Although we all hate the politics of boxing sometimes they do lead us to some sensational contests. One such bout came earlier this evening as the IBF's decision to strip Jamie McDonnell of their IBF Bantamweight title lead us to about between Stuart Hall (16-2-1, 7) and Vusi Malinga (21-5-1, 12) for the vacant title.
Hall, fighting in his first world title fight, set off at a hectic pace using his speed and skills to land on Malinga and move out of the way of return fire to make Malinga look second rate. The tempo was amazing with from Hall who clearly took the first 2 rounds and then claimed the round 3 with a knockdown to have a clear lead built on the cards after just 3 rounds.
It wasn't until the end of round 4 that Malinga first had any real success as he arguably claimed his first round, though it was a swing round that could easily have gone to Hall. Through the middle rounds Malinga started to come back in to the fight and arguably claimed rounds 5,6,7, 8 and 9 as he made a great charge in an attempt to defeat Hall. Not only was Malinga pushing on but Hall appeared to be tiring quickly and his left eye was beginning to swell shut. By the end of round 9 the left eye of Hall was was swollen shut and he was beginning to to eat right hands almost at will.
Despite looking shattered Hall managed to get his second win and appeared to make a late charge taking the championship rounds with Malinga himself looking exhausted. Those rounds effectively sealed the fight for Hall who had dug in and done enough for the biggest victory of his career.
The performance, of both men had been excellent, the fight had great with action from both men, and unfortunately the one sour taste were the judges whose cards of 117-110 (twice) and 116-111 didn't fairly reflect the nature of the bout. They did get the right winner but their cards didn't show just how hard Malinga had made things for him.
Showing posts with label Bantamweight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bantamweight. Show all posts
Saturday, 21 December 2013
Tuesday, 3 December 2013
Tomoki Kameda v Immanuel Naidjala
Prior to today Japanese boxing fans had never seen a WBO world title bout take place on their soil. That changed thanks to WBO Bantamweight champion Tomoki Kameda (29-0, 18) who became the first ever Japanese fighter to defend a WBO and the first man of any nationality to defend a WBO title on Japanese soil.
Kameda, defending the belt he won earlier this year in the Philippines, was fighting the previously unbeaten Immanuel Naidjala (17-1-1, 11). Like Paulus Ambunda, who Tomoki defeated for the belt, Naidjala was a tough and proud Namibian, though also like Ambunda he lacked the skills needed to really test Tomoki.
The fight started excellently for the defending champion who quickly established a lead with his busier and crisper work. Naidjala, after 3 rounds was being backed up, and tagged to the body time and time again. It seemed that Tomoki had a game plan based on breaking up body of Naidjala with the left hook which he whipped time and time again to the midsection.
By the start of round 6 it appeared that Naidjala was crumbling. The body shots kept coming, Tomoki kept marching forward and and the challenger appeared to have nothing to offer in terms of return fire. It was genuinely one way traffic, not a beat down but certainly all the action was going one way with Naidjala back pedaling and forced to cover up.
With Tomoki having established a clear lead going in to the championships rounds he appeared to turn off. Maybe he was tired from the work he had put in, maybe it was something mental but he suddenly stopped firing as he had done earlier on. This saw Naidjala coming back at him and seemingly taking 2 or 3 of the later rounds.
Those rounds for Naidjala were never going to be enough though and rightfully Kameda retained his title with a clear unanimous decision.
Kameda, defending the belt he won earlier this year in the Philippines, was fighting the previously unbeaten Immanuel Naidjala (17-1-1, 11). Like Paulus Ambunda, who Tomoki defeated for the belt, Naidjala was a tough and proud Namibian, though also like Ambunda he lacked the skills needed to really test Tomoki.
The fight started excellently for the defending champion who quickly established a lead with his busier and crisper work. Naidjala, after 3 rounds was being backed up, and tagged to the body time and time again. It seemed that Tomoki had a game plan based on breaking up body of Naidjala with the left hook which he whipped time and time again to the midsection.
By the start of round 6 it appeared that Naidjala was crumbling. The body shots kept coming, Tomoki kept marching forward and and the challenger appeared to have nothing to offer in terms of return fire. It was genuinely one way traffic, not a beat down but certainly all the action was going one way with Naidjala back pedaling and forced to cover up.
With Tomoki having established a clear lead going in to the championships rounds he appeared to turn off. Maybe he was tired from the work he had put in, maybe it was something mental but he suddenly stopped firing as he had done earlier on. This saw Naidjala coming back at him and seemingly taking 2 or 3 of the later rounds.
Those rounds for Naidjala were never going to be enough though and rightfully Kameda retained his title with a clear unanimous decision.
Tuesday, 19 November 2013
Koki Kameda v Jung-Oh Son
Not many fighters win a lot of split decisions though there is a Japanese fighter who appears to win more than his share, and certainly more than his share of questionable ones. Koki Kameda (32-1, 17), defending his WBA Bantamweight title, got his 4th split decision win earlier today in a bout that is being talked about as one of the worst decisions of the year.
Kameda, who traveled outside of Japan for the first time in over 5 years was expected to deal easily with Korea's very own Jung-Oh Son (20-5-2, 6). Instead however Kameda was given a lesson in over-looking an opponent and was very, very lucky to escape with his title in arguably the most controversial contest of his career.
The Kameda controversy dates back to when Kameda first won a world title way back in 2006 when he took a split decision over Venezuela's Juan Jose Landaeta. That decision at the time was declared a fix by many in Japan. Since then Koki has been seen telling younger brother Daiki Kameda to foul against Daisuke Naito, and had claimed controversial decisions over Hugo Ruiz, David De La Mora (although a unanimous decision it was controversial) and Panomroonglek Kaiyanghadaogym. He has now added the decision over Son.
