The best punch trackers on the market
1st June 2021
By: Eric Armit
The Past Week in Action
Highlights:
– Devin Haney holds off a strong finish from Jorge Linares to retain the WBC lightweight title
-Filipino wonder man Nonito Donaire stops Nordine Oubaali in four rounds to win the WBC bantamweight title
– Mexican Esteban Bermudez springs a huge upset with kayo of unbeaten title holder Carlos Canizales to win the WBA light flyweight title
-Puerto Rican Subriel Matias floors and beats Batyrzhan Jukembayev on a eighth retirement in an IBF super lightweight eliminator
-South African Azinga Fuzile stops Thomas Joseph Ward in seven rounds in IBF super featherweight eliminator
-Jason Quigley outpoints Shane Mosley Jr in a middleweight ten rounder
-Super light Gary Antuanne Russell makes it 14 wins by KO/TKO in 14 fights with win over Jovanie Santiago
-Australian heavyweight hope Justis Huni outpoints Christian Ndzie Tsoye
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World Title/Major Shows
28 May
Cayoacan, Mexico:
Light Fly: Esteban Bermudez (14-3-2) W TKO 6 Carlos Canizales (22-1-1).
Huge upset as unfancied Bermudez grinds down then floors and halts previously unbeaten Canizales to win the WBA secondary light flyweight title. Canizales was scoring early with hooks and uppercuts inside. Bermudez was a bit crude but had a strong jab and looked dangerous with overhand rights. Bermudez kept coming forward behind his jab in the second forcing Canizales onto the back foot. Canizales rocked Bermudez with a right but Bermudez repaid him with a right that snapped the title holder’s head back and Canizales looked rattled.
Canizales scored well inside in the third but then the strength of Bermudez had him backing up. Bermudez continued to march forward behind his jab. He was shrugging off counters from Canizales and scoring with strong rights to the head and banging away to the body. Canizales turned up the heat in the fourth. He attacked hard and worked Bermudez over on the ropes and Bermudez looked to be tiring. It was Canizales who was showing signs of tiring in the fifth. Bermudez continued to walk Canizales down raking him with long punches and Canizales was cut over his left eye. Canizales was landing some good counters but Bermudez just shrugged them of and worked on the body of Canizales.
The sixth saw Canizales landing quality punches but he could not keep Bermudez out. A right to the head shook Canizales and another sent him down heavily. He staggered up but looked unsteady and when the action resumed a right to the head sent Canizales falling to the canvas against the ropes and the referee immediately stopped the fight. The 25-year-old new champion had no right even being in the ring with Canizales as the WBA had to manipulate their ratings to suddenly bring him from nowhere to No 10. Bermudez seized his chance. He proved a big, strong and determined challenger and walked through the punches from the champion even though Canizales had scored 17 wins by KO/TKO. He was very crude at times but effective.
Venezuelan Canizales was making the third defence of the title. It may be that one year without a fight took away something from him but he had previously beaten fighters with better credentials than Bermudez and he just crumbled under the constant pressure.
29 May
Carson, CA, USA:
Bantam: Nonito Donaire (41-6) W TKO 4 Nordine Oubaali (17-1).
Super Light: Subriel Matias (17-1) W RTD 8 Batyrzhan Jukembayev (18-1).
Super Light: Gary Antuanne Russell (14-0-0) W RTD 6 Jovanie Santiago (14-2-1).
Donaire vs. Oubaali
Donaire crushes WBC champion Oubaali with three knockdowns to make history as the oldest fighter to win a bantamweight title.
Round 1
A close opening round saw Oubaali using his speed and landing jabs to head and body. Donaire was a little slower but looked dangerous with his left hooks.
Score: 10-9 Oubaali
Round 2
Similar story but Oubaali upped his pace a bit more and mixed in some good hooks and straight rights. Donaire applied pressure and connected with some left hooks but was just outscored by the champion.
