by that much. Some good ones coming in the other title fights, though. GH

11-28-2006, 11:51 PM	#562 (permalink)
GForce Banned Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,458 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0x in 0 posts Infractions: 0/2 (2)	June Title Fight Recaps Cont. WBA Jr. Lightweight: Alexis Arguello (6-0, 6 KO) vs Jorge Barrios (2-2, 2 KO) Arguello has been humble but firm in saying he wants to unify the belts with Julio Cesar Chavez and Azumah Nelson. This marks his third defense of his title, and with the official Top 10 rankings being released July 1, Arguello will then be a #1 contender defense away from being eligible to unify, should he defeat Barrios. Barrios is a tough customer in his own right, but some questioned Arguello's decision to defend against him, having already stopped him in the second round of the tournament via TKO in the 6th. But Barrios is tough with some power, so there's a danger factor there. Or not. The only way to describe Arguello thus far is dynamic. He's all over Barrios from the opening bell, and a hook a minute into the fight has Barrios looking to his corner. He's in trouble and he knows it. Barrios never goes down, remarkably, as Arguello thoroughly destroys him for 5:42, until ref Frank Santore - who had moments earlier warned Barrios he needed to respond - jumps in to stop the abuse against the ropes. If you're a betting man, don't bet on anyone stopping Arguello. He has been 100% dominant. *Alexis Arguello TKO 2 (punishment) Jorge Barrios* More to come... GH

12-01-2006, 06:19 PM	#563 (permalink)
GForce Banned Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,458 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0x in 0 posts Infractions: 0/2 (2)	We interrupt the title fight results to bring you those fighters who were eligible to be picked out of the WBO by one of the big three as of June 1, and what happened to them. Some pretty good names on this list. HW - Leon Spinks (WBA) HW - Henry Akinwande (WBA) JMW - Fernando Vargas (WBA) WW - Luis Collazo (IBF) WW - Maurice Blocker (WBA) LW - Julio Diaz (unsigned) LW - Art Frias (unsigned) FW - Jose Legra (WBA) BW - Hozumi Hasegawa (WBA) RETIREMENTS Fernando Velardez - Featherweight - 0-5 Leo Gamez - Flyweight - 0-6 GH

12-02-2006, 04:59 PM	#567 (permalink)
GForce Banned Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,458 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0x in 0 posts Infractions: 0/2 (2)	June Title Fight Recaps Cont. WBC Middleweight: Carlos Monzon (5-0, 2 KO) vs Herol Graham (0-3-1) This is a nothing contest for Monzon, possibly signaling that he will wait until rankings come out July 1, fight a #1 contender when he gets the chance, and then seek to unify with either WBA champ Rodrigo Valdez or IBF champion Bernard Hopkins. Not a lot of defense in this bout, but Monzon's offense covers that. Graham is pummeled for 3 rounds, knocked down early in the 4th and Monzon is stopped from working him over 26 seconds into the 5th with his eye in bad shape and no sign of him mounting an attack. *Carlos Monzon TKO 5 Herol Graham* WBC Jr. Middleweight: Shane Mosley (4-0, 2 KO) vs Larry Marks (0-2) "Sugar" Shane finally gets around to making his first defense and, in what seems to be a pattern this month, he makes it against an unheralded fighter who really should get nowhere near the belt. After an even, tactical round 1, Mosley takes round 2 convincingly, but Marks comes out determined and just plain outworks Mosley in the 3rd. From there it went all downhill for Marks. Mosley drops him in the 4th, again in the 8th, again in the 10th. When Marks goes down in the 11th, he doesn't get up. Mosley's a bit slow to get going, but when he does he takes care of business. A solid first defense. *Shane Mosley KO 11 Larry Marks* More to come... GH

12-02-2006, 09:36 PM	#568 (permalink)
