Barry Hugman's World Championship Boxing

27 September 2008. Denis Inkin w pts 12 Fulgencio Zuniga.

Venue: Color Line Arena, Hamburg, Germany. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Mark Nelson.

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

Fight Summary: Contested for the vacant title after Joe Calzaghe decided he could not make 168lbs again, it was Inkin (167¼) who took control early on. Although Zuniga (166¼) tried hard his punches were ineffective and failed to stop Inkin's march to the title, one of the judges giving him just one round. There were no knockdowns.

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29 February 2008. Lucian Bute w rsc 10 William Joppy.

Venue: Bell Centre, Montreal, Canada. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Marlon Wright.

Fight Summary: Having failed to win a round on the cards coming into the ninth, and having taken some solid left hands from the southpaw champion, the 37-year-old Joppy (167¾), both eyes swelling, was up against it. The first knockdown of the fight came in the ninth, Joppy being put down after Bute (167½) dug in several left hooks to the body, and in the tenth he was dropped twice more before the referee came to his rescue at 1.08 of the session.

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3 November 2007. Joe Calzaghe w pts 12 Mikkel Kessler.

Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales. Recognition: WBA/WBC/WBO/The Ring. Referee: Michael Ortega.

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

Fight Summary: With Kessler (168) putting his WBA and WBC titles on the line while Calzaghe (167½) had his WBO crown and Ring Championship Belt up for grabs, it was the latter who came home by a unanimous decision. Although Kessler fought at the top of his game he could never close down the Welsh southpaw, who continually went up the gears and took over completely in the second half when winning five of the last six rounds. Always dangerous, Kessler proved to be a very good fighter, but in Calzaghe he was up against a great one.

 

At the Entertainment Centre, Sydney, Australia on 10 December, Anthony Mundine knocked out Jose Alberto Clavero inside four rounds to retain the WBA ‘second tier’ title, prior to outpointing Nader Hamdan over 12 rounds on 27 February 2008 at the same venue in another defence. The day after Mundine made a further successful defence, when outpointing fellow Australian Sam Soliman over 12 rounds at the Vodafone Arena, Melbourne, Australia on 28 May 2008, he relinquished the title in order to drop down a weight division.

 

Following that, Kessler knocked out Dimitri Sartison inside 12 rounds at the Brondby Hall, Copenhagen, Denmark on 21 June 2008 to capture the WBA ‘second tier’ title, bearing in mind that Calzaghe continued to be recognised as the ‘super’ champion.

 

On 28 June 2008, Calzaghe relinquished the WBC title to pursue a fight at the light heavyweight limit against Roy Jones, and Carl Froch was eventually selected to meet Jean Pascal to decide the vacant crown. Initially, it had been reported that Froch would be taking on Jermain Taylor, but with the latter’s planned contest against Jeff Lacy virtually signed and sealed Pascal turned down the chance of a WBO ‘interim’ title fight to meet Froch. Meantime, Taylor beat Lacy (w pts 12 at the Vanderbilt University Memorial Gym, Nashville, Tennessee on 15 November 2008) in what was billed as an official WBC eliminator and would meet the winner of Froch versus Pascal.

 

Now that a match against Jones at 175lbs was signed and sealed, Calzaghe relinquished his WBO and WBA titles as well as handing in The Ring Championship Belt on 26 September 2008 as he felt that regardless of his forthcoming contest he would find it too difficult to make 168lbs again. He had made 21 successful defences of the WBO crown. That decision allowed the WBO ‘interim’ title fight scheduled for the next day between Denis Inkin and Fulgencio Zuniga to go ahead for the full title, and saw Kessler promoted to full WBA championship status.

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19 October 2007. Lucian Bute w rsc 11 Alejandro Berrio.

Venue: Bell Centre, Montreal, Canada. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Marlon Wright.

Fight Summary: On the back foot from the bell, the southpaw challenger found the hard-hitting Berrio (167¾) not too willing to accommodate him, and although the former always appeared in control he had to take more blows than he would have cared. Several times Bute (167) stunned Berrio, but was unable to finish him off. Having taken the ninth and tenth sessions, coming into the 11th Bute finally found the punches he had been looking for; a right hook to the head sending Berrio crashing back before he was left slumped in a corner, eyes glazed, following further heavy blows. With 1.27 on the clock the referee stopped the fight, leaving Bute, his right eye badly swollen, the winner.

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7 April 2007. Joe Calzaghe w rsc 3 Peter Manfredo.

Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales. Recognition: WBO/The Ring. Referee: Terry O’Connor.

Fight Summary: Far below the level to be fighting for two world championship belts, especially when up against an unbeaten champion who was looking to make it 20 defences, the game Manfredo (166) was stopped at 1.30 of the third round, a decision that was thought by many to be premature. Regardless of that, Manfredo was on his way to a beating and was not fighting back against the fast-handed southpaw when the decision was made. After the contest Calzaghe (167¾) stated that he had fractured his left hand again, which probably explained why he looked for the early win and went downstairs more often than not.

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24 March 2007. Mikkel Kessler w pts 12 Librado Andrade.

Venue: Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark. Recognition: WBA/WBC. Referee: Laurence Cole.

Scorecards: 120-108, 120-108, 120-108.

Fight Summary: Despite it being one-sided, the champion winning every round, the tough Andrade (168) made it an absorbing contest right up to the final bell. There were no knockdowns, but that was due to Andrade's ability to take excessive punishment as Kessler (168) hit him with every punch in the book and more. How Andrade, remaining virtually unmarked, took everything thrown at him and came back with heavy shots of his own was amazing and marked him out a real 'Iron Man'.

 

Anthony Mundine outpointed Pablo Daniel Zamora Nievas over 12 rounds at the Leisure Centre, Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia on 27 June to retain his WBA ‘second tier’ title.

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3 March 2007. Alejandro Berrio w rsc 3 Robert Stieglitz.

Venue: Town Hall, Rostock, Germany. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Remigio Ruggeri.

Fight Summary: Contested for the vacant title after Joe Calzaghe handed in his belt, it was Berrio (168) who came home the winner when he stopped Stieglitz (167¼) at 2.37 of the third. Having already beaten his opponent Stieglitz was favoured, but he failed to find the range and in the third was dropped by a combination of blows. Back on his feet, Stieglitz was then put down again by a right hand, and although allowed to continue he was almost out on his feet when the referee brought the fight to a halt.

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14 October 2006. Mikkel Kessler w co 3 Markus Beyer.

Venue: Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark. Recognition: WBA/WBC. Referee: Guido Cavalleri.

