Barry Hugman's World Championship Boxing

 

24 September 2018. Kosei Tanaka w pts 12 Sho Kimura.

Venue:  Takeda Teva Ocean Arena, Nagoya, Japan. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Mark Nelson.

Scorecards: 116-112, 115-113, 114-114.

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18 August 2018. Cristofer Rosales w co 4 Paddy Barnes.

Venue: Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Steve Gray.

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27 July 2018. Sho Kimura w co 6 Froilan Saludar.

Venue: Guosen Gym, Qingdao, China. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Chris Flores.

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15 July 2018. Moruti Mthalane w pts 12 Muhammad Waseem.

Venue: Axiata Arena, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Malik Waleed.

Scorecards: 114-113, 114-113, 116-111.

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17 June 2018. Artem Dalakian w rsc 8 Yodmongkol Vor Saengthep.

Venue: Parkovy Convention Centre, Kiev, Ukraine. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Raul Caiz Jnr.

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24 February 2018. Donnie Nietes w co 7 Juan Carlos Reveco.

Venue: Inglewood Forum, Los Angeles, California, USA. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Edward Hernandez Snr.

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Nietes relinquished the IBF title on 5 April after deciding to fight at a higher weight.

 

24 February 2018. Artem Dalakian w pts 12 Brian Viloria.

Venue: Inglewood Forum, Los Angeles, California, USA. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Lou Moret.

Scorecards: 118-109, 118-109, 118-109.

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4 February 2018. Daigo Higa w co 1 Moises Fuentes.

Venue: Naha Martial Arts Stadium, Okinawa, Japan. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Len Koivisto.

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On 15 April, at The Arena, Yokohama, Japan, Higa lost his WBC title on the scales prior to meeting Cristofer Rosales. The contest went ahead and a new champion was crowned after Rosales won by a ninth-round stoppage.

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31 December 2017. Sho Kimura w rsc 9 Toshiyuki Igarashi.

Venue: Ota-City General Gym, Tokyo, Japan. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Katsuhiko Nakamura.

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22 October 2017. Daigo Higa w rsc 7 Thomas Masson.

Venue: Korugikan Sumo Stadium, Tokyo, Japan. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Tom Taylor.

 

28 July 2017. Sho Kimura w rsc 11 Zou Shiming.

Venue: Oriental Sports Centre, Shanghai, China. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Danrex Tapdasan.

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29 April 2017. Donnie Nietes w pts 12 Komgrich Nantapech.

Venue: City Waterfront Hotel & Casino, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Gerard White.

Scorecards: 117-111, 117-111, 115-113.

 

23 April 2017. Kazuto Ioka w pts 12 Noknoi Sitthiprasert.

Venue: EDION Arena, Osaka, Japan. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Raul Caiz Jnr.

Scorecards: 117-110, 117-110, 116-111.

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Having won world titles at three different weights, Ioka handed in his WBA championship belt on 9 November to reconsider his future in boxing before announcing his retirement on 1 January 2018.

 

4 March 2017. Juan Hernandez Navarrete w rsc 3 Nawaphon Kaikanha.

Venue: National Stadium Gym, Bangkok, Thailand. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Tom Taylor.

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Hernandez Navarrete forfeited the WBC title when failing to make the weight for Daigo Higa on 20 May at the Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan. The fight went ahead with Higa being crowned champion following a sixth-round stoppage victory.

 

31 December 2016. Kazuto Ioka w rsc 7 Stamp Kiatniwat.

Venue: Shimazu Arena, Kyoto, Japan. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Rafael Ramos.

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5 November 2016. Zou Shiming w pts 12 Prasitsak Phaprom.

Venue: Thomas & Mack Centre, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Russell Mora.

Scorecards: 120-107, 120-107, 119-108.

 

10 September 2016. Johnriel Casimero w rsc 10 Charlie Edwards.

Venue: O2 Arena, Greenwich, London, England. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Steve Gray.

Fight Summary: Given a crack at the title after just eight contests turned out to be a bridge too far for the young Edwards (111), and although he did well, especially in the fifth when he belted the champion with a solid right cross, Casimero (111) came back with heavy shots of his own that packed more power. Realising he was way down on the cards Edwards went after Casimero in the tenth, only to be blasted to the floor by a left hook to the jaw. Although Edwards made it to his feet Casimero would not be denied and following several heavy blows hitting the target the referee came to the Englishman's rescue at 1.57 of the round.

 

Casimero relinquished the IBF title on 20 December in order to fight at 115lbs.

 

25 May 2016. Johnriel Casimero w rsc 4 Amnat Ruenroeng.

Venue: Diamond Court National Tennis Centre, Beijing, China. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Tony Weeks.

Fight Summary: In what was a return, having lost last time out to the champion, Casimero (112) exacted revenge with a fourth-round stoppage win, the end coming at 2.10 of the session. Ahead on the cards at the start of the fourth, Ruenroeng (112) was dropped by a cracking left hook after being beaten to the punch and only just beat the count. Giving the stunned Ruenroeng no time to recover, the former undefeated IBF junior flyweight title holder eventually smashed his foe to the deck with a solid left hook to the body and that was that, the referee calling it off immediately.

 

23 April 2016. Roman Gonzalez w pts 12 McWilliams Arroyo.

Venue: Inglewood Forum, Los Angeles, California, USA. Recognition: WBC/The Ring. Referee: Raul Caiz. 

Scorecards: 120-108, 119-109, 119-109.

Fight Summary: Going well, his two championship belts on the line, despite putting on a master-class Gonzalez (111¼) was unable to put Arroyo (111½) away or even drop him. With a variety of punches such as jabs, hooks, uppercuts and heavy rights being thrown, 1,132 of them to be exact, one would have expected Arroyo to succumb. However, showing great character he often came back with heavy blows of his own despite being under the cosh for much of the time. Even in the 12th round when all was seemingly lost, Arroyo was still throwing leather in a valiant bid to overturn what had gone before. Having shown such resolve, Arroyo was applauded loudly at the final bell after having given it his all.

