Weekend Results: Figueroa Shines, Roman Returns, Charr Broils, McCarthy Retains EBU

By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent

The third weekend in May 2021 yielded some interesting boxing results as some well-known names tried to reestablish themselves into the mix in very competitive divisions. There were some title bouts, some comebacks, some surprises, and some mixed results.

European Boxing Union Cruiserweight champion Tommy McCarthy, 18-2 with nine knockouts, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, won his fifth straight bout and retained his EBU title with a fifth round knockout of 19-5 Alexander Jur of Oradea, Romania. Jur, a loser of four of his last six, and five of his last nine, went down three times from body shots, twice in the fourth, and for the count at 2:09 of round six.

13-0 Gabriel Alberto Curzo won the Vacant World Boxing Association Welterweight Fedebol Welterweight title of Catamarca, Argentina, with a nine rounds decision over 11-6-2 Martin Ariel Ruiz of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Still, Ruiz did well in his comeback attempt, having been stopped in the first round for the same WBA Fedebol title in his last outing by an unbeaten opponent three and a half years ago in the first round.

In a battle of obscure unbeaten heavyweights, Demsey McKean, 19-0, 12 knockouts, Ipswich, Australia, by winning a 10 round unanimous decision over 7-0-2 Kiko Toa Leutele of Hawks Bay, New Zealand. Toa Leutele, who is no David Tua, won only two of the ten rounds on all three scorecards, so it was not a close bout. On the same card, 20-6-1 Australian super welterweight veteran Joel Camilleri won a 10 round points decision over 6-4 fellow Australian Luke Woods, a loser of three of his last four bouts. 3-0 Rebecca Hawker of Brisbane won the vacant Australian Female Featherweight title with a seventh round stoppage of 0-2 Amanda Klein, also of Brisbane, two minutes rounds.

In Quebec City, Canada, 19-2-1 former International Boxing Federation North American Super Lightweight titleholder Mathieu Germain of Mascouche, Canada, in a rematch of of a January 2019 split decision draw, scored a 10 round split decision upset over 29-7-2 Steve Clagett of Calgary, Canada, a former World Boxing Council Francophone and IBF International Super Lightweight titleholder.

In Lombardia, Italy, three fighters on the ‘A’ side lost to fighters on the ‘B’ side, proving the you never know what can happen theory. In the main event, the tower leaned long as 10-4-2 Nicola Henchiri of Pisa, Italy, won a close but unanimous 12 round decision upset to win the vacant European Union Super Featherweight title over 15-4-1 Mario Alfano of Rome, Italy. Alfano lost a 12 rounds decision for the vacant title six months ago. The title remained vacant when opponent Haithem Laamouz of Malta failed the post fight drug test.

13-1-1 Italian Super Bantamweight champion Jonathan Sannino lost his title when he was upset by 10 rounds unanimous decision by 11-0 Mattia De Bianchi of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Mattia has won eleven consecutive decisions at six, eight and ten rounds distance, an early indicator of a developing fine technical fighter.

5-0 middleweight prospect Giovanni Nino Rosselli, a transplant to Italy from Havana, Cuba, lost an eight rounds decision to 8-1 Gianluca Pappalardo, a German fighting out of Sicily who ahs won eight straight bouts since losing his pro debut.

In what could be considered a semi world heavyweight championship bout, Lebanese German Manuel “Diamond Boy” Charr, the World Boxing Association World Heavyweight champion in recess since 2017 since being shot four times, this after a double hip replacement, scored a second round knockout at 1:09 in Cologne, Germany, over pretender Christopher Lovejoy of Las Vegas, Nevada. Lovejoy, who entered the ring at 19-0 with 19 knockouts with an impressive but Mexican padded record, but who had never faced an opponent with a winning record. got hit in the head with an ordinary right hand in a corner, and crumpled to the canvas face down. Charr, who never officially retired, even if he never fights for a world title again, is an athlete, a determined survivor of circumstance, and one tough mother. For Lovejoy, it was a trip too far, and a stepup fighter too far.

In Mexico City, Mexico, former World Boxing Council World Female Super Flyweight champion Zulima Munoz, 53-3-2 with 30 knockouts, Mexico City, Mexico, won an eight rounds split decision comeback over fellow Mexican Isis Vargas.

World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council World Super Bantamweight champion Brandon Figueroa, 22-0-1 with 17 knockouts, Weslaco, Texas, scored a seventh round knockout of 31-0 southpaw challenger Luis Nery of Tijuana, Mexico, with a delayed reaction body shot knockout. Figueroa will now unify the title against 19-0 Stephen Fulton Jr. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 11, 2021, an electric date for what should prove to be an electric unification bout. On the same card, Daniel “The Baby-Faced Assassin” Roman, 29-3-1 with 10 knockouts, Los Angeles, California, the former World Boxing Association World Super Bantamweight champion, won a 10 round unanimous decision over Ricardo Espinosa Franco, 25-4 with 21 knockouts, Tijuana, Mexico. 17-0 lightweight prospect Xavier Martinez of Sacramento, California, won a 10 rounds decision over 35-4-2 veteran Juan Carlos Burgos of Tijuana, Mexico.




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