Fight Summary: Looking to unify two titles, when the WBA champion, Kessler (167¾), met the WBC's Beyer (168) it was the former who came out on top by a third-round kayo win after starting well with the jab to unsettle his southpaw opponent. Marked over the right eye, coming into the third Beyer was quickly under pressure as Kessler stepped it up, and at 2.58 of the session he was counted out after being caught heavily by a right cross to the jaw.

 

Now that Kessler was recognised as the WBA ‘super' champion, Anthony Mundine stopped fellow Australian, Sam Soliman, inside nine rounds at the Entertainment Centre, Sydney, Australia on 7 March 2007 to win the vacant WBA ‘second tier’ title.

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14 October 2006. Joe Calzaghe w pts 12 Sakio Bika.

Venue: MEN Arena, Manchester, England. Recognition: IBF/WBO/The Ring. Referee: Mickey Vann.

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

Fight Summary: With his three championship belts on the line it was not one of Calzaghe’s better nights, but he still boxed well enough to win clearly over the tough Bika (168). In the fifth round Bika had a point deducted for repeated head butts, and at the end of the contest Calzaghe (168) finished with a vertical cut over the left eye and a badly swollen jaw, testament to the former's rough, tough tactics. Boxing well on the counter Bika had occasionally hurt his southpaw opponent, especially in the ninth, but the Welshman continually threw more punches than his rival, something that was reflected on the scorecards.

 

On 27 November, it was reported that Calzaghe had relinquished the IBF version of the title in order to defend his WBO crown against Peter Manfredo rather than face Robert Stieglitz, the IBF’s mandatory challenger. Following that, the latter was matched against Alejandro Berrio for the vacant title. Despite losing to Stieglitz in an earlier contest, Berrio had earned his opportunity when defeating Yusaf Mack (w rsc 6 at the Club Cinema, Pompano Beach, Florida, USA on 19 May) in an eliminator.

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13 May 2006. Markus Beyer tdraw 4 Sakio Bika.

Venue: The Stadium, Zwickau, Germany. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Joe Cortez.

Fight Summary: Cut under the right eye in the second by a left hook, the southpaw champion was under pressure in the third when a left uppercut put him on the back foot. Although finishing the round strongly with several hard lefts that backed Bika (168) up, at 1.45 of the fourth Beyer (167¾) was ruled out of the contest when a nasty class of heads left him with a cut on the right eye. Following an inspection by the doctor the referee ruled it a technical draw under the WBC ruling that a contest has to go beyond four completed rounds for a decision to be given.

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4 March 2006. Joe Calzaghe w pts 12 Jeff Lacy.

Venue: MEN Arena, Manchester, England. Recognition: IBF/WBO/The Ring. Referee: Raul Caiz.

Scorecards: 119-105, 119-107, 119-107.

Fight Summary: In what was a unification contest between Calzaghe (168), the WBO representative, and the IBF champion, Lacy (167), the former put in one of his best ever displays to outclass the American danger man. Pounded for round after round by southpaw lefts and rights and cut over both eyes, Lacy showed his mettle as he continually looked for a winning blow. Calzaghe, who was deducted a point in the 11th for an illegal punch, had been at his best, ripping in speedy punches from all angles, and in the final session he finally had Lacy down. Getting up at 'four' Lacy looked to have a breather until almost being taken out by a clutch of uppercuts and being saved by the bell. The Ring Championship Belt was also up for grabs in this one.

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28 January 2006. Markus Beyer w rsc 12 Alberto Colajanni.

Venue: Tempodrom Arena, Berlin, Germany. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Larry O’Connell.

Fight Summary: Hardly concerned that this was a boring affair, the southpaw champion appeared content at times to let the outclassed Colajanni (164) remain in the fight. Throwing few punches, Colajanni had been floored in the fourth by a right-left combination before being badly hurt in the 12th when dropped for 'eight' by a heavy left. With Colajanni unsteady on his legs, when Beyer (167) smashed him down again the referee called matters off at 2.25 just as the towel was thrown in.

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14 January 2006. Mikkel Kessler w rsc 10 Eric Lucas.

Venue: Brondby Hall, Copenhagen, Denmark. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Luis Pabon.

Fight Summary: Although there were no knockdowns the champion outclassed the hardy Lucas (167), winning all nine completed rounds before the latter's corner threw the towel in to enforce the referee's stoppage on the 1.51 mark. With Kessler (165) in total control, dominating behind the jab and still strong, it was clear that Lucas would struggle the longer the fight went on. Cut over both eyes with his face a bloody mess at the end, the corner saved him to fight another day.

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5 November 2005. Jeff Lacy w rsc 2 Scott Pemberton.

Venue: Caesar’s Palace, Lake Tahoe, Stateline, Nevada, USA. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Vic Drakulich.

Fight Summary: Even though a good fighter, Pemberton (168) was several levels below the champion, and right from the opening bell he was forced to use every part of the ring to survive the heavy bombs being thrown at him. Eventually, in the second round, Lacy (168) caught up with his rival when a big right put Pemberton down for ‘nine’. Back on his feet, despite ducking low and moving away Pemberton was sent crashing in his own corner following a right hook that hit him flush. Without bothering to take up the count the referee stopped the fight with one second of the session remaining.

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10 September 2005. Joe Calzaghe w pts 12 Evans Ashira.

Venue: International Arena, Cardiff, Wales. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Mark Nelson.

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

Fight Summary: Dominating from the opening bell the champion swarmed all over Ashira (168) with southpaw rights and lefts, and following an accidental clash of heads in the second round the latter was cut over the left eye. Although Calzaghe (167½) continued to throw plenty of leather at Ashira, from thereon in it was clear that something was up with the Welshman’s left hand as he stopped throwing it after the fourth and relied on his lead right to get him through the contest. Afterwards, it transpired that as Calzaghe had broken a metacarpal he would be unable to fight Jeff Lacy, regardless of the ongoing negotiations, in the immediate future.

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3 September 2005. Markus Beyer w pts 12 Omar Sheika.

Venue: IC Centre, Berlin, Germany. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Massimo Barrovecchio.

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

Fight Summary: Clearly at his best the champion cut Sheika (167¼) on the right eye in the opening session before settling down to outbox the American, mainly by the use of a southpaw straight left. It was not until the fifth that Sheika landed a meaningful blow, a right to the jaw that shook Beyer (167¼), but he was unable to follow it up. While almost putting Sheika away in the eighth with a solid left, as in most of Beyer's fights he seemed content to sit back and box his way to a comprehensive points victory.

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6 August 2005. Jeff Lacy w rtd 7 Robin Reid.

Venue: St Petersburg Times Forum, Tampa, Florida, USA. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Jorge Alonso.

Fight Summary: In control right from the start the champion was soon banging in big punches, and in the third a low left hook dropped Reid (167½) for which the latter was given valuable seconds to recover. Lacy (167) really picked it up in the fourth, but after being butted in the fifth he dropped Reid with a right to the jaw on the referee's call of ‘break’. Not only was it the first time in his career that Reid had been dropped he also had a point deducted for the head work before being floored again by a terrific left uppercut to the jaw. Although saved by the bell, Reid was down again in the sixth. Docked another point for holding in the seventh, Reid was then smashed to the floor by a right uppercut to the jaw following a series of heavy blows. It was no surprise when Reid was retired in his corner at the end of the session, having taken far more than was good for him.

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8 June 2005. Mikkel Kessler w pts 12 Anthony Mundine.

Venue: Entertainment Centre, Sydney, Australia. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Luis Pabon.

Scorecards: 116-112, 120-108, 117-113. 

Fight Summary: Starting fast, Mundine (166¾) traded with the champion in the opening session before going on the back foot and making himself a difficult target. However, in the fourth Kessler (167½) finally made his mark, punching away with both hands before increasing the tempo in the middle rounds with stiff jabs and solid right crosses. Mundine was still boxing well though, especially when coming on strongly in the ninth with combinations and right crosses that shook Kessler. The last three sessions saw both men looking to make a point, but it was Kessler who impressed most when going for the body and landing heavily to make sure of the win.

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7 May 2005. Joe Calzaghe w rsc 6 Mario Veit.

Venue: Volkswagen Hall, Braunschweig, Germany. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Genaro Rodriguez.

Fight Summary: Although Calzaghe (167¾) had beaten Veit (167¾) inside two minutes previously the German was a much improved fighter, while the champion was looking to put the Kabary Salem fight behind him. It was soon apparent that the challenger’s best chance of winning lay in keeping his distance as he stuck to the task well, his left jab popping out consistently. However, once Calzaghe began to work the body, his hand-speed blistering, to the initiated it seemed to be just a matter of time. And so it proved when Calzaghe dropped Veit with a smashing left at the end of the fifth. Storming out for the sixth the champion soon had Veit down again following a barrage of heavy shots, and although the German got his feet he was rescued by the referee with just 42 seconds of the session gone.

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12 March 2005. Markus Beyer w pts 12 Danny Green.

Venue: Stadium Hall, Zwickau, Germany. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Laurence Cole.

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

Fight Summary: Finally getting his return against the champion Green (166) was expected by many to take over the title, and although it was always close the verdict was a fair reflection as to how the fight went. This time round, with much of Green’s aggression ineffective he was occasionally hurt by southpaw lefts to the body as Beyer (167) looked to find a weakness. However, in the tenth Green came on strongly, smashing in lefts and rights before having Beyer counted on in the 12th following a big right to the head. Although the ropes stopped Beyer from hitting the floor, when the German was allowed to box on Green jumped all over him until running out of time.

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5 March 2005. Jeff Lacy w rsc 7 Rubin Williams.

Venue: Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Tony Weeks.

Fight Summary: Williams (167) surprised all by attacking the champion with solid long jabs and taking the best he could muster before being stopped after 47 seconds of the seventh round. All three judges gave Williams the fourth when he went punch for punch against the tank-like Lacy (167), the former continuing to show resolve even when bombarded by vicious left hooks in every session. The fight ended when Lacy, punching away for all his worth, was using Williams’ head as target practice with the latter trapped and unable to get off the ropes.

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18 December 2004. Markus Beyer w pts 12 Yoshinori Nishizawa.

Venue: Upper Franconian Arena, Bayreuth, Germany. Recognition: WBC. Referee: John Keane.

Scorecards: 116-111, 117-111, 118-109.

Fight Summary: Having put the 38-year-old Nishizawa (167) down in the opening round, even though it was not counted as a knockdown, the southpaw champion was forced to take the mandatory ‘eight’ count himself after being dropped by a solid right in the second. It was more surprise than hurt, and Beyer (166¾) was soon dictating matters even though he could not find the punch to finish Nishizawa off. Afterwards, Beyer stated that he was amazed that his brave opponent was able to take so many heavy shots without crumbling, testament to the man from Japan’s durability.

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4 December 2004. Jeff Lacy w pts 12 Omar Sheika.

Venue: Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Tony Weeks.

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

Fight Summary: In his first defence, Lacy (168) was shocked in the opening two sessions being staggered by lefts and rights before getting back on course. For several rounds the crafty Sheika (166) made life difficult for Lacy, who was trying to overpower his rival without success. Lacy always had his nose in front, but it was not easy as Sheika took his best punches before coming back with some of his own. By the ninth, however, Lacy’s extra power was beginning to tell, and he continued to land thudding blows that would have dropped a lot of other fighters.

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12 November 2004. Mikkel Kessler w rtd 7 Manny Siaca.

Venue: Brondby Hall, Copenhagen, Denmark. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Stan Christodoulou.

Fight Summary: By the end of round two the champion was already under pressure, and by the fourth Kessler (168) was well in control as he pushed his man back with solid blows from both hands. Although Siaca (168) was dropped by a right to the jaw in the seventh it was not ruled as a count, but thereafter he had little chance of retaining his title as Kessler battered him throughout the session. It was no surprise when Siaca was retired by his corner at the end of the seventh after he had been taken apart by cracking combinations before slumping on to his stool.

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22 October 2004. Joe Calzaghe w pts 12 Kabary Salem.

Venue: Royal Highland Showground, Edinburgh, Scotland. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Paul Thomas.

Scorecards: 117-109, 118-107, 116-109.

Fight Summary: Calzaghe (168) was possibly the best super middle around, but unfortunately this was not a good day for him. However, because Salem (167¾) had come to spoil there was no way he was ever going to win the title despite putting the southpaw champion down in the fourth after cutting him on the head in round two following a coming together. It was a big right-hand counter that had put Calzaghe on his pants for ‘four’, and although he looked shaken he was soon back in the action. Eventually rising above the lethargy Calzaghe got himself going to cut Salem over the right eye in the seventh before nearly putting him away in the final session after a solid straight left had dropped the Egyptian for ‘eight’. Both men had points deducted for butting, Salem in the third and Calzaghe in the 11th.

 

On 6 November, at the Erdgas Arena, Riesa, Germany, Mario Veit successfully defended the WBO ‘interim’ title when stopping Charles Brewer in the ninth round.

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9 October 2004. Markus Beyer w rsc 6 Cristian Sanavia.

Venue: Fair Hall, Erfurt, Germany. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Ian-John Lewis.