 

Gonzalez handed in his WBC and Ring title belts on 29 September after deciding to move up to junior bantam on a permanent basis.

 

7 December 2015. Amnat Ruenroeng w pts 12 Myung-Ho Lee.

Venue: Hua Hin Centre, Hua Hin, Thailand. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Roberto Ramirez.

Scorecards: 117-109, 117-109, 118-108.

Fight Summary: Defending his title for the fifth time, Ruenroeng (112) always seemed in control with his jab and punches off the back foot serving him well. Having hurt Lee (112) in the third with an overarm right, Ruenroeng capitalised on the challenger's predictability when picking his man off with countering blows throughout. The fight then became as much messy as it was one-sided, Ruenroeng losing a point in the ninth for excessive holding. With Lee trying to fight his way back, the final ignominy came when he was counted over in the 12th after going down from a slip.

 

17 October 2015. Roman Gonzalez w rsc 9 Brian Viloria.

Venue: Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, NYC, New York, USA. Recognition: WBC/The Ring. Referee: Benjy Esteves Jnr.

Fight Summary: Although he started brightly, Viloria (111½) was soon up against it as Gonzalez (111½), his two championship belts on the line, began picking his shots with machine-like precision. Blasted to the floor in the third by a short right to the jaw, Viloria was never the same again as he was hit with everything but the kitchen sink for round after round until being rescued by the referee at 2.53 of the ninth. Still standing, having taken everything that Gonzalez had to offer, CompuBox (a stats provider for all major boxing events) showed that Viloria had been hit with more than 300 power punches.

 

26 September 2015. Juan Francisco Estrada w rsc 10 Hernan Marquez.

Venue: Convention Centre, Puerto Penasco, Sonora, Mexico. Recognition: WBA/WBO. Referee: Ramon Pena.

Fight Summary: With his two titles at stake, Estrada (112) and Marquez (112) were soon at it, the latter sending his rival stumbling in the third before being put under the hammer himself. Taking over in the fourth, Estrada quickly found his form, terrific rights to the body having his southpaw challenger over twice in the sixth. In the seventh it was more of the same as Marquez was dropped twice more from heavy lefts to the body before the ninth saw the latter pushed over for another knockdown. Having stalked Marquez from the bell in the tenth, Estrada soon had him on the floor again following a cracking left hook to the head, and when a right decked him for the seventh time in the referee stopped the fight at 1.27 of the session.

 

A day later, on 27 September, at the EDION Arena, Osaka, Japan, Kazuto Ioka retained his WBA 'second tier' title when outpointing Roberto Domingo Sosa over 12 rounds. He made a further successful defence on 31 December, stopping Juan Carlos Reveco inside 11 rounds at the EDION Arena, Osaka, Japan.

 

At the Krungthep Thonburi University, Bangkok, Thailand on 9 February 2016, Stamp Kiatniwat outpointed Gregorio Lebron over 12 rounds in defence of his WBA 'interim' title.

 

Kazuto Ioka successfully defended the WBA 'second tier' title when knocking out Keyvin Lara inside 11 rounds at the EDION Arena, Osaka, Japan on 20 July 2016.

 

When Estrada relinquished the WBA/WBO titles on 14 September 2016 to move up a weight division, Ioka was given full championship status by the WBA. Thus Ioka became a three-weight world champion on the edict, having previously been an undefeated WBA/WBC mini flyweight champion and an undefeated WBA junior flyweight title holder.

 

27 June 2015. Amnat Ruenroeng w pts 12 Johnriel Casimero.

Venue: Hua Mark Indoor Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Larry Doggett.

Scorecards: 116-110, 115-110, 113-112.

Fight Summary: Reportedly a poor fight, the champion dropped Casimero (112) in the second round with a right-hand counter and again in seventh with a glancing right to the head. Casimero should have scored a knockdown in the third when a left hook forced Ruenroeng (111) to touch the canvas, but the referee ruled it a slip. The contest was disrupted by many throws and much clinching, Ruenroeng finally being deducted a point in the 11th for continuous holding. Ruenroeng had gone to the front with a good left jab controlling Casimero, and although the latter came on strongly in the last three sessions in a bid to close the deficit he was unable to do so.

 

16 May 2015. Roman Gonzalez w rsc 2 Edgar Sosa.

Venue: The Forum, Inglewood, California, USA. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Raul Caiz.

Fight Summary: Getting away quickly in this one, the champion slammed in powerful left hooks that shook Sosa (112) up in the opening session before going to town in the second. Showing great power and ability, Gonzalez (111) did not give Sosa a moment's rest, dropping him firstly with a cracking right to the head and then with a left-right-left before another flurry of blows from both hands decked him again. The final knockdown saw the referee stop the fight at 2.37 of the session without even taking up the count.

 

28 March 2015. Juan Francisco Estrada w rsc 3 Rommel Asenjo.

Venue: Zamna Poliforum, Merida, Mexico. Recognition: WBA/WBO. Referee: Jose Rivera.

Fight Summary: Clearly a mismatch, Estrada (112) retained both of his titles when the referee stopped the contest after 43 seconds of the third on reacting to the towel being thrown in by Asenjo's corner. Estrada had been hurting Asenjo (111¾) with left hooks and heavy rights to the head and body from the start, the southpaw challenger having no answer to the bombardment, and with his right eye badly swollen it was a merciful ending. Immediately prior to the stoppage Asenjo had been dropped by a body shot, only for the third man to call it a slip.

 

On 22 April, Kazuto Ioka outpointed Juan Carlos Reveco over 12 rounds at the Prefectural Gym, Osaka, Japan, to land the latter's WBA 'second tier' title.