Early in the bout Kameda looked like he was on course for a routine defense. He took a number of the early rounds and looked relaxed in front the Korean challenger. By the end of the fourth round however things had started to change with Son beginning to establish himself in the bout. Unfortunately for Koki the more Son was able to establish himself the tougher things got, and in round 10 Son scored a knockdown as Koki took a knee.
By the end of round 11 many felt Koki would need a knockdown of his own just to retain his title with a draw. Whilst he certainly won the final round, there was no knockdown.
Some how, despite being dropped, stunned and generally on the receiving end of the better shots Koki retained hit title with scores of 114.5-114 and 115-112 in his favour whilst just a sole judge agreed with the view of many scoring it 115.5-113 for Son who really should have been the new champion. The Korean was inspired and very, very harshly robbed in his own country.
Kameda, who traveled outside of Japan for the first time in over 5 years was expected to deal easily with Korea's very own Jung-Oh Son (20-5-2, 6). Instead however Kameda was given a lesson in over-looking an opponent and was very, very lucky to escape with his title in arguably the most controversial contest of his career.
The Kameda controversy dates back to when Kameda first won a world title way back in 2006 when he took a split decision over Venezuela's Juan Jose Landaeta. That decision at the time was declared a fix by many in Japan. Since then Koki has been seen telling younger brother Daiki Kameda to foul against Daisuke Naito, and had claimed controversial decisions over Hugo Ruiz, David De La Mora (although a unanimous decision it was controversial) and Panomroonglek Kaiyanghadaogym. He has now added the decision over Son.
Early in the bout Kameda looked like he was on course for a routine defense. He took a number of the early rounds and looked relaxed in front the Korean challenger. By the end of the fourth round however things had started to change with Son beginning to establish himself in the bout. Unfortunately for Koki the more Son was able to establish himself the tougher things got, and in round 10 Son scored a knockdown as Koki took a knee.
By the end of round 11 many felt Koki would need a knockdown of his own just to retain his title with a draw. Whilst he certainly won the final round, there was no knockdown.
Some how, despite being dropped, stunned and generally on the receiving end of the better shots Koki retained hit title with scores of 114.5-114 and 115-112 in his favour whilst just a sole judge agreed with the view of many scoring it 115.5-113 for Son who really should have been the new champion. The Korean was inspired and very, very harshly robbed in his own country.
Sunday, 10 November 2013
Shinsuke Yamanaka v Alberto Guevara
Right now the Bantamweight division is all but dominated by Japanese fighters. Three of them hold world titles and several of them are highly ranked challengers. Of them all however it's hard to argue with Shinsuke Yamanaka (20-0-2, 15), the WBC champion, being the best. Not Just the best of the Japanese Bantamweights but of Bantamweights worldwide.
Earlier today Yamanaka showed why he is so highly regarded as he became the first man to stop Alberto Guevara (18-2, 6) in what turned out to be a highly impressive result.
Despite taking the victory in the end Yamanaka didn't look like the divisional kingpin early in the fight. In fact for the first 4 rounds it was Guevara who looked like the special fighter using his movement and speed to almost confuse Yamanaka at times. Unfortunately for Guevara his work wasn't really rewarded by the judges who had him behind after the first 4 rounds, rather harshly.
Following the slow start by the Japanese fighter things started to turn around with Yamanaka claiming his first round in the fifth. From then on the bout swung from being competitive to being one sided as Yamanaka started to land his potent left hand.
In round 8 Guevara was forced to feel the power of Yamanaka in a bad way as he was dropped twice. By then Guevara's elusiveness had left him and he was becoming little more than a sitting duck for the power of the champion. Fortunately for the challenger he wasn't forced to take too much more as a knockdown in round 9 saw Guevara taking the 10 count.
Earlier today Yamanaka showed why he is so highly regarded as he became the first man to stop Alberto Guevara (18-2, 6) in what turned out to be a highly impressive result.
Despite taking the victory in the end Yamanaka didn't look like the divisional kingpin early in the fight. In fact for the first 4 rounds it was Guevara who looked like the special fighter using his movement and speed to almost confuse Yamanaka at times. Unfortunately for Guevara his work wasn't really rewarded by the judges who had him behind after the first 4 rounds, rather harshly.
Following the slow start by the Japanese fighter things started to turn around with Yamanaka claiming his first round in the fifth. From then on the bout swung from being competitive to being one sided as Yamanaka started to land his potent left hand.
In round 8 Guevara was forced to feel the power of Yamanaka in a bad way as he was dropped twice. By then Guevara's elusiveness had left him and he was becoming little more than a sitting duck for the power of the champion. Fortunately for the challenger he wasn't forced to take too much more as a knockdown in round 9 saw Guevara taking the 10 count.
Monday, 12 August 2013
Shinsuke Yamanaka v Jose Nieves
WBC Bantamweight champion Shinsuke Yamanaka (19-0-2, 14) was in a destructive mood earlier today as he made a statement.
Matched against the Puerto Rican Jose Nieves (22-3-3, 11), Yamanaka seemed to know he was in easy and went straight on to the offensive hurting Nieves pretty much the first time he landed. Rather than easing off on his over-matched opponent Yamanaka looked for a chance to land his explosive left hand and it wasn't long until he found that opportunity.
After throwing a feint to the body Yamanaka saw the opportunity for a left up top and connected with Nieves crumbling soon afterwards.
It looks unlikely that Yamanaka will ever have an easier title defense than this though unfortunately he probably made too much of a statement and has certainly made both Koki and Tomoki Kameda think twice about agreeing to a fight with him.
Matched against the Puerto Rican Jose Nieves (22-3-3, 11), Yamanaka seemed to know he was in easy and went straight on to the offensive hurting Nieves pretty much the first time he landed. Rather than easing off on his over-matched opponent Yamanaka looked for a chance to land his explosive left hand and it wasn't long until he found that opportunity.