GForce Banned Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,458 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0x in 0 posts Infractions: 0/2 (2)	June Title Fight Recaps Cont. WBC Welterweight: Lloyd Honeyghan (4-0, 2 KO) vs Jose Napoles (2-1) Napoles was the top-seeded fighter in the tournament, but his quest was derailed by Honeyghan, who won a split decision before knocking out Buddy McGirt for the belt. To Honeyghan's credit, he makes his first defense against Napoles, even though Napoles will likely not be the #1 contender when upcoming rankings come out, meaning he'll have to make another tough defense in the next 6 months. The versatile Napoles had a hard time controlling tempo the first time around, which surprised a lot of people. Honeyghan worked the body effectively, as he often did, and Napoles just seemed to have a hard time finding his rhythm. Napoles hasn't set foot in the ring since the loss to Honeyghan 9 months ago. Napoles is showing a lot of movement early, and he's picking Honeyghan apart effectively for the first 90 seconds of the fight. Honeyghan lands a stiff right to gain some momentum for himself, and lands a solid combination, but Napoles is able to get him back at arm's reach for a few more good jabs to close out the opening round. The second round is a reversal of sorts, as Honeyghan decides he won't pressure Napoles as much as during the first fight, relying more on countering. With the first round a tactical game that goes slightly in Napoles' favor, this round tilts slightly for Honeyghan. While both fighters are capable to slug it out, at least early it seems a feeling out process for both men. A blow from Napoles in a barrage early in the third splits Honeyghan wide across the bridge of the nose. While streaming badly, the cut isn't assumed, at least by most observers, to be something that will pose a problem. Honeyghan fights back, but Napoles controls much of the remainder of the round, despite his frustration that ref Zach Clayton stopped the bout shortly after the cut to have a doctor check it. Honeyghan's corner does a great job on the cut between rounds, though there's swelling around the left eye. Napoles decides the 4th is the right time to open up, and he lets his hands go. Things quickly turn from tactical to slugfest, and Napoles is getting the upper hand. Honeyghan is firing back with everything he has, but Napoles is dodging and sticking Honeyghan time and time again. By the end of the round, dominated by Napoles, the swelling has gotten significantly worse, and it seems Honeyghan's corner has a new issue to fight. Body work is Honeyghan's calling card, but it's Napoles who is doing so beautifully, and it continues in the 5th. Honeyghan is missing the mark though both fighters are throwing a truckload of punches. But every time Honeyghan throws, Napoles has a hand in his face, and if his guard is up, Napoles digs to the ribs. He's working the right up top off the body shots, and Honeyghan's left eye continues to puff. Perhaps a shot he didn't see coming sends Honeyghan to the canvas, coming off the ropes after a combination. He's up at 6 and, though hurt, brilliantly defends against Napoles' attempt to finish him. The 6th is largely uneventful to begin. Honeyghan's firing away but missing a lot, and his left eye is now virtually swollen shut. But it's moments later, when the two exchange in the corner and Napoles rips a pair of shots off Honeyghan's face, that things get eventful. The earlier gash is reopened and, while severe, the blood is still not going into his eyes. Suddenly, the bout is waved to a halt. Honeyghan is stunned. While he wasn't finding the mark at all, he was still fighting, was still responsive and it's not as though he was on the verge of a knockout when this happens. Most alarming the Honeyghan is that, at least his interpretation, is that the cut, moreso than the closed eye, is what drew the stoppage. Per rules, Honeyghan will be sidelined 4 months. But Napoles will be called upon to defend against Honeyghan shortly thereafter. For now, however, the new WBC Welterweight champion is JOSE NAPOLES!!! *Jose Napoles TKO 6 Lloyd Honeyghan (cuts/swelling)* More to come... GH

12-03-2006, 06:23 PM	#569 (permalink)