 

The vacant WBA 'interim' title was decided when Stamp Kiatniwat outpointed Gregorio Lebron over 12 rounds at the Open Air Stadium, Chiangkhanin, Loei Province, Thailand on 29 July.

 

7 March 2015. Amnat Ruenroeng w pts 12 Zou Shiming.

Venue: Cotai Arena, Venetian Resort, Macao, China. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Mark Nelson.

Scorecards: 116-111, 116-111, 116-111.

Fight Summary: Despite being dropped in the second by a swinging left from Shiming (111½), a former two-time Olympic gold medallist, the champion soon got back to basics with his jab working well to pick up the points. With Shiming always on the front foot, although often off balance as Ruenroeng (112) countered well, he was largely outscored. Apart from the second, Shiming's best rounds came in the seventh, tenth and 12th, but he was unable to make any real impression on Ruenroeng, who boxed well within himself.

 

22 November 2014. Roman Gonzalez w rsc 6 Rocky Fuentes.

Venue: International Swimming Pool, Yokohama, Japan. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Len Koivisto.

Fight Summary: Right from the opening bell the challenger tried swarming tactics as a means of unsettling Gonzalez (112), who quickly settled down to pick his punches carefully, countering with lefts and rights to both head and body. Having hurt Gonzalez in the third with a heavy right to the head, Fuentes (110¾) made his move, only to run into solid combinations. With Gonzalez taking the initiative from then on Fuentes was tiring badly by the sixth as his efforts caught up with him, and after being sent to the floor by heavy blows, both up and down, the referee saved him from taking further punishment by calling the fight off even though he was showing a willingness to carry on. The stoppage was timed at 2.11 of the sixth.

 

10 September 2014. Amnat Ruenroeng w pts 12 McWilliams Arroyo.

Venue: Liptapanlop Hall, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Pat Russell.

Scorecards: 114-113, 114-113, 113-114.

Fight Summary: In a contest that the champion was expected to win with something to spare, Arroyo (110¾) made him fight every step of the way before he retained his title by a split decision. When it became clear that Arroyo was the heavier puncher of the pair, Ruenroeng (109½) moved into countering mode as the pace quickened. In the sixth, after pushing Arroyo over, Ruenroeng was dropped by a swinging right to the head before coming back hard in the seventh. With both men tiring fast, and Ruenroeng continuously tying Arroyo up, despite the latter taking the final session on all three cards it was not quite enough for him to lift the title.

 

6 September 2014. Juan Francisco Estrada w rsc 11 Giovani Segura.

Venue: The Arena, Mexico City, Mexico. Recognition: WBA/WBO. Referee: Raul Caiz.

Fight Summary: Boxing with great skill, Estrada (112), with his two championship belts on the line, outclassed the rough, tough Segura (112) to retain his titles. Right from the bell, Estrada began stabbing in long left jabs and moving away from Segura's punishing lefts, slipping the blows and countering to the body. Occasionally the pair traded, but Estrada took all that Segura had on offer. By the fifth the right side of Segura's face was badly swollen as Estrada picked his punches, and from thereon in the latter battered his southpaw opponent for round after round. In the 11th when Segura, looking a sorry sight, was smashed into a corner by a solid left hook, with Estrada all over him like a rash the referee had seen enough, stopping the fight at 1.33 of the session just as the towel was being thrown in by the challenger's corner.

 

Juan Carlos Reveco stopped the WBA 'interim' champion, Yodmongkol Vor Saengthep, in the fifth round at the Gustavo Rodriguez Municipal Sports Stadium, San Martin, Argentina on 19 December to retain his 'second tier' crown.

 

5 September 2014. Roman Gonzalez w rsc 9 Akira Yaegashi.

Venue: Yoyogi National Gym, Tokyo, Japan. Recognition: WBC/The Ring. Referee: Michael Griffin.

Fight Summary: Having been the undefeated WBA champion at 105lbs and 108lbs, Gonzalez (111¾) added the WBC 112lbs version to his collection when stopping Yaegashi (112). At the same time he took possession of the latter's Ring Championship Belt. Always running second best, the champion made the mistake of mixing it up with Gonzalez instead of sticking to his boxing. Getting on top early on, Gonzalez dropped Yaegashi in the third with a crunching left hook, having hammered in blows from both hands, and in round after round the latter was forced to take plenty more until he was rescued by the referee at 2.24 of the ninth. The finish came after Yaegashi had been put down following a battery of blows from both hands and deemed unfit to continue.

 

7 May 2014. Amnat Ruenroeng w pts 12 Kazuto Ioka.

Venue: Bodymaker Coliseum, Osaka, Japan. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Mark Calo-Oy.

Scorecards: 119-108, 115-112, 113-114.

Fight Summary: Displaying good speed and sharpness to match, the champion controlled much of the fight with jabs and counters that found Ioka (112) with regular monotony. Ruenroeng (112) also proved to be an elusive target, being never in one place for long, and using solid hooks and uppercuts to good effect. In the latter stages as Ruenroeng tired and had a point deducted for holding in the 11th, Ioka gave it everything he had until running out of time. Announced as a split decision, one of the judges gave Ruenroeng 11 rounds while another actually saw Ioka winning, which was difficult to countenance.

 

26 April 2014. Juan Francisco Estrada w rtd 9 Richie Mepranum.

Venue: Convention Centre, Puerto Penasco, Mexico. Recognition: WBA/WBO. Referee: Celestino Ruiz.

Fight Summary: Putting his two championship belts on the line against the over-matched Mepranum (112) allowed Estrada (112) to showcase his ability in front of his home fans and proving far too good for his rival. By the sixth it was clearly apparent that Estrada's body shots were wearing down the brave Filipino southpaw, who gamely went toe-to-toe with the champion. Unfortunately his punches had little effect on Estrada, and at the end of the ninth he was wisely retired by his corner.

