Weekend Results: Harris Wins LBF North American Title, Todd Defeats Centeno, Magsayo Defeats Russell
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
*Photo Credit: Robert Brizel, Real Combat Media
Dearborn, Mi (January 23rd, 2022)– In a topsy-turvy weekend where anything can happen to fighters who have been relatively inactive during the Pandemic, January 2022 continued the trend, whereby featherweight Gary Russell, the longest active world champion at over six years, and two-time world title challenger Hugo Centeno Jr. were on the short end of main event decisions by underdogs.
On Saturday evening, in the co-main event of a Salita Promotions six-bout card at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, in Dearborn, Michigan entitled Detroit Brawl, underestimated Antonio Todd, cutting off the ring and keeping right to neutralize the opponent’s left, 13-5 with seven knockouts, Atlanta, Georgia, in the gym but taking the bout on 30 days of notice, outpointed world-ranked Hugo Centeno Jr., 28-4-1 with 15 knockouts, Oxnard, California, by majority 10 round decision.
Once Centeno’s game plan was taken away from him, Centeno was reduced to attempting to circle to the left, with virtually no punch out aside from a rare furry attempt. Todd remained in Centeno’s face for all 10 rounds, backed up by a loud corner barking instructions and encouragement.
Centeno missed weight at 161.2, 1.2 pounds over the middleweight limit of 160 pounds, made no effort to lose the extra pound after the first weight in, and took a contractual financial penalty, while Todd came in at a crisp 158.2 pounds. Clearly, Todd was the better motivated and better prepared of the two boxers. Todd, whose career included being on the short end of three questionable close eight-round decisions which he called robberies in the post-fight interview, fought three times in 2021.
In his last outing, Todd won a rematch eight-round decision over Delvecchio Savage at Buckhead Fight Club in Atlanta in December 2021. Savage had stopped Todd in five rounds in Atlanta in May 2019, so clearly Todd was on the way up. Centeno has won only one of his past three fights in the last two years. Centeno’s corner may have believed his 28-3-1 record was safe against a 12-5 opponent. It was not.
Todd, with a tight defense as well, unmarked and who outpointed Centeno 97-95 on the Real Combat Media scorecard, took command in round five, seemingly winning every round from that point on from the no offense running Centeno. By staying in Centeno’s face with superior pressure, as Todd’s corner shouted loudly for the whole arena to hear, with no place for his left hand. Centeno did not want it, and opted not to mix it. As Todd noted, styles make fights, and rematch would change the outcome. Todd’s corner clearly had studied footage on Centeno, and countered his fighting style to perfection.
Result: Antonio Todd Win 10 Hugo Centeno Jr., Middleweights. Scoring: 97-93, 96-94, Todd. 95-95 Draw. Referee: Frank Garza.
In the co-main event, Detroit super middleweight contender Winfred “Hot Boy” Harris, 21-1-1 with 10 knockouts, in flashy trunks, won a dirty war eight round decision over dangerous Mexican Esau Herrera de la Cruz, 19-14-1 with eight knockouts, Mexico City, Mexico. The fight went dirty immediately, with the fighters hitting the head, pushing their opponents to the canvas behind the head, low blows, spinning the opponent. Rabbit punches, and head butting. Herrera took the fight to within two points on one scorecard. To his credit, Harris boxed calmly and carefully, taking care not to punch himself out. The ring was not cut off, and Herrera fought on his bicycle and made Harris chase him. Harris had the edge on punches thrown and landed, but Herrera was in the house, and his record was deceiving. However, the dirty tactics which he initiated did not benefit him in the long run. Harris dealt with Herrera, giving and taking, and simply outboxing him.
Former longtime International Boxing Federation championship supervisor Lindsey Tucker, now with the Legends Boxing Foundation, was the belt supervisor at ringside for this North American LBF championship bout. A separate interview by Real Combat Media with Lindsey Tucker was conducted at ringside, regarding Tucker’s interaction with ABC Boxing, and BoxRec’s John and Dr. Marina Sheppard, at the 2021 ABC Boxing meetings.
Result: Winfred Harris Win 8 Esau Herrera de la Cruz, Super Middleweights
Harris wins vacant Legends Boxing Foundation USA Mexico Canada Super Middleweight title. Scoring: 79-73, 79-93, 77-75 Harris. Legends Boxing Foundation Supervisor: Lindsey Tucker
Detroit Brawl Undercard Results
Joshua Pagan (Pro Debut) TKO 2 Glenn Mitchell, Lightweights (1:25). Mitchell down in first and second round. Referee: Ansel Stewart
Marlon “Savage” Harrington KO 1 Terry Roscoe, Middleweights (1:44). 6-0 Detroit prospect Harrington knocked down Roscoe, then knocked him out. Referee: Frank Garza
Gordie Russ II KO 1 Leslie Michael Klekotta, Super Welterweights (1:38)
3-0 Detroit prospect Russ knocked down Klekotta, then knocked him out. Referee: Gerard White
Joseph Hicks Jr. (Pro Debut) Win TKO 4 Montrel James, Middleweights (2:33). Best bout on undercard. James down in first, got up. Hicks then took James on a four round trip to hell. Scheduled for six in Hicks’ pro debut. Referee: Ansel Stewart.