Fight Summary: Defending the title against the man he won it from Sanavia (165¾) started slowly in the opening session before taking the next four rounds. At that stage of the proceedings he looked the more likely winner. However, boxing coolly, Beyer (167¼) had begun to show signs of his form late on in the fifth, and in the sixth he turned the fight on its head when smashing Sanavia to the floor with a right and two lefts to the jaw. Although Sanavia was up at ‘eight’, because he was sagging badly the referee continued to count to ‘ten’. The finish came after 54 seconds of the session had elapsed.

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2 October 2004. Jeff Lacy w rsc 8 Syd Vanderpool.

Venue: Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Robert Byrd.

Fight Summary: Fighting to decide who should wear the IBF Championship Belt after Sven Ottke’s retirement, Vanderpool (167), a crafty southpaw, began well with the jab before Lacy (168) picked up the pace in the fourth when landing heavily with rights and lefts. By the sixth Lacy was into his stride, shaking Vanderpool up with left hooks, and he built on that in the eighth before hurting the latter badly enough in the eighth with solid uppercuts to force the referee to stop the fight in his favour. Timed at 1.37 of the eighth, the finish saved the brave Canadian from taking more than he had to.

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5 June 2004. Cristian Sanavia w pts 12 Markus Beyer.

Venue: The Arena, Chemnitz, Germany. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Mark Green.

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

Fight Summary: In a battle of southpaws, Sanavia (166½) started the better when scoring well with the right jab while the champion found it difficult to find any rhythm. And when Sanavia began to get his hooks and uppercuts going it became even more difficult for Beyer (167½) to raise his game. However, there was never that much between them and by the tenth it looked as though Beyer might have found the answer, hammering home lefts and rights, before the final two sessions saw him hand the initiative back to Sanavia and, at the same time, relinquish his title.

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5 May 2004. Manny Siaca w pts 12 Anthony Mundine.

Venue: Entertainment Centre, Sydney, Australia. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Raul Caiz Jnr.

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

Fight Summary: Making his first title defence since taking over from Sven Ottke, Mundine (167¼) made a bad start when dropped in the second round by a left hook to the jaw. Although Mundine was up at ‘four’ he did little to show himself as championship material during the rest of the contest. Having entered the ring after turning an ankle a week earlier Mundine was on the back foot from thereon in as Siaca (167½) went after him, and in the tenth he twice went to the floor due to his injury. Occasionally, Mundine landed good combinations, but Siaca was always the master of the situation.

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27 March 2004. Sven Ottke w pts 12 Armand Krajnc.

Venue: Borderland Hall, Magdeburg, Germany. Recognition: IBF/WBA. Referee: Armando Garcia.

Scorecards: 120-108, 120-110, 119-109.

Fight Summary: Putting on his best performance for some time the champion, Ottke (167½), was soon threading in the jabs to head and body, with Krajnc (166½) having great difficulty in keeping up with his speed. Although Krajnc had little joy, being outboxed round after round, he gave it a real go over the final three sessions to no avail.

 

Ottke announced his retirement from boxing immediately following the contest, and while the IBF title remained vacant Anthony Mundine took over full recognition as the WBA champion.

 

Meantime, the IBF set up two eliminating bouts between Syd Vanderpool v Tito Mendoza and Jeff Lacy v Vitaliy Tsypko. While Vanderpool outpointed Mendoza over 12 rounds at the State Fairground Hall, Tampa, Florida on 17 April, the Lacy v Tsypko fight at the Leggett & Platt Centre, Joplin, Missouri on 5 June was stopped at the end of the second round and declared a technical draw after the latter received a badly cut forehead. To allow the IBF title fight to go ahead it was Lacy who was selected to take on Vanderpool.

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28 February 2004. Markus Beyer w pts 12 Andre Thysse.

Venue: Mehrzweck Hall, Dresden, Germany. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Larry O’Connell.

Scorecards: 119-109, 117-111, 117-112.

Fight Summary: Giving away six inches in height to the tough challenger, also a southpaw, was not a problem for Beyer (166¾) and he was soon landing with accurate rights and lefts from range to avoid any repetition of his last contest. In the third round Thysse (167¼) did manage to hurt Beyer with a right hook to the jaw, but thereafter rarely threatened as the latter boxed his way to a comprehensive points win.

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21 February 2004. Joe Calzaghe w rsc 7 Mger Mkrtchyan.

Venue: Ice Rink, Cardiff, Wales. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Paul Thomas.

Fight Summary: Defending for the 14th time Calzaghe (167¾) took his time to deal with the tough Mkrtchyan (167), who was not overawed in the least, but by the fifth it was clear that the challenger was gradually being worn down. Although the brave Armenian was still willing to trade the seventh saw him hit with a barrage of punches, the last two being heavy lefts which sent him down. Up before being counted out, and not looking like a man who could last much longer, the referee rescued Mkrtchyan on the 1.05 mark.

 

At the Westphalia Hall, Dortmund, Germany, on 8 May, Mario Veit outpointed Kabary Salem over 12 rounds to win the vacant WBO ‘interim’ title. However, it was Salem who got first crack at Calzaghe.

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13 December 2003. Sven Ottke w pts 12 Robin Reid.

Venue: The Arena, Nuremburg, Germany. Recognition: IBF/WBA. Referee: Roger Tilleman.

Scorecards: 115-112, 115-112, 117-111.

Fight Summary: Yet again Ottke (168) successfully defended his title on home turf when all seemed lost, this time against the unlucky Reid (168). With the referee taking centre stage virtually throughout, warning Reid continuously and ignoring what seemed to be a perfectly good knockdown when Ottke was floored in the sixth, it turned into an untidy affair. The sixth also saw Reid deducted a point for an accidental head butt after Ottke had theatrically dropped to the ground. From the seventh through to the 12th the action became more and more untidy, which suited Ottke more than it did Reid, and the German just about got his nose in front.

 

Anthony Mundine retained the WBA ‘second tier’ title with a fifth-round stoppage win over Yoshinori Nishizawa at the Entertainment Centre, Wollongong, Australia on 19 January 2004.

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6 September 2003. Sven Ottke w pts 12 Mads Larsen.

Venue: Fair Hall, Erfurt, Germany. Recognition: IBF/WBA. Referee: Pete Podgorski.

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

Fight Summary: Facing a southpaw for the first time the champion had some difficulty in fathoming Larsen (167½) out initially, but with good footwork and classy countering, especially with rights to the body, he began to get on top. Although it had been expected that the hard-hitting Larsen would show more in the middle sessions he continued to miss wildly at times, there being only one winner at the final bell. Once again Ottke (168) had proved to be the master of just doing enough to win.

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16 August 2003. Markus Beyer w disq 5 Danny Green.

Venue: Nurburgring Formula One Racetrack, Nurburg, Germany. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Bill Clancy.

Fight Summary: Green (167½) made a great start when having the southpaw champion over in the opening two sessions from big right hooks. However, he also had a point deducted in the second when an accidental butt left Beyer (167½) badly cut over the right eye. Although Beyer came back refreshed in the third he was still being outworked by Green, but by the fourth he finally won a round when holding his boxing together. At this stage the hard-punching Green was still ahead, almost throwing Beyer to the floor in the fifth as he looked for a finish. By now Beyer was bleeding heavily, and following another butt from Green that opened up a further cut on the champion’s right eye the referee was advised by the ringside doctor to stop the fight. At that point, with the butt deemed to be intentional, instead of being handed the win Green found himself on the end of a disqualification defeat, timed at 2.15 of the fifth.

 

On 20 December, at the Bell Centre, Montreal, Canada, when Green stopped Eric Lucas in the sixth round he won the WBC ‘interim’ title in doing so. Regardless, he would have to wait some 15 months before being given another crack at the title.

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28 June 2003. Joe Calzaghe w rsc 2 Byron Mitchell.

Venue: The International Arena, Cardiff, Wales. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Dave Parris.

Fight Summary: Knocked down for the first time in his career when nailed by a short right hook in the second, Calzaghe (167) was up at ‘eight’ and came back swiftly to belt Mitchell (168) to the canvas with a big left. Having also taken the ‘eight’ count, the challenger was immediately set about and driven to the ropes where the referee rescued him after 2.36 of the round had elapsed. This was a good win for the Welshman against a former champion and a man who gave it a real go while it lasted.

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14 June 2003. Sven Ottke w pts 12 David Starie.

Venue: Borderland Hall, Magdeburg, Germany. Recognition: IBF/WBA. Referee: Randy Neumann.

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

Fight Summary: Even though the decision was unanimous in the champion’s favour had Starie (168) upped his work-rate, especially in the middle rounds, the result could have been very different. Once again Ottke (167½) boxed in a conservative fashion, doing what he had to in order to keep ahead when picking his punches and using the left hook well on the inside. The last three sessions saw Starie finally take more risks, outpunching Ottke three to one in the 11th, but the German continued to work on the outside as if he knew the fight was already his.

 

With Ottke continuing as a double champion, Anthony Mundine outscored Antwun Echols over 12 rounds on 3 September, at the Entertainment Centre, Sydney, Australia to win the vacant WBA ‘second tier’ title.

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5 April 2003. Markus Beyer w pts 12 Eric Lucas.

Venue: The Arena, Leipzig, Germany. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Laurence Cole.

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

Fight Summary: Making a fast start the champion won the opening sessions, shaking Beyer (167¼) up with a big right in the third before the latter settled in what became a difficult fight to score. There was no doubt that the German southpaw took most of the middle rounds, but Lucas (166¼), always in contention, tried to finish strongly in every one of them. However, it was Beyer who came through in the 11th and 12th when standing his ground and throwing combinations to swing the fight his way.

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15 March 2003. Sven Ottke w pts 12 Byron Mitchell.

Venue: Max Schmeling Arena, Berlin, Germany. Recognition: IBF/WBA. Referee: Stan Christodoulou.

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

Fight Summary: In a fight to unify the IBF and WBA titles, it was Ottke (167) who ultimately came out on top after surviving a tough last round when he was shaken up by heavy left and rights as Mitchell (167¼) tried to turn the fight his way. Ottke, who started as he meant to carry on, jumping in with jabs and straight rights before moving away and denying Mitchell openings, always appeared to be one step ahead. With four rounds to go Mitchell moved in, looking to land heavily, but was thwarted more often than not as Ottke, now cut by the side of the left eye, made him miss again and again. At the final bell most good judges had Ottke further ahead than the officials, and how one of them had the American in front beggared belief.

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14 December 2002. Joe Calzaghe w rsc 2 Tocker Pudwill.

Venue: Telewest Arena, Newcastle, England. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Dave Parris.

Fight Summary: Despite the American, who came in at short notice, lasting 12 rounds with the IBF champion, Sven Ottke, this was a mismatch. Dumped three times by the southpaw champion in the opener, his right eye a mess, Pudwill (167½) came out for the second round only to be stopped with 39 seconds on the clock when he was rescued by the referee after being floored with a body punch. Angry at not being able to meet Thomas Tate, who pulled out earlier with a burst eardrum, Calzaghe (167¼) took his frustration out on the limited Pudwill.

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16 November 2002. Sven Ottke w pts 12 Rudy Markussen.

Venue: Frankenland Hall, Nuremburg, Germany. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Robert Byrd.

Scorecards: 116-112, 116-112, 116-112.

Fight Summary: Although the unbeaten Markussen (166) made the early running, using his strength to push Ottke (167½) back, once the champion had got his left hand working by the fourth round there was only going to be one winner. Markussen, who had never been beyond eight rounds before, continued to be picked off in the latter sessions by jabs and rights over the top as Ottke upped the pace. Giving it one last effort in the 11th Markussen pressed for all he was worth before fading as Ottke coasted home for his 16th successful defence.

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6 September 2002. Eric Lucas w pts 12 Omar Sheika.

Venue: Bell Centre, Montreal, Canada, USA. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Lupe Garcia.

Scorecards: 117-111, 117-111, 119-109.

Fight Summary: After dropping two of the opening three rounds and being badly hurt in the third the champion picked up the pace to go clear as Sheika (167) appeared happy to box on the back foot. By the fifth, although Sheika was boxing a clever fight Lucas (166¾) was one step ahead of him, scoring well with left-right-lefts. Cut over the left eye in the seventh Sheika tried to force Lucas on the back foot in the latter rounds, but unable to get past the jab he was well beaten at the finish.

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24 August 2002. Sven Ottke w rsc 9 Joe Gatti.

Venue: The Arena, Leipzig, Germany. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Raffaele Argiolas.

Fight Summary: Gatti (168), the elder brother of Arturo, started well when taking the opening session, but from there onwards he was always running second best despite making the champion work hard for the points. After being cut over the right eye in the seventh Gatti found it difficult to stay with Ottke (167½), and in the ninth after being dropped twice he was rescued by the referee with 17 seconds of the round remaining. Following the contest, when Gatti was found to have a minor bleed to the brain he never boxed again.

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17 August 2002. Joe Calzaghe w pts 12 Miguel Angel Jimenez.

Venue: Cardiff Castle, Cardiff, Wales. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Dave Parris.

Scorecards: 120-107, 120-107, 120-107.

