Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara (20-2-2, 12 KOs) retained his WBA Super Welterweight World Championship with a convincing 12-round unanimous decision victory over Ishe “Sugar Shay” Smith (26-7, 12 KOs) in the SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION main event Friday night from The Illusions Theater at The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
After a strong first round for Smith, Lara dominated the remainder of the fight using a combination of movement, speed and accuracy to secure the decision 117-111, 119-109 twice.
photos by Tiffany Lam: Thursday night ESPN Boxing put on a special three-hour telecast featuring four bouts. It was all part of a stacked Goossen Promotions card at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula California dedicated to the memory of the late Dan Goossen.
http://youtu.be/naCRgLDaZTk
In the main event, 46-year-old Antonio Tarver was coming in off a yearlong layoff against Detroit native Johnathon Banks, who was making his ring return after a year and half off himself. The heavyweight fight started very slowly, drawing boos from the crowd. But Tarver the former light-heavyweight champion of the world, appeared to be in control, occasionally timing his opponent and landing clean left hands that buzzed him. Banks did absolutely nothing but feint and tie up, hardly throwing a punch in the early rounds. Tarver’s game plan was obvious, to lure Banks in for a big counterpunch. But would he have the speed, and power, to pull it off?
Martin J Ward D10 Maxi Hughes – (10 x 3 – Super Featherweight British Title Eliminator)
It wasn’t just the gallant Prizefighter lightweights that York Hall was treated to this Saturday night in the hallowed ballroom in the heart of Bethnal Green. Essex based traveller and lightweight prospect Martin J Ward 10-0-1 (5KO’s) was thrust into his first bona fide test against the once beaten and very capable Yorkshireman Maxi Hughes 13-1-1 (2KO’s) a man with his own designs on progression.
It may not be for the purists and Matchroom and Sky Sports might have bigger fish to fry going forward, but when Prizefighter delivers, it delivers in spades. Tonight was one such occasion when 8 men with nothing to lose and everything to gain stepped through the ropes to provide passion-drenched non-stop action, which brought the historic York Hall to its feet. In the process providing a timely reminder of what made Prizefighter great, knockouts, all out wars, controversial decisions aplenty, not to mention the emergence of a potential star.
A crowd of 6,532 at Barclays Center were treated to a special performance from two warriors Saturday night as David Lemieux (33-2, 31 KOs)stopped “King” Gabriel Rosado (21-9, 13 KOs)in the 10th round of a very competitive main event on HBO Boxing After Dark.
The Montreal-native Lemieux retained his NABF Middleweight title while displaying the incredible power that has put the entire middleweight division on notice. Lemieux scored a knockdown in round three when he delivered a flurry that knocked the Philadelphia-born Rosado off-balance and put him on the canvas.
Anchored by a knockdown in the opening round Saturday, Thomas Dulorme retained his North American Boxing Federation (NABF) light welterweight title and captured the vacant North American Boxing Association (NABA) crown with a 96-93, 93-96, 97-92 split decision win over Hank Lundy at the Barclays Center.
The 10-round bout, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Gary Shaw Productions and CES Boxing, aired live on HBO’s Boxing After Dark.
In a close and thrilling chief support, Billy Joe Saunders handed bitter rival Chris Eubank Jnr. his first career defeat with a split decision to retain his British, Commonwealth and European Middleweight titles.
The Hatfield star also made the Lonsdale belt his to keep with the third and most satisfying defence of the title, plus it was a final eliminator for the WBO World Middleweight title.
Saunders started well in the early rounds with Eubank Jnr. struggling to cope with his quick feet and accurate jab, but Eubank did have some success with some strong uppercuts.
Unbeaten World Boxing Organization 135 pound champion Terence Crawford (25-0, 17 KOs) put in a safety first performance in beating challenger Raymundo Beltran (29-7-1, 17 KOs) by a less than thrilling 12 round unanimous decision on Saturday night to retain his WBO lightweight strap in front of his own fans at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska.
Depending on what kind of fan you are, Crawford’s performance was either boring or thrilling. With all the holding and movement that Crawford used to keep from getting hit, I’m in the camp that saw the fight as less than crowd pleasing. Of course, Crawford didn’t have to deal with boos given that the fight took place in his own hometown in Omaha rather than in a venue whether boxing fans would have put pressure on him to open up more with his offense.
Tonight in London, in one of the most heavily hyped and intriguing British middleweight clashes of recent years, Billy Joe Saunders ultimately proved too tough, too skilful and too experienced for a game and always dangerous Chris Eubank Junior.
At the end of 12 hard rounds, southpaw Saunders retained his unbeaten record and his European, British and Commonwealth titles. The scores were 115-114 for Saunders, 116-113 for Eubank and 115-113 for Saunders.
Thanks mostly to his famous father, there was plenty expected of Eubank Jr in the lead-up to this fight. “He beats [Gennady] Golovkin now,” Senior stated of his son. And, “He will be better than Floyd Mayweather Junior.” Such talk now looks foolish, if it didn’t before Saunders took away Junior’s unbeaten pro ledger. Still, Eubank Jr did display real grit, determination and a good chin. Sadly for those fans who hoped the young Eubank would achieve the great heights his father did, tonight’s challenger also displayed certain moves to rival those of a rank amateur, as well as a game-plan that saw him all but give away the early rounds.
