Ringside Report’s Fight Report of Recent Results and Upcoming Bouts Around The World
By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart
UK – biggest and most notable
Saturday 21st May
I am not always a big fan of domestic clashes, on the basis that it sometimes dilutes the pool of people stepping up to world level. But when they work…
They work like the light heavyweight contest between Craig Richards and Joshua Buatsi courtesy of DAZN at the 02, London. Richards fought bravely and showed his own world title credentials. Having taken Dmitry Bivol further than Canelo managed, Richards showed that within the UK we have some serious light heavyweights. Buatsi, however won on points and did so clearly. Nobody has professionally beaten Buatsi, though Richards has now got 3 losses on his record. BOTH fighters deserve world title shots. Buatsi may get his chance first and given the news that Bivol will not be next in a rematch with Canelo, pressure is now on for Eddie Hearn to deliver? Maybe, but Buatsi’s trainer wants another fight BEFORE a world title contest. Would that be Anthony Yarde? Callum Johnson? Or do we look outside the UK and let the rest of the division scrap over the domestic titles?
International headline in the UK
Friday 20th May
In Bilbao, the WBA continental belt went from Kerman Lejarraga to James Metcalf, as the first British fighter out of eight to beat him, was Metcalf using superior defense, greater accuracy and a higher work rate! They are, like Richards and Buatsi above, friends, as Metcalf had sparred with Lejarraga before pulling this fight. That was all forgotten as he went on to score a unanimous points win in Lejarraga’s back yard! The cards were a lot closer than the reports from the fight would suggest but ultimately the right verdict appears to have been delivered.
Under the radar
Saturday 21st May
If we did not already know this, then the DAZN show with the return of the charismatic, Alen Babic proved that he is unhinged. His points win against Adam Balski, for the WBC silver bridgerweight belt was entertaining, reckless and a crowd pleaser of the most fantastic kind. It had almost everything, aside from a stoppage. We knew that the winner would want a tilt at the WBC world bridgerweight title which is held by Oscar Rivas, and Babic is now in pole position…
Rivas is at a different level and though he is the reigning bridgerweight champion and there would appear to be nowhere else for Babic to go. There are very genuine and serious concerns that whilst Babic is a pantomime performer, his level may not have reached world title yet. And yet…
Mentioned in dispatches.
Friday 20th May
There was plenty going on over the weekend, starting with the EBU flyweight contest in Bilbao, between Angel Moreno and Jaivo Noriega, where the veteran Moreno was convincingly beaten by Noriega. In York Hall, London, the WBC international super bantamweight title was Andrew Cain’s as he blasted out Luis Moreno in one round before the WBC international super bantamweight contest between Brad Foster and Ionut Baluta saw Foster lose against Baluta on points.
Saturday 21st May
In Arizona the WBC interim super middleweight world title clash between David Benavidez and David Lemieux saw Benavidez take only 3 rounds to beat Lemieux. The WBO interim world title clash between Zhanibek Alimkhanuly and Danny Dignum was over in the 2nd round as Dignum was knocked out by the 2016 Kazak Olympian. In Valencia, Spain, the EBU super featherweight title clash between Juan Felix Gomez and Anthony Riviere ended in a points win for Gomez whilst in the UK, at the 02 and on the Richards/Buatsi undercard cruiserweight Chaevon Clarke stopped Pawel Martyniuk in the 3rd round. Also at the 02, the WBA international title fight between Ellie Scotney and Maria Cecilia Roman at super bantamweight, ended with a Scotney points win and the world title fight for the WBC and IBF versions of the title at super lightweight between Chantelle Cameron and Victoria Noelia Bustos, was a dominant defence for Cameron. The WBA continental super lightweight fight between Robbie Davies Jr. and Javier Molina saw Davies Jr. win by split decision.
Fast Forward – the week to come as viewed from one side of the Atlantic
UK – biggest and most notable
Saturday 28th May
The most notable event in the UK is the broadcast on BBC Wales of an evening in Swansea of Welsh boxing that includes the Celtic featherweight title fight between Joshua John and Mark McKeown. Scotland’s McKeown has a noisy support travelling down to Wales to cheer him on but the local lad, John, unbeaten in 4 contests will have the backing of his own highly motivated crowd. The significance of the event is less to do with the belt on the line and far more to do with the television coverage. Live on the BBC, boxing, though in a limited way, is back…
International headline in the UK
Saturday 28th May
It has got to be the lightweight title clash for the WBA crown between Gervonta Davis and Rolando Romero in New York. With speculation more around what will happen to the three weight world champion, Davis, as he leaves Mayweather Promotions, than what is likely to happen in the ring on Saturday, you could be forgiven for wondering what part Romero plays in all this. Quite a lively one if his pronouncements and posturing in fight week is to be believed. Of course, there is little out there to support anyone who believes that Davis shall be defeated, and I am not going to disagree with that majority verdict!
Under the radar
Saturday 28th May
The Welsh title fights at welterweight between Jake Tinklin and Lloyd German and at middleweight between Morgan Jones and Gerome Warburton in Swansea is part of the BBC broadcast. This is just manna from heaven for the small hall promoters and the boxers. Make no mistake about this, we may not be witnessing fights that would headline a DAZN show or PBS, but these fights are the pinnacle for the fighters, and both are 50/50 contests between emerging Welsh boxers.
Mentioned in dispatches.
Saturday 28th May
Cards in the UK in Dunstable, Inverness, Doncaster and Sheffield whilst in New York, the WBA middleweight title fight is between Erislandy Lara and Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan
Sunday 29th May
In Hamburg, there is the IBF female super bantamweight title fight between Phannarai Netisiri and Crystal Garcia Nova.
Future History – and the week to follow…
UK – biggest and most notable
Saturday 4th June
In Cardiff, DAZN have a special night for Welsh super featherweight, Joe Cordina who will take on Kenichi Ogawa for the IBF title.
International headline in the UK
Sunday 5th June
Down under, in Melbourne, Devon Haney takes on George Kambosis Jr. for the WBA, WBO and IBF lightweight titles.
Under the radar
Saturday 4th June
In Brentwood, super bantamweight Nina Hughes takes on Eftychia Kathopouli from Glenrothes for the Commonwealth female title.
Mentioned in dispatches.
Saturday 4th June
Middleweight Harley Benn returns in Brentwood, whilst featherweight Skye Nicolson is back against Gabriela Bouvier in Cardiff along with super featherweight Zelfa Barret who faces Faroukh Kourbanov for the EBU title.
In Minnesota, the WBC and WBO belts are on the line at super bantamweight between Stephen Fulton and Daniel Roman whilst my curiosity is piqued at the IBA super welterweight title fight between David Papot and Ahmed Mousaoui.
Sunday 5th June
On the Kambosis Jr./Haney undercard there is the WBC silver and WBO international title fight at bantamweight between Jason Maloney and Aston Palicte whilst at heavyweight Lucas Browne returns to face Junior Fa for the WBA Oceania title.