LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

GARAY GRABS VACANT BELT

Hugo Hernan Garay  [Arg.]  W 12 [unan.]
Yuri Barashian         [Ukr.]
July 3, 2008 – Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina

Following the sudden retirement of Danny Green, Hugo Hernan Garay, 31-3 (17), won the vacant WBA light heavyweight belt with a UD12 (120-108, 118-111, 118-110) over Yuri Barashian, 25-4 (17). Garay used his straight right to dominate the action. It was Garay’s third attempt at a world title, losing two close decisions to Zsolt Erdei for the WBO belt.

MIDDLEWEIGHT

STURM STOPS GRIFFIN

Felix Sturm [Ger.] W 12 [unan.]
Randy Griffin [U.S.]
July 5, 2008 – Gerry Weber Stadium, Halle, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

Felix Sturm [r.] retained his WBA middleweight title with a convincing victory over Randy Griffin in their rematch.

Felix Sturm, 30-2-1 (13), successfully defended his WBA middleweight title with a UD12 over Randy Griffin, 24-2-3 (12), with whom he drew in October 2007. The early rounds were competitive, but Griffin took the lead and pocketed the middle rounds. Sturm, however, came on strong in the championship rounds and was awarded a 116-113, 116-112, 118-110 victory.

GEALE DOMINATES GEARD

Daniel Geale [Aus.] W 12 [unan.]
Geard Ajetovic [U.K.]
June 27, 2008 – Campbelltown Catholic Club, Campbelltown (Sydney), New South Wales, Australia

Using consistent pressure and accurate combinations, Daniel Geale, 19-0 (12), retained his IBO middleweight title for the first time since winning it last December, with a UD12 (120-109, 117-111 twice) over Geard Ajetovic, 16-2-1 (8). Geale was busier while Ajetovic only fought in spurts. It marked the first time Geale had ever gone beyond ten rounds.

WELTERWEIGHT

BERTO TAKES VACANT WBC TITLE

Andre Berto [U.S.] W TKO 7
Miguel Angel Rodriguez [Mex.]
June 21, 2008 – FedEx Forum, Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Andre Berto won the vacant WBC welterweight belt with a thorough drubbing of the outgunned Miguel Angel Rodriguez.

When Floyd Mayweather Jr. announced his retirement, Berto-Rodriguez, meant to be a steppingstone bout in Andre Berto’s career, was elevated to a title fight and Berto, 22-0 (19), seized the opportunity. Berto let Rodriguez, 29-3 (23), dictate the pace, but controlled the action with his speed, despite getting hit with a few Rodriguez rights. A stunning overhand right-right uppercut combination in the seventh floored Rodriguez. He made it to his feet only to be dropped again, prompting referee Lawrence Cole to stop the fight, giving Berto the WBC belt via TKO7 (2:13) victory.

HOLT BLITZES TORRES

Kendall Holt [U.S.] W TKO 1
Ricardo Torres [Col.]
July 5, 2008 – Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas, NV, USA

*SEE REPORT SEPTEMBER BOXING DIGEST PAGE 17

LIGHTWEIGHT

PACQUIAO OVERPOWERS DIAZ

Manny Pacquiao [Phil.] W KO 9
David Diaz [U.S.]
June 28, 2008 – Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

*SEE REPORT SEPTEMBER BOXING DIGEST PAGE 36

 

VALERO STILL UNDEFEATED

Edwin Valero [Ven.] W TKO 7
Takehiro Shimada [Jap.]
June 12, 2008 – Nihon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan

Edwin Valero defended his WBA 130lb. belt for the fourth time with a TKO7 over Takehiro Shimada.

Undefeated WBA 130lb. champion Edwin Valero, 24-0 (24), retained his title and exemplary knockout record with a TKO7 (1:55) over Japan’s Takehiro Shimada, 22-4-1 (15). Southpaw Valero was ahead on all the cards when he landed a right hook and dropped Shimada. Referee Guillermo Perez Pineda had seen enough and waved off the fight.

 

© copyright 2008 Boxing Digest, Website designed by Jim McLernon

 

FEATHERWEIGHT

LUEVANO & SANTIAGO DRAW

Steve Luevano [U.S.] D 12
Mario Santiago [P.R.]
June 28, 2008 – Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Four-to-one favorite Steve Luevano, 126, 35-1-1 (15), was fortunate to hang on to his WBO featherweight belt against Mario Santiago, 125, 19-1-1 (14), a determined challenger in prime condition. Luevano started strong but faded late, winning the first four frames then dropping the next four on all cards.