After throwing a feint to the body Yamanaka saw the opportunity for a left up top and connected with Nieves crumbling soon afterwards.
It looks unlikely that Yamanaka will ever have an easier title defense than this though unfortunately he probably made too much of a statement and has certainly made both Koki and Tomoki Kameda think twice about agreeing to a fight with him.
Saturday, 10 August 2013
Anselmo Moreno v William Urina
The slippery Anselmo Moreno (34-2-1, 12), the man at Bantamweight, returned to the ring for the first time since losing to Abner Mares last year, at Super Bantamweight, and successfully defended his WBA "super" title with a clear decision over Colombian challenger William Urina (24-3, 20).
Moreno, known as "Chemito", was forced into an unfamiliar in the opening round, that of the attack as Urina tried to play counter puncher against one of the best in the sport. Unfortunately for Urina he was simply unable to counter the beautiful jab of Moreno which was connecting time and time again.
After 2 rounds of trying to counter Urina had to turn to plan and let his shots go first. He already 2 rounds in the hole and he had kept trying to fight as the counter puncher he'd have been shut out 120-108 without really putting up much of a fight. Unfortunately for Urina Plan B was no more effective than Plan A and almost every time he let his hands go he was forced to take 2 or 3 sharp counters in return.
The more Urina fell behind on the score cards the harder he tried to push the action and the more he was countered by Moreno who during several of the middle rounds was having a field day with a fighter who almost looked made to order. In fact for several rounds this looked like little more than a sparring session for Moreno who was so much better than Urina that he was hardly breaking a sweat to thoroughly out box a game but limited challenger.
By the end of round 7 Urina's head had started to drop. He, like many other Moreno opponents, was beginning to ask himself how he could land a clean blow on Moreno. It was like watching a man try to fight his shadow with the shadow punching back in beautiful clusters.
By round 10 it was clear Moreno was having fun, he was starting to almost neglect his excellent jab instead choosing to flurry to the body of Urina, his hands were dropping and whilst not being out-and-out disrespectful it was obvious he was doing whatever he wanted. It was hard to believe that this was a fighter who had been out of the ring since last November yet he was just looking so crisp and so smooth every round.
In the championship rounds it was clear that Urina would need a miracle. He was going to have to stop Moreno if he was going to win though of course it's rather hard to stop someone you can hardly catch clean and it proved to be beyond Urina's capabilities. Although he tried his hardest in the final round, possibly the only one he won, he was unable to ever come close to hurting Moreno never mind stopping him.
Moreno, known as "Chemito", was forced into an unfamiliar in the opening round, that of the attack as Urina tried to play counter puncher against one of the best in the sport. Unfortunately for Urina he was simply unable to counter the beautiful jab of Moreno which was connecting time and time again.
After 2 rounds of trying to counter Urina had to turn to plan and let his shots go first. He already 2 rounds in the hole and he had kept trying to fight as the counter puncher he'd have been shut out 120-108 without really putting up much of a fight. Unfortunately for Urina Plan B was no more effective than Plan A and almost every time he let his hands go he was forced to take 2 or 3 sharp counters in return.
The more Urina fell behind on the score cards the harder he tried to push the action and the more he was countered by Moreno who during several of the middle rounds was having a field day with a fighter who almost looked made to order. In fact for several rounds this looked like little more than a sparring session for Moreno who was so much better than Urina that he was hardly breaking a sweat to thoroughly out box a game but limited challenger.
By the end of round 7 Urina's head had started to drop. He, like many other Moreno opponents, was beginning to ask himself how he could land a clean blow on Moreno. It was like watching a man try to fight his shadow with the shadow punching back in beautiful clusters.
By round 10 it was clear Moreno was having fun, he was starting to almost neglect his excellent jab instead choosing to flurry to the body of Urina, his hands were dropping and whilst not being out-and-out disrespectful it was obvious he was doing whatever he wanted. It was hard to believe that this was a fighter who had been out of the ring since last November yet he was just looking so crisp and so smooth every round.
In the championship rounds it was clear that Urina would need a miracle. He was going to have to stop Moreno if he was going to win though of course it's rather hard to stop someone you can hardly catch clean and it proved to be beyond Urina's capabilities. Although he tried his hardest in the final round, possibly the only one he won, he was unable to ever come close to hurting Moreno never mind stopping him.
Thursday, 1 August 2013
Paulus Ambunda v Tomoki Kameda
In a memorable day for Japanese boxing fans Tomoki Kameda (28-0, 17) became the countries first ever WBO world champion.
Kameda, facing fellow unbeaten Paulus Ambunda (now 20-1, 10) of Namibia knew the pressure was on him to join brothers Daiki and Koki as a world champion and that's exactly what he did in a very professional fashion.
Ambuda, fighting outside of Namibia for the first time in his career, started the fight well applying constant pressure on the young Japanese fighter. Although forced on to the back foot from the off Kameda boxed well and took the first 2 or 3 rounds to figure out what Ambunda had in the locker.
Rather disappointingly Ambunda didn't seem to have much in the locker, especially in terms of plan B and as soon as Kameda figured out what Ambunda had to offer the bout started to go from competitive to relatively one sided as Kameda used his exceptional foot work to out outmaneuver Ambunda. With Ambunda following Kameda around the ring it was giving the Japanese fighter a lot of chances to counter and that's what he did at will with his sharp left hook and accurate jab that appeared unable to miss.
Although Ambunda had been able to do enough the first half of the bout to make things interesting he was thoroughly out classed in the second half of the bout as Kameda went through the gears and started landing more and more counters. By the 9th round Kameda had totally taken over the bout and was starting to turn on the style as he took full advantage of Ambunda not having a plan B.
With the challenger growing round after round he clearly took the 10th as Ambunda went from looking 1 dimensional to looking somewhat lost against a quicker, more skilled fighter fighter. It was clear by the end of the round that Kameda had taken an unassailable lead and Ambunda was going to have to force a stoppage if he was to retain his title.