Fight Summary: Up against a challenger who was intent on survival, although Calzaghe (167¾) won every round the fight was made more difficult for him after he damaged the knuckles on his left hand as early as the second. Jimenez (168), who certainly proved his durability, offered up little and immediately covered up when under attack. By the latter stages it had become monotonous, with Calzaghe going for the body more in order to preserve his hands. At the final bell it was difficult to understand quite why Jimenez, who had a point deducted in the tenth for head butts, was given a title shot when there was only one recognised name on his record.

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27 July 2002. Byron Mitchell w rsc 4 Julio Cesar Green.

Venue: Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Vic Drakulich.

Fight Summary: In what started as a brawl the champion was soon on the end of things in the opening round when downed twice, firstly by a cracking left hook and secondly following a flurry of blows as the unfancied Green (168) looked for the finish. Although suffering the after-effects in the second, by the third Mitchell (167½) was beginning to put his punches together prior to sending in a solid short right that opened up a gash over Green’s left eye in the fourth. At this point Mitchell went for broke, and after hammering Green around the ring and the eye damage worsening the referee stopped the fight on the 1.55 mark.

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1 June 2002. Sven Ottke w pts 12 Thomas Tate.

Venue: Frankenland Hall, Nuremburg, Germany. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Randy Neumann.

Scorecards: 119-108, 118-109, 116-111.

Fight Summary: The champion proved to be far too quick and accurate for Tate (168), in what was a return match, scoring a second-round knockdown following a sharp left-right. Ottke (168) also kept the latter on the end of the jab for much of the time. In the fourth Tate’s left eye began to swell following the constant attention paid to it by the jab, and by the eighth it was bleeding. Towards the end Tate began to come on strong, but by that time Ottke knew that he only had to avoid trouble to make sure of a 14th successful title defence.

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20 April 2002. Joe Calzaghe w pts 12 Charles Brewer.

Venue: International Arena, Cardiff, Wales. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Mark Nelson.

Scorecards: 117-112, 119-109, 118-111.

Fight Summary: While the scorecards tell you that it was a relatively easy win for Calzaghe (167¾) it was certainly not, especially in the seventh round when Brewer (167¾) tested his chin and body when hammering in heavy punches from both hands. Ultimately it was the southpaw champion’s speed of hand and foot that was the main difference between him and Brewer, and that allowed him to move in and out of range without having to take more than he had to. Afterwards, Calzaghe admitted that the hard-hitting American had given him one of his hardest fights.

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16 March 2002. Sven Ottke w pts 12 Rick Thornberry.

Venue: Borderland Hall, Magdeburg, Germany. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Denny Nelson.

Scorecards: 120-108, 120-108, 120-108.

Fight Summary: Despite securing a shut-out points win Ottke (168) failed to come close to dropping an extremely competitive challenger who was always in front of him. It was clear right from the opening bell that Thornberry (167½) was not at the same level as Ottke, but that did not stop him from trying at every opportunity. Defending his title for the 13th time Ottke consistently got through with solid left jabs and combinations, and once again delighted the crowd with his consummate boxing skills.

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1 March 2002. Eric Lucas w pts 12 Vinny Pazienza.

Venue: Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, USA. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Eddie Cotton.

Scorecards: 117-111, 117-112, 119-110.

Fight Summary: Although well on top of the 39-year-old Pazienza (168), who hardly deserved a crack at the title, Lucas (167¾) was unable to drop the former IBF lightweight and WBA junior middleweight champion before having to settle for the wide points decision. Pazienza had promised his fans that he would brawl his way to victory, but it was only in the final session that he gave them a glimpse of what he used to be. Being cut over the right eye in the second merely added to Pazienza’s woes.

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1 December 2001. Sven Ottke w co 10 Anthony Mundine.

Venue: Westphalia Hall, Dortmund, Germany. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Wayne Kelly.

Fight Summary: Working well from the outside Mundine (166½) set the champion several problems for a few rounds, even having his man over in the eighth although the count was never picked up. In the ninth, however, Ottke (167), beginning to put his punches together better, had to weather a bit of a storm as Mundine looked for an early finish. Initially, the tenth session saw Mundine having an edge and scoring well with fast lefts, but after a couple of body shots had lowered his guard Ottke hammered home a tremendous right hook to the jaw that sent him down to be counted out on the 2.40 mark. At the time of the finish Ottke was ahead on all three cards by a reasonable margin, which would have been a lot closer had Mundine not been deducted two points in the fourth for intentional butts.

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30 November 2001. Eric Lucas w rsc 8 Dingaan Thobela.

Venue: Molson Centre, Montreal, Canada. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Laurence Cole.

Fight Summary: Boxing in a defensive mode with little on offer other than durability, Thobela (168), looking even older than his 35 years of age and performing more like a sparring partner, rarely gave the champion a problem and was nearly out of wind by the fifth. The sixth saw Lucas (167¾) ramping up the pace, but having hurt Thobela by the ropes there was a clash of heads that saw him pick up a badly cut left eye. Deducted a point for what was termed an accidental head butt Thobela was almost through for the night, and after taking heavy punishment from there onwards he was finally rescued by the referee at 2.15 of the eighth following a two-fisted hammering that left him in a dazed state on the ropes.

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13 October 2001. Joe Calzaghe w rsc 4 Will McIntyre.

Venue: Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Rudy Battle.

Fight Summary: Looking badly out of his depth, McIntyre (167½), who had substituted for Antwun Echols, was picked apart and dissected by the champion’s southpaw jab right from the opening bell. And by the third round Calzaghe (167½) was winding up jabs, uppercuts and heavy lefts that eventually left McIntyre totally exposed, at which point the referee exacted a standing ‘eight’ count before the bell came to the latter’s rescue. Still shaky at the start of the fourth McIntyre should have been retired by his corner, but after being dropped following a steady barrage of blows from Calzaghe and getting to his feet the referee stopped the fight 45 seconds into the session.

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29 September 2001. Byron Mitchell w pts 12 Manny Siaca.

Venue: Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, NYC, New York, USA. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Arthur Mercante Jnr.

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

Fight Summary: In what was a third title challenge for Siaca (167½) he fell short yet again in a difficult fight to score, the judges only agreeing on three rounds. The champion made a good start when dropping Siaca in the opening session, a right to the head doing the trick, and then dominated the second before the latter came back well in the third. Thereafter, both men had their moments, but by the fifth Siaca was on the back foot, landing good counters as Mitchell (168) tried to close him down. With Siaca tiring Mitchell went all out for the stoppage in the ninth, but after failing to put his man down he himself was floored in the 12th when caught by a left hook to the jaw. Although Siaca seemed to have Mitchell at his mercy when the American got to his feet, he let the opportunity slip and ultimately paid for it.

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1 September 2001. Sven Ottke w pts 12 James Butler.