 

On 6 June, Juan Carlos Reveco made a successful defence of his WBA 'second tier' title when outpointing Felix Alvarado over 12 rounds at the Villa La Nata Sporting Club, Benavidez, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

 

6 April 2014. Akira Yaegashi w rsc 9 Odilon Zaleta.

Venue: Ota-City General Gym, Tokyo, Japan. Recognition: WBC/The Ring. Referee: Ian John-Lewis.

Fight Summary: Retaining his two championship belts with a ninth-round stoppage win over Zaleta (111¾), Yaegashi (112) finally overcame the taller man. It was Yaegashi who made the running, pitting his aggression against the movement of Zaleta, who was happy to land light point-scoring jabs before backing away. Although Yaegashi shook Zaleta up in the fifth with cracking left hooks, he did not find the finisher until landing a countering right to the jaw in the ninth that saw the referee continue to count to 'ten' despite the latter being on his feet. By his action the third man had clearly decided to bring matters to a halt, the finish being timed at 2.14 of the session.

 

22 January 2014. Amnat Ruenroeng w pts 12 Rocky Fuentes.

Venue: Liptapanlop Hall, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Tony Marretta.

Scorecards: 117-111, 116-112, 116-112.

Fight Summary: Contested for the vacant title after Moruti Mthalane handed in his belt, it was the 34-year-old Ruenroeng (112) who won the day when outpointing Fuentes (112), a last minute substitute for the South African. Showing excellent hand-speed, Ruenroeng got away well to win six of the opening seven rounds before tiring. Having consistently applied pressure up until then Fuentes realised that his best chance lay in getting close, and from thereon in Ruenroeng was forced to dig deep and hold while backing off with light jabs. Afterwards, the Fuentes' camp felt that his aggressive tactics should have earned him more than the four rounds awarded him by the judges, especially in the latter stages.

 

6 December 2013. Akira Yaegashi w pts 12 Edgar Sosa.

Venue: Kokugikan Sumo Hall, Tokyo, Japan. Recognition: WBC/The Ring. Referee: Mark Green.

Scorecards: 116-112, 117-111, 117-111.

Fight Summary: Boxing well within himself, the holder of two championship belts was just too fast for the bustling Sosa (112), being dominant most of the way. Becoming frustrated as Yaegashi (111¾) piled up the points with solid jabs and left hooks, Sosa had some success in the ninth with good work to the body and swift combinations before carrying his efforts right through to the final bell without a payoff.

 

12 August 2013. Akira Yaegashi w pts 12 Oscar Blanquet.

Venue: Ota-City General Gym, Tokyo, Japan. Recognition: WBC/The Ring. Referee: Len Koivisto.

Scorecards: 116-110, 116-110, 115-111.

Fight Summary: Punching out a solid points win in defence of his two championship belts Yaegashi (112) always seemed to have plenty in hand, even though he was held up in the early stages by the challenger's longer-reaching left jab. In the eighth after Yaegashi's work to the body had begun to take effect, and having been deducted a point earlier in the session for a low blow, he dropped Blanquet (112) with a straight right. Following that, Blanquet chased after Yaegashi with wide, swinging blows in an effort to close the deficit, only to be met with countering right hooks through to the final bell.

 

27 July 2013. Juan Francisco Estrada w pts 12 Milan Melindo.

Venue: Cotai Arena, Venetian Centre, Macao, SAR China. Recognition: WBA/WBO. Referee: Raul Caiz.

Scorecards: 117-109, 118-109, 118-109.

Fight Summary: Controlling the pace of the contest for much of the time, his two championship belts on the line, Estrada (111½) failed to win as convincingly as those in the know thought he would. However, he did enough after having to shrug off a solid left hook from Melindo (111½) in the opener, and by the 11th was well clear before opening up with right-hand blows and flooring the latter just before the bell. With Estrada looking for the finish in the 12th he wobbled Melindo badly with another heavy right, but the Filipino held on to last the distance.

 

On 1 August, Kompayak Porpramook lost his WBA ‘interim’ title when outpointed over 12 rounds by Koki Eto at the Army 11th Regiment Arena, Bangkok, Thailand.

 

Making the third defence of his WBA ‘second tier’ title, Juan Carlos Reveco beat Ricardo Nunez on an eighth-round technical decision at the Gustavo Toro Rodriguez Sports Centre, San Martin, Mendoza, Argentina on 12 October.

 

Eto lost his WBA ‘interim’ crown when stopped in the 12th round by Yodmongkol Vor Saengthep at the City Hall Grounds, Chonburi, Thailand on 29 November. Vor Saengthep then made a successful first defence of the WBA 'interim' title when outpointing Takuya Kogawa over 12 rounds at the Suranaree Army Camp, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand on 4 March 2014.

 

Reveco made another successful defence of the WBA 'second tier' crown when stopping Manuel Vides in the second round of their contest at the Sporting Club, Villa La Nata, Benavidez, Buenos Aires, Argentina on 21 March 2014.

 

8 April 2013. Akira Yaegashi w pts 12 Toshiyuki Igarashi.

Venue: Kokugikan Sumo Hall, Tokyo, Japan. Recognition: WBC/The Ring. Referee: Bruce McTavish.

Scorecards: 115-110, 116-109, 117-108.

Fight Summary: With his two championship belts on the line, Igarashi (112) made a poor start against his fellow countryman, Yaegashi (111¾), when failing to use his longer southpaw reach to good effect and trying to work at close quarters. Yaegashi, a former WBA mini flyweight title holder, and Igarashi were both deducted points for head butts that resulted in cut eyes, Yaegashi in the fifth and sixth, and Igarashi in the sixth. Of the pair it was the two-belt champion who suffered the worst with cuts to both eyes that held him back at times. Eventually, it was Yaegashi's good work downstairs that gradually wore down Igarashi.

 

6 April 2013. Juan Francisco Estrada w pts 12 Brian Viloria.

Venue: Cotai Arena, Macao, China. Recognition: WBA/WBO. Referee: Genaro Rodriguez.