Unfortunately for the Namibian he was unable to force an assault that ever troubled Kameda who cruised the final round and took a clear decision over the former champion.
This victory saw Tomoki Kameda joining brother Koki Kameda and Shinsuke Yamanaka as Japan take 3 of the 4 major alphabet belts in the 118lb division, the first time in history that this has happened.
Kameda, facing fellow unbeaten Paulus Ambunda (now 20-1, 10) of Namibia knew the pressure was on him to join brothers Daiki and Koki as a world champion and that's exactly what he did in a very professional fashion.
Ambuda, fighting outside of Namibia for the first time in his career, started the fight well applying constant pressure on the young Japanese fighter. Although forced on to the back foot from the off Kameda boxed well and took the first 2 or 3 rounds to figure out what Ambunda had in the locker.
Rather disappointingly Ambunda didn't seem to have much in the locker, especially in terms of plan B and as soon as Kameda figured out what Ambunda had to offer the bout started to go from competitive to relatively one sided as Kameda used his exceptional foot work to out outmaneuver Ambunda. With Ambunda following Kameda around the ring it was giving the Japanese fighter a lot of chances to counter and that's what he did at will with his sharp left hook and accurate jab that appeared unable to miss.
Although Ambunda had been able to do enough the first half of the bout to make things interesting he was thoroughly out classed in the second half of the bout as Kameda went through the gears and started landing more and more counters. By the 9th round Kameda had totally taken over the bout and was starting to turn on the style as he took full advantage of Ambunda not having a plan B.
With the challenger growing round after round he clearly took the 10th as Ambunda went from looking 1 dimensional to looking somewhat lost against a quicker, more skilled fighter fighter. It was clear by the end of the round that Kameda had taken an unassailable lead and Ambunda was going to have to force a stoppage if he was to retain his title.
Unfortunately for the Namibian he was unable to force an assault that ever troubled Kameda who cruised the final round and took a clear decision over the former champion.
This victory saw Tomoki Kameda joining brother Koki Kameda and Shinsuke Yamanaka as Japan take 3 of the 4 major alphabet belts in the 118lb division, the first time in history that this has happened.
Tuesday, 23 July 2013
Koki Kameda v John Mark Apolinario
WBA Bantamweight champion Koki Kameda (31-1, 17) successfully retained his world title with a very straight forward victory over the game but completely outclassed Filipino challenger John Mark Apolinario (17-3-3, 4).
It was obvious from the opening round that this was an opponent Koki felt confident against, there was no worry about Apolinario being able to hurt him and as a result Koki came forward, stalking his whilst trying to slowly grind down the challenger with his powerful straight left.
Whilst Koki wasn't really able to hurt his challenger early on it was clearly he felt like he was in total control and on the few occasions where Apolinario came forward as the aggressor his shots were taken on the guard as Koki took a step back and composed himself. It was calculating stuff from the champion who stalking with pressure and slowly but surely grinding down the challenger.
Through the middle rounds Koki started to have real success with his southpaw left which scarcely seemed to miss as he went through the gears. He was still fighting well within himself but was starting to get Apolinario who's own assaults were becoming ever rarer.
Going in to the championship rounds it was less a question of who was going to win, it was clearly Koki, but more a question as to whether or not Apolinario was going to be able to see the distance, was Koki going to hunt a finish or was he going to be happy with a lopsided decision.
In round 10 it appeared as though the stoppage was likely to come as Koki dropped the challenger with a counter right hook but the challenger showed off his toughness as he recovered immediately to his feet and almost charged over to Koki. Unfortunately whilst Apolinario was willing to run across the ring he was unwilling to let his hands go too much and did little more than actually survive.
Although the challenger saw out round 10 he was fortunate to see out round 12 as he was again dropped after Koki really went for the stoppage. It seemed as if Koki had decided to try and give the crowd what they wanted though he had tried too late and was forced instead to take a very wide decision.
It was obvious from the opening round that this was an opponent Koki felt confident against, there was no worry about Apolinario being able to hurt him and as a result Koki came forward, stalking his whilst trying to slowly grind down the challenger with his powerful straight left.
Whilst Koki wasn't really able to hurt his challenger early on it was clearly he felt like he was in total control and on the few occasions where Apolinario came forward as the aggressor his shots were taken on the guard as Koki took a step back and composed himself. It was calculating stuff from the champion who stalking with pressure and slowly but surely grinding down the challenger.
Through the middle rounds Koki started to have real success with his southpaw left which scarcely seemed to miss as he went through the gears. He was still fighting well within himself but was starting to get Apolinario who's own assaults were becoming ever rarer.
Going in to the championship rounds it was less a question of who was going to win, it was clearly Koki, but more a question as to whether or not Apolinario was going to be able to see the distance, was Koki going to hunt a finish or was he going to be happy with a lopsided decision.
In round 10 it appeared as though the stoppage was likely to come as Koki dropped the challenger with a counter right hook but the challenger showed off his toughness as he recovered immediately to his feet and almost charged over to Koki. Unfortunately whilst Apolinario was willing to run across the ring he was unwilling to let his hands go too much and did little more than actually survive.
Although the challenger saw out round 10 he was fortunate to see out round 12 as he was again dropped after Koki really went for the stoppage. It seemed as if Koki had decided to try and give the crowd what they wanted though he had tried too late and was forced instead to take a very wide decision.
Sunday, 7 April 2013
Koki Kameda v Panomroonglek Kaiyanghadaogym
Christmas comes but once a year, unless it seems your name is Koki Kameda (30-1, 17) who for the third time in 5 bouts appeared to be given a gift decision in order to retain his WBA Bantamweight title. Kameda's split decision victory over little known Thai Panomroonglek Kaiyanghadaogym (36-2, 19) was just the latest in a line of controversial moments for the 3-weight world champion from Japan.
