Premier Boxing Champions 9/29/2015 Results

Undefeated top Jr. Lightweight contender Javier Fortuna remained unbeaten in scoring a dominant tenth round stoppage of WBA number eight rated contender Carlos Velasquez on Tuesday night at the Palms Casino and Resort in Las Vegas, NV. Fortuna dropped Velasquez with a short combination of right hooks in round two. Velasquez seemed to have trouble with the elusiveness and hand speed of Fortuna as Fortuna consistently beat him to the punch and avoided the majority of Velasquez’ offense.

Fortuna’s ability to be elusive and to throw punches from every conceivable angle was the story of this fight as he dictated how the fight was fought in almost every round. As the fight progressed the contest continued to be one-sided in Fortuna’s favor as he continued to gradually bust Velasquez up with combinations and counter punches. A combination from Fortuna brought an end to the fight in round ten as Referee Russell Mora stopped the contest. Official time of the stoppage was :35 of round ten.

Javier Fortuna advances to 29-0-1, with 21 Knockouts. Carlos Velasquez falls to 19-2, with 12 Knockouts.

Also on the card, in the Jr. Middleweight division undefeated prospects Dominique Dolton and Oscar Molina fought to a ten round majority draw. Both fighters were able to have periods of effectiveness throughout this fight and neither fighter in this observer’s view was able to stand out from the other. Official scores were 97-93 (for Dolton), and 95-95 (on two scorecards) resulting in the draw.

Dominique Dolton advances to 17-0-1, with 9 Knockouts. Oscar Molina advances to 13-0-1, with 10 Knockouts.

In a Cruiserweight bout undefeated prospect/knockout artist Andrew Tabiti scored a second round stoppage over Tamas Lodi. Tabiti dropped Lodi with a straight right hand late in the second round. Although the fight appeared to be over as Lodi did not get back to his feet until the count of nine, he was able to survive the round before the fight was stopped prior to round three.

Andrew Tabiti advances to 12-0, with 11 Knockouts. Tamas Lodi falls to 16-6-2, with 13 Knockouts.

In other bouts:

Super-Middleweight J’Leon Love (21-1, with 11 Knockouts) scored a ten round unanimous decision over Marcus Upshaw (18-15-4, with 9 Knockouts). Official scores were 98-92, and 99-91(on two scorecards) in favor of Love.

In the Jr. Welterweight division undefeated prospect Ladarius Miller (9-0, with 1 Knockout) scored a six round unanimous decision over Rondale Hubbert (10-3-1, with 6 Knockouts). Official scores were 60-54, and 59-55(on two scorecards) in favor of Miller.

In the Middleweight division Thomas Hill (5-0, with 1 Knockout) scored a six round unanimous decision over Alphonso Black (8-3-1, with 4 Knockouts). Official scores were 60-54, and 59-55 (on two scorecards) in favor of Hill.

In the Welterweight division Juan Heraldez (9-0, with 6 Knockouts scored a six round unanimous decision over Joaquin Chavez (9-17-3, with 2 Knockouts). Official scores were 60-52 (on all three scorecards) in favor of Heraldez.

In the Featherweight division Leduan Barthelemy (7-0, with 3 Knockouts) scored a six round unanimous decision over Michael Gaxiola (4-4, with 0 Knockouts). Official scores were 60-54 (on all three scorecards) in favor of Barthelemy.

All in all this installment of the Premier Boxing Champions series showcased fighters at various stages of their respective careers and it will be interesting to see what is in store for the rising prospects and contenders who fought on this card going forward. It will be of particular interest to this observer to see whether Javier Fortuna, who currently holds interim/regular champion status in the WBA’s Jr. Lightweight ratings will face undefeated WBA world champion Takashi Uchiyama in the near future.

As the Premier Boxing Champions series continues to grow and serve as a stage for rising prospects, contenders, and world champions it is the hope of this observer that the series continues to provide the best fights possible for the sport. A bout between Uchiyama and Fortuna would be a very interesting fight and if it were featured as part of the Premier Boxing Champions series it would also continue to accomplish something else in putting the spotlight on fighters and weight divisions that do not always get the exposure or recognition they deserve here in the United States.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison 

 

Wilder-Duhaupas Weigh-In Results

The official weigh-in for the WBC Heavyweight world championship fight between undefeated world champion Deontay Wilder and WBC number eleven rated contender Johann Duhaupas took place yesterday in Birmingham, AL. The official weigh-in results for the entire card are as follows.

Main Event: WBC Heavyweight world championship – 12Rds.

Deontay Wilder (Champion) vs.                 Johann Duhaupas (Challenger) 236lbs.

NABO Heavyweight title – 10 Rds.

Charles Martin (Champion) 247lbs. vs.                 Vincente Sandez (Challenger) 249lbs.