Score: 10-9 Oubaali Oubaali 20-18
Round 3
Donaire was walking Oubaali down and closing the distance. Oubaali was still jabbing well but had nothing with which to keep the taller Donaire out. It was a close round until with 45 seconds to go in the round Donaire clipped Oubaali with a left to the head. Oubaali fell forward putting his glove on the canvas to stop himself from going down. When he straightened he looked shaky.
After the count Donaire floored Oubaali heavily. Initially the referee seemed to throw his arms out to stop the fight and corner men and the doctor were climbing thought the ropes. The referee waived for them to get out and he then gave Oubaali a count and Oubaali survived the round.
Score: 10-7 Donaire Donaire 28-27
Round 4
Oubaali tried to hold Donaire off in the fourth but failed and a left hook dumped Oubaali on the floor propped up against the ropes. He looked in some distress and this time the referee did stop the fight. Great victory for the 38-year-old Donaire who is already a four-division champion and becomes the oldest fighter to win the bantamweight title. Now he wants a return with Naoya Inoue who took his WBA super bantamweight title in his last fight in November 2019.
Oubaali was making the third defence of the title. Oubaali had been a travelling champion having won the WBC title by beating Rau’shee Warren in the USA and defended it in Kazakhstan and Japan. He just could not match the power punching of Donaire. He is 34 but unlikely to retire.
Matias vs. Jukembayev
Matias brutalises and breaks down unbeaten Jukembayev to force Jukembayev’s corner to pull their man out of the fight after eight rounds. A confident start from Jukembayev. He was finding gaps for his right jab and banging home straight lefts. Matias had some success with left jabs late in the round but the early work from Jukembayev earned him the round. Matias was coming forward throughout the second with Jukembayev scoring with rights and lefts but he could not keep Matias out and the Puerto Rican scored well to the body.
Jukembayev was being forced to stand and trade punches in the third with the strength of Matias telling and in the fourth a series of punches sent Jukembayev reeling back and down. Jukembayev beat the count and fought hard to make it to the bell. Jukembayev boxed his way through the fifth but Matias had him under heavy pressure at the end of the sixth. Matias was relentless in the seventh. Jukembayev was countering with accurate shots but Matias was walking through them and landing hurtful body shots although Jukembayev seemed to stagger Matias with a right hook late in the round.
Matias handed out a solid beating for the whole three minutes of the eighth. With serious swelling around both eyes an exhausted Jukembayev retired at the end of the round. This was the semi-final of an IBF eliminator series to establish a mandatory challenger to Josh Taylor with Australian Liam Paro and Argentinian Jeremias Ponce the other two contesting the semi-finals. Matias was floored and outpointed by unfancied Russian Petros Ananyan in February 2020 but came back with a win over 18-0 Malik Hawkins in October. Canadian-based Kazak Jukembayev had not fought since January 2020 and the only name on his record was Miguel Vazquez who he outpointed in 2019.
Russell vs. Santiago
Russell has yet to go the distance for a win and he floored and broke down Santiago who retired after the sixth round making it the longest fight so far for Russell. Russell dictated the action with stiff jabs in the first and began to find the range with southpaw lefts in the second but Santiago dug in some left hooks to the body at the end of the round. Russell got through with solid shots to head and body in the third and dropped Santiago with a short right hook in the fourth. Santiago soaked up more punishment but made to the bell.
The fifth was a more even round but Russell battered Santiago in the sixth and came close to ending it with Santiago retiring at the end of the round. First fight in fifteen months for the 24-year-old Russell who has taken only 29 rounds for his 14 wins. First inside the distance loss for Puerto Rican Santiago who had lost on points against Adrien Broner in February.
Las Vegas, NV, USA:
Light: Devin Haney (26-0) W PTS 12 Jorge Linares (47-6).
Super Feather: Azinga Fuzile (15-1) W TKO 8 Thomas Joseph Ward (24-2-2).
Middle: Jason Quigley (19-1) W PTS 10 Shane Mosley Jr (17-3).
