WEEKEND FILE: RESULTS – SIMPSON, HARRISON, PROVODNIKOV, MARTIN, JONES JR., BUNDRAGE, LARA, RUSSELL JR., MICHAEL PEREZ.

In between the tears of sadness that always precede Mondays, let’s take a look back in our ‘Weekend File.’

STARTING WITH FRIDAY’S ACTION IN SCOTLAND: The main event on BoxNation was Paul Appleby vs. John Simpson for the BBBoC celtic super featherweight title.

We were treated to a war in what was a rematch from 2008, when they fought in the super featherweight division, with Appleby winning.  This time around, Simpson got his revenge in emphatic style.  He stopped Appleby after unloading body shots, uppercuts and jabs – basically the kitchen sink. Appleby came to fight, but paid the price by getting K.O’d in the 6th.
Simpson improved to 22-9-1 and Appleby dropped to 18-4-0. For a full report of the action check out: http://fightscorecollector.blogspot.com/.

The main undercard bout featured the lightweights Scott Harrison vs. Gyorgy Mizseimakes.

Making his return to the ring after quite an absence, Scott Harrison beat the game but clearly over-matched Gyorgy Mizseimakes.  The referee stopped it in the 4th after a knockdown and one too many unanswered; clubbing hooks to the side of the 18 year old’s head.
Harrison looked sharp and very technically sound.  While being 34 years old isn’t over the hill, he does have a relatively limited amount of time to capitalise on his rekindled career. I’m sure that we’ll start seeing him going after the bigger matches now.
For a full report of the action check out: http://fightscorecollector.blogspot.com/.

It was a packed bill, but the only other bout that we’ll mention is the cruiserweight clash between Stephen Simmons and Jevgenijs Andrejevs. Simmons was undefeated going into the bout and remains undefeated after going the distance.
The referee scored the six round match, 60-54 in favour of Simmons. http://fightscorecollector.blogspot.com, has the full fight description.

MOVING OVER TO FRIDAY NIGHT IN AMERICA: On ESPN’s FNF series, Ruslan Provodnikov faced and demolished, Jose ‘El Nino’ Reynoso in a light welterweight clash.

Provodnikov came into the night with a very healthy K.O percentage and didn’t disappoint. Being the shorter man, he wisely went to the body, but didn’t ignore the head either. This resulted in a second round K.O, of Jose Reynoso. Provodnikov improves to 21-1-0 and Reynoso drops to 16-4-1.
The earlier action on the FNF card was the also entertaining super bantamweight scrap between Roberto ‘Azabache’ Castaneda and Christopher ‘S.D. Kid’ Martin.
Christopher Martin looked poised throughout the match, showing patience and accuracy.  He was very successful with his body work, felling Azabache twice. The first was a crisp, semi uppercut to the solar plexus and the second was a left to the kidney area in the 6th. Referee stopped the bout in the 6th after that bit of demolition.
The return of the body shot indeed… http://uk.fighthype.com/return-of-the-body-shot/.

FNF closed the night with an entertaining four rounder that saw Oscar Godoy earn the decision over Roberto Crespo.  It was a solid showing by Godoy.  Crespo’s attempt to pour it on in the fourth, was too little too late.

SATURDAY’S ACTION: STARTING IN POLAND: In a semi-Lazarus like showing, Roy Jones Jr. earned a split 10 round decision over Pawel Glazwecki.

The, at times, spryness of RJ jr. was a pleasant surprise and it appeared as if the Polish audience enjoyed the show that he put on for them. Glazewcki was able to score a knockdown in the 6th, which was the result of a glancing left that caught Roy as he was moving backwards.  Roy promptly got off the canvas.  The sight of him using the ropes to pull himself up was a reminder that Roy’s definitely not a spring chicken anymore.
Roy’s accuracy, ring experience and up to the challenge defence, allowed him to earn the split decision.  His dominant performance in the tenth, probably sealed the decision for him. That left hand is still held too low and while he won this one, he was clearly very tired at the end of the tenth. Is Jones ready for the better opponents in the cruiserweight division?
I definitely don’t think so, but don’t let Roy know that I said that…

SATURDAY NIGHT IN AMERICA:  The main bill on Saturday was the action on Showtime.

We had the rematch between Cornelius ‘K9’ Bundrage and Cory the ‘Next Generation’ Spinks.  Bundrage’s wild fighting style was at times given structure by legendary trainer Emmanuel Steward, but it was a still a wild display.

Bundrage scored the TKO in the 7th round.  Spinks looked very underwhelming, especially in light of the many opportunities presented by Bundrage’s wild abandon.  In my opinion, now’s the time for Cory Spinks to retire.  Bundrage improves to 32-4-0 and Spinks is now 39-6-0.

On the undercard was one of the top light middleweights, Erislandy Lara, facing Freddy ‘El Riel’ Hernandez.
Showing more of that polished boxing ability that he’s become known for, Lara ended up in a battle against the resolute and underrated Hernandez.

Hernandez came to fight and I think that he benefited from campaigning at 154, as opposed to the 147lb weight limit that he faced Andre Berto at.  While Lara was clearly ahead of Hernandez in the skill department, Hernandez’ commitment to going after Lara’s body and opportunistic attacks to the head kept him in there.  Showing his soundness, Lara also landed some nice body shots.

Two head-butts, one at the end of the 6th and the other at the start of the seventh round resulted in a point deduction for Lara and the start of a waterfall of blood for Hernandez. I felt that the head-butts were accidental, but two in a row, probably necessitated the point deduction. The blood flowing into his right eye definitely affected Hernandez, but Lara had already set the tone and was certainly ahead at that point in the fight.
Lara continued to mix it up with jabs, straight lefts and crunching right hooks en route to a unanimous decision: 99-90, 98-91 and 95-94. Lara improves to 17-1-0 and Hernandez drops to 30-2-0.

The other match of the night was the featherweight clash between the undefeated ‘Mr.’ Gary Russell Jr. vs. Christopher ‘Huracan’ Perez.

Living up to expectations, Russell Jr. demolished Perez.  Showing the hand speed, precision, will to engage and the ability to hit and not be hit, Russell Jr. pressed his attack behind the jab.  Knocking Perez down three times during the bout, the referee understandably stopped it in the 3rd. Russell Jr. by T.K.O.
He remains undefeated at 20-0-0 and Christopher Perez drops to 23-2-0.

MEXICO:
Michael ‘the Artist’ Perez defeated Eric ‘la Maquina’ Cruz in a lightweight battle in Mexico. Perez scored the second round T.K.O. I unfortunately missed this one, but apparently Perez beat the over-matched Cruz into submission.
Michael Perez improves to 16-1-1 and Cruz falls to 13-9-3.

The other main bout on ‘Soleo Boxeo,’ saw Jeffrey Fontanez score a first round K.O over Pedro Hernandez in light welterweight action.

Fontanez improves to 8-0-0 , while Pedro Hernandez drops to 6-6-4.