Venue: Borderland Hall, Magdeburg, Germany. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Randy Neumann.

Scorecards: 118-109, 118-109, 119-108.

Fight Summary: Even though he posed a threat throughout the fight with big rights to the head Butler (167½) was unable to get going until the sixth round against a champion who knew too much for him and gave him little opportunity. Although still being outmanoeuvred by Ottke (167½), Butler finally threw caution to the wind in the last three sessions in an effort to turn things around, only to have a point docked from his total for rabbit punching in the 12th. A worthy winner, Ottke’s speed was supplemented with good footwork, accurate jabs and solid combinations. 

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10 July 2001. Eric Lucas w rsc 7 Glenn Catley.

Venue: Molson Centre, Montreal, Canada. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Lupe Garcia.

Fight Summary: Battling for the vacant title, Lucas (167¾) ultimately avenged a previous defeat at the hands of Catley (167¼) when he stopped his old rival at 2.04 of the seventh round. The contest had been relatively close up until the fifth even though Catley was falling short with the jab and being countered heavily for his pains, and in the sixth the writing was on the wall for him when he was twice dropped by heavy rights. Still dazed at the start of the seventh Catley continued bravely, but after a crashing right to the jaw sent him to the floor with no chance of beating the count the referee immediately brought the contest to an end.

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9 June 2001. Sven Ottke w rsc 11 Ali Ennebati.

Venue: Frankenland Hall, Nuremberg, Germany. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Arno Pokrandt.

Fight Summary: Successfully defending his title for the tenth time Ottke (166½) won virtually every round before the fight was stopped in his favour at 2.28 of the 11th, despite being up against a hard puncher who hurt him on several occasions, especially with rights to the head. By the end of the eighth it was clear that Ottke was lining himself up for the finish, and in the ninth a terrific right to the body had Ennebati (165½) doubled up in pain. Having dominated the tenth with Ottke going all out in the 11th, after he had dropped Ennebati twice with heavy rights to the head, the referee brought matters to a close.

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28 April 2001. Joe Calzaghe w rsc 1 Mario Veit.

Venue: The International Arena, Cardiff, Wales. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Mark Nelson.

Fight Summary: Showing all the form expected of him the southpaw champion tore into Veit (167), his 6’4” challenger, and within 30 seconds he had dropped the German for ‘three’ with a left over the top. Having taken the mandatory ‘eight’ count Veit was immediately put under further pressure before being floored again after a crunching left from Calzaghe (167¾) detonated on his jaw. Although Veit got to his feet he was quickly in trouble, being rescued by the referee when taking a battering against the ropes. The finish was timed at 1.52 of the opening session.

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24 March 2001. Sven Ottke w co 8 James Crawford.

Venue: Borderland Hall, Magdeburg, Germany. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Robert Byrd.

Fight Summary: Taking more risks than usual the champion set about the limited Crawford (167¼) right from the opening bell, dictating every round on his way to a relatively easy victory. Having thrown 165 blows at Ottke (167¾), landing with only seven, the American did not have the technical defensive ability to avoid punches coming his way, his demise being just a matter of time. Badly cut on the nose in the sixth Crawford tried his best to stay in the fight, but all that came to nought when a series of left-rights to the head followed by a cracking right to the body sent him down to be counted out with eight seconds of the eighth remaining.

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3 March 2001. Byron Mitchell w rsc 12 Manny Siaca.

Venue: Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Recognition: WBA. Referee: Jay Nady.

Fight Summary: Contesting the title forfeited by Bruno Girard on the morning of the fight, Mitchell (168) overcame a points deficit to stop Siaca (168) with just 28 seconds of the fight remaining. Siaca had made a good start, scoring well with long lefts and rights over the top as Mitchell came onto him while firing in solid right uppercuts at close range. Mitchell was also busy, and by the end of the seventh there was significant damage to Siaca’s left eye. Things turned in Mitchell’s favour in the ninth when he dropped Siaca with a cracking right, but after the latter was back in action both men had a point deducted for carrying the fight on after the bell. Although Siaca came back strongly in the next two sessions, looking to be well on his way to victory in the 12th, disaster struck when he missed with a right and walked on to a tremendous left hook to the jaw that sent him down to be counted out.

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16 December 2000. Sven Ottke w pts 12 Silvio Branco.

Venue: Europa Hall, Karlsruhe, Germany. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Arno Pokrandt.

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

Fight Summary: Despite not boxing at his best the champion worked much harder than Branco (167¾), who was out of sorts for much of the time and unable to take advantage of opportunities that presented themselves. Even then the scores did Branco a disservice according to Boxing News. The trade paper made the point that if Ottke’s pushing, pulling and hitting with the inside of the glove had been cut out the scoreline would have been much closer. In his last contest Branco had beaten England’s Robin Reid, but he failed to use his left hand enough while ultimately allowing Ottke (168) to steal rounds as he did in the first, third, seventh and eighth.

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16 December 2000. Joe Calzaghe w rsc 10 Richie Woodhall.

Venue: The Arena, Sheffield, England. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Roy Francis.

Fight Summary: Making his seventh title defence Calzaghe (167¾) proved too strong and durable for Woodhall (167½), winning five of the first eight rounds before opening up in the ninth and forcing a stoppage after 28 seconds of the tenth. Prior to the finish Woodhall had boxed well, shooting in good lefts and straight rights, but towards the end of the ninth, his right eye swelling badly, he was put down from southpaw lead right and lefts for a count of ‘four’. At the start of the tenth Woodhall had nowhere to go, and after Calzaghe picked it up where he left off in the ninth, slamming in rights and lefts, the referee had seen enough.

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15 December 2000. Dave Hilton w pts 12 Dingaan Thobela.

Venue: Molson Centre, Montreal, Canada. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Elmo Adolph.

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

Fight Summary: After nearly 20 years in the ring, Hilton (160½), eight pounds inside the weight limit, finally won a world title when taking a split decision over Thobela (166½). The contest had been extremely close, with no knockdowns, and had the referee taken a point from Hilton for low blows in the tenth the champion would have retained his title. With Hilton going from head to body in short bursts against Thobela’s better boxing, it was only when the latter began to tire that the Canadian got his nose in front.

 

When Hilton forfeited the WBC title on 19 April 2001 on being jailed for sex crimes, Eric Lucas and Glenn Catley were matched to find a new champion.

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16 September 2000. Bruno Girard w pts 12 Manny Siaca.

Venue: Circus Tent, Chateauroux, France. Recognition: WBA. Referee: John Coyle.