Haney vs. Linares
Haney takes unanimous decision over Linares in WBC title defence. He outboxes Linares most of the way but is seriously rocked at the end of the tenth and fades late.
Round 1
Easy first round for Haney. His hand speed allowed him to score with jabs and long rights to the body. Linares trailed Haney and landed a couple of jabs but Haney pierced his guard throughout the round and landed a sharp left hook.
Score: 10-9 Haney
Round 2
Brilliant boxing from Haney. He consistently scored with his jab and rights to the body. He also added some left hooks to the body and a sneaky uppercut. Linares padded forward and had some success but was just not quick enough.
Score: 10-9 Haney Haney 20-18
Round 3
Don’t change a winning formula. Again Haney was slotting home his jab firing long rights to the body and an occasional left hook to the body. Linares was just following Haney around the ring unable to land anything of note.
Score: 10-9 Haney Haney 30-27
Round 4
A much better round for Linares. He was working well with his own jab and closing the distance better. Haney was still scoring with his jab but his output dropped and Linares finished the round with a burst of punches.
Score: 10-9 Linares Haney 39-37
Official Scores:
Judge Steve Weisfeld 40-36 Haney,
Judge Patricia Morse Jarman 39-37 Haney,
Judge Dave Moretti 39-37 Haney.
Round 5
Haney was back in control. He had his jab on target and was scoring with hooks and uppercuts. He was using upper body movement to get under the punches and then going back to his jab again. Linares just could not pin him down.
Score: 10-9 Haney Haney 49-46
Round 6
Total change of tactics from Haney. He took the fight to Linares forcing Linares on the back foot and outfighting Linares in close. He was bullying Linares and scoring with hooks. Late in the round Linares landed a good left and Haney banged back with a right to the head
Score: 10-9 Haney 59-55
Round 7
Haney went back to his jab. He was doubling his jab to head and body and connecting with straight rights. Linares pressed hard and had success with his own jab and left hooks but Haney finished the round strongly again with jabs.
Score: 10-9 Haney Haney 69-64
Round 8
Dominant round for Haney. He was coming forward throughout the round. He was getting through with uppercuts from both hands and coming up under Linares jab with rights to the head. Linares now had lumps around both eyes and a snick over his left eye.
Score: 10-9 Haney Haney 79-73
Official Scores:
Judge Steve Weisfeld 80-72 Haney,
Judge Patricia Morse Jarman 80-72 Haney,
Judge Dave Moretti 79-73 Haney.
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Round 9
A close round but one for Linares. Haney was continuing to take the fight to Linares but Linares was firing punches as Haney came in. For the first time in the fight Linares was firing burst of punches instead of just one or two at a time. Linares did a little jig as he went back to his corner pleased with his efforts.
Score: 10-9 Linares Haney 88-83
Round 10
Haney was very cautious in this round and he punch output drooped. Linares was jabbing well and scoring with left hooks and Haney was off target with his jab. At the end of the round a right to the head from Linares staggered Haney and he was on shaky legs as he went back to his corner with Linares waiving his hands to politely usher Haney home.
Score: 10-9 Linares Haney 97-93
Round 11
Another round for Linares. For most of the round Haney was not throwing punches but just darting under Linares jab to get close and hold. Linares was not doing a great deal but even then it was more than Haney was doing until Haney connected with a couple of punches late.
Score: 10-9 Linares Haney 106-103
Round 12
Linares was looking to land the big shot he needed to win this fight but just could not find it. He did land a couple of good left hooks and a right. Haney was just looking to avoid trouble. He could have been deducted a point for holding and Linares could have lost a point for punches to the back of the head but neither happened.
Score: 10-9 Linares Haney 115-113
Official Scores:
Judge Steve Weisfeld 116-112 Haney,
Judge Patricia Morse Jarman 116-112 Haney,
Judge Dave Moretti 115-113 Haney.