GForce Banned Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,458 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0x in 0 posts Infractions: 0/2 (2)	June Title Fight Recaps Cont. IBF Middleweight: Bernard Hopkins (6-0, 4 KO) vs Segundo Mercado (4-2, 1 KO) Hopkins makes his third defense, staying busy, having defeated Robert Allen and Iran Barkley earlier this year. Mercado gets his shot after moving up from the WBO (an unintentionally common theme). This one is a simple "Welcome to the Big Boys" fight, as Hopkins dismisses his usual slow start to pounce from the opening bell. Mercado is picked apart by Hopkins in the first, then floored at 1:28 of the 2nd, and again a little more than a minute later, this time for good. Hopkins will need a defense against the #1 contender, but at that point he'll be ready to unify. Rodrigo Valdez is yet to defend, so if all goes according to plan, Hopkins and Monzon would be the most likely unification bout. Of course, there's no guarantee either will explore that avenue. But it's fun to talk about. *Bernard Hopkins KO 2 Segundo Mercado* IBF Lightweight: Orzubek Nazarov (4-0, 2 KO) vs Sean O'Grady (4-1-1, 3 KO) A rematch of the tournament final, which saw little defense and Nazarov get the better of the slugfest, knocking O'Grady out in the 8th. This time, much of the same is expected. And from the start it's another slugger. Nazarov lights O'Grady up for the first 1:30, busting him open outside the left eyebrow with an uppercut midway through. But O'Grady dominates the second half of the round, and the crowd senses this one will be fun to watch. Replay round 1, aside from the cut, and you have round 2. Nazarov again controls early, but O'Grady recovers to control the second half (actually, the last minute, but even more dominant than the end of the first). O'Grady lands a pair of hard combinations early in the third, and it's Nazarov on the early defensive this time. But Nazarov is able to bull O'Grady into a corner and work the body before O'Grady regains control. Nazarov is in real trouble before O'Grady gets careless, leaving himself open in his zealousness, and Nazarov plants a perfect uppercut. O'Grady is frozen and Nazarov pummels him for the final 30 seconds. The round ends with Nazarov sporting a bit of swelling around his left eye, and O'Grady bleeding again from the earlier cut. If the round went another 30 seconds, O'Grady may very well, at the least, have gone down. O'Grady lands a thunderous right hand 20 seconds into round 4, and Nazarov is shaken. But he again recovers, and lands a smashing uppercut of his own. The crowd is into it, as these are just dropping bombs and defense is nowhere to be seen. O'Grady, though, lands a trio and powerful blows in the final minute to tilt things in his favor. The swelling under Nazarov's eye continues to worsen, and his corner is unable to stem that much between rounds. But Nazarov is undeterred and comes out ahead in the 5th. O'Grady is being beaten to the punch and Nazarov's body work is having a visible effect. He's trying to tie O'Grady up a bit more and keep him close, but O'Grady works free and sticks several jabs home before a powerful hook to close out the round. Nazarov is sticking by the clinching affair, and it continues to work well. He's in control early and ref Larry Hazzard is fighting like hell to pry them apart. He finally does, and O'Grady immediately lands a stiff, straight right that sends Nazarov to the ropes. It also splits his right eyelid, and blood pours quickly. Nazarov fires back, but O'Grady is able to avoid his flurry and place a few jabs on the mark to end the 6th. It's furious in Nazarov's corner between rounds. The cut is largely controlled, but the swelling on the other eye continues. O'Grady's cut has been closed for a few rounds now. About 40 seconds in, it's clear Nazarov's left eye is uncontrollable, disgustingly swollen now and having ballooned up. O'Grady is in all-out attack mode, and is blistering Nazarov with everything he can fire. Nazarov's clearly a one eyed fighter, and when the cut over his right eye splits again, his vision is virtually nonexistent. Hazzard halts things and has the doctor check it out. Nazarov pleads to continue and, getting champion's privilege (something not granted, it appeared, to Honeyghan against Napoles), is allowed to do so. That lasts for 15 seconds, before a hammering cross stuns Nazarov and prompts Hazzard to jump in and call a halt to the bout. It'll be a few months, but look for the third bout between these two late this year. For now, the NEW IBF Lightweight Champion is SEAN O'GRADY!!! *Sean O' Grady TKO 7 Orzubek Nazarov* More to come... GH

12-04-2006, 06:57 PM	#570 (permalink)
GForce Banned Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,458 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0x in 0 posts Infractions: 0/2 (2)	June Title Fight Recaps Cont. IBF Jr. Lightweight: Julio Cesar Chavez (6-0, 6 KO) vs Cornelius Boza-Edwards (4-1, 1 KO) Chavez makes his third defense and, as observed earlier, he and Arguello seem destined for a unification bout somewhere in the not-too-distant future. Boza-Edwards is tough, but his desire to grind it out inside despite a suspect chin seems to many to be tailor-made for Chavez. But Boza-Edwards was going to come to fight, and it would be exciting as long as he stayed in it. Those critics, however, are correct, as Chavez tears the Ugandan apart inside, taking advantage of his aggressiveness but lackluster defense. Swelling of the left eye starts early, and becomes a liability as the fight proceeds. With Boza-Edwards being straifed along the ropes in the 6th, ref Jay Nady stops the bout. Boza-Edwards never goes down, but this is the right call, as this was going to get worse before ever getting better. A perfect fight for Chavez and an impressive effort, amping up eagerness for him and Arguello to get it on. *Julio Cesar Chavez TKO 6 Cornelius Boza-Edwards* IBF Bantamweight: Masahiko Harada (5-0) vs Jeff Chandler (4-1, 1 KO) When Satoshi Shingaki knocked Jeff Chandler out in the tournament semifinal, it not only stunned the boxing world, but robbed audiences of the anticipated title war between Chandler and Harada. Chandler being known for a good beard and Shingaki not known for power made that result a complete shock. Nobody expected the weak-punching Harada to stop Chandler, but the consideration now was whether his pinpoint punching could penetrate Chandler's defense enough to wear him down over the course of 15 rounds. The other note to this fight is simply that Harada didn't have to take it. Should he beat Chandler, he may very well knock Chandler from the anticipated #1 seed when formal rankings are released. And if that occurs, he wouldn't get credit for a #1 defense. So this is truly a throwdown fight, and Harada has gotten a ton of respect throughout boxing, as well as from Chandler, for making it happen. It's a very conservative, economical fight for the first 3 rounds, and it's Harada who gets the best of them. He comes in on Chandler, lands a few shots and gets out. Harada knows Chandler can hurt him and he's taking no chances. Through 3 rounds, Harada scores little, but Chandler scores virtually nothing. Harada stays at a distance in the 4th, and there's nothing of note for the first half of the round. But Chandler finds home with a hook that shakes Harada. He recovers well, though, and Chandler tries to clinch, hoping to force Harada to stay close. Chandler scores inside, but in a furious exchange for the final 15 seconds, it's Harada who comes out on top. Chandler gets back inside again in the 5th, but this time has a successful time of it, moving well and finding holes. It's more of the same in the 6th, though both fighters are cautioned...Harada for throwing low, Chandler for holding and hitting. Chandler is, however, showing signs of being able to cut the ring on Harada, which he struggled to do early. Chandler controlsthe early part of round 7, but when they exchange heavily in the center of the ring for much of the final minute, it's again Harada who comes away better, landing several combinations and taking advantage of any opening Chandler leaves. The 8th round excites everyone except Harada's corner as he stands in and slugs with Chandler. Perhaps Harada is feeling his oats a bit having withstood, and won, prior exchanges with Chandler, and in fact he battles him evenly here as well. But his corner warns him at round's end that to go that route with Chandler is to live dangerously. Harada follows the direction well, and rounds 9 and 10 each the first rounds of the fight. Harada lands and runs, and Chandler can't get an angle on him. It's not pretty, it's not exciting, but it's undoubtedly effective for Harada. And