A seventh scheduled bout between undefeated welterweight prospects 8-0 Quinton Randall and 5-0 Julian Smith got scratched when Randall weighed in at 151.4 pounds over the contracted weight.
At Borgata Hotel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in the USA Showtime televised card on Saturday evening, January 22, 2022, Mark Magsayo, 24-0 with 16 knockouts, Manila, Philippines, with a 12 round majority decision win over a largely inactive Gary Allen Russell Jr., nursing an injured right shoulder, 31-2 with 18 knockouts, Capitol Heights, Maryland, to win the World Boxing Council World Featherweight title. Rusell, who won the title in March 2015 with a fourth-round stoppage of Jhonny Gonzalez at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, was boxing’s longest serving champion at nearly seven years.
Russell had not been in the ring since February 2020, when he decisioned Tugstsogt Nyambayar. Pandemic or not, significant inactivity never helps a fighter, especially a world champion. Worse, southpaw Russell was apparently fighting with an injured right shoulder. His right jab, which sets up the left, was nonexistent. Magsayo had the edge of punches thrown and landed. Russell still had his defense and experience, but the bottom line was Russell could not outwork a healthy number one contender.
Watching the fight, Russell had his moments, but without his ability to use his right hand, for the most part Russell appeared to be a one armed fighter. Magsayo, trained by Freddie Roach, was well prepared to do battle. Magsayo landed 150 of 543 punches, while Russell landed 69 of 323 punches thrown. Maysayo landed 140 of 340 power shots, while Russell landed 58 of 259. Magsayo landed 10 or 203 jabs, while Russell landed 11 of 64. Magsayo was the busier fighter Manny Pacquiao style.
Russell told commentator Jim Gray he believed he incurred a torn tendon in his right shoulder in the fourth round of battle. Still, Russell, with his presence and his occasional left hand, gave a great fight and almost won it, but not quite. Magsayo was the aggressor throughout. This bout would make a great rematch later in 2022, all factors considered.
Result: Mark Magsayo Win Majority Decision 12 Gary Allen Russell Jr., Featherweights
Magsayo wins World Boxing Council World Featherweight title
Scoring: 115-113, 115-113 Magsayo. 114-114 Draw. WBC Supervisor: Jill Diamond
In the preliminary to the main event, a televised rematch, super welterweight contender Subriel Matias, 18-1 with 128 knockouts, Fajardo, Puerto Rico, dropped Petros Ananyan, 16-3-2 with seven knockouts, Los Angeles, California, and stopped him after nine rounds. In the first bout, ANanyan dropped Matias in round seven in February 2020 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, and won the three scorecards, two by scores of 95-94.
On the undercard, Tugstsogt Nyambayar and Sakaria Lukas battled to a controversial 10 round split draw, thanks to an apparent eighth round knockdown by a Lukas left hand of Nyambayar ruled a slip by referee Eddie Claudio. New Jersey State Athletic Control Board commissioner Larry Hazzard supported Claudio’s decision, repeatedly telling Showtime’s Jim Gray after the bout as they watched the footage of the eighth round “slip” a punch did not cause Nyambayar to go down. The footage, however, shows a different story.
With the knockdown, Lukas would have won a split decision. It is the human element which keeps amateur and professional sports interesting. Usually in pro boxing, the gripe is over a bad decision on the scorecards. This controversy was over a knockdown which was not, which affected the scorecards which emerged. Judge Anthony Lundy scored for Lukas 96-94. Judge Ron McNair scored the bout 96-94 Nyambayar. Judge Robin Taylor scored it 95-95 a draw, but Lukas would have won by one point on her card, and won the bout by 10 round split decision, if the slip was counted as a knockdown. That’s boxing. Nyambayar. 12-2-1, nine knockouts, Los Angeles, California by way of Ulaanbataar, Mongolia, represented Mongolia at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Nyambayar was a 25-1 betting favorite in the Vegas Caesars Palace Las Vegas sportsbook over Lukas, 25-1-1, 17 Knockouts, Windhoek, Namibia, and would have paid off monster money for the bookies if the upset had been allowed to occur. Like Yordenis Ugas scoring the upset over Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas, when it comes to sports betting you never know who the winner will be on an odd night, particularly when it comes to fighters nobody knows about.
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