Andre Berto won his second Welterweight championship after capturing the IBF portion when reigning champion Jan Zaveck could not continue after round five of their clash at The Beau Rivage Hotel and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.
The two set a good pace early with Berto displaying lightning hand speed but Zaveck seemed unimpressed as he trucked forward and was solid with the right. Berto had a good round three as he pounded the body of Zaveck by doubling up his hooks. Zaveck had a good round four as he started working to the body and got through with good combination’s’.
Round five was an intense round with both guys landed hard shots. Zaveck landed a good right to open the round. The two traded nice uppercuts in the center of the ring. It was Berto, who showed the war scars as he had a mouse forming under his left eye. Berto’s hard shot formed swelling around the right eye of Zaveck. The landed another over hand right to end the round.
When Zaveck sat down in the corner, there was blood on the right eyelid and swelling from the left eye. he told his corner he couldn’t see but wanted to continue. The corner won out and the bout was stopped before round six could commence.
Berto, who was coming off his professional loss to Victor Ortiz but won back a sliice of the welterweight title and is now 28-2 with twenty-two knockouts. Zaveck of Slovenia was making his American debut put up a tough effort but is now 31-2.
Featherweight Super Prospect Gary Russell Jr. scored a dominating eight round unanimous decision over Leonilo Miranda.
Russell Jr. showed incredible handspeed and had Miranda in trouble on a few occasions. Russell had a big round four as he landed some big body combinations and then came upstairs to the head. In round six, Russell ripped off a ten punch combination that had Miranda to the point that he ducked under the top rope to avoid anymore damage. those big punches opened up a cut around the right eye of Miranda.
Russell cruised downed the stretch and showed glimpses of the brilliance that many boxing insiders beleive he could be one of the next stars on the American circuit.
Russell of Capitol Heights, Maryland won by scores of 80-72; 80-72 and 79-72 to remain perfect at 18-0. Miranda of Mexico is now 32-4-1.
It was a clean sweep for DiBella Entertainment (DBE) stable-mates Thomas Oosthuzien, Randall Bailey, Luis Orlandito Del Valle and Ivan Redkach earlier in Biloxi, Mississippi, on the undercard of tonight’s live HBO Boxing After Dark telecast, featuring former WBC Welterweight Champion, Andre Berto looking to reclaim a piece of the welterweightr crown when he takes on reigning IBF Champion, Jan Zaveck.
In a very entertaining fight, South Africa’s Oosthuzien defended his IBO Super Middleweight Title with a twleve round unanimous decision victory over Aaron Pryor Jr. The southpaw, Oosthuzien who was making both his U.S. and DBE debut, was able to work behind a vicious body attack to outwork Pryor for most of the fight. Pryor hung tough, and did some good work of his own, causing a nasty cut to open over Oosthuzien’s right eye, but in the end Oosthuzien was the much busier of the two, winning by scores of 117-11 on all three judge’s scorecards.
IBF #2 rated welterweight, Randall “The K.O. King” Bailey improved to 42-7, 36KO’s with a dominate ten round unanimous decision over Yoryi Estrella. Bailey, the manadatory challenger to tonight’s main event winner, controlled the action throughout, dropping Estrella with an uppercut in the 5th round, before going on to win by scores of 100-89, 100-89, 98-91.
Del Valle knocked out Anthony Napunyi with a tremendous overhand right, improving to a perfect 14-0, 11KO’s. Official time of the stoppage was 1:21 of round three.
Redkach improved to a 8-0, 7KO’s stopping Vernon Alston (4-2, 4KO’s) in the third round of their scheduled six round lightweight contest.
In the opening bout of the evening, Gerald Jordon (8-5-1, 5KO’s) scored an upset six round split decision over previously undefeated welterweight Sergio Vartanov (9-1, 6KO’s).