For those who have been following the career of Kameda over the years you'll know perfectly well about his first gift decision back in 2006 over Juan Jose Landaeta, a decision that saw the then unbeaten Kameda claim the WBA Light Flyweight title. Since then Kameda has claimed world titles at both Flyweight and Bantamweight though his Bantamweight reign has been highly controversial.
In his second defense of his WBA Bantamweight title Kameda was given a highly controversial decision over the then unbeaten Mexican David De La Mora in a bout many felt De La Mora did more than enough to claim the title in. Just 3 fights later De La Mora's country man Hugo Ruiz was given the proverbial shafting by the judges in a bout that was difficult to even view as close.
Against Kaiyanghadaogym it was expected that Kameda would have an easier nights work to defend his title, that thought however didn't last long as as the unheralded Thai gave him a real battle and a half over a very hard fought 12 round contest.
Despite the fact Kaiyanghadaogym was the smaller man naturally (coming up from Super Flyweight) the Thai wasn't effected by Kameda's power and in typical Thai fighting style refused to be intimidated by the large crowd at the Bodymaker Colosseum in Kameda's homeland of Japan. This saw Kameda forced to fight back hard.
With both men gunning for the victory it was a hard fight though one that Kaiyanhadaogym should feel he did enough to claim victory in. Sadly however Kameda again retained his title with a huge question mark hanging over his head.
The 26 year old Kameda may well be a 3-weight world champion though this current reign is one that appears to be highly questionable. It's only a matter of time before the boxing world shrugs their shoulders with Kameda who will likely get a similar reputation to the likes of Sven Ottke or Felix Sturm as holding a title hostage with helpful judging.
For those who have been following the career of Kameda over the years you'll know perfectly well about his first gift decision back in 2006 over Juan Jose Landaeta, a decision that saw the then unbeaten Kameda claim the WBA Light Flyweight title. Since then Kameda has claimed world titles at both Flyweight and Bantamweight though his Bantamweight reign has been highly controversial.
In his second defense of his WBA Bantamweight title Kameda was given a highly controversial decision over the then unbeaten Mexican David De La Mora in a bout many felt De La Mora did more than enough to claim the title in. Just 3 fights later De La Mora's country man Hugo Ruiz was given the proverbial shafting by the judges in a bout that was difficult to even view as close.
Against Kaiyanghadaogym it was expected that Kameda would have an easier nights work to defend his title, that thought however didn't last long as as the unheralded Thai gave him a real battle and a half over a very hard fought 12 round contest.
Despite the fact Kaiyanghadaogym was the smaller man naturally (coming up from Super Flyweight) the Thai wasn't effected by Kameda's power and in typical Thai fighting style refused to be intimidated by the large crowd at the Bodymaker Colosseum in Kameda's homeland of Japan. This saw Kameda forced to fight back hard.
With both men gunning for the victory it was a hard fight though one that Kaiyanhadaogym should feel he did enough to claim victory in. Sadly however Kameda again retained his title with a huge question mark hanging over his head.
The 26 year old Kameda may well be a 3-weight world champion though this current reign is one that appears to be highly questionable. It's only a matter of time before the boxing world shrugs their shoulders with Kameda who will likely get a similar reputation to the likes of Sven Ottke or Felix Sturm as holding a title hostage with helpful judging.
Saturday, 2 March 2013
Pungluang Sor Singyu v Paulus Ambunda
In arguably the fight of the weekend Thai Pungluang Sor Singyu (43-2, 28) was dethroned by unbeaten Namibian Paulus Ambunda (20-0, 10) in a fantastic 12 round bout that again showed the problem with the boxing media as a whole. Not only was the fight only shown to a few hundred people but the wider boxing public through out Europe and America were unable to see the fight live.
The fight, a war almost from the opening bell saw both men trying to prove themselves against a genuinely formidable adversary. It seemed like any time either fighter landed their own bomb they were only seconds away from taking one in return as both fighters fought 12 very competitive rounds that neither fighter really gained the upper hand in for long.
The bout, cheered on by all those in the attendance was genuinely something special and with both the teak tough Thai Sor Singyu and the unbeaten Namibian. Whilst Ambunda seemed to clearly claim the 2nd, he seemed to be clearly the loser in the 5th as both men seemed to take it in terms to win rounds clearly with competitive rounds to each man inter-spacing the clearer rounds.
Sadly for the champion, fighting on foreign for just the third time, he was to lose a close and narrow decision, the second time he has done so, aw Ambunda just got the nod on the cards in front of his rapturous fans who had bee cheering every time he had landed. Hopefully a rematch is contested as Sor Singyu is never in a poor fight, though I tend to think that Ambunda will be lured out of Namibia by the highest bidder for the WBO title. He's decent but was lucky he was at home here as he'd had lost the decision outside of his home land and he'll likely know he needs to cash in.
For Sor Singyu he has a real problem, he's a nightmare for anyone at 118 and, I don't know if he'll get another title chance. He's tough as old boots and not going to give anyone an easy night. A shame that such a talented fighter will end up all but forgotten by the boxing world.
The fight, a war almost from the opening bell saw both men trying to prove themselves against a genuinely formidable adversary. It seemed like any time either fighter landed their own bomb they were only seconds away from taking one in return as both fighters fought 12 very competitive rounds that neither fighter really gained the upper hand in for long.
The bout, cheered on by all those in the attendance was genuinely something special and with both the teak tough Thai Sor Singyu and the unbeaten Namibian. Whilst Ambunda seemed to clearly claim the 2nd, he seemed to be clearly the loser in the 5th as both men seemed to take it in terms to win rounds clearly with competitive rounds to each man inter-spacing the clearer rounds.