Scorecards: 116-111, 117-111, 113-115.

Fight Summary: Putting both of his hard-won titles on the line, Viloria (111½) made a good start against Estrada (112) when catching him with solid uppercuts and countering blows in the opening few sessions. Having been hurt in the fifth, Estrada came on strongly in the seventh when stunning Viloria with a cracking right, and from thereon in he took the remaining rounds on the cards with right-hand countering blows paving the way. One of the judges marked the 12th as a 10-8 for Estrada despite there being no knockdowns, such was the punishment he dished out.

 

Kompayak Porpramook stopped Jean Piero Perez inside six rounds at the City Hall Gardens, Khon Kaen, Thailand on 26 April to win the vacant WBA ‘interim’ title.

 

Juan Carlos Reveco made a further successful defence of the WBA ‘second-tier’ title when stopping Ulises Lara in the eighth round of their contest at the Alvearenses Athletics Stadium, Mendoza, Argentina on 22 July.

 

17 November 2012. Brian Viloria w rsc 10 Hernan Marquez.

Venue: Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California, USA. Recognition: WBA/WBO. Referee: David Mendoza.

Fight Summary: In a unification battle between Marquez (110¾), the WBA champion, and the WBO representative, Viloria (111¾), it was the Hawaiian who came out on top with a tenth-round stoppage win. Working the body well throughout, Viloria made a solid start when dropping Marquez in the first with a countering right hook, before the latter got himself back into the contest in a rip-roaring fifth. Having gone down from a southpaw right hook to the head, which appeared to be seen as a slip by the third man, on getting up Viloria was hammered for a long spell before finding a straight right to put Marquez on the floor. Following on from that, Marquez was outboxed for several rounds until finding his feet again in the ninth when blasting away at Viloria. Stalking Viloria in the tenth, when Marquez ran into a perfect left hook the referee stopped the contest at 1.01 of the session after being prompted by the latter's corner.

 

Having been promoted from ‘interim’ to WBA ‘second tier’ champion in December, Juan Carlos Reveco retained his new title when outpointing Masayuki Kuroda over 12 rounds at the Todoroki Arena, Kawasaki, Japan on 27 February 2013.

 

3 November 2012. Toshiyuki Igarashi w pts 12 Nestor Daniel Narvaes.

Venue: Xebio Arena, Sendai, Japan. Recognition: WBC/The Ring. Referee: Lupe Garcia.

Scorecards: 114-112, 114-112, 113-113.

Fight Summary: Dominating the opening seven sessions with southpaw blows to head and body Igarashi (112) looked to be well on his way to a good win, but that was before Narvaez (111½) came on strongly after the two-belt champion tired. Stalking Igarashi from the eighth onwards Narvaez began to take over, outboxing his man in four of the last five sessions. Unfortunately for him, however, he had left it just a little too late. Both men had points taken away for accidental head butts that caused cuts, Igarashi in the fourth and Narvaez in the 11th.

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1 September 2012. Moruti Mthalane w rsc 8 Ricardo Nunez.

Venue: Roberto Duran Arena, Panama City, Panama. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Kenny Chevalier.

Fight Summary: Starting strongly against his mandatory challenger, Mthalane (112) put Nunez (112) down in the first with a big right to the head, and continued to work him over to the bell. Despite boxing well, Mthalane was himself dropped by a flurry of blows at the end of the third before being forced to go on the defensive for several rounds. Having been under attack for the last three sessions Mthalane began coming back into it in the seventh, and in the eighth he stormed in with heavy shots from both hands overwhelming Nunez until the referee stopped the contest on the 2.41 mark when the latter was on his way to the floor.

 

Mthalane, who was due to defend the IBF title against Amnat Ruenroeng, handed back his belt on 13 January 2014 for financial reasons. Following that, Rocky Fuentes was brought in to take on Ruenroeng for the vacant title.

 

16 July 2012. Toshiyuki Igarashi w pts 12 Sonny Boy Jaro.

Venue: Winghat Arena, Kasukabe, Saitama, Japan. Recognition: WBC/The Ring. Referee: Gelasio Perez.

Scorecards: 116-112, 115-113, 112-116.

Fight Summary: Up against the lanky Igarashi (112), the two-belt champion lost his honours at the first time of asking when the split decision went against him. Having failed to make the weight on his first trip to the scales, which must have hindered him, for Jaro (112) there were no excuses. Although one of the judges had Jaro winning five of the first six rounds, by the ninth Igarashi was in control, outpunching his rival with solid southpaw combinations. However, in the 11th Jaro made a supreme effort when he almost dropped Igarashi, now cut on the left eye, with clubbing lefts and rights. Recognising that Jaro's offensive had taken a lot out of him, the younger Igarashi came back strongly in the final session to make sure the verdict went his way.

 

12 May 2012. Brian Viloria w rsc 9 Omar Nino.

Venue: Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig City, Manila, Philippines. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Mike Ortega.

Fight Summary: Having lost his WBC junior flyweight title to Nino back 2006, Viloria wiped the slate clean when defeating the same opponent in defence of his WBO flyweight crown. In charge all of the way despite a slow start, Viloria (112), known as 'The Hawaiian Punch', picked it up in the fourth when looking to finish his rival off. Deducted a point for low blows in the fifth, Nino (112), carrying a badly cut left eye, was right up against it. Although he made a big effort to get into the contest, on being sent back on his heels from a solid right in the ninth the referee stopped the fight on the 2.07 mark.

 

2 March 2012. Sonny Boy Jaro w rsc 6 Pongsaklek Wonjongkam.

Venue: Makeshift Arena, Chonburi, Thailand. Recognition: WBC/The Ring. Referee: Yuji Fukuchi.

Fight Summary: It did not start well for the two-championship belt holder, Wonjongkam (112), who slipped over in the first round due to the rain-soaked canvas following a left hook to the head. Things then got decidedly worse for him when a right cross from Jaro (112) dropped him again in the fourth after he had been down earlier in the round without a count being given. Although Wonjongkam was firing back, Jaro, slipping and sliding around, seemed impervious to the southpaw shots coming his way, and in the sixth two big overarm rights blasted the champion to the floor. After getting up and being punched around the ring, when Wonjongkam finally went down again the referee called the fight off at 1.39 of the session. Earlier, in the sixth, Jaro had been deducted a point for low blows.

 

23 December 2011. Pongsaklek Wonjongkam tdraw 1 Hirofumi Mukai.

Venue: 11th Infantry Regiment Arena, Bangkok, Thailand. Recognition: WBC/The Ring. Referee: Guido Cavallieri.

Fight Summary: With Wonjongkam (112) defending his two championship belts, the match was called off after just 47 seconds of action when Mukai (112) was badly gashed over his right eye from a coming together of heads. WBC rules stated that if a fight ended through injury prior to the fifth round it should be classified as a technical draw. Mukai had only participated in six pro contests prior to this, having lost his last one to Rocky Fuentes.

 

11 December 2011. Brian Viloria w rsc 8 Giovani Segura.

Venue: Ynares Sports Centre, Pasig City, Philippines. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Samuel Viruet.

Fight Summary: Taking a risk in defending his title against the hard-hitting Segura (112) did not worry Viloria (112), despite him being under attack in the opening round from heavy southpaw uppercuts and body shots. By the second Viloria had got himself into the fight, cutting Segura on the right eye and countering well with left hooks as the latter came on to him. Picking it up as the rounds continued, Viloria had cut Segura up significantly by the sixth, the latter's right eye almost shut and his face a sea of blood. Prior to the eighth the referee warned Segura that he had little time left, and after he was staggered by Viloria the fight was called off 29 seconds into the session.

 

29 October 2011. Hernan Marquez w rsc 1 Luis Concepcion.

Venue: Multiple Uses Centre, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Rafael Ramos.

Fight Summary: In a return match, with both men going for it at the opening bell it was the champion who struck first when sending the oncoming Concepcion (112) crashing from a big southpaw left. Although Concepcion got to his feet, continuing to show the lack of defensive skills required in favour of going toe-to-toe he was again dropped, this time by a heavy right. Back in action, Concepcion was promptly sent down when a big Marquez (112) left hand connected with his jaw. With Concepcion down for the third time in a round under WBA rules the contest was over after just 109 seconds.

 

Juan Carlos Reveco made a successful defence of his WBA ‘interim’ title when outscoring Karim Guerfi over 12 rounds at the Orfeo Super Dome, Cordoba, Argentina on 11 May 2012. Another successful defence of the WBA ‘interim’ title saw Reveco outpoint Julian Rivera at the Municipal Sports Centre, Malargue, Mendoza, Argentina on 10 November 2012.

 

28 October 2011. Moruti Mthalane w rsc 7 Andrea Sarritzu.

Venue: PalaRockefeller, Cagliari, Italy. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Wayne Kelly.

Fight Summary: On top right from the start, Mthalane (111) quickly cut the ring down to size when forcing Sarritzu (111) to work hard just to keep him at bay. Lacking the power required to halt Mthalane's forward march, the challenger was really up against it when his body became the focal point of attack in the fourth and, although he continued with much bravery as the punches came in, the seventh would see the end of the contest. Caught by two heavy body shots, when Sarritzu turned away and the towel was thrown in, the referee stopped the contest at 1.57 of the session.

 

21 October 2011. Pongsaklek Wonjongkam w pts 12 Edgar Sosa.

Venue: 11th Infantry Regiment Arena, Bangkok, Thailand. Recognition: WBC/The Ring. Referee: Massimo Barrovecchio.

Scorecards: 116-111, 117-110, 117-110.

Fight Summary: Defending his two championship belts, the 34-year-old Wonjongkam (112) once again proved too good for a younger challenger when meeting fire with fire. Whenever Sosa (112) put good punches together Wonjongkam would come back strongly, his quality southpaw shots being both hurtful and accurate. Although Wonjongkam was deducted a point in the ninth for an accidental head butt that left Sosa nursing a cut right eye it barely made a difference.

 

16 July 2011. Brian Viloria w pts 12 Julio Cesar Miranda.

Venue: Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Joe Cortez.

Scorecards: 117-110, 114-113, 115-113.

Fight Summary: Having sent Miranda (111¾) to the deck in the opening session with a hard right to the body, Viloria (111¾) concentrated on that area from thereon in prior to winning the title by a unanimous decision. It was always relatively close, the champion fighting back as the action went first one way and then the other. Winning the last three rounds on the cards as he began his fightback, Miranda was throwing excellent combinations against the single shots coming from Viloria, a former IBF/WBC junior flyweight title holder, but it was the latter's good early work that won it for him.

 

2 July 2011. Hernan Marquez w rsc 3 Edrin Dapudong.

Venue: Multiple Uses Centre, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Raul Caiz Jnr.

Fight Summary: Moving in on Dapudong (112) from the start it was quickly apparent that the champion could hurt the latter as he sent him reeling around the ring from heavy southpaw punches. It was very much the same in the second, and after Dapudong had been downed by a solid left hook in the third he intimated to the referee that he did not wish to continue despite getting to his feet. Announced as a referee's stoppage at 1.49 of the session, Marquez (112) had just too much heavy artillery for Dapudong to cope with.

 

1 July 2011. Pongsaklek Wonjongkam w pts 12 Takuya Kogawa.

Venue: Public Arena, Hat Yai, Thailand. Recognition: WBC/The Ring. Referee: Lou Moret.

Scorecards: 118-110, 117-111, 116-112.

