RingSide Report

World News, Social Issues, Politics, Entertainment and Sports

Ringside Report’s Fight Report of Recent Results and Upcoming Bouts Around The World



By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart

UK – biggest and most notable

Last Saturday, the 26th of March, in Leeds, DAZN and Matchroom provided the platform where the IBF featherweight title returned to Josh Warrington as he stopped Kiko Martinez in a fantastic rematch. Having won the belt in a huge upset against Kid Galahad, Martinez was not expected to hold on to it for too long. And here it proved to be the case.

Kiko Martinez is a remarkable boxer and fighter. When he was announced as Galahad’s first defense, it was clear that most believed Galahad had a given for his first defence. Beating Galahad to win the belt, Martine gave us another, tremendous narrative and an amazing plot twist. He still, however, even as the defending champion, came into the Warrington fight as an underdog, a warrior, a dangerous man. He left the ring exactly that – he was brave, and he was exceptional with an incredible heart. Unfortunately, apart from breaking Warrington’s jaw and left hand, he could not break his spirit or determination to win back his old belt.

Under the radar

Also, on Saturday the 26th of March in Wembley, cruiserweight Richard Riakporhe produced the right result when he stopped Deion Jumah in the eighth round. Jumah loses his unbeaten record and Riakporhe is now looking towards a world title shot sometime in the next 18 months or so.

International headline in the UK

Saturday the 26th of March saw the IBO intercontinental super middleweight fight in Dortmund between Felix Sturm and Istvan Szili, end with Szili taking a strange majority decision. Sturm is past it and was well beaten. Szili was no genius and is likely to toil if he goes up the ranks but a win… is a win…

International – most intriguing

On Saturday the 26th of March in Accra, Ghana, Scottish welterweight Lee McAllister was down for the WBO intercontinental title. At time of writing, it is still on BOXREC but without any result. I cannot find it anywhere so can only guess that, following the Scott Harrison comeback PBC Commonwealth title fight against an African opponent where McAllister was involved in the promotion, and the African fighter pulled out at the last minute, that something may not be going smoothly. It’s a guess and I do not know – but it could be he went, he saw, he conquered, with Lee, you never know – he is that full of surprises – it’s why I like him.

Mentioned in dispatches

Elsewhere in Dubai, cruiserweight Mike Perez beat Vasil Ducar for the WBO intercontinental title when Ducar retired. On UK soil, and in Newcastle, super lightweight Lewis Ritson had a wide points win against Dejan Zlaticanin, in Wembley Caroline Dubois scored her second professional fight in as many contests with a first round stoppage and in Leeds, Maria Cecilia Roman lost her IBF bantamweight title on points to Ebanie Bridges with Bridges showing she certainly can fight. Lightweight Maxi Hughes also successfully defended his IBO title against Ryan Walsh on points.

Fast Forward – the week to come as viewed from one side of the Atlantic

UK – biggest and most notable

This Saturday the 2nd of April, the WBO title fight between Savannah Marshall and Femke Hermans at middleweight is the aperitif number two as Marshall is working towards the showdown with Claressa Shields – what we all know is the main course. Shields shall be in the crowd when Marshall defends her title in Newcastle, and if Marshall wins and we get the same showdown as we got at Shields’ fight a few short weeks ago, this could be a massive spectacle outside as well as inside the ring. Hermans is nobody’s fool. She is a former world champion and dangerous. It would be a massive shock if Hermans was to win, and it is abundantly clear that nobody thinks that may happen… we just have to hope that Hermans has read that script fully!

Mentioned in dispatches

It’s quite a quiet bunch of cards in the UK as the Newcastle card includes the coheadlining Albanian Florian Marku taking on Chris Jenkins. In Rotherham we also have the British flyweight title fight between hardy journeyman, Craig Derbyshire and Tommy Frank on Sunday the 3rd of April.

Future History – and the week to follow…

UK – biggest and most notable

Another week where there are five cards throughout the weekend from Friday the 8th and Saturday the 9th with plenty of endeavour and honest toil – in Blackpool, Manchester, Glenrothes, Oldham and in the iconic York Hall.

International headline in the UK

Saturday 9th April

In Japan we get to see Gennady Golovkin take on Ryota Murata in a WBA/IBF middleweight unification fight which may see the trilogy set up with Canelo should he get past Murata and Canelo beats Bivol…

International – most intriguing

Saturday 9th April

We have a couple of choices as in Denmark there is the WBO female bantamweight title fight between Dina Thorslund and Niorkis Carreno or the WBC interim super welterweight title fight between Erikspon Lubin and Sebastian Fundora.