Heavweights – 10 Rds.

Andrzej Wawrzyk 240lbs.  vs.      Mike Sheppard 226lbs.

Heavyweights – 10 Rds. 

Dominic Breazeale 258lbs.  vs.    Fred Kassi 222lbs.

Welterweights – 8Rds.

Bryant Perrella 145lbs.  vs.           Patrick Boozer 147lbs.

Lightweights – 8 Rds.

Mario Barrios 131lbs.  vs.              Eduardo Rivera 132lbs.

Middleweights – 6 Rds.

Kenneth McNeil 160lbs. lbs.  vs.                                Taronze Washington (Official weight unavailable fight still scheduled to take place as of this writing.)

Jr. Lightweights – 6 Rds.

Derrick Murray 128 lbs.  vs.          Micah Branch 129lbs.

Lightweights – 4 Rds.

Ray Ray Bryant 133lbs.  vs.           Whitney Webster 134lbs.

Heavyweights – 4 Rds.

Keith Thompson 226lbs.  vs.        Larry Knight 240lbs.

Jr. Middleweights – (Scheduled for unknown distance as of this writing)

Terrell Gausha 154lbs.  vs. Elieszer Gonzalez 154lbs.

Wilder vs. Duhaupas takes place tonight (Saturday, September 26th) at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, AL. The card will be broadcast in the United States as part of the Premier Boxing Champions series by NBC at 8:30PM ET/5:30 PM PT. Check local listings for time and channel in your area.  As of this writing, the Wilder-Duhaupas and Breazeale-Kassi fights are scheduled to air on NBC. Following the main event on NBC however, a portion of the card will be televised by NBC Sports Network in the United States. Check your local cable/satellite provider for channel listings. Check your listings internationally.

For more information about the Premier Boxing Champions series please visit: www.premierboxingchampions.com. 

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

Will Williams Fight Trout Next?

The Jr. Middleweight fight between undefeated contender Julian Williams and Luciano Cuello had a familiar premise.  A young unbeaten contender who has been steadily rising up the ranks going against a battle-tested veteran, who had earned a reputation as a fighter who has given prospects and contenders a tough fight when pitted against him. 

Cuello, who entered the fight with an impressive record of 35-3, with 17 Knockouts has been a fighter that one might argue had only lost to fighters who went on to become world champions or those who have neared top contention after losing battles to the likes of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. , Saul Alvarez, and Willie Nelson during the course of his career.  It was on this basis that he appeared to be an ideal opponent for a fighter such as Williams, who appears to be nearing opportunities for big fights in the near future.

The question of how Williams would respond to facing a fighter the caliber of Cuello was answered on September 22nd when the two fighters met for Williams’ WBC Continental America’s Jr. Middleweight championship at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, PA.  Williams, who entered the bout with a record of 20-0-1, with 12 Knockouts wasted no time making use of his quick hands as he opened up with offense at the start of the fight landing crisp combinations to the body and head of Cuello.  It was not long before the bout would be concluded. 

 

A right hand from Williams would stun Cuello and would put veteran on the ropes. Williams would not let Cuello off the hook as he continued with a barrage of punches until Referee Gary Rosato called a halt to the fight at 1:33 of round one. It was a fight that quite frankly does not require much analysis, Julian Williams simply established an offensive rhythm and once he saw an opening he took full advantage and finished his opponent.

It was however, the perfect kind of performance that a rising contender needs in order to show that he is ready to face the top contenders of whatever division that fighter chooses to campaign.  Julian Williams is clearly ready to take on some of the best in what is a talent deep 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division.  The question is who will Williams fight next?

An interesting possibly emerged shortly after Williams’ victory over Cuello. Williams’ stated in a post-fight interview that he would like to fight longtime Jr. Middleweight contender Austin Trout, but is open to fighting anyone in the division. Trout, who coincidentally was working as a commentator for Fox Sports as part of it’s tier of the Premier Boxing Champions series stated that he respected Williams’ hunger and that quote “We can make it happen.”

This theoretically opens the possibility of what would be an intriguing battle between one fighter, who is starting to emerge as a player in the Jr. Middleweight division against a fighter who has been a cornerstone of the division for several years after previously holding interim/regular champion status in the WBA’s Jr. Middleweight ratings.  In terms of where these two fighters stand in the current landscape of the division, a bout between the two at this point in their respective careers seems to be a good option for both. 

  

Trout, who fought earlier this month scoring a sixth round knockout over Joey Hernandez is currently rated number five in the world by both the WBC and WBA, and number three in the world by the IBF.  Williams is currently rated seven by the WBC and number ten by the WBA.  A fight between the two offers an opportunity for both fighters to potentially move into position for a title shot if they are able to score a victory over the other.  This could especially have an impact on the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) ratings as anyone ranked in the top ten, as this observer has stated before is theoretically one fight away from either challenging the WBA world champion in a weight class or being put into position to fight one of two fighters who are designated as having interim/regular status in the sanctioning organization’s ratings. 