frustrating for Chandler. Chandler slams a hook off Harada's head moments into the 11th though, and it's the first time Harada has looked really hurt all fight. But he recovers well, and picks Chandler off with jabs and combinations the rest of the way, never letting Chandler follow up on the early blow. Neither fighter shows any sign of wear and tear as they start the 12th, but Chandler has his strongest stretch of the fight. The first two minutes of the round are entirely his, a pair of hard crosses finding the mark and Harada much on the defensive. But Harada responds late with combinations that find the seams, working the body and coming back upstairs. Any opening Chandler leaves, it seems Harada finds in an exchange. Any time they've had a stretch of mixing it up, Harada, shockingly, comes out ahead. The 13th is an even round throughout, jabs and counters, both getting hit often but never a huge shot. Harada is outpunching Chandler, who has been off rythym the entire fight. He's stil been in it, as many rounds have been close by simple virtue of Chandler's shots being more solid, but he's never mounted a blistering attack and his power has been, while more than Harada's, not near expectations. Harada outworks Chandler again in the 14th, again in and out. Chandler has seemed to be loading up, but he can't find the mark. Chandler's 6" reach advantage his been, for all intents and purposes, nullified. The 15th mirrors the 13th, and as they go to the cards, the only question is whether Chandler's power got him more points on what he landed than Harada's volume and ability to keep Chandler's strengths at bay. Richard Flaherty, USA scores the bout 144 to 143 . . . . . . . Hal Miller, USA scores the bout 145 to 144 . . . . . . Paolo Scarso, Italy scores the bout 147 to 142 For the winner....and STILL IBF BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION....MASAHIKO "FIGHTING" HARADA!!! Unofficial scorecard from ringside: 146-144 Harada. The judges got this one right. *Masahiko Harada UD 15 Jeff Chandler* IBF Jr. Bantamweight: Masamori Tokuyama (4-0) vs Satoshi Iida (1-1) Tokuyama won a unanimous decision over Iida in the second round of the tournament, and chooses him as his first defense. Iida tries to burden Tokuyama under volume of punches. Tokuyama prefers instead to limit his output and just land pretty much everything he throws. Uneventful, really, as this is a perfect choice for Tokuyama. Iida is pummeled for 10 rounds, wins his only round of the fight in the 11th before, with a terribly swollen left eye and eating a ton of leather, the fight is stopped. Tokuyama throws 42 punches a round, but lands 74%. Iida throws 110 punches a round, and lands 8%. YIKES!!! *Masamori Tokuyama TKO 12 (swelling) Satoshi Iida* That wraps up the June title fights. GH

12-10-2006, 06:37 PM	#574 (permalink)
GForce Banned Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,458 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0x in 0 posts Infractions: 0/2 (2)	June '05: Notable Results WBA Heavyweight: Earnie Shavers (4-1, 3 KO) vs George Foreman (3-1,3 KO) Battle of powerhouses here, and a fight to land the powerful shot first. Foreman wins the race, dropping Shavers with a flash knockdown late in the first after battering him most of the round. Foreman wins the second decisively before pummeling Shavers for 2+ minutes in the third before dropping him late, Shavers unable to get back to his feet. An impressive performance by Foreman who hopes for a shot at champ Muhammad Ali. *George Foreman KO3 Earnie Shavers* WBA Featherweight: Jose Badillo (3-2-2, 3 KO) vs Davey Kotey(8-0, 1 KO) Kotey comes in trying to run his perfect record to 9-0 in the hopes of the #1 contender slot for a bout against reigning champ Salvador Sanchez. He was going to have to earn it this night, though, as Badillo came to fight. After an opening round feel-out process that Badillo mostly controls, it's Kotey who is the aggressor and rips off combinations against Badillo, whose defense is notoriously shoddy. And it continues in the third, when Kotey rips off more combinations that drop Badillo to the canvas. He works himself back to his feet at 8 and holds off Kotey's attempt to close him out. Kotey