Sadly for the champion, fighting on foreign for just the third time, he was to lose a close and narrow decision, the second time he has done so, aw Ambunda just got the nod on the cards in front of his rapturous fans who had bee cheering every time he had landed. Hopefully a rematch is contested as Sor Singyu is never in a poor fight, though I tend to think that Ambunda will be lured out of Namibia by the highest bidder for the WBO title. He's decent but was lucky he was at home here as he'd had lost the decision outside of his home land and he'll likely know he needs to cash in.
For Sor Singyu he has a real problem, he's a nightmare for anyone at 118 and, I don't know if he'll get another title chance. He's tough as old boots and not going to give anyone an easy night. A shame that such a talented fighter will end up all but forgotten by the boxing world.
Saturday, 15 December 2012
Leo Santa Cruz v Alberto Guervara
Just 35 days after defeating Victor Zaleta, IBF Bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz (23-0-1, 13) scored his fifth win of the year and made the third defense of his title as he beat the previously unbeaten and thoroughly game Alberto Guervara (16-1, 6) who became just the 2nd man in the last 13 fights to see the final bell against Santa Cruz.
The bout started amazingly well for Guevara who used excellent hand speed and movement to out box Santa Cruz at range, stopping the champion from getting close where he likes to work. This saw Guevara clearly winning the opening 2 rounds and arguably claiming the first 4 as he made Santa Cruz look almost slow and clumsy.
Thankfully for the champion Guevara started to slow, especially in the middle rounds as the champion made his charge and started to achieve more and more success against the light hitting challenger. As Santa Cruz started to get closer he started to rattle off hard, hurtful shots to Guevara's body further slowing the challenger's feet. This paid off in the later rounds as Guevara's work rate dropped and his excellent boxing early in the bout turned into little more than running.
Although the bout was fairly level going into the championship rounds it was obvious that Santa Cruz was still in the ascendancy and it showed as he rocked Guevara time and time again in the later rounds really checking the heart of the challenger who continued to prove he was game, but ultimately out gunned.
Whilst this is likely Santa Cruz's last fight at Bantamweight it's fair to say that Guevara could come again and he genuinely could claim a world title down the line. Many, myself included, expected this to be a bowl over job though Guevara was genuinely impressive and will certainly come again.
The bout started amazingly well for Guevara who used excellent hand speed and movement to out box Santa Cruz at range, stopping the champion from getting close where he likes to work. This saw Guevara clearly winning the opening 2 rounds and arguably claiming the first 4 as he made Santa Cruz look almost slow and clumsy.
Thankfully for the champion Guevara started to slow, especially in the middle rounds as the champion made his charge and started to achieve more and more success against the light hitting challenger. As Santa Cruz started to get closer he started to rattle off hard, hurtful shots to Guevara's body further slowing the challenger's feet. This paid off in the later rounds as Guevara's work rate dropped and his excellent boxing early in the bout turned into little more than running.
Although the bout was fairly level going into the championship rounds it was obvious that Santa Cruz was still in the ascendancy and it showed as he rocked Guevara time and time again in the later rounds really checking the heart of the challenger who continued to prove he was game, but ultimately out gunned.
Whilst this is likely Santa Cruz's last fight at Bantamweight it's fair to say that Guevara could come again and he genuinely could claim a world title down the line. Many, myself included, expected this to be a bowl over job though Guevara was genuinely impressive and will certainly come again.
Tuesday, 4 December 2012
Koki Kameda v Hugo Ruiz
Koki's Kristmas Kame(da) Early
Christmas came early for WBA Bantamweight champion Koki Kameda (29-1, 17) who got given a gift wrapped present from the judges as he claimed a split decision victory over hard punching Mexican Hugo Ruiz (31-2, 28). A fight that some feel may well go down as one of, if not the, robbery of the year.Ruiz came out knowing he needed to make an early impression and that's exactly what he did using his reach and power to keep Kameda at a safe distance whilst seeming to bag the opening 5 rounds with little real effort. Kameda, giving away noticeable size and reach simply couldn't get at Ruiz in the early part of the fight as Mexican showed his world class ability.
It wasn't until round 6 that you could make a case for Kameda to have even won a round as he started to get close to the Mexican. Sadly despite winning the round Kameda did himself no favours as he landed a clear blow well after the bell as he proved to class one would expect from such a distinguished fighter.
Kameda was made to pay for his cheap shot as Ruiz came out fired up for round 7, a round that he clearly won, much like he had won the opening 5. It was hard to score it any other way than 69-64 through the first 7 rounds in favour of Ruiz, the rounds were easy to score at this point and it should have left Kameda needing at least a knockdown at some point to claim a victory, something he failed to get.
Although Kameda failed to drop Ruiz, he did start to get more and more success as Ruiz's work rate began to drop however the championship rounds saw both men really fighting on even terms, the only rounds in the bout which were really up for debate.
Th first scorecard, 117-113 for Ruiz seemed about spot on, though the other two scorecards, 116-113 and 115-113 in favour of Kameda were simply disgraceful. At very best Kameda deserved a draw (and that's giving him everything you possibly could), though in all honesty he really should have suffered his second defeat and by very clear scores.
I'd advise all fighters to avoid facing Kameda on this showing. It's not the first time he's had a controversial decision go his way with his 2008 victory over Juan Jose Landaeta loudly criticised and likewise his victory last year over David De La Mora. For Ruiz however it was proof that he deserved to be mentioned amongst the top fighters at 118lbs.
Saturday, 10 November 2012
Leo Santa Cruz v Victor Zaleta
IBF Bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz (22-0-1, 13) successfully retained his title as he defeated the over-matched and under-sized Victor Zaleta (20-3-1, 10) in a thoroughly exciting all action war.
The opening round set the tale of what was to come as both men went at each other from the bell. It was tit for tat action as Santa Cruz pressed forward relentlessly with Zaleta trying to fight him off with his own shots. It was a great start to the fight and it quickly got better as the two men continued to pound on each other in rounds 2 an 3 which were both competitive even if it was a shut out for Santa Cruz.
