In an example of perfect match-making, Andre Ward (29-0, 15 KOs) was able to beat the much slower made to order Sullivan Barrera (17-1, 12 KOs) by a 12 round unanimous decision tonight on HBO in his hometown at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. It was the perfect opponent for Ward to look good against because Barrera didn’t have the hand speed to give Ward a real test like Adonis Stevenson or one of the other far superior light heavyweights.
Tonight at Wembley, bitter middleweight rivals Chris Eubank Junior and Nick Blackwell went to war in a domestic fight of the year candidate. Blackwell lost his British middleweight title by way of a 10th-round TKO when referee Victor Loughlin, on advice of the doctor, stopped the fight due to a quite horrific swelling to Blackwell’s left eye. The time was 2:21 of the 10th and Eubank, in claiming the title he said he had dreamt of winning since he was aged 15, improved to 22-1(17). Blackwell, one of the toughest fighting men in British boxing, falls to 19-4-1(8). Blackwell was carried from the ring by a stretcher and he was given oxygen. We all hope he is okay.
Two young and unbeaten British heavyweights who are still in the early stages of their respective careers got stoppage wins tonight. In Sheffield, on the under-card of the Kell Brook-Kevin Bizier show, David Allen improved to 9-0-1(6) with a 4th-round corner retirement win over experienced U.S journeyman Jason Gavern, 27-21-4(12).
24-year-old Allen was to have fought Richard Towers in a British title eliminator but Towers pulled out with illness and 38-year-old Gavern, no stranger to British shores having fought Anthony Joshua and participated in a “Prizefighter” show here, stepped in at late notice. The fight was unfortunately a dull, scrappy affair, despite Gavern’s attempts at livening things up with his familiar “whooo” chants during the action.
If you are a fan of brutal one-punch knockouts, chances are you will not find a more savage KO to satisfy your bloodlust than the one super-welterweight Justin DeLoach scored last night in Miami, Oklahoma. The 22-year-old known as “The Chosen One,” absolutely ruined previously unbeaten (16-0) Dillon Cook with a sizzling right hand to the head in the 4th-round. The instant the shot landed, Cook was gone and he crumpled into a kind of sitting position with his legs underneath him. It was as destructive as it was scary.
In actuality, Puerto Rican lightweight sensation is no longer a prospect – the 22-year-old who has already been called the new Felix Trinidad by some, is a contender. And Verdejo’s growing number of fans will be happy this year as the 20-0(14) star of the future has a busy schedule planned. Verdejo was forced to remain inactive for a spell of six months last year due to a hand injury that required surgery. Returning to action in December, following the layoff, Verdejo’s hand held up fine as he stopped Josenilson Dos Santos, Verdejo then pitched a near shut-out over talented Brazilian William Silva in February, Silva being unbeaten upon entering the fight.
On a night of knockouts, unbeaten super lightweight Regis “Rougarou” Prograis (17-0, 14 KOs), of Houston, scored his third consecutive dominant victory on ShoBox: The New Generation, knocking out Mexico’s Aaron Herrera (21-5-1, 12 KOs) at 2:17 of the first round Friday in the main event on SHOWTIME from Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Okla.
Fans were treated to an exciting night of action on March 25 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino with a stacked card of fights live Boxeo Estelar on Estrella TV and streaming live on Ring TV. The main event of the evening featured top contender “Relentless” Antonio Orozco (24-0, 16 KOs) of San Diego, Calif. by way of Tecate, Mexcio against former WBA Super Lightweight World Champion Miguel Acosta (29-9-2, 39 KOs) of Philadelphia in a scheduled 10-round super welterweight fight. The fight had Orozco come in strong with two solid left hooks that sent Acosta to the canvas twice in the first round. A non-responsive Acosta had the doctor call off the fight, awarding Orozco a victory knockout at the 1:54 mark.
Andre Ward meets Sullivan Barrera this Saturday night live on HBO at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. If Ward’s successful it moves him one step closer to a meeting with Sergey Kovalev in the fall. Standing in his way is an unbeaten fighter with roots drawn from highly-touted Cuban amateur system. Does the unbeaten Barrera have what it takes to topple Ward? Will rust factor in for Ward having 8 months of more inactivity since his last bout?
Andre Ward signed a three-fight deal with HBO to prepare for a super fight with Sergey Kovalev. After he fought last June, Ward signed with a plan to fight on the Canelo vs. Cotto HBO PPV undercard. A swollen knee caused him to pull out which ended up slowing down the talks for this fight.
Adrien Broner has a problem. News broke yesterday how the often controversial fighter, the reigning WBA 140-pound champ, is wanted by police for a serious altercation that took place back in January of this year outside a Cincinnati bowling alley. Broner is alleged to have beat up a friend he was gambling with. Reportedly, Broner, who was armed, knocked the man unconscious, splitting his chin with the need for stitches.
Former WBA heavyweight champ David Haye, who returned to the ring following a near four year absence in January, will host a press conference at London’s O2 next Wednesday to officially announce his second comeback opponent, so reports South London Press. Haye, also a former undisputed cruiserweight champion, destroyed Australia’s Mark de Mori inside a round in January, before a sold-out O2 arena, and with a TV audience of over three million tuning in to free-to-air channel DAVE.