Despite the legitimacy of the belt he won with his unanimous decision win over the towering Alexander Ustinov on Saturday night, Lebanon-born Manuel Charr made one quite astonishing comeback. Charr, long based in his adopted country of Germany – the country giving him, he says, “everything” – claimed a version of the WBA heavyweight title on Saturday night, but the win itself meant way more than the belt.
“Krusher” is back; Kovalev destroys Shabranskyy – Beterbiev, Bivol, Stevenson next?
Once the most feared man in the light-heavyweight division, Sergey Kovalev went at least a little ways towards regaining that status last night in New York. In totally destroying the decent if not great Vyacheslav Shabranskyy inside two short rounds, “Krusher” regained a portion of the belts he lost to Andre Ward (the Russian dropping a controversial decision to the now-retired Ward last year and being stopped in this year’s return fight).
Video: A brief chronology of lineal heavyweight champions
In the rich history of professional boxing, there have been many champions, especially in the last 30 to 40 years when things evolved to the point where we now have 4 major sanctioning bodies. We don’t have many undisputed champions in boxing these days, and in the rare instance that one emerges, boxing politics and the corrupt nature of sanctioning bodies usually make for short-lived undisputed reigns.
Wanheng Menayothin, AKA Chayaphon Moonsri – the (active) fighter with the best record in boxing today
He’s far from a household name anywhere apart from in his homeland of Thailand, but reigning, undefeated WBC minimumweight champion Wanheng Menayothin, AKA Chayaphon Moonsri, has the best pro record in boxing today – as far as active fighters go.
The 32 year old who stands 5’2” improved to 49-0(17) yesterday (Nov. 25) with a close but unanimous decision victory over Japanese southpaw Tatsuya Fukuhara, 19-6-6(7).
Yuriorkis Gamboa keeps his career alive – just; Gamboa awarded controversial decision win over Jason Sosa
Going into last night’s super-featherweight fight with Jason Sosa, one-time potential superstar Yuriorkis Gamboa was under no illusions: it was a fight he had to win or his career was over. Well, the former WBA and IBF featherweight champion got the win, but it was mighty close. And controversial.
Gamboa faced a determined former WBA super-featherweight champion in Jason Sosa and after ten rounds the New York crowd firmly felt the younger man’s hand should have been raised. Instead, 35 year old Gamboa (the Cuban will turn 36 next month) was awarded a ten-round majority verdict after an exciting, drama-filled bout.
Results: Barrera stops Valera; Gamboa – Sosa
Sullivan Barrera (21-1, 14 KOs) of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Felix Valera (162, 13 KOs) of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic scored knockdowns in the first round.
In the second round, Valera began to taunt Sullivan with his antics but Barrera countered with hard shots that put a quick end to the showboating. However, Barrera suffered a cut over his left eye that started to swell in the second round. Shortly after the bell rang to start the third round, Valera hit Barrera with a low blow that cost him a point on the judges’ scorecards.
Manuel Charr wins unanimous decision over a game Alexander Ustinov
Tonight in Germany, Manuel Charr won a 12 round unanimous decision over the huge Alexander Ustinov. Winning by commanding scores of 116-111, 115-111 and 115-112 Charr improved to 31-4(17), Ustinov fell to 34-2(25). Oh, and Charr picked up a version of the WBA heavyweight crown.
The “world” title fight was much maligned for being just this (we all know Anthony Joshua is the real WBA heavyweight champ) but tonight’s action was actually pretty good. 40 year old Ustinov was the aggressor in the early rounds, backing 33 year old Charr up. Both men swapped plenty of leather, there wasn’t too much clinching and the action proved enjoyable.
Sergey Kovalev destroys Vyacheslav Shabranskyy
Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev regained his WBO Light Heavyweight World Title in classic Krusher fashion with a second round stoppage of Vyacheslav Shabranskyy at the Theater at Madison Square Garden and live on HBO World Championship Boxing. Kovalev came out of the gates swinging, knocking down Shabranskyy twice in the first round. The second round continued with more hard shots from The Krusher and a third knockdown. Finally, at 2:36 of the second round, the referee called a halt to the action and Kovalev was named the new WBO champ.
Results: Kovalev destroys Shabranskyy; Barrera & Gamboa win
Former IBF/WBA/WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (31-2-1, 27 KOs) overpowered Vyacheslav Shabranskyy (19-2, 16 KOs) in obliterating him in 2 short rounds to win the vacant WBO light heavyweight title on Saturday night in their fight on HBO World Championship Boxing at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Gennady Golovkin still eyeing possible move up to super-middleweight “if there is a big fight at 168”
Though he has a number of big fights to shoot for at middleweight, his current weight class, world ruler Gennady Golovkin says he is still looking at a potential move up eight pounds to the super-middleweight division. Speaking with ESPN Deportes, as quoted by RingTV.com, Triple-G says he would move up “if there is a big fight at 168.”
Fans are of course hoping, hoping, hoping that GGG will be able to get it on with Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez in his next fight; so as the two best 160 pounders out there can finally settle their differences (no-one being happy with the drawn verdict that was handed in at the conclusion of September’s big fight). But if talks stall, or maybe after the fight has taken place, GGG could make that move up.