In round 4 the power of Santa Cruz started to show and he swiftly started to force Zaleta to unravel with the challenger looking very messy early in the round. Santa Cruz continued to unleash and whilst Zaleta was bravely fighting back it was the power of Santa Cruz's body shots that took their toll as he dropped Zaleta with a nasty body blow. Zaleta bravely got up however it seemed as if the shot really took it's toll on him.
Despite surviving rounds 5 and 6 well it seemed only a matter of time before Zaleta would be stopped. He was courageous in fighting back though he was simple lacking the power to get Santa Cruz's attention as the champion proceeded to walk him down and crack him with hurtful shots to both the head and body.
After being competitive in rounds 5 and 6 Santa Cruz scored another knockdown with a vicious body shot that felled Zaleta in round 7. It seemed as if Zaleta was ready to be stopped though he again proved he was a warrior as he came out for round 8, though sadly for Zaleta round 8 was probably the most one sided round as Santa Cruz really wailed away on Zaleta who proved to have a great chin.
The onslaught from round 8 continued into the following round though sadly for Zaleta, Santa Cruz simply wouldn't stop and a straight right finally put Zaleta down with the referee waving the bout off with Zaleta unable to get up.
We now expect Santa Cruz to move up to Super Bantamweight where he will genuinely be a nightmare for anyone. For Victor Zaleta however it's likely to the hospital for him as he really took a bit of a beating, hopefully however Zaleta will get another chance against a less fighter somewhere down the line.
The opening round set the tale of what was to come as both men went at each other from the bell. It was tit for tat action as Santa Cruz pressed forward relentlessly with Zaleta trying to fight him off with his own shots. It was a great start to the fight and it quickly got better as the two men continued to pound on each other in rounds 2 an 3 which were both competitive even if it was a shut out for Santa Cruz.
In round 4 the power of Santa Cruz started to show and he swiftly started to force Zaleta to unravel with the challenger looking very messy early in the round. Santa Cruz continued to unleash and whilst Zaleta was bravely fighting back it was the power of Santa Cruz's body shots that took their toll as he dropped Zaleta with a nasty body blow. Zaleta bravely got up however it seemed as if the shot really took it's toll on him.
Despite surviving rounds 5 and 6 well it seemed only a matter of time before Zaleta would be stopped. He was courageous in fighting back though he was simple lacking the power to get Santa Cruz's attention as the champion proceeded to walk him down and crack him with hurtful shots to both the head and body.
After being competitive in rounds 5 and 6 Santa Cruz scored another knockdown with a vicious body shot that felled Zaleta in round 7. It seemed as if Zaleta was ready to be stopped though he again proved he was a warrior as he came out for round 8, though sadly for Zaleta round 8 was probably the most one sided round as Santa Cruz really wailed away on Zaleta who proved to have a great chin.
The onslaught from round 8 continued into the following round though sadly for Zaleta, Santa Cruz simply wouldn't stop and a straight right finally put Zaleta down with the referee waving the bout off with Zaleta unable to get up.
We now expect Santa Cruz to move up to Super Bantamweight where he will genuinely be a nightmare for anyone. For Victor Zaleta however it's likely to the hospital for him as he really took a bit of a beating, hopefully however Zaleta will get another chance against a less fighter somewhere down the line.
Saturday, 3 November 2012
Shinsuke Yamanaka v Tomas Rojas
WBC Bantamweight champion Shinsuke Yamanaka (17-0-2, 12) made the second successful defense of his title earlier today surprisingly stopping the generally durable Mexican veteran Tomas Rojas (39-14-1-1, 26).
The champion had established control of the bout early on using his power and skill to neutralise Rojas' reach advantage, however Rojas was certainly still game going in to the second half of the fight. Sadly for Rojas however Yamanaka hits hard and hits quite often as Rojas found out prior to being dropped, face first for the count in round 7 in one of the genuine knockout of the year contenders.
For the 32 year old Rojas this could well be the end of the line after a long 16 year career which has seen him facing genuinely a who's who of top tier boxers ranging from Rosendo Alvarez to Vic Darchinyan. Amazingly this is just the third time Rojas has been stopped with Yamanaka joining Vic Darchinyan and Jorge Arce and this was arguably the most vicious of the three.
With Rojas' career now in tatters it's fair to suggest that Yamanaka will rightfully be claiming the plaudits. This is a bought I genuinely expected to go the distance but Yamanaka's power wouldn't allow that to happen. I'd now like to see the 30 year old Japanese fighter in with one more top Bantamweight, be it domestic rival Koki Kameda (who faces Hugo Ruiz later this year) or exciting Thai Pungluang Sor Singyu (the current WBO champion) before perhaps looking to move up. Yamanaka is in a division that was red hot just a year or two ago however it's now somewhat weaker and aside from Anselmo Moreno (who may well end up staying at Super Bantamweight if he defeats Abner Mares) there is no one I'd expect to really give the Japanese fighter a real fight.
The champion had established control of the bout early on using his power and skill to neutralise Rojas' reach advantage, however Rojas was certainly still game going in to the second half of the fight. Sadly for Rojas however Yamanaka hits hard and hits quite often as Rojas found out prior to being dropped, face first for the count in round 7 in one of the genuine knockout of the year contenders.
For the 32 year old Rojas this could well be the end of the line after a long 16 year career which has seen him facing genuinely a who's who of top tier boxers ranging from Rosendo Alvarez to Vic Darchinyan. Amazingly this is just the third time Rojas has been stopped with Yamanaka joining Vic Darchinyan and Jorge Arce and this was arguably the most vicious of the three.