Fight Summary: His two championship belts on the line, the champion proved to be too good for Kogawa (111½) who despite boxing well lacked the power to walk off with a win. Although Kogawa was faster than Wonjongkam (112) and rarely stopped throwing punches, he was kept at bay by solid southpaw counters and left hooks that often rocked him. Both men finished the contest with cuts above their right eyes caused by unintentional head butts.

 

2 April 2011. Hernan Marquez w rsc 10 Luis Concepcion.

Venue: Roberto Duran Arena, Panama City, Panama. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Luis Pabon.

Fight Summary: Making the first defence of the title that was handed to him after it was relinquished by Daiki Kameda, Concepcion (112) made a great start in what was a tumultuous opening round, dropping Marquez (112) heavily with a cracking southpaw right to the chin and almost putting him out of the fight. That was immediately prior to Concepcion being smashed down by a heavy left moments before the bell. After going toe-to-toe in the second a regrouped Marquez had Concepcion over in the third from a countering left and chased his man down, almost having him over again from a battery of blows. It was still hammer and tongs from the fourth through to the sixth before the next two rounds saw both men taking a breather. Although Concepcion came back hard in the ninth, Marquez, by now getting on top, sent him down in the tenth with another big right. After struggling through to the end of the session, the referee was asked to stop the fight by the ringside doctor who had examined Concepcion fully and felt that he should not be allowed to continue.

 

At the Vicente Polimeni Stadium, Las Heras, Mendoza, Argentina on 10 June, Jean Piero Perez lost his WBA ‘interim’ title when knocked out inside two rounds by Juan Carlos Reveco.

 

26 March 2011. Moruti Mthalane w rsc 5 Johnriel Casimero.

Venue: Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Earl Morton.

Fight Summary: Although dropping the opening round the champion was soon in top gear, two-fistedly chasing Casimero (111½) around the ring and handing out a steady beating. By the fifth it was clear that Casimero had little left, and under attack from Mthalane (112) he was rescued by the referee at 1.50 of the session after he had raised his arms in surrender.

 

26 February 2011. Julio Cesar Miranda w rsc 4 Ardin Diale.

Venue: Corregidora Terrace Stadium, Queretaro, Mexico. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Genaro Rodriguez.

Fight Summary: Starting well, the challenger had Miranda (112) on the floor in the opening round from a solid right to the head before the latter found his feet. Getting into his stride in the second, Miranda pushed Diale (111½) over in the third before taking his man apart with two knockdowns in the fourth, the right hand doing the damage. The first came from a blow to the head, and the second was a body punch that saw the exhausted Diale sink to the canvas before partly getting up and being rescued by the referee at 1.29 of the session.

 

26 December 2010. Daiki Kameda w pts 12 Silvio Olteanu.

Venue: Super Arena, Saitama, Japan. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Pinit Prayadsab.

Scorecards: 116-112, 115-113, 110-118.

Fight Summary: Kameda (112) somehow held on to his title by a split decision despite Joe Koizumi, the leading boxing reporter in Japan, agreeing with the judge who saw Olteanu (112) win ten of the 12 contested rounds. The much smaller but busier Olteanu landed by far the most punches, whilst Kameda threw single shots. Kameda, who showed a bit of form in the eighth and ninth, stated after the contest that his weight-making problems had been the cause of his poor display.

 

When Kameda relinquished the title on 4 January 2011 to move up a weight, Luis Concepcion, the WBA ‘interim’ champion, was elevated to full championship status.

 

On 29 January 2011, Jean Piero Perez took over the WBA ‘interim’ title when outpointing Jesus Jimenez over 12 rounds at the Medrano 67 Coliseum Arena, Guadalajara, Mexico.

 

16 October 2010. Julio Cesar Miranda w rsc 2 Michael Arango.

Venue: Baseball Stadium, Monterrey, Mexico. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Russell Mora.

Fight Summary: Having carried the opening round as his cautious challenger moved around on the back foot, Miranda (112) picked it up in the second when looking for an early night. For his part Arango (112) had not come to lie down, and he landed several solid blows as the pair punched it out before Miranda found a terrific right to the head that sent his rival staggering into the ropes. Recognising that Arango was in some distress, despite him remaining upright, the referee stopped the fight at 1.30 of the session.

 

8 October 2010. Pongsaklek Wonjongkam w pts 12 Suriyan Sor Rungvisai.

Venue: Open Air Arena, Nonghai, Srisaket, Thailand. Recognition: WBC/The Ring. Referee: Bruce McTavish.

Scorecards: 114-113, 115-112, 115-114.

Fight Summary: With Wonjongkam's WBC title and Ring Championship Belt on the line, he was given a tough time of it by the relatively inexperienced Sor Rungvisai (112), also known as Por Chokchai, before retaining his title. The fight flowed back and forth with neither man in the ascendancy for long, Sor Rungvisai showing with solid left hooks as the southpaw champion bashed away with straight right-lefts. Both men were hurt on occasion, but neither backed down. In the eighth Sor Rungvisai was docked a point for an accidental head butt that left Wonjongkam (112) with a cut left eye, while the tenth saw a tremendous attacking display from both fighters before the challenger went for broke to no avail in the final session.

 

25 September 2010. Daiki Kameda w pts 12 Takefumi Sakata.

Venue: Big Sight Arena, Tokyo, Japan. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Stan Christodoulou.

Scorecards: 118-110, 116-112, 117-112.

Fight Summary: Winning virtually every round bar the second, fourth and seventh, Kameda (112) took a clear points decision off the shorter Sakata (112) who lacked the power to turn the contest round. Almost over from a solid left hook at the end of the third, Sakata ended the session with a cut over his right eye following a coming together of heads. By the end of the seventh Sakata appeared to have run out of steam, and taking full advantage of his opportunity Kameda picked up the last five rounds to go well clear of his rival despite having had to take off 20lbs in the previous week.

 

4 September 2010. Julio Cesar Miranda w rtd 8 Ronald Ramos.

Venue: Solidaridad Arena, Monterrey, Mexico. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Roberto Ramirez.