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

Fight Summary: It was the champion’s aggression and work-rate against the classier boxing skills of Siaca (167½). Although Siaca scored well with left jabs, especially in the middle rounds, Girard (167½) barely gave him time to think as he bored in looking to get inside. The last two sessions were somewhat frenetic, and while Siaca won them on the cards he failed to make up the leeway despite one of the judges having him the winner by seven rounds to three with two even.

 

Further to Girard forfeiting the WBA version of the title on 3 March 2001 after refusing a rematch against Siaca due to contractual problems, the latter was matched against Byron Mitchell to find a new champion.

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2 September 2000. Sven Ottke w pts 12 Charles Brewer.

Venue: Borderland Hall, Magdeburg, Germany. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Brian Garry.

Scorecards: 116-111, 116-112, 113-116.

Fight Summary: In what was a return match, Ottke (167½) having earlier taken the title from Brewer (167), the champion was far more aggressive than in their previous fight. This time there were far more infringements, Ottke given time out after a low blow in the sixth. Also, both men were careless with their heads throughout, Brewer being cut over the left eye in the eighth. Eventually, in the tenth, the American was deducted a point for a head butt, and in the 11th he showed a distinct lack of interest in the proceedings before coming back to take the final session. Despite damaging his left hand Ottke fully deserved the win, showing excellent sharpness and accuracy throughout.

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1 September 2000. Dingaan Thobela w co 12 Glenn Catley.

Venue: Carnival City Arena, Brakpan, South Africa. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Eddie Cotton.

Fight Summary: With Catley (167¼) ahead on the cards coming into the eighth, in what had been a tough fight, he was hurt by solid combinations and under constant pressure from there onwards. Deducted a point for illegal use of an elbow in the tenth Catley was still in front, but Thobela (167) was coming on strong. Giving it everything in the final session, after having the champion down from a heavy left-right combination the former WBA and undefeated WBO lightweight title holder was only moments away from victory. Although Catley made it to his feet in time he was immediately in trouble as crashing punches to head and body took their toll, and it was no surprise when another volley of blows sent him to the floor again. Counted out with just seven seconds left on the clock, Catley complained that Thobela’s bandages had been tampered with, thus giving him greater hitting power.

 

Following an inquiry, despite no concrete evidence of wrong doing the WBC ordered the winner of Thobela’s defence against Dave Hilton to meet the winner of Eric Lucas v Catley.

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12 August 2000. Joe Calzaghe w rsc 5 Omar Sheika.

Venue: Conference Centre, Wembley, London, England. Recognition: WBO. Referee: Genaro Rodriguez.

Fight Summary: Following three disappointing title defences Calzaghe (168) finally got his act together when taking Sheika (167) apart and battering him to defeat at 2.08 of the fifth. Making a confident start Calzaghe soon had the southpaw jab in and out of Sheika’s face as the latter looked to work the body. Cut over the left eye towards the end of the fourth Sheika came out fast for the fifth, but within moments he was also cut on the other eye. And, with Calzaghe punching him without response and the blood flowing, the referee decided that he had seen enough.

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3 June 2000. Sven Ottke w pts 12 Tocker Pudwill.

Venue: Europa Hall, Karlsruhe, Germany. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Raffaele Argiolas.

Scorecards: 119-107, 118-107, 119-106.

Fight Summary: Although the opening six rounds were relatively even it was more to do with the champion not working to his maximum ability rather than Pudwill (167) extending him. Pudwill, who survived a badly cut scalp following an accidental clash of heads in the first session and had been shaken up by a left-right to the jaw in the fifth, was still there in the seventh when being deducted a point for illegal use of the head. It was totally one-sided thereafter, with Pudwill being forced to endure counts in the ninth and tenth after Ottke (166½) landed heavily with lefts and rights before making it to the final bell.

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6 May 2000. Glenn Catley w rsc 12 Markus Beyer.

Venue: Hoechst Ball Sports Hall, Frankfurt, Germany. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Bob Logist.

Fight Summary: Shaken up by a heavy southpaw left in the second round as the champion looked to assert himself, Catley (167) saved his best work for the latter stages. Having nicked many of the rounds with Catley seemingly content to box on the outside, Beyer (167¼) possibly thought that he had the fight already won when he stepped out for the final session. However, Catley had different ideas. Dropping Beyer for ‘five’ with a left-right-left combination he tore in, belting away with both hands, before the referee rescued the latter after 53 seconds of the session had elapsed.

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8 April 2000. Bruno Girard w pts 12 Byron Mitchell.

Venue: Bercy Sports Palace, Paris, France. Recognition: WBA. Referee: John Coyle.

Scorecards: 117-114, 116-113, 116-113.

Fight Summary: Making good his return with Mitchell (167½) on home ground, Girard (168) lifted the title after coming on strongly to take three of the last four rounds as the champion tired. There was no doubt that Mitchell was the harder puncher of the two, boxing well behind the jab in the early stages, but had he paced himself better it could have been a different story.

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11 March 2000. Sven Ottke w pts 12 Lloyd Bryan.

Venue: Borderland Hall, Magdeburg, Germany. Recognition: IBF. Referee: Denny Nelson.

Scorecards: 117-109, 118-108, 120-106. 

Fight Summary: Having shared the opening session Bryan (168) found himself in trouble in the second round as the champion opened up. He was then badly hurt by a left hook in the fifth and docked a point in the eighth when going low. Continuing to pile on the pressure Ottke (168) went after Bryan in the tenth, and after dropping him with a right to the jaw he cruised through to the final bell. 

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29 January 2000. Markus Beyer w co 7 Leif Keiski.

Venue: Sachsen Arena, Riesa, Germany. Recognition: WBC. Referee: Jay Nady.

Fight Summary: Regardless that Keiski (166¼) made a reasonable start he was soon under pressure in the second round before being dropped by a southpaw left as the champion began to find his way. The next two sessions saw much of the same as Beyer (167¼) pushed on, and in the fourth he again floored Keiski with a solid left to the jaw. Showing he had something left Keiski came back well to take the fifth but, after Beyer had worked him around in the seventh, he was sent down and counted out on the 1.47 mark having taken a heavy left to the body.

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29 January 2000. Joe Calzaghe w pts 12 David Starie.

Venue: MEN Arena, Manchester, England. Recognition: WBO. Referee: John Coyle.

Scorecards: 120-108, 116-113, 118-110.

Fight Summary: Despite being second best in most sessions Starie (167½) made it to the final bell as the southpaw champion failed to find the punch that would ensure an early finish. It was a clear win for Calzaghe (167¾), but once again he failed to show his best form against a man who was cut over the right eye in the sixth and one who was unable to exert any real influence over the proceedings. Afterwards, Calzaghe admitted that having been out of action for over six months due to surgery had affected him.