In this observer’s opinion a fight between Williams and Trout would be a very interesting fight where there will likely be a difference of opinion as to who would have the advantage.  It would be a fight that would seem ideal for the increasingly popular and growing Premier Boxing Champions series.   If both fighters are willing to fight each other, this observer says “Why Not?”

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved,

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

Wilder-Duhaupas Preview

The next chapter in the Heavyweight championship reign of undefeated WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder will take place on Saturday, September 26th at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, AL. Wilder, who will be making the second defense of his world title will take on former European Heavyweight champion Johann Duhaupas.

Wilder (34-0, with 33 Knockouts) won the WBC world championship in January of this year scoring an impressive twelve round unanimous decision over Bermane Stiverne. In his last fight this past June, Wilder scored a ninth round knockout over a determined challenger in Eric Molina in a fight where the champion dropped the “Game” Molina three times.

Wilder now prepares for his second title defense as he will face current WBC number eleven rated contender Johann Duhaupas. Duhaupas, (32-2, with 20 Knockouts) is a former European Heavyweight champion, who has also won the South American Heavyweight title in his career. Duhaupas would appear to be someone that could give Wilder, a fighter with a 97% career knockout percentage a test as he has never been stopped in thirty-four professional fights.

Stylistically, this fight would appear to favor the champion Wilder. Duhaupas is a fighter who tends to fight out of a high defensive guard, but does not use much lateral movement or head movement in his fights. Although Duhaupas does throw his jab with consistency and does let his hands go when fighting in close, the task that he will have to contend with is whether or not he will be able nullify the champion’s power and long reach.

Duhaupas is not a fighter who applies consistent pressure against his opponents, but rather appears to be tactical and attempts to execute his offense as his opponents throw their punches. Duhaupas also tends to allow himself to be put on the ropes regularly in his fights. It will be interesting to see whether Wilder will look to apply pressure on Duhaupas from the outset and look to possibly get an early stoppage.

As we saw in Wilder’s last fight however, Eric Molina was able to find some success in landing his right hand to the body and head of the champion. If Duhaupas can find a way to get on the inside of Wilder without sustaining too much punishment as he comes in and can manage to let his hands go in close as he has been able to do in previous fights against the likes of Erkan Teper and Jean Claude Bikoi, he might be the fighter who will continue to ask questions of the champion that critics are still wondering, such as how Wilder will respond to being pressured and how will he deal with adversity.

Duhaupas’ biggest win to date came against former world title challenger Manuel Charr, whom he defeated in April of this year. Although the odds are against Duhaupas, who will be attempting to become the first French-born fighter to win a World Heavyweight championship in the sport, he is not someone that should be overlooked and if this fight does go into the middle and late rounds it will be interesting to see if he can make a fight of it against one of the hardest hitting knockout artists in not just the Heavyweight division, but the entire sport as well.

This fight, which will headline a Premier Boxing Champions card broadcast by NBC in the United States does have one piece of historical significance. It will be the first time in over thirty years since the hotly contested battle between Larry Holmes and Carl “The Truth” Williams squared off on May 20, 1985 that a World Heavyweight championship fight will be televised on Broadcast television in the United States in prime time.

Although there may be some who might believe that this could be an “Easy” fight for the champion as he looks to defend his world title against longtime top contender and current WBC number one contender Alexander Povetkin in the near future and a possible unification clash against unified IBF/WBO/WBA/IBO Heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko possibly sometime in 2016, an opponent should never be taken lightly.

Some may remember at the time that Carl Williams earned his opportunity to challenge Larry Holmes for his crown, Williams was a significant underdog heading into that fight and despite the odds being against him, was able to give Holmes a stern challenge and there were some at the end of the night who felt he had done enough to win the fight in a battle that he ended up losing by a hard-fought fifteen round unanimous decision.

It is important to remember as this observer has often said over the years “Anything can happen at any given time in the sport of Boxing.” This especially holds true in regard to the Heavyweight division. If Wilder is looking past Duhaupas toward potential lucrative fights that might be in store in the future, this could end up being a much more competitive fight than some might be anticipating.

Although this observer is not one who likes to give predictions because after all anything can happen, it would not shock me no matter the outcome or length of this fight to see NBC score a significant victory in the ratings for this card. After all, there is nothing quite like a fight for a World Heavyweight championship that generates interest of not only experts and those who follow the sport on a regular basis, but also the casual observer. If nothing else, this fight will bring the sport back to a time where a World Heavyweight championship fight has the potential to be seen by millions of people without the expense of a pay-per-view price tag or a cable/satellite subscription. It is something that has been long overdue.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison