Eric’s Snips and Snipes – The Past Week In Action

The Past Week in Action

Highlights:

-Dillian Whyte gets revenge as he stops Alexander Povetkin four rounds

-Thabiso Mchunu retains the WBC Silver cruiserweight title with points victory over Evgeny Tischenko

-Zach Parker stops Vaughan Alexander in two rounds

-Ted Cheeseman wins the vacant British super welterweight title with late stoppage of James Metcalf

-Lennox Clarke wins the British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles with inside the distance victory over Willy Hutchinson

-Prince Patel wins the vacant Commonwealth super flyweight title with stoppage of Julias Kisarawa

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World Title/Major Shows

March 27

Gibraltar, Gibraltar:

Heavy: Dillian Whyte (28-2) W TKO 4 Alexander Povetkin (36-3-1).

Super Welter: Ted Cheeseman (17-2-1) W KO 11 James Metcalf (21-1).

Welter: Michael McKinson (20-0) W PTS 10 Chris Kongo (12-0).

Heavy: Fabio Wardley (11-0) W KO 5 Eric Molina (27-6).

Whyte vs. Povetkin

Revenge is sweet for Whyte as he floors and stops Povetkin in four rounds to win the interim WBC title. In the first a right to the body had Povetkin staggering and stumbling along the ropes with Whyte trying to nail him with a big punch. Povetkin managed to get off the ropes but it was a bad start for the Russian. Povetkin was looking to connect with some big rights but was off target and Whyte stuck to getting the range with his jab.

Povetkin was more positive in the second taking the fight to Whyte but Whyte landed a heavy right and by the end of the round there was already a bump under Povetkin’s left eye. Povetkin was throwing single big punches but a right counter from Whyte set Povetkin back on his heels and Whyte did some good work with his jab. Whyte came out with a clear sense of purpose in the fourth and landed two hard rights then had Povetkin reeling under a series of punches.

Povetkin steadied himself and it looked as though the crisis had passed but Whyte knocked Povetkin into the ropes with a right and then another right sent Povetkin reeling and a left hook helped on the way to the floor. Povetkin struggled to his feet but was unsteady and as the referee signaled the end of the fight the towel came in from Povetkin’s corner. There is talk now of a fight with Deontay Wilder which would be interesting and makes sense for both fighters which they wait to find out what is happening with Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.

Povetkin did not look sharp and this is being put down to his COVID-19 experience and it probably did play a part but don’t overlook the fact that Whyte had already floored Povetkin twice in the first before the thunderbolt struck and if Povetkin felt he needed more time to fully recover from the COVID-19 then he should not have gone into the ring,

Cheeseman vs. Metcalf

Former Champion Cheeseman wins the vacant British title with an eleventh round stoppage of Metcalf in great but gruelling contest. In the first Cheeseman was getting through with his jabs and right crosses with Metcalf scoring with hooks inside and they were both getting landing hefty punches. Metcalf attacked hard in the second going to the body and also landing a good left hook to the head but Cheeseman ended the round strongly scoring with rights to the head. I

It was trench warfare in the third with Cheeseman just landing the cleaner shots. In the fourth Metcalf was on top until late in the round when a huge right from Cheeseman sent him reeling across the ring. Cheeseman followed up and showered Metcalf with punches and it looked as though Metcalf must go down but he stayed on his feet to the bell.

Cheeseman had suffered a cut by his right eye in a clash of heads and Metcalf had bruising under his left eye. Cheeseman boxed a bit more over the fifth and sixth which let Metcalf into the fight and Metcalf was strong over the seventh and eighth with Cheeseman mainly on the back foot and countering. Cheeseman took over in the ninth and tenth as Metcalf seemed to be tiring.

In the eleventh Cheeseman landed punch after punch with Metcalf trying to fire back but there was no power left in his punches and Cheeseman connected with three rights that sent Metcalf down flat on his back. He struggled to his feet but was wobbly and the referee stopped the fight. Cheeseman came through a rocky spell in 2019 losing to Sergio Garcia and dropping his British title to Scott Fitzgerald but had scored a good win over Sam Eggington in August last year. Former undefeated Commonwealth champion Metcalf played a big part in making this a great scrap.

McKinson vs. Kongo

McKinson gets majority decision over Kongo in a fight which lacked any real highlights. In an untidy start Kongo’s gloves briefly touched the canvas as he overbalanced when their legs clashed as he was pulling away from McKinnon’s punches. Brief though it was it gave McKinson a 10-8 round and that proved critical in a close fight.

Kongo used his longer reach to score with his jab but found McKinnon’s southpaw style awkward to deal with.  McKinson did well when countering the incoming Kongo but neither was impressing. Kongo gradually worked his way in front but then took his foot of the pedal in the later rounds where he was doing more posing than punching and that allowed McKinson to get his nose back in front.

Scores 97-93, 96-94 and 95-95 for McKinson so that slip in the first round cost Kongo a draw. McKinson continues a good recent run of victories over good level opposition and wins the WBO Global title. Former champion Kongo let this one slip away from him. It will only be a temporary set-back but it will cost him is No 13 spot in the WBO rankings

Wardley vs. Molina

On a good night for British heavyweight Wardley knocks out Molina in the fifth. Wardley was showing some clever upper body movement boxing with his hands down early but not throwing enough punches. Despite that he had Molina in trouble with a right in the third.

Molina was able to score with his jab but became over confident. He hurt Wardley with a right in the fifth but when he tried to move in to capitalise on that Wardley connected with a series of heavy counters that put Molina down on his back and he was counted out.

Ten wins on the bounce by KO/TKO for 26-year-old English champion Wardley who is progressing quickly for a boxer with no amateur experience. Former WBC and IBF title challenger Molina at 38 is way past his best and was knocked out in three rounds by Filip Hrgovic in his last contest in December 2019.

Ekaterinburg, Russia:

Cruiser: Thabiso Mchunu (23-5) W PTS 12 Evgeny Tischenko (8-1).

Light: Zaur Abdullaev (13-1) W PTS 10 Zhora Hamazaryan (10-3-2).

Mchunu vs. Tischenko

Mchunu’s experience in the pros gives him the edge over former amateur star Tischenko as Mchunu eases to victory. There was no fluidity to Tischenko’s work he was stiff legged and mechanical. Mchunu was never really troubled by the Russian’s longer reach and the 6 “ height difference being able to spring forward and get inside to work. Tischenko made very little use of his jab just pawing with it much of the time and not coming in behind it.

Tischenko was effective when he brought his left into play firing it straight and with power and he won rounds where he was able to work at distance. He had problems getting any power when he was punching down at the smaller Mchunu and did not close the distance quickly enough so even with his long arms he was reaching with his punches and losing some of the power. With Tischenko not really using his jab Mchunu was able to dart inside and score to the body with Tischenko not interested in fighting in close.

Mchunu had more variety in his work connecting with body shots and lefts to the head inside and he was far quicker than the big Russian who when Mchunu darted forward tended to retreat rather than try to counter. It was a one-paced fight without any highlights and Mchunu simply outworked Tischenko. Scores 117-111 twice and 119-109 with the last a bit harsh. Mchunu retains the WBNC Silver title and protects his WBC No 1 rating. He will be looking to get revenge against WBC champion Ilunga Makabu who knocked Mchunu out in eleven rounds in 2015.

It could be that Tischenko would do better putting on some poundage and trying the new Bridgerweight but one of his problems is that eight fights against very modest opposition was not enough to prepare him for an experienced battler such as Makabu.

Abdullaev vs. Hamazaryan

Abdullaev takes unanimous decision after a thrilling scrap with Hamazaryan. Both boxers worked behind their jab with Abdullaev mainly boxing on the back foot and Hamazaryan strong and dangerous with his rights with each having good spells in the early rounds. Hamazaryan scored well to the body in the fifth and Abdullaev went on the offensive in the sixth raking Hamazaryan with long punches only for a right from Hamazaryan staggering him at the bell.

In the seventh a right from Hamazaryan had Abdullaev wobbly and a left put him down. Hamazaryan tried hard to finish it but Abdullaev survived. He then dominated the fight over the last three rounds with Hamazaryan being deducted a point for losing his mouthguard in the eighth and Abdullaev flooring Hamazaryan with the last punch of the fight.

With Hamazaryan making it to his feet the result was decided on the scorecards which read 96-91, 95-92 and 94-93 showing the importance of the one point deduction and the last punch knockdown.

Russian Abdullaev lost in four rounds against Devin Haney for the WBC interim title in September 2019 but rebounded well with a points win over Pavel Malikov in August last year. Armenian Hamazaryan put up great effort here but falls to 1-3-2 in his six most recent contests.

 March 26

London, England: Super Middle: Zach Parker (20-0) W TKO 2 Vaughan Alexander (15-5).

Heavy: David Adeleye (5-0) W KO 1 Dave Preston (9-1).

Bantam: Dennis McCann (9-0) W PTS 8 Luis Moreno (9-2).

Parker vs. Alexander

Parker impresses as he dismantles Alexander in two rounds. In the first Parker was much too fast for Alexander. He was switching angles and switching guard almost from punch to punch. He connected with some rights to the head and hooked well to the body. Alexander managed to land a couple of times but nothing heavy and Parker ended the round with a series of punches.

Parker finished the job in the second. He dropped Alexander for the first time with two left hooks and put him down again with a clubbing right to the head. Alexander got up but was pinned to the ropes with Parker unloading head punches until the referee stopped the fight. Parker,26, wins the WBO international title with his fourteenth quick victory.

He is No 1 with the WBO and will have to see what shakes out after the Saul Alvarez vs. Billy Joe Saunders fight in May but it seems certain he will fight for the WBO title later this year or in early 2022. Parker was impressive here although Alexander, 35, is a long way from world ratings level having returned to boxing in 2016 after serving an eleven year prison term.

McCann vs. Moreno

Brilliant boxing from young prospect McCann as he outclasses Mexican Moreno. McCann was just too clever, too fast and too accurate for the limited Moreno. He was getting through with a whole range of punches and countering the crude lunges of Moreno with crisp hooks. A right floored Moreno in the last but he made it to the final bell. The 20-year-old southpaw McCann, he turned pro at 18,looks a class act. Moreno came in on the back of five wins but against substandard foes.

Adeleye vs. Preston

Adeleye finishes substitute Preston inside two minutes. No way this was going to last long. Adeleye sent a couple rights whizzing past Preston’s chin before burying a wicked left hook  to the ribs of Preston who was unable to get up. The 24-year-old Londoner has taken less than nine rounds for his five wins. A former Junior, Senior ABA and British Universities champion Adeleye is the proud owner of a degree in Business Management. Preston was having his first pro fight and was overwhelmed.

Blagnac, France:

Super Feather: Anthony Riviere (10-3-1) W PTS 10 Khalil El Hadri (10-1).

Home town boxer Riviere gets an upset decision over previously unbeaten El Hadri to win the French title. Riviere set a fast pace from the start aiming to hustle the more skilful champion out of his stride. It took El Hadri a couple of rounds to settle and then we got plenty of action in a tight scrap.

Riviere was just that little bit busier in the exchanges but not much between them and home advantage probably helped Riviere get the nod. Scores 96-94 twice and 98-92 for Riviere who has put an air of respectability on his record being 6-1-1 in his last 8 fights. Former French amateur champion and WSB competitor El Hadri was making the first defence of the National title.

Chapala, Mexico:

Super Middle: Jose Uzcategui (29-4) W Josue Obando (20-28-2).

Super Bantam: Edwin Palomares (14-3-1,1ND) W Cesar Ramirez (18-4).

Uzcategui vs. Obando

Former IBF super middle champion Uzcategui returns with a win. He handed out steady punishment over the first two rounds and an early finish looked likely. Obando did better over the third and fourth as he upped his pace a little but Uzcategui  was in charge again after that.

It was a case of breaking down a game Obando and in the eighth the referee stopped the fight just as Obando’s corner were preparing to throw in the towel. Venezuelan Uzcategui lost his IBF title on points against Caleb Plant in January 2019 and in December 2019 was floored and outpointed by Lionel Thompson and dropped out of the ratings so this is a first step back. Obando had scored a win over experienced Marco Reyes but Uzcategui was too strong.

Palomares vs. Ramirez

Palomares ends this one late with a savage kayo of Ramirez. Palomares had outlanded Ramirez and built a good lead. But Ramirez fought hard to stay in contention. He was running out of time and pressing hard but just before the final bell a right from Palomares detonated on the chin of Ramirez knocking him out cold with just two seconds remaining in the fight and the medical team rushed to treat him and he recovered.

Palomares was coming off two good victories having stopped 25-2 Carlos Ornelas in June and Czech Martin Parlagi in December. First outing for Ramirez since being knocked out in ten rounds by John Riel Casimero for the WBI interim title in August 2019.

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March 27

London, England:

Super Middle: Lennox Clarke (20-1-1) W TKO 5 Willy Hutchinson (13-1).

Feather: Louie Lynn (9-0) W PTS 10 Sebastian Perez (12-2-1).

Heavy: Nathan Gorman (18-1) W TKO 2 Pavel Sour (13-4).

Clarke vs. Hutchinson

Clarke proves too strong for Hutchinson and scores a stoppage in the fifth. Hutchinson controlled the action early boxing at distance using his long reach to score with jabs and putting together some significant bunches of punches. Clarke kept walking in but was being made to pay a price being shaken by an uppercut in the second and having to absorb some long hooks and straight rights.

A clash of heads saw Hutchinson cut over his left eye and Clarke began to find the target with head punches as he came forward. The fifth round saw Clarke force Hutchinson to the ropes and a thunderous right almost put Hutchinson put on his feet. Clarke managed to land two more head shots as Hutchinson went down. He got up but rightly the referee decided he was not in any condition to continue.

Clarke wins both the vacant British and Commonwealth titles. His only loss came against world rated Lerrone Richards for the same two titles in November 2019. Scot Hutchinson, a former World Youth champion, is 22 and showed good skills and power and will rebound from this.

Lynn vs. Perez

Lynn wins his first title in his first ten round fight as he outworks Spaniard Perez. Lynn set a fast pace from the off and Perez just could not match him. Perez had some good spells but nowhere near enough to threaten Lynn’s dominance and the Surrey man was a clear winner. Scores 100-91, 98-92 and 97-93 for Lynn. He had won seven of his eight victories inside the distance so this longer fight was useful experience for him. In his last fight in December 2019 Perez had lost a close decision to unbeaten Frenchman Elie Konki for the European Union title.

Gorman vs. Sour

Gorman scores five knockdowns in under four minutes to stop Sour. Gorman shook Sour with a right in the first and then put him down with a strong left jab. Sour got up but was down twice more before he connecting with a good right at the bell. Gorman put Sour twice with rights early in the second and the referee waived the fight over. Gorman, 24, is putting his house in order after a fifth round kayo loss against Daniel Dubois and this is win No 2 on his way back. Sour was stopped early in his career by Filip Hrgovic and more recently suffered back-to back losses against Jermaine Franklin and Hughie Fury

Accra, Ghana:

Super Fly: Prince Patel (24-1-2) W TKO 9 Julias Kisarawa (32-8-1).

Patel halts Tanzanian Kisarawa in the ninth to win the vacant Commonwealth title. From the start Patel used his hand speed and good movement to outboxed the limited Kisarawa. The Tanzanian did a bit better as they traded punches in the second but it was obvious he lacked the power to trouble Patel. After fighting southpaw for two rounds Patel switched guard in the third and scored well with body punches.

Kisarawa kept busy in the fourth but Patel hurt him with some solid rights. Patel upped his pace and put Kisarawa down in the fifth and applied more pressure after the eight count. Kisarawa went down on one knee in the sixth under a shower of punches but survived to the bell.

Patel continued the pressure in the seventh and eighth and in the ninth as Kisarawa was stumbling with exhaustion and hardly able to lift his hands the referee stopped the fight. Patel was just too good for a very limited and sloppy Kisarawa as he gets his nineteenth inside the distance win.

Patel covered all of the bases winning the vacant Commonwealth title but also the WBO Global, WBO African, WBA Inter-Continental and IBF Continental titles. Kisarawa lacked the skill or power to pose a threat but at least he did better than when facing Patel in 2018 when he was halted in five rounds.

Lanus, Argentina:

Super Bantam: Alberto Melian (9-2) W PTS 10 Frency Fortunato (10-1).

Melian overcomes a disastrous first five rounds to outpoint Fortunato in a scarp featuring seven knockdowns. Dominican Fortunato had height and reach over Melian and Melian was taking chances to get inside. Just one minute into the second Fortunato floored Melian with a right uppercut. Melian was up quickly but badly shaken.

Fortunato chased him around the ring throwing punches and Melina went down on one knee to get some recovery time. He managed to survive with a lot of holding. At the start of the third Fortunato sent Melian to the canvas with two hefty rights to the head. Melian survived again by holding some, moving some and by Fortunato losing his mouthguard. The fourth was a close round but just when Melian seemed to be working his way into the fight he was floored by a right in the fifth. He got up and shook Fortunato later in the round.