Steve Luevano [r.] and Mario Santiago traded punches in an exciting contest that ended in a draw.

Santiago pressed his way in behind a herky-jerky assault. Luevano countered with solid uppercuts but his face got red early as Santiago landed well, then smiled and winked at ringsiders.
They traded flash knockdowns in a sizzling second session, and there were plenty of punishing trades throughout. Santiago concentrated on the body and had Luevano in serious trouble, but Luevano deserves credit for refusing to be overwhelmed. He never surrendered, and had a punched-out Santiago holding on at the end. – Phil Woolever

BANTAMWEIGHT

HASEGAWA MAKES 6th DEFENSE

Hozumi Hasegawa [Jap.] W TKO 2
Cristian Faccio [Ur.]
June 12, 2008 – Nihon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan

Hozumi Hasegawa [l.] demolished Cristian Faccio inside two rounds in Tokyo.

Southpaw Hozumi Hasegawa, 24-2 (8), scored a TKO2 (2:18) over Cristian Faccio, 15-3 (10), in the sixth defense of the WBC bantamweight title he won in April 2005. A counter straight left dropped Faccio early in the second and Hasegawa rushed in with a barrage of lefts to down the challenger again. Referee Toby Gibson waved the bout over without a count. Hasegawa may fight in the US along with stablemate Edwin Valero in the near future.

FLYWEIGHT

SOSA STOPS KUNISHIGE

Edgar Sosa [Mex.] W TKO 8
Takashi Kunishige [Jap.]
June 14, 2008 – Palacios de los Deportes, Mexico City, Mexico

Edgar Sosa [r.] maintained his busy schedule, making the fifth defense of his WBC 108lb. title with a TKO8 over Takashi Kunishige.

Edgar Sosa, 32-5 (17), retained the WBC 108lb. title he won in April 2007 with a TKO8 over southpaw Takashi Kunishige, 18-3-1 (2). Sosa dominated the bout, and after feather-fisted Kunishige took two hard shots to the head, referee Hector Afua waved it off at 1:39. It was Sosa’s fifth defense of his title, and his 20th win in a row.

SITHSAMERCHAI OUTCLASSES EBISUOKA

Oleydong Sithsamerchai [Thai.] W KO 9
Junichi Ebisuoka [Jap.]
June 18, 2008 – Tapanhin, Phuket, Thailand

Oleydong Sithsamerchai, 27-0 (11), made the first defense of his WBC 105lb. title by dominating Junichi Ebisuoka, 17-11-3 (7), on his way to a KO9 (1:14). Southpaw Sithsamerchai threw impressive combinations and his defense was superb. Ebisuoka was brave, pressing forward early on, but kept getting hit by Sithsamerchai’s counters on the way in. After the champion was warned for borderline low blows, he landed another succession of hard body shots, and Ebisuoka collapsed to the canvas and was counted out.

RAYITO UPSETS LITTLE PACQUIAO

Raul Garcia [Mex.] W 12 [split]
Florante Condes [Phil.]
June 14, 2008 – Estadio Arturo C. Nahl, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico

In a battle of southpaws, Raul “Rayito” Garcia, 23-0-1 (15), upset Florante “Little Pacquiao” Condes, 22-4-1 (20), by SD12 (118-110, 115-112 each way) to win the IBF 105lb. belt. Garcia boxed smart and avoided the hard-hitting Condes for much of the fight. Condes occasionally backed to the ropes and dared Garcia, who timed his shots well and threw flurries that scored points but did little damage, to come and get him. Condes showed his resiliency by dropping Garcia in round 12, but it was too late to save his title.

JOYI STOPS GUTIERREZ

Nkosinathi Joyi [S.A.] W TKO 7
Sammy Gutierrez [Mex.]
June 27, 2008 – Orient Theatre, East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa

In his second defense of the IBO 105lb. belt, Nkosinathi Joyi, 18-0 (14), overcame some rough moments to stop tough Sammy Gutierrez, 20-3-2 (12), in the seventh. Despite Joyi’s accurate counterpunching, Gutierrez kept pressing forward. In the fifth, a body shot put Joyi down, but Gutierrez rushed in to finish off the champion and drew a warning from the referee for hitting Gutierrez while down, and the knockdown was never called. Gutierrez’ timing was off in the later rounds, and in the seventh, Joyi took advantage and wobbled the challenger. Joyi followed up with several unanswered blows that convinced referee Andile Matika to stop the fight.