By Jeff Sorby: Super middleweight contender George Groves (17-0, 13 KO’s) made easy work of Dario Balmaceda (11-7-2, 7 KO’s) in stopping him in the 3rd round in a two knockdown performance on Saturday night in the 24-year-old Groves’ first fight with Matchroom Sport at the Wembley Arena in London, UK. Grove put the lanky Balmaceda down with a short right hand to the body in the 2nd.
Boxing Results
Boxing results from all major fights worldwide
Richard Abril survives Bogere’s take down attempts to gain SD
by Paul Strauss: When did take downs (ala MMA) slip into boxing contests? Boxing is supposed to be the sweet science confined to footwork, punching, blocking, and slipping punches and numerous other refinements. An occasional clinch is permissable, but when done in excess, penalties are imposed. But, “take downs” are strictly “verboten”. If a fighter wants to engage in such tactics, he is encouraged to take up a different sport such as martial arts or MMA.
Last night at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, The Joint in Las Vegas, NV, Richard Abril 18-3-1 (8 KOs) was subjected to at least two successful take downs and multiple head butts on the part of Sharif “The Lion” Bogere 23-1-0 (15 KOs) Abril’s upright body was mauled by The lunging Lion and tossed down to the canvas. It’s probably doing MMA a disservice by comparing what happened in last night’s contest to MMA. No, what happened last night was just plain ugly. Abril was forced to do his best to ward off the flaying swings, head butts, attempted headlocks, and hip tosses engaged in by Bogere, which lacked the grace or nobility of a lion.
Photos: Abril Retains WBA Title, Russell Wins
It may not have been an artistic success, but WBA Lightweight World Champion Richar “El Tigre” Abril will take it.
“I am very happy to get the win, but I’m not happy at all with the way the fight went,” said Abril after retaining his WBA 135-pound title with a unanimous 12-round decision over previously undefeated Sharif “The Lion” Bogere in the main event of Saturday’s SHOWTIME BOXING – Special Edition live on SHOWTIME® from The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
The lanky, Cuban-born Abril (18-3-1, 8 KO’s), of Miami, Fla., won his first title defense by the scores of 116-110 twice and 115-111. Bogere, a Ugandan living in Las Vegas, dropped to 23-1 with 15 knockouts.
Abril defeats Bogere; Russell Jr. dominates Gusev
By Jeff Sorby: Using his 5’11” height, WBA lightweight champion Richar Abril (18-3-1, 8 KO’s) defeated Sharif Bogere (23-1, 15 KO’s) on Saturday night by a 12 round unanimous decision in a physical at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
At times, the fight looked more like an MMA type of fight than actual boxing match, as Bogere often charged forward with his head lowered like a little ram. Abril was cut over his right eye, as well as his left from impacts from Bogere’s head.
The judges’ scored the fight 115-111, 116-110, 116-110.
Gradovich decisions Dib
By Jeff Sorby: Unbeaten Evgeny Gradovich (16-0, 8 KO’s) unseated IBF featherweight champion Billy Dib (35-2, 21 KO’s) on Friday night in beating him by a 12 round split decision on Friday Night Fights at the Foxwoods Resort, in Mashantucket, Connecticut, USA.
The judges had it scored 114-112 and 114-112 for Gradovich, and 114-112 for Dib. Gradovich took the action to Dib, backing him up constantly throughout the fight, and hitting him nonstop. The fight likely would have been a lot more one-sided than it already was had the referee not broken up the action quite so often.
It was like watching a replay of the Marcos Maidana vs. Amir Khan fight where the referee kept pulling Maidana off Khan while he was trying to finish off Khan on the inside.
Dusty Harrison Wins in Dominating Fashion
Top Welterweight Prospect, Dusty Hernandez-Harrison of Washington, D.C., kept his undefeated record intact scoring a six-round unanimous decision win over cagey veteran Aaron “Showtime” Anderson in the co-main event Saturday at Resorts Casino in Tunica, Mississippi.
Hernandez-Harrison is a fan favorite in the Tunica region since making his pro debut in 2011 at the age of 17. The crowd was cheering wildly throughout the bout as the 18-year old fighter controlled the action with his superior hand speed, boxing ability and defense. In the sixth and final round, the sold out crowd was on their feet when Hernandez-Harrison appeared on the verge of stopping the wily 21-fight veteran. With the dominating 60-54 shutout victory, Hernandez-Harrison improves his record to 13-0, with 8 KOs.
Audley Harrison stops Rossy, Wins Prizefighter Heavyweights tourney
Harrison stopped Rossy in the 2nd round after drilling him with a left hand that put him down in a delayed reaction. Rossy was also dropped in the 1st round by a left hand from Harrison. Before making it to the finals, Rossy had beaten Ian Lewison and Travis Walker by close three round decisions by landing shots and then smothering them so that they couldn’t get their own shots off. But against Harrison, Rossy was out of his element due to Harrison’s accurate left hand punching.
He wasn’t bothered by Rossy’s head movement, crouching style or his attempts to come forward to clinch and throw punches. Harrison was able to catch Rossy over and over again with lefts when he would try to initiate.
In Harrison’s other two fights in the tourney, he stopped Claus Bertino in the 1st with a hard left hand, and he beat Martin Rogan by a lopsided three round decision.
Tony Thompson destroys David Price in 2nd round TKO!
By Kevin Chittenden: British heavyweight David Price’s once promising career is in tatters tonight after he was stopped in the 2nd round by 41-year-old Tony Thompson (37-3, 25 KO’s) in Liverpool, England.
This was a fight that the 6’8” Price was supposed to win with ease, but instead he ended up getting clipped by a right hand by Thompson and put down on the canvas in the 2nd round. Price got up but his legs failed him as he walked around on Bambi legs while the referee checked him over.
The referee stopped the fight without letting Price get a chance to see if he could survive the round. While some boxing fans might feel that Price deserved a chance, the truth it he wouldn’t have lasted more long with Thompson teeing off on him.
Thompson defeats Price
By Michael Collins: American heavyweight Tony Thompson (37-3, 25 KO’s) ended the David Price (15-1, 13 KO’s) hype machine by taking him out in a 2nd round TKO on Saturday night at the Echo Arena, in Liverpool, United Kingdom. The win for Thompson affirmed in the minds of some fans that the 29-year-old Price simply doesn’t have the chin to succeed at the highest levels in the pro game.
Up until this fight, Price had been carefully matched by his promoter Frank Maloney against weak opposition without a punch. Even Thompson isn’t what you would call a puncher, but he definitely was a step up from the guys that Price had been fighting, and Price failed the test miserably.
Peterson stops Holt in 8th – Video Interviews with Peterson/Holt
By Bill Phanco: In an impressive performance, IBF light welterweight champion Lamont Peterson (31-1-1, 18 KO’s) retained his IBF title on Friday night in stopping Kendall Holt (28-6, 16 KO’s) in the 8th round at the DC Armory, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Referee Tony Weeks stopped the fight after Peterson unloaded with a storm of shots while Holt stood helpless against the ropes futilely trying to block the nonstop rain of shots. The official stoppage was at 1:42 of the round. Peterson put Holt down in the 4th and 6th rounds, and had him hurt in every round from the 4th on.