So five rounds gone, four knockdowns giving Fortunato a 10-7 and two 10-8 rounds with the unofficial scoring having Fortunato 50-41 in front but Melian was still there and about to turn things around. He outpunched a tiring Fortunato in the sixth and seventh and Fortunato went down twice in the eighth partially from punches and partially from exhaustion but made it to the bell. Both were exhausted in the ninth but Melian outpunched Fortunato.

In the tenth Fortunato had nothing left and again went down from a mixture of exhaustion and punches but too late for Melian to get the knockout. Scores 92-91 twice and 94-90 for Melian. An amazing comeback from disaster from Melian in a truly dramatic contest. Melian, an Olympian in 2012 and 2016 wins the WBA Inter-Continental title. Fortunato had won 6 of his last 7 fights by KO/TKO and came so close to winning here as well.

Roosdaal, Belgium: 

Welter: Meriton Karaxha (28-5-3) W PTS 10 Emanuele Cavallucci (12-3-1).

Karaxha comes away with a unanimous decision but has to work hard against a quick and clever Italian Cavallucci. Scores 98-92, 97-93 and 96-95. The Albanian Karaxha lifted the vacant IBO International title and now has ten wins and two draws in his last twelve fights. Former Italian champion Cavallucci was 9-1 going in.

Bangkok, Thailand:

Fly: Tanes Ongjunta (8-1) W PTS 10 Kompayak (61-12).

Super Light: Sangarthit (11-0) W TKO 8 Chonlatarn (61-7).

Ongjunta vs. Kompayak

Time catches up with Kompayak as inexperienced hope Ongjunta scores wide points decision over the former WBC light fly champion. The 5’0 ½” Kompayak just could not handle the height (5’5”) and reach advantages or the speed of his younger opponent. Scores 100-90 twice and 99-91 for Ongjunta who has kept busy with four wins in the last five months. This victory nets him the WBA Asia belt. Kompayak, 38, has lost 5 of 6 against modest opposition.

Chonlatarn vs. Sangarthit

Sangarthit gets big win as he stops Chonlatarn in eight. The teenager set too fast a pace for the aging Chonlatarn and scored knockdowns in the seventh and eighth with the fight being stopped after the second knockdown. Sangarthit (Phoobadin Yoohanngoh –I’ll stick with Sangarthit) retains the WBA Asia title. He is just 17 having turned pro at 14. Chonlatarn, 36, lost in title fights against Chris John and Vasyl Lomachenko and also to Miguel Berchelt for the interim WBO super feather title but this is his third inside the distance loss in a row.

Fight of the week (Significance): Dillian Whyte’s revenge win over Alexander Povetkin could lead to a fight with Deontay Wilder which should be explosive

Fight of the week (Entertainment): A hard choice. Ted Cheeseman vs. James Metcalf was a classic. Anthony Riviere’s French title victory over Khalil El Hadri saw ten hard fought rounds and Zaur Abdullaev vs. Zhora Hamazaryan had quality and last punch drama but I have to go for Alberto Melian vs. Frency Fortunato with seven knockdowns and Melian coming off the floor four times in the first five rounds to emerge the winner.

Fighter of the week: Dillian Whyte for his win over Alexander Povetkin in a must win fight

Punch of the week: Again a number of candidates as Mark Bernaldez flattened Hector Ambriz with a thunderous right and Dmitri Khasiev almost decapitating Vlad Krasnoshein with an uppercut but I go for the right from Edwin Palomares that knocked Cesar Ramirez out cold.

Upset of the week: None really

Prospect watch: British heavyweight David Adeleye 5-0 5 wins by KO/TKO shows considerable power

Observations

Nicknames again Colombian Rodolfo Puente is fooling no one with his “Tsunami” nickname-he is just 5’0” tall and that hardly qualifies as a puddle.

Albanian Meriton Karaxha is stretching the envelope of truth with his “Mister TNT” as he has only nine inside the distance wins in his 36 bouts. That’s just 25% so perhaps he needs to lower his horizon and go for something like “Mr Dull Thud”

They certainly start them young in Thailand with unbeaten prospect Sangarthit turning prom at 14, fighting ten round fights at 16 and beating three-time world title challenger Chonlatarn at 17.

A bit of light comedy in the Melian vs. Fortunato fight. The referee warned Melian for a low punch at the same moment as Fortunato complained about a butt. Gives a whole new meaning to the old one-two.

Troubling to see another set of young Irish boxers fighting in Europe with their results not being recorded. That means that any inside the distance losses for the Irish fighters or their opponents will not appear on either record.