Fight Summary: Making his first defence, Miranda (112) was far too good for his southpaw challenger. Dropped in the opening session, Ramos (112) suffered severe body attacks for much of the time as Miranda (112) stalked him, banging in blows to the soft target area. Although Ramos was a difficult man to pin down, resisting many of Miranda's efforts to get him out of the contest, he took such a battering in the eighth that his corner retired him at the end of the session.

 

1 September 2010. Moruti Mthalane w rsc 5 Zolani Tete.

Venue: Carnival City Arena, Brakpan, Gauteng, South Africa. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Tonio Tiberi.

Fight Summary: Defending his title in an all-South African affair, Mthalane (112) proved far too strong for his lanky southpaw challenger. Fairly even coming into the fourth, Mthalane finally caught up with Tete (112), blasting him with punches up to the bell. The fifth round saw Tete succumb to Mthalane's extra power when he was dropped twice from heavy head blows before being saved from taking further punishment by the referee at 2.27 of the session.

​

12 June 2010. Julio Cesar Miranda w rsc 5 Richie Mepranum.

Venue: Convention Centre, Puebla, Mexico. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Russell Mora.

Fight Summary: Battling for the vacant title after Omar Narvaez moved up a weight, although Mepranum (112), a southpaw, had the better of the opening session it was Miranda (112) who took the honours from thereon in with solid blows to the body paving the way for victory. Following a severe body assault in the fourth, Mepranum was dropped by a solid left hook to the jaw before being rescued by the referee at 2.41 of the fifth after another savage body blast had decked him again.

 

27 March 2010. Pongsaklek Wonjongkam w pts 12 Koki Kameda.

Venue: Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan. Recognition: WBC/The Ring. Referee: Lupe Garcia.

Scorecards: 115-112, 116-112, 114-114.

Fight Summary: In a battle of southpaws, and with the vacant Ring Championship Belt at stake, Wonjongkam (111½) regained the WBC title he once held when outscoring Kameda (112) by a majority decision. Despite Wonjongkam being in control for much of the way, one of the judges actually saw the result as a draw. Wonjongkam made the better start, his accurate punches taking him to the front before he had a point taken away in the fifth when heads collided and left Kameda cut on the right eye. Although heads came together again there were no more deductions, and from thereon in it was Wonjongkam's better work that secured the win.

 

7 February 2010. Daiki Kameda w pts 12 Denkaosan Kaovichit.

Venue: World Memorial Hall, Kobe, Japan. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Lahcen Oumghar.

Scorecards: 116-110, 116-110, 114-112.

Fight Summary: On winning, Kameda (112) captured the WBA version of the championship, thus joining his brother Koki who was recognised by the WBC as champion. As a contest it was nothing to write home about, with Kameda slipping to the canvas five or six times and the champion being penalised two points, in the sixth and 11th, for persistent clinching. Kaovichit (110¾) made the better start, with jabs and combinations pushing the challenger back, but by the sixth he was tiring fast. Despite his attacks only consisting of single punches, for the last five rounds it was virtually all Kameda.

 

Luis Concepcion made a successful defence of his WBA ‘interim’ title when stopping Eric Ortiz inside four rounds at the Roberto Duran Arena, Panama City, Panama on 22 April. With the WBA ‘interim’ title again on the line, Concepcion followed that up with first-round stoppage win over Kaovichit at the same venue on 2 October.

 

29 November 2009. Koki Kameda w pts 12 Daisuke Naito.

Venue: Super Arena, Saitama, Japan. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Hector Afu.

Scorecards: 117-111, 116-112, 117-111.

Fight Summary: Regardless that he forced the fight throughout the 35-year-old champion was outscored by the unbeaten Kameda (112), who remained on the back foot for much of the time countering with southpaw rights and lefts. It was clear that Naito (112) threw more punches than the former undefeated WBA junior flyweight title holder, but it was also clear that he missed his target with the great majority of them, finishing the contest with a badly swollen face and a suspected broken nose. Although Naito went on the rampage in the final session he had little joy, in the main being unable to get to his man before the bell brought an end to his nightmare.

 

20 November 2009. Moruti Mthalane w pts 12 Julio Cesar Miranda.

Venue: Wembley Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Robert Byrd.

Scorecards: 117-111, 117-111, 118-111.

Fight Summary: Contested for the vacant title after Nonito Donaire moved up the weight scale, it was Mthalane (112) who claimed the belt following a comprehensive points win over Miranda (111¾). Regardless of the wide decision it was a tough fight in which Miranda was always dangerous with his right hand. Boxing well behind the jab despite having to take heavy shots every now and again, Mthalane proved his class when winning four of the opening six rounds. Putting his foot on the pedal in round seven Mthalane added to his total when keeping on top of Miranda, who had a swollen right eye by the tenth, before having to survive a last-ditch effort from the latter in the 11th.

 

6 October 2009. Denkaosan Kaovichit w pts 12 Daiki Kameda.

Venue: Central Gym, Osaka, Japan. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Rafael Ramos.

Scorecards: 115-113, 115-113, 114-114.

Fight Summary: Despite the champion appearing to have retained his title by some distance, it was rather surprising to find that one of the judges had him only drawing while the other two saw him winning by seven rounds to five. The early part of the contest saw Kaovichit (111¾) making the fight, jabbing and landing hard shots to the body, and generally outworking Kameda (112). Although Kameda got himself going in the sixth, the next two sessions belonged to Kaovichit. It was in the ninth that Kameda found some joy as Kaovichit tired and clinched, his left hooks to head and body being particularly effective. The last two rounds saw both men going for the win, with the challenger edging them on the cards.

 

At the Roberto Duran Arena, Panama City, Panama on 27 November, Luis Concepcion knocked out Roberto Carlos Leyva in the fourth to retain the WBA ‘interim’ title.