Weekend Wrap Up: British Prospects Have Huge Weekend

This is the first of many boxing weekend wrap ups that I will publish, and what a good weekend to start. I will split the fights up by main events (most important fights) and undercard bouts (less important but still worth reporting on). At the end I will also include fights announced this weekend and any other big boxing news.

This weekend was a huge week for British prospects, and an action packed weekend all around. Two of British’s biggest prospects scored crushing knockouts in step up bouts, and the Pinoy Power-Latin Fury did not disappoint. So lets get to the main events.

Main Events

After having Nathan Cleverly on my list of 10 prospects to watch, he came out and made me look good. He scored a fifth-round TKO over experienced Italian Antonio Brancalion (32-8-2). Cleverly raised his record to 19-0 with his ninth KO. With the win, he has successfully made the jump for the British level to the European level.

The young 22-year-old Welshman came out a little slow in the first round but picked it up fast after then. In round three, he put it all together and started to break down the challenger with head and body shots. The WBO No. 2, IBF No. 3, WBC No. 5 and WBA No. 12 rated Cleverly put Brancalion down at the end of the fourth with a huge right cross.

Sensing that the end was near, he went for broke and was landing punch after punch on the helpless Brancalion until Jean-Louis Legland stopped the fight at the 1:15 mark of the fifth.

With the win, Cleverly acquired the EBU Light Heavyweight Title and took a step towards his goal of becoming a world champion. With another two or three good wins, he should be ready to take on a world champion.

On the same card another British beast took care of business in the same fashion but in much quicker fashion. WBO No. 1 Kevin Mitchell raised his record to 31-0, 23 KO’s with a second round destruction of Columbian Ignacio “Nacho” Medoza (27-6-2).

Mitchell, also rated IBF No. 3 at 130 pounds, showcased his bone crushing power in the second when he caught Medoza with a monster short right hook and finished him off with a left hook to the already stunned Columbian. A count was given, but Medoza couldn’t beat it and the fight was waved off at 1:24 of the second round.

Mitchell and his promoter Frank Warren called for the WBO Interim lightweight champion Michael Katsidis during their post-fight interview.

WBA Interim Super Flyweight Champion Nonito Donaire (23-1, 15 KO’s) took out late sub Manuel “Chango” Vargas (26-5-1) in the third round of a non-title fight.

Donaire controlled the action before dropping Vargas for the count with a nice left uppercut at 1:33. Original challenger Gerson Guerrero failed his physical, which forced Vargas to step up on three days notice from 108 lbs.

Undercard

Up and coming British heavyweight Derek Chisora (12-0, seven KOs) won a British Heavyweight eliminator via second round KO over Prizefighter semifinalist Carl Baker (9-5, six KOs).

Chisora was originally slated to face Danny Williams, but the bout fell through and Chisora had to settle fighting in an elimination bout.

Another exciting British prospect, Frankie Gavin (6-0, five KOs), was forced to go to the scorecards for the first time in his short career but passed his toughest test to date. “Irish” Peter McDonagh (14-16, two KOs), was the first to extend Gavin to the scorecards. McDonagh mostly threw wide overhand rights no success. Gavin controlled the bout with his hand speed and elusiveness. Gavin mostly used his left uppercut to tag McDonagh, over and over. After six rounds, referee Jeff Hines saw it lopsidedly 60-54 for the young Brit.

Beijing Olympic gold medalist James DeGale (6-0, four KOs) didn’t give Matthew Barr (14-6, six KOs) a single chance. DeGale went right after Barr, who has been KO'ed in all six losses, and floored him with a nice overhand right. Barr got up and managed to land some nice shots of his own, but he was dropped once again with the same punch. He managed to rise one more time but was dropped for the third time and the bout was halted at 1:38 of round two.

Full WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel (40-2-2, 30 KOs) used only 2:06 to overpower previously unbeaten Ciso Morales (14-1, eight KOs). Montiel ended matters with a left hand to the body of Morales.

In a clash for the vacant WBO interim bantamweight championship, No. 1 contender Eric Morel (42-2, 21 KO) took a split decision against No. 2 contender Gerry Penalosa (54-8, 34 KO). Penalosa had to deal with two unintentional head butts. They left him with cuts over both eyes. The 38-year-old Penalosa upped the pressure down the stretch and according to some deserved a decision. The scores were 115-113, 116-112 Morel and 115-113 Penalosa.

Bernabe Concepcion (30-2-1, 17 KOs) took a ten round unanimous decision over Mario Santiago (21-2-1, 14 KOs) to earn a title shot against WBO champ Juan Manuel Lopez. Concepcion dropped Santiago in round six, then survived a late Santiago rally to win by scores of 98-91, 96-93, 97-92.

Other fights

Two-time WBO title challenger, current WBO No. 2/WBC No. 10/WBA No. 13 super featherweight Terdsak Jandaeng (38-3-1, 25 KOs) stopped Indonesian Stevie Ferdinandus in round four.

Former WBA 108 lb title challenger Nethra Sasiprapa (19-1, seven KOs) destroyed Indonesian Rino Ukru in the opening round.

Heavy-handed lightweight Ji-Hoon Kim (20-5, 17 KOs) scored a fifth round TKO over Tyrone Harris (24-6, 16 KOs) on Friday night. Time was 1:52.

Unbeaten junior welterweight Ruslan Provodnikov (14-0, 9 KOs) stopped former IBF lightweight champion Javier Juaregui (53-17-2, 36 KOs) in round eight. Time was 2:10.

Fights this weekend

February 19 ESPN2

Shawn Porter vs Russell Jordan (junior middleweight)

February 19

Edner Cherry vs Hevinson Herrera (junior lightweight)

February 20

Daniel Ponce De Leon vs Orlando Cruz (featherweight)

Lucas Matthysse vs Vivian Harris (junior welterweight)

February 20

Elio Rojas vs Guty Espadas Jr. (WBC featherweight championship)

Fights announced

WBC Latino super bantamweight champion Wilfredo Vasquez, Jr. (17-0-1, 14 KOs) will fight on February 27 against former WBO super flyweight titlist “Marvelous” Marvin Sonsona (14-0-1, 12 KOs) for the vacant WBO junior featherweight title. (PPV)

NABO Lightweight titleholder Martin “El Brochas” Honorio (27-4-1, 14 KOs) returns on March 5th against undefeated Wilton “Pretty Warrior” Hilario (12-0-1, nine KOs).

Deandre “The Bull” Latimore (20-2, 16 KOs) and Sechew “Iron Horse” Powell (25-2, 15 KOs) will meet on 3/9 for the IBF No. 1 ranking in the junior middleweight division. The fight will air on ESPN2 Friday Night Fights.