Haney retains the WBC title in his third defence. He outboxed Linares for eight rounds but fell away badly after that and was lucky that the right that unhinged his legs in the tenth came at the end and not at the beginning of the round. He was ultra cautious and did not look the same fighter over the last two rounds. Vasyl Lomachenko is NO 1 with the WBC and that would be a great match for Haney. Linares showed he still has plenty left and another title shot is well within his reach.
Fuzile vs. Ward
Fuzile stops Ward in IBF eliminator. Both were very tentative in the first round with neither really committing themselves but what action there was saw Ward take the round with his jabs. Fuzile stepped up the tempo in the second going on to the front foot and scoring well. Ward reasserted himself in the third with plenty of slick movement and putting Fuzile under pressure.
In the fourth a quick right hook from Fuzile knocked Ward off balance and his gloves touched the canvas resulting in a count and a strong round for Fuzile. There was a pause in the action in the fifth after a low punch from Fuzile and then the fight really caught fire and they stood and traded punches with Ward just having the edge. A left hook from Fuzile in the sixth rocked Ward and the South African attacked hard scoring with lefts and rights with Ward fighting back at the end of the round. Half way through the seventh as Ward came forward his legs slid from under him and he injured a knee then started to limp. Fuzile was able to manoeuvre around the stationary Ward and score from different angles with Ward finding it hard to reset himself.
A clash of heads opened a bad cut over Ward’s left eye and then Fuzile cracked him with a peach of a right hook that sent Ward down. Ward had to use the ropes to climb to his feet and was dazed initially looking out into the crowd and bleeding heavily from the cut. The referee decided he was able to continue-which he obviously wasn’t -and although Ward took a couple of steps forward Ward’s trainer stepped up to the ring apron to get the fight stopped. Big win for Fuzile. He was having his first fight since being stopped in eight rounds by Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in September 2019.
The IBF title is vacant and with Fuzile having been ranked 5 (4) and Rakhimov No 1 it puts Fuzile in a strong position to contest the vacant title. Ward was very much in the fight until he damaged his knee and hopefully will be able to work his way to another eliminator
Quigley vs. Mosley
Quigley wins the vacant WBO NABO title with a majority decision over Mosley. Lots of studying in the first round with Mosley a bit more active and doing the scoring and connecting with a good overhand right. The action picked up a little in the second. Quigley was scoring well with his jab and straight rights. They started to swop punches in earnest in the third. Mosley seemed quicker and had more variety in his work. The action was suspended for a short while after a low punch from Quigley as he sought to score with left hooks to the body.
They traded punches through the fourth and fifth which Mosley edged with a higher work rate. The sixth saw both boxers rocked by big punches and Quigley clawed that round back with right hands. Quigley took the seventh constantly stabbing home his jab and after being shaken by a right from Mosley he connected with two hard rights just before the bell. Both landed heavily in the ninth but Quigley seemed to have more left in the tank. Quigley made the better start to the tenth as they just stood and swung tired punches but Mosley finished the round stronger and just pinched it. Scores 97-93 and 96-94 for Quigley and 95-95.
Third win for Quigley since his ninth round loss to Tureano Johnson in July 2019. He is down at No 15 with the WBC and this win should get a rating with the WBO but he has a long way to go to get near a title shot. Mosley had won his last four fights and seems to have reached his ceiling.
26 May
Sydney, Australia:
Heavy: Justis Huni (4-0) W PTS 10 Christian Ndzie Tsoye (5-4-2).
Huni outpoints Cameroons boxer Tsoye in second defence of the Australian title. The 6’4” Queenslander was much too good and in front of 40 selected attendees he won a wide unanimous decision. Although outboxed Tsoye was competitive over the early rounds but then tired but from the effect of some lusty body punching from Huni. With only twelve rounds of pro boxing behind him and with both a fight with Paul Geller and the Olympics coming up Huni eased off over the closing rounds to get in some ring time.
Scores 99-91 twice and 98-92 for Huni who won the Australian title in his first pro fight. He meets Gallen on 16 June and is a heavy favourite. Tsoye won a bronze in the African championships and although he travelled to Australia for the 2018 Commonwealth Games did not compete and stayed in Australia.
Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania:
Cruiser: Olan Durodola (36-8) W KO 2 Shaban Hamadi Jongo (8-2-2).
Durodola keeps the ABU title with dramatic second round kayo of local fighter Jongo. The Tanzanian took the fight to Durodola in the first trying to hustle and bustle the more experienced Nigeria. Durodola did not look comfortable under the pressure and was being caught with some overhand rights. Just before the end of the round a butt from Jongo opened a bad cut over the left eye of Durodola.
In the second, a right from Jongo sent Durodola back to the ropes but the Nigerian connected with a thunderous right to the head that sent Jongo face down hanging over the bottom rope. He made to his feet but then toppled back to the floor again and the refer halted the fight. The 40-year-old Durodola is rated No 7 by the WBC but when he has stepped up against Michal Cieslak and Ilunga Makabu in a WBC title challenges he has lost inside the distance. Jongo was strong but very crude.
Tijuana, Mexico:
Super Light: Carlos Diaz (29-1,1ND) ND 7 Elvis Torres (19-1-2,1ND).
Unfortunate ending to an exciting scrap as a punch to the back of the head renders Torres unable to continue. A wild opening round saw Torres rock Diaz badly. Torres was letting his fists fly but was leaving himself open and a series of shots from Diaz dropped him to his knees. He beat the count and attacked strongly and it looked as though Diaz touched the canvas with his gloves when he was knocked off balance but the referee did not apply a count and they bombed each other to the bell.
They settled down and boxed more with the shorter Torres using his right jab to get inside and Diaz countering but with Torres getting the better of the exchanges. Diaz changed things in the fifth attacking more but Torres bounced back to take the sixth. As Torres ducked to come inside in the seventh Diaz landed two punches to the back of the head of Torres. Torres was badly dazed and shaking his head .
He was given recovery time but was unable to continue and it was ruled the punch were accidental resulting in a No Decision. I though the first punch was deliberate and the second definitely was but that’s the decision. Torres was well in front at the end but there was still plenty of time to go.
Fight of the week (Significance): Devin Haney’s win over Jorge Linares keeps him in with the chance of fights with Teo Lopez or Gervonta Davis
Fight of the week (Entertainment): Plenty of quality action and a strong finish from Linares kept the interest high in the fight with Haney. Honourable mention to Carlos Diaz vs. Elvis Torres who went to war before the fight ended in a No Decision
Fighter of the week: Nonito Donaire a true modern great
Punch of the week: The hammer blow from Olan Durodola that left Shaban Hamadi Jongo draped over the bottom rope.
Upset of the week: Esteban Bermudez was hand-picked as an easy defence for WBA light flyweight title holder Carlos Canizales but turned the tables and instead stopped Canizales
Prospect watch: No one stood out.
Observations
What is it about these Filipinos? They seem to collect titles hand over fist. Ignoring secondary and interim titles:
Manny Pacquiao –Ten titles in six different divisions
Nonito Donaire-Nine titles in four different divisions
Donnie Nietes –Four titles in four different divisions
For a voluntary defence of the secondary WBA light flyweight title the promoter of Carlos Canizales selected obscure Esteban Bermudez who was not even remotely near being worthy of being rated. As usual the WBA manipulated their ratings to parachute Bermudez in at No 10-and Bermudez gave Canizales a beating and took the title. Canizales must have been mad that his team made such a bad mistake in seeing no danger in matching him with Bermudez.
It takes me back to a story regarding Terry Downes. Terry, a future world champion, was matched in his third pro fight with a Nigerian named Dick Tiger who was an unimpressive 6-5 in his first eleven fights in Britain. Future world champion Tiger proceeded to give Downes a beating and stopped him in five rounds. When the reporters asked Downes who he wanted to fight next Downes answered “The stupid f….r that made this match. Mikey Duff slid quietly out of the dressing room!!