With Rojas' career now in tatters it's fair to suggest that Yamanaka will rightfully be claiming the plaudits. This is a bought I genuinely expected to go the distance but Yamanaka's power wouldn't allow that to happen. I'd now like to see the 30 year old Japanese fighter in with one more top Bantamweight, be it domestic rival Koki Kameda (who faces Hugo Ruiz later this year) or exciting Thai Pungluang Sor Singyu (the current WBO champion) before perhaps looking to move up. Yamanaka is in a division that was red hot just a year or two ago however it's now somewhat weaker and aside from Anselmo Moreno (who may well end up staying at Super Bantamweight if he defeats Abner Mares) there is no one I'd expect to really give the Japanese fighter a real fight.
Monday, 22 October 2012
Pungluang Sor Singyu v AJ Banal
In one of this past weekends "forgotten" fights, Thai Pungluang Sor Singyu (43-1, 28) claimed the WBO Bantamweight title by traveling to the Philippines and stopping the highly touted Filipino AJ Banal (28-2-1, 20) in 9 rounds.
The bout started well for Banal who appeared to be the sharper, quicker boxer and it was he who certainly took a number of the early rounds as Singyu was made to look like a pretty average plodder.
Despite the great start for Banal, Singyu started to work his way into the bout and by round 5 was visibly getting to the Filipino who was seemed to be slowing just as Singyu was finding his own rhythm. By round 6 Banal was showing the damage of war as an accidental clash of heads opened a nasty cut above his right eye and it was also the same round that saw Banal deducted a point for a low blow.
The tough looking Thai seemed to grow in confidence from the blood on Banal's face and started to really chip away at Banal's resolve before dropping him twice in the ninth round and bloodying his face further before referee Tony Weeks stopped the contest. Although Banal was on his feet when he was stopped, he was a broken man and a badly beaten fighter who had been gradually beaten to a stand still.
After the fight Banal apparently mentioned that he's considering retirement from the sport, a real shame as the 23 year old still has a lot to give the sport and is still a talented fighter who will almost certainly be able to come again. For Singyu however this should be a launch pad for him to be able to really make a name for himself. He's rebuilt his career well since suffering his lone defeat to the talented Belgian Stephane Jamoye (by split decision back in 2009).
With a number of top tier Bantamweight's based in the east, it's difficult to imagine Singyu not facing someone like compatriot Suriyan Sor Rungvisai or even Filipino Rolly Matsushita.
The bout started well for Banal who appeared to be the sharper, quicker boxer and it was he who certainly took a number of the early rounds as Singyu was made to look like a pretty average plodder.
Despite the great start for Banal, Singyu started to work his way into the bout and by round 5 was visibly getting to the Filipino who was seemed to be slowing just as Singyu was finding his own rhythm. By round 6 Banal was showing the damage of war as an accidental clash of heads opened a nasty cut above his right eye and it was also the same round that saw Banal deducted a point for a low blow.
The tough looking Thai seemed to grow in confidence from the blood on Banal's face and started to really chip away at Banal's resolve before dropping him twice in the ninth round and bloodying his face further before referee Tony Weeks stopped the contest. Although Banal was on his feet when he was stopped, he was a broken man and a badly beaten fighter who had been gradually beaten to a stand still.
After the fight Banal apparently mentioned that he's considering retirement from the sport, a real shame as the 23 year old still has a lot to give the sport and is still a talented fighter who will almost certainly be able to come again. For Singyu however this should be a launch pad for him to be able to really make a name for himself. He's rebuilt his career well since suffering his lone defeat to the talented Belgian Stephane Jamoye (by split decision back in 2009).
With a number of top tier Bantamweight's based in the east, it's difficult to imagine Singyu not facing someone like compatriot Suriyan Sor Rungvisai or even Filipino Rolly Matsushita.
Saturday, 15 September 2012
Leo Santa Cruz v Eric Morel
Young Mexican Leo Santa Cruz (21-0-1, 12) scored the biggest win of his career as he made the first defense of his IBF Bantamweight title and became the first fighter to stop Puerto Rican Eric Morel (46-4, 23).
The relentless Mexican, who many have compared to countryman Antonio Margarito, set off at a fantastic pace attacking the body with left hooks and the head with some devastating combinations from the opening bell. Whilst Morel battled hard with the younger champion in the early rounds he was simply unable to fend off the marauding attack.
By the start of round 4 Morel was visibly breaking down in the ring and starting to wince from the none-stop body work by Santa Cruz who fought like a man possessed to retain his world title.
Despite coming out for round 5 it seemed only a matter of time before the bout would be stopped, and that's exactly what happened as Morel retired on his stool before the 6th round.
Whilst Morel, at 36 years of age and taking part in his 50th professional bout, may be a bit long in the tooth it was still an excellent performance by Santa Cruz who seems to be making a real name for himself. I'm hoping this will be the end for Morel and the platform that Santa Cruz needs to really become a star of the lower weights as he is one of the most fan friendly fighters out there and a real joy to watch, as he proved once again here.
The relentless Mexican, who many have compared to countryman Antonio Margarito, set off at a fantastic pace attacking the body with left hooks and the head with some devastating combinations from the opening bell. Whilst Morel battled hard with the younger champion in the early rounds he was simply unable to fend off the marauding attack.
By the start of round 4 Morel was visibly breaking down in the ring and starting to wince from the none-stop body work by Santa Cruz who fought like a man possessed to retain his world title.
Despite coming out for round 5 it seemed only a matter of time before the bout would be stopped, and that's exactly what happened as Morel retired on his stool before the 6th round.
Whilst Morel, at 36 years of age and taking part in his 50th professional bout, may be a bit long in the tooth it was still an excellent performance by Santa Cruz who seems to be making a real name for himself. I'm hoping this will be the end for Morel and the platform that Santa Cruz needs to really become a star of the lower weights as he is one of the most fan friendly fighters out there and a real joy to watch, as he proved once again here.
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