Pacquiao beats Bradley; Beltran and Vargas win

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Manny Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KO’s) pounded out a 12 round unanimous decision win on Saturday night in beating WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley (31-1, 12 KO’s) to hand him his first career loss in a closely contested battle at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was scored 116-112, 116-112, and 118-110.

The judge that scored it 118-110 must have been watching another fight because there’s no way Pacquiao won the fight by that score. It was close.

The win wasn’t the huge one-sided victory that Pacquiao needed to prove that he was back. Indeed, he looked slow at times tonight, and clearly not the fighter he was five years ago when he beat Miguel Cotto in his prime. But Pacquiao at least got the victory over Bradley, and he can now go on and fight the winner of the Mike Alvarado vs. Juan Manuel Marquez fight in September. As for Bradley, he’ll very likely get a third fight with Pacquiao in 2015.

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Clottey tops Mundine

Clottey tops Mundine

In Newcastle, Australia last night Anthony Mundine (46 – 6) fought Ghanaian Joshua Clottey (38- 4) in the classical cross roads fight, the loser destined to fight local derbies as a competitive journeyman.

At stake was the WBA International Middleweight title.

Both fighters were in magnificent condition, Mundine at 38 years of age carried the advantage of being the physically bigger man, however from the outset Clottey the younger man by two years ignored that physical fact and fought as if he was.

Clottey started on the front foot, paying no dues to Mundines power or speed as he continually pressed forward throughout the first round, outpunching and most importantly out landing Mundine.

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Clottey beats Mundine, ends his title aspirations

Clottey beats Mundine, ends his title aspirations

Joshua Clottey has ended the world title aspirations of Anthony Mundine, knocking the three-time world champion down five times on route to a unanimous decision win.

Clottey proved too strong for Mundine, with the Ghanaian regularly getting through the defence of the Australian.

The Ghanaian found himself on the deck early in the 2nd round, but the referee correctly ruled that is what a result of a rabbit punch, issuing Mundine a warning.

Mundine felt the power of Clottey soon after, hitting the canvas for the first time in the Round 3.

Mundine was caught standing right in front of Clottey and a powerful right hand sent him down. The Australian was able to beat the count, before the bell sounded signalling an end to the round.

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Clottey defeats Mundine in huge upset

Clottey defeats Mundine in huge upset

In a huge upset, #14 WBA Joshua Clottey (38-4, 22 KO’s) defeated #3 WBA Anthony Mundine (46-6, 27 KO’s) by a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision on Wednesday night at the Entertainment Centre, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

Clottey was supposed to be a safe fight for the 38-year-old Mundine to win in order to stay in line for a title shot against WBA junior middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. However, Clottey didn’t go along with the program, as he knocked the slow moving Mundine down 5 times in the fight with his still fast hooks to the head. Mundine was down once in rounds 3, twice in the 6th, once in the 8th, and a final time in the 10th. The final judger scores were 116-108, 115-109, and 117-108.

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Braehmer beats Maccarinelli; Pulev defeats Perkovic

Braehmer beats Maccarinelli; Pulev defeats Perkovic

Former WBO cruiserweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli (38-7, 30 KO’s) put in a game performance in losing to WBA World light heavyweight champion Juergen Braehmer (43-2, 32 KO’s) by a 6th round TKO tonight at the Stadthalle, Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The fight was stopped due to swelling to Maccarinelli’s right eye after the 5th round. Maccarinelli’e eye had swelled up completely to where he couldn’t see out of it after the 1st round.

Maccarinelli complained that he couldn’t see out of it following the 2nd. But surprisingly, Maccarinelly fought well in the 4th and 5th rounds, and he landed some really nice shots to control both of those rounds. Braehmer was doing a lot of holding in between landing his punches, and just waiting until the fight was halted. Braehmer didn’t have the power to stand in and trade with Maccarinelli once he started swinging for the fences in the 4th, so he played it safe with constant clinching.

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Results from Cunningham-Mansour at Liacouras Center

Results from Cunningham-Mansour at Liacouras Center

Photos by Rich Graessle and Larry Levanti/Main Events — hiladelphia, PA: Steve “USS” Cunningham (27-6, 12 KOs)* took down the undefeated powerhouse Amir “Hardcore” Mansour (20-1, 15 KOs) via unanimous decision at the Liacouras Center. In the all-Philly main event, Philadelphia-raised Cunningham and Philadelphia-trained Mansour brawled for ten rounds of heart-stopping action that had the entire crowd at the Liacouras Center on their feet and screaming for more. These two warriors just kept coming at each other for ten straight rounds. By the end they were both bleeding and and battle-worn.

Mansour was relentless from the first bell. He kept coming at Steve with huge looping hooks. Cunningham began bleeding in the second round. Then Cunningham cut Mansour over the same eye in the third.

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Shaw: Tureano Johnson robbed in Curtis Stevens bout – Shaw demands immediate rematch

Shaw: Tureano Johnson robbed in Curtis Stevens bout - Shaw demands immediate rematch

photo by Tom Casino – Tonight at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, PA, Gary Shaw Productions middleweight contender Tureano Johnson (14-1, 10 KOs), was robbed of his opportunity to continue fighting with Curtis Stevens (27-4, 20 KOs) when referee Gary Rosato prematurely stopped the bout at the 2:09 mark of the tenth and final round.

Johnson, who controlled the action early on, got off to a great start and mounted a considerable lead against Stevens’s midway through the bout. As the fight entered the final rounds, Johnson continued to stand his ground and win rounds as both fighters were going toe to toe. Entering the tenth and final round, Stevens, who was clearly down on the scorecards, landed a nice left hook that slowed Johnson down, and the referee halted the bout prematurely. Tureano Johnson was clearly ahead on the scorecards and had plenty of life left to finish the bout before the referee stopped the action. When the bout was stopped, boos from the crowed were heard throughout the arena, validating a premature stoppage.

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Cunningham decisions Mansour; Stevens stops Johnson

Cunningham decisions Mansour; Stevens stops Johnson

Photo: Rich Graessle/Main Events — The more experienced Steve Cunningham (27-6, 12 KO’s) survived two fifth round knockdowns to go on and beat USBA heavyweight champion Amir Mansour (20-1, 15 KO’s) by a 10 round unanimous decision tonight to win by the scores 97-90, 95-92, 95-92 at the Liacouras Center, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Cunningham put Mansour down on the canvas in the 10th and final round with a right hand after getting him off balance from a series of rights to the head. Mansour’s left eye was almost closed at the time from the heavy shots he’d absorbed from Cunningham.

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