comes out to end it in the 4th, but leaves himself open to body work from Badillo, who responds beautifully. Kotey is ripped to the ribs, then caught clean with an uppercut that puts him down. Kotey looks out but gets to his feet at 9. He spends much of the final half of the round tying Badillo up and trying to stay alive, and he does so successfully. They alternate rounds 5-8, Kotey controlling 5 and 7, Badillo winning 6 and 8, all decisively, but none moreso than Badillo's effort in the 8th where Kotey barely clings to survival. The final two rounds are even and relatively tame, largely by Kotey's doing. They await the decision and it's unanimous...95-93, 95-93, 95-94...for KOTEY! It appears to be the right call, but it's a fortunate one for Kotey. Badillo takes the loss, but gives a solid performance. The question now is, when rankings come out, is Kotey the #1 contender. *Davey Kotey UD10 Jose Badillo* WBA Featherweight: Naseem Hamed (2-3-2) vs Antonio Cermeno 1-3, 1 KO) Hamed has been a tremendous disappointment, though his competition has been stiff, for which he deserves some credit. He's drawn with Bernard Taylor and Antonio Esparragoza, beaten Taylor and Hector Acero-Sanchez, and lost to Erik Morales, Calvin Grove and Manny Pacquiao. He hopes to start a turnaround here against Cermeno, and is successful, though not with ease. Cermeno actually leads midway through before Hamed knocks him down in the 6th and controls much of the later part of the fight for a unanimous decision victory 97-94, 97-94, 96-95. *Naseem Hamed UD 10 Antonio Cermeno* More to come... GH

12-10-2006, 11:18 PM	#575 (permalink)
GForce Banned Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,458 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0x in 0 posts Infractions: 0/2 (2)	June '05: Notable Results WBC Middleweight: Tony Licata (1-1) vs Michael Nunn (4-1,3 KO) Nunn tries to fight his way into the #1 contendership and a rematch with champ Carlos Monzon, who decisioned him in the semifinal. He does so brilliantly, a unanimous win with 3 knockdowns, outpunching Licata 140 a round to 40 a round. Judges score it 100-87, 100-87, 99-88. An impressive showing. *Michael Nunn UD10 Tony Licata* WBC Bantamweight: Ruben Olivares (3-1-1, 3 KO) vs Victor Rabanales (1-2-1) Already went over this one, so quickly...Olivares broke his hand so badly the fight was stopped in his tournament final bout against Carlos Zarate. He returns from injury here and responds with a devastating wipeout of the tough Rabanales. Knockdown midway in round 1, knockout later in the round. Rockabye is back in a big way. *Ruben Olivares KO 1 Victor Rabanales* WBC Jr. Bantamweight: Payao Poontarat (1-1-1) vs Gilberto Roman 4-1, 2 KO) Roman returns to the ring for the first time since he dropped the title to Johnny Tapia. It's still undecided if he'll get to face Willie Jensen (who beat Tapia in his first defense) for the belt, or if he'll have to face Tapia first, with the winner getting the shot at Jensen. Regardless, he stays busy against Poontarat and is dominant. An easy unanimous decision, landing almost 45% of his punches. 98-90, 98-90, 99-89. Now it's a matter of seeing how the title fight shakes out. *Gilberto Roman UD 10 Payao Poontarat* More to come... GH

12-10-2006, 11:57 PM	#576 (permalink)
meade95 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 2,040 Thanks: 2 Thanked 22x in 20 posts	Had to expect M. Nunn to take the WBC MW title......He could be a force there to some extent.......but some of the power guys will likely take the crown from him before too long.... Somewhat surprised at how Antonio Cermeno has been fairing to date.... Foreman Vs Shavers (what a match up!)....went as expected....Though I keep waiting to see Shavers get a belt in one of these universes......his power has to bring it to him sooner or later...Though he needs the right match up.......Foreman definitely wasn't it! G. Roman took the WBC JBW title as expected as well...

12-11-2006, 04:20 PM	#579 (permalink)
fuente51 Major Leagues Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 315 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1x in 1 post	Nice to see the Prince chime in with a win. 2-3-2